The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan

Cheongho bared her teeth.

Ruffling her fur was a physical reaction to make herself appear larger.

In other words, it’s an instinct that appears when a beast feels threatened.

Humans also possessed this habit; it’s the sensation of hair standing on end and goosebumps spreading all over the body.

“Grrrr…”

Cheongho growled softly.

Even on Dam Hyun’s white forearm, which was stroking Cheongho’s back, goosebumps had formed.

Dam Hyun was smiling, and the way he bared his teeth was remarkably similar to Cheongho.

“What is this?”

Among the second-generation disciples gathered here, Dam Hyun’s spiritual sensitivity was the sharpest.

It had always been so, but now it was even more pronounced.

It was a side effect of the Hundred Man Refined Great Technique.

When Yi-gang unblocked the Ren and Du meridians, Dam Hyun consumed his own Innate Qi to assist with Yi-gang’s great technique.

However, that wasn’t all Dam Hyun did.

He shared the pain and even used his own body as a test subject.

As a result, his lifespan was shortened, and his essence suffered damage, but he gained an unexpected reward.

His spiritual sensitivity had become sharper.

As Dam Hyun discharged the Qi that filled his body, he attained enlightenment of the void.

Thanks to this, his sorcery skills instantly leaped several levels.

He immediately sensed that there was something suspicious inside the box in front of him.

This was despite the fact that the box was perfectly sealed.

“Is it a Treasure? Or perhaps an artifact?”

“Hoho…”

The Forest Lord merely let out a laugh like that of an immortal.

It was a sign that he had no intention of answering.

No matter how perceptive Dam Hyun was, he couldn’t force an answer from the Forest Lord. He wasn’t the kind of person who could be pressured, to begin with.

“After delivering it to Yi-gang, you may open it.”

That was all Dam Hyun could be satisfied with.

Dam Hyun was assigned to manage the box. He placed it carefully in his robe.

Cheongho climbed onto Dam Hyun’s head and wagged her tail proudly.

“I will depart immediately tomorrow.”

“Have a safe journey.”

“Yes, Forest Lord!”

Jin Mu answered loyally.

As the second-generation disciples were about to depart—

“Um, Forest Lord,” Dam Hyun asked slyly, as if he had just remembered something.

“Hmm?”

“This feels like walking into a tiger’s mouth… quite a dangerous situation…”

His tone was light, as if he were requesting something trivial…

“I’d like to inspect a Treasure before we go.”

If he were an honor flower disciple, he could certainly do that.

However, the fact that he was asking the Forest Lord instead of Yu Jeong-shin meant the Treasure he wanted to take…

“Which one are you referring to?”

“Things that you usually keep buried in dust, when else would you take them out? Among the forbidden Treasure…”

Jin Mu tried to cover Dam Hyun’s mouth, but Dam Hyun deftly dodged.

“The Sulfur Lantern, the Silver Scale Armor, and the Sacred Martial Alarm Bell. Just those three, I’ll borrow them.”

“Hoho…”

It wasn’t just one; he was asking to take three forbidden Treasures.

Forest Lord smiled wryly.

Normally, such a request would be flatly refused…

“You can’t take three, but you may choose one to take with you.”

“…!”

Jin Mu and Jin Ri-yeon were astonished.

Even taking out just one forbidden Treasure was extremely dangerous.

It showed how seriously the Forest Lord was taking this mission.

“…Well, it can’t be helped, I suppose.”

Dam Hyun slumped his shoulders as if he were deeply disappointed and bowed.

Then, he trudged away, leaving first.

“Dam Hyun, you…!”

“We will take our leave, Forest Lord.”

The second-generation disciples thought Dam Hyun must have been disappointed and followed him.

But Dam Hyun was not disappointed.

‘Kekek.’

A twisted smile hung on the shadowed corner of Dam Hyun’s lips.

He never intended to take all three forbidden Treasures from the beginning.

The one he was targeting was only one of the three.

If he had asked for only that from the start, the Forest Lord might have refused.

Dam Hyun was satisfied with his strategic victory.

However, after Dam Hyun and his party had left, the Forest Lord also chuckled softly about something Dam Hyun did not know.

Yi-gang sent two letters.

One of the letters, which he did not show to the second-generation disciples, contained more intimate details.

“What a clever child.”

From the moment he accepted Yi-gang as a disciple of the Azure Forest, the Forest Lord sensed a great flow of destiny.

Although he was a mortal being trapped within the prison of the flesh, the Forest Lord was someone who could ascend if he desired.

While his current level wasn’t enough to confront the Unorthodox Union satisfactorily, he could clearly read the heavenly signs.

“The Heavenly Demon will soon appear in the world.”

The Forest Lord also knew about the secret of the Heavenly Demon.

He was as certain as Zhang Sanfeng that the Heavenly Demon would inevitably return to the world.

The fact that the spirit of the immortal Zhang Sanfeng was attached to Yi-gang was a small comfort.

May the young star called Yi-gang not lose its light in the face of the great waves of fate.

And may those who trust in him continue to be his strength until the very end.

That was what the Forest Lord hoped for.

And while the three second-generation disciples rode on horseback toward Beijing, Yi-gang was honing himself within the Forbidden City.

His routine had become stable.

As the Crown Prince’s teacher, he guarded and guided the Crown Prince and the Honorable County Princess, while refining his own martial arts.

It was not his role, but that of Seong Yeok-ju, to think about systematic methods to seize the Seven Great Immortals and the flow of power in the imperial palace.

Yi-gang only needed to become a sword that could think.

To be able to decide what to cut and cut it down without hesitation when the time came.

To do that, he first had to sharpen his own edge.

Today, as part of that effort, he was testing himself.

Yi-gang stood at the end of the training ground.

Under the high wall, he stood with his hands empty, not even holding a wooden sword.

His arms were relaxed and hanging loosely as if he had released all the strength from his body.

Opposite him, quite unexpectedly, the Crown Prince stood holding a bow.

Master Azure Sky and the Honorable County Princess watched with worried expressions.

Yi-gang spoke, “Your Highness, raise your bow.”

“…Ah.”

The Crown Prince quickly regained his composure and raised his bow, aiming at Yi-gang.

“Draw the bowstring.”

“Ugh.”

He aimed at Yi-gang and slowly pulled the bowstring.

Yi-gang watched the Crown Prince, whose hands were trembling, and pointed out, “You need to nock an arrow.”

“I-I know!”

The Crown Prince hastily pulled an arrow from the quiver and drew the bowstring again.

His fingers, clutching the arrow fletching, turned white and trembled.

Although he was aiming at Yi-gang, his eyes stung, and his focus kept wavering.

“Shoot at me.”

“…But…”

“Shoot. I was the one who told you to shoot.”

The Crown Prince felt his head grow hot.

Of course, as a member of the imperial family, he had shot arrows many times before.

If Master Azure Sky’s praise was to be believed, the Crown Prince had the qualities of a fairly good marksman.

However, he had never shot an arrow at a person before.

“If the arrow hits… you could die.”

He had once seen a guard die with an arrow lodged in his face.

Even if he found Yi-gang annoying, shooting an arrow at him was terrifying.

Yes, it was true—he was scared.

The arrowhead on this arrow was sharp enough to kill a person.

“I will not die from an arrow shot by Your Highness.”

“…”

“Are you scared of something as trivial as this? Are you afraid?”

But the mention of fear touched the Crown Prince’s pride.

Yi-gang even mocked him, “Haha, while I, who am being aimed at by the bow, am not afraid, it is the Crown Prince himself who is afraid… Didn’t you say you would protect Her Highness the County Princess?”

“Watch your words…”

“Can’t you shoot? Is that really the extent of it?”

“…”

“Then just give up. Enough.”

Yi-gang was clearly provoking the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince was completely falling for Yi-gang’s simple provocation.

Yi-gang threw his final taunt.

“Tsk… Well, I guess this is all you can do.”

The sound of his tongue clicking swept away the Crown Prince’s hesitation.

“…I can.”

“Pardon? I can’t hear what you’re saying.”

“I can shoot…! I can shoot!”

The pale fingers finally released the bowstring.

As the bent bow straightened, the string launched the arrow.

Shooong—

The assessment that the Crown Prince had the qualities of a skilled marksman was no exaggeration.

Even in such a situation, the arrow flew straight towards Yi-gang.

If one were truly a master, perhaps at the Supreme Peak, they could deflect the arrow barehanded.

In a prepared scenario like this, it might even be possible to catch the arrow.

However, Yi-gang’s choice was neither to deflect nor to catch the arrow.

He simply extended his right hand and calmly placed it in the arrow’s path.

At this rate, his palm would be pierced through.

At the moment Master Azure Sky noticed this, his eyes widened like lanterns.

「Now!」

Only Yi-gang could hear the shout from Zhang Sanfeng.

The arrow’s trajectory suddenly shifted right in front of Yi-gang’s palm.

As if an invisible hand had casually pushed the arrow aside.

Thwack!

The arrow veered to the right and struck the wall behind Yi-gang.

Yi-gang inspected his palm. The area between his thumb and index finger was slightly cut by the arrowhead, causing a bit of blood to flow.

It was clearly still an area that needed improvement.

However, Yi-gang was the only one who seemed disappointed.

「Impressive… truly impressive!」

Zhang Sanfeng’s expression was a mix of delight and astonishment.

「To think you managed to master the basics in less than a month. Even I didn’t expect such speed…」

One of the things Yi-gang had been practicing diligently over the past month was none other than the Telekinetic Sword Technique.

Yi-gang had never heard of anyone using the Telekinetic Sword Technique in the current Jianghu.

Not even among the Absolute masters.

However, Zhang Sanfeng had said that even for a Supreme Peak master like Yi-gang, it was possible, and today’s results seemed to prove him right.

“Well done, Your Highness.”

“Ugh, ugh…”

The Crown Prince’s legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

“I-I can’t believe someone can deflect an arrow with their hand…”

“It is possible if you diligently practice martial arts.”

“Then, one day, I too…”

The Crown Prince nodded firmly, as if he had made a resolution.

Of course, Yi-gang hadn’t actually deflected the arrow, and he didn’t mention that deflecting an arrow was not a level everyone could attain.

“I have been greatly enlightened!”

Only Master Azure Sky, who recognized what Yi-gang had truly accomplished, looked as if he was about to burst into tears.

“Could it really be Telekinetic…”

“Haha.”

Yi-gang laughed, as if to say not to speak it aloud.

Leaving Master Azure Sky, who quickly closed his mouth, behind, Yi-gang stepped away for a moment.

This was because Zhang Sanfeng was persistently urging him from the side.

「Everything has momentum. When you grasp a fragment of enlightenment, do not let it slip away!」

Yi-gang eventually headed to a secluded place.

「You have talent, Priest. As expected, my judgment was not wrong.」

Zhang Sanfeng wanted to teach Yi-gang the Telekinetic Sword Technique.

There were several reasons for this, but one of the key reasons was simply that Yi-gang “could do it.”

‘There might be more people like me who have a talent for the Telekinetic Sword Techniques than you think.’

「If you search the entirety of the Central Plains, there might be some. But what’s the use? There would be no one to teach them the telekinetic sword techniques.」

Zhang Sanfeng’s words were accurate.

No matter how much talent one had, it was useless if it could not be developed.

And according to Zhang Sanfeng, there wouldn’t be many people with the aptitude for it in the first place.

「How many swordsmen are familiar with spirit descent?」

Spirit descent was a term similar to possession.

Simply put, it is akin to saying someone is “possessed by a spirit.”

When asked what that had to do with the Telekinetic Sword Technique, Zhang Sanfeng replied:

「You know about the term ‘unity of body and sword’, right?」

‘Yes, I do.’

「Have you achieved the unity of body and sword, Priest?」

Unity of body and sword: It meant the body and the sword became one.

It referred to the state where the sword held in one’s hand moved exactly as one desired, like an extension of the arm.

Normally, Yi-gang would have nodded in agreement.

However, after reaching the Supreme Peak, he found it difficult to readily affirm this.

「Indeed, even if the body and the sword unite, truly uniting the spirit and the sword is a much more challenging state.」

Zhang Sanfeng was not referring to the body. The “spirit” he mentioned likely referred to the “spirit” from the Essence-Qi-Spirit.

「To imbue the sword in your hand with the swordsman’s spirit and soul — that is the essence of the Telekinetic Sword Technique.」

‘Is that why one must be accustomed to spirit descent?’

「Only those who have experienced having something transcendental inhabit their body can imbue their own spirit into the sword.」

Initially, Yi-gang doubted the necessity of the Telekinetic Sword Technique.

Why would one need to wield a sword from a distance when one could simply grasp and swing it?

But Zhang Sanfeng replied with confidence, 「That’s because you don’t understand the true essence of the Telekinetic Sword Technique, Priest.」

What would happen if one mastered the Telekinetic Sword Technique to its extreme?

「When the spirit fully resides in the sword, it will wield itself to strike down the opponent, demonstrating miraculous swordsmanship!」

‘How can an inanimate sword do such a thing?’

「Think of it as imparting a portion of your soul into the sword, which is a lifeless object.」

Yi-gang felt that this was somehow similar to the story of the Heavenly Demon, who was said to have split his soul.

Perhaps that was why Zhang Sanfeng misunderstood his reluctance as not wanting to learn.

Zhang Sanfeng added, 「Think about it—a sword wielding the same swordsmanship as you, but with no body holding it. You couldn’t simply cut it down, could you? How would you face such a sword?」

Yi-gang recalled the ways to deal with a swordsman.

Naturally, the thing to cut down was the person holding the sword.

Then how would you deal with a sword that had no wielder?

Thinking of a flying Shooting Star Fang with its own will, Yi-gang shuddered slightly.

「Shall we begin?」

‘Yes.’

Yi-gang could not deny the attraction he felt towards the Telekinetic Sword Technique.

‘Let’s give it a try.’