A sobbing voice, blurry vision, and a cold season contrasted with the warm sunlight.
This was a memory from her childhood.
The days when she wandered through the forest near her home.
She took small steps, walking slowly.
She was the seeker.
She had said that hiding alone was scary, so she preferred to be the seeker.
Her brother had said he was confident in hiding and not to worry.
[Brother... where are you?]
She moved forward, touching the trees.
Her brother, contrary to his words, was not good at hiding.
He always gave himself away somehow.
This time, too, his clothes were slightly visible behind a distant tree trunk.
Her teary eyes quickly brightened.
Her slow steps quickened.
She found him!
She leaned in to surprise him with a shout.
[Oh...?]
But contrary to her expectations, her brother was not there.
Only his outer coat remained.
[Brother, where did you go...]
[Boo!]
[Ahhhh!]
She screamed and fell to the ground, startled by the surprise from behind.
She was so shocked that tears welled up in her eyes.
Turning around, she saw her brother laughing.
Though he had fierce eyes, his face was kind when he smiled.
[Scared you, didn't I?]
[You... really scared me...]
[I knew this would work.]
His proud smile was annoying.
So annoying that she tapped his shoulder with her hand.
It didn't seem to hurt him, and he continued to laugh.
After laughing for a while, her brother held out his hand as if inviting her to get up.
She pouted and took his hand, standing up.
[Let's go back now; Mother is waiting.]
[Already...?]
[Yes, if we're any later, she might get angry.]
That was unlikely.
They had never seen their mother get angry.
But she nodded, acknowledging his words.
His hand was warm.
The outer coat he had taken off to surprise her was now on her shoulders.
Because it was cold.
The season was cold, but they could endure it together.
[...Yeonseon-ssi was mean to me again.]
[Your sister?]
[Yes... she just glared at me and said, 'Mom is our mom, not yours.']
[I see.]
Her brother stroked her head.
The touch of his hand made her heart melt.
[Your sister is family, so she might have said that.]
[...Yes.]
Her brother's gentle gaze always held warmth.
She liked that.
She disliked her father's cold gaze, but her brother and mother's warm looks made her feel good.
That was enough.
Guleunghwa thought that back then.
[What do you want to eat today?]
[Linghua wants fish!]
[Okay? Let's go tell her.]
[Yes!]
As they walked together, the residence gradually came into view.
The lights were on, and from a distance, they could see their mother waving.
[Mom!]
Guleunghwa waved back with all her might.
She ran over and hugged her mother's warm embrace.
Although her mother's hands were cold from waiting outside for a long time, it was still good.
Her mother then stroked her brother's head as he approached.
Despite the cold season, Guleunghwa felt warmth.
This was enough.
Living like this would make her happy.
It was a small dream she had as a child.
But, perhaps the heavens didn't like that.
Seven days later.
Everything fell apart, and Guleunghwa's life plummeted into darkness.
******************
Huashan holds the Dihua Zhan (第華戰) every late summer, gathering disciples for a competition.
Though it's a simple martial arts contest where disciples gather to spar, it serves as a valuable platform for selecting the Plum Blossom Swordswoman.
Participation is mandatory for all first-generation disciples except the Plum Blossom Swordswoman, while third-generation disciples can apply.
Given that Guleunghua was a first-generation disciple under the Sword Empress, she was required to participate. However, due to her circumstances, the first-generation disciples and elders agreed that she could either skip it or participate among the third-generation disciples.
Guleunghua refused.
She didn't want to participate among the third-generation disciples and believed she shouldn't back down for the honor of the Sword Empress.
Whish! Whish!
The wooden sword in her hand felt heavy as she swung it.
The sword she had swung endlessly since entering Huashan.
Though she couldn't perform the Plum Blossom Sword Technique due to her lack of skill, Huashan's sword techniques were not limited to that.
She was impatient.
Even she thought she was too impatient now.
On the contrary, her master told her not to be impatient, saying she would shine in the future despite her young age.
But...
Even if her efforts were recognized and she shone,
Would it mean anything without her master by her side?
Guleunghua bit her lip.
Shen Yi had said there wasn't much time left this year.
It would take a long time for her sword to bloom with a plum blossom.
Still, she wanted to show her master the plum blossom blooming from her sword.
‘If I had talent like that person...’
One of the youngest third-generation disciples.
Simultaneously, a Plum Blossom Swordswoman and the most talented disciple of Huashan.
Jianlong (劍龍) Yingfeng.
If she had his talent, perhaps her master's worries would lessen.
Guleunghua secretly envied and resented Yingfeng.
Knowing she couldn't be like him, her narrow-mindedness refused to let go.
Perhaps because of this,
Her sword didn't feel right today.
“...Sigh.”
Her palms ached from the continuous swinging.
Despite the pain, Guleunghua intended to keep swinging.
Her master couldn't teach her now.
So, she had to fill the gap on her own.
“...Annoying.”
Her mind was in disarray due to her impatience, and nothing was going right.
Perhaps it was because of what she saw in the morning. It felt even more so today.
Ouyang Qian entangled with an unknown woman.
The sight of her blood relative after a long time seemed incredibly lazy.
The brother Guleunghua remembered was already dead.
From the moment her mother disappeared, her brother was dead.
At least to Guleunghua.
The boy who held warmth within his ferocity was burned to death by the heat of the Gu family.
All that remained in the ashes was a malevolent spirit.
“I had some... some hope.”
Ouyang Qian was different when she saw him again.
Not like his old self, but different from his recent appearance.
At least, the chilling emotions in his eyes seemed to have vanished.
Perhaps she had unknowingly harbored hope.
That he might return to his old self.
Such a silly thought.
“There was no way.”
After giving up and fleeing from fear and discomfort, she still couldn't let go.
As distracting thoughts crept in, Guleunghua swung her sword again to shake them off.
Today, the scholars didn't come to the mountain training ground.
It was probably a day for group training.
Guleunghua thought it was better this way.
Holding a sword amidst discomfort was the easiest thing.
Just as she was about to perform a form,
Whoosh.
Her movements halted at the sound carried by the wind.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of a sword being swung.
But something was different.
Unlike the strict rules of Huashan's sword techniques before the plum blossom bloomed, this sound was different from the regular movements.
Moreover, the tingling sensation brushing her shoulder was strange.
Guleunghua moved towards the source of the sound. What if it was a scholar?
This thought flashed through her mind, but she couldn't stop.
As she approached,
Whoosh!
A fierce sword wind made her hair flutter.
‘...What is this?’
Her first impression was of beauty.
The white hair fluttering with the intense movements and the blue eyes fixed on the sword tip were breathtaking.
The steps taken for the sword form were light, but Guleunghua could feel the weight they supported.
Rhythm (節度).
Why did she feel this from such an irregular sword form?
Guleunghua couldn't understand.
Was it something she couldn't see? Was the woman's martial arts so advanced?
Complex thoughts swirled in her mind, but her eyes remained fixed on the woman's sword dance.
How could she move so gracefully?
What was the woman thinking as she swung her sword?
Would she ever be able to swing her sword like that?
Guleunghua listened to her pounding heart.
Despite the excessive focus, she felt she would gain something by watching this sword form to the end.
As the woman took a half-step and drew her sword horizontally,
“...Hm.”
The woman stopped her movements without finishing the form.
Guleunghua felt a deep sense of loss and thirst from the unfinished sword tip.
If she had seen a little more, she might have gained something.
But, there was a bigger problem.
She had watched someone's training without permission.
Worse, she had tried to gain insight from it.
Though she was drawn in like a trance, there was no excuse.
Perhaps she could claim that an outsider was practicing sword techniques at Huashan's training ground?
While Guleunghua was thinking of a way out, the woman's gaze fell on her.
“...Huh?”
Looking into her eyes, she recognized the face.
The snow-white skin matching her hair color and the blue eyes.
The absurdly beautiful appearance that seemed more alluring than dirty despite being drenched in sweat.
A beauty that could make even another woman catch her breath... She was one of the women entangled with Ouyang Qian.
‘...A martial artist?’
Perhaps because of the situation, she hadn't seen her clearly before, but to think she was such a skilled martial artist...
Sweat formed on her forehead as she met the woman's blue eyes.
The woman's expression was empty and emotionless, making it impossible to read her thoughts.
She tilted her head once, looking at Guleunghua's face, then nodded once, looking at her wooden sword.
What is it?
Guleunghua tensed, fearing a scolding for watching someone's training.
But the woman's words were unexpected.
“...Sparring...”
“Pardon?”
“...Do you want to?”
Guleunghua frowned, thinking she must have misheard.
******************
Thus, after many twists and turns, the present.
Fortunately, Guleunghua wasn't blamed or scolded for watching the training.
The woman didn't seem to care about that.
It was a strange situation for a martial artist.
How could she not care...?
Guleunghua was naturally flustered by the sudden sparring invitation.
She wondered if the woman was trying to teach her a lesson, but it didn't seem so.
Since such an opportunity was rare, Guleunghua accepted the invitation after a brief hesitation.
The sparring began.
Despite clinging to her opponent desperately, Guleunghua's sword didn't even touch Nangong Bia's collar.
Her body was covered in dirt from rolling on the ground, and her energy was drained from continuous, aggressive movements, causing her to shiver.
Guleunghua looked up at Nangong Bia with tired eyes and thought,
‘...Why can't I even touch her once?’
The constant close calls made her suspect that Nangong Bia was deliberately giving her space.
‘...Why?’
A lesson? Could she be trying to teach me something?
If so, why...?
After catching her breath, Guleunghua managed to stand up.
Nangong Bia, who had been waiting quietly, didn't seem out of breath.
She looked a bit bored.
At this level, she could probably spar with any first-generation disciple without issues.
Guleunghua couldn't tell her exact age, but she was likely in her early twenties.
Around the same age as Yingfeng. Indeed, there were so many talented people in the world.
The jealousy gnawing at her heart deepened.
After these thoughts, Guleunghua spoke to Nangong Bia.
“...We saw each other this morning.”
“...?”
“What's your relationship with that man?”
Guleunghua's question seemed to surprise Nangong Bia, as a crack appeared in her expressionless face.
Her eyes widened slightly, and one eyebrow furrowed.
What should she say? After a moment's thought, Nangong Bia spoke.
“Engaged...”
“...You shouldn't be with someone like him.”
“...Huh?”
“I don't know your situation, but I feel sorry for you... to be with someone so lazy, who doesn't try, has a bad temper, and is ugly... It's a waste.”
“...”
“So, you should...”
Guleunghua stopped mid-sentence.
The atmosphere had changed.
Nangong Bia still maintained her expressionless face, but something was different.
Thud.
As she took a step forward, Guleunghua immediately raised her sword.
‘...What is it?’
Something was different, but she couldn't pinpoint what.
Looking at the woman, Guleunghua saw a familiar presence.
Sword Empress (劍后).
Her master.
In the not-so-distant past, when her master was still relatively healthy, she had shown Guleunghua a glimpse of her presence.
Guleunghua could faintly sense that presence now.
The ominous alarm ringing in her head made her wrap the remaining inner energy around her sword.
The woman spoke.
“...You're not ugly.”
“Pardon?”
“You're not ugly.”
Was she angry?
Her tone was calm and weak, but there was a hint of force.
The faint aura around her became more evident.
Guleunghua knew she was being watched, but not to this extent...
Trying to find a way out, she felt her body slow down from the aura surrounding her.
Perhaps from fear.
“Don't say such things...”
The woman's steps quickened. Simultaneously, the figure that had been visible suddenly disappeared.
“You'll be...”
A blue flash appeared, and the wooden sword was in front of her eyes.
Guleunghua squeezed her eyes shut.
Was it an illusion?
Just before closing her eyes, she thought she saw flames surrounding her.