Sword Blossom(劍花)
The Sword Empress—not yet called by that title.
As Seo Yeonwoo watched Seomun Hwa enter the hall, a complicated expression flashed across his eyes.
She was a martial artist born with brilliant talent.
Seo Yeonwoo rarely felt himself lacking in ability, but before the Sword Empress, his own brilliance seemed dimmed.
Before his regression, the Heaven Piercing Cult Leader had been, without doubt, the greatest under heaven.
Yet there were still several warriors esteemed to be on par with him. The Sword Empress was one such figure.
Seo Yeonwoo had believed that he, too, had set foot in that realm.
‘But I was wrong.’
With a bitter sigh, faded memories swept past—of when he first encountered the Sword Empress.
At that time, it had not been long since Seo Yeonwoo lost his master, the Mad Sword Demon.
His desire for revenge, which had calmed as he honed his sword, flared up once more.
He recklessly flung himself into the battlefield against the Heaven Piercing Cult.
During that chaos, he cut down one of the Nine Great Demonic Seats considered the pillars of the Heaven Piercing Cult.
That was how Seo Yeonwoo claimed one of the seats of the Five Great Swordsmen of the Central Plains left vacant by his master’s death.
However—even after that, drunk on his own martial prowess, Seo Yeonwoo wandered the battlefields alone.
And it was then that the Heaven Piercing Cult Leader appeared before him.
The Leader turned up, as if on a leisurely outing, without a single escort.
Seo Yeonwoo faced him—and didn’t last even a hundred seconds before being cornered.
‘Among the countless insects of the Central Plains, you show some promise. But you can’t even reach the toes of your master.’
The Heaven Piercing Cult Leader, eyes blazing wickedly, sneered as he brought Seo Yeonwoo to his knees.
In an instant, the shadow of death loomed—inescapable.
It was at that moment that she—the Sword Empress, Seomun Hwa—appeared.
She stepped between the Heaven Piercing Cult Leader and Seo Yeonwoo, dressed in flowing white robe, a milky-white sword in hand.
‘Fallen Sword Sovereign.’
Turning her back to him, Seomun Hwa called the Leader’s name in an icy voice.
‘Though you are counted among the five greatest swordsmen of the Central Plains, there are levels even among them. Your sword has yet to reach your revered master.’
It was arrogance, yes—but her words struck deep. None knew better than Seo Yeonwoo himself that he had not attained his master’s level.
‘Step back. You are not qualified to stand here just yet.’
With those words, Seomun Hwa swung her sword at the Leader.
Her sword clashed with his.
But Seo Yeonwoo could not run away.
He sensed, instinctively, that even the Sword Empress’s blade would not reach the Leader.
Ignoring his battered body, Seo Yeonwoo joined the fight.
Despite the two-on-one battle, the advantage lay with the Heaven Piercing Cult Leader.
It was a truly unbelievable display of divine martial might.
‘Not yet ripened enough to savor… But I cannot let those who challenge me walk away alive.’
The Heaven Piercing Cult Leader sneered, unleashing overwhelming energy.
The storm of ki was so intense it nearly made the two lose consciousness, despite their experience.
The Leader’s immense palm strike—containing the full brunt of his power—crashed down upon Seo Yeonwoo and the Sword Empress.
KWAAAAANG—!
A thunderous roar split the earth. Where his palm struck, a deep gorge was carved out—a single blow remaking the landscape. Less a human than a force of nature.
That was the Heaven Piercing Cult Leader.
All the two could manage was to barely survive that fearsome strike, fleeing only due to the enemy’s mercy.
That, too, would’ve been impossible if not for the Sword Empress.
‘… I won’t forget the favor of saving my life.’
After running a long distance until the Leader faded from sight and ki sense, Seo Yeonwoo spoke.
‘No. If the Sword Sovereign hadn’t been there, I would’ve died as well.’
‘If I hadn’t been there, you wouldn’t have run into the Leader in the first place, would you?’
Puzzled by the reply, Seo Yeonwoo asked, ‘What do you mean?’
‘You’re not the only one living as if burning away with hatred or as if you’ll leave nothing behind when you die. Even if I’d faced the Leader alone, I’d gladly have pointed my sword at him—even if it meant I’d die in defeat.’
With that, she walked away.
Even as the war headed to catastrophe, the black and white factions were discordant by nature.
It wouldn’t be good for such prominent figures from opposing sides to be seen together for long.
‘I learned it keenly then.’
That his own martial ability was still insufficient.
The moment he saw the fight between the Heaven Piercing Cult Leader and the Sword Empress, he was forced to accept it.
His sword was still one step behind the Sword Empress. And she was still a step below the Heaven Piercing Cult Leader.
A step—or perhaps a little more.
He’d once felt despair at that gap, even in the final moments before his regression, standing before the Heaven Piercing Cult Leader.
He’d often wondered—what if someone else had been in Seo Yeonwoo’s place then?
But now, things were different.
He had been given another chance—the opportunity to change everything.
When he faced Seomun Hwa, who had once been an insurmountable wall, that fact hit home all over again.
Perhaps it was right to say he realized it clearly.
And in that moment, within Seo Yeonwoo’s heart, a single sword stood upright. It was a fateful realization.
‘Uh, why is he staring at me?’
As Seo Yeonwoo and Wiji Guang exchanged blows, Seomun Hwa, who had been watching intently, flinched.
Suddenly, Seo Yeonwoo turned his head and gazed at her—with eyes full of complex emotions.
‘Ah, I spoke out loud…’
But Seomun Hwa soon accepted it.
She had given off her presence all around; anyone sharp enough would sense it.
She’d simply gotten too excited seeing a swordsman that drew her interest.
In that instant, a strong sense of rivalry flared in her eyes.
New to the Thousand Sword Unit, was he?
And already with such skill.
Remarkable.
She should ask for his affiliation and challenge him to a duel, she thought, as she was about to speak.
At that moment, a razor-sharp, piercing will burst from Seo Yeonwoo’s entire being.
Step—
As he took a step closer to her, the pressure doubled.
A keen chill pressed down on her.
‘It’s not killing intent.’
Seomun Hwa was certain. It wasn’t the murderous aura she was accustomed to. She knew what this was.
A shock of surprise flashed across her eyes.
Sword.
The will of the swordsman, materialized into tangible form—a marvel only possible for masters at the pinnacle.
She had only ever felt this once before—from the master who died protecting her.
So she denied it.
It couldn’t be—no matter how impressive he seemed, surely he was not equal to her late master, who was once acclaimed as an unrivaled swordsman.
And yet, the very fact that she felt something so close attested to his extraordinariness.
She was eager to test him, but decided to watch a bit longer.
She would get a proper chance to gauge his real ability when assigned to a major mission.
“Nice to meet you. I’m new in the Thousand Sword Unit—Seo Yeonwoo.”
With a cupped fist salute, Seo Yeonwoo greeted Seomun Hwa.
In that moment, the overwhelming sword force vanished like melting snow.
Phew…
Having greeted Seomun Hwa, Seo Yeonwoo exhaled deeply inside.
The realization that had come to him just now was precious indeed.
It was key to bridging the gap that had been lacking before his regression.
But he could not use it rashly. His body, dantian, and meridians were not yet ready.
Still, an achievement was an achievement. Calming his joy, he observed his surroundings.
Wiji Guang was watching the two of them with a hearty laugh.
And Seomun Hwa—
Her gaze was fixed on him with shock, as if she’d seen a ghost.
‘Did she sense something?’
He had, for a brief moment, allowed the image of the sword within his heart to manifest plainly.
It was a strange realization, and his current level was not enough to control its power.
Yet even Wiji Guang, whose cultivation was higher than Seomun Hwa’s, hadn’t noticed.
This is why those with talent defy the usual laws of the world, Seo Yeonwoo grumbled inwardly, having grasped the great fortune of regression.
“Uh, I’m Seomun Hwa.”
Still not having fully collected herself, Seomun Hwa returned the salute and answered.
“I heard from Deputy Leader Go—the unit has nothing but praise, says you have the greatest sword talent in the Central Plains. I look forward to working with you, senior.”
Finally relaxing at Seo Yeonwoo’s casual reply, Seomun Hwa answered,
“That must have been exaggerated. I do have some affinity for swordsmanship, but it’s not as grand as all that. I look forward to working with you as well.”
Gathering her composure, Seomun Hwa walked toward Wiji Guang.
“Reporting in after completing my mission. There’s something I need to report urgently.”
At her sincere demeanor, Wiji Guang nodded.
“All right, come to the Leader’s Hall. It’d be good for the new recruits to get familiar faces—bring them with you, and the deputy leader as well.”
[—Dispatched as mediators to an internal dispute between orthodox sects in Henan Province. On return, encountered martial artists dressed distinctively as members of the Mad War Gate.
They did not attempt to confirm identities and attacked without question. There’s a high probability they were carrying out a task requiring total annihilation.
All encountered Mad War Gate martial artists perished on the spot. However, further investigation is necessary as this occurred within Henan Province.—]
This was Seomun Hwa’s report, written on site with brush and ink.
A grave look appeared in Wiji Guang’s eyes as he read it.
“The Six Unorthodox Gates are involved, hmm…”
Tapping the desk with his fingers, he glanced over at Go Dongjun.
“You’ve fought Mad War Gate members before, haven’t you?”
Go Dongjun nodded.
“Yes, leader. The Mad War Gate… they are relentless. Any martial artist may bear cruelty as they kill, but the Mad War Gate goes beyond that. Even among the Six Unorthodox Gates—the entire black path really—they are infamous for their brutality.”
As their name, Mad War(狂戰), implied, they were mad for battle.
More precisely, they were a faction founded after the colossal Green Forest Alliance—once rivaling Black Heretical Union—broke apart.
Their ruthlessness was known even outside the underworld, as their pillage and arson of civilian villages was something only brigands would do.
“Hm… We’d better report to the main office at once. Was there anything else unusual?”
Seomun Hwa nodded and spoke.
“Yes, but… it’s just a hunch, so I’m not certain. The scent of blood was very strong. It’s odd that it could be so pervasive with no uproar in the area.”
Her words drew curious looks from others present.
Both Go Dongjun and Wiji Guang, who had worked with her before, knew Seomun Hwa’s intuition was special.
So did Seo Yeonwoo, who believed she had perceived the level she’d achieved—and could read the intent behind his style.
‘Mad War Gate, strong scent of blood, yet no commotion…’
Seo Yeonwoo’s gaze grew heavy.
A sense of foreboding crossed his mind.
He gritted his teeth, suppressing the killing intent that simmered within.
For a thick scent of blood to radiate even when there was no commotion—such things do occur.
It’s simple, really.
‘Unless they didn’t kill martial artists…’
Seo Yeonwoo muttered inwardly.
If members of the Six Unorthodox Gates had slaughtered civilians, obviously there would have been little commotion.
He also knew one thing.
The Mad War Gate and the Heaven Piercing Cult had had a clandestine relationship over many years.
All his suspicions converged.
‘Human sacrifice.’
Seo Yeonwoo clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white.
The human sacrifices carried out by the Heaven Piercing Cult were a vile abomination, an affront to the very dignity of death itself.
A pitch-black gleam flickered in his eyes.
————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=
And in that moment, within Seo Yeonwoo’s heart, a single sword stood upright.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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