After parting ways with Tang Jincheon, the Beast Palace Lord, and Bing Yerin.
Whatever the Imperial Court had prepared, the procession arrived at the edge of Sichuan Province amid cheers that never ceased no matter where they went.
Just before crossing into Hubei Province, a familiar figure approached me.
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal. An old friend of Tang Jincheon's, and someone who had exchanged favors both great and small over the years.
When I first saw him, he had seemed to stand somewhere between middle age and old age… but now his appearance had fully tipped into the latter.
Seeing the faint, easy smile already on his face, I could guess what he was about to say.
"Are you leaving?"
"So this is where our paths part. What will you do now?"
"That's true. But that injury… are you alright?"
"You mean this?"
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal let out a grin and raised one arm that didn't move well.
"Of course I'm not alright. It's not a problem for daily life, but it'll be hard to grip a sword with both hands."
"Ah…"
The sword of Zhongnan, the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique, was a sword that embodied an unbroken, continuous flow.
That's why it was a martial art with the characteristic that even if one's stance faltered, the techniques would not waver… but.
Of course, since the technique was premised on the stance constantly shifting, one needed to be able to use both hands freely to execute it properly.
In other words, the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal losing an arm in this battle meant he would never again be able to properly wield the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique.
Even if his daily life was unaffected, what meaning was there in a martial artist who could not use his martial art as he pleased?
But the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal, as if trying to comfort me, patted my shoulder.
"Don't worry too much. That bastard Tang Jincheon was also thinking of handing over his clan soon enough, so shouldn't I also pass on the position of Sect Leader to someone? It was simply time."
"Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal, sir…"
"And I have no regrets. I swung my sword to defeat the greatest of all time, and thanks to that, I got to witness the birth of a new greatest of all time. I was able to serve the greater cause and appreciate a fine sword—how could I begrudge losing an arm?"
"…It's not just my sword. Didn't you also teach me at Zhongnan?"
This is true.
This was my first journey into the martial world in this life. Along the way, I encountered Gwiyeong Sin-tu, who was still alive, and even crossed blades with assassins.
But in the end, the Zhongnan Sect held the largest share of what made it a good memory.
It was a martial art hung on a plaque, and in exchange for learning it, I had to spar with Zhongnan's disciples.
In the end, this became a process through which I could feel and internalize Zhongnan's sword.
Before the regression, when the war with the Demonic Cult cast a shadow over the entire Central Plains, even the martial arts of the Orthodox Sects had been corrupted by killing intent and resentment, making it hard to recognize their original forms.
The first true orthodox martial art I encountered was Zhongnan's sword.
Thanks to that, my sword, which had been stagnant for a long time, began to move forward once more.
Perhaps he had sensed the sincerity in my words. The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal nodded with a playful expression.
"If the greatest swordsman of this generation thinks so, it is an honor. Then, would you be willing to grant me one request?"
"What is it?"
"If Zhongnan's sword truly helped the young hero's sword, the White Moon Sword Lord, how about teaching me a move?"
"Oh."
I couldn't tell whether he said that knowingly, but I don't place much importance on hiding my martial arts. After all, it's a martial art I pieced together by tearing apart swords gathered from here and there.
That's not to say I scatter it around carelessly… but it means I can offer instruction whenever necessary.
Well, the problem is that even if I teach it, they can't follow along.
Isn't the Crazy Wolf Life-Stealing Art a martial art perfectly suited for taking down a single person?
Most would die from Qi Deviation or become cripples, but if one miraculously survived, only then would they be able to properly unleash the Crazy Wolf Life-Stealing Art.
But now it's different. The world's number one sword wouldn't display its full power without Intent to back it up… but still, it could be used.
If it couldn't display its full power, it might even be weaker than conventional martial arts, but there would certainly be something to gain.
…Above all, the Zhongnan Sect has an old promise.
I'd only teach someone clinging to my side to my own children or disciples, but showing the sword once or twice should be fine.
"I don't know how much my sword will help the Zhongnan Sect, but that much isn't a difficult matter."
"Wh-what? I was just speaking off the cuff…"
"It's true. Of course, there is one condition."
"And what might that be?"
"Doesn't the Zhongnan Sect have a disciple named Jin Baek?"
"I know of him. He's the one who showed considerable promise during that sparring match before. Baek himself has trained diligently and improved by leaps and bounds since then… Surely not?"
"That's right. If you've mastered the sword I showed you to some degree, I'd like you to pass it on to Jin Baek as well."
"…You mean to say you're giving a martial art to the Zhongnan Sect itself, not to an individual?"
"Put that way, it sounds rather grand. How about this?"
With a soft chuckle, I repeated the words I'd heard long ago.
"Whatever you take from my sword, isn't that simply the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal's own ability?"
"Heh…"
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal, who had received his own past words thrown back at him, spoke with a voice mixed with gratitude and bewilderment.
"Just why would you go this far for me?"
"It's because I owe that brat Jin Baek a great debt."
"Hm? There was nothing connecting you to Baek-i since the Dragon Phoenix Gathering… Ah. Surely not?"
Perhaps it was because I was the one who had completed the Grand Ritual of the Bell together with him. The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal caught on to what I was trying to say right away.
That's right. This time around, Jin Baek was merely a diligent rising talent with a bit of aptitude.
Before the regression, Jin Baek was the sole survivor of the Zhongnan Sect, a dreamer who sought to restore the corrupted martial arts of Zhongnan, and a strange fellow who, claiming his own talent was insufficient, begged me to teach him the sword…
At the final moment. He said what the Central Plains needed was not him, but me—and though I came from the Unorthodox Sects despite my Orthodox background, he threw away his life for my sake.
It was long overdue, and though it came through the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal… it wouldn't hurt to teach him the sword even now.
After steadying my breath once, I drew my sword.
There was no need to swing it many times. After all, the Sword That Conquers the World was about pouring all my enlightenment into a single swing to claim the world.
I raised my internal energy, raised my Intent. From the broken hilt, a white Aura bloomed and took the shape of a blade.
Then I slowly swung the raised sword.
The trajectory itself was simple, but any Martial Artist on the level of the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal would have seen it.
The sword that had just been swung was an inevitable one — a strike that thoroughly sealed off every possible avenue of the opponent, leaving them unable to lift a hand or foot, with no choice but to offer their neck.
Seeing the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal blankly replaying the sword I had shown him, I quietly sheathed my blade.
Then, as if taking over the turn, the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal drew his sword.
As if possessed by something, or as if he could see something visible only to him, the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal began to swing his sword.
The first trajectory he traced was a vertical slash. He cut the exact same spot I had cut, but that alone could not claim the world. At best, it could only cover a portion of what lay directly ahead.
But the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal's sword did not end there.
As if he had grafted onto it the enlightenment of the Flowing Cloud Sword — Continuous and Uninterrupted, a flow that never broke — it naturally carried into the next strike.
The vertical slash flowed into a horizontal one, and then became a single thrust.
The moment one sword became three swords.
But even this was still not enough to subdue the entire world, so the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal's sword did not stop.
If three was insufficient, then repeating it over and over again would surely suffice.
And so, after repeating the three swords three times — nine swings in total — the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal was finally able to barely claim the space before him.
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal began to extend this not just to the front, but in all directions.
Three repeated became nine. Nine encircling all four directions became thirty-six.
And thus, what was impossible with a single sword, the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal realized with thirty-six swords linked as one.
He stared blankly at his own hand. At the single arm he had thought would never again be able to unleash his martial art at full power.
His method was completely different from mine, and the power of the result was worlds apart… but the essence was similar.
Realizing this, I couldn't help but smile. Once, I had stolen another's sword and rebirthed it as my own.
Now, my sword could serve as the seed of a new sword for someone else.
"Impressive. But since it has diverged greatly from my sword, I believe it needs a new name."
"A new name…"
"Yes. Do you have one in mind?"
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal, who had been lost in thought for a moment, raised his head with a refreshed smile.
"White Moon Sword Lord. The martial art you demonstrated—was it called the One Sword Under Heaven?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Then, the sword technique from earlier shall be named the Thirty-Six Swords Under Heaven."
"The Thirty-Six Swords Under Heaven… that sounds good."
As I nodded, the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal, who had returned his sword to its sheath, offered me a deep fist-and-palm salute.
"I thank you for your teachings."
"I, too, am grateful once again for the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal's assistance."
The many great and small helps I had received until now. And the fact that he had held back the remnants of the Demonic Cult at the cost of one arm.
Up until this very moment, the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal had been an indispensable person.
After bowing our heads for a long while, we raised them at the same time.
The impression of exhaustion and fatigue that had marked his face when we first met was gone, and the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal, now fully the image of a Taoist, spoke.
"Then I shall take my leave."
"Yes. Go safely."
And so the Zhongnan Sect departed from the procession and headed for Mount Zhongnan.
***
With the Zhongnan Sect gone, the procession had shrunk considerably. Even knowing they had simply returned to their own homes, the noticeable absence of their clamor brought an unexpected wave of loneliness.
As I was lost in such sentiment, Seomun Hwa-rin suddenly fell into step beside me.
"You there. What are you thinking about right now?"
"Nothing much. I was just thinking about taking on a disciple."
"A disciple? You've never shown any interest in that before."
"That's true."
"If you wanted someone to pass your martial arts to… I distinctly remember saying your own child would be more than enough, didn't I?"
Seomun Hwa-rin poked my side playfully as she said this.
"It's a little different. Of course, once the Seomun Clan's sword techniques are fully restored, I'll teach them to the child who will inherit the clan, and even if not, I'd gladly pass them on to anyone born with Sword Talent or who shows an interest in the sword. …It's just that I wanted to see one."
"What do you mean?"
"The lifelong Intent contained in my martial art. Seeing someone absorb all that Enlightenment and bloom it in their own way."
Of course, I'd teach it to my own child, and even if that child reached the same level as me, it would become a martial art of a slightly different form.
However, that alone isn't enough.
I don't know exactly what's lacking or how. Perhaps this, too, is something I'll have to ponder from now on.
Seomun Hwa-rin's eyes widened briefly at my words, and she rose onto her tiptoes.
Then, with a warm voice, she began to pat the back of my head.
"If that's how you think, taking on a disciple wouldn't be a bad idea. This one learned much while teaching you, so you would surely do the same."
Perhaps it was because these were the words of Seomun Hwa-rin, who had taught me all sorts of things—martial arts included—both before the regression and in this life.
Somehow, I felt a warmth in my chest. …For a moment, anyway.
"…Hold on. Isn't it true that Senior Seomun Hwa-rin taught me martial arts because she had ulterior motives?"
"I-I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Indeed. Only with that level of shamelessness could one become a panty thief."
"…?!"
Unable to bear the embarrassment, Seomun Hwa-rin began pounding my back with her fists.
But no amount of that would change the past.
Sigh.