As always, time doesn't care about my circumstances.
It moves so arbitrarily that I have to adapt to it.
In that sense, ten days was an incredibly short period.
I needed to make up for the insufficient training, and I had to write down the events to come, despite my poor memory.
I also had to endure the daily visits of Elder Yi and Goo Hee-bee.
The only moment of peace I could find was when I teased Wee Seol-a, who would sit next to me after finishing her household chores.
The way she made a face as if the world was ending when I stole her sweets was incredibly amusing.
‘Thinking about it, isn't this my money?’
While the others might have spent their own money to buy these things, most of it was mine.
To be precise, it was the Gu family's money, but it's all the same.
‘It's my money until I leave the family.’
I had thought about leaving the Gu family someday, but that was still a distant future.
At least I needed to eat all the food for the next five years.
Bang! Bang!
After finishing my training, I untied the sandbag.
I could tell it was incredibly heavy from the sound it made as it hit the ground.
"Still not enough."
Reaching the 4th level in just ten days was indeed impossible.
I was at the very end of the 3rd level, but the barrier was clear.
To wield destructive inner energy and move fluidly, my body needed to be solid.
In that sense, while the Gu family's secret martial arts were easy to learn, the cultivation method was extremely harsh.
The raging flames that spewed out consumed my inner energy fiercely.
To endure such brutality, my body needed to be strong.
Moreover, from my past life's experience, I knew the importance of external cultivation even more.
"...If I didn't know that, I wouldn't have been able to break through the 10th level."
The 10th level (滿成).
The pinnacle of the Gu Yan Hua Lun Gong.
Mastering, comprehending, and ultimately controlling the cultivation method.
It might be a phrase that sounds like "perfect unity," but since I never reached it, I don't know.
In my past life, the Demon Sword Empress had reached the realm of "body and sword as one."
In a way, her realm might have been higher than mine.
When asked about the feeling and enlightenment of that realm, she had replied:
"There's no feeling at all."
I didn't expect a clear explanation, so I wasn't disappointed.
'If I have to give it a meaning, it's a sense of transcending something.'
It's a vague sensation that's hard to compare.
This sensation will become clearer as one's realm rises and gets closer to it.
Right now, my realm is as insignificant as a mouse's droppings, so I can't feel it. The person in front of me, from the perspective of a martial artist, is far beyond that.
"I can drive a carriage like no one else, Young Master!"
"...No, we have a coachman, Mr. Yi."
Why is such a person... doing this?
I've always wondered...
******************
The promised ten days have passed.
It feels like I haven't had a proper rest, but it's the day to leave for the island where the Huashan Sect is located, as I discussed with my father.
Damn... going to Shu from Sichuan right after returning.
How long will this take? By the time I visit Huashan and return, it will probably be autumn.
"...How long do you think this will take?"
"It will probably take longer than you think, Young Master."
"Your words are harsh. Are you still upset?"
Since the last time I played with the silver coins, Wu Lian has been in a bad mood.
Of course, I didn't give him the money.
Oh, so that's why he's upset? I was planning to make up for it in this month's salary.
Putting Wu Lian aside for now, I shifted my gaze to the carriage being prepared for departure.
I could see items being neatly stacked inside the carriage.
Compared to the last time we went to Sichuan, it looked much more abundant.
Since it was a carriage sent directly by the family head, it was probably given more attention.
In the midst of this, I saw Wee Seol-a, carrying heavy items and struggling to move them.
She was carrying loads that would normally be carried by adult men without any difficulty.
'...Could she already have inner energy in her dantian?'
Otherwise, it's hard to explain her incredible strength.
Neigh.
The sound of a horse caught my attention.
While Wee Seol-a was moving the luggage, Jian Zun was communicating with the horse.
...How should I interpret this ridiculous situation?
'...Why are they coming along?'
When the schedule was set and not long after, I was surprised to hear that Jian Zun and Wee Seol-a would be going to Huashan with me.
Moreover, Jian Zun volunteered to be the coachman, saying he would drive the carriage.
I thought it was strange, so I looked for the original coachman.
He had finished the trip to Sichuan and was on leave with silver coins and a vacation.
Why now? The trip to Huashan was decided as soon as he returned.
'There's a fishy smell to this.'
There's a very subtle fishy smell, as if the family head had a hand in it.
And amidst these smells, I was walking into a whirlwind.
Is this right? It doesn't seem right.
"Brother."
It's Goo Hee-bee's voice.
Turning my head in the direction of the voice, I saw Goo Hee-bee holding a familiar bowl of dumplings.
"Why are you holding that?"
"Brother, you didn't eat again, did you?"
"No... I did eat some Wall-Breaking Pills."
"Brother, are you crazy? How can you survive eating that at your growing age?"
"As you can see, I'm doing fine, hmm!"
Before I could finish, Goo Hee-bee stuffed a dumpling into my mouth.
I wanted to spit it out immediately, but I couldn't spit out a dumpling.
I managed to chew and swallow it, and I drank the water Goo Hee-bee gave me.
"..."
After I swallowed, Goo Hee-bee smiled contentedly.
It made me even more annoyed.
"When are you leaving again, Sister?"
"Why? Do you want me to stay longer?"
"No, please leave quickly... Ouch!"
I quickly turned my head to avoid the punch that came flying at me.
What a crazy woman, swinging her fist right away!
"No! Talk, will you!"
"Anyway, I knew you'd avoid it! You have a bad habit of doing that."
With each shake of her hand, a bit of red qi burst out.
Wow, she even had qi in her fists?
Putting aside the shocking behavior, Goo Hee-bee smiled and said:
"Probably in about ten days, I'll leave too."
Ten days, so combined, it's almost a 20-day break. For a sword leader, it's an enormous vacation.
Is it because the long-term mission was tiring? Most of the Wu Jian team's missions are long-term, and this one was particularly difficult.
"When the break is over, where are you going next?"
"Oh, what what! Are you worried about me?"
It's annoying, should I not ask?
Goo Hee-bee chuckled at my reaction.
"I'll miss you."
Goo Hee-bee messed up my hair with her hand.
Every time she shook it, my hair moved, and I felt like I was seeing Elder Yi.
Of all people, why does she have to resemble that old man...
"This time, it will take a bit longer. I'm going to the Demon Region."
"The Demon Region?"
The Demon Region refers to an area where the Demon Region Gate is particularly active.
It's a region managed intensively by the Martial Arts Alliance, and it's agreed that sects affiliated with the righteous factions will send their sword teams to the Demon Region at the appropriate time.
This time, it seems the Gu family is sending the Wu Jian team.
"It will be tough for you."
"Isn't it exciting? They say there are so many demons... I'm already looking forward to it."
"....Enjoy yourself and come back safely."
It was a pointless worry... she's excited about it?
Hong Hua Guang Jian... she's indeed a terrifying woman.
While we were chatting, Wu Lian came over and relayed a message.
"Young Master, everything is ready."
"Are we leaving immediately?"
"Not immediately, but we'll leave in about an hour. Elder Yi said he has something to give you..."
"...What is he giving me now?"
Anything from that old man makes me uneasy.
It wouldn't be strange if he suddenly appeared and said, "Take this to the sect leader."
"Take this to the sect leader and come back."
But why is it really happening?
"...What did you say?"
I thought I heard wrong and asked again.
Elder Yi, who had appeared out of nowhere, repeated it as if it was nothing.
"Yeah...? Oh, give this to the sect leader..."
"No...! Hold on! I didn't ask for the sect leader's name."
"What, then why did you ask?"
Crazy, this guy called the Huashan Sect leader "fellow" in the middle of this? What kind of attitude is that...
"Anyway, when you go to Huashan, if Goo Lun comes looking for you, meet him and give him this."
"What is this, and why are you making me run an errand?"
"It's nothing much, just something I was supposed to give but forgot."
Elder Yi handed me an item wrapped in cloth, which seemed like nothing special.
As I kept touching it, feeling the good texture through the cloth, Elder Yi explained.
"It's called the Plum Blossom Chain Stone, one of the four treasures of Huashan."
Hearing Elder Yi's words, my hand, which was caressing the item, stopped on its own.
Moreover, I could hear Wu Lian, who was standing next to me, stifling a hiccup.
...What did I just hear? I must have heard wrong this time.