“A real giant is a real giant.”

“......”

“No, even calling him a giant isn’t enough. For a young man who’s only just passed twenty to already set his body onto the transcendent’s martial path... it’s truly incredible.”

The old Daoist admired him without reservation.

“I’ve met countless heroes in my life, but I’ve never seen someone so specialized in martial arts as him. No wonder you’d ask for teachings under him.”

“Yes.”

Okcheong looked unusually cautious.

But he still said what he needed to say.

“If I quietly look back on it.”

“Hm?”

“I’ve watched Commander Yeon these past few months. And from what I’ve seen...”

He even wondered if there was any need to say this out loud.

But Okcheong was the type who couldn’t suppress curiosity. If he needed something, he didn’t hesitate to act. There was that firmness inside his gentle, mild nature.

“Honestly, I’ve never thought of him as a genius.”

“You’ve never thought of him as a genius? What do you mean by that?”

“Well...”

Awkwardness rose on Okcheong’s face.

“It felt less like martial power built from talent, and more like... martial power stacked up from unbelievable experience.”

“Experience?”

“It’s just a feeling. Rather than getting strong through talent, it felt like he was taking back a realm he’d already learned before—something he already knew.”

The old Daoist—Daoist Seunghyeon, the head of the Wudang Sect—burst into a booming laugh.

“Hah! Nonsense. Then are you saying Commander Yeon is some monster who smashed through the Martial End Wall when he was even younger than this?”

Okcheong scratched his head as if embarrassed.

“Of course not. That’s why I said it was just a feeling.”

“Whatever it is, it’s certain he’s a truly astonishing talent. And he’s built great merit with a hot-blooded chivalric heart, too—so it might be that the next generation of the martial world ends up turning around Commander Yeon.”

“There’s a high chance of that.”

Daoist Seunghyeon smiled faintly.

“Doesn’t it make you greedy?”

“Yes?”

“Your master is called the Sword Immortal, and he’s evaluated as the person closest to Under-Heaven’s First Sword. As his disciple, shouldn’t you naturally want to become the best?”

Okcheong smiled gently.

“You’re joking, right? I only want the completion of my martial arts. I have absolutely no desire to compete with someone, or to be in the spotlight.”

“Hah.”

“Then again, maybe that’s why I’m like this. Commander Yeon said it before—competitiveness can also become a driving force for growth.”

“That’s true. But it isn’t an absolute requirement for advancement.”

“I know. Commander Yeon admitted that too.”

“Hahaha.”

Daoist Seunghyeon kept laughing, but inside, he was startled by Okcheong’s response.

He’s changed a lot, too.

In the past, Okcheong had been more like a seeker than a martial artist. As a disciple of Wudang, that was truly admirable.

Wudang was called one of the twin pillars of the martial world alongside Shaolin, but it was, unmistakably, ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) a sect of Daoists who pursued the Way. The sword wasn’t a tool for slaughter—it was a tool for cultivation.

Okcheong learned martial arts not to defeat someone, but to study.

And now Okcheong wanted the completion of his martial arts.

He stepped off the seeker’s path for a moment, but that’s good too. I don’t doubt he’ll circle back and return to his place.

Daoist Seunghyeon asked,

“So then—when is the Evil-Smiting Corps scheduled to march out next?”

“I haven’t been informed yet.”

“Hm. That means there’s at least a few days, doesn’t it?”

“I’m not sure we can be confident of even that. You saw it before, didn’t you? The moment they gathered, they marched out immediately. This time, they might move that fast again.”

“Hah. Is that so?”

Daoist Seunghyeon rose from his seat.

“It’s never good to be in a rush, but if time isn’t abundant, then it’s best to start right away.”

“Yes? Start what?”

“What else? I’m going to look over my young junior’s martial arts.”

Okcheong’s eyes widened.

“Senior Brother... the Sect Leader himself?”

“Why? Is there any reason I can’t?”

“N-no! Of course not! That’s great! It’s an honor for me.”

“You really are bland.”

Daoist Seunghyeon turned his body.

“Follow me. I’ll watch your changed martial arts, and I’ll fill what I can fill as much as possible.”

*****

The drinking with his father ended earlier than expected.

Yeon Hojeong hadn’t known his father would drink that urgently. Even after downing that much, his posture stayed straight, but it was drinking that bordered on a binge.

So the drinking that began in the morning ended in half a day.

“Hoooo....”

WOOOOOM.

As he exhaled, the liquor energy expelled itself on its own.

Yeon Hojeong furrowed his brow.

I still can’t control it.

Azure Dragon Qi.

By activating the liver’s capacity to an extreme, Azure Dragon Qi achieved an enormous growth in an instant through mutual generation with Three Divine Qi. Of course, the same was true for the other three currents.

The degree was so severe it was difficult even to operate them properly. At least, at his current level, it was.

Maybe that was why. This time, Yeon Hojeong had wanted to get drunk too—but he couldn’t. Every moment, Azure Dragon Qi scattered the liquor energy the moment it entered.

It had been a long time since he couldn’t freely control his inner power. Of course, it was something he ought to be happy about.

I’ll get used to it quickly.

Power you can’t control inevitably causes problems.

It was like how a butcher didn’t become a warrior just because he grabbed a divine weapon. What mattered was not only handling that power properly, but also the responsive wit to use it at the right time and place.

Anyway.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes glinted.

Now the real Four Spirit Arts begins.

How long had it been?

Right up until just before his regression, he’d lived together with the Four Spirit Arts—so, roughly two years.

But why did it feel like meeting an old friend after an eternity?

That was how glad he was.

He reached out and felt for Azure Dragon Qi again.

You came well, Azure Dragon.

Azure Dragon.

Azure Dragon was the wood god of the Jia-Yin, symbolizing spring, and among the organs it governed the liver.

True qi itself aimed toward recovery and detoxification—and further, non-invasion—and the techniques deployed through Azure Dragon Qi were martial arts centered on evasion and self-preservation.

I do want to run wild for a round, but...

Beginning with Black Tortoise, then White Tiger and Vermilion Bird—he had obtained every technique in real combat.

Azure Dragon was different. By the time he had refined Three Divine Qi, he could already call Azure Dragon Qi on his own.

It’ll work out.

If someone had tempered martial arts to Yeon Hojeong’s level, he could immediately use martial arts he understood in his head in real combat. And this wasn’t even new—he had used it countless times in the past.

“Maybe I’ll rest today.”

By now, Mo Yong-woo would be meeting the Tang Clan’s daughter—the Dark-Heaven Divine Maiden.

Other than that, there wasn’t anything he needed to worry about. Rumors about his rise in martial arts would spread like wildfire, but for today, they had even posted a gatekeeper with orders that no outsiders were allowed into Army-Breaking Pavilion.

Rest. He deserved to rest.

It was when Yeon Hojeong stood up—

Hm?

He sensed someone approaching.

It was a familiar presence. Yeon Hojeong smiled.

A moment later, on the first floor, Mookbi appeared, stretching into a long yawn.

“You’re up now?”

Mookbi’s eyes immediately sharpened like a wildcat.

“I was really in your debt earlier.”

“Hm? Ah—because of Father?”

Mookbi flared up and shouted,

“I’m never drinking again where you are, Young Master Yeon—!!”

That was when—

“...Huh?”

Mookbi blinked rapidly, like she’d lost her mind.

Yeon Hojeong tilted his head.

“What’s wrong?”

“What is this?”

“What is what?”

“......”

“What?”

“......”

“What is it? Why are you going mute like you swallowed honey?”

With vacant eyes, Mookbi slowly scanned Yeon Hojeong from head to toe.

Yeon Hojeong frowned.

“What is there to see that you’re staring like that?”

“H-how can you...?”

“Say it so a person can understand.”

“You got stronger?!”

A truly direct word choice.

Yeon Hojeong nodded.

“Yes.”

“My god...!”

The sleepiness drained from her face in an instant.

It couldn’t be helped. To Mookbi, the change in Yeon Hojeong was so extreme that even calling it a transformation wouldn’t be enough.

Mookbi swallowed without realizing.

That’s insane!

Yeon Hojeong stood there with a languid face.

Even his posture had changed. This morning, he’d stood with a solid stance that had no gaps at all—yet now, he looked loose and flexible.

That looseness could also be called naturalness.

It wasn’t a matter of enlightenment. The qi dwelling in Yeon Hojeong’s body was naturally forming that posture.

A posture in which true qi could be operated with maximum efficiency.

“What did you even do...?”

“What method? I just trained hard, and it finally bloomed.”

“......”

“You said it well—don’t get dragged around by Ahyeon and guzzle down liquor. Use that time to pull your bowstring hard instead. I want you to climb up to where I’m standing as soon as possible.”

Mookbi stared at Yeon Hojeong with trembling eyes.

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“You can do it too. As long as you don’t rush yourself.”

“...Do you really think so?”

Of course.

“I believe in you. If I can do it, there’s no way you can’t.”

He wasn’t saying it just to build her confidence.

He meant it.

Their level of talent was different to begin with. And unlike the past, now there were plenty of people who could help her.

She would rise faster—higher.

“Tch.”

Mookbi dropped onto the bench with a thud.

“It’s kind of a letdown.”

“Hm?”

Mookbi snickered.

“I wanted to beat you at least once, Young Master Yeon. If possible, I wanted to beat you in martial arts.”

“What do you get out of beating chaff like me?”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course I’m lying. If you want to get past me in anything, you’ve got a long way to go, punk.”

“Hmph.”

“Now you even know how to snort. You really have grown up.”

“I keep telling you I’m older than you. And what does age have to do with snorting?”

“I just said it.”

In the end, an amused smile surfaced on Mookbi’s face too.

But only for a moment.

“Huh? But.”

“What?”

“People don’t know yet, right?”

“Know what?”

“That you got that strong.”

“Ah, that’s....”

“Before, when you sparred with... was it the Mo Yong Clan Lord? People swarmed you like crazy.”

“...?!”

“Well, I guess it didn’t happen like that. After getting burned that badly once, there’s no way you’d do something that stupid again—”

“......”

“......Everyone already knows?”

“Th-that....”

Yeon Hojeong forced a smile.

“Isn’t it different from before? Hey, I crossed the Martial End Wall. Do you know the Martial End Wall? You have to cross that wall to be called a Transcendent Peak master. I’m still at the entrance, but it’s still a pretty high realm of—”

“No.”

“......”

“I see. It already spread through the whole Alliance.”

“Haha.”

Yeon Hojeong patted Mookbi’s head.

“It’s fine, you little punk. It’s completely different from back then. Back then, sure—people with too much competitiveness might’ve rushed in thinking they could try me. But now? Now it’s not like that. There aren’t many people who can even trade blows with me—”

That was when—

“Commander Yeon!”

A booming voice carried Supreme Polarity qi.

“Commander Yeon, are you inside? This humble one is Daoist Seunghyeon of Wudang Sect. If it’s all right, let me see your face!”

Mookbi said with a sour expression,

“Wudang always starts it, doesn’t it?”

“......”

“What are you doing? Answer already. An elder is calling you.”

What a way to start.