Geomyeong of the Sword Sect.

Upon arriving at Sanseo, he was immediately met with an incident. He had no particular thoughts about it; if there was an enemy, he would simply cut them down.

Having walked the path of the sword, he had gouged out his own eyes, relying entirely on his sense of energy to perceive the world.

However, at some point, he realized that mere sensory perception was not enough. He devised a method, which he named Amjung Siman-gong (暗中心眼功).

Amjung Siman-gong was a martial art that spread his internal energy in waves, allowing him to perceive everything around him.

With this, Geomyeong could see a broader world than if he relied solely on his eyes, and he had never felt his perception was lacking.

‘What is this…?’

That’s why the current situation was so bewildering. The last thing Geomyeong saw was a man snapping his fingers. Immediately, his vision was consumed by darkness.

Despite his confusion, he used his other senses to replace his lost sight.

The wind brushing his skin, the scent of his opponent, the metallic taste on his tongue, the faint sound of the air being cut.

Gathering all these into his sixth sense, he twisted his body in haste.

Swishhhhhhhhh—

Chills ran down his spine. If he hadn’t moved, he would have died just now.

Geomyeong continuously spread his internal energy to regain his vision, but it was to no avail.

He was forced to rely solely on his remaining senses, desperately twisting his body to evade.

Though wounds piled up, by some stroke of luck, none were fatal.

Then, in a flash, his vision returned.

“Hah…!”

The sharp focus of his remaining senses dulled for just an instant.

Geomyeong hurriedly searched for the man, but he was nowhere to be seen.

‘Did he retreat?’

The thought was fleeting. His instincts blared a warning.

For a split second, the man’s figure appeared in the Amjung Siman-gong. It was almost miraculous, his latent potential surfacing in the face of death.

But it was too late. The man was already right in front of him.

“Damn it…!”

Slash!

With a searing pain, one of his arms went limp, and at the same time, an icy energy burrowed into his wound. Geomyeong’s body froze.

He sensed the end was near. In just a few more moves, his head would be severed.

But the man clicked his tongue softly and stepped back.

“You’re lucky. Let’s meet again.”

With that, the man disappeared once more. Completely, and forever.

Geomyeong realized he would never be able to capture the man in his sight again.

Not just now, but perhaps never again. The brief glimpse he had caught of the man in Amjung Siman-gong was something beyond words, beyond grasp.

“The world is vast indeed…”

Geomyeong tossed aside his sword and staggered forward.

He didn’t know where he was going, only that he needed to walk to a place untouched by anyone’s footsteps. Forward, forward.

Later, rumors spread of a Sword Sect master suddenly retiring into seclusion, causing a minor stir.

 

Earth, soil, and propulsion.

Seo-jun soared through the air like a streak of light, using the rising power of the ground and his own footwork technique.

He briefly reflected on the battle that had just taken place.

‘Not bad.’

A master who replaced his vision with his sense of energy.

Seo-jun had figured out the method, canceling out the man’s energy waves, thereby robbing him of his sight.

Then, in a flash, he had returned the man’s sight, causing confusion, while Seo-jun himself melded into the energy waves, cloaking himself before launching a surprise attack.

It was truly the art of stealth.

If there was any disappointment, it was that he hadn’t finished the job.

But any delay would have allowed other Absolute Masters chasing him to catch up, so he had no choice.

In any case, the rewards outweighed the regrets.

‘Not getting caught by energy perception, huh…’

If he delved a bit deeper, he felt he could develop a decent stealth technique from this.

“You’re here already? Fast— whoa!?”

Seo-jun, still running, grabbed Jang Geuk and sped away.

Startled by the speed he had never experienced before, Jang Geuk yelped.

“W-wait! My lord! No, hold on…! Ahhhhh…!”

With a long, drawn-out scream, Seo-jun swiftly returned to camp.

There, he immediately met with Namgung Chang-hwi to report on his progress.

“I killed quite a few, and there was even an Absolute Master I hadn’t heard of before.”

“Another Absolute Master? That was a close call… It’s a miracle you made it back alive.”

“It wasn’t that dangerous.”

Seo-jun waved his hand dismissively and described the blind swordsman he had faced. Namgung Chang-hwi’s eyes widened.

“Geomyeong…! He’s a well-known swordsman, even among Absolute Masters. You cut off one of his arms?”

“Yes. He shouldn’t be much of a threat for a while.”

“You’ve done something remarkable…”

Namgung Chang-hwi, after a moment of quietly praising Seo-jun, frowned thoughtfully.

“To send someone like Geomyeong… It’s encouraging that you made him retreat, but I’m not sure this is entirely good news.”

“What do you mean? Isn’t it a good thing he backed off?”

“Not quite. If they sent someone like Geomyeong, it means the Black Lotus Sect views this battlefield as crucial. They won’t give up so easily.”

“Wouldn’t they pull back if they suffered losses?”

“Well…”

Namgung Chang-hwi scratched his neck irritably and sighed.

“Thinking about it too much won’t help. While you were out, I sent a message to the Martial Alliance. More warriors should arrive soon, and we just need to hold on until then.”

“You’re only asking for reinforcements now?”

Seo-jun scratched his head. He almost doubted Namgung Chang-hwi’s intelligence for a moment, but held back, trusting that as a member of the great Namgung family, he wouldn’t be that foolish.

Fortunately, Namgung Chang-hwi shook his head.

“I’ve been sending requests consistently. Didn’t you come after receiving one of those messages? This one just explains the changed circumstances, but whether it reaches them is another matter. The Black Lotus Sect might have shot it down. Ideally, the Martial Alliance has already anticipated the situation and sent reinforcements.”

“That’s… true.”

“For now, we can only hope they don’t pull any crazy stunts. Anyway, you did well.”

Namgung Chang-hwi cupped his hands in salute. He then looked closely into Seo-jun’s eyes.

“You must be physically exhausted, but the mental strain must be immense. Rest well for now, without worry.”

Seo-jun saluted back.

“Yessir.”

 

Seo-jun stepped out of the tent, looking around.

He didn’t see Jang Geuk, but the absence of Jibeak was puzzling.

‘What’s he up to?’

As he wandered around the camp, Seo-jun eventually found Jibeak sitting in a secluded corner, endlessly chanting something. It was probably a Buddhist scripture.

“What’re you doing?”

“Oh, you’re here.”

Jibeak opened his eyes and looked at Seo-jun. His lifeless eyes stared blankly before returning to gaze into the distance.

“I was reflecting on how I’ve grown too accustomed to peace. When I was younger, I lived fiercely, but now, in old age, I’ve ended up like this.”

Seo-jun stared at Jibeak for a moment before sitting down on the ground beside him.

“Is it hard?”

“Amitabha… This humble monk is not in a position to complain of hardships.”

“No, seriously, why do you have to be so roundabout about it…”

Scratching his cheek, Seo-jun quietly observed Jibeak.

Despite being an Absolute Master, the way Jibeak slumped in exhaustion made him seem like a regular old man.

His weary eyes were dull, and his hunched back looked frail.

As Seo-jun silently watched, Jibeak, who had been quietly fingering his prayer beads, suddenly spoke.

“I fear reincarnation after death. I know I’ve taken too many lives, and I lack the virtue to be reborn as a human. I know I should be practicing the Way in this life, but the war before me is too horrific to bear.”

“Yeah, war’s kinda… messed up, huh?”

“Amitabha… To think I’d be so confused about what is right and what is wrong, at this stage in my life.”

Jibeak sighed deeply. Seo-jun, still seated, got to his feet.

“I don’t know much about the Way, but…”

Seo-jun lightly patted Jibeak’s shoulder and walked away in his usual manner.

“Well, hang in there, old man. You’ve probably chanted more than enough scriptures to have the answer inside yourself by now.”

After Seo-jun left, Jibeak, who had been silent for a long time, muttered quietly.

“That’s right… Buddha is within…”

He fingered his prayer beads and chanted his scriptures as always.

Even knowing the answer, finding it wasn’t easy.

 

‘Was it unnecessary meddling?’

In truth, Jibeak likely knew much more than Seo-jun. After all, he had lived several times longer, with countless experiences and readings under his belt.

The comfort Seo-jun offered was ultimately just the typical, "figure it out yourself" kind of response.

“Seriously, these guys…”

War. What kind of idiocy had started this whole thing? Seo-jun clicked his tongue and stared into the distance.

And then, he absentmindedly opened his mouth.

“Wait a second, what the hell…”

A massive presence was approaching. It wasn’t just a person; it felt like the entire space itself was drawing near.

It was something Seo-jun was somewhat familiar with.

‘An Absolute Master of the Flowering Stage?’

Caught off guard, Seo-jun looked to the sky and saw a young man floating in midair, staring down at him.

“You’re quick to notice.”

“A bit too much of a surprise entrance, don’t you think?”

“I can’t exactly move around openly, can I? There are plenty who would pounce on me the moment they realize I’ve left my post.”

“Then why are you here, damn it?”

“You’ve got a foul mouth for someone so young.”

“Well, considering I could end up becoming a parent-slayer of sorts, maybe you’d prefer to leave quietly?”

“My parents have long since been used as sacrifices for human offerings. You’ve got nothing to threaten me with.”

“Oh… wow…”

Seo-jun scratched his head while the young man raised his hand.

“Well, I am somewhat in a hurry.”

“Oh, well then…”

As the young man lifted his hand, the surrounding natural energy began to distort.

Sorcery? Martial arts? It was hard to tell.

Seo-jun, sensing the increasing tension around him, drew his sword.

“This is ridiculous…”

Could he win? Doubt crept in, but at the same time, excitement began to bubble up, curving the corners of his lips into a grin.

And at that moment, an uninvited guest barged in.

“Giryeon’s Gatekeeper!”

A massive muscle-bound figure, more gorilla than man, rushed in and swung a fist.

Bare knuckles. Not even using qi. Just raw, unarmed strength.

The young man clicked his tongue and brought his raised hand down. Space itself twisted and crashed down onto the hulking figure.

But the figure simply completed its punch.

Crack!

With a single, seemingly ordinary punch, the very space shattered.

Seo-jun, watching in stunned silence, realized something.

‘The Fist King.’

So it was true: a bare fist could be stronger than a weapon imbued with qi.

Boom!

And then, with a second strike, Giryeon’s Gatekeeper swatted the Fist King away like a fly.

‘Not quite at the Flowering Stage?’

To make matters worse, several more presences were closing in from a distance. Three of them were Absolute Masters, but Seo-jun could tell they were enemies from the Black Lotus Sect.

“Well, this is just fantastic,” Seo-jun remarked with a grin.

“Alright, let’s do this, you bastard!”

After all, what’s the worst that could happen?