Having caused a string of incidents this time, I'd need to lie low for a while.
Fortunately, thanks to the stories about the Heavenly Killing Star that had spread while I was away at the North Sea Ice Palace, and the Murim Alliance Leader's confirmation of my realm, I had managed to achieve my original goal to some extent.
Now I would be known not merely as a talented rising star or the Tang Clan's live-in son-in-law, but as a Harmony Realm Martial Artist who held up one pillar of the Central Plains' martial world.
At any rate, given the situation, I decided to focus a bit more on the Tang Clan's internal affairs rather than external activities.
Of course, that didn't mean I was helping with the clan's work. I could read, but I had no idea how to handle paperwork.
No matter how high my realm rose, I was still a swordsman at heart. Matters outside my field should be left to the experts.
For that reason, I went with Tang So-wol to congratulate Tang Cheong, and I also discussed with Seol Ri-hyang how to keep the Millennium Ice Crystal's chill contained within the training grounds without harming the outside.
I also comforted Seomun Hwa-rin, who was troubled by the dignity of a Harmony Realm martial artist and the side effects of Rejuvenation (she was surrounded by her doting maidservants, being fed candy).
…And then I began to seriously ponder the seal that had been placed on me along with my regression.
Until now, I had simply left it alone, thinking my strength was insufficient and I wouldn't even be able to attempt breaking it in the first place.
But now, wasn't I a supreme master who had reached the Harmony Realm? Besides, the higher one's realm, the easier it was to resist a seal—and once one reached Harmony, most seals became practically useless.
That made sense, after all. A seal was ultimately a power that suppressed the mind and spirit. If one knew how to wield Intent, one could confront it head-on.
Just as one expelled poison with internal energy, I could drive out and shatter the seal with my Intent…
"I'm going crazy."
The seal placed upon me didn't budge an inch.
Ever since I reached the Harmony Realm, I had been trying steadily, and this time I prioritized it above all other training—yet I still couldn't break the seal.
Even now that I had grown accustomed to using my Intent, I was still this lost.
The only progress I had made was that I could now sense the existence of the seal itself, even without trying to speak of matters related to my regression.
If I can touch it, I can cut it; if I can see it, I can avoid it. Being able to sense the seal's existence meant it was possible to interfere with it through my Intent.
The problem was that the seal was too solid, far too solid.
"…Judging by its level alone, it's above the Harmony Realm."
People often called the Harmony Realm the limit of human capability. Realms beyond that existed because the path of martial arts had no end, but no one had ever been confirmed to have actually reached them.
However, there had always been speculation that legendary martial artists like Zhang Sanfeng, Lü Dongbin, and Bodhidharma had attained a realm beyond the Harmony Realm.
All of them are said to have attained Ascension, Enlightenment, or entered Nirvana.
That is why it is said that the realm beyond Harmony is the realm of immortals and Buddhas, and that what Heaven has allowed man is only up to Harmony.
I have only just stepped into it, but having reached Harmony myself, a seal that I cannot break even with my strength… Perhaps this was not made by human hands.
"No. Come to think of it, it's only natural."
Regression is, in the first place, the domain of Defying Heaven. It is forcibly turning back an arrow that should only fly forward, like a shot arrow.
It is hard to believe that such a feat could have been accomplished by human power.
Then there is the story I heard at the Zhongnan Sect, that in the past, the power of sorcery was far stronger. And the passage from the scriptures that Great Master Gakjeong told me about at the Shaolin Temple—the one about one who heads toward yesterday, not tomorrow, hinting at a regressor.
Considering these two, there are two hypotheses I can infer.
One is that in the distant past, there were Taoist masters comparable to the Harmony Realm, and that the regression I experienced was accidentally triggered by a Defying Heaven spell that several of them had prepared together.
The other is that regression has existed since the distant past, and its agents are not humans but beings far more transcendent.
At this stage, I cannot be certain which is correct… but my heart leans slightly toward the latter.
Both feel equally unreal, but when I consider the existence of the seal, that conclusion makes more sense.
From a regressor's perspective, being unable to speak of the regression even when one wants to is an enormous constraint.
If there were people who joined forces to return to the past on their own, they would all have pasts they wished to change.
Why would such people impose a seal? It would only hinder their own goals.
Well, if I argue it that way, I would arrive at the conclusion that I cannot understand why beings on the level of immortals or Buddhas would impose such a seal in the first place.
"Hoo."
A sigh that escaped on its own from frustration. The more I thought, the more complicated it became, and a hint of irritation rose in my head.
In the end, to sum it up, it meant that a being more powerful than a Harmony Realm martial artist had placed a seal that even I, in my current state, could not do anything about.
A situation where nothing had changed from when I first became aware of the seal's existence.
Tang So-wol hadn't pressed me, but we both knew well that there were many things I hadn't told her.
If it were Tang So-wol, she probably wouldn't say anything even if I kept my mouth shut like this forever.
However, the guilt of continuing to deceive her, and the loneliness I sometimes felt, as if I had been cast out into a foreign land, kept holding me back.
"Haa."
In the end, I let out another sigh without any particular gain, then opened my eyes that I had shut. And then.
"These days, you seem to be sighing a lot. Would you like to rest a bit, young hero Cheon?"
"…"
Tang So-wol was crouching so close that our noses were nearly touching, looking at me.
Deep green eyes. Within them, playfulness and deep affection. Just from meeting her gaze, the irritation and frustration I'd felt moments ago melted away, and a wry smile formed on my lips on its own.
"What were you doing there?"
"Heheh. I was just admiring young hero Cheon's face."
"Admiring my face?"
"Yes. When you're talking, you focus on the conversation, and when there's movement, you focus on the movement—so surprisingly, the time you can actually focus just on someone's face is short. That's why I couldn't bring myself to pass by young hero Cheon, who was sitting so quietly."
"Is that so. I wonder if it was to your liking. Today, all I did was wash my face once in the morning."
"Oh my? Does young hero Cheon worry about such things too?"
"When someone looks at you this closely, even a person who never cared about appearances starts to care."
"The fact that young hero Cheon cares about me and wants to look good for me has a rather sweet ring to it. Still, don't worry. Perhaps because of the Bone-Exchange Rebirth, your skin is even finer than mine."
Finally, she grabbed my cheeks with both hands and examined them here and there, then nodded with satisfaction—Tang So-wol.
I didn't know why she was so pleased with herself, but at any rate, since Tang So-wol was happy, I found myself feeling happy too.
As I watched her giggle for a long while, she sat down beside me and opened her mouth.
"Whew. By the way, it seems you haven't been doing much physical training lately."
"Now that I've grown accustomed to the Aura, it's time to train my Intent in earnest."
"Intent?"
"Yes. The body is something I've tempered over a lifetime. The Intent, on the other hand, I've only just awakened. Moving the body and actually swinging a sword remain important, but the Intent is still at the crawling stage, so I'm merely focusing a bit more on that side."
"Ah, I see? So that's why Father and Hwa-rin unni mostly do meditation training. That raises one question, then."
"Speak."
"Young hero Cheon entered the martial arts late, and you're not even of the Age of Twenty yet, so even if you call it a lifetime, it's only been a few years…"
"…Regardless, it is a lifetime to me. And did I not achieve Bone-Exchange Rebirth on top of that?"
"Hehe. I'm just joking. Don't be so grumpy. You'll only make me want to tease you more."
Tang So-wol said this with a giggle, patting her own thigh.
"Just as training the body tires the body, training with your Simnyeok must tire the mind. Won't you lie down and rest for a while?"
"Ha! Did you think something like this would loosen me up?"
She was right.
As expected of Tang So-wol. She knew me too well.
I had indeed been feeling uneasy whenever the topic of regression came up because of the seal—especially when it touched on things that existed only in my memories.
As I laid my head on Tang So-wol's thigh, all my worries and cares began to melt away.
At this rate, even if I fell into Qi Deviation once more, wouldn't I be able to return somehow as long as Tang So-wol was by my side?
Setting aside how much I cherished Tang So-wol, just looking at her up close or being in contact with her like this gave me a sense of reassurance that was almost excessive.
I wasn't sure why. It could be because of the purest sincerity I'd come to realize upon reaching the Harmony Realm, or perhaps it was because Tang So-wol's poison had become part of the very core of my Bone-Exchange Rebirth.
Either way, what was certain was that just being like this filled me with satisfaction.
Tang So-wol seemed to feel the same, stroking my head resting on her thigh with a faint smile.
We rested in silence for a long while—but only for a moment. As if something had come to mind, Tang So-wol's eyes widened.
"Ah! There's been a rather interesting rumor circulating in the world lately. Have you heard it?"
"I haven't. I've been focusing only on matters within the Tang Clan these days."
"It's not bad news—it's good news, so you can look forward to it."
Tang So-wol paused there to clear her throat.
"Ahem. Until now, the Namgung Clan was called the greatest clan in the world. But after the attack from the Hwangbo Clan the other day, and now that young hero Cheon's rise to the Harmony Realm has become widely known, a somewhat different story has started circulating."
"Surely not?"
"Yes. People are now saying that the greatest clan in the world is none other than our Tang Clan."
"That's… not wrong."
I suppose it took me a while to notice because I spent so long in the Unorthodox Sects, where individuals matter more than groups.
But in truth, the current Tang Clan has reached a level where the title of greatest clan in the world is not undeserved.
For starters, there are only two Harmony Realm martial artists belonging to the Tang Clan — myself and Tang Jincheon. Add to that Seomun Hwa-rin, who is technically a retainer but stays with the Tang Clan and lends her strength whenever needed.
That makes three Harmony Realm martial artists residing at the Tang estate at this very moment.
Of course, depending on the case, some sects or clans do have two Harmony Realm martial artists, and in rare cases, even three.
But that's only counting the clan head or sect leader, plus the half-retired masters of the previous generation.
The Tang Clan, on the other hand, still has its young head, Tang Cheong, remaining at Transcendent Peak.
His talent and effort lack nothing, so one day, Tang Cheong will also ascend to the Harmony Realm.
And if Tang So-wol, who was born with even greater talent than Tang Cheong, also reaches Harmony Realm, what would that mean?
It would make this a ridiculous clan where five Harmony Realm martial artists coexist in the same era.
Unlike the Murim Alliance or the Black Alliance, which were bound together relatively loosely, this was a group united under the roof of a single clan.
"A good omen."
"Yes. One could certainly call it a good omen."
The title of Greatest Clan Under Heaven was a source of pride for the Tang Clan's martial artists, but it would have an even greater impact on those who came seeking them out, drawn by that name.
Seeing the title of Greatest Clan Under Heaven, all manner of officials and merchants would flock to establish ties with the Tang Clan.
Prosperity would begin to call forth prosperity, and it would be no exaggeration to say the future was not just bright, but dazzling.
…If only the Heavenly Demon weren't there.
Well. Since the influence of the clan, not just individuals, had also grown, the title of Greatest Clan Under Heaven would certainly help in advancing the Righteous-Unorthodox Alliance.
It was about time to take that first step and go meet the Lord of the Black Alliance. Just as Tang So-wol had said, this was truly good news.
"Wait. If that happens, won't things get even busier from now on?"
"That's probably the case. If word spreads that we've begun exchanges with the North Sea Ice Palace, which always kept its distance from the Central Plains… even merchants after the North's specialty goods will come flooding in."
"…Will my father-in-law and the Chief Steward be all right?"
"They're already pulling people from the Tang Clan's merchant caravans and placing them under the Chief Steward, and they've raised the salaries of those handling internal affairs, so they should be able to find people soon enough."
"It's not that work has piled up for a moment—it's that there will be more from now on, so that's for the best. But people aren't the kind of thing you can find as easily as you'd think."
"Until then… we'll just have to do our best, right?"
Good heavens.
After a moment's deliberation, I asked.
"Is there any poison that can make me forget my fatigue for a while?"
"There is, but it's only a poison that puts off fatigue until tomorrow."
"Then isn't that just three in the morning, four in the evening?"
"If it relieves fatigue, wouldn't you call it medicine rather than poison?"
"…That's true."
I silently prayed for the souls of the retainers who were probably being torn apart right about now, then spoke.
"It's about time I set a date to visit the Black Alliance."
Of course, that was one thing, and this was another.
If I just waited until things settled down, I would never get anything done, would I?