How long had I been lost in the dark abyss of unconsciousness? Suddenly, I felt the warmth of sunlight.
It was bright.
At the same time, it felt as if a deep, fluffy cloud was pushing my soul away.
"Hmm."
It was the moment I was waking up.
A cracked groan escaped my lips.
The sensation of the bedding was familiar.
It had the unique softness of Ma Gwang-ik's residence.
The air smelled the same.
It felt very cozy and comforting.
It meant safety.
‘Ah.’ The moment I became aware of my spirit, my consciousness flickered like a beam of light.
In an instant, I counted the time that had passed.
It was a habit of thought that had already become instinctual.
From Yongbong Guild to Hwangbo Family, seeking out Heonwon Chang and trying to recover him, then back to Namjikrye, in front of the scoundrels of Namgung Family, to the Blood Flame Church headquarters.
Just the time spent moving was immense.
Events that were not easy to handle had piled up as well.
Eighty-seven days had passed.
The lifespan I lost to the sword family was about half a month.
How long did it take for my return? I guessed from my hunger.
My stomach was empty, but it was alright.
My body was not in a severely weakened state.
I also examined my insides.
The blood vessels throughout my body, the eight meridians, the twelve channels, and the three dantians.
The strength and elasticity had weakened significantly.
It seemed to be a backlash from changing the Blood Flame Spirit Technique into the Anti-Demon formation's key points.
The burden on my Baihui point had also increased.
‘I will need to recuperate.’ To regain my health, I would need some time.
“There’s a presence. Have you woken up?” I could feel the power overflowing from the thick voice.
It was a force that surged even without conscious thought.
A very powerful master spoke without opening the door.
I recognized it immediately.
It was a familiar voice, and after knowing my blood relation, I felt my uncle's gaze on me.
“Yes, Uncle. Please come in.”
“Alright.” The door creaked open.
A large man entered, closing the door behind him.
His muscles were tightly woven, visible through his black clothing, and his face bore the scars of countless battles.
It was Ma Gwang-ik, who had gained even more fame after annihilating the Hwangbo main family.
Jeong Yeon-shin looked at his uncle anew.
After being captured by the Seven Sages, he had thought many things.
He had considered that he might never see him again.
“How is your body? You must have fought against the head of the Hwangbo family.” Jeong Yeon-shin asked while scanning his uncle's body.
Ma Jin sat down at the edge of the bed, gazing down at his nephew who lay there.
“It was a war, so we must have joined forces. The head of the family was quite formidable. He used martial arts I had never heard of, calling it a secret technique. I matched hands with the head of the Myeolseong family, and it was only after over seventy exchanges that I managed to take his head. My internal injuries have healed during my recovery. How about you?”
“There are no issues with the flow of my energy. The blood circulation is good, and I just need to eat and nourish myself a little.”
“However?”
“Hmm?”
“What day is it today?”
“... It’s five days past the full moon.”
He was referring to the fifteenth day of the sixth month.
Jeong Yeon-shin slightly closed his eyes.
It meant that half of his sixteen years had already passed.
About three years and six months remained.
He had to make up for about half a month lost to the sword family.
He raised his upper body with his abdominal muscles.
“I had many solo actions. I need to report directly to the headquarters.”
“There’s no need to rush. Those who went to attack the Blood Flame Church headquarters are still on their way back. And... my return was a bit later than yours, but by then, the main family was already in chaos. I heard that the lord personally brought you back. It seems you performed your lightness skill alone.”
“What then?”
“The strict handling of affairs at the headquarters is well known. However, even having witnessed such a scene, I cannot press you to report. It means you can take your time.”
“I understand.”
He completely got up from the bed.
His actions contradicted his words.
He set aside his need for recuperation.
He had to go to the headquarters immediately.
He could hardly bear to wait for the official settlement.
As he stretched his legs, Ma Jin was caught off guard and stumbled back.
“... What are you doing?”
“If I just lie down, I cannot call it recovery. I need to bask in the sun and feel the late spring breeze.”
“What? You’re not even a noble.”
He stopped his uncle, who was trying to follow him, and stepped out of the inner quarters.
As soon as he stepped outside, he had to stop.
The seniors who were moving around Ma Gwang-ik's residence approached him with bright expressions.
“Seong-ye has awakened.”
“Are you alright?”
“I heard your actions were quite eventful. Would you share your story?”
“More importantly, is it true that the lord personally brought you back? I wonder if you felt the divine protection of the absolute beauty. How was the speed?”
It was a long-awaited experience.
They were the blue-clad seniors of Ma Gwang-ik.
They had shown interest every time the youngest completed a mission.
Although Jeong Yeon-shin had escaped the lower ranks with the entry of the blue-clad warriors and Shin So-bin, in their eyes, he still seemed like a young junior.
Jeong Yeon-shin's goal was the purple rank of the Sword Guardian.
The blue-clad warriors were the backbone of Ip Hwang-seong.
He had to pay attention to his reputation among them.
As he answered each question, they walked together until they passed the grand martial hall.
Perhaps because it was lively for the first time in a while, other seniors continued to gather.
Eventually, they began to talk among themselves.
“Indeed, the main family has become chaotic. The lord personally took care of Seong-ye on his return.”
“Is there more to the story?”
At Jeong Yeon-shin's question, another senior opened his mouth.
“The entire martial world is entering into chaos. The hands of the seventeen factions are severely lacking, and the honor of the families under the main family has ignited. There are rumors that they have started to fight over mission assignments. Your maternal family, the Ip Hwang family, is also involved.”
Even when discussing the family, their words were unrestrained.
It was understandable.
The blue-clad warriors of Ip Hwang-seong were masters who acted as strongmen anywhere in the Central Plains.
Their personalities were as bold as their high martial prowess.
They were masters capable of defeating a hundred men with a single sword.
“I see.” Jeong Yeon-shin nodded silently.
“There’s also that genius.” A voice from another senior was heard from the side.
The surroundings became noisy again.
“I’ve heard. Is he the one trapped in the Thunder Prison? The one they call the Sun God?”
“If he is the young master of the Hwangbo family, then yes. There has been much talk about his treatment.”
“I don’t understand why they don’t just kill him. The fact that the martial arts of the Hwangbo family remain is a future trouble, isn’t it?”
“Future trouble? He has already been captured by the main family. How could he escape?”
They were talking about the Taeyun Dragon of the Hwangbo family.
Jeong Yeon-shin asked once more.
“Did the white-clad members of the Shandong expedition return first?”
“Yes. They have made significant contributions. Even after losing to the allied families and the Blood Flame Church, they managed to save a few prisoners. The same goes for that Taeyun Dragon. He was brought back quite proudly.”
He recalled the madman who had been chewing on a poppy.
He was a different kind of lunatic from the Seven Sages.
‘Compared to the conflicts among the families under the main family, this is nothing significant.’ Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head inwardly.
The seniors, with smiles on their faces, urged him to share stories about his mission.
They were people who did not even enjoy common gambling.
They said there were few joys in life.
All they had were martial arts, tales of the martial world, and trivial matters.
“I will tell you later. Let’s have a discussion about the sword.” He politely brushed them off.
He headed straight to the headquarters.
“Is this Ma Gwang-ik's Jeong Yeon-shin?”
“Yes.”
The clerk managing the entrance checked Jeong Yeon-shin's Ip Hwang badge.
It was a badge with a golden tree pattern.
Beneath the pattern was inscribed the word Seong-ye (閃藝).
Seong-ye was no longer just a nickname.
It was a title formally bestowed by the lord during the ceremony.
The clerk immediately returned the badge.
It seemed he had only formally inquired about his identity.
Jeong Yeon-shin stepped out in his blue warrior attire.
There was no way he would not recognize the golden character representing the direct disciple of the lord of Ip Hwang-seong.
“Seong-ye, young master. May I ask your purpose?”
“I have a mission report and an official settlement.”
For a moment, a strange light seemed to flicker in the clerk's eyes.
“Understood.”
Jeong Yeon-shin immediately entered the large main hall.
The scent of ink wafted through the air.
Long desks were arranged in a very antique manner, and clerks were each holding brushes, writing down words.
It was an extremely vast office, comparable to a martial arts training ground.
The number of clerks inside easily reached dozens.
Ma Jin's words were correct.
There was a solemn atmosphere, just like that of the warriors.
He sent a message to the person seated at the head of the long table. - Ma Gwang-ik, Seong-ye here.
I wish to report on my mission...
A robust man dressed in brown robes stood up.
He was a middle-aged man with a thick black beard, and his reaction was very quick.
“Come this way!” He shouted loudly while extending his hand.
His demeanor was very polite.
It seemed he was unaffected by the atmosphere.
Could this person be the head of the headquarters?
The Grand Commander of Ip Hwang-seong was said to be someone who scolded even the black-clad warriors regarding budgets and personnel.
I wondered if that was true.
However, I soon realized.
‘It’s because I received martial arts from the lord.’
All eyes turned towards him.
The clerks who returned to their work mixed with those who were whispering.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not move.
His previous experiences in the martial world had shaped him that way.
He learned how to navigate through life after losing in a sword duel.
“I greet the pillars of the main family. I am Ma Gwang-ik, Seong-ye.”
He offered a salute to the clerks of the headquarters.
It was said that the warriors of the world generally looked down upon those who recited words.
He could not afford to do the same.
He was young, and those holding the power of personnel were kings.
“...”
The silence was brief.
The clerks who stood up greeted him in return.
Their faces were peculiar.
Jeong Yeon-shin was the direct disciple of the lord of Ip Hwang-seong.
It was said that this status was originally held only by the royal family.
It was unheard of for clerks to first show respect to a master with a golden character.
‘Good.’ This was enough.
A small favor had blossomed.
Jeong Yeon-shin turned his back.
He felt the whispers gradually spreading behind him as he followed the Grand Commander’s guidance.
The Grand Commander led him with an expression that was hard to describe.
There was another office in the annex.
The two sat facing each other.
“Shall I offer you some tea?”
“I would be grateful.”
The Grand Commander called a servant to bring the tea.
During that time, Jeong Yeon-shin looked at the Grand Commander’s face.
He was tall, and his eye level was considerable.
Although he was the head of the headquarters, he had practiced martial arts.
He could feel the intense aura that brushed against his skin.
Indeed, he did not seem like someone who would be good at flattery.
“Just a moment.” The Grand Commander took out a bundle of papers from a drawer.
It was filled with densely written words.
As he skimmed through the thick bundle that resembled a book, he spoke with thick lips.
“The mission of the Yongbong Guild and the Hwangbo branch in Pyeong-eum, the defeat of the Blood Flame Church branches while traversing Shandong and Namjikrye, and the sweeping away of the blood demons in front of the Namgung scoundrels.”
He said, “It has been quite some time. There were many witnesses, and we have clearly observed the matter on our side. There was also a report from the white-clad warrior Shin So-bin, and we received letters from the branch leaders of both divisions, as well as from the Cheong-an Sword and the Illyeon Sword Association. Even the Sword Dragon of the Jongnam faction has sent news.”
“... Are you saying that the matters you mentioned have already been settled?” Jeong Yeon-shin asked, maintaining a calm demeanor.
“Yes. With just a simple questioning, you will receive your rewards as a blue-clad warrior.” The Grand Commander smiled broadly.
He slowly continued speaking.
“However, the incidents that occurred at the Blood Flame Church headquarters... this one, I have not received a clear report from the lord, so I will need to wait for a definite report. It will take some time. Therefore, before that...”
He paused for a moment before continuing.
“Let’s discuss the settled rewards first. Fifty silver coins, a full set of martial attire made of silk, the right to request martial arts instruction from the Sword Guardian, and a high-grade elixir from the main family... You can choose as you wish. If you have a specific request...”
“I would prefer the elixir.” Jeong Yeon-shin said without hesitation.
The Grand Commander’s eyes widened slightly.
“Hmm? That’s not what I meant.”
“Yes...?”
“I was just asking about the elixir. Whether you want to take it now or have it stored at the Medicine Hall. Even if you choose the latter, you can receive it anytime. The head of the Medicine Hall is a noble, so he can keep the elixir in the best condition. It is free from moisture and temperature, so it is certainly trustworthy to leave it with him.”
“... I find it hard to understand your words.”
At Jeong Yeon-shin’s words, the Grand Commander laughed.
“Everything belongs to you, young master. Everything I mentioned is indeed yours.”