Chapter 61: A Place to Return To

Ten days.

That was the period during which Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha and I engaged in endless duels after leaving the cave.

And…….

One hundred matches, zero wins, one hundred losses.

That was the win-loss record I obtained as a result of those endless duels.

Of course, that record was calculated from my perspective.

From Yeom Gi-ha’s point of view, it would be the honor of one hundred wins in one hundred battles.

Not once, not a single time, was I able to land a meaningful attack on the Emperor Breaker.

-Duels will be limited to ten per day.

If the Emperor Breaker had not made that declaration, my win-loss record might have easily surpassed a thousand losses in a thousand matches.

After all, there were countless instances where the outcome was decided in a single move, in a fleeting moment.

-Why…….

I couldn’t help but have such a question.

The reason was that it was right to believe that the Emperor Breaker and I were treading the same realm, the State of Harmony.

Of course, I knew that our proficiency and experience were different.

I also knew that even within the same State of Harmony, the Emperor Breaker had achieved a higher level of attainment than I had.

Nevertheless, this was a strange affair.

It was because I knew well that there was no such thing as an ‘absolute’ in a duel.

If a martial artist at the Peak Realm and a martial artist at the State of Harmony fought a hundred times, the master at the State of Harmony could win all hundred times.

This was because there was an absolute difference between the two.

However, there was no master at the State of Harmony who could guarantee one hundred wins in one hundred battles against another master of the same realm.

This was because there was no absolute difference between the two, and a fight was a collection of countless variables.

Even a master at the very beginning of the State of Harmony, with the formidable weapon of Sword Flux in hand, could threaten the life of a master who had reached the pinnacle of the State of Harmony, perhaps once in a hundred times.

That was the nature of a fight.

This was naturally the same in the State of Harmony, which was called the pinnacle of the Jianghu Murim.

A master of the State of Harmony could guarantee an absolute victory against a master of the Transcendent Peak Realm, but they should not be able to guarantee an absolute victory against a master of the same State of Harmony.

That was why realms were specifically distinguished in the Jianghu Murim.

But I, who had achieved the Five Qis Courting the Origin and set foot in the State of Harmony, fought a hundred times against the Emperor Breaker, a master of the State of Harmony, and lost a hundred times.

To be honest, I was confident I would lose a thousand times if we fought a thousand times.

-You have not yet ripened.

The Emperor Breaker only said that and didn't explain in detail as he did when he awakened the concept of the Void-Stepping Gait for me.

I knew that martial arts was a path one had to pioneer on their own.

I, too, had no intention of just opening my mouth like a baby bird, so I wasn't disappointed.

I would find my own way, as I always had.

"Please give me one more chance."

Therefore, I made this request to Yeom Gi-ha.

"Alright."

And Yeom Gi-ha gladly accepted it.

"A lot of time has already passed, so let’s wrap it up with one match tomorrow."

"Thank you."

It was the first time I knew I had such a burning desire for victory.

Perhaps being next to the fire-like Yeom Gi-ha had made me a little like him.

As physical training was useless for a martial artist who had achieved the Five Qis Courting the Origin, I sat in a cross-legged position and opened my mind's eye.

The past ten days.

I replayed all one hundred battles I had with Yeom Gi-ha.

Wasn’t I confident in my insight, at least?

From the first match where I foolishly allowed him to strike my heart, to the fiftieth match where I was caught from behind by the Unseen Sword, to the ninety-ninth match where I allowed a blade to my throat.

In my mind’s eye, I died, and died, and died, and died again.

-You have not yet ripened.

Yeom Gi-ha's words circled my mind’s eye like a curse.

I also knew that while it seemed like a curse, it was the beginning of enlightenment.

What are martial arts?

What is intention?

What must I do to succeed in a meaningful attack on Yeom Gi-ha?

I contemplated, I delved deep, I explored.

Time flowed quickly, and soon, a day after the ten days had passed.

"Not bad."

The Emperor Breaker's beloved weapon was displaying its sharpness towards my face as I lay on the ground.

And…….

The tip of the Dancheon Sword I held was aimed at the Emperor Breaker’s heart.

One hundred and one matches, zero wins, one hundred losses.

And one draw.

That was the result of the eleven days of endless duels with the Emperor Breaker.

"Thank you for your teachings."

I now understood, just a little, what the State of Harmony was.

***

Zhejiang Province was located at the eastern edge of the Central Plains.

And Anhui, where the Dancheon Sword Clan was located, shared a border with Zhejiang.

Since the Emperor Breaker and I had left Zhejiang and reached Anhui, it meant that the time to part ways had come.

For reference, it would probably take as much time as we had already traveled to reach the border of Hubei and Henan, where the Murim Alliance was located.

"Won't you come with me to the Murim Alliance?"

When the Emperor Breaker asked subtly, I gave a troubled smile.

"Tch. If you come with me, I won’t get scolded."

"Why would you be scolded?"

The Emperor Breaker had left his post to save his own life.

Of course, it was something that had happened under Singija's permission, so it was a bit difficult to understand why he would be scolded.

"Didn't I waste eleven days playing with you?"

"Ah…."

Though he might seem like it, Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha was the Leader of the Murim Alliance.

Singija would surely forgive him for leaving his post to save his life, but since he hadn't returned for a long period of eleven days even after being saved, the Grand Marshal of the Murim Alliance might be quite angry.

It wasn't that we were playing, but the result was the same.

-Shut up.

Recalling the sight of Grand Marshal Singija shouting at the Alliance Leader, I understood why the Alliance Leader was so worried.

Perhaps this time, he might hear something like, ‘Do you want to die?’ It wasn't something to say to someone who had just been saved, but considering the relationship I had seen between Singija and Yeom Gi-ha, it was something that could very well happen.

"I'm sorry. I have a place to return to, so please understand."

A place to return to.

As those words I had spoken myself returned to my ears, I felt a new sense of realization.

That’s right.

I had a place to return to.

While my life as Myeong-gae hadn't been terribly unhappy, I couldn't deny that my current life was happier.

"Tsk."

Even the stubborn Alliance Leader seemed to respect this part.

As I used my movement technique a little more, a fork in the road came into view.

"Alliance Leader, you should go that way."

Since our destinations were different, our paths would eventually diverge.

"Can you find your way to the Alliance?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

I was doubtful, but I decided to trust him.

After all, he wasn't the type to die an unnatural death somewhere.

Before we parted, Yeom Gi-ha added a word.

"You are my successor, so if you ever need me, come find me at the Alliance."

Though his tone was grumbling, I would say that the content was quite warm.

"It means you should visit the Murim Alliance once a month."

The expression on Yeom Gi-ha's face as he said those words was that of a martial artist, so perhaps it wasn't for my sake, but because of his own greed.

"I will try."

In any case, it was clearly a good thing for me as well.

"I'm leaving."

As if he had no lingering feelings about parting, Yeom Gi-ha quickly disappeared.

I, who had stopped for a moment, used my movement technique towards the Dancheon Sword Clan.

Those steps were truly light.

***

The Dancheon Clan’s Clan Head Hall.

"I, Dancheon Myeong, have safely completed my journey in Jianghu and returned to the clan."

Clan Head Dancheon Gang and the Bodyguard Bang Yeo-baek were in the same places as before I left.

"It didn't even take a year."

Observing my father's expression, I knew that it was his own kind of joke.

"I might be leaving again soon."

"……What did you say?"

His expression now didn't seem like a joke.

It's alright.

Wasn't it the father who was at fault for trying to tie down his grown son to the clan? I wasn't even the Young Clan Head, so I was a free man.

Rumble.

A stern aura descended upon the Clan Head Hall.

"Clan Head, what are you doing…."

Uncle Yeo Baek’s question was cut short by the thick killing intent. After confirming my father's expression, my uncle closed his mouth.

Swish!

The Clan Head's killing intent rushed towards me like a sharp awl.

I would say that he was truly the Clan Head of the Dancheon Clan.

His achievements were indeed well-deserved. I could tell that despite being at the State of Harmony, he had begun to step into the realm of intention.

But…….

The dense and sharp intention of the Clan Head could not overcome me, who had reached the State of Harmony.

Sizzle.

The awl of killing intent that the Clan Head had shot at me turned into a gentle breeze and scattered throughout the Clan Head Hall.

The one who was most surprised was Uncle Yeo Baek, whose eyes had widened as if they were about to pop out.

A brief silence fell in the Clan Head Hall.

"Hah."

The Clan Head's sigh broke the silence.

"Did you cross the wall?"

The Clan Head's question carried a strange heat.

Before I left the clan, my realm had already reached the State of Harmony. My father Dancheon Gang and Uncle Yeo Baek were well aware of this fact.

Normally, one wouldn't say that a master at the early stages of the State of Harmony had crossed a wall just by reaching proficiency.

Crossing a wall meant, quite literally, transcending a realm.

The Clan Head was asking me if I had reached the supreme realm of the State of Harmony.

This was indeed a reasonable deduction.

"Yes. It happened so."

I answered plainly.

I didn't want to boast to my father and uncle, and after my time with the Emperor Breaker, I had seen a world beyond worlds, so there was no room for arrogance in my heart.

Looking back, it would be right to think that this too was a miraculous encounter.

But this was just my impression; my father and uncle thought differently.

Though they were trying to manage their expressions, they couldn't quite keep their slightly agape mouths in check.

"Will you be the Clan Head?"

Clan Head Dancheon Gang asked me.

"Clan Head, please get up from your seat quickly."

Uncle Yeo Baek assisted him.

"Myeong, this is your seat now."

I knew that Uncle Yeo Baek's words were a joke, but also half-serious.

It was because I knew well that my father and uncle were believers in the tradition of primogeniture.

In fact, in the Dancheon Clan, which professed to be a martial clan, it would not be strange at all to place the second son, who had achieved a level comparable to the Ten Great Masters of the World, as the Clan Head.

But…….

"I like the way things are now."

Wasn't I a person who had already violated the family tradition?

The position of Clan Head belonged to my older brother, Dancheon Hak. I had decided so long ago.

"There are still over four years left, so please wait."

This was like a pledge to raise Dancheon Hak to the State of Harmony and make him the Clan Head.

"Alright. I understand your intentions."

Clan Head Dancheon Gang only said that and did not argue any further.

"I will take my leave."

It could be said that my report of return had quietly achieved its purpose.

On the way out of the Clan Head Hall.

"Myeong."

Uncle Yeo Baek called me.

He approached me, slightly fidgeting unlike his usual self, and asked me.

"Will you continue to train Hak?"

"I made a promise, so I must."

Uncle Yeo Baek scratched his head awkwardly and continued.

"Um, would it be possible for me too?"

"Yes?"

At my question, my uncle seemed to have made up his mind, and his straightforward gaze met mine.

"Me too."

I understood his determined heart, even if only a little.

"I want to become stronger than I am now."

My uncle was now, asking me, his former disciple, for teachings.

The captain of the Dancheon Clan's escort squad, Bang Yeo-baek.

It would be right to say that he was truly a person who could move forward.

"If it's you, Uncle, I can tell you everything I know."

I said so with all my heart.

Just as he had given me many things, I would now give him many things.

***

I returned to my quarters.

"……?"

The quarters I had returned to after nearly half a year were clean, without a speck of dust.

I knew that the desolation had long disappeared thanks to my mother Baek Yeo-hae's grace, but I hadn't expected it to be so well-maintained.

It was because there were no servants assigned to my quarters.

I didn't even have time to wonder.

Thud.

It was because someone had flung open the door to my quarters.

A woman, Baek Yeo-hae, spoke as if this situation was very familiar.

"Clean it up neatly. You must not touch the items."

"Yes."

The servants of the Dancheon Clan who had followed Baek Yeo-hae answered politely.

After giving the order, Baek Yeo-hae, who was looking around my quarters…….

Flinch.

She was startled, as if she had just noticed my presence.

"……."

"……."

Baek Yeo-hae and I stared at each other in silence.

"Ahem. When did you return?"

My mother Baek Yeo-hae asked, breaking the silence.

Her expression and tone were slightly cold, but my excellent judgment recognized that it was an emotion closer to shyness.

"I just returned."

Baek Yeo-hae, who was pondering my answer, finally came to a conclusion.

"You've worked hard."

That was the end of it.

"Excuse me. Let's go back."

With those words, Baek Yeo-hae left my quarters with the servants.

"Mother."

As I quietly called out to the receding Baek Yeo-hae, her hurried steps paused for a moment.

"Thank you."

There was no answer, and Baek Yeo-hae quickly moved away.

I didn't shout loudly, so she might not have heard me.

It's alright.

The Dancheon Sword Clan.

This was my home.