Chapter 99: Flower Battle (4)

The Flower Battle, which started after noon, had been going on for quite some time.

This was because the three great disciples who participated had each prepared solely for this for a long time, so everyone was giving it their all.

Moreover, as they were disciples of the same sect, the sword techniques each used were identical.

It was taking longer because they knew each other far too well.

While it might feel boring to some, the spectators’ fervor didn’t seem to be cooling down at all.

“The reactions are incredible.”

“Everyone seems to be enjoying it.”

It wasn’t for the lack of spectators, but if you only considered the fervor, it was almost comparable to the tournaments hosted by the Martial Alliance.

From my perspective, it was honestly a bit boring.

‘…Maybe it’s because I’ve been sparring with Yeongpung so often lately.’

Perhaps because Yeongpung was the benchmark, the sword paths of those I was watching seemed relatively crude.

They lacked the unique flexibility that the Plum Blossom Swordsmen possessed, and were particularly lacking in speed or the application of internal energy.

To put it exaggeratedly, at my current level, I could neutralize them with a single strike.

This wasn’t just me; Yeongpung, and Namgung Bi-ah would likely feel the same.

‘…So that’s why they moved Yeongpung to the second-generation disciple category.’

Now, I finally understood clearly why they had done that.

It wasn’t that they were lacking.

They were, after all, disciples of the Nine Great Sects, specifically the Mount Hua Sect.

They were indeed strong martial artists compared to their peers, but…

The problem was that the people I’d recently encountered were too overwhelmingly strong.

‘Well, being a first-rate master before even reaching adulthood isn’t something you just pull out of thin air.’

It was the current geniuses like Yeongpung and Namgung Bi-ah who were the anomalies.

Wondering if I was the only one bored, I subtly glanced at Namgung Bi-ah.

Although her face was hidden by a veil, I sensed some subtle movement.

Seeing that, I asked.

“You yawned, didn’t you.”

“…”

At my question, Namgung Bi-ah flinched and then subtly averted her gaze.

Her tied-up hair swayed as her head moved.

I glanced briefly at the ornament holding her hair in place, then shifted my gaze towards Wi Seol-ah.

Unlike Namgung Bi-ah and me, Wi Seol-ah was watching the martial arts stage with sparkling eyes.

“Is it fun?”

“Yes!”

Her brightly exclaimed voice revealed her emotions without any concealment.

Perhaps it was because she saw things differently than I did.

Yiaaaa-!

A sudden cheer made me look at the martial arts stage, where one participant had dropped their wooden sword onto the floor.

“…I lost.”

“You worked hard.”

The victor lightly patted the loser’s shoulder.

It seemed the defeated one was likely a younger or later-admitted disciple.

Watching this, I could hear people around me talking.

“The skill level this year is much higher than last year.”

“Seeing so many improve so much in just one year makes me feel proud.”

“This is the Mount Hua Sect…! That’s right!”

It was certainly different from my jaded perspective.

Even from the perspective of a commoner, not a martial artist.

‘Have I changed?’

Did I start thinking I was on the same level as them just because I went through regression and gained some fortuitous encounters?

If so, I needed to reconsider my thoughts.

This could potentially be the cause of a mental demon.

Since I had experienced this before, I had to be even more careful.

As I was organizing my thoughts, Namgung Bi-ah spoke to me from the side.

“…They’re out.”

At those words, my eyes lit up.

I could also hear the murmuring sounds from the surroundings.

“What the heck, were there any women among the disciples?”

“There weren’t any last year…. Did someone new join?”

“No way, I heard the head of the Chung-a Merchant Guild tried everything to get his youngest son into the Mount Hua Sect, but they flatly refused, saying they weren’t accepting anyone right now.”

On the martial arts stage stood a girl wearing a white plum blossom robe, holding a wooden sword in a proper stance.

She had tied back her black hair, which reached down to her back, and was catching her breath.

Even amidst the countless gazes and murmurs, the girl’s gaze was calm.

Or perhaps she was pretending to be calm; she might be thinking a million things inside.

I was simply watching.

Finally, she drew her sword and assumed a stance.

Before the match began, the two facing each other spoke.

“…I am Yeongjin, the third-generation disciple of Mount Hua.”

“I am Gu Ryeonghwa, the second-generation disciple of Mount Hua.”

It wasn’t a loud voice, but perhaps because it was clear enough to hear, the reactions of the onlookers grew larger at Gu Ryeonghwa’s words.

After the introductions.

“Begin.”

Along with the shouted command, Gu Ryeonghwa’s match began.

---

-What, the second-generation disciple? How can she be so young?

I could hear the surrounding voices.

Even trying not to listen, the voices intruded upon my thoughts.

Gu Ryeonghwa tried hard to focus her gaze solely on the opponent before her.

The third-generation disciple’s expression revealed an unspoken dissatisfaction.

That was displeasure towards her opponent.

It wasn’t just the dissatisfaction of fighting a mere child.

They wouldn’t even consider her a child in the first place.

The greater dissatisfaction was likely having to fight a young girl, unlike the matches they had hoped for.

It was an uncomfortable and awkward feeling.

Gu Ryeonghwa let it pass with her exhaled breath.

-I wanted to have the Flower Battle on the first day.

Gu Ryeonghwa had hoped to compete among the second-generation disciples, but she had abandoned that ambition and spoken those words.

In the first place, it was a base stubbornness.

It was something pushed forward by the futile pride of being a disciple of the Master, and the inferiority complex that simmered in proportion to it.

She had simply given that up.

Shin Hyeon asked Gu Ryeonghwa if she was okay with this, and Gu Ryeonghwa nodded with a resolute face.

Shin Hyeon’s question of whether she was okay hid many unspoken words.

There was no way Gu Ryeonghwa didn’t know that.

Slowly, she fixed her gaze on her opponent, following her wooden sword.

‘Scary….’

It’s still scary.

I wanted to run away right now.

I was afraid of the furrowed gaze and the sharp atmosphere.

The back that never looked back, no matter how much I cried and screamed, came to mind, making it hard to breathe.

“Begin-!”

Simultaneously with the shout, the opponent charged at Gu Ryeonghwa.

They drew their sword technique, seemingly intending to finish quickly.

However, the sword technique displayed had almost no power.

It was as if they were holding back, deliberately using less force.

Seeing that, Gu Ryeonghwa gritted her teeth.

Gu Ryeonghwa swung her sword day and night.

Every single day was dedicated solely to making the plum blossoms bloom.

My palms were torn and burst countless times, and a runny nose was a daily occurrence.

All of this was fueled by the will to make the plum blossoms bloom.

Tududuk-!

“…!”

Gu Ryeonghwa’s opponent, Yeongjin, was momentarily flustered by the blocked sword path.

It seemed they hadn’t expected this to be blocked.

My strength is still weak, so instead of blocking the sword, I chose a deflection technique.

As I moved in a semicircle along the blade, Yeongjin’s sword was swept away and deflected.

With the twisted movement, their upper body was exposed.

Gu Ryeonghwa swung her sword towards the opening, but Yeongjin blocked it.

‘…Too late.’

I hesitated for a moment.

The instant I paused, afraid to extend my sword, was the problem.

Perhaps realizing something from that one exchange, Yeongjin adjusted their stance.

It seemed they had decided not to be careless anymore.

“Hoo….”

The deep breath I exhaled was still shaky.

The reason Gu Ryeonghwa wanted to make the plum blossoms bloom was solely for the Sword Empress.

It was because she wanted to give the Master peace by making the plum blossoms bloom before she passed away.

That was also why she diligently practiced, cutting back on sleep, but…

Thinking about it now, plum blossoms aren’t something you can force to bloom just by doing that.

Moreover, now that the Sword Empress was gradually regaining her health, Gu Ryeonghwa had lost the goal of making the plum blossoms bloom and felt a sense of emptiness.

‘What should I learn the sword for?’

It was good that I could practice with the Sword Empress who had regained her health, but…

Gu Ryeonghwa still couldn’t find her direction.

The Sword Empress, noticing this, said to Gu Ryeonghwa one day.

-Finding out what you should put into it must be the priority.

Find the essence.

It was the first assignment the Sword Empress had given Gu Ryeonghwa.

To find the meaning to put into the sword – it was the first time the Sword Empress, who had taught her everything step-by-step, had spoken of something abstract.

Hwiik!

Yeongjin’s sword grazed Gu Ryeonghwa’s hair.

Unlike before, there was proper power behind it, and the footwork was neat.

Even if it wasn’t their full sincerity, they seemed to be taking it a bit more seriously.

Gu Ryeonghwa maintained as much composure as possible, trying not to be swept away by the sword path before her.

If not plum blossoms, what should I put into my sword?

It was a question I had repeated thousands of times over the past few days.

What was written in the place where impatience had washed away?

Revenge?

The vengeful spirit towards the family that caused my mother’s end.

The resentment towards my brother who tried to abandon me.

Should I put that into it?

“Ugh!”

Gu Ryeonghwa, blocking Yeongjin’s sword, swayed under the force.

Yeongjin’s attacks continued in succession.

The Sword Empress’s sword techniques focus on defense.

They say that even if you learn the same sword, if your intentions differ, your perspective changes.

Don’t panic, you can deflect.

“What…?”

Yeongjin uttered a short exclamation, seemingly taken aback.

It was because Gu Ryeonghwa had deflected a sword they thought was impossible to avoid.

Gu Ryeonghwa’s breathing, which had been slightly ragged, began to stabilize.

‘I don’t want to put things like that into it.’

The fearful and painful memories remained, but I didn’t want to choose revenge to overcome them.

I still resent Gu Yangcheon.

Nevertheless, I held onto hope because of his changed demeanor and words, and my gaze began to follow him again.

It was foolish.

Even after hurting so much, I hadn’t changed from when I sat on the ground waiting for my brother.

I remembered the words I had unintentionally uttered with longing and complex emotions.

-Can we go back to how we were?

This was hope and a wish.

If only Gu Yangcheon had said just one word back then, that it was possible.

I might have pretended not to know and continued living as I was.

To Gu Ryeonghwa, that was avoidance and escape.

Because if I just forgot and moved on, I would be comfortable.

‘Would that really be comfortable?’

I would surely be able to forget it then.

Perhaps I could forget it forever.

It could be a form of solace, or a comfortable escape.

Living in ignorance is probably like that.

But.

Even that wasn’t what Gu Ryeonghwa truly desired.

While deflecting the onslaught of swords, Gu Ryeonghwa’s gaze reached the spectator seats.

It wasn’t difficult to find what she was looking for.

After all, there couldn’t be many people in the world wearing red robes with fierce eyes.

As expected, she quickly spotted Gu Yangcheon among the spectators.

Seeing Gu Yangcheon, Gu Ryeonghwa almost burst into laughter during the match.

After saying so dismissively, as if he’d just watch, he looked so worried.

What could have happened to her brother in the past year?

Gu Ryeonghwa knew about the guilt and apology she sometimes felt in Gu Yangcheon’s eyes when he looked at her.

She also knew that he wanted to apologize but wasn’t voicing it.

However, Gu Ryeonghwa didn’t question Gu Yangcheon about why he couldn’t speak.

There was a distance that had grown between them.

Gu Yangcheon wouldn’t try to bridge this gap.

As her thoughts reached that point, Gu Ryeonghwa felt she somewhat understood what she wanted to do.

Swish-!

Gu Ryeonghwa’s sword, slipping through, grazed Yeongjin’s shoulder.

It was just a light graze, so there was no significant damage, but the important thing was that an attack had landed.

At this, Yeongjin’s gaze became heated.

Their pride must have been hurt.

Despite such a gaze, Gu Ryeonghwa remained composed.

Instead, her advancing footsteps gained strength.

The internal energy that began circulating in her dantian spread evenly throughout her body, adding strength.

If there’s distance with the opponent, I just need to close it.

Yes, if they won’t come, I can go to them.

If we can’t go back to how we were, I can face them in a different form.

I will resent them, and I will get angry and lash out.

I will cry over the scars deeply etched in my heart, but…

At the very end, I ultimately want to forgive.

If I were to put something other than plum blossoms into my sword, I would want to put this kind of imagery into it.

Amidst Yeongjin’s sharp sword path, Gu Ryeonghwa moved her feet flexibly.

The blossoming of talent is sudden.

I’m falling behind in physical strength and internal energy.

Even in raw power, I was falling behind, but…

Strangely, Gu Ryeonghwa wasn’t afraid of that.

Deflecting the incoming sword strikes, I advance step by step.

Seeing that, Yeongjin’s expression contorted with increasing bewilderment.

The intention to easily subdue me and then properly engage in the next match crumbled.

Yeongjin had been serious from the start.

‘What in the world is this….’

It was hard to call it unbelievable, as Yeongjin had experienced the exact same thing before.

Not just Yeongjin, but all three great disciples had seen and experienced it.

When Yeongpung was young, he was exactly like this.

He joined much later, but became a Plum Blossom Swordsman in just a few years.

This was a sore spot for the three great disciples and the cause of their crude jealousy.

Swords mixed with petty emotions are unstable.

Yeongjin’s sword path was like that right now.

Gu Ryeonghwa didn’t miss the enlarged movements compared to usual.

The sparring experiences with Namgung Bi-ah were helpful in moments like this.

Don’t miss the timing.

Deflecting Yeongjin’s sword, I created an opening and twisted my sword path to strike the wrist.

“Kyak!”

With a single scream, the wooden sword rolled onto the ground.

At the same time, Gu Ryeonghwa’s sword tip touched Yeongjin’s neck.

The silence created by the focus on the match was broken by cheers that erupted.

With the match over, Yeongjin, with a bewildered expression, picked up their wooden sword and bowed.

“…I los…!”

Yeongjin, trying to suppress their unfair feelings and admit defeat, closed their mouth upon meeting Gu Ryeonghwa’s face.

Gu Ryeonghwa was smiling.

Not with the perpetually furrowed face.

She was smiling brightly.

As if she had thoroughly enjoyed it, Gu Ryeonghwa looked at Yeongjin and said.

“You worked hard.”

“Uh… yes…!”

Yeongjin stammered at her words, spoken as if refreshed.

Gu Ryeonghwa walked towards the edge of the martial arts stage to descend.

Yeongjin wiped the sweat beading on their forehead and stared intently at Gu Ryeonghwa as she descended.

Somehow, the smile they had just seen seemed like it would linger in their memory, almost hypnotically.

---

After the match ended, the surroundings were already filled with cheers.

The match just concluded was a series of surprises.

“…She won.”

Namgung Bi-ah said, sounding surprised.

Although I couldn’t see her face, she was undoubtedly very surprised.

I felt the same way.

I had never imagined Gu Ryeonghwa would win.

‘What happened?’

Thinking of Gu Ryeonghwa from my past life, it was even more incomprehensible.

It was because Gu Ryeonghwa wasn’t a martial artist who had gained much renown.

“…But her current state….”

Anyone who had thought about or studied martial arts (武) even a little would realize it.

How full of potential Gu Ryeonghwa had appeared just now.

As if to prove it, I could see something stirring among the elders gathered.

The state Gu Ryeonghwa just displayed wasn’t something one could suddenly produce, even after gaining enlightenment.

‘It felt like she had unleashed something that had been suppressed.’

My eyes met Gu Ryeonghwa’s as she descended from the martial arts stage in the distance.

Gu Ryeonghwa waved at me as she looked this way.

Seeing that, I realized Gu Ryeonghwa had changed somehow.

Looking at Gu Ryeonghwa smiling brightly, it felt like something festering inside me was melting away.

Gu Ryeonghwa, who couldn’t find her direction just moments ago when we met, seemed to have shed something during the recent match.

‘Even after experiencing regression, I’m still stuck.’

Unlike me, that young child seems to have found her own path.

Unlike her incompetent brother.

“Cute.”

At Namgung Bi-ah’s words, I let out a hollow laugh.

“Suddenly?”

“…Her smile is cute.”

“That’s right! It’s just like how the young master smiles.”

“…That’s not quite right.”

“Hey.”

At Wi Seol-ah’s words, Namgung Bi-ah retorted slightly, but firmly.

It was true, but I felt quite displeased.

While saying something to Namgung Bi-ah, I glanced at Gu Ryeonghwa and waved slightly.

‘That’s one thing, but…’

I thought, looking at the guy who had been Gu Ryeonghwa’s opponent.

“…I’ll have to ask Yeongpung what that bastard’s name is.”

It wasn’t that I planned to do anything, but I just didn’t like him.