Chapter 39
‘Oh, come on, it’s not like I had a choice. My body just moved on its own.’
Realizing the atmosphere had turned strange, Unyeong blamed herself.
But it really had been unavoidable. At present, Unyeong had regained part of the senses once possessed by the Sword Demon.
Her internal energy and body were still pathetically weak, but her senses had reached the level of a master—leaving her badly unbalanced.
‘If there’s danger, of course my instincts will react. What, am I supposed to just let a snake bite me?’
She continued her self-justification.
‘It’s fine. It’s fine. If they saw it, well… what can they do? Ask me if I’m a master? What then?’
Having fully convinced herself, Unyeong set off again with a lighter heart.
But someone else had different ideas.
“It seems Lady Seol’s martial attainment is by no means shallow.”
Of course, it had to be someone who made things difficult for her. Unyeong’s neck creaked slowly as she turned toward the voice.
“Uh… uhh.”
Zegal Dam looked at her with a lifted corner of his mouth.
“I heard you only began practicing martial arts not long ago.”
Why again? Things had been going so well.
Unyeong’s expression twisted.
‘We’re supposed to be looking for the Murim Secret Records together. Right? Going to see the natural formation together. Right? You could just let it slide, couldn’t you? Why’s this guy so picky? Sheesh.’
When Unyeong, flustered, couldn’t answer, Seol Dojin spoke up instead.
“It’s true that Yeong-a only began martial arts training recently.”
“I see.”
“But it’s also true that her natural talent is exceptional. The head instructor who’s been teaching her praises her endlessly every day.”
Perhaps caught up in the moment, Seol Dojin kept boasting about his younger sister.
“And we’re actually looking for a martial instructor for Yeong-a.”
“Is that so?”
“If you happen to know a good teacher, we’d appreciate a recommendation. As young masters of one of the Five Great Houses, I’m sure you know many excellent instructors.”
“I’ll consider it.”
“Thank you.”
Unyeong sighed quietly as she listened to Seol Dojin and Zegal Dam’s exchange.
She knew her brother cared for her, but he seemed to be turning into a complete doting fool.
‘Well, at least that passed without incident.’
But perhaps it was too soon to relax.
“So it really was as I thought.”
Namgung Hwi nodded knowingly.
“It seems your eye for martial skill truly is remarkable, lady.”
It wasn’t exactly a misunderstanding, but it was also not something that should be brought up right now.
“What happened?”
“No, nothing, brother.”
When Zegal Dam asked, Namgung Hwi only shook his head.
It was obvious to anyone that something had happened, especially with the tips of Namgung Hwi’s ears turning red for some reason.
“Well. If you say so, then so be it.”
Zegal Dam didn’t press further but gave Unyeong a curious look.
‘Just keep walking, you smartypants. My face is going to end up with holes.’
Avoiding his gaze, Unyeong quickened her pace. The others followed suit.
After climbing for some time—
“Yeong-a, aren’t you going too fast?”
Worried, Seol Dojin asked cautiously.
“…Huff… I’m… fine, brother. I’m not… tired at all.”
Panting, Unyeong forced herself to speak. With both her stamina and internal energy lacking, she was bound to get worn out.
“Maybe… I’m just… naturally suited for mountains. Huff, huff. I should come more often.”
“Still…”
Even though it was obvious she was struggling, Unyeong didn’t slow down.
“My lady.”
“Yes?”
“It’s not that way. This way.”
Zegal Dam’s mouth twitched as he pointed in the opposite direction.
“…Yesss, young master.”
Grinding her teeth, Unyeong turned.
“We’re nearly there. Just a little more.”
“Yes.”
Was it possible for “hang in there” to sound so infuriating? Unyeong shook her head.
“Here we are.”
After leading them for a while longer, Zegal Dam stopped. They stood before a small valley about halfway up the mountain.
Unyeong glanced around.
“Here…?”
A small stream ran through the ravine, surrounded by thick forest. On the far side of the stream was a sheer cliff face of massive rock.
At first glance, there was nothing special about the place. Unyeong followed Zegal Dam’s gaze.
From a gap in the cliff’s rocks, a tree was growing—a common enough sight on this mountain.
The sound of water, birds, and insects filled the air, the natural chorus of the mountain.
“Over there. Behind that protruding rock in the middle lies the illusion.”
Zegal Dam’s voice broke through the forest sounds.
Someone drew a sharp breath.
They had been told they were looking for a natural formation, but the surprise was understandable.
“Brother, is that true?”
“Yes, it’s true.”
Namgung Hwi stared at the cliff in disbelief.
“Escort Nam, do you see anything?”
“I see nothing at all. Remarkable.”
Even asking his escort—whose martial skill was higher than his own—yielded the same answer. The man also looked astonished.
A martial artist might be even more shocked. They possessed sharper senses than ordinary people, so the idea that their vision had been deceived was hard to accept.
“Yes, I see.”
Unyeong nodded calmly. Even with her heightened senses, she couldn’t pierce the formation.
But she trusted Zegal Dam’s intuition.
“Then, shall we all take a look?”
She glanced around the group with a bright voice. Perhaps because someone had taken the lead, everyone nodded.
“Alright then, brother—please carry me. I don’t think I can cross that stream.”
“Uh? Oh… sure.”
Snapping out of his daze, Seol Dojin crouched and offered his back. Once Unyeong climbed on, he rose with ease.
“Let’s go.”
Seol Dojin strode down into the valley, the others leaping down after him.
They crossed the stream and stood before the rock Zegal Dam had indicated. The protruding stone at the cliff’s base was broad and flat.
“What now?”
Still carrying Unyeong, Seol Dojin asked.
“You should probably set the young lady down.”
But Seol Dojin didn’t.
“Is there danger for Yeong-a?”
“I don’t believe so.”
“Then why her?”
Zegal Dam couldn’t explain his intuition to others. In the past, he had simply avoided situations where he would have to explain.
He thought differently from most people. Where others worked step-by-step from one to ten, Zegal Dam would skip the middle entirely and jump straight to the result. His thought process often resembled pure instinct.
Likewise, his sense that the master of this natural formation would grant Unyeong the “life gate” was almost entirely intuition.
The formation’s aura and the energy he sensed from Unyeong felt similar. But not knowing exactly why was frustrating.
“I can’t explain it. I just have a strong feeling it will work.”
“Then you can’t say there’s no danger—”
Seol Dojin broke off when Unyeong tapped his shoulder.
“Brother, put me down.”
“Yeong-a… are you sure?”
“It’s fine. I’m the one who wanted to come. It’s not Young Master Zegal’s responsibility.”
“…Alright. If that’s how you feel.”
Reluctantly, Seol Dojin set her down. Namgung Hwi also gave her a worried look.
“Young master, please show me the way in.”
“Yes, my lady. First, you’ll need to get up on the rock.”
“Yes.”
With Seol Dojin’s help, Unyeong climbed onto the rock. The others followed.
“Just in case, everyone else should try touching the cliff.”
At Zegal Dam’s words, they all placed their hands on it.
“Brother, this doesn’t feel like rock—it’s pushing me away.”
“Yes, same for me.”
Namgung Hwi spoke, and the others agreed.
Zegal Dam looked to Unyeong. She nodded and reached out to touch the cliff.
To the eye, it was clearly solid rock—but it definitely wasn’t.
‘There’s no way this is stone. It’s pure energy…’
She could feel it inside—a strange yet familiar force flowing out.
Closing her eyes, Unyeong silently recited the Harmony Formula and stirred her inner energy. Through her fingertips, the force entered her body. Though it was natural energy, it merged effortlessly with her own.
The group held their breath, watching.
Every person here was a martial artist.
Though invisible, they could sense the movement of energy.
More and more of it poured into Unyeong, then flowed back into the rock.
It was circulating energy work performed unconsciously.
‘…Poison. So that’s what it is.’
Realizing the true nature of the formation’s energy, Unyeong’s lips curved upward.
She opened her eyes and slowly pushed her hand forward. It seemed to sink into the rock itself.
“Found it.”
In the hush, her voice rang out.
