The half-collapsed house. And the Illusion Witch, who had just gotten up and was shaking off her body with a resentful expression.
I looked at her for a moment before opening my mouth.
"Since the house has collapsed anyway, we can leave right away."
"Wow, seriously…"
The Illusion Witch looked at me with an expression that said she was dying of injustice. I asked back, toward her.
"Seriously, what?"
"Y-yes, that's a truly wise decision. Let me just pack a few important things and we'll leave right away."
The Illusion Witch averted her gaze with a soft rustle and began rummaging through the wreckage of the collapsed house.
Watching this, the Twin Ghost Sword cautiously approached and asked.
"Lord White Moon Sword, Great Hero. Whatever the process, it seems this sparring trip has come to an end. Will you be returning right away?"
"That's right. There's no reason to wander around Zhejiang Province any longer."
"Understood. Once we reach the next village, I'll arrange for a carriage immediately."
As I was briefly discussing the next schedule with the Twin Ghost Sword, the Illusion Witch emerged from the rubble before long.
Dust clung to her clothes and hair, making her look even more disheveled, but several unfamiliar items had been added to her waist.
A sword with bells, a large bundle made up of several small jars, a stone resembling a turtle, a small jade bird, and so on.
She was literally loaded with odds and ends. But these weren't ordinary trinkets. Each and every one was an artifact imbued with considerable energy.
She probably used them to easily cast formations or sorcery. Jegal Bu had always carried all sorts of things tucked into his robes as well.
Since they were items I couldn't properly use myself, I didn't have much interest in them… but perhaps because I was a swordsman, I found myself curious about the sword with bells.
"Illusion Witch. I can see you've picked up some artifacts, but what's the function of that sword? If you, who don't use a sword, carry it around, it must not be an ordinary item."
"Ah, yes. It's nothing special, just a ceremonial sword. See? The edge isn't even sharpened, right? And the material isn't iron either—it's bronze."
Sreung.
The Illusion Witch drew the sword from its sheath and showed it to me. As she said, the blade had a bluish tint and no edge to speak of.
It was truly a decorative sword. Or rather, a ceremonial sword. After all, she said it was used for rituals.
"I have some knowledge I've picked up here and there about the other items, so I can guess how to use them, but I'm not sure about the sword. How do you use a sword that can't cut?"
"Hmm. Just sticking it in the ground or wearing it at your waist is enough to boost the power of my sorcery a bit."
"Oh? Is that even possible?"
"Why wouldn't it be? The White Moon Sword Lord can draw out Sword Force with his fingers, but it's stronger when drawn with a sword. It's that kind of feeling."
The Illusion Witch paused there, then continued with a slightly excited expression.
"Of course, it's versatile, but it's not particularly efficient. Martial arts and sorcery may share the same root, but in the end, they're paths that have diverged."
"Versatile, you say."
"The most common martial art is the sword art, isn't it?"
That was a fair point.
Of course, these days the Imperial Court had banned spears and bows, making swords seem more prevalent than before… but even in the past, sword-based martial arts had always been the most common.
"Among the Taoist sects, many use the sword. Is there a connection there, by any chance?"
"You know your stuff! Though the meaning has been lost today, Taoists originally trained to become immortals. So their martial arts prioritized embodying the principles of the world over practical combat… and to do that, they naturally favored the sword, which was also used in rituals, over a purely practical weapon."
"An interesting perspective."
Before the regression. Before I was even called the Blood Wolf. Among the things I'd seen while wandering the Central Plains was a ritual held by the Mount Hua Sect.
They'd pooled money in some village to commission a rite praying for a bountiful harvest.
Back then, no one recognized me, so I'd put on my most harmless expression, watch the ceremony, and even manage to score a free meal.
I distinctly remember that back then, the Taoist from Mount Hua Sect had performed a sword dance in addition to reciting mantras and making bows.
Perhaps that was a remnant of the era the Illusion Witch spoke of, when swords were used in rituals.
"By the way, Illusion Witch, your knowledge doesn't seem to be limited to sorcery."
"In the end, what I use is sorcery, not Taoist arts… but at that level, I'm far more Taoist-like than most Taoists. Mmm. Indeed, that's right."
The Illusion Witch puffed out her chest as if boasting. But soon, as if realizing something, she curled her body and began to sneak glances at me.
But I had already seen it. Something that bulged out from beneath her worn martial robes.
"…"
"…"
"Ah, no, that's not it!"
"I didn't say anything."
"Well, it's normal to dress comfortably when you're just lounging around at home alone!"
"I said I didn't say anything."
"You're the one who barged in without warning…!"
"Tsk."
"I—I almost said that."
The Illusion Witch, rolling her eyes this way and that, hastily pointed toward the distant sight of Hwajeon Village.
"Ugh. I'll just stop by Hwajeon Village for a moment and let them know I'm leaving. We did live as neighbors for several years, so I should at least say goodbye."
And with that, the Illusion Witch dashed off without even waiting for my answer.
I let out a deep sigh at how she was failing to act her age, albeit in a different way than Seomun Hwa-rin, when Tang So-wol quietly sidled up and whispered.
"By any chance… does young hero Cheon prefer the ones who don't wear anything?"
"What in the world is that horrible talk? Absolutely not."
I reflexively shook my head and immediately sent a Voice Transmission.
-But when we're alone, it's a different story.
-Oh my. I'll keep that in mind.
The playful banter with Tang So-wol lasted only a moment. The Illusion Witch returned with a calmer expression.
"Ah, right. There was something I wanted to ask, but I nearly forgot."
"Eek! What now…!"
"If we're to be partners in cooperation, then you should get something out of it too. I've promised each of the others their due. What do you want?"
"A reward…? I don't need anything like that, hehe."
"No. I need it."
The opponents in this sparring trip submitted to me because they ultimately felt the difference in power, but to properly command someone who has once bowed their head, appropriate compensation is necessary.
If I only threatened them, I'd get stabbed in the back before long. It's a well-known policy precisely because these Unorthodox Sects bastards will ram their heads against you and betray you if they're displeased.
Those who fail to uphold this end up staying in third-rate unorthodox sects, while those who keep their word and are blessed with luck can see their clan or sect endure for generations.
In reality, for the One-Blade Asura, it was money and fame. For the Lust Demon, it was a way for his former lover's daughter to live her own life without being manipulated by the Demonic Cult.
And for the Golden Wolf King, I had considered trade rights connecting the North Sea Ice Palace and the South Man Beast Palace through the Tang Clan… but in the end, what he received was a sword.
In any case, they all follow my words because they're crushed by my power, but they do receive fair compensation for it.
This is a principle that should apply equally to the Illusion Witch.
"So don't just flatter me half-heartedly. Think properly and speak."
"…"
At my words, the Illusion Witch pondered for a moment, then opened her mouth with an awkward expression—but her eyes were earnest.
"I want to live."
"You may not believe me, but I don't kill people carelessly. I only kill those who try to harm me or the people around me, those who have done plenty of things deserving death in their daily lives, and those who simply don't sit well with me."
"Isn't that quite a lot?! And that last part is basically saying you'll kill anyone you don't like…!"
Well, of course—before the one who caused trouble before the regression can cause trouble again, I have to do something about it.
It's just that persuasion is a hassle and takes too long, so I simply draw my sword first.
I couldn't very well say that out loud, so I could only shrug my shoulders.
The Illusion Witch, who had been trembling violently, soon regained a serious expression as I simply watched her without saying anything.
"Let me say it once more—I just want to live."
"I've heard this story before."
"I want to live a long, long life."
"Hm?"
The Illusion Witch, who said this, continued speaking with unfocused eyes, as if looking at something far away rather than at me.
"A person's lifespan is at most a hundred years, and even that is hard to fill. If you master martial arts and succeed in Bone-Exchange Rebirth, that's thirty more years. If you achieve Rejuvenation on top of that, you could live about thirty years beyond that."
"That seems long enough."
Even combining my life before the regression with now, I hadn't yet reached forty years. And yet she spoke of a hundred and sixty.
Wasn't that more than four times the time I had lived so far?
If things went wrong and I, like the Heavenly Demon, were not doomed to experience endless regressions, that span of time was far too vast to be called a single human lifetime.
But the Illusion Witch apparently had not spoken idly.
"No. That wouldn't be enough. I intend to live far longer than that… so that one day, I might see the end."
"The end?"
"Yes. The era when humans became immortals, achieved eternal youth, and became part of myth—that time has passed. And one day, the era when great martial artists and the footsteps they left behind are revered will also come to an end."
"You mean that thing about Natural Qi gradually dwindling."
"Exactly. Perhaps one day, a world of ordinary people will arrive. An era where no matter how hard you train your body, you couldn't overcome ten men."
"To me, that sounds like a dreadful era."
"But that's the world the heavens desire."
Having said that, the Illusion Witch quietly looked up at the sky.
A blue sky without a single cloud. Perhaps, up there, a star world we could never know was unfolding.
But now that that path had been severed, it held no meaning anyway.
"I'm just curious, that's all. About the end of an era. About the scenery those lofty ones envisioned."
"Hoh."
To be honest, that was a world I had no interest in whatsoever.
To me, the world under heaven was, in the end, merely the reach of my own hands. Matters of the distant future were none of my concern.
…But wouldn't it be fine to have at least one person like this in the world?
I was in the middle of such thoughts when the Illusion Witch's lips twisted into a sinister smirk.
"As a bonus, if I were the only one in that world who knew martial arts and sorcery, I would surely become the greatest under heaven and reign for a long, long time."
"What?"
So her true purpose was this all along? This is why I can't stand these Unorthodox Sects.
"Ah, didn't you say you knew something about my eyes as well?"
"Well… um. About that…"
"Stop stalling and just say it."
"At first, I thought it was the Heavenly Eye. One of the six supernatural powers spoken of in Buddhism."
"You make it sound like it isn't."
"Right. They say the Heavenly Eye can see not just the flow of qi, but even a person's emotions. But looking at the White Moon Sword Lord…"
"So you're saying you can't see that far."
"It's because I can't feel even a sliver of a Buddhist heart!"
"…"
"I-It's true! Don't look at me with those eyes that seem to be deciding where to cut first!"
Ignoring the indignant Illusion Witch, I took a moment to gather my thoughts.
So the Illusion Witch had nothing she truly needed other than a long life. As for my eyes, I had no choice but to wait for the materials Namgung Dowi would send later.
"Alright. It's decided."
"You're suddenly making me nervous… Decided what?"
"Illusion Witch, you'll be working for me without pay."
"…?"
"Don't worry. I'll provide you with food, clothing, and shelter. Safety too, as a bonus."
"…"
The Illusion Witch stared at me as if I were some street thug, but what could she do about it?
It was she herself who, when asked how much she wanted, had replied that simply living a long life would be enough.
***
I arrived at the Black Alliance with the Illusion Witch in tow.
I hadn't expected the rumors to have grown this exaggerated in the meantime.
"The White Moon Sword Lord has returned to fight a life-and-death duel with the Twin Blade Spear King over the position of Lord of the Black Alliance!"
"Are you insane."
That's not it.