Gu Yeon-seo, the second daughter of the head of the Sanseo Gu clan, had grown up believing herself to be a genius.

Her swift progress in martial arts for her age, along with the fact that her older sister, Gu Hee-bi, was one of the top Late-stage Martial Masters, had convinced her that she was no less talented. She had trained with that confidence, and it had shown results.

Her mastery of the Gu family's martial art, the Gu Flame Wheel Technique, had reached the third stage, and her martial arts skills were hovering around the level of a first-rate fighter.

Compared to others her age, she was advancing at an impressive rate, and Yeon-seo had complete confidence in herself.

‘Someday, I’ll be the martial artist representing the family.’

She believed this with certainty. Her talent seemed more than enough to justify that belief.

But the timing was unfortunate.

It didn’t take long for Gu Yeon-seo’s solid confidence to crumble. The moment her confidence was shattered was clear in her mind.

It was back in the spring, during the Gu-ryong Conference.

That was the day she had been struck down by her younger brother, Gu Yangcheon, left sprawled on the ground.

Though he was the sole son of the head of the family, with talents that were unimpressive, he was still destined to inherit the position. She had always disliked how her sister and the elder master seemed to focus on him despite his shortcomings. However, she had consoled herself with the belief that his lack of martial talent would always make her superior in that one area.

But on the night of the Gu-ryong Conference, Gu Yangcheon defeated her, leaving her collapsed on the stage.

She lost everything in that moment.

Her confidence, her future potential, and her hope.

The younger brother she thought was talentless had suddenly soared beyond her, revealing the hidden potential he had kept under wraps.

Gu Yeon-seo's dream of becoming a leading figure of her generation—the generation of Falling Stars—was snatched away by her own brother.

Since that day, she could no longer meet Gu Yangcheon’s eyes.

No matter how intoxicated with her own power she had been, she knew she had spoken words to him that should never have been said.

She couldn’t bear to see his soaring ascent, or to look into his sharp eyes.

It wasn’t just Gu Yangcheon who had surpassed her.

Even Gu Jeol-yeop, the grandson of the late first elder Gu Chang-jun, who had lost his honor due to betrayal, had grown so much that Gu Yeon-seo found herself facing him in a sparring match while traveling to Hanan for the Shinryong Hall opening.

Gu Jeol-yeop’s progress was astonishing.

‘How…?’

Not long ago, he had been at a similar level to her, perhaps just slightly ahead. But now, Gu Yeon-seo couldn’t even touch his hem.

He had reached the level of a first-rate martial artist, and though Gu Yeon-seo had barely reached the threshold, she hadn’t broken through yet.

Self-doubt and frustration rose in her throat.

And then she saw her brother from afar.

It wasn’t even like he was training. He was just standing there with his eyes closed, but Gu Yangcheon called it training.

She also saw his fiancée, known as the Sword Dancer. The woman was stunningly beautiful, her perfection so overwhelming that it was hard to believe they were both human.

And yet, she didn’t rely on her looks alone. Whenever she wasn’t sleeping, she was swinging her sword tirelessly.

Even Mo Yong Hui, from the Moyong clan, showed similar dedication. Though she didn’t seem to train as overtly, it was clear that all of these people were far stronger than Gu Yeon-seo.

They were all her peers, yet…

‘How did this happen…?’

Where had things gone wrong?

Had she not worked hard enough?

No. She had sacrificed sleep, put in effort to cover her weaknesses, and trained relentlessly.

So why? Why had it come to this?

Gu Yeon-seo didn’t know.

As the journey continued and they finally arrived in Hanan without any major incidents, Gu Yeon-seo couldn’t help but reflect on her predicament. Though she was heading to Shinryong Hall under her father’s orders, she still couldn’t meet her brother’s eyes and felt increasingly uncomfortable.

Not that Gu Yangcheon seemed to care. It was only Gu Yeon-seo who was caught up in her own discomfort.

After the long yet short journey, they reached Hanan.

And as soon as they arrived, an event greeted her.

The streets were buzzing with news.

Two of the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes, representatives of the Falling Stars generation—whom Gu Yeon-seo had so desperately wanted to stand among—were currently dueling in the streets of Hanan.

‘…Ah.’

Without a second thought, she rushed to the scene.

By the time she arrived, a massive crowd had gathered, and in the center, as the rumors said, two young men were clashing swords.

The one in the white martial robes must have been the Sword Dragon, and the one in the pale blue robes likely belonged to Wudang, marking him as the Hidden Dragon.

Gu Yeon-seo could barely follow their movements.

They were too fast, their forms blurring as they danced around each other, making it hard for her to comprehend what was happening.

Clang!

The sound of their swords clashing was sharp, almost painfully so, and the shockwaves of their internal energy meeting filled the air with an incredible force.

Was this truly the level of the Falling Stars?

Gu Yeon-seo had to admit it, right then and there.

No matter how hard she trained, no matter how much effort she put in, she would never be able to stand alongside them.

Just from a brief glimpse, she knew.

When she had attended the last Dragon and Phoenix Conference, she had seen other talented Late-stage Martial Masters.

She had seen the Thunder Dragon, the Poison Phoenix, and even the Rising Star, the so-called new hope.

But these two were on a completely different level.

These were the movements of true martial masters.

As the duel intensified, the one who appeared to be the Sword Dragon stopped for a moment, pausing in his movements.

Even from a distance, Gu Yeon-seo could feel the air growing heavier.

Something significant was building up.

She instinctively knew that this wouldn’t end quietly.

‘Is this really okay?’

Realizing the danger, Gu Yeon-seo quickly scanned the area.

The crowd was filled with onlookers eager to witness the duel between two of the most prominent figures of their generation.

How could anyone resist the chance to watch a duel between two of the Six Dragons?

However, there were also civilians present, and if the duel were to escalate, the consequences could be disastrous.

‘Isn’t there anyone here who can stop them?’

Where were the other experts who could intervene?

Strangely enough, no one seemed willing to step forward, and Gu Yeon-seo knew she couldn’t do anything.

The sword aura exuded by the Wudang disciple was suffocating, and the deadly dance of sword qi was far beyond anything she could intervene in.

Just watching from the sidelines, she felt utterly powerless.

Clack.

As Gu Yeon-seo bit her lip in frustration, she sensed movement beside her.

It was Gu Jeol-yeop, one of her traveling companions.

Crack.

He unsheathed his sword and stretched his body, preparing for action.

Seeing this, Gu Yeon-seo couldn't hide her surprise.

‘Is he really going to step in?’

Was he planning to stop them?

She almost gasped aloud at the thought.

How could he think of jumping into a battle between such monsters?

As Gu Jeol-yeop warmed up, another figure stepped forward—Mu-yeon, the bodyguard assigned to protect Gu Yangcheon.

Mu-yeon looked at Gu Jeol-yeop and asked,

“Are you sure about this?”

Gu Jeol-yeop frowned slightly.

“…Well, it’s not like I have much choice. If I don’t do something, it’s going to get ugly. Plus, we can’t just leave them like that.”

“I’ll assist you.”

Nodding, Mu-yeon also drew his sword, preparing to follow Gu Jeol-yeop into the fray.

Gu Yeon-seo, however, could only watch in stunned silence.

She knew that Mu-yeon was a master-level warrior. There had been plenty of commotion when his skill had been revealed back at the clan.

But even if he was a master, could he truly stand up to those two?

As these thoughts raced through her mind, both Mu-yeon and Gu Jeol-yeop gathered their energy, ready to leap into the duel.

But suddenly—

Thump.

Both of them halted, as if something had stopped them in their tracks.

They froze in unison, clearly sensing something.

‘What…?’

Gu Yeon-seo’s mind filled with confusion.

And then, a voice passed by her.

“Oh, those lunatics. Why the hell are they causing such a ruckus all the way out here? Did they eat something bad?”

The voice was dripping with irritation.

The tone was familiar, deepened slightly by the recent passing of adolescence.

It reminded her, just a little, of her father.

Turning her head to see the owner of the voice, Gu Yeon-seo spotted someone, but before she could get a good look, they were already gone, leaving only their annoyed muttering behind.

At that moment—

Whooosh!

A powerful gust of wind swept past Gu Yeon-seo.

__________________

 

The young man known as the Hidden Dragon, Woo Hyuk, as always, heard sounds in his ears.

• From the right, upward.

Upon hearing the familiar voice in his ear, Woo Hyuk immediately turned his head.

It had been like this since he was young. Ever since he realized his place in the Wudang sect, Woo Hyuk had known that his hearing was different from others.

He could hear the sounds of everything—the rustling of leaves, the pattering of raindrops, even the distant sound of the Wudang sect leader shouting angrily from his residence far off the cliffside. Woo Hyuk’s ears could capture it all, even the sounds beyond human perception.

Louder, clearer, more encompassing.

It was both a curse and a blessing.

While it allowed him to hear too much, preventing restful sleep and making it difficult to maintain focus amidst the cacophony of noise, it was also a powerful gift in battle.

• Tilt left and lower slightly.

Following the next instruction he heard, Woo Hyuk adjusted his posture, narrowly avoiding a blade that grazed his cheek. Every sound was imbued with meaning for Woo Hyuk, allowing him to discern the movements of his opponent as if hearing the intent behind their every strike.

• Eyes forward, feet back, counterstrike.

Whoosh!

A sharp sword qi sliced toward his chest, but before it could reach him, Woo Hyuk had already evaded the strike.

Perhaps it was the voice of his opponent’s inner thoughts. Woo Hyuk didn’t really care.

To any martial artist, such an ability would be considered an enviable talent. But to Woo Hyuk, it was nothing but a curse that made his life dull and unbearable.

It was always the same.

He had already judged this fight to be no different from the others.

But suddenly—

Whoosh!

Something felt ever so slightly different.

“…Oh.”

Woo Hyuk moved his head just in time as a blade brushed past his chin. He let out a soft exclamation.

Pressing his foot into the ground, he sent his internal energy outward, while his eyes closely followed the path of his opponent’s sword. It moved swiftly, unpredictably, yet with precision.

There was something bleak yet quick about it.

Looking at Sword Dragon's technique, Woo Hyuk thought to himself, ‘He’s changed.’

Woo Hyuk enveloped his body in internal energy and faced forward. In front of him stood the man whom many expected to take the title of the strongest Late-stage Martial Master once Sword Peak left his seat.

The most talented prodigy of Mount Hua.

The youngest Plum Blossom Swordmaster.

Many said he was destined to inherit the name of the future Sword King.

Plum Blossom Sword Dragon, Yeongpung.

Yeongpung was standing before him.

‘What happened to him?’ Woo Hyuk wondered as he observed Yeongpung.

It had been a few years since they last met. Back then, Yeongpung was younger but already able to manifest plum blossoms at the tip of his sword, proudly bearing the symbol of Mount Hua’s greatest prodigy.

Yet back then, he was different.

Like many from Mount Hua, he displayed a characteristic humility, a politeness beneath which simmered a confidence and arrogance that couldn’t be fully concealed.

The Yeongpung Woo Hyuk had faced before was a boy like that.

Woo Hyuk understood that mentality. With such exceptional talent and the praise of Mount Hua, how could one not become arrogant?

Had it not been for his cursed hearing, Woo Hyuk himself might have turned out the same.

But because of that, Yeongpung had lost Woo Hyuk’s interest. He saw him as someone who would eventually fade away, consumed by his own arrogance.

Even back then, though Yeongpung’s swordsmanship was clean and swift, it was nothing more than that.

But now?

What about Yeongpung now?

The Yeongpung standing before Woo Hyuk had transformed dramatically over just a few years.

Swish!

The sword brushed past Woo Hyuk’s cheek again. He repositioned himself, his gaze locked on the blade.

The sword was faster.

Sharper.

Yet freer.

It moved like a falling plum blossom, elusive and difficult to anticipate.

Back then, he hadn’t noticed such a feeling.

• His foot shifted left. A feint.

The voice reached him just as a flash of light appeared before his eyes.

Woo Hyuk recognized it as a feint and took another step forward.

Crunch.

He tightened his core, internal energy flowing into his sword.

But instead of exploiting the feint, Yeongpung twisted his technique and thrust forward.

Barely able to block the strike, Woo Hyuk stepped back, withdrawing his internal energy.

‘That was close.’

What had just happened?

For the first time, the sound hadn’t kept up.

It was a strange sensation.

Even the elders and the sect leader hadn’t outpaced his hearing.

Was Yeongpung’s sword truly faster than theirs?

No, that couldn’t be it.

No matter how talented Yeongpung was, he was still a Late-stage Martial Master. He couldn’t compare to the true masters.

So what was the difference that caused this?

‘…Interesting.’

A smile crept onto Woo Hyuk’s lips.

It was a feeling he hadn’t experienced in years.

Keeping his distance, Woo Hyuk spoke as he eyed Yeongpung.

"To think you’d greet me with swordplay right after we meet again. How did the famed Sword Dragon become so fierce?"

It wasn’t exactly a sneak attack.

Yeongpung had made his intentions clear long before drawing his sword, the aura of battle practically emanating from him.

Woo Hyuk couldn’t have missed it.

Yeongpung smiled awkwardly in response to Woo Hyuk’s words.

"It wasn’t my intention, but I couldn’t help myself. I was too curious about your sword."

"Is that so? Well, how do you find it, this blade that replaced courtesy?"

"It’s exactly what I expected."

Yeongpung smiled and swung his arm downward.

Bang!

As his sword flicked outward, the remaining internal energy dispersed, shaking the air around them.

"As expected, Woo Hyuk is strong."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"I’m just glad to realize how small my world was."

An odd remark.

Yeongpung was admitting that he had been a frog in a well, unaware of the larger world beyond.

‘What happened to him?’

It was hard to know. Woo Hyuk felt a little curious, but not enough to probe further.

"However, even now, I can see how far that person is from me."

"Hmm?"

That person?

Woo Hyuk’s interest was piqued slightly by Yeongpung’s words, but he quickly pushed it aside.

Hiss.

The wind had changed.

The wind that surrounded Yeongpung, to be precise.

Seeing this, Woo Hyuk spoke with a hint of concern.

"If you continue here, it might get dangerous."

"Thank you for indulging me, Woo Hyuk."

"…I didn’t really indulge you."

He had only gone along with it out of boredom, hoping for a break in his monotonous life. And it had turned out to be somewhat entertaining.

Of course, despite his words, Woo Hyuk’s expression remained as lazy and indifferent as ever.

The wind brushed against Woo Hyuk’s cheek, and he caught the faint scent of plum blossoms.

• It will bloom.

The voice whispered in his ear, though its meaning was unclear.

And yet, Woo Hyuk understood it all too well.

When a swordsman from Mount Hua speaks of blooming, what else could it mean?

Even Woo Hyuk, a Wudang swordsman, knew the answer.

Mount Hua’s swords only ever bloom with plum blossoms.

‘…Dealing with that will be a hassle.’

Crack.

Woo Hyuk began to gather his internal energy. Despite his laziness and disinterest, the energy he summoned was pure and refined.

Whoosh.

As Woo Hyuk prepared himself, a single plum blossom petal floated down.

Slowly, gently.

The moment that petal touched the ground, the entire area would be filled with plum blossoms.

‘…Hmm.’

Woo Hyuk thought to himself.

Would a single sword stroke be enough?

He hadn’t used it since his sparring match with the sect leader years ago.

He wasn’t sure, but…

‘Dragging this out is too bothersome.’

He just wanted to finish quickly and get back to sleep. So he didn’t dwell on it for long.

As the plum blossom petal slowly descended, Woo Hyuk filled his entire body with energy.

His eyes locked onto Yeongpung.

"Hmm…?"

Then, an odd sound escaped Woo Hyuk’s lips.

The petal had already touched the ground and disintegrated, yet nothing had happened.

Yeongpung hadn’t reacted at all.

Instead, Woo Hyuk saw something strange.

Yeongpung’s form was slowly crumbling.

"What the…?"

As Woo Hyuk tried to make sense of the scene, a sudden impact struck his abdomen.

Thunk!

"…!"

The force twisted Woo Hyuk’s body. He tried to react, but his legs were already lifting off the ground as he was flung into the air.

And then—

"You damn lunatics, are you trying to destroy the entire street?"

A rough, savage voice reached Woo Hyuk’s ears.

Woo Hyuk hit the ground hard, rolling helplessly.

He should have been able to perform a recovery, but for some reason, his body wouldn’t move.

The impact hadn’t even been that strong, yet…

"Damn it, why are these sword-wielding idiots always causing a scene? It’s a pain in the ass."

"Gah…."

"Damn swordsmen. The moment they draw their blades, they stop caring about anything else."

Woo Hyuk couldn’t lift his head. Whose voice was that?

Whack!

"Urgh!"

Just as Woo Hyuk tried to move, something struck his head.

"Why is this idiot acting like a lunatic right after we meet again?"

"Ugh…."

It felt like his entire skull was reverberating.

How could a strike without internal energy hurt this much?

Whether it was the shock or something else, Woo Hyuk’s mind began to fade.

In his fading vision, Woo Hyuk realized something.

There was no noise.

Only silence.

"Ah…."

Thud.

With a faint groan, Woo Hyuk lost consciousness.

"What’s with this guy’s creepy expression as he lies there?"

Seeing the unconscious Woo Hyuk’s twisted face, Gu Yangcheon grimaced and stepped away from him.

The once-noisy crowd had fallen silent, not daring to utter a word.

The bustling street had gone eerily quiet in an instant.