The Elder of the Namgung Family, inheritor of the Divine Sword Golden Lineage, and one of the most renowned martial artists of recent times: Jin-Gijaecheon Lee Seo-jun.

The moment Hwangbo Seorin heard of his visit, one thought crossed her mind.

‘This must be the work of the Namgung heir.’

His previous statement that it was time to let Hwangbo Hyeji go.

A statement that was nothing short of audacious, but Hwangbo Seorin had held her tongue. After all, no matter how direct a descendant of the Hwangbo Family she was, she knew she could not compete with the influence of the Namgung heir.

Her daughter, Hwangbo Hyeji, remained confined to her room, recovering from her injuries.

To avoid facing both the Namgung heir and Jin-Gijaecheon alone, she enlisted the support of Elder Hwangbo Jun of the Hwangbo Family.

Hwangbo Jun, however, found the situation deeply uncomfortable.

Even if a thorny seat couldn’t pierce his skin, the sharp atmosphere emanating from Hwangbo Seorin made him uneasy.

Soon, their guests arrived.

Namgung Myung and Lee Seo-jun.

The moment Hwangbo Jun saw Seo-jun’s face, he sighed.

“Oh.”

This was going to be a disaster.

That troublemaker, who couldn’t distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate remarks, was surely going to say something outrageous.

And then there was the inevitable fallout—dealing with Hwangbo Seorin’s fury afterward. His future felt bleak.

“Damn it.”

“What?”

“Ah, nothing.”

Seo-jun strode confidently into the reception room, offering a polite fist salute.

“I am Lee Seo-jun, Elder of the Namgung Family.”

At least he maintained some decorum. Hwangbo Jun, his mood slightly lifted, returned the gesture politely.

“Welcome, Young Master of the Namgung Family, and Jin-Gijaecheon. What brings you to our humble abode?”

Seo-jun gave him an odd look. A polite and formal Hwangbo Jun felt as out of place as a demure Geum Chun-bong.

“…You must know that our young master and the daughter of the Hwangbo Family share a close relationship.”

Seo-jun turned to Hwangbo Seorin and continued.

“I don’t intend to meddle deeply in family matters, but I believe I may know more about martial arts than you.”

Hwangbo Seorin’s brow twitched. She cast a sidelong glance at Hwangbo Jun, but he offered no rebuttal.

Truthfully, it was hard to deny that the young man before them knew far more about martial arts than he did.

“I’ve heard some things—and seen even more. I felt compelled to speak.”

“If you have advice to offer, I am willing to listen,” Hwangbo Seorin replied, her tone measured.

Seo-jun smiled in satisfaction.

“Do you not have a mother?”

“…Excuse me?”

“It’s a simple question.”

“I do, of course.”

“Then why are you like this?”

Seo-jun looked at her blankly, causing Hwangbo Seorin’s eyebrows to tremble.

‘Is rudeness a Namgung family tradition?’

Asking about someone’s mother so abruptly—what kind of behavior was this?

“I’m not sure what you’re trying to say.”

“I overheard what you said to your daughter. She poured her heart into that duel, yet instead of showing concern, you scolded her for losing. Do you really think that’s right?”

“A martial artist must learn to view defeat as a disgrace. There are lessons to be learned in loss, but on the battlefield, a single defeat can mean death.”

“And do you consider the Yongbong Gathering a battlefield?”

“Training should be treated like real combat. Surely, you agree.”

“Have you ever stood on a battlefield? Because I have.”

“Well…”

When Hwangbo Seorin hesitated, Seo-jun clicked his tongue.

“If you’ve ever had a mother, you should understand what a child wants from theirs. Is a single kind word so difficult? Or did you perhaps grow up under a harsh hand yourself?”

Silence fell over the reception room.

Hwangbo Jun’s eyes twitched uncontrollably.

This lunatic. Expecting anything reasonable from him was my mistake.

He glanced cautiously at Hwangbo Seorin. She was clearly struggling to contain her rising anger, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails drew blood from her palms.

It was time for him to step in. If this madman said one more word, disaster was inevitable.

“Hold on…! Don’t you think you’re going too far? No matter what, this kind of talk between members of the Sixteen Great Houses—”

“Shut up for a second. I’m being serious.”

“Do you want to start a fight?”

“Try me.”

“You’re impossible…!”

Hwangbo Jun felt like he was about to lose his mind.

Desperately, he turned pleading eyes to the Namgung heir, who stood quietly in the background. Despite looking a little taken aback, he seemed to trust Seo-jun entirely.

You’re trusting the wrong guy.

Seo-jun spoke up again.

“Ugh, this is frustrating. Look, think about it. What’s the point of pushing someone so hard?”

Hwangbo Seorin, barely suppressing her anger, replied through gritted teeth.

“I will handle my child’s education as I see fit.”

“But you’re just an Absolute Peak martial artist. Do you really know enough about martial arts to push her like this? At this rate, she won’t even reach the threshold of the Absolute Peak.”

Seo-jun was equally exasperated.

He knew full well that meddling in someone else’s family matters wasn’t his place.

But this was different.

If things continued as they were, the future sister-in-law he had come to respect could very well fall into a qi deviation and die.

Watching Seo-jun tap his chest in frustration, Hwangbo Seorin managed to ask calmly, “Then what do you propose, Elder Seo-jun? Should I leave Hyeji to languish as a mere loser?”

“Honestly, that might be better.”

“…Unbelievable.”

Hwangbo Seorin sighed in disbelief.

Watching her, Seo-jun finally got to the point.

“Alright, here’s my proposal.”

In truth, everything he had said so far had been half out of frustration.

After hearing how Hwangbo Seorin had treated Hwangbo Hyeji, he hadn’t been able to contain his anger.

“You’ll be in Hanam until the Yongbong Gathering ends anyway, right?”

“…”

“I’ll take over Hwangbo Hyeji’s training. Just leave her to me.”

It was less a proposal and more of an ultimatum. Hwangbo Seorin glared at Seo-jun silently.

He smirked and glanced at Hwangbo Jun, signaling for him to step in.

“…Seorin, perhaps you should consider this. That young man may speak rudely, but his skills are genuine. For Hyeji, this could be a fortunate opportunity.”

“Do as you wish, Uncle.”

With those curt words, Hwangbo Seorin stormed out of the room.

Hwangbo Jun let out a long sigh.

“…You’re insane.”

“What?”

“If you keep saying whatever comes to mind, you’re going to cause a major incident one day.”

“I’ve said worse to the Qilian Sect’s leader.”

“…You’re hopeless.”

Seo-jun clicked his tongue at Hwangbo Jun.

“And you, how could you just sit back while your grandniece was in that state?”

“She may be my grandniece, but she’s also my niece’s daughter. A child’s education is their parent’s responsibility.”

“Idiot. Just follow me.”

Hwangbo Jun’s eyes widened in surprise, but Seo-jun didn’t explain further as he walked away. Passing by Namgung Myung, he patted his shoulder.

“Let’s go, little brother. This is something for your future sister-in-law to resolve.”

 

The group made their way to Hwangbo Hyeji’s quarters.

From behind the tightly shut door, faint traces of her presence could be felt.

Instead of knocking, Seo-jun motioned toward Namgung Myung. Namgung Myung nodded and stepped forward.

“Hwangbo Sojeo, it’s Namgung Myung.”

“…Namgung Sohyeop?”

Her cracked voice responded, hoarse and strained, as if she had been crying her heart out.

Namgung Myung hesitated before asking, “May I come in for a moment?”

“No… Please go away…”

Namgung Myung turned to Seo-jun, seeking guidance with his eyes.

Seo-jun scratched his head.

“Hmm… barging into a girl’s room doesn’t feel right…”

“Surprising. I didn’t expect you to have such decency,” Hwangbo Jun muttered, sighing deeply. He raised his hand and waved them off.

“I’ll go in and talk to her. Just wait here.”

Without waiting for permission, Hwangbo Jun entered Hyeji’s room.

Seo-jun and Namgung Myung listened closely, hearing muffled voices inside. It sounded like Hwangbo Jun was trying to comfort her.

Clearly, the two of them shared a decent relationship. Then why had Hwangbo Jun allowed things to reach such a dire state for her?

After some time, Hwangbo Hyeji finally emerged from her room.

Her appearance was tidy, as if she had hastily prepared herself, but her swollen, puffy eyes gave away her emotional state. She looked pitiful, clearly still injured from her duel with Namgung Su-a. The sight of the cuts on her torn lips tugged at Seo-jun’s heart.

‘She reminds me of Chun-bong…’

Seeing Hwangbo Hyeji, he couldn’t help but think of Chun-bong. The thought left him feeling conflicted.

Her pale complexion and the dark circles under her eyes made it clear she was not in good health. It was as if she had already started to succumb to the beginnings of deviation.

Looking at her condition, Seo-jun couldn’t help but wonder, How could any mother see her child like this and remain indifferent?

He knew that every person thought differently. But that didn’t mean he had to empathize with every point of view.

This? This wasn’t right.

Seo-jun looked at Hwangbo Hyeji, deep in thought.

In her current state, lecturing her would only have a negative impact.

“Alright—Myung, why don’t you talk with her for a bit?” Seo-jun said, stepping aside.

 

To reach a higher realm, one must have confidence in oneself.

This doesn’t mean you can’t rely on others.

After all, even those who serve the divine can reach great heights. Accepting others’ beliefs doesn’t necessarily hinder one’s own progress.

However, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of one’s own will.

Take the Demonic Sect, for instance.

They revere Mara Pasun as an object of faith. While not all of them share this belief, many possess an almost fanatical devotion to the Demonic Saint.

So how do they reach heights like the Absolute Peak or the Hua State?

Understanding the difference between Hwangbo Hyeji and them is key.

From what Seo-jun had observed, members of the Demonic Sect never doubt their faith. Even from secondhand accounts, it was clear—they would give their lives without hesitation for the will of Mara Pasun.

In a way, that unwavering faith reflected their solid belief in themselves.

Faith is belief. Belief in Mara Pasun also means belief in oneself.

And Hwangbo Hyeji?

She follows her mother’s will, but only superficially. She doesn’t fully agree with her mother’s beliefs. Unable to say no, she suppresses her doubts and endures them silently.

“So, what’s your point?” Hwangbo Jun asked.

Seo-jun replied, “Hwangbo Hyeji needs to establish her own will. If she’s going to follow her mother’s beliefs, she should do so wholeheartedly. If not, she needs to be able to stand her ground and say what’s wrong is wrong.”

If she continued down this path, she was heading straight for deviation, and the results would be catastrophic.

“So, in short, you’re saying you’re going to push her to the brink?” Hwangbo Jun asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Exactly.”

“What?”

“If she’s pushed hard enough for her survival instincts to kick in, she’ll probably figure out her own will.”

Seo-jun hoped that Hwangbo Hyeji would find her inner self and come to terms with it. Then, she might realize, Ah, my mother isn’t always right.

That would be the true beginning—for her as a martial artist and as an individual.

As for Hwangbo Seorin? She could stew in her regret and obsession, which would make for a compelling, if tragic, transformation.

At that point, a little prodding from the sidelines might elicit some interesting reactions.

After all, admitting you’re wrong is always painful.

And if she still doesn’t understand, even when faced with the truth?

Well, then she’d just have to be knocked into reality. In that case, a little force would be entirely justified.