Book 14: Chapter 5: Sword Heart, Sword Ring

The hand that held the sword had no strength left to hold a sword anymore, but for some reason, his favorite weapon was held tightly, as if it stuck to his palm and as if that place was where it naturally belonged.

“Haa, haa…” his body, which took the starting stance, had no leeway to hold a stance anymore, but for some reason, his old body held out firmly like a thousand-year-old tree rooted in the earth, and his heart, which beat to the point where it wouldn't be strange if it stopped any moment, pulsated vigorously as if it could run to the end of the horizon, and his qi gates, which were clearly ruptured and twisted, as if they were never so, were pierced coolly from the thin blood vessels at the ends of his limbs to the Baihui acupoint—the crown of his head, so his Upper Dantian opened wide and that energy seemed to achieve unification with the sky, and with one or two long breaths, the true qi that was boiling like water in a pot settled down like the deep sea, and in the next long breath, along with his will, that true qi soared up to heights of thousands of fathoms.

“Fuu—. Fuu—.”

“Fuuuuu—.”

“Fuuuuu—.”

“Fuuuuu—.”

How could one express that profound and exquisite harmony?

How could one express the feeling of catching a glimpse of the truths of all creation in the world through intuition, transcending that principle?

“……”

Which could not be crossed even if he tried to.

Which could not be pierced even if he crashed into it.

That wall no longer existed anywhere.

“……”

What unfolded was the universe stretching out so distantly that he felt dizzy, so since ancient times, warriors called that moment sudden enlightenment.

“……”

Merely the wrinkled eye corners of Elder Peng, who was soaked in deep emotion and realization, trembled faintly, like a single blade of young grass shedding morning dew.

That is, they called it the time of awakening.

* * *

Although hundreds of people were gathered

“……”

Where else in this Sword Family would there be a more romantic sight than that?

“……”

Because of that, the sword technique of the Luoyang Sword Family was called ‘Sword Heart, Sword Ring.’

“……”

From the young warrior who had just held a sword after entering the Luoyang Sword Family jiiiiiiing— in that silence filled with awe, what was heard was the clear crying sound of the sword held in Elder Peng's hand.

“……”

To the white-haired old warriors who lived with the sword all their lives in the Luoyang Sword Family, in that marvelous sight, what was felt fully by everyone was the heart of the sword held by Elder Peng.

“……”

From the scholars who held brushes to the servants who did chores, the maid who checked food ingredients, and even the idle people who had just come to enjoy the festival mood, no one opened their mouth.

The Sword Heart.

The Sword Ring.

“……”

Although she was the aunt of Yeon So-hyeon and Yeon Seo-rin and still had not sorted out her love-hate relationship with her younger brother, the Grand Patriarch, chachachang— following that, Yeon Seo-rin, the Seamless Heavenly Robe, drew the ancient sword she had inherited from her father, the Grand Patriarch, and learning the sword from a master and offering the sword.

“……”

Who dedicated his life to the sword who loved the sword all his life, how did the Luoyang Sword Family welcome one who had crossed the wall at long last?

“……”

Chaaang— the first to draw her own sword was none other than the Guard Pavilion Lord.

“……”

She was also a warrior of the Sword Family, a martial artist, so she, without a single stray thought with an expression filled with pure respect, held her sword straight in front of her face, expressing respect to the warrior who crossed the wall.

“……”

Following that, the old warriors drew their swords filled with their hand-wear, and immediately, kneeling down on one knee right on that ground, he held out the hilt of his favorite weapon, which was filled with the traces of his lifetime, to the Eldest Young Master.

“……”

As if chasing them, the young warriors drew and held straight the swords they ground and polished day after day, and at the short but permeating congratulations of the Eldest Young Master, Elder Peng bowed his head deeply, tears falling patteringly.

“……”

That was, normally, merely a clichéd greeting exchanged with each other at the end of an ordinary sparring match, but at this very moment, it was a word that deeply resonated in the hearts of all who saw it.

“……”

The maids and servants knelt in a reverent attitude, and the scholars bowed their heads deeply and placed their hands on their chests.

“……”

Without even wiping the overflowing tears, gathering his two hands which were only now trembling, he bowed to the Eldest Young Master with the most polite etiquette he could perform.

“……”

That was including the complex relationships of interests and the strict status differences within the Sword Family transcending all, the meaning of respect expressed as a person of the Sword Family, as a member.

“……”

At those words, tears burst and flowed from Elder Peng's eyes as if a dam broke.

“……”

Because they were people of the sword family, even those who did not hold a sword could understand in that flesh-tearing and bone-scraping pain pursuing a realm that seemed faintly graspable but was not, it was an expression of respect for the warrior who held out through uncountable years with infinite patience.

“……”

Pang— along with the sound of tearing through the air, brushing his sleeves once with disciplined movements to shake off dust and such, he clasped his hands in an infinitely polite attitude to express etiquette.

“……”

In that solemn scene, even outsiders who did not know the culture of the Sword Family well shut their mouths and ended up expressing respect.

“……”

With a single tear in which all kinds of emotions dwelled, the first thing visible to Elder Peng, who slowly opened both eyes, was the smiling Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon.

“It was a good sparring match.”

“…I learned greatly.”

“Congratulations, Elder Peng.”

“Thank you! Eldest Young Master!”

“Now…!”

“My sword belongs to the Eldest Young Master…!”

Loud cheers and applause poured out as if bursting from the audience.

* * *

The Luoyang Sword Family, a certain mansion.

Dinner gathering of the Hebei faction's elders.

Clang.

The teacup dropped on the floor smashed with a loud noise.

“……”

Although several elders were having dinner together in that place, no one cared about the broken teacup now.

“…What did you just say?”

The fellow elder who had just entered with the news shouted again with a face unable to hide his bewilderment.

“I said Elder Peng, the head of our faction, offered his sword to the Eldest Young Master!”

That scene was a sight that directly implemented the long romance of the Sword Family to those who were on the spot, but to them who were living in reality, it was news like a bolt from the blue.

“What?!”

“Just what on earth does that mean so out of the blue?!”

“Just why would Elder Peng?!”

“For what reason…?!”

“It is not certain, but from what I heard…” the elder who brought the news replied with a pale expression.

“I heard that after receiving a lesson in the sparring match with the Eldest Young Master, Elder Peng crossed the wall on the spot!”

Instantly, a silence filled with suspicion filled the room.

“……?”

“…He crossed the wall?”

“…After receiving a lesson?”

Questions leaked from the elders' mouths one after another with dazed expressions.

“…And with a single sparring match?”

After those words, everyone was unable to find words, then then, another elder sat back down and smiled.

“That is so ridiculous…” eventually, an elder chuckled and waved his hand.

“It seems you heard a wild rumor somewhere.”

“Really. I didn't see him that way, but he's making a pointless joke.”

At those words, the others also sat back down one by one, shaking their heads.

“…Indeed.”

“No, I mean. You should say something that makes sense.”

“Are you turning the place upside down by bringing such a preposterous rumor as information?”

There was also one who flared up.

“If you attended late, you should just apologize quietly…!”

However their reaction was also what he had well expected.

The elder who brought the news firmly continued what he had to say despite the pouring rebukes.

“…Right now. The Main Family's War Department is in an uproar.”

“Without distinguishing between the old and the young, the warriors of the War Department are all running to Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment!”

The expressions of the elders who tried to dismiss it as a joke stiffened again.

“…Those heavy-rumped fellows moved?”

The elder who brought the news beat his chest as if frustrated.

“Furthermore, there is also information that even the warriors belonging to the Sword Forest are gathering at Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment!”

“The Sword Forest…?!”

The Sword Forest was an unofficial organization within the Sword Family, where sword demons who lived by the sword and died by the sword gathered regardless of their official affiliation or origin.

“Those madmen are heading to Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment?”

“Just what on earth…?”

The elders wore dumbfounded expressions.

“That is not all!”

The elder who brought the news shouted consecutively without even breathing.

“It is said that even the New Martial Alliance elders on the Third Young Master's side have departed to visit Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment!”

The New Martial Alliance was a term referring to the forces where sects or martial families that belonged to the former Martial Alliance gathered with the Third Young Master as the pivot.

“They are the Third Young Master's people, though…?”

“Are you saying they are heading to the Eldest Young Master's celebratory banquet?”

“They would end up in a difficult situation within their faction, though…?”

Bang, and the elder who brought the news slammed the large round dining table.

“Right now, isn't that not the problem?!”

“With a single sparring match, the Eldest Young Master pushed the back of an old man whose physical prime passed a long time ago, making him cross the wall…!”

He shouted as if screaming.

And only then at the too absurd news, the complexions of the elders who had failed to properly accept the situation changed abruptly.

“……!”

“……!”

This afternoon even when the Eldest Young Master revealed his faction by surprise, and when the Eldest Young Master split the sky with the Grand Patriarch's single sword, they believed there would be no more things to be surprised by because of the Eldest Young Master today.

However as if sneering at such people, the Eldest Young Master calmly committed an act transcending imagination.

“This current situation is not a problem of factions or cliques!”

The elder who brought the news shouted.

“This is a grand event where the political terrain of this Sword Family might change fundamentally from the roots!”

One of the senior elders jumped up from his seat.

“This is no time to be doing this…!”

Although the chair fell backward and the food placed in front of him overturned, since everyone left their seats in a rush, no one cared.

“This is no time to be doing this!”

“Let us go to Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment quickly…!”

* * *

In front of the main gate of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, shouted to everyone, a thick smile hung on his face.

“The banquet is starting now!”

“Everyone, enjoy the festival!”

As soon as those words finished along with cheers, the firecrackers shot up by the people of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment exploded in the darkened sky with a loud noise.