As the tempest of the day finally settled and evening rolled in, I finished my meal and found myself once again in an empty carriage, placing my hand on Moyong Hee-ah’s back. It had been some time since I’d last infused her with energy.

A soft sizzle filled the air as the heat transferred.

“…Ugh.”

Her back tensed up slightly, probably from the odd sensation. She’d mentioned before that it felt strange. When I finally withdrew my hand, she let out a sigh she’d been holding back.

“Ha…”

Listening to her relieved breath, I remarked, “A few more sessions should do it.”

“…It seems so,” she replied.

The chill inside Moyong Hee-ah had significantly diminished since I first started. At this rate, I should be able to finish her treatment in less than six months.

Once that’s done, she’ll be able to resume her training.

It’s been two years now—two years since she’s trained seriously. It’s a long time for a martial artist, even if she’s been doing the basics. If she delays much longer, it’ll cause problems in more ways than one.

Not that Moyong Hee-ah seemed all that concerned. She never showed much interest in martial arts anyway, despite being a member of a prominent martial family. But if we’re to handle what’s coming, she’ll need to be ready.

Looking at her back, I decided to bring up something else.

“By the way… What’s with your aunt?”

“Oh.”

Her expression twisted slightly at the mention of the White Lotus Sword.

“My escort?”

She’d shown up out of nowhere, saying she was my escort. Even though she claimed she had permission, I still found it hard to wrap my head around.

Moyong Hee-ah gave a weary sigh as if anticipating my reaction.

“I’m not really sure myself… My aunt’s always been a bit, um, eccentric. Even the Clan Leader can’t control her.”

So, in other words, even the Moyong family had given up on the White Lotus Sword. I could only sigh at that thought.

“She mentioned having permission, though. From whom?”

She had brought up Lady Mi, which took me by surprise. Since when did she have a connection to Lady Mi?

The mere idea of someone like Lady Mi giving her approval for my escort was hard to swallow. I let out a heavy sigh.

“As if I need an escort…”

At my level, a martial escort was hardly necessary. It wasn’t like I was the leader of a clan or a sect. Even a martial artist of my rank would usually go without an escort.

But then again, if anyone had suggested an escort like the White Lotus Sword, people would have thought it was absurd. Seeing my discomfort, Moyong Hee-ah offered an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry…”

I gave a wry smile. “Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault.”

“Still…”

She looked genuinely remorseful, which, oddly enough, was almost endearing.

“It might be a hassle, but it’s fine.”

Not that I actually thought it was fine. I had no idea what had transpired between Lady Mi and the White Lotus Sword, but having a top-tier martial artist as an escort could be seen as a good thing—if I tried to see it that way.

‘Though it really isn’t all that good.’

I was just trying to make the best of it because—

‘I don’t have time to worry about that right now.’

I glanced out of the window at the rising moon. It was almost time.

And sure enough, as if on cue, I heard a voice echo in my mind.

“It’s time. Come.”

I stood up, recognizing the voice as the Shadow King’s.

“What’s going on, My Lord?” Moyong Hee-ah asked, watching me with a confused look.

“It’s time for training, so I have to go.”

“Oh… Can’t you stay a bit longer?”

“Sorry, it’s urgent.”

With that, I left the carriage, leaving her behind with an apologetic smile. My destination was the same forest where I’d encountered the Shadow King the night before.

“…Tsk.”

As soon as I stepped into the forest, that familiar sensation hit me again, shrouding my senses in darkness and throwing me off balance. It was still as irritating as ever.

This could partially be the backlash from entering a trance-like state, but it was clear that it was also due to the Shadow King’s martial arts.

Blinding my sight and muddling my senses—it was likely a technique akin to an illusion.

‘It feels a bit like my own skill.’

It was reminiscent of my own forbidden technique, except instead of helping me, it was designed to hinder the opponent.

“…Phew.”

Arriving at my designated spot, I took a deep breath. On my way here, I’d considered calling it quits, maybe even fleeing. But in the end, I chose to face it head-on.

‘I need to see this through, if only out of sheer stubbornness.’

If this absurd training had any meaning, then the White Lotus Sword wouldn’t have put me through it without reason. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel infuriated.

‘No ordinary person would last a day of this.’

No one else would withstand such a brutal ordeal, experiencing death over and over again. If anyone else went through this, they might break down before sunrise. I couldn’t fully understand the White Lotus Sword’s motives.

But even so, I knew there was no other way. I had to see it through, at least to grasp at even the slimmest chance of success.

I stood firm, my stance steady, and gathered my senses as much as I could. Opening my eyes, I spoke out.

“I’m counting on you.”

There was no answer from the Shadow King, but as soon as I finished speaking—

The second night of this deathly training began.

   ******************
   

As time passed, I opened my eyes to find that the night had ended and morning had arrived. Had time really flown by that quickly? It felt like my sense of time was becoming increasingly distorted.

“Haah…”

Lying on the ground, I stared up at the sky, watching the sun slowly rise. I must have blacked out at some point. Just how long had I been unconscious?

“…Tsk.”

I didn’t know, but I remembered one thing clearly. Fifteen times. I had died fifteen times at the hands of the Shadow King during this night. Considering I’d died nine times the previous night, the number had increased.

‘What’s the problem?’

Was the Shadow King angry at me or something? He’d seemed more ruthless than the night before.

‘…I couldn’t even touch him.’

The most crucial thing was that, despite dying fifteen times, I hadn’t so much as grazed him, nor had I even caught sight of him. This made me realize I needed to reconsider my approach.

‘This isn’t winnable.’

I understood now that this wasn’t something that would be resolved in a day or two. Perhaps it wasn’t just the illusion-like technique that darkened my surroundings. Even without it, the gap between us was simply too wide.

The Shadow King hadn’t even gone through some kind of age-reversing process like the Elder. That made it even more challenging.

‘What does that old man expect me to accomplish here?’

I couldn’t help but feel a surge of resentment toward the Elder. I still had no idea what I was supposed to gain from this. Even if I managed to grasp whatever lesson he wanted, would I ever actually be able to reach the Shadow King?

“Sigh.”

I stood up and stretched, flexing my fingers in and out, trying to shake off the odd feeling.

‘Strangely, I feel refreshed.’

Despite staying up all night and experiencing over a dozen deaths, my body felt as if I’d had a good night’s rest. Maybe I’d just lost my mind from dying so much? Perhaps my body felt rejuvenated because my mind was breaking.

“…No, that’s not it.”

I immediately dismissed that thought. I knew that my mind wouldn’t shatter from something like this. No matter what happened, I wasn’t going to mentally break. That had been set in stone ever since my brush with the demonic realm in a past life.

I glanced around, but there was no sign of the Shadow King. As with the previous night, he must have vanished at dawn.

With that thought, only one thing came to mind.

“Guess I should get some food first.”

First things first, I needed to fill my stomach.

 
   ******************

On the third day since our departure to Sichuan, we were set to leave the valley in the afternoon. The extended waiting period made me think there might be issues with the transport arrangements. Given the increased security around the convoy, it seemed like they were taking extra precautions. Even though I was traveling with them, it was clear that only members of the Tang Clan could approach the convoy directly. Guarding its vicinity was allowed, but any closer proximity was restricted.

‘They seem particularly tense.’

For a routine transport, the Tang Clan members were unusually vigilant. Perhaps it was due to a request from the Alliance, but I hadn’t asked for more details. It was their business, and as an outsider, I didn’t want to intrude on matters that were clearly within the Tang Clan’s domain.

As I glanced at the Tang Clan members and continued walking, I found myself wondering where my companions were. While I could eat alone, I preferred to share meals with others whenever possible. With all the recent events, I valued any time I could spend with them, even if it was just over a meal.

‘Is it really such a trivial reason?’

I wondered why I was looking for them. Maybe it was hard to admit, but the truth was simple—I missed them and wanted to see them. I clicked my tongue quietly at this realization and kept looking around. Usually, by now, Wi Seol-ah would have popped up to greet me, but I couldn’t see her, Tang So-yeol, or even Namgung Bi-ah.

‘What’s going on?’

Namgung Bi-ah might be resting in my carriage or taking a walk somewhere, but it was odd not to see Seol-Ah and So-yeol lurking around. It made me wonder if something had happened.

Moreover, the camp seemed a bit emptier than usual. I hadn’t seen any of the Pa Clan members or the Biga Clan members who were often around. I felt like they were all gathered somewhere.

‘Might as well extend my aura.’

Though I was reluctant to do it, given how I’d been through the wringer recently, I spread my aura to sense my surroundings, despite my annoyance. Immediately, I felt a large gathering of people a bit farther off, along with a surge of intense energy.

“…This is...”

Not only could I sense their presence, but I could also detect fierce fighting spirit mixed with electricity—it had to be Namgung Bi-ah’s aura. Instinctively, I rushed forward.

A crunching sound came from my body as I instinctively assumed a battle stance, advancing rapidly towards the source of the energy. As I approached, I saw a crowd of people gathered, and without bothering to soften my landing, I plunged straight to the ground. Dust exploded in every direction as I took in the situation.

“…What the…?”

At the center of the gathering, I could hear the clang of blades colliding. Different types of auras clashed as if marking territories. I recognized the electricity of Namgung Bi-ah’s aura, the golden sword energy of Wi Seol-ah, and even the venomous energy of Tang So-yeol creeping in between them.

At first, I thought they were sparring, but then I noticed that the three of them weren’t targeting each other. They were focused on someone else.

Suddenly, Seol-Ah’s sword darted towards an unseen target, her golden aura bright and sharp, the arc of her blade graceful and well-formed. Just as her attack approached its target, however, her blade was parried, and she was thrown back by a swift counter. Namgung Bi-ah caught her, assisting with her landing.

“What is going on…?”

I stared, dumbfounded, as Namgung Bi-ah, Wi Seol-ah, and Tang So-yeol fought together against a single opponent. The person they were attacking was moving with ease, a smile playing on her lips.

“Not bad. You darlings are better than I expected,” she said with a delighted smile.

The person taking on all three of them without breaking a sweat was none other than the White Lotus Sword, Moyong Hee-ah.