THUNK!

A branch flew without a sound and sank into an iron plate.

Slip. Thud.

It had lodged into the iron plate, but only by the last inch of its tip. The branch trembled back and forth in the wind, failed to hold, and fell to the ground.

“Mmm....”

Regret flickered in Mookbi’s eyes.

Still a long way to go.

Mookbi looked down at the branches laid on the bench.

Amazingly, every single branch was unshaved—nothing more than snapped off as-is. No arrowhead, no fletching. They weren’t even straight, not fit to serve as arrows.

And yet Mookbi had fired those branches and stuck them into an iron plate.

It was terrifying archery.

“You’re incredible, Deputy Commander.”

Okcheong clicked the tongue.

“That bow’s pull has to be brutal, too—just controlling it so it doesn’t snap the branch, isn’t that hard?”

“Yeah. I mean.”

Mookbi just smiled like it was nothing.

Okcheong picked up one branch with a fascinated look.

“How do you... huh?!”

CRUNCH!

The branch snapped.

Okcheong’s face went blank.

“The inside is all rotten. Was it a rotten branch?”

“Yeah.”

“Guh!”

A branch that crumbled with the slightest force—Mookbi not only had the strength to draw a bow that even a first-rate fighter would struggle to pull, but fired it and planted it into iron. And hit the intended mark.

Okcheong felt awe.

“In that instant, how complex was your Inner Qi control? Even in the Wudang Sect, it’d be hard to find someone who can regulate Inner Qi that delicately.”

Mookbi shook the head.

“You just don’t know. There are more than you think. I’m still just a rookie.”

“......If you’re a rookie, what does that make me?”

“Not even rookie-level. So train hard.”

“Yes.”

Even spoken casually, there was discipline in it.

It hadn’t been long, but training the Evil-Smiting Corps soldiers had given Mookbi a kind of authority as a superior.

And Mookbi worked harder than anyone among the soldiers, day after day. The soldiers had come to truly see Mookbi—quiet, mild—as their superior.

Of course, Mookbi still hadn’t noticed the change. Because there was something just as important as training the Evil-Smiting Corps.

I have to get stronger.

Mookbi picked up a wooden arrow from the ground—smoothly carved shaft, an arrowhead honed sharp.

Mookbi hooked it to the Red Lotus Bow.

KRRRK.

As the arm drew, the bowstring stretched with frightening force.

At least as strong as Yeon Hojeong... or stronger.

WHOOOOM.

The wooden arrow shot high into the sky and vanished from sight in an instant.

The arrow was gone, but the sensation left in the fingers that had drawn the string was vivid.

It was telling Mookbi the same thing.

Still far.

Mookbi gave a bitter smile.

Father said he’s resting tomorrow. I’ll ask for instruction again tomorrow.

It had only been a short time, but Mookbi had received much instruction from Yeon Wi.

Yeon Wi wasn’t a gentle teacher. More criticism than praise. Not a lot of long-winded explanations either. Rather than unpacking martial principle and lecturing, Yeon Wi led the other person to struggle and realize it personally.

But the needed explanations were never skipped—and if something was wrong, Yeon Wi pointed it out without hesitation.

Not gentle, but an excellent teacher. And Mookbi had sharp instincts, so the pace of improvement was frighteningly fast.

Still—at this level, people might say “hear one and know ten,” but they wouldn’t call it “a talent that appears once in a hundred years.”

Yeon Hojeong, on the other hand... people spoke in hushed voices, but they said Yeon Hojeong was a monster that might appear once in a hundred years—if that.

That was why Mookbi couldn’t be satisfied. To Mookbi, who believed Mookbi had to be at least as strong as Yeon Hojeong, the current level was only a process.

But Mookbi didn’t realize it yet—there was something that had grown even more noticeably than martial arts.

Why do I need to get stronger? The reason doesn’t matter. What matters is that I want to be stronger.

A more mature mindset.

A lifelong goal? Not yet. Even ten, twenty years from now—who knew if something like that would appear.

But if there was something Mookbi wanted right now, Mookbi would move forward without hunting for reasons.

Training with Yeon Wi had advanced Mookbi’s martial arts. Leading the Evil-Smiting Corps soldiers had brought mental growth. Mookbi had entered a stage where Mookbi could ask the self questions—and seek answers by the self’s own strength.

“How are the kids? Resting well?”

“Probably? Even if it’s a day off, they’ll train in their quarters.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. Because you work so hard, Deputy Commander.”

Mookbi blinked.

“Come to think of it... what are you doing here?”

Okcheong scratched the head.

“I came because I wanted to ask you for something, but now it’s fine.”

“A request?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“Well....”

Okcheong cleared the throat.

“Lately, I’ve been feeling my martial arts stagnate. I feel like I’m getting deeper into sword principle day by day, but my body can’t keep up.”

“......?”

“So I thought if I sparred with someone who’s my natural opposite, I might find an answer... but after seeing your martial arts, I changed my mind.”

Mookbi smiled.

“I’m fine. If you want to test yourself, any time.”

“Ah, I’m fine too. I don’t think I need to.”

“Why?”

“If it were a wolf to a wolf, maybe. But I don’t think I can find an answer fighting a tiger. The gap has to be... reasonable. This is....”

“Isn’t that something you can’t know until you fight?”

Okcheong smiled warmly.

“Usually, yes. But now I understand. There are things you can know without fighting.”

Mookbi’s eyes brightened.

Okcheong grew, too.

Looking closer, Okcheong’s presence had become deeper—mysterious, profound. The flow was so soft and natural that Mookbi hadn’t noticed until now.

That was Wudang Sect martial arts.

Like fog—like clouds—coming in to wrap around you. Wudang’s pursuit of naturalness at its extreme was finally opening that path for Okcheong, too.

“Then I’ll go.”

“Yeah. If anything comes up, tell me anytime.”

“Yes.”

Okcheong wandered out of the Army-Breaking Pavilion.

Mookbi set down the Red Lotus Bow and looked up at the sky.

The day was bright, but the clouds were moving fast. The weather had turned chilly before anyone noticed.

“......Is everything going well?”

*****

The next morning.

Still?

After bathing and changing into neat clothes, Yeon Hojeong sat on the steps in the estate courtyard.

If you don’t hurry, you’re going to give me a headache, old man.

Yeon Hojeong was waiting for Mo Yonggun’s contact.

Stepping forward to “reorganize” Ink Dragon Manor’s structure was, in a sense, buying time. It could leave a strong impression by itself—but to truly make this deal succeed, they needed a trade item with real, visible results.

And the one who said he would prepare that was Mo Yonggun.

Yeon Hojeong stared at the sky for a while, then closed the eyes.

If you’re late, it can’t be helped. I’ll have to improvise on my own.

Mo Yonggun’s cooperation was close to free money. If Mo Yonggun didn’t show, Yeon Hojeong would have had to reach Ink Dragon Manor’s deeper layer alone anyway.

And Yeon Hojeong was confident.

Confident Yeon Hojeong could earn Yangcheon’s trust.

It’ll take time, though.

That was when Tang Sang-a spoke from the side.

“It’s chilly. Why are you out here?”

“Chilly? This is just cool.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah.”

After hesitating, Tang Sang-a sat beside Yeon Hojeong.

Yeon Hojeong looked over, puzzled.

“What? Something you want to say?”

“It’s not exactly something to say, it’s....”

“What is it?”

Tang Sang-a smacked the lips.

“That was acting, right?”

“What was?”

“Th-that... yesterday.”

Yeon Hojeong tilted the head, then remembered and snorted.

“Killing that monkey bastard’s subordinate?”

“That too. And the Killing Intent.”

“Why? Did I look like some world-shaking devil?”

“It would’ve been more accurate to say worse, not less.”

Judging by the way Tang Sang-a said it, Tang Sang-a had been seriously shocked.

Yeon Hojeong turned the head.

“Fire Ape, right? I figured clashes would happen with that one, one way or another. If it’s not a clash you can avoid, it’s better to crush the spirit early.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

Tang Sang-a’s eyes wavered.

“But... you killed someone.”

Yeon Hojeong tilted the ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) head.

“So what?”

“......?!”

“Ink Dragon Manor is the enemy. And yesterday, that one I killed—Killing Intent was real. Twice.”

“But still....”

“There was a chance it could become a problem. Especially that type—over-loyal without orders, the kind that causes trouble on their own. If I’d left it alone, it would’ve harassed us plenty.”

“That’s only a possibility.”

Yeon Hojeong cut it off.

“Even if it’s only a one pun possibility, if I judge there’s room for it to become a problem for us, I’ll remove it and move on.”

“.......”

“This is the Dark Path. Ink Dragon Manor is enemy territory. The moment things slip even a little, all of us could die.”

“......!”

“If you want human, moral responses from me while I’m responsible not just for the mission but for the whole group’s safety... then sorry, but go back right now.”

Tang Sang-a’s eyes deepened.

“Because I’ve finished my role?”

“You heard that?”

“Yes.”

“That’s right. You’ve done your role more than enough.”

“.......”

“Don’t misunderstand. That doesn’t mean you’re useless. If a master like you helps, the work gets that much easier.”

Tang Sang-a stared quietly, then let out a long breath.

“I didn’t know you were this... extreme.”

“I don’t mean to offend you, but I didn’t know you people were this soft.”

“Soft?”

“Did you forget already? The opponent is the Dark Path—and Yangcheon.”

“......!!”

“Things have been going smoothly. Don’t tell me you let your guard down too.”

Tang Sang-a swallowed without meaning to.

That was right. The opponent wasn’t a single sect. It was the entire Dark Path. And the one sitting at the top of that Dark Path was one of the Thirteen Seats of the Sacred Heavens.

An opponent you couldn’t call easy even as a joke.

“With an opponent like that in front of us, you want me to handle things while keeping chivalry and moral righteousness? Even if there were a way, I won’t choose it. I don’t want to let methods I can’t be sure of affect the operation.”

Especially—

Now, when there’s a strong chance Ink Dragon Manor has joined hands with the Three Teachings.

Heat surged.

Yeon Hojeong forced the rising anger down.

I need solid information. Maybe Yangcheon has nothing to do with them.

Of course, that possibility was close to zero.

But Yeon Hojeong didn’t jump to conclusions. Yeon Hojeong wanted clearer proof—something undeniable.

Yeon Hojeong had to be careful. It had to be certain.

For no one else’s sake but the self’s.

There’s time. Don’t get worked up and wreck the job.

In truth, for Yeon Hojeong who had returned to the past, the Ming Clan were more deserving of death than the Three Teachings. The Three Teachings hadn’t targeted only the Yeon Clan, but the Ming Clan had annihilated the Yeon Clan of Green Mountain for private gain despite having no grievance.

But in terms of the scale of disaster, the Three Teachings were overwhelming. They had tried to erase the very world of martial arts itself.

Maybe that was why.

The thing that made Yeon Hojeong tighter, more keyed up—

—was controlling those emotions.

Even that alone wasn’t easy.

“I’m sorry.”

“Hm?”

Tang Sang-a let out a breath.

“I wasn’t trying to blame Commander Yeon. I was just... shocked.”

Thinking about it, Tang Sang-a had also shot down Dark Path informants with hidden weapons—people who hadn’t even shown Killing Intent like Ape Leg.

My guard slipped.

When Tang Sang-a moved with Yeon Hojeong, Yeon Hojeong handled most things.

So Tang Sang-a had forgotten—the tension and purpose from the beginning of the operation.

Even after nearly losing the mind from allied deaths during the Demon-Sweeping & Evil-Smiting operation.

We’re in the middle of enemy territory.

A fresh shiver ran up the spine.

There were many kinds of missions. Some marched only to annihilate the enemy. Others—like now—deceived the enemy and stole information.

In other words, even if they laughed on the surface, inside they had to sharpen blades.

The war was still raging.

Tang Sang-a bowed the head low.

“I acted like a rookie, didn’t I?”

Yeon Hojeong sighed inwardly.

Honestly, it was understandable. When this mission ended, Yeon Hojeong would probably owe Tang Sang-a a personal apology.

What a mess.

Yeon Hojeong spoke.

“Let’s stay tight a little longer.”

“Yes.”

That was when—

“It’s here!”

From far off, from the wall, Ga Deoksang came running like the wind.

“A letter came.”

Yeon Hojeong sprang up.

Taking the letter quickly, Yeon Hojeong’s eyes sharpened in an instant.

“......All right. Now let’s go meet Yangcheon.”