“Hoo...”
A faint sigh escaped from Hahoe Wi-jin's lips, almost like a lament.
His large frame leaned back slightly, his movements betraying his astonishment.
The master of Ipwang Fortress showed no interest in the book Jeong Yeon-shin had produced. Kneeling on one knee, her gaze remained fixed solely on the fortress lord.
Her faintly smiling lips seemed to form a masterpiece of beauty rare in this world.
“...?”
Ak Su-rim, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow slightly. Her jet-black eyes shifted sideways and down, taking in the scene.
Her gaze flitted back and forth between the fortress lord and the book titled Pa-Baek Chongram in Jeong Yeon-shin’s hands. Her sharp, perceptive eyes seemed to be piecing together the meaning behind the title and the lord’s reaction.
The two black-robed experts were unable to hide their surprise.
Jeong Yeon-shin, still silently holding the book, found himself perplexed. How rare was the fortress lord's laughter?
‘She’s been kind enough to smile ever since we first met.’
But the newly appointed Ma Gwang-Ik quickly dismissed his curiosity. There must have been another reason.
He ceased to focus on the reactions of his senior black-robed peers and instead raised the Pa-Baek Chongram in his hands slightly higher.
At that moment, the book rose into the air on its own.
It was a mysterious sight. This was known as Heogong Seobmul—manipulating objects without direct contact. A realm of mastery beyond physical touch.
Jeong Yeon-shin, having perfected Neungbeop Gwangryun-gi, now keenly felt the flow of power.
A gentle force, emanating like a spring breeze from the fortress lord, enveloped the book.
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The sensation was remarkably delicate. Unlike the artificial elegance of Mancheon Hwawu’s techniques, this was entirely natural, as though her inner energy moved like an extension of her own limbs.
It was as if Jeong Yeon-shin’s own mastery of energy projection had taken form through her. Her control of qi far surpassed his own, existing on a level of profound unity.
This mastery, which Jeong Yeon-shin had witnessed many times, sent a fresh chill down his spine. It seemed as if her entire body had no defined pathways for qi—her energy flowed seamlessly, her body acting as one great danjeon.
It was akin to a sentient tree guiding its own branches, profoundly mystical in its execution.
Without the need for a specific incantation, she could likely wield techniques such as Mancheon Hwawu or Yi Gi Yu Geom with the same ease.
‘The further I progress, the greater the heights I see ahead,’ thought Jeong Yeon-shin as he gazed at the fortress lord’s face while she glanced at the book’s title.
When he had been a White-Rank warrior, she seemed an untouchable sovereign. Now, she appeared as a supreme master, worthy of boundless admiration.
Perhaps the elevation of his status as the Ma Gwang-Ik granted him the perspective to recognize her grandeur.
Even as he reveled in his own tremendous growth, he anxiously awaited her words. The radiant aura of the Pa-Baek Chongram stirred in sync with his heartbeat, blending expectation and unease.
Sensing his anticipation, the corners of the fortress lord’s lips curled ever so slightly higher.
“Pa-Baek Chongram.”
She finally spoke.
“Concise yet grand.”
Jeong Yeon-shin lowered his gaze in silence.
For the first time, he regretted naming it so hastily. Thoughts flitted through his mind like dandelion seeds scattered by a soft breeze.
Was it simply that he had grown more contemplative with time? No, it was because his audience was the fortress lord.
She was his lifeline. His salvation.
The person he most needed to impress in this world.
He had never imagined a day would come when she would comment on the naming of his work. He had called it Pa-Baek Chongram because it was a compendium (chongram) of insights into the deconstruction (pa-baek) of orthodox martial arts.
What, he wondered, was grand about it? Did she mean it literally?
‘Is the term chongram odd?’
Jeong Yeon-shin pondered briefly. It wasn’t.
It was a fitting name, given that it combined pa-baek—deconstruction of orthodox techniques—and a comprehensive collection of martial insights.
It wasn’t hastily conceived, and certainly not to the point of being considered “grand.”
Just as his thoughts began to delve deeper—
“I understand your merits. Even without closely examining this, I can infer your accomplishments. And your refusal to request a reward...”
The fortress lord’s lips moved quietly.
“It is reasonable.”
She spoke while Pa-Baek Chongram hovered above Jeong Yeon-shin’s head. The book floated midair, emanating an almost otherworldly sense of mystique.
The fortress lord didn’t ask, “What is this?” Nor did she flip through its pages.
She likely understood the newly appointed Ma Gwang-Ik’s potential better than anyone in the world.
She smiled faintly as though she grasped both the book’s significance and the events leading to its creation.
She expressed no doubts about the document’s quality.
“I will inform the High Overseer. You are deserving of many things.”
“And... what about this?”
Jeong Yeon-shin asked cautiously, referring to the fruit of the Heavenly Tree.
He had been unable to consume the fragment she had given him previously, as his cultivation level was insufficient at the time.
What about now? Would things be different with Neungbeop Gwangryun-gi at his command?
Suppressing his expectations, he met her gaze.
Her ethereal beauty—eyes like leaves forged from gemstones—did not distract him. He stared, unwavering.
No other reward mattered. His maternal grandfather now possessed the Dae Hwandan, and his uncle had equipped himself with an artificial arm.
For Jeong Yeon-shin, the fruit guarded by the fortress lord remained his sole desire.
‘Even a fragment would suffice.’
Though he tried to compose himself, his heart beat strongly, the radiant qi of his Gwangryun resonating with it.
The fortress lord must have been aware of everything. Her faint smile gradually faded.
“You are breathing through divine qi now, so you should understand,” she said in a gentle tone.
“You must harmonize jeong, gi, and shin. I realized this after our previous encounter.”
She spoke of the state of Samhwa Cheojeong, the unity of body, energy, and spirit—a prerequisite for consuming the fruit.
Jeong Yeon-shin’s time as a Black-Rank warrior had allowed him to fully grasp this concept. Her words crystallized his understanding.
The mystical fruit of the Heavenly Tree influenced the body, internal energy, and soul as a whole.
Without balance among these elements, one could not absorb its essence.
Jeong Yeon-shin understood.
He wasn’t deeply disappointed. Suppressing his expectations had become second nature to him—an advanced skill akin to the pinnacle of martial mastery.
He had learned this long ago during his time at the Jeong Family Manor. As Ma Gwang-Ik, he muttered inwardly, I see.
‘I can overcome this through training.’
He accepted it as another step toward his goal, a crossing to the fruit’s path. Achieving jeong, gi, and shin harmony was essential.
It was a state he had to attain in his journey toward donning the purple robe of a supreme master.
“Do not despair. You will reach it someday.”
The fortress lord’s voice was slow and calm.
Her tone carried an ethereal transcendence. Her flowing garments brushed against the roots of the Heavenly Tree, as though grounded in the pinnacle of the world.
A soft green light streamed down.
Swish.
“I am late in offering my praise.”
The fortress lord stepped down with her bare, white feet and bent slightly forward toward the kneeling Ma Gwang-Ik.
Sunlight fractured around her transparent features.
Her hair shimmered with the hue of fresh leaves, and her steady breath, imbued with boundless qi, brushed lightly against Jeong Yeon-shin’s forehead.
“Well done.”
Her brief words rang with a clear, resonant echo.
At that moment—
Swish.
A warm sensation touched Jeong Yeon-shin’s forehead. Her hand moved slowly, running through his hair, strand by strand.
Even as her hand retreated, it did so with tenderness and care. The motion, brief as it was, felt eternal.
The fortress lord was stroking the head of the newly appointed Ma Gwang-Ik.
As Ak Su-rim and Hahoe Wi-jin raised their eyebrows in surprise, Jeong Yeon-shin inadvertently closed his eyes. A dreamy sensation flowed from the crown of his head.
It was unprecedented. The warmth from his head spread to his heart, transforming into tranquility.
Unnoticed fatigue seemed to melt away. In an instant, he felt a profound sense of peace.
The heart is mysterious. At times, it harbors powers more profound than martial arts.
“Diligence will lead you to the realm you seek. Do not be disheartened.”
“...Yes, my lord.”
***
The Pa-Baek Chongram was handed over to the fortress lord of Ipwang. It was to be stored in the highest chamber of the Cheongeum Mu-go Library within the fortress.
Access rights were granted first to those of purple and black rank.
“There will be an internal proclamation,” the fortress lord had said.
Jeong Yeon-shin, along with the commanders of the Divine Sword Corps and the Celestial Forest Division, silently exited through the main gate. Neither Ak Su-rim nor Hahoe Wi-jin inquired further about the Pa-Baek Chongram.
It was a matter of dignity befitting commanders. Since the fortress lord had spoken, the proclamation would undoubtedly be issued swiftly—perhaps as early as the following day.
For Jeong Yeon-shin, this was fortunate. It allowed him a little more time to savor the lingering warmth still coursing through his mind.
“Even though the reward will come through the Grand Overseer’s office... it feels like I’ve already received more than enough.”
The corner of Jeong Yeon-shin’s lips twitched slightly.
“Congratulations on your safe return.”
“My respect to the commanders.”
The guards at the gate offered respectful bows with clasped fists. Only Jeong Yeon-shin returned the gesture in kind.
Ak Su-rim and Hahoe Wi-jin merely nodded slightly, their minds seemingly preoccupied.
By now, dusk had settled on one side of the inner fortress.
The shadows of the fortress walls and its people were bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun.
In the serene quiet, the figures of patrolling warriors moved with disciplined precision—a scene that had remained unchanged for generations. Such was the twilight of Ipwang Fortress.
“Someone from the Grand Overseer’s office has come. They said Ma Gwang-Ik should follow them...”
A young girl clad in a blue martial robe greeted them. She was a master of inner arts, brought into the fortress on the fortress lord’s direct order.
There was no sign of Lady Ye, but Zhuge Cheong-ah stood nearby with an indifferent expression.
She explained that a delegation from the alliance had already departed directly for the Grand Overseer’s office, accompanied by guides from the fortress.
“Shall I address you as ‘Commander’ now?”
“That will suffice,” Jeong Yeon-shin replied with a nod, recalling rumors he had heard.
‘Efficient.’
It was said that the upper echelons of Ipwang Fortress operated with unparalleled speed. The fortress lord was known to issue orders to the Grand Overseer even while reclining.
Messages were said to travel from the summit of the inner fortress to the Grand Overseer’s office in an instant.
The martial arts prowess of Grand Overseer Im Jin-myeong was impressive as well. It was rumored that he never missed the fortress lord’s voice.
Such a feat was impossible without a profound mastery of Gamgakdo (the Way of Perception).
Rumors abounded that his martial skills rivaled those of black-rank masters. Like the other commanders, he had likely cultivated Jeong, Gi, and Shin to harmonious perfection.
‘There’s a long road ahead.’
Jeong Yeon-shin reflected.
There was much to accomplish, even beyond ensuring his grandfather consumed the Dae Hwandan.
Once he returned to the Hall of Ma Gwang-Ik, he would need to focus on two primary tasks:
First, to learn from the hall’s senior commanders and improve his skills.
Second, to recruit skilled blue-rank warriors to fill the hall’s gaps.
He would need to refine the hall’s internal structure while preparing for duels. How effective would Neungbeop Gwangryun-gi and Geomroe Seomreung-shik be against black-rank masters?
Jeong Yeon-shin set his sights on a goal. Defeating two black-rank masters would suffice—for now.
‘How many commanders remain within the fortress?’
The black-rank warriors of Ipwang Fortress were constantly deployed to the front lines.
These elite martial artists, who served as strategic weapons in large-scale conflicts, rarely remained idle in the fortress.
The Grand Overseer frequently sent black-rank warriors out into the field, a trend that had only intensified in recent times due to the hardships of famine and unrest.
Jeong Yeon-shin recalled Lady Ye’s words.
“She mentioned how understaffed the inner fortress had become.”
Doubt crept into his thoughts.
The cryptic exchange between Lady Ye and the fortress lord.
Lady Ye’s unconventional behavior, her disciplined movements, and her habit of practicing defensive techniques even during idle moments.
‘Is it possible for an Apostle of the Bloodflame Cult to masquerade as a military officer of the Martial Alliance? Even the Sword Saint has said nothing.’
In any case, the fortress lord had allowed her into the inner fortress. Rash suspicion had to be set aside.
For now, it was enough to decide to observe her. They were bound to cross paths again.
It was at that moment—
Celestial Forest Commander Hahoe Wi-jin glanced down at the newly appointed commander. The four of them were walking together.
“The rumors were true. You are favored by the fortress lord.”
“That is a humbling remark.”
Jeong Yeon-shin replied calmly, though he found the statement frivolous.
Until now, Hahoe Wi-jin had remained silent while they descended the inner fortress’s steps, seemingly reflecting on the events above.
Ak Su-rim, the Divine Spear of Ipwang, also spoke.
“No, the big guy may have phrased it poorly, but the fortress lord’s reaction was unusual. She never showed such affection even for her royal disciples. Not even for the other commanders. When I underwent rejuvenation, she simply smiled once.”
She muttered, almost to herself.
“All she said was that I was worthy of becoming the next squad leader... Who knows if she meant it. She always speaks so plainly.”
Hahoe Wi-jin’s lips curled downward.
“The Deputy Commander of the Divine Sword Corps cannot distinguish between ceremonial praise and genuine sentiment.”
He continued, his deep voice reverberating due to his massive frame. It carried a faint edge of irritation.
“Insignificant clans will never claim the rank of Divine Sword Commander three times over.”
His words emphasized the underlying competition among the commanders, something Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly became acutely aware of.
“The same applies to Ma Gwang-Ik. Even if the fortress lord favors you, do not grow complacent. What you showed at the alliance meeting was impressive, but it is far from sufficient to warrant our allegiance.”
Hahoe Wi-jin’s tone grew gruff, almost growling.
“Fight and win. Without that level of skill, you’ll need to impress us in some other way. And that will not be easy. Forcing our hand through martial strength would be faster.”
His speech carried an old-fashioned cadence, firm and resolute.
He was right. The black-rank warriors of Ipwang Fortress were supreme martial artists who roamed the world. Their vast experiences made them difficult to sway by ordinary means.
Only through martial prowess could Jeong Yeon-shin hope to gain their acknowledgment. He wholeheartedly agreed.
Suddenly—
Ma Gwang-Ik gazed intently at Hahoe Wi-jin’s legs.
“Your footwork resembles that of the Ming Clan.”
“Hm?”
“If you alter your gait slightly, it would feel lighter.”
Jeong Yeon-shin offered.