At some point, Namgung Yeon had begun to think.
Where, truly, was the end of martial arts?
The Realm of Life and Death spoken of only in legends?
Or the immortal realm of Great Master Bodhidharma and Zhang Sanfeng, who were said to have transcended humanity?
He had lived through countless years and experienced countless lives.
He had walked through more years than most immortals, but he had never managed to split heaven and earth with a single strike.
A realm where one wielded nature through will alone?
He did not know.
‘I’ve never reached that realm even once.’
There was only one thing he could do.
Understand humans.
How to cut in order to split bone and muscle at once.
To what depth one had to cut to damage tendons and ligaments.
Or how to sever them so they could never recover.
How to deal with those wrapped in internal energy and true energy.
If someone truly called a Sword Immortal existed, they would probably laugh.
What is the essence of martial arts?
Why did you learn martial arts?
Would they not ask that first?
‘To me, martial arts was only a tool to end this sickening life.’
What about you bastards?
He wanted to ask the demonic cultivators with all sincerity.
What meaning do martial arts hold for you?
Even as he charged at the bewildered Yi Baekcheon, Namgung Yeon could not erase the question.
SQUELCH—!
What fell more pathetically than a careless human was a bewildered and terrified one.
Yi Baekcheon was exactly in that state now.
A human so weak that even his burning passion had gone out, leaving him without even the will to resist.
“Guuuuugh—!”
“Why do demonic arts exist for you......? Why are you trying to follow the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?”
It was strange.
Normally, he would not have asked a question like this.
To Namgung Yeon, demonic cultivators were simply targets to beat to death.
Emotions long left to stagnate slowly crept up.
Was all this because it was the end?
Or was it simply because of some suffocating feeling?
That was why he asked.
Because he felt he would never be able to ask unless it was the moment his enemy was floundering to survive.
Yi Baekcheon, pierced by the Demonic Spirit Sword, lurched and vomited blood.
“F*ck...... What meaning is there......?”
“So it is as I thought.”
“We only learned demonic arts to survive, brat.”
“......”
Yi Baekcheon seemed like he was about to say something.
Namgung Yeon pulled his sword out roughly.
Yi Baekcheon’s complexion rapidly paled after the Demonic Spirit Sword absorbed his demonic energy.
He would not be able to stop the bleeding or recover.
Huh? This was strange.
With an expression that said he could not understand, Yi Baekcheon flailed and collapsed limply.
CRACK—!
The sound of his neck bones being severed rang out chillingly.
Namgung Yeon had driven the Demonic Spirit Sword in roughly.
“......”
The world was as silent as death.
It was a world where nothing could be heard except his own heartbeat and breathing.
The ones who shattered that silence were his trusted men.
“Are you all right, Young Master?”
“A-Are you hurt anywhere!?”
“......Yes.”
It was truly strange.
His had been a life of killing his emotions and doing only what had to be done, regardless of whether these people lived or died.
Countless regressions had gradually lowered the value he placed on life.
But what about now?
The world that had stood still began to flow the moment they spoke to him.
It felt as though a tightly closed door was finally opening little by little.
The living lives he had been forced to lose.
Perhaps, in that moment, Namgung Yeon had gained a small enlightenment.
“......You worked hard.”
That was why he managed to force out those words with difficulty.
Words he had wanted to hear himself, but had not yet heard.
***
After clearing the surroundings, they looked around the slums.
Everyone had gone somewhere, and the place was as silent as death.
Manho asked worriedly,
“Won’t rumors spread?”
“They will.”
“Then could someone not learn that you have recovered, Young Master?”
“It does not matter. And...... they will not.”
Why?
Curiosity bloomed above Manho’s head.
As Namgung Yeon walked, he explained the reason.
It was a surprisingly simple reason.
“Who would believe what happened in the slums? Severed meridians are not healed so easily, either.”
“You believe the rumors will not be properly conveyed?”
“The demonic fiend was the leader of some organization. He was likely disguised as a lowlife who ruled the gutters.”
Manho nodded.
The way people had whispered and avoided him had looked exactly like that.
The demonic cultivators must have been disguised as thugs who ruled this place.
In that case......
“From their perspective, they will simply see this as the collapse of an organization.”
“Correct. And no one saw the fight between me and the demonic fiend.”
“My achievement......”
“That is better. You take it. I have no need for a petty achievement like that.”
“......”
Manho looked at Namgung Yeon, who smiled faintly at him before walking forward again.
To be honest, he was extremely shocked.
Because they had been doing nothing but brutish training all this time, he had briefly forgotten.
‘He’s a monster. What on earth were all those rumors until now?’
His true energy control.
His swordsmanship.
And his calmness at a scene overflowing with blood, screams, and killing intent.
None of it made him look like someone of his age.
And that was not all.
He had even won against a demonic fiend without taking a single hit.
Manho did not dare guess how deep his understanding of martial arts went.
The reason Manho thought so was simple.
‘He was an opponent I could not be sure I would survive against. And yet......’
He had slowly toyed with him.
The Young Master was definitely far below him in terms of absolute internal energy.
Even so, the one who had slowly withered to death had been the demonic cultivator, the expert.
There was no need to think too deeply.
Since he had already decided to stand in a new line, he merely had to give his loyalty.
This time, he turned his eyes in the opposite direction and looked at Hoho, who wore a gloomy expression.
“You little punk. Why are you so down?”
“I also......”
“Hm?”
“I wanted to be helpful too, but I couldn’t do anything.”
What? Was that all?
Manho said no more and scratched his cheek.
While he and the Young Master were cutting down the demonic cultivators, what had Hoho been doing?
He had hidden under the cart, trembling.
Hoho had hidden because he feared for his life, but he thought about it.
He wanted to be of help to his lord, Young Master Namgung Yeon, too.
He felt frustrated and ashamed.
Had the Young Master said those words because he knew this would happen?
<Manho, Hoho, no matter what happens there, pay it no mind.>
How could he pay it no mind?
Worse, no one had even said anything to him, as if he was useless anyway.
Haa......
A sigh came out on its own.
‘There isn’t much I know how to do anyway......’
A cleaner.
And a cook.
Was he supposed to be satisfied with just that?
Hoho was an insignificant person, but his dream was concrete in its own way.
Someday, he would live a life where no one looked down on him.
That was the dream of Nam Hoho, the cleaner.
Any method would be fine.
It would be fine if his martial arts became profound, and it would be fine if he lived while being called an artisan in some field.
‘I simply hate living a life where someone persecutes me.’
That was why he had come here.
Because he thought that Young Master Namgung Yeon, who was at the very bottom, would not look down on him.
But what was all this?
In the end, even here, he was the lowest existence.
While he was sunk in self-loathing like that, Namgung Yeon opened his mouth.
“Hoho.”
“Y-Yes!”
“Do not worry.”
“Pardon?”
“Later, you will miss this moment.”
Hoho watched Namgung Yeon’s back as he walked ahead, laughing softly.
Namgung Yeon said no more and thought alone.
You cannot know now.
That to me, you were my most precious and reliable companion.
And that you always tried to sacrifice yourself at the decisive moment.
That you were a person who valued my life more than your own.
‘So...... now, I will use it for you too.’
A great many things slept in the storehouse.
Millions of items that would make him and his companions powerful.
***
After returning to the martial hall, they rested thoroughly.
The day before, they had not slept at all, and that day, they had even fought a fierce battle, so they took their rest.
And the next day.
“W-What are all these?”
“You have to learn martial arts.”
“W-With these?”
“Look at that body of yours.”
From morning onward, Hoho looked at the things placed before him.
Strangely shaped iron bracelets.
And even a vest that looked heavy.
Namgung Yeon also put on the same things one by one.
CLACK—.
A heavy sound rang out, like the sound made when putting on iron shackles.
What was this?
It was the [Dragon-Suppressing Shackles].
Originally, it meant chains that suppressed a dragon, but now, it was a little different.
“Manho, you wear this too.”
“......Yes, sir.”
“Listen well. For the next three months, until the Young Clan Head Competition begins, you must never take these off.”
“Even when washing and sleeping?”
“Yes.”
Dragon-Suppressing Shackles.
The true value of this item lay in none other than the ‘transformation of bones and muscles.’
He had tested it just in case, but to think he had become able to take it out.
‘It unlocked at exactly the right time.’
Originally, it was an item he had not been able to take out, but after catching the demonic cultivators, he had checked just in case.
And it had been unlocked.
Since the Dragon-Suppressing Shackles were an extremely important growth item, he had taken them out immediately.
The effect of the Dragon-Suppressing Shackles was simple.
The transformation of bones and muscles.
And the expansion of the fine meridians.
“The dragon energy filling these lumps of iron will change your physiques.”
“Wow...... This is really heavy!?”
“Absolutely do not remove them.”
The moment they removed them even once, everything would be for nothing.
Leaving those words behind, Namgung Yeon headed outside the martial hall.
What was he going to do today?
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Manho asked, “For what reason are you going out today?”
“I need to go get some people.”
“......Pardon?”
“Hoho.”
“Yes!”
For once, Namgung Yeon smiled deeply and spoke to Hoho.
What had to be done before learning martial arts?
Naturally, they had to get rid of that cowardly nature first.
“I’ll go buy you plenty of bastards to beat.”
“......Pardon!?”
There was no telling what he was going to do today, either.
Manho, who had belatedly finished putting on all the Dragon-Suppressing Shackles, followed him out.
“Guard the house well!”
“......”
Just what money-slinging are you going off to do today?
Hoho let out a deep sigh.