Today was the day. Jeong Yeon-shin waited for the full moon.
‘I need to move my body as well.’
His energy refinement was complete. He had finished the cycle of breathing exercises that tempered his internal energy.
It was the day of the promise. Now, it was time to synchronize the flow of his Qi with the movement of his muscles.
At daybreak, he sought out Cheongmyeong for a guided spar.
He had lost track of how much time had passed.
The sunlight, pouring in behind the Ma Gwang-ik Pavilion, wrapped around the tall and imposing figure of the Master of the Cheong-an Divine Sword, Cheongmyeong.
His presence in the quiet clearing was nothing short of overwhelming.
Cheongmyeong—the one who wielded the most refined swordsmanship in Ma Gwang-ik. Though the Ma Gwang-ik Lord specialized in sword arts, as a pure swordsman, Cheongmyeong was said to contend for the strongest title in Ma Gwang-ik.
There were even rumors across Ipwang Fortress that he could claim the title of the strongest Blue Rank martial artist.
Some even compared him to mid-tier masters. It was said that even the White Qilin acknowledged him from below.
Clang!
Jeong Yeon-shin parried the One Strike Cleave from Cheongmyeong, who had adjusted his internal energy to match his own.
A powerful gust swept past his ears, nearly cutting through them.
The force generated by Cheongmyeong’s swordsmanship was so immense that Jeong Yeon-shin wondered if they were even using the same level of internal energy. The sword force traveled up to his palms, and the sheer vibration threatened to deliver a second strike.
It wasn’t an unfamiliar force. He knew this well.
The truth was, Jeong Yeon-shin wasn’t some undefeated prodigy of the younger generation.
Between missions, whenever he returned to the fortress, he became the center of attention for the senior masters.
Ma Jin, Cheongmyeong, Baek Mi-ryeo, and even other older Blue Ranks—they all took turns honing his abilities.
The end of martial refinement was always a duel.
Training alone was meaningless. Only after the seniors honed him through sparring did he go out on missions.
This had accustomed him to wielding martial arts in real combat. It was only natural.
Losing sparring matches was part of his routine at Ma Gwang-ik.
Perhaps that was why he felt so unfocused today.
A small piece.
Even though the sun had only just set, his mind felt blank. He had opened his middle dantian.
A spar like this shouldn’t have exhausted him, no matter how long it lasted.
Yet, for some reason, it was hard to focus on reality. It felt like his spirit was drifting above his body.
Even during the spar, the Qi in his grip on the sword loosened. It was disgraceful—a lapse in concentration.
The consequences came immediately.
Swaaak!
A gust of sharp wind swept through. At the same time, a jarring impact ran through the sword.
With a resonant clang, the Ipwang Sword was knocked from his grip. If he hadn’t let go in time, his palm might have torn apart.
“Our little Seomye isn’t in his right mind today,” Cheongmyeong said with a grin.
“Weren’t you supposed to slip through the needle’s eye? And quickly, too.”
He rested the blade on his shoulder. The words, spoken with a smile, stung even more deeply.
It was far scarier than if he had simply glared.
“You’ll need at least three more years to aim for Sword Corps Captain. Half of those remaining years must be spent earning merits.”
“...Ah...”
Jeong Yeon-shin uttered a rare sound of exasperation. It was just one of those days.
Still, as the one who had requested the spar, he couldn’t argue back.
Cheongmyeong tapped the blade resting on his shoulder. A sharp blue light glinted from his one remaining eye.
“More than anything, you’ll be seen as taking the position. The current Sword Corps Captain is still in his prime. No one can imagine him losing—to anyone, whether from the Thirteen Heavens or the Nine Great Sects. And yet you, Seomye, must defeat such a person.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve wasted your time.”
“The real issue starts with Black Rank. The level of internal energy manipulation must change entirely. That’s less about talent and more about enlightenment. Of course, having natural ability helps.”
“....”
“Three Flowers Converging at the Crown, Five Qi Harmonizing the Origin—the world of intent changes. I said enlightenment, didn’t I? Some old men exaggerate and call it ‘shedding.’ Without solid mental discipline, it’s almost impossible to reach.”
As always, Cheongmyeong’s tone was lighthearted.
But the content was different. It was full of concern. At this moment, he seemed to be envisioning Jeong Yeon-shin’s future more concretely than even Jeong Yeon-shin himself.
It was a humbling moment. Cheongmyeong was one of the few people he had grown close to, alongside Hyeon Won-chang.
Jeong Yeon-shin raised his hands in a formal bow.
“Thank you for your advice. I always seem to take without giving.”
“Enough of the formalities.”
Cheongmyeong sheathed his sword as he spoke. The graceful motion of the blade forming a half-moon before vanishing was a spectacle in itself.
“It’s time to set a clear training regimen. You have a defined goal now. I’ll handle swordsmanship, and Baek Mi-ryeo will take care of Qi Manipulation. Forget about our Lord—he’s too busy to bother. Huh? Why are you bowing again? Stop that.”
“...I haven’t seen Baek senior today.”
“Mi-ryeo? She’s busy these days. She’s been refining a special Qi technique after hearing about you. She’s planning to teach you some advanced tricks for manipulating Qi. It’ll be ready by the time you return from the Namgung Clan.”
“I... I’d like to hear both of your stories as well.”
Jeong Yeon-shin thought of Baek Mi-ryeo’s origins at the mention of her name. He knew so little about Cheongmyeong and One Lotus Sword.
His perspective was narrow. Since his initiation, he had only focused on himself. It was shameful.
He didn’t even know Cheongmyeong’s age. How had he left his clan and joined Ma Gwang-ik?
‘Everyone in Ma Gwang-ik is extraordinary.’
He didn’t know what Hyeon Won-chang had gone through before entering Ipwang Fortress alone.
Even Baek Mi-ryeo was the same. She was a master who occasionally demonstrated extraordinary martial techniques.
What kind of story lay behind her darkly condensed Qi?
He had only heard rumors that a young Baek Mi-ryeo had been rescued during a mission that castrated Ma Jin.
“Later. There are complicated grudges involved, and I don’t feel like spilling them now. You alone are already enough of a headache.”
Cheongmyeong grinned.
“You’ll naturally find out. By the time you climb from Blue Rank to Black Rank, then to Purple Rank, the quality of the information you’ll access will change. From Black Rank onward, you’ll take a leading role.”
“...Understood.”
He didn’t fully understand, but he nodded. It was time to leave.
The moment had come. He glanced up at the corner of the pavilion’s rooftop.
A white moon had risen above the dark gray tiles. Was it the energy of the full moon?
It felt strangely distant today.
Cheongmyeong followed Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze and turned around.
“You need to head to the Fortress Lord now. I’m dying of curiosity about what it’s all about. Hurry up and go.”
“Understood!”
Jeong Yeon-shin answered loudly without realizing it. He didn’t even feel embarrassed.
He passed Cheongmyeong and poured Qi into his steps. Slowly at first, but steadily faster, he began to sprint.
After a full day of sparring, the first step was to wash.
“Madam Jang! Please prepare some water!”
He shouted as he entered the pavilion’s hall, addressing one of the attendants.
The Ipwang Fortress Lord’s senses were known to be sharp. They said she was an entirely different kind of existence, even within her own clan.
There could be no lingering scent of sweat.
He couldn’t risk her changing her mind and letting the small piece become even smaller.
“Seomye? What’s going on?”
“Did he just shout?”
Several Ma Gwang-ik seniors peeked out of their rooms, curious.
Jeong Yeon-shin ignored them. He entered his room, grabbed a spare martial robe, and headed straight to the bath.
***
The night air, seeping into the atmosphere, gently froze the boy’s body. It was dark and comforting.
At last.
The moonlight filled the sky. A halo of pale radiance spread around the full moon, dimly smiling down.
Jeong Yeon-shin entered the heart of the fortress, the innermost heart within the Ipwang Fortress.
It was the Inner Castle of the Fortress Lord, built from pure white marble.
The gate guards on duty only exchanged glances with him, not stopping him as he passed.
He walked silently, his steps echoing off the cold marble. The towering stairs felt endlessly long.
Yet, there was always an end.
As he reached the top, the massive stone doors opened by themselves.
As always, the far wall of the chamber was wide open.
The moonlight, brighter than ever, poured in, filling the room with its misty glow.
Jeong Yeon-shin lifted his gaze. Above the open office stood a massive tree branch that jutted through the chamber.
There.
The Fortress Lord of Ipwang stood.
She was on one of the branches, her back facing him as she bathed in the moonlight.
Her long, leaf-green hair swayed like silk in the breeze.
This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.
Not a trace of Qi emanated from her, yet she alone appeared so distinct. It was almost eerie.
Her presence was unmistakably clear. At this moment, more than any other.
“You must have known what the fragment was, yet you remained curious.”
She did not turn around immediately. She seemed to be gazing at the distant horizon.
Under the soft halo of the moon, only her voice, wrapped in green garments like an imperial robe, filled the space.
It was as though all the moonlight in the world was converging upon her.
Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly realized.
It was Qi circulation. The manipulation of internal energy. It was hard to believe, but it was true.
The full moon, now radiantly bright, exhaled its light like mist. The beams refracted in all directions and converged upon her.
‘Even her fundamental techniques have reached a mystical realm.’
It was an intuitive insight. Jeong Yeon-shin shuddered at a level beyond comprehension.
“The fruit of the Heavenly Tree. Your guess was correct.”
She finally turned around, slowly.
Even with the moon behind her, the light still shimmered in her eyes. Her deep green gaze seemed endless.
It felt as though she pressed down on his very soul.
It was the same feeling he had faced with the Blood Flame Cult Leader—a pressure that seemed beyond mortal existence.
But even the Blood Flame Cult Leader could not match this presence.
“Come here.”
“I greet the Fortress Lord.”
He belatedly offered his respects and moved forward. Opposite her, he climbed the rough surface of the branch.
Now, facing her, Jeong Yeon-shin straightened his back.
“Closer.”
“Yes.”
He silently obeyed. The distance between them was now less than a single step.
Her pale, almost translucent face filled his vision.
The moment he bent his body to kneel, she spoke.
“It is the first time since the cult’s headquarters. There is something you must know.”
Jeong Yeon-shin hesitated, then straightened, meeting her gaze.
“I am listening.”
“The cult leader can return.”
“...!”
“A force beyond reason. With just a drop of blood, he reclaimed his form. I severed his breath several times.”
Jeong Yeon-shin thought of the Blood Flame Cult Leader. Even he had seemed to transcend the mortal realm.
Although not on the level of the Fortress Lord, the cult leader wielded unmatched regenerative power at the peak of Blood Energy.
Then, she reached out her hand, as though to stroke his head, and continued.
“I could not completely destroy him. I had to turn back to keep an eye on you.”
“I am sorry.”
He quickly bowed his head. He recalled the moment he had faced the Six Apostles of the cult, battered and broken.
At the time, he had thought the Fortress Lord had returned after defeating the cult leader.
But it was not true.
‘Because of me?’
To save just one younger martial artist—himself—she had let one of the Thirteen Heavens escape.
It didn’t add up. No one would believe it.
“Do not apologize.”
Her clear, resonant voice echoed.
“It was my choice. Your task is to remain vigilant and focus on your growth.”
“....”
“More importantly.”
Her words paused. Her presence was overwhelming, and he felt her gaze upon him.
As he looked up, a few strands of his longer hair, grown from his energy training, lay across her hand.
“I once made a fallen leaf of the Heavenly Tree my childhood friend. It is long gone now.”
The corners of her lips curled slightly.
“Your hair reminds me of it.”
“...Pardon?”
“When you become a master, you should grow it out.”
“...Ah...”
Caught off guard, Jeong Yeon-shin stumbled over his words, agreeing before he realized it. Her lips curved into a delicate, refined smile.
‘Even the Blue Rank is not a master in her eyes.’
Yet it was only natural. It was not something to feel slighted over. Jeong Yeon-shin thought this to himself.
It was the first time he had heard the Fortress Lord joke. It reminded him that she was, indeed, human.
Perhaps he could hope for a larger fragment.