The Zhongnan Sect Leader's impression was quite different from what I had expected.
The current Sect Leader was known by the alias Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal, and was one of the few Harmony Realm martial artists in the Central Plains.
In the end, he would meet his end at the hands of the Heavenly Demon, but until then, he was one of the absolute masters that no one could easily challenge.
I had thought he would surely exude an aura befitting that reputation.
"Third Elder. You've brought us work again?"
"Heh heh. I did nothing this time. If anything, the work came rolling to me on its own."
"Hoo…"
He let out a deep sigh, a man somewhere between middle age and old age.
His hair was half gray, but beneath his eyes lay dark shadows that contrasted sharply with it.
For someone leading a massive sect like the Zhongnan Sect, he looked far too shabby and weary.
He felt less like a martial artist and more like a scholar. A poor scholar who had stumbled into the wrong department, perhaps.
In this vast Central Plains, encountering a martial artist who had reached the lofty Harmony Realm was no easy feat.
But whether by good luck or bad, I had met quite a few absolute masters.
Tang So-wol, the Poison Lady before her regression, the Poison King Tang Jincheon, the Iron Blood Faction Leader Seomun Hwa-rin, and even the Lord of the Black Alliance.
Setting aside any sense of familiarity, each of them had made me feel an immeasurable gap between us.
Would you believe me if I said that every single action they took carried the traces of the martial arts they had perfected?
That was precisely why the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal before me was all the more astonishing. Just how much abuse would you have to heap on a master who could fight for days on end without rest to reduce them to such a state?
Having her closest blood relative be a Harmony Realm martial artist, Tang So-wol had seen and heard quite a lot, and even she seemed a bit surprised, her eyes wide open.
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal, for his part, acted as if this were nothing unusual, offering us a faint smile as he spoke.
"I do apologize for this. I've had so many things weighing on my mind lately that I'm afraid I'm not fit to be seen. …Though I suppose that's a matter of pot calling the kettle black."
"Ah! It's an honor to meet you, Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal. I am Tang So-wol of the Tang Clan."
"I know. I was informed beforehand, and besides, you look just like your mother did in her youth."
"You knew my mother?"
"A long time ago. Back when Jincheon was still called Dongnyong, he and I traveled the martial world together. I saw you a few times then."
"Ah."
Tang So-wol wore a blank expression, caught off guard by the unexpected story about her parents. The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal looked at her with a pleased smile and nodded.
"I heard there was an incident on your first journey into the martial world, so I was worried. But it seems things were resolved well enough for you to come out here again. I'll give you a good room—stay as long as you like, take your time, and look around at your leisure."
"I'm grateful for your words, but I stand here now for a different matter."
"A different matter, you say?"
Tang So-wol gestured to the party behind her and continued.
"First, this is my betrothed, and the Vice-Captain of the Poison Blood Squad, who serves as our escort."
"My name is Cheon Hwi."
"We pay our respects to the Sect Leader of Zhongnan."
"I can understand the escort, given what happened the other day, but a betrothed?!"
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal was taken aback, but Tang So-wol's words were not yet finished.
"And this one is the absolute master, Gwiyeong Sin-tu."
"…What did you just say? Are you talking about that Gwiyeong Sin-tu?"
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal's eyes went wide as he stared at the Third Elder, Jeon Il-bi, who stood behind Gwiyeong Sin-tu in a posture that made it unclear whether he was supporting him or restraining him.
In response to that unspoken question, Jeon Il-bi nodded.
"That's right. The Sect Leader at the time was young, so you may not remember, but he was the thief who stole the scabbard of the Flowing Cloud Sword."
"I didn't know the exact details, but I do recall there was quite a commotion. After I ascended to the position of Sect Leader, I saw it in the records. …However, isn't that matter already settled?"
"Considering the fact that he stole only the scabbard and not the sword itself, and that he left behind the lost martial arts of Quanzhen in its place, the previous Sect Leader decided not to hold Gwiyeong Sin-tu accountable."
"Then I understand well that even if you were to bring Gwiyeong Sin-tu here now, punishing him would go against the principles of righteousness."
"Of course. The reason I am holding onto Gwiyeong Sin-tu here is merely due to a connection from the past, so Sect Leader, please lend your ear not to me, but to the stories of these children."
"Hoo."
With a sound that could be either a sigh or a gasp, the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal turned his gaze back toward us. Tang So-wol opened her mouth to address him.
"I will explain from the beginning. What happened was…"
Tang So-wol continued her explanation in a calm voice, covering the masterminds behind the ambush she had learned of through Haomun, the hideout of Gwiyeong Sin-tu she had discovered by chance on Mount Daemang, and the stories she had heard there. Finally, she spoke of the Demonic Cult's elixir that the Slaughter Ghosts had consumed. As a bonus, she even showed the Mapokdan and the Spiritual Medicine that Gwiyeong Sin-tu had stolen from the Demonic Cult.
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal's expression, which had seemed somewhat languid at first, began to harden as the story went on.
At the same time, the pressure grew heavier. The Aura that had seemed barely present was slowly swelling in size.
Of course, it wasn't directed at us. The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal had furrowed his brow ever since hearing that the Demonic Cult had ground people up to make elixirs.
The sharp atmosphere emanating from the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal now made me realize something. He wasn't hiding his realm, nor was he inferior to other Harmony Realm martial artists.
He was simply a man who, like a patch of drifting cloud, seemed harmless at ordinary times, yet could sharpen himself into a storm-laden Dark Cloud at any moment.
That very changeability was the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal's Enlightenment, and the martial art of Zhongnan that he had embodied over a lifetime.
What flashed through my mind was the sword inscription carved on the plaque. The being who had manifested that with his very body was none other than the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal before my eyes.
What kind of sword would a martial artist who naturally carries such an aura wield? How far could my sword hold against it?
I tried to match it against the martial arts I had seen the Zhongnan Sect survivors use before my regression, turning it over in my mind this way and that, but I couldn't get a real feel for it.
This wasn't about competitive pride. If anything, it was closer to pure curiosity.
Wasn't it only natural to be curious about a sword I had never seen, never even imagined?
At first, I had only planned to find some Spiritual Medicine and quickly reclaim the martial level of my previous life—I hadn't held much expectation for stopping by the Zhongnan Sect or Mount Hua Sect at all.
That was only natural, since the Zhongnan and Mount Hua martial artists I had seen were nothing remarkable—barely surviving survivors of a Clan Extermination.
But now. Having seen the Zhongnan Sect in such a complete state, my thoughts had shifted a little.
I had often marveled at the Tang Clan too, but… perhaps it was because this was a sword sect that felt far more familiar to me.
I could see more now. If I hadn't understood the sword techniques on that plaque just now, I would have merely noted the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal's impressive Aura control and moved on.
In the Unorthodox Sects, drawing a blade meant a life-and-death duel, but I'd heard that in the Orthodox Sects, rising talents from different sects often engaged in sparring bouts with one another.
There was even something called the Dragon Phoenix Gathering—a large-scale sparring tournament hosted by the Murim Alliance.
Given the situation, that wasn't possible now, but if things had gone according to my original plan—if I had visited Zhongnan and Mount Hua without any trouble—
Then perhaps I would have had the chance to observe the martial arts of the two sects famous for their swords.
Of course, since it would be rising talents facing each other, there wouldn't be anything extraordinary… but I could have at least caught a glimpse of their foundations.
What they pursued, how they had developed their swords. Knowing even that much would have been a great help.
"Ah."
Only then did I realize it. Before my regression, I had almost never properly encountered the sword arts of the prestigious Orthodox Sects.
Most of the famous sword sects belonged to the Orthodox Sects, and all of them had been wiped out by the Heavenly Demon's hand.
There were those who barely survived and carried on their martial arts, but… their swords, stained with vengeance and resignation, had drifted far from their original intent.
Above all, a sword brimming with killing intent was one I knew all too well.
That was why an intact orthodox sword technique felt so new to me.
I gave a small nod, but only for a moment. I suddenly realized that the gazes around me were all fixed on me.
An awkward silence hung in the air. The first to break it was Gwiyeong Sin-tu, grinning as ever.
"Heh heh. Il-bi, you rascal. Didn't I tell you? That kid from the plaque recognized the sword technique of the plaque."
"Isn't that different from this? How many people do you think could connect the two based on Aura alone?"
"Hard to say. Though there is one right in front of us."
I could tell how I must have looked from Gwiyeong Sin-tu's snickering.
I bowed my head toward the Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal.
"My apologies."
"Hm? Ah, no need. The plaque is hung for all to see, and the Aura was revealed because I failed to conceal my killing intent. Whatever you take from those two is your own ability, young hero—not something for me to interfere with. …Still, I am curious. Did you have some Enlightenment?"
"Nothing so grand. I merely reminded myself that there are many swords I do not yet know."
"There are things that begin with knowing what you do not know. My offer from earlier still stands. Zhongnan will protect you from Assassin Valley until the Tang Clan's escort arrives, so stay at ease and look around at your leisure. Is it not a young person's privilege to grow by broadening one's horizons?"
"…Thank you."
"Thank me? No need. As an elder of the martial world, it's only what I should do. In truth, I have a favor to ask of you as well."
"A favor, you say…"
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal cleared his throat once before speaking slowly.
"If Zhongnan's martial arts were something new to you, young hero, then wouldn't the reverse also hold true for Zhongnan's disciples? If you don't mind, would you be willing to engage in a friendly sparring match while you stay with us?"
"That's no trouble at all. In fact, I'd welcome the opportunity."
"Excellent. Rest well for a few days, then come to the training ground whenever you're comfortable. I'll let everyone know in advance, so any time will do."
"I will. Thank you for your consideration."
"I fear I've kept a weary man too long. I'll have someone see you to your quarters, so please rest. Ah, Gwiyeong Sin-tu, would you remain for a moment?"
"…I'm tired too, you know. And old, at that."
"It won't take long. I merely wish to hear a little of your account of facing the Demonic Cult Leader directly."
"If that's all, then I suppose I have no choice."
Gwiyeong Sin-tu grumbled, yet nodded. Third Elder let out a deep sigh at the sight of him, dragged a chair over from nearby, and carefully seated him.
That side seemed busy with its own affairs. Then we should tend to ours.
I asked boldly of the nameless Zhongnan disciple who led the way.
"Does the Zhongnan Sect serve meat dishes?"
I knew that Taoists, unlike Buddhists, did not forbid meat entirely, but they did advocate moderation in rich foods.
That was why I had asked, but somehow Tang So-wol covered her face with her hand as if she were too embarrassed to look at me.
"Hah. Where's the person who said a grain-avoidance pill was enough for meals?"
"Who was it that taught me the joy of eating, if not you, Tang So-wol?"
Besides, this body of mine is still growing, so I need to eat well.
In the end, if I couldn't obtain a Spiritual Medicine, then I should at least eat well and rest well, shouldn't I?