'What is this?'
He quickly lowered his head again. Though he felt an inexplicable gaze, he didn't give it much thought.
'It's not like the masters of Zhongnan Sect are here to demonstrate martial arts.'
It was enough just to have witnessed their aura firsthand.
The transcendent energy of Mount Zhongnan, the origin of Taoism, was indeed different from the martial artists of the Jung family, who were steeped in worldly desires.
The mystical power of their internal cultivation techniques was so profound that its refreshing essence could be felt on the skin.
"Raise your head. We are not here to flaunt superiority."
It was Yeo IL-shin's voice, still tinged with a smile. People quickly stood up and straightened their postures.
The family head, Jung Daemyung, hurriedly wiped the sweat off his forehead and spoke.
"You have come all this way, and we have shown disrespect. To have left the swordsmen of Zhongnan standing, allow me to guide you."
Following the family head, the masters of Zhongnan Sect began to move.
Yeo IL-shin once again glanced subtly at Jung Yeonshin as she passed by the household members.
"It felt like she looked at me."
"It wasn't you, it was me."
The squabbling behind him was annoying.
What did it matter who that renowned elder of Zhongnan Sect looked at? It wasn't as if she was going to take them in as disciples.
Jung Yeonshin turned away. He headed straight for the training ground, deep in thought.
'Jung Family Physical Conditioning Method have reached their limit.'
What should he train next?
Having mastered one martial art and faced the overwhelming presence of the Zhongnan Sect masters, his perspective began to change.
The desire for achievement was starting to overcome his aversion.
'The sword... Should I start training with the sword now?'
What would it feel like to taste mastery through a proper sword technique?
Breaking down each verse of the Jung Sect's True Sword Formula, which he had seen as a child, Jung Yeonshin headed toward the training ground. His steps felt light.
* * *
The household was bustling, but the training ground, where a lone boy stood, was utterly silent.
With his sword raised to chest level in a middle stance, his breathing was steady.
The deepened breaths cultivated through the Jung Family Physical Conditioning Method filled him with a cloud-like fullness with every inhale.
And with each exhale, his breath swept away distracting thoughts like rain washing over the earth.
Jung Yeonshin reached a state of selflessness. With a single breath, he poured his entire being into the sword.
Jung Family Divine Sword, Qi Blossom Feather Technique.
The sword moved.
Composed of three sword intents and twenty-one techniques, the Jung Family Divine Sword was solemn and grand.
It faintly reflected the aura of Taoist orthodoxy, derived from Zhongnan martial arts.
If it were the martial arts of the main sect, it would be both majestic and profound. However, the Jung Family Divine Sword was merely majestic.
It felt unnatural, like a worldly swordsman imitating a Taoist.
Jung Yeonshin instinctively felt this, even before consciously thinking about it.
What does a worldly swordsman, descended from a Taoist sect, pursue? Wealth and fame.
If someone blocks their path, a single strike should be enough to cut them down.
What does a shallow swordsman need? Speed. The sword must be fast.
Swish!
The sword's movement changed. What once swung with weight now became light.
The energy coursed through his body, rushing along his meridians under the guidance of a new intent.
The internal energy of the Jung family surged violently, contracting every muscle in his body.
As the principles of quick sword techniques infused his movements, a new path for the blade naturally opened.
Slash!
The sword tore through the air, splitting the night and scattering birds in startled cries.
It was a strike completely absent from the Jung Family Divine Sword, a wholly new sword form.
"Haa."
Exhaling deeply, overwhelmed by the fullness of the moment, Jung Yeonshin looked down at the sword in his hand.
When he had started the form, he had gripped the sword tightly with all five fingers, as prescribed by the Jung Family Divine Sword. But now, his thumb and index finger were slightly relaxed.
So this is how it's done.
"This is speed."
Realizing the principles of quick sword techniques and creating a new move, the boy was thrilled.
It was completely different from the Jung Family Physical Conditioning Method, which required painstaking patience, built stitch by stitch like embroidery.
Inspired by a fleeting impression from observing the Zhongnan masters, he had immediately crafted a new toy.
"This is fun. Really."
Jung Yeonshin tried the quick sword technique a few more times before suddenly looking up.
The pitch-black sky spread out above him like dark silk.
Clouds must have covered the heavens, as neither stars nor the moon were visible.
'I should sleep if I'm to train my internal techniques at dawn.'
Smiling contentedly, he headed straight to his quarters.
His body, tempered by the Jung Family Physical Conditioning Method, hadn't shed a single drop of sweat.
Feeling no need to wash, the boy fell asleep right away.
* * *
Waking early and finishing his morning training, Jung Yeonshin went straight to the dining hall.
Normally, he would have sent a servant to bring him breakfast so he could eat alone, but today was different.
The family head was certain to have breakfast with the Zhongnan masters, whose length of stay was unclear.
'Shamelessness isn't a big deal.'
Hadn't he already gained inspiration just from seeing their refined energy?
Having tasted great accomplishment, the boy boldly attended the family's breakfast gathering.
He paid no attention to the disapproving glances from the household members.
Jung Yeonshin's eyes were fixed on the figures of the Zhongnan Sect seated at the head of the table.
"Ahem, since you're here, have a seat."
Family head Jung Daemyung cleared his throat and spoke.
It must have been hard for him to rebuke his son in front of such renowned martial artists.
And that was exactly what Jung Yeonshin had aimed for.
The Meal Began. The boy tried his best to remain inconspicuous while stealing glances at Yeo IL-shin and the other Zhongnan disciples.
He wondered what kind of cultivation one had to undergo to possess the calm and profound aura they exuded.
Since a person's energy varies with their emotions, the clear and serene presence, as if drawn straight from Mount Zhongnan, was fascinating.
Then, his eyes met those of Elder Yeo IL-shin. She smiled faintly.
"The young master of the family has remarkably bright eyes. Truly intelligent."
"Hmph...! I sincerely apologize. My third son still lacks discipline…"
Startled, Jung Daemyung leaned back slightly and glared at Jung Yeonshin.
The boy lowered his head slightly and continued eating vegetables.
Strangely, Yeo IL-shin's gentle smile was more burdensome than Jung Daemyung's open scowl.
Something was different.
'It's not just clear, it's deep. Is that what they call supreme cultivation?'
It was his first time witnessing internal energy so condensed that it naturally radiated outward.
Though unseen, its strength was vividly perceptible.
It felt as if his understanding of how powerful internal energy could become had been shattered.
'The Jung family's technique isn't the end. I can go further.'
The chopsticks froze in midair.
He had glimpsed the foundation of a new martial art.
Come to think of it, Jung Yeonshin had only ever used the family's techniques to refine his body.
How foolish, he hadn't realized there was more to be done.
No one had told him because of the household's indifference and subtle hostility.
'The body is just a vessel. To gain that kind of aura, I need to refine my energy.'
What he had done so far wasn't wrong.
It allowed him to focus solely on training, firmly establishing the pathways for energy circulation.
Essence first, then energy. Cleanse the vessel before filling it with water.
Now, it was time to pour energy into the vessel.
Jung Yeonshin had just grasped a simple yet profound truth.
The Jung family's techniques could evolve further.
They would transform into an entirely new martial art.
'This time, it's true internal cultivation.'
He hummed internally.
Countless flashes of inspiration struck his mind like lightning.
Methods to absorb the energy of heaven and earth through breathing techniques tangled together, forming intricate patterns.
'What should I name this technique after the Jung family's foundation?'
For a brief moment, the boy's eyes glowed sky-blue, but the only one who noticed was Yeo IL-shin of Zhongnan Sect.
Doubt flickered across her otherworldly beautiful face.
* * *
"This place has good energy."
"It certainly does. With this level of earth energy, even the Tyrant Sword Tribe might covet it."
Two disciples of the Zhongnan Sect, who accompanied the elder as attendants, spoke quietly.
Yeo IL-shin and the three martial artists were sipping tea in a guest room provided by the Jung family's head.
The elegantly decorated room and the subtle scent of tea seemed to reflect their awareness of the visitors' status.
"It's certain that they'll come. Launching a counterattack is a good plan, but… I still worry about the sacrifice this family might endure."
Yeo IL-shin said .
"We're keeping our senses open at all times."
"If they attempt to climb the walls, we'll intercept and destroy them."
Confidence radiated from the faces of the two, who were over thirty.
Feeling the martial aura exuding from the disciples, Yeo IL-shin said no more.
They were elites of the Zhongnan Sect, confidence was not mere arrogance.
She changed the topic.
"Did you find the child we're to take in satisfactory?"
"I'm not sure."
"I feel the same."
Their responses were plain.
With over two hundred years of experience, Yeo IL-shin could often gauge a person's character and aptitude from their bearing and words, even if it was their first meeting.
In her view, the second son of the Jung family had nothing particularly extraordinary about him.
"Rather, it was the third son's gaze that seemed resolute."
"I thought so, too."
"To me as well, he doesn't seem like an ordinary vessel. He may one day bring fame to this household as a swordmaster. If he were to become a disciple of the main sect, he wouldn't be able to inherit the family, so perhaps the head of the family is deliberately pushing the second son forward."
Though Yeo IL-shin's words were speculative, her tone carried near certainty, surprising the two disciples.
"Is he truly at that level?"
"Then perhaps we should bring in the third son instead…"
"That would violate our traditions. The sect has already chosen a disciple, and even if we overturned it now, the family head wouldn't accept it. Zhongnan Sect's customs are not so frivolous."
At the elder's subdued reprimand, the disciples bowed their heads, reflecting on their careless words.
While observing their reflection, Yeo IL-shin tapped the table with her long fingers.
'That boy is peculiar.'
He had shown strange tendencies all along.
It wasn't the kind of talent people call 'nature's blessing' among noble families.
If it were, Yeo IL-shin would have seen energies surrounding the child.
This was something entirely different.
'He stood out unnaturally against the world.'
Martial artists of her caliber, who had pierced the Baihui point at the crown of their heads, could connect with heaven.
Their internal energy often produced insights akin to foresight through the upper dantian.
For Yeo IL-shin to feel such an anomaly, this child was undoubtedly special.
But it wasn't the time to dwell on such thoughts.
"The Tyrant Sword Tribe is a formidable enemy. Do not let your guard down and sharpen your sword energy."
* * *
After breakfast, Jung Yeonshin received a visit from the head steward. He could guess the reason.
The steward, despite his calm face, looked troubled as he faced him.
"Steward."
"Young master."
"I don't know what I've done wrong, but lately, I've been wondering."
"Young master."
"Was my mother's energy spent giving birth to me? Is that why I can't even appear before the family's honored guests?"
"…It is the head's decision."
The steward replied.
Seeing his strained expression, Jung Yeonshin said no more.
The steward was a good man.
Regardless of his personal opinions, he managed the household affairs under orders from Jung Daemyung.
At times like this, Jung Yeonshin missed the maternal family he had never met.
But the Jung family never let him go.
His maternal family was tied to a powerful faction.
Though they never sought him after his mother's death, the household always viewed him with wariness and discomfort.
"I'm sorry."
The boy said . The steward's face briefly showed a hint of sadness.
"…I heard the training ground is short on supplies. I'll have new materials prepared."
"Thank you. I'll wait."
Turning away, Jung Yeonshin scolded himself.
Seeing the Zhongnan masters had given him so much inspiration that he had shown childish impatience.
It wasn't like him.
'I should focus on internal cultivation.'
Following the Jung family's breathing techniques, he calmed his mind.