After passing many mountains, crossing rough and difficult terrains, and walking through numerous forests, they finally overcame the huge landscape.

Then they saw blue riversides.

Her new shoes were worn out and old and her white skin was smeared with dust.

The Sword Venerable, who was holding her young and soft hand, looked behind him as if trying to gauge her mood.

“…”

Through the long journey, her appearance had been hidden by leaves and dirt, yet the girl's beauty still shone brightly.

Even so, her beautiful lips remained closed no matter how many times he checked on them.

The girl hadn't spoken for the past two months.

Considering how she used to be a very talkative girl, it felt too different.

But even seeing this, the Sword Venerable couldn't do anything about it.

“…Do you want Grandpa to carry you if you're tired?”

Shake.

She shook her head when he asked her that question.

She didn't want to take up his offer.

She used to love being carried by him since she was a child, but one day, Wi Seol-Ah refused to be carried on the Sword Venerable's back.

It probably started when she experienced a certain boy's back from the Gu Clan.

The Sword Venerable checked on his granddaughter, but Wi Seol-Ah kept avoiding his eye contact, pretending not to notice.

“…Seol-“

“Jeez, will you stop already?”

The Immortal Healer, who was following behind while struggling, interrupted him.

“She's clearly showing that she doesn't want it, so why do you think constantly calling her will change her answer?”

“…”

“This isn't anything new, so restrain yourself.”

How many days had it been already?

Wi Seol-Ah refusing to speak was one thing, but seeing the Sword Venerable trying to talk to her endlessly was very annoying to watch.

…Though he does seem to be holding back a lot for his personality.

When the Sword Venerable was at his prime as the Alliance Leader, he wasn't some old man who became weak when it came to his granddaughter.

After all he was the great sky of the Orthodox Faction. The one who earned respect from many martial artists. He was the Sword Venerable, Wi Hyogun.

And his personality most definitely was not anything close to this.

He might have changed this much since he is raising a child.

But that didn't seem like that was all to it.

The Immortal Healer's remark seemed to work, as the Sword Venerable looked forward again, trying his best to ignore his beard shaking.

While watching Wi Seol-Ah still holding hands with the Sword Venerable, the Immortal Healer also checked the hand he was holding.

It was Zhuge Hyuk, who left the Gu Clan with the Immortal Healer.

Not only was Zhuge Hyuk still unable to speak, but also no one knew what his eyes looked like, as they were covered by his long hair.

Regardless, the Immortal Healer knew that Zhuge Hyuk was very sad as well.

The reason was most likely the Gu Clan's blood relatives.

Especially the youngest daughter.

The pretty girl of Mount Hua, who played with his grandson when they stayed in the Gu Clan.

…I'm sorry.

The Immortal Healer knew that he wasn't in a position to judge the Sword Venerable.

Because even though this was all for his grandson, it didn't change the fact that he ignored his grandson's opinion for his own greed.

Is this really the right decision to make?

He kept asking the same question, but he couldn't find an answer.

No, the old doctor already knew the answer.

He was just trying his best to look away from it.

“Alliance Leader.”

The Sword Venerable glanced at the Immortal Healer after hearing his call.

“There is something I want to ask.”

“You may.”

“Why there, out of all places?”

“…”

What was the reason they left the Gu Clan to head to Qinghai?

The Immortal Healer decided to follow the Sword Venerable, but he still didn't understand why.

He knew that Wudang Sect and Shaolin Temple were not options, especially out of the Ten Sect Alliance, but he still wondered why the Sword Venerable chose Qinghai out of all places.

Moreover, the Immortal Healer became more confused when he heard their destination.

The man who was trying to avoid Shaolin, Wudang Sect, and the Murim Alliance because he didn't trust them was heading to a place that was called the center of the Murim Alliance, on his own two feet.

“If you have a reason, I would appreciate it if you told me.”

In the past, the Immortal Healer wouldn't have cared and he wouldn't have interfered, but since they were traveling together at this time, he needed a convincing reason from the Sword Venerable if he had to go there.

“…”

When the Sword Venerable heard the Immortal Healer, he made eye contact with him for a moment and it looked like he was about to speak, opening his lips hesitantly.

But then.

Pause.

Wi Seol-Ah suddenly stopped walking on the roads that did not look like actual paths and because of that, the Sword Venerable stopped as well.

The Immortal Healer noticed something strange in their actions, and quickly asked the Sword Venerable.

“Allian-“

“Someone is coming this way.”

“…!”

The Sword Venerable's response startled the Immortal Healer, who pulled Zhuge Hyuk and hid him behind him.

…Who?

He wasn't afraid.

The Immortal Healer knew the person who was standing in front of him, so he had no reason to fear.

The Zenith of Swords.

Sword Venerable Wi Hyogun.

Out of the countless martial artists in the world, he was the pinnacle when it came to the medium of swords.

The Immortal Healer felt no fear, knowing that the man could slice the huge mountain in front of him in half.

…But who could it be?

The Immortal Healer didn't know what the Sword Venerable felt, as he was not a martial artist.

The sensation that a martial artist felt was different from an average person.

But…

Just now, that girl seemed to feel something too.

She was the reason the Sword Venerable was headed to Qinghai and her life was the only reason the Sword Venerable lived on.

In the Immortal Healer's eyes, the girl who wore the mask of humans was definitely looking somewhere before the Sword Venerable stopped.

As if she could see someone coming from afar.

I don't understand.

He couldn't understand her, despite observing her for the past two months.

How did she have so much potential in such a small body?

And could the Immortal Healer himself even gaze through her, deciphering her intricate enigma?

And above all…

Could she reach the mysterious thing that the Sword Venerable wanted for her?

The Immortal Healer could not possibly know.

As the nerve-racking silence continued…

Dddddd.

The Immortal Healer heard numerous footsteps.

And then…

Martial artists.

Even the Immortal Healer, who had a very small amount of Qi, could sense their dense Qi in the air.

This meant that everyone who was coming was a martial artist.

Despite this, the Sword Venerable only watched.

But one thing was different: he let go of Wi Seol-Ah's hand for a moment.

Dddddd-!

As the footsteps got closer, the Immortal Healer saw the ones who were coming.

They are?

The people that the Immortal Healer saw from afar were those that he knew as well.

To be more precise, he knew about the uniform they wore, rather than them.

A white uniform with an indigo blue line.

He couldn't miss it.

The uniform was identical to the one that the Alliance Leader, the Harmonic Sword, Jangcheon wore.

Which means…

He could guess their identities from that.

About fifteen martial artists walked this way with firm and rhythmic steps, yhen they all stopped at once in front of the Sword Venerable.

They moved in perfect sync like a well-trained army.

And unexpectedly, the one who stood at the very forefront was a young boy.

The boy with a handsome face greeted the Sword Venerable with respect and calm.

“It is an honor to meet the great Sword Venerable.”

He did not show any hesitation; clearly, he was a boy from a noble clan who had been trained and taught very well.

The Sword Venerable faced the boy and asked him as if he knew who he was.

“It seems like the Alliance Leader didn't come.”

The boy smiled kindly at the Sword Venerable.

“Yes… Father is in a situation where he can't leave Hanam, so I came to greet you instead.”

“…Why did you come all the way here? There is still a long way to go.”

“How could I dare to just wait for you? I came to give you a comfortable guidance.”

He was impressed by how flawlessly and clearly the boy spoke. He didn't seem like his age at all.

But Wi Seol-Ah, who stood next to the Sword Venerable, looked unhappy.

She usually never frowned or showed dissatisfaction, but for some reason, she looked uncomfortable.

As if his thoughts weren't a mistake, Wi Seol-Ah hid behind the Sword Venerable's back.

The Sword Venerable then asked for the boy's name.

“What is your name?”

The boy slowly lifted his head to meet the Sword Venerable's eyes.

“I am Jang Seonyeon.”

His voice was as flawless as his appearance.

Despite being aware of who exactly the person in front of him was…

He boldly added one last remark.

“I am humbly called the Meteor Sword.”

****************

“…Taeryung Clan.”

I bit my lips lightly after reading the letter.

The letter that the Second Elder gave me said that the Sword Venerable was headed to Taeryung Clan.

Taeryung Clan.

That was where that bastard was.

Jang Seonyeon, who the world called the Meteor Sword.

“…”

I sighed in my mind as I thought of that place.

It was information that told me where the Sword Venerable and Wi Seol-Ah were going, but that wasn't why I was so concerned.

It's the same.

Wi Seol-Ah showed her excellence in my past life, she was in Taeryung Clan.

And the Sword Venerable took her to Taeryung Clan this time as well.

Even though I caused so much trouble and changed the future many times, this part didn't change.

Everything else changed, but of course this one didn't.

It was disappointing.

All the things that I hoped wouldn't change were things that I didn't know the full story of and too much had been changed for me to handle.

Yet when it came to Wi Seol-Ah, it just had to be the same.

I bit my lips in frustration,

The Second Elder in front of me spoke in a confused tone.

“You aren't surprised by it.”

“…Huh?”

“As if you already knew.”

“That's impossible.”

“…Hmm.”

The Second Elder looked at me suspiciously, but he couldn't do anything as long as I pretended to be clueless.

“It was expensive information, you know. I only gave it 'cause you looked all sour.”

“…I'm just surprised, that's all.”

“Fair enough. Then can I ask you something else?”

I wondered what he was going to ask,

“Do you know about Seol-Ah's grandFather?”

“…!”

I gulped nervously when I heard the Second Elder.

His question sounded more like a statement.

“…What are you talking ab-“

“Your reaction says it all. You know who he is.”

“…”

I couldn't run away now.

The Second Elder was asking me if I knew that the servant Wi Hyogun was really the Sword Venerable.

He was more certain than curious.

He caught me by my reaction.

Damn.

“How did you know?”

“…Just a feeling.”

“A feeling, huh. Well, you may lack sense, but you have a good intuition for strange things.”

That sounded like an insult disguised as a compliment.

“But you know that's not enough of an explanation.”

“…”

I couldn't get away with that excuse, so just as I was trying to think of another…

“I won't ask any further.”

“Huh…?”

“It's easier for me to believe what you said.”

The Second Elder laughed loudly, then he smacked my back with his giant hand.

“Ugh… Agh!”

He didn't use any Qi, but it still hurt like hell.

“This is just me showing love to my grandson, don't exaggerate.”

“Exaggerate…? Is this exaggerating?”

I might just die if he did that again.

As I rubbed my sore back, the Second Elder continued.

“I don't know what choices you'll make after seeing this, but have a safe trip.”

“…Thank you.”

“Take good care of the girls from other clans, they're following you.”

“They can take care of themselves.”

They didn't need my help.

Well, maybe Moyong Hi-ah did, but not Namgung Bi-ah.

“…Tsk tsk, I can see what future you'll have.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing. It's your responsibility, so just don't regret it later.”

“Huh…?”

“You should go now. Everyone is waiting.”

He pushed my back forcefully.

He was the one who stopped me from leaving…!

“Oh, and one more thing.”

“You have more…?”

“This is a message from the Lord.”

My eyes narrowed when I heard the Second Elder.

A message from Father was rare.

“Have a safe trip. He wanted me to tell you that.”

“…”

What a short message.

But it was something I had never heard from Father.

I gave the Second Elder a sour look, then I got on the carriage.

Namgung Bi-ah was already asleep, but she seemed to notice me, as she leaned her head towards me.

I thought of saying goodbye through the window, but the Second Elder was gone.

What an impatient old man.

After checking that, I sighed and spoke to the coachman.

“…We can go n-…Why are you sitting there?”

I was about to say we could start going, but Gu Jeolyub on the horse caught my attention.

I asked him, dumbfounded. He looked at me with a strange face.

“…Isn't this my role?”

“I mean, it was… Never mind, do as you please.”

I wanted to say I made him do that to punish him, but I thought it was fine, so I let him be.

I didn't know why, but Gu Jeolyub seemed to like that position.

“Giddyup!”

Neigh-!

The carriage moved slowly.

The red horse breathed powerfully and headed to the battlefront.

I watched the scenery outside and thought.

…I'm already dreading the suffering I'll face there.

I thought about the hard work I'd have to do.

Gu Huibi's happy face from using me killed my appetite.

“This will… pass quickly if I endure…”

I jested, but I was right.

Time would pass if I endured.

Like it always had.

And just like that…

One year passed quickly.