Chapter v13v11

“I felt envy, not fear or awe! Yes, it was envy. Intense envy for a man who had transcended human limitations with a human body!”

It was the envy of a man crawling at the foot of a mountain for a man who had reached its summit.

The problem was that the mountain was impossible to climb with effort alone. It was a mountain that only the chosen ones, or those who defied the gods and rejected heaven, could climb. “He” had climbed it, but Seop Un-myeong hadn’t.

They had all met the same man, but their feelings were different.

Sky-Soaring Cloud-Treader Jong Kwae’s fear, the Saber Emperor, Yong Gyeong-ui’s awe, and Seop Un-myeong, the Sword Maniac’s envy!

“And then I lost faith in myself, becoming a defeated man.”

Seop Un-myeong said in a low voice.

Their feelings towards him were different, but they were all haunted by his shadow.

“I can’t tell you more about that, but I can tell you what happened after! After the Blood God was miraculously defeated and the Heavenly Tribulation Blood God incident ended, the leaders of the martial world reached a decision. They decided to erase all traces of him from the world! They concluded that the marks of a man who had transcended human limitations would only breed fear. But they left one place untouched, this place. As a testing ground for future talents, to see if they could surpass ‘him.’ The Martial God and the Martial Demon established the Cheonmu Academy and the Demonic Heaven Pavilion, respectively, to nurture such talents, and they devoted themselves to education for a hundred years. And now, after a hundred years, the seal on Heavenly Martial Peak has been broken, and you’ve come here! To be tested!”

Seop Un-myeong’s words were solemn.

“The shadow of the Heavenly Tribulation hasn’t completely disappeared. In fact, the forces of darkness have grown stronger in the shadows. Now, show me what you can do! Show me your skills! I’ll test whether you’re worthy of passing this trial.”

“May I ask a question?”

Bi Ryu-yeon said.

“Of course, ask anything you want!”

Seop Un-myeong nodded readily.

“Hmm…”

Bi Ryu-yeon scratched the back of his head, looking troubled. He didn’t want to be misunderstood.

“I’m not trying to be disrespectful, but…”

Seop Un-myeong’s gaze fixed on Bi Ryu-yeon.

“You’re an interesting young man!”

For the first time, a hint of amusement appeared on the old man’s scarred face.

Maha Ryeong thought it was rather creepy. But she knew it was rude to say it out loud, so she kept quiet.

“That man everyone’s whispering about, the Heavenly Tribulation Blood God, Wi Cheon-mu… What does he look like? I’m starting to worry that he might have eighteen limbs or something.”

Bi Ryu-yeon felt the need to know more about him. It was a hunch.

Seop Un-myeong answered his question readily.

“Twenty!”

“What?”

What was he talking about?

“Why are you so surprised? I meant his fingers and toes!”

The old man said casually, as if it were nothing, making everyone flustered. They were surprised by his behavior.

“You’re quite the character, Grandfather.”

Bi Ryu-yeon said with admiration.

Seop Un-myeong thought for a moment before making a decision.

“No one has seen his face clearly! It’s not an exaggeration to say that no one in the current martial world knows what he looks like. It might sound ridiculous, but even I, who faced him a hundred years ago, can’t describe his appearance. Because he always wore a strange silver mask that covered half his face. No one has ever seen what’s beneath that mask. But there’s one thing everyone remembers.”

It was something that everyone who had met him remembered, including the old man. It was a memory they couldn’t forget, even if they wanted to.

“What is it?”

Bi Ryu-yeon, his curiosity piqued, couldn’t help but ask. A strange premonition had been bothering him.

“He had a unique physical characteristic. His eyes, visible through the slits in his silver mask, sometimes flashed gold. People called them the ‘Golden Demon Eyes,’ and they feared him, calling him the ‘Golden-Eyed Demon God’!”

‘Golden eyes?’

The Vermilion Bird Squad members, including Namgung Sang, felt a sense of familiarity. The golden eyes didn’t sound unfamiliar to them. But they couldn’t remember the details.

Na Yerin’s gaze naturally shifted to Bi Ryu-yeon. She couldn’t see his eyes clearly because of his bangs, but they were calm, like a still lake, and they weren’t emitting any energy.

She chuckled inwardly and turned away.

It was a ridiculous thought. She couldn’t believe she had even considered it.

‘Am I being silly?’

**The Correlation Between Distance and Skill**

– Three Inches

“Hey, interesting young man!”

Interesting young man? He must be referring to Bi Ryu-yeon.

Bi Ryu-yeon, addressed, looked at the old man.

“How skilled do you think you are?”

“Hmm.”

Bi Ryu-yeon stroked his chin, lost in thought, as if he had been asked a difficult question.

“Relatively speaking, in my current state, I’d say three inches.”

By “current state,” he meant with the Dragon Suppression Ring on. Of course, Seop Un-myeong didn’t know that.

The delegation members looked confused. Three inches? What did that even mean?

But Seop Un-myeong looked shocked. Or rather, horrified.

“Three inches? Hahaha, what an arrogant young man.”

It wasn’t admiration, but mockery, or perhaps just amusement.

“Honesty is my motto. I wouldn’t lie about something so trivial. You can test me if you don’t believe me. But I don’t think it’s necessary.”

There was no need to be intimidated when he wasn’t lying. Bi Ryu-yeon’s voice was filled with confidence.

“Young man, I admire your spirit. I’ll forgive you for your boldness and arrogance.”

The old man was surprised by his own generosity. Perhaps he was bewildered by this triple threat of recklessness, arrogance, and disrespect.

“You lack… faith.”

Bi Ryu-yeon said, his tone regretful.

Actually, by “three inches,” he was referring to the distance between him and Seop Un-myeong, the Sword Maniac.

Distance!

It referred to the spatial and temporal gap between two opponents.

In other words, Bi Ryu-yeon was claiming that he could get within three inches of Seop Un-myeong’s sword and still defend himself. It meant that he could stand right in front of his opponent and survive, that Seop Un-myeong’s sword couldn’t harm him, no matter what.

“A man must be responsible for his words! Do you really think you can do it?”

The old man had decided to forgive him if he admitted his mistake and apologized.

“Of course.”

But the answer was the same.

“There are some interesting young men these days. Then show me your skill. Show me the level you’ve reached.”

A sharp glint, like a honed sword light, flashed in the depths of Seop Un-myeong’s narrowed eyes.

Only a few people understood their conversation. Yong Cheon-myeong was one of them.

‘Is he serious? Does he really think he can do it? Even without his right hand, judging from his previous display of power, it would be difficult to get within a zhang of him. Five steps would be risky, a life-or-death gamble. But three inches? Such recklessness…!’

Mo Yong-hwi also thought,

‘It’s reckless. To get that close to Seop Un-myeong’s sword is suicide! It’s pointless. The safe distance is one zhang, the effective distance is five steps! If he risks his life, he might be able to get within four steps…’

He looked at Bi Ryu-yeon with new eyes. His eyes, gleaming with anticipation, seemed to be saying,

‘Prove to me that you can back up your words.’

Seop Un-myeong felt the same way.

“I hope you’re a man of your word, young man.”

He said.

“People lack faith, so they always demand proof. It’s important to trust each other.”

Bi Ryu-yeon lamented the lack of trust in the current martial world. But Seop Un-myeong was unmoved.

“Anyone can talk, but not everyone can act. I don’t need people who can only do what everyone else can do. But I need people who can do what others can’t. That’s all.”

“I see.”

Bi Ryu-yeon, seemingly convinced, looked around. He was searching for something. What would be good…? His eyes were clearly asking that question. Then he spotted something. A red body, like an autumn mountain covered in maple leaves, four majestic wings flapping so fast they were almost invisible, and two large eyes scanning the surroundings. It was a dragonfly.

“There’s something perfect here.”

Bi Ryu-yeon pointed at the dragonfly hovering in front of him.

‘What are you going to show us, Ryu-yeon?’

Jang Hong’s piercing gaze fixed on Bi Ryu-yeon. He hoped to catch a glimpse of the secret hidden within him.

‘You dare!’

Maha Ryeong’s venomous gaze shot towards Bi Ryu-yeon. Nothing would please her more than to see him humiliated. Her eyes were filled with anticipation.

Countless gazes, including those of Yeomdo, Binggeom, Dokgo Ryeong, the Vermilion Bird Squad, and others, focused on Bi Ryu-yeon.

‘Ryu-yeon…’

And… lastly, Na Yerin’s gaze, like a Milky Way, flowed towards him.

He wasn’t so weak that his mind would be shaken by the overwhelming attention, hatred, and murderous intent directed at him. The more he was agitated by nervousness, embarrassment, or pressure, the lower his chances of success. Such emotions, when accumulated, only limited a person’s potential. So, sometimes, it was necessary to harden your heart with an iron will.

But Bi Ryu-yeon didn’t need to exert any extra willpower to maintain his inner peace. Why would he need to expend energy on something as natural as breathing?

He looked at the dragonfly with calm eyes. The dragonfly’s movements, flapping its wings up and down, left and right, seemed to slow down. Even a turtle’s pace seemed faster.

Up once, down once, up again.

He could see each movement of the dragonfly’s wings clearly. He could even sense the subtle movements of its joints and muscles.

Bi Ryu-yeon’s eyes, hidden behind his long bangs, flashed gold for a moment. And his right hand, which had been hanging loosely by his side, slowly moved. It was a slow movement, like someone moving underwater, a heavy, almost sluggish move that made the onlookers impatient.

His hand gently brushed past the underside of the dragonfly. And a white light flashed from his fingertips, then vanished like a mirage.

And… nothing happened.

* * *

“Where’s the destination?”

“I heard it’s somewhere around here. We’ve walked far enough, climbed high enough. Shouldn’t it appear soon?”

“Where is this Red Plum Valley? It’s not some secret treasure trove, so why is it so complicated? How arrogant! There’s not even a single signpost! How rude! Rude!”

Yeomdo criticized the organizers of the Mount Hua Convention for their lack of effort and consideration. The forest, with trees so tall they blocked out the sun, was getting denser. The uneven terrain, a path fit for animals, was frustrating. The uneven ground, covered in thick grass and tangled roots, made it difficult to use lightness techniques. They might even lose someone if they weren’t careful.

“Can we get there before the first snow?”

Bi Ryu-yeon asked. Yeomdo glanced at the autumn sun, which was still high in the sky, and replied,

“If his explanation was correct.”

‘What did he see that made him send us here?’

Judging from his expression, Binggeom didn’t seem to know either. He had been lost in thought, his thin face creased with worry. Yeomdo felt a strange sense of relief. They were both clueless. It would have been embarrassing if Binggeom had figured it out while he hadn’t.

He had been traveling with Binggeom for a while now, but he was still a mystery. What was his true identity? Yeomdo still hadn’t found an answer. To have two mysterious individuals by his side… It was unsettling.

As Yeomdo grumbled and led the way up the mountain path, the old man with the silver beard watched Bi Ryu-yeon’s back with a strange look in his eyes. Bi Ryu-yeon was talking to Na Yerin. Even with all his senses heightened, he couldn’t detect anything special about him.

‘Returning to the Origin?’

Could it be…? It was a difficult realm to achieve at his age. But…

The move he had just performed was impressive. It was worth remembering.

‘No one else would have noticed it…’

Perhaps Seop Un-myeong was the only one.

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Eh?”

He had promised to show them something, but what had he shown them? Literally nothing had happened. Well, one thing had happened. The dragonfly that Bi Ryu-yeon had touched had slowly flown away and landed on Seop Un-myeong’s outstretched palm. It was impressive, in a way, but that was all.

Seop Un-myeong, his face covered in scars, glanced at the dragonfly on his palm.

‘Was it all talk?’

Anyone could talk, he thought. And then!

“Gasp!”

Seop Un-myeong’s eyes widened in shock.

“…”

A long silence followed. No one dared to speak. And then!

Seop Un-myeong’s lips, tightly closed, slowly parted.

“Go!”

“What?”

Yeomdo asked. Seop Un-myeong repeated himself, slowly and clearly, as if to emphasize his words.

“…Go! You… have passed.”