It took me quite a long time to get used to the Aura—more precisely, to get used to the Intent.
The biggest reason was, of course, that the Intent operated on a completely different track from conventional martial arts.
Fundamentally, martial arts had developed in the direction of efficiency.
Drawing great results from small force, building internal energy faster, taking in purer energy, or exploiting gaps in one's perception to appear relatively quicker.
A direction that, while difficult to actually execute, anyone could understand once given a detailed explanation.
But the Intent was different. At first listen, it was incomprehensible—should I say it forced such inefficiency… such incomprehension?
The Aura was a prime example of this.
Qi is a power that does not possess a clear, tangible form. Fundamentally, its role is to strengthen the essence of whatever it is infused into.
It can heighten physical capabilities, dramatically increase the sharpness of a sword, or deceive the eyes with dazzling afterimages.
That is why the External Arts are just as important as internal energy, why the efficiency of Qi drops the more it is concentrated, and why, even if one tries to gather it while ignoring efficiency, it cannot be condensed beyond a Qi Flame…
But the Intent forces its way past that limit with utter composure.
It materializes internal energy, which should have no physical form, and turns Qi itself into a sword.
If internal energy supplements one's lacking abilities and allows one to do what was previously impossible.
Then the Intent could be called a power that forcibly makes possible what should, by nature, be impossible.
"I suppose one could say it's the difference between standing on a stool to reach something placed high up, and flying through the air to retrieve it."
"I thought you were just chopping trees like a madman, maybe planning some mountain-clearing reclamation project… but my son-in-law had a plan all along."
Tang Jincheon chuckled softly and handed the documents he'd been scribbling on to the Chief Steward beside him.
The Chief Steward, whose body looked healthy but whose complexion was deathly black, silently accepted them—a sight that was somewhat pitiful.
Having briefly offloaded all his work onto the Chief Steward, Tang Jincheon slowly nodded.
"Your analogy is apt, but it needs a small supplement. The Intent does not truly force all impossibilities to become possible. It only holds absoluteness over what one strongly desires."
"…I had suspected as much."
The unique atmosphere exuded by a martial artist of the Harmony Realm. This was because their inner vision had manifested outwardly, and their Intent arose from that vision.
Seomun Hwa-rin's fist, which boasted abnormal destructive power. That must have come from her single-minded determination to shatter even her own regrets that stood in her way and press forward.
The Lord of the Black Alliance had forged his spear of certain strike from the greed that sought to seize everything, leaving nothing beyond his grasp.
Just as Tang So-wol, before her regression, had held the image of the Tang Clan facing extermination within her mind, and, making herself into Godok, had sought to become the most vicious poison creature in the clan's history.
It is true that Intent can make the impossible possible, but this is only to the extent of the Intent's origin.
That is to say, it is a coercion limited to matters that align with one's own inner vision.
For even if essence, energy, and spirit harmonize to become a single whole, in the end, I can only be myself.
"It must be because you have come to realize your own Intent, son-in-law, and can now impose your inner vision more clearly, that you brought up such a matter so suddenly."
"Yes, well. That is so."
Because I had ascended to the Harmony Realm while becoming aware of the vision and the desire I truly held, the first step was easy.
It was because I had not yet realized how to impose that vision upon the world, which was why my Power Control had been lacking and why drawing out my Aura had always taken so long.
Of course, I understood it now. I knew how my sword had to move in order to paint the image in my mind.
"My sword now reaches places it could not before."
"Congratulations. You are now a true Harmony Realm Martial Artist. Even I, who was called something of a prodigy in my day, only reached that level after passing forty. To have a son-in-law like you is truly a blessing for the Tang Clan."
Tang Jincheon wore a pleased smile. His genuine joy reached me even from where I stood, and it made me feel a little tickled inside.
In the past, even when he was grateful to me, there had always been a sense that he regarded me as a thief who had stolen his daughter away.
But at some point, his attitude had gradually softened, and now I could feel that he almost treated me like his own child.
…It was almost a shame to have to break the mood.
"Thank you, Father-in-law. Actually, there's something else I'd like to discuss."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Now that I've grown accustomed to my current level, I was thinking of stepping out for a while."
"…Again?"
Tang Jincheon showed a rather reluctant reaction. However, this wasn't the same reluctance as before, born of worry about letting me go—it was closer to a sense of regret.
It was probably because he knew full well that whenever I went somewhere, there was a high chance Tang So-wol would come along with me.
But there was someone who reacted far more dramatically than him.
Clatter!
The Chief Steward, who had been working diligently just moments ago, sprang to his feet.
A flickering spark of life returned to his clouded eyes, and his disheveled beard trembled as if it had come alive.
It was a picture-perfect moment of a dying man's final burst of vigor. Radiating an aura so fierce that even Tang Jincheon, the head of the Tang Clan, flinched, he asked in a solemn voice.
"Wh-where are you planning to go this time?"
"The Diancang Sect. I want to see the Sa-il Sword Technique for myself."
"The Diancang Sect…!"
A gasp escaped his lips, and the corners of his mouth relaxed.
Then, as if he had never been serious at all, he quietly sat back down and bowed his head.
"Take care on your journey."
"…"
A reaction that was all too easy to read. The reason the Chief Steward responded that way was simple.
Because the Diancang Sect of this generation had weakened greatly—both in the level of its Martial Artists and in its overall power.
To put it bluntly, the Chief Steward probably thought that whatever trouble the Diancang Sect got itself into, it would be nothing compared to what had come before.
Of course, the Diancang Sect had not always been like this.
Though it was decades ago, there had been a time when the Diancang Sect was a prestigious sect close to the Nine Great Sects and One Gang.
The problem was that the Diancang Sect, true to its name, was a sect that had made its home on Jeomchang Mountain.
Jeomchang Mountain is in Yunnan, and in Yunnan lies the Beast Palace.
Just as it had exterminated the Five Poison Sect, the Beast Palace frequently attacked the Diancang Sect in its bid to become the hegemon of Yunnan.
Unable to withstand the pressure, the Diancang Sect eventually left Jeomchang Mountain and settled at the edge of Sichuan Province.
But Sichuan already had a long-established power — the Tang Clan.
Though they managed to settle down somehow, the Diancang Sect, having carved out an awkward foothold, saw its influence shrink considerably.
As the sect's power waned, fewer people sought to join its ranks.
Unlike a clan, which could soar as long as its direct descendants were exceptional, a sect had to rely on talented disciples choosing to enter its gates.
With fewer initiates, the sect could only grow weaker with each passing year.
Thus, after the passage of roughly two generations, the Diancang Sect had fallen to the level of a somewhat respectable sect.
Of course, that did not mean the martial arts of the Diancang Sect had weakened.
Though they had failed to develop their secret arts like other martial sects due to a lack of successors to inherit and refine them, the Sa-il Sword Technique was still regarded as a formidable advanced martial art.
…Which was precisely why a disciple born under the Heavenly Killing Star had been able to inflict near Clan Extermination upon them.
The other martial artists of the Diancang Sect, despite possessing excellent martial arts, were letting them rot away due to a lack of talent and favorable circumstances.
And then, suddenly, an incomprehensible mass of talent began practicing the same martial arts and running amok—how could there be any way to stop it?
Thus, before the regression, the Diancang Sect had been annihilated, leaving only a handful of survivors.
Moreover, the secret manuals were lost in the chaos, and most of the survivors were young disciples who had yet to even master the basics—so it was practically no different from Clan Extermination.
But this time, things would be different.
It was true that the Diancang Sect had weakened considerably, but that was only in comparison to places like the Nine Great Sects and One Gang.
Objectively speaking, the Diancang Sect was still a fairly powerful sect. Its influence may have declined, but its reputation remained intact.
If I helped the Diancang Sect, it would greatly boost my fame and standing, which in turn would give me a stronger voice in the Orthodox Sects' martial world.
This was exactly what I needed, as I was slowly starting to poke around here and there to form the Orthodox-Unorthodox Alliance.
It was purely personal greed, but… I also wanted to see the Heavenly Killing Star with my own eyes.
I knew well now what lay beyond that killing intent, but regardless, I was also a Martial Artist who wielded immense killing intent.
Naturally, I couldn't help but be curious about the Heavenly Killing Star.
Well, there was also a slight expectation that with a little help from me, the Heavenly Killing Star might be controllable.
If that talent could be wielded toward the Heavenly Demon… there would be nothing more reassuring than that.
Of course, this was nothing more than a hope. The Shaolin monk Gakjeong had devoted his entire life to research, and even raised the Heavenly Killing Star as his disciple, yet he had only discovered a few patterns—he never found a way to cure it.
Still, it wouldn't hurt to at least try. There was also the fact that Gakjeong's heartfelt words, spoken before countless young monks, weighed on my mind.
As I nodded inwardly, Tang Jincheon, who had been pondering for a moment, opened his mouth.
"I don't think you're in any danger right now, but I am worried in a different sense."
"Worried, father-in-law?"
"You said you were going to examine the Sa-il Sword Technique, didn't you?"
"That's right."
"You might be disappointed, though."
"Pardon?"
"As you well know, the Sa-il Sword Technique is a fine martial art, but there's no one left who has properly mastered it. I doubt you'll find anyone whose swordsmanship meets your standards."
"That's fine. Just because someone is weaker than me doesn't mean I have nothing to learn from them."
"Hmm. Well, I suppose experiencing it firsthand is the fastest way. Do as you please."
"Good heavens. To think you don't recognize the pure heart I hold for the sword. I'm a little disappointed, father-in-law."
"I didn't mean to tell you to be disappointed already."
Tang Jincheon let out a small laugh and patted my shoulder.
"Anyway, I don't mind you going, but don't come back too late. It seems you and So-wol just can't stand staying at home."
"I'll do my best."
"Your refusal to give a definite answer is as consistent as ever. I find it quite admirable."
Thump, thump!
Tang Jincheon put force into the hand patting my shoulder. Even with the body strengthened through Bone-Exchange Rebirth, it hurt a little.
Only after patting me for a long while did he finally withdraw his hand. But it wasn't over yet. What he said next was even more shocking than the patting on the shoulder.
"Oh, and I'm thinking of starting to prepare the wedding ceremony for you and So-wol soon."
"Pardon?"
"What's so surprising? Up until now, it was only an engagement because you were young and in the prime of your martial arts training. That's no longer the case."
"That's true, but… I thought you, Father-in-law, would drag it out for a few more years before finally giving your permission."
"…I won't deny that I had no such intention."
Tang Jincheon subtly averted his gaze. As I stared at him silently, he cleared his throat and continued where he left off.
"Even though I'm bringing up the wedding ceremony now, the actual ceremony won't take place until much later, just as you said. Though perhaps not a few years from now."
"I understand that."
Having spent all this time with the Tang Clan, how could I not?
"It won't be easy—settling on an auspicious date, inviting the guests, adjusting the wedding date if circumstances call for it, and preparing a ceremony grand enough to match the Tang Clan's name."
"That's right. That's why I'm telling you in advance—just keep it in mind."
"I understand. Ah, does Tang So-wol know about this as well?"
"You're the first I've told. It would be good if you passed it on to So-wol as well."
"Understood."
I bowed my head and left Tang Jincheon's office.
***
"A… wedding?"
Tang So-wol, who had been packing her things to head to the Diancang Sect, froze stiffly at my words. Her expression had also darkened somewhat.
…Why?