“Yeah. I’m good at feeling the wind.”

The man smiled. A blue hood, even bluer eyes.

“Even a ten-year-old kid’s Threefold sword technique has sword wind. You can tell how they wield the sword, with what feeling. Here at Radiant Demon Wing, there’s a friend named Baek Miryeo whose sword is overflowing with talent, you should definitely get guidance from her. She’s very intuitive.”

“Let’s do it.” 

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t ask further.

As he circulated his true energy in place, his clothes began to flap slightly.

Amidst the curious gazes of the Radiant Demon Wing warriors, the power of Jeong Family Dynamic Technique arose throughout his body.

“I’m called Cheong Myeong. I was born and raised here in Xiangyang.”

“Greetings, I am Jeong Yeon-shin from Xinye.”

“I see. So there are places like that too.”

Cheong Myeong laughed lightly. A clear energy befitting his name. Jeong Yeon-shin brought his hand to the sword he received from Desolate Sect. 

Desolate Sword. It was a high-grade item incomparable to the iron sword he originally used from his family. The sound of the sword’s name was so clear and loud that Heon Won-chang from the next room rushed in.

‘Rumor has it there’s a forge of dwarves here.’

If the rumors were true, it made sense that the quality of the swords they provided as standard was this good.

Unlike the famous clans known for their beauty and strength, not much was known about the iron tribe, but their night forging skills were said to be unrivaled.

“I’ll go.”

“Alright. I heard your swift sword is unparalleled. Let’s see it.”

“Then.”

The trembling that had become familiar over the past week rose from the hand gripping the sword hilt. 

Before Cheong Myeong drew his sword, Jeong Yeon-shin saw the armor-like calluses on both of his hands. 

The firm, lean muscles and upright posture revealed through his sleeves now attested to his lofty martial power.

His gaze that seemed to pierce through his mind approached overwhelmingly, as if asking when he had ever been idle.

‘Nothing to worry about. This is a place to showcase skills.’

He erased everything. Jeong Yeon-shin left only Cheong Myeong’s breathing in his senses. Inhale, very slowly exhaling.

‘Now.’

The true energy that should have flowed to the left foot overlapped in the opposite direction. A thud resounded.

With a single leap of the right foot using Fate Defying Scripture, Cheong Myeong’s upper body became close enough to pierce his eyes.

Destroying the floor he was standing on, he drew the Desolate Sword. 

The five-step distance was cut and scattered along with a streak of sword light.

As if exploding the tightly contracted muscles and internal power, he opened up and continued the sword strike of the swift sword technique.

A sound like swimming in a typhoon pounded his ears like a drum, and his lower abdomen tingled.

He who obtained the sword unification changed once again. It was a sensation he could fully feel.

Kwang!

He clashed with a sword force that was hard to handle. Seeing that his side was empty, he went in, but suddenly his vision shook white.

His body bounced off as if flying, and a tremendous impact ran up from his wrist to his elbow.

He didn’t know when he had raised his sword.

‘Still, better than I thought…’

Just before flying away, he concentrated his true energy on the Yanggu (梁丘), Xuehai (血海), and Xiyangguan (膝陽關) acupoints of the right knee.

Note- 1. Yanggu (梁丘): An acupoint located on the lateral side of the thigh, just above the knee.

          2. Xuehai (血海): Translates to “Sea of Blood,” an acupoint on the medial aspect of the thigh, above the knee.

          3.Xiyangguan (膝陽關): Translates to “Yang Knee Gate,” an acupoint on the lateral side of the knee.

The moment the calf muscles on either side of his knee wriggled like a fierce beast’s muscles, his right foot sank into the training ground floor.

At the same time, he exploded his true energy starting from the Yongquan (涌泉) acupoint on his heel.

Note- Yongquan (涌泉) is located on the sole of the foot, in a depression that forms when the foot is in plantar flexion.

Kwajik! Hwaaak!

‘Not bad.’

His body spun half a turn with his right foot as the axis. Rather, he caught the rear diagonal angle.

At the end of the trajectory of the Desolate Sword drawing a semicircle with his body was the trapezius muscle behind Cheong Myeong’s neck.

After a sound that sliced through the air like a curtain, Cheong Myeong’s whole body suddenly wriggled as if pulsating.

As his body seemed to blur, his vision turned white again in an instant.

Cheong Myeong’s sword had gotten closer.

Chwaaaak!

‘Twisting Silk Force, rotated properly.’

He didn’t see it to notice.

The sword buzzing in his grip sensed the texture of the air on his behalf.

The inspiration he gained from Cheong Myeong’s words about feeling the wind was now developing the realm of sword-body unitification in this moment.

Jjeo-eong!

With a sound like striking a bell, the true energy-infused force scattered in all directions, tearing his clothes here and there.

His arm was greatly bounced upward.

He was surprised that he managed to hold onto his sword despite the tremendous collision of forces.

Whoosh!

He threw his body back as if lying down. It was the technique of the Iron Plate Bridge.

Thanks to his right foot planted on the ground, it was easy to execute.

A snow-white sword blade narrowly grazed past the tip of his nose.

The sight of his hair being cut off before it could fully fall was eerie.

Jeong Yeon-shin pulled out his foot that was stuck in the ground and immediately kicked.

His body somersaulted in the air and landed on the ground, anticipating a dodge with a feint kick.

He immediately gripped his sword and stared at Cheong Myeong with a transparent gaze.

He felt something caught on the tip of his raised foot, and realized the headband had been removed.

‘As expected, he was of the Elf Tribe.’

The pointed ears like a sword tip and golden hair were features the Human could not possess.

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had seen many Elves recently, casually thought and adjusted his grip on the sword.

‘Next is applying Fate Defying Scripture to the Desolate Sword… Huh?’

Completely immersed, he suddenly realized the surroundings were filled with silence.

Even the formidable Cheong Myeong was looking at him with a stunned expression.

At some point, everyone in the hall was staring at Jeong Yeon-shin with shocked gazes.

Cheong Myeong’s identity didn’t seem to be a secret anyway.

“……”

He couldn’t understand why, but he felt it wasn’t the atmosphere to continue the match.

Jeong Yeon-shin carefully sheathed his new sword as if he had just used it and asked out of curiosity.

“How was I? You said you would assess my talent.”

“……”

“I know you went easy on me for a few moves. Tell me honestly.”

“Well……”

Not only the Radiant Demon Wing masters who had faced the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, but even Cheong Myeong who had crossed swords with Namgung’s First Sword seemed to have forgotten how to speak.

They just stared intently at Jeong Yeon-shin. Only after a while did Ma Jin open his mouth, contorting his scar.

“You. How old did you say you were?”

“I’m fifteen, but does that matter? I won’t be lenient because of my young age, so only my current achievement is important.”

Jeong Yeon-shin answered with a frown. What were they trying to do by considering his age when he could die young?

However, it seemed no one heard Jeong Yeon-shin’s following words.

Starting with Cheong Myeong who suddenly threw down his sword, the life of a warrior, the Radiant Demon Wing martial artists began to sprawl out and mutter one by one.

It was an unbelievably lax attitude.

“That’s a monstrosity.”

“No. It should be called a mistake of the heavens.”

“I’ve been to the Gathering of Talents, but I’ve never seen anything like that. Even if you learn the Path of Sensation from birth, it wouldn’t be like that.”

“I was considered the supreme prodigy in our city.”

“Supreme my ass.”

Ma Jin didn’t bother quieting them down and gestured to Heon Won-chang.

“Next. Heon Won-chang, you said you came from Shaanxi.”

“M-Me? Right now?”

“Stand in position. I’ll assess you.”

No one in the Radiant Demon Wing paid close attention to the dejected Heon Won-chang’s match.

Only Jeong Yeon-shin, who was given the same batch, watched closely to see if there was anything to learn and take away.

* * *

“Radiant Demon Formation is a martial art that does not discriminate between weapons.”

Ma Jin, who had just returned from a mission a few days ago, immediately began teaching.

When going out to various parts of the vast Central Plains to carry out missions, it was common to easily spend several months, so he was guaranteed at least a month of rest after returning.

Jeong Yeon-shin began learning the Desolate Sect Radiant Demon Formation together with Heon Won-chang.

For him, it was the first time properly learning a martial art.

“Swords, sabers, spears, fists, palms. Hands, feet, axes, sticks, whips. And many other exotic weapons. Radiant Demon Formation does not discriminate against anything. If you master it properly, that is.”

“How is that possible? Then sword sects wouldn’t need to bother learning the sword.”

Heon Won-chang, whose eyelids were swollen blue, asked.

Ma Jin answered every question in a gentle manner, as if he was the most open-minded teacher in the world when teaching verbally.

“The formations are different. Radiant Demon Formation is about how to use the body. It’s a contemplation of everything that can be done with human hands and feet. It encompasses everything from close-range bare-handed fighting to mid to long-range spears, except for bows.”

He added.

“That’s why it’s shallow. Heon Won-chang. As you said, it can’t compare in depth to a sword sect that solely focuses on the way of the sword. But we are not Wudang Taoist priests who hold a single Pine Pattern Ancient Sword and swing it alone for transcendence.”

‘So that’s how you can talk about the Wudang Taiji Sword.’

Jeong Yeon-shin thought it was a sword art he wanted to witness someday and listened attentively.

“The martial arts of our Desolate Sect are always fierce battles. Even solo missions are premised on chaotic fights. Fighting is a collection of variables! Would you insist on using a sword even if you lose your footing and collapse? If you master Radiant Demon Formation, you won’t hesitate to throw away your blade in that moment. The level of choice is different, and it often allows you to survive.”

Ma Jin glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin for a moment.

He seemed to be thinking of the kick that blew off Cheong Myeong’s headband.

On the contrary, Jeong Yeon-shin recalled Cheong Myeong, who had abruptly thrown away his sword after the match ended.

“Oh… Indeed.”

The Desolate Sect Guardian, who had been influenced at some point, exclaimed in admiration.

Ma Jin’s eyes, glancing at him sitting cross-legged next to Jeong Yeon-shin, took on a strange light.

“However, Radiant Demon Formation is a martial art that requires that much innate adaptability and insight. 

If you lack those two, you have to put in enough effort to forcibly engrave it into your body. But don’t worry.”

He continued, pulling up the scar below the corner of his mouth.

“That’s what Radiant Demon Wing and I are here for. The fact that you passed the Desolate Test itself proves your qualifications. If you follow well, you will be able to join us on the next mission.”

And then Heon Won-chang’s ordeal began.

* * *

“Ugh…”

The next day, something resembling a corpse was standing alone in the Radiant Demon Wing training hall.

As if it was no exaggeration to say it was engraved in the body, Ma Jin taught the Radiant Demon Formation techniques and demonstrated the mastery of Radiant Demon Formation through real combat-like sparring. On Heon Won-chang’s body.

“My Radiant Demon Formation bare-handed techniques are precise. I know you can move. It’s commendable that you haven’t gone limp at least. Reflect on it as it is and bring about achievement.”

Ma Jin, who spoke indifferently to Heon Won-chang, turned to look at Jeong Yeon-shin.

Compared to Heon Won-chang, he looked perfectly fine as if nothing had happened to him.

The appearance of the pitch-black Desolate Sword at his waist and the white martial arts uniform fluttering in the wind.

Despite his still youthful appearance, his aura was already that of a Desolate Sect warrior.

“You’re done. Did you grasp the essence of the techniques?”

“It’s unhindered adaptability.”

“…That’s right. The body has room to move in any situation. The flow of the combat route continuing uninterrupted and smoothly is the true knot of Radiant Demon. Insight, creativity, adaptability. If you fully understand the techniques, now you need to realize the five meanings of the combat route.”

“The five meanings of the combat route?”

“Talking about this is no match for seeing it once.”

Ma Jin stood in front of a brick tower on one side of the training hall.

It was very rare for the members of Desolate Sect to cut and use wood.

Considering the Sect leader who was of the Elf clan, the entire place from the pavilion was a stone structure, so it was impossible to erect something like a training log.

“Watch.”

In an instant, a powerful energy settled on Ma Jin’s body. And it disappeared again right away.

It seemed to be to show that he had completely let go of his strength.

He stretched out his fist as it was, and his fist full of calluses struck one side of the tower.

Thud!

It was unknown how much he had trained the external power of his skin to make such a dull sound without hesitation.

At the same time, the brick tower collapsed with a crash.

“The optimal moment and the best strike. The combat route is the trajectory that draws it. If you follow the perfect combat route, the ultimate strike comes out. You could say it’s the realm of body techniques, but what I want to convey is a separate principle. Body techniques are about seeing the opponent’s attacks. But the combat route you draw already starts from the realm of instinct. You don’t even need to see your own attacks.”

Ma Jin turned to Jeong Yeon-shin without even dusting off his hand. Jeong Yeon-shin, who was looking at the ruins of the tower, thought.

‘The servants will have a hard time.’

He wondered how much the servants of Desolate Sect were paid, and immediately shook off the idle thoughts.

‘It’s about using the body at the right time.’

It meant to capture the moment and place to unleash strength.

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had grasped the five meanings in an instant, loosened his hands.

“This is the realm of mastery. You can’t do anything with just seeing it once. The more you train, the more instinctively you find the optimal combat route. It’s something you should take as a lifelong task.”

“Is that so…?”

It doesn’t seem so. Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

At some point, an inspiration that went even further began to summon the flashing lightning in his mind.

‘I think I can do this differently. Right now, even…’

A sky-blue light flashed in Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes, and his hand rose slightly.