Book 4 Chapter 3

A Martial Arts Contest with Bingbaekbong Nayein

Nayein, with her mysterious and beautiful eyes that seemed to embed stars in the night sky, sat beneath a tree, half-hidden, lost in meditation. Her appearance, clearly a testament to divine artistry at its peak, was always filled with mystery and sanctity. Even the wind and light seemed to harmonize with her, remaining in a state of balance. Nothing in her surroundings could disturb her. Had anything succeeded in doing so, her meditation would have been broken. But her meditation was never broken.

What was she waiting for?

The pre-dawn sunlight was still insufficient to send the sparkling dewdrops clinging to the leaves evaporating into the sky. The dewdrops, unable to ascend, slowly gathered using their cohesion, and soon, unable to bear their weight, flowed down a groove in the center of the leaves. As the dewdrops, imbued with the morning’s essence, fell, Nayein’s sword was drawn from its sheath, and a dazzling sword energy, like a halo, erupted like an illusion. The sharp, keen energy of the sword passed by, leaving two traces on a single falling dewdrop. Not one, but two traces. It goes without saying what a high-level, difficult technique it is to cleave a single dewdrop, whose fall is unpredictable, into two with two traces, dividing it into three parts. And she had done it effortlessly.

“Clap clap clap!”

At the sudden sound of applause, her night-sky, Milky Way-like eyes, which had been lost in meditation for what felt like an eternity, opened. Into her mystical eyes, which seemed to contain a miniature universe, a woman entered. To her surprise, a fleeting hint of joy momentarily appeared and vanished in her eyes. Though others might not have noticed, for her, it was a significant emotional expression, rarely seen.

“Excellent. Such smooth and beautiful sword energy that no further critique can be made, junior sister.”

The woman who called her junior sister without hesitation had her left eye covered with a black blindfold. She was, remarkably, one-eyed. This was none other than Dokgoryeong of Dokanbong, who had appeared suddenly when Biryun first visited Aesu Mansion a week ago, causing immense discomfort to the men and making them flee. She was beautiful. Even the permanent absence of her left eye did little to diminish her beauty and strength.

“Welcome, senior sister.”

Nayein and Dokgoryeong had received the same martial arts and teachings from the same master; they were fellow disciples. To Nayein’s calm greeting, Dokgoryeong offered a smile. Though she was as terrifying as a demon to perverted men, she also spared smiles for her beloved junior sister, Nayein.

“What brings you here? To pour all your effort into sword energy at this early hour. This is unusual for you. Do you have sword energy to refine?”

Refining sword energy is a term used to describe the act of focusing one's mind and spirit when preparing for something special. While the methods vary, as fellow disciples, Dokanbong knew exactly what Nayein’s recent action signified.

“I have a promise to keep.”

“A promise?”

Given Nayein’s social skills, Dokgoryeong, believing it unlikely she would have made a promise to anyone, asked with a hint of surprise.

“With whom?”

“A man.”

“What? A man!”

Dokgoryeong nearly collapsed from the shock, suffering a heart attack. She couldn’t believe that Bingbaekbong’s Nayein would make a promise with a man. Knowing Nayein’s life story better than anyone, Dokgoryeong was well aware of her severe misandry. And such a person had made a promise with a man?

Subconsciously, she looked up at the sky where the dawn sun was hanging. It was clearly the eastern sky.

“Surely it’s not Wi Jicheon?”

Dokgoryeong asked cautiously.

“No.”

Dokgoryeong was bewildered.

‘Wi Jicheon, that guy, let another man approach her besides himself?’

It was unthinkable. Who was Wi Jicheon to allow another man to approach Nayein, whom even she herself found difficult to approach? The possibility seemed slim no matter how she thought about it. While she didn’t particularly like that guy, Dokgoryeong had tolerated his existence as a shield. Though an unstable shield, without it, who knew what might happen again… like before…

“It’s not him?”

“Yes, I promised I wouldn’t make a mistake next time.”

“……?”

Dokanbong’s Dokgoryeong didn’t immediately understand her words.

Perhaps she still couldn’t forget what happened with Biryun a week ago. The presence of a male, who had caused a stir in her heart for the first time in years. Her unusual sensibility hadn’t overreacted to Biryun’s rudeness, but she had no intention of letting it slide.

The promise not to make a mistake next time was something she would definitely keep.

“I don’t know what kind of promise it is, but seeing you refining your sword energy from this early hour, it seems to be a very important one. Who is it with? It’s unlikely you’d be having a martial arts contest…”

Refining and meticulously managing sword energy was preparation done before a martial arts contest. Of course, some people did it regularly.

“I have a promise.”

“What promise?”

Dokgoryeong couldn’t believe that her junior sister, whose social skills could be described as the worst, had made a promise with someone.

“A promise with someone who has escaped my sight.”

“What did you say?”

Her only, lonely right eye shot up in surprise. Today was a series of shocks.

“Escaped your sight? Even I can’t completely escape your draconic eyes, yet there was someone who escaped them?”

Escaping her draconic eyes meant that she couldn’t read the opponent’s movements, or her attacks were in vain. Both were difficult to believe. If you had to pick one person who knew Nayein’s true abilities better than anyone, it would be Dokanbong.

“Yes, senior sister.”

Her reaction remained limited. Dokgoryeong always felt regret for that. And, as a woman herself, she felt even more regret for Nayein’s misfortune, having to close her heart because of her divine beauty that made even women’s hearts flutter.

“So, can I know what kind of promise you made with that person?”

She delicately brought her beautiful fingers, as if carved from white jade, to her red lips. A subtle tremor rippled through her calm eyes. Even for her, it wasn’t something she could easily forget. Her mind might deny it, but her body clearly remembered the touch.

“I said there would be no second mistake.”

“……?”

These were still words that Dokgoryeong couldn’t understand.

“Oh, senior.”

A voice intervened, preventing their potentially serious atmosphere. Dokgoryeong turned her head to look at the source of the voice. It was someone she knew well, standing there with a radiant smile on her cute and charming face. Dokgoryeong’s head started to ache.

Her appearance brought Nayein and Dokgoryeong’s conversation to an unavoidable end. Dokgoryeong was reluctant to probe further into the truth of the matter, fearing that if it got out, it would turn into gossip circulating throughout the academy. She couldn’t afford to take such a risk.

The woman who called them with a cheerful voice like the chirping of birds awakening the morning was a girl who hadn’t completely shed her girlish aura. Her radiant face, beaming with joy, seemed to bring pleasure to anyone who saw it. On the back of her small uniform, two twin swords were slung diagonally.

Dokgoryeong greeted her with a smile. The girl was the only daughter of the esteemed Lee family of Jeonju, renowned for their twin sword skills, and a junior she often doted on. This was Lee Jinseol, who would later be known throughout the Cheonmu Academy and the martial arts world as the Twin Sword Butterfly, attracting the attention and expectations of many men.

“Seol-ah, what brings you here? I’m curious why such a bright smile never leaves your face, is there some good news?”

To Dokgoryeong’s question, Lee Jinseol approached her with lively and agile movements reminiscent of a young doe. Her starlike eyes still held a lingering excitement and fervor. This excitement was precisely what Dokgoryeong was curious about.

“I succeeded! Unnie, I finally succeeded!”

Dokgoryeong felt the need to calm the girl who was jumping for joy like a child. Otherwise, she felt they wouldn't be able to have a proper conversation due to her overwhelming energy. Lee Jinseol’s excessively lively and vibrant personality could sometimes be burdensome to her. Her personality was the complete opposite of the stoic Nayein.

However, Dokgoryeong didn’t dislike being around the girl who always brightened the surroundings. It seemed that her junior sister, who didn't like to talk much but could easily topple a country with her silent beauty, felt the same way. Although not explicitly expressed, Dokgoryeong could tell.

“Okay, okay, calm down and tell me what you succeeded at. If your feet don’t stay on the ground for long, I won’t be able to understand you.”

Only then did her feet, which had been constantly attempting to escape the ground, finally touch the earth. And she said in an excited voice,

“I finally succeeded. I succeeded!”

“Seol-ah, you still haven’t told me what you succeeded at.”

Realizing that she had omitted the object of her speech in her excitement, skipping all the context, Lee Jinseol quickly tried to correct her mistake.

“So, I finally succeeded at that!”

However, the correction still felt insufficient. At this point, even the most patient person would grow weary. But she decided to exercise patience one more time.

“So, you still haven’t told me what ‘that’ is. Please calm down.”

“It’s the Twin Sword Double Strike Twelve Slashes! I finally succeeded at that technique late last night. I did well, right!”

“What?”

For a moment, Dokanbong doubted her ears. But looking at the girl’s eyes, shining with vitality, she didn’t seem to be lying. Calming her startled heart, Dokgoryeong sincerely congratulated Lee Jinseol on her success. It was still a difficult and high-level technique for her. To succeed with her current skill was worthy of immense praise.

Nayein, who had been listening quietly beside them, also had a flicker of surprise in her eyes.

“Did you really succeed at that technique?”

Still disbelieving, Dokgoryeong asked again.

“Of course!”

Lee Jinseol nodded without hesitation. Dokgoryeong’s astonishment was understandable. The Twin Sword Double Strike Twelve Slashes was a high-level advanced technique that involved generating twelve sword energies each from two separate illusory bodies, for a total of twenty-four, through accelerated movement using incredible footwork. It was a gateway technique for sword users to become peak masters, and it was not a skill that a first-year student like Lee Jinseol, who had only just entered the Cheonmu Academy, should be able to use. If she had succeeded, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her a genius. It proved her extraordinary talent.

“Congratulations, junior sister Lee. After striving so hard for that technique, you’ve finally succeeded. I am always amazed by your dedication to martial arts.”

Dokanbong sincerely congratulated her on her enlightenment.

“Congratulations, junior sister Lee.”

Nayein, who always kept her red lips closed and remained silent, also offered congratulations to Lee Jinseol. Both Lee Jinseol and even Dokgoryeong looked surprised by her unexpected praise. Nayein’s gesture was a courtesy to a martial artist who had gained enlightenment in a new technique today. Lee Jinseol was certainly qualified for it today.

“Indeed, you went to all the trouble to come here to boast about it.”

“That’s part of it, but…”

Lee Jinseol seemed to have another purpose besides self-praise. A hint of mischievousness flickered in her starlike eyes, making Dokgoryeong flinch. A sense of foreboding swept through her smooth back. Having known Lee Jinseol for a long time, she knew what that look meant. She still had unpleasant memories of the trouble that look had caused her in the past.

“Are you… surely not…”

Despite her hesitant tone, Lee Jinseol vigorously nodded her slender neck, like white jade.

“Yes. Of course! Surely you won’t refuse, will you?”

Her ominous premonition seemed to have been accurate. Dokgoryeong felt a sudden headache, something she rarely experienced. A throbbing discomfort spread, and she brought her jade-like hand to her forehead.

“Can’t you refuse?”

She made a plea, but the possibility seemed slim.

“No!”

Lee Jinseol firmly refused.

“If not you, who else will receive my technique this time!”

As she had feared, her premonition had hit the bullseye of foreboding. From a young age, Lee Jinseol had always used Dokgoryeong as a test subject whenever she learned a new technique. Of course, it was true that among her peers, there was no one else capable of receiving her sword. Her talent was so extraordinary that no one else in her household could withstand her techniques. The only exception was Dokgoryeong, who occasionally visited her home. Even before she lost an eye, when both her eyes were intact, whenever Dokgoryeong visited, Lee Jinseol would unleash the martial arts moves she had diligently practiced on her. If Dokgoryeong’s talent had been ordinary like others, she might have ended the game with a single defeat. But that wasn’t the case.

Dokgoryeong’s talent was comparable to, or even surpassed, Lee Jinseol’s, and Lee Jinseol had never overcome her. Despite three years of training with comparable or superior talent, her twin swords had never managed to put Dokgoryeong in a tight spot. Lee Jinseol, driven by sheer determination, would seek her out every time she learned a new technique. Since it wasn’t a martial arts contest filled with ill will, and it also stimulated and aided her own martial arts training, Dokgoryeong had never refused. Her challenges were thus pure. However, this time, the situation was slightly different.

The Twin Sword Double Strike Twelve Slashes was a technique of a different caliber than what she had learned before. It could be dangerous if handled incorrectly. Of course, with her current skill, it wasn’t impossible to block, but this time, she had to accept some level of risk.

“Can’t you refuse this time? It seems a bit dangerous.”

Dokgoryeong, known as the Rakshasi or the Demon Grandmother, showed a rare moment of weakness.

“No!”

Lee Jinseol said firmly. She had no intention of reversing her decision. The challenge to Dokgoryeong was one of her greatest pleasures. She couldn’t give it up just like that.

“Besides, you can evade my technique anyway.”

It seemed that Lee Jinseol was well aware that her current skill could not overcome the wall of her martial arts. Her attitude of not being arrogant about her own skills was praiseworthy for a martial artist.

With Lee Jinseol being so insistent, Dokgoryeong found herself in a difficult position. Then, a good idea struck her.

“Alright, fine.”

She suddenly agreed readily, unable to hide her step-back impression.

“Really? Really! Unnie, you’ll receive my technique again this time, right?”

She seemed genuinely excited by Dokgoryeong’s agreement. It was an unusual preference.

“But the opponent won’t be me.”

“Huh? What do you mean all of a sudden? If not you, who will I spar with?”

As a woman, she didn't say “What kind of nonsensical talk is this?” but used more refined language, though the meaning was essentially the same.

“Try out your sword energy on our junior sister here.”

Lee Jinseol was surprised by the unexpected proposal, but Nayein also looked at the proposer of the unexpected suggestion with the greatest surprise she could muster.

“Wow, really? Really, I can spar with Unnie Rin, the master of the Heart Eye Sword, known as Bingbaekbong?”

Lee Jinseol seemed excited, like a boy. Her desire for martial arts was somewhat excessive.

“Yes, of course! Since junior sister Nayein has been refining her sword energy lately, it would be good for her wild, impetuous sword energy to add sharpness to junior sister Nayein’s sword. How about it, junior sister Nayein?”

Nayein fell into a moment of contemplation at Dokgoryeong’s proposal, seeking her permission. Lee Jinseol looked at Nayein with an eager, almost pleading gaze that was difficult to refuse. Her clear eyes, like those of a puppy, were stealing away Nayein’s will to refuse.

Bingbaekbong’s Nayein, along with Dokgoryeong, was a senior swordswoman whom she admired immensely. From the perspective of a follower aiming for her, the urge to exchange swords with her was understandable.

“Alright.”

After much deliberation, Nayein reached a conclusion.

“Hooray!”

Lee Jinseol became excited like a child. She had finally seized the opportunity to test her sword energy. And not just against anyone, but against Bingbaekbong Nayein, one of the Seven Phoenixes, who was considered the most likely candidate to be crowned Sword Queen this year at the Samsungje Sword Queen Tournament. The pleasant excitement turned into a thrill that swept through her entire body.

No matter how grand the goal or how strong the opponent, she wouldn't be intimidated. After all, she had a history of persistently sparring with Dokgoryeong, known as the fiercest and strongest among the Cheonmu Seven Phoenixes. She had never accumulated such shallow training that she would shrink in fear before an ordinary opponent. She had this pride.

However, facing Nayein was entirely different from facing Dokgoryeong. As she stood before her, a strange sensation enveloped her entire body. It was, in a word, an unfamiliarity. An unfamiliarity that made her feel as though her every move was caught in her vision and couldn’t escape. This stimulated her vigilance, preventing her from acting rashly.

“You’ve become remarkable. Now you are no longer ashamed as a swordsman.”

This was Dokgoryeong’s assessment from the sidelines. Being able to sense, even if only by instinct, the existence of her draconic eyes before Nayein indicated that her skill was now extraordinary.

However, the blaring warning bells that stimulated Lee Jinseol’s instincts were not strong enough to suppress her desire to test her new secret technique. Lee Jinseol could feel firsthand that Nayein’s reputation for martial arts skill was not exaggerated, just as much as the praise for her beauty.

“Be careful. Swords have no eyes.”

Even in the face of Nayein’s presence, Lee Jinseol still appeared confident. And that confidence was her strength. That is, as long as an oversupply of confidence did not fester into arrogance.

“Don’t worry. While your sword may have no eyes, my junior sister’s sword has eyes. Be careful.”

Dokgoryeong offered a helpful remark from the side, instantly dispelling Lee Jinseol’s worry.

After Lee Jinseol took her stance, she performed a sword salute. Nayein returned the salute in kind. It was about to begin. The one who attacked first was, naturally, the challenger, Lee Jinseol.

“Here I come.”

Lee Jinseol’s twin swords swung, scattering beautiful sword flowers. The opening was from Lee Jinseol’s family’s secret sword technique, the Flying Swallow Twin Swords. Because it was a martial arts contest, Lee Jinseol announced her attack as she swung her swords. Her moves unfolded before her.

“Buyaek Biyeon!”

She couldn’t use her strongest techniques from the start. To launch an all-out attack against someone with a clearly superior skill level was something only fools would do. Though young, Lee Jinseol knew this and was putting it into practice. Her primary objective was to create an opening in her opponent’s, annoyingly perfect and thorough defense, so that she could exploit it. Even if she had grasped the essence of the technique, launching an attack from the outset was an extremely reckless act.

At this point, she forgot her original purpose of testing the essence of the technique and was genuinely trying to fight her. If it were a test of technique, using secret skills from the start would have been fine. In fact, it would have been preferable. Wasn't victory or defeat irrelevant from the beginning? However, facing Bingbaekbong Nayein’s Heart Eye Sword, Lee Jinseol seemed to be developing a fighting spirit, despite being a woman.

Dokgoryeong was surprised by Lee Jinseol’s cautious demeanor as she carefully deployed her moves, trying to create an opening. Doubt began to surface in her mind.

‘No, that child?’

It was clearly unusual. It would be abnormal not to notice her careful deployment of each move, as if facing an unprecedented formidable opponent. It was a dangerous situation where accidents could easily occur. When masters of a certain level clash swords, exchanging sword energies, unseen forces can erupt, entangling their skills, and sometimes, even if they want to stop, they can’t easily do so. This situation rarely occurs, but the two she knew were certainly capable of it. Moreover, the ultimate secret technique Lee Jinseol was preparing to showcase today was the Twin Sword Double Strike Twelve Slashes. It was by no means an easy technique.

Her white hands, clenched tightly, were covered in sweat. She was starting to get nervous. Forgetting the sweat accumulating in her grasp, she focused on the unfolding situation. She was prepared to intervene without hesitation if necessary. Her thoughts were equally risky.

‘I will never be a test subject for Seol’s sword skills again. It’s all my fault. Knowing her personality so well, I pushed her against Nayein. I must be crazy.’

Dokgoryeong blamed herself. But it was too late for regret. Spilled water seeps into the soil and sand, impossible to retrieve. She resolutely decided, ‘I will never again play along with a child’s game,’ and forced herself to calm her pounding heart.

‘Please, please, please… child. Don’t forget what is appropriate and what is proper!’

As she watched the situation, desperately hoping for no unforeseen incidents, fierce sword energy once again emanated from Lee Jinseol’s twin swords and attacked towards Nayein. The ferocity and sharpness of it were so impressive that even Dokgoryeong momentarily forgot herself and admired it. Meanwhile, Nayein’s evasion, exposed to Lee Jinseol’s fierce twin sword energy, was also worthy of applause. With a slight elegant footwork, she cleanly deflected Lee Jinseol’s sword energy.

However, undeterred and unfazed, Lee Jinseol drew more white sword energy from her twin swords in succession. As the sword energy emanating from Lee Jinseol’s swords became sharper and sharper, Dokgoryeong’s heart burned with worry and concern.

Perhaps tired from her continuous sharp attacks, a slight opening appeared in Nayein’s body. Lee Jinseol’s eyes did not miss it. This was the opportunity she had been patiently waiting for from the beginning. As if she couldn’t wait any longer, she boldly revealed her achievement and the test subject of the day. Full power!

“Twin Sword Double Strike Twelve Slashes!”

A clear, bell-like jade voice rang out, slightly vibrating the air. The next moment, an astonishing event occurred. Her charging body seemed to split into two illusory forms. Each separated illusory body attacked Nayein from the left and right simultaneously. Twelve sword energies, for a total of twenty-four, shot out from each separated illusory body, targeting Nayein’s vital points. All twenty-four sword energies were solid! There was no illusion; they were all real attacks. None could be taken lightly. The tension of the watching Dokgoryeong reached its peak at this moment.

The twenty-four dazzling sword energies intertwined and erupted in one spot. As a result, a cloud of dust rose, swirling around the two people clashing. Dokgoryeong, the spectator, was at a loss, stamping her feet and waiting for the outcome. She felt like summoning the Wind God and urging him to blow away the dust cloud that was obstructing her vision.

Just as Dokgoryeong’s heart was rapidly burning black with worry, leaving only ashes, the dust cloud surrounding them cleared, and the situation in the arena became clear. Her tense shoulders simultaneously relaxed with relief.

“Whew, thank goodness.”

Lee Jinseol couldn’t believe her eyes and senses. She had clearly aimed for the opening and executed her ultimate secret technique, but somehow Nayein had, as if by magic, evaded all of Lee Jinseol’s sword energy and calmly moved behind her, placing the tip of her sword at the back of her neck, exposed when she had used her secret technique.

“I didn’t even see your movement.”

“The bigger the technique, the bigger the opening revealed when the technique fails. You need to be more cautious.”

It was quiet advice that pierced her heart. She knew that larger techniques left larger openings after their execution, but she had never expected to be so completely defeated without any room for excuse. It was a perfect defeat.

“Oh! I lost……. Ho ho ho!”

As if a serious expression didn’t suit her, a cheerful smile instantly appeared on her face. The serious demeanor from a moment ago had vanished, replaced by a lively girl.

“Thump!”

“Ouch!”

“What’s with the ‘ouch’? You don’t even know how dangerous it is…”

The one who lightly tapped her cute, small face was Dokgoryeong’s angry hand. Though her heart had been startled to a degree that dozens of taps wouldn’t suffice, when she raised her hand to strike, she couldn’t find a suitable spot on her small, cute body. Lee Jinseol was lucky.

“I knew it would be like this, but you’ve improved a lot.”

Her compliment was directed at Lee Jinseol. Though she had made her heart tremble and her body tense for a moment, Lee Jinseol’s growth was remarkable. Without seeing her, she could guess how much she had trained and improved in the interim. While she was annoyed that her heart had been put through such tension, she also felt proud.

“Hehehe.”

Lee Jinseol beamed at Dokgoryeong’s praise. She knew better than anyone how stingy Dokgoryeong was with her compliments.

“Don’t just be happy. However, your ki is still not concentrated on the sword energy path and is leaking out a lot. Unnecessary waste of strength and ki is proof of deficiency and immaturity. The dust cloud is evidence of that. Don’t be satisfied with this; strive further.”

Dokgoryeong, like an older sister, did not forget to offer advice along with praise.

“Of course. I haven’t even reached your level yet, let alone surpassed you, so how can I be satisfied here? Don’t worry.”

Lee Jinseol nodded decisively.

“I’d rather decline that…”

Hearing her clear response, Dokgoryeong couldn’t shake off a bad premonition that her continued dedication to training would become a more troublesome burden for herself. In that moment, she felt as if the ground she was standing on had split open due to an invisible fissure of instability, and she was falling into a abyss of darkness. She felt a terrifying chill.