Chronicles of the Sword That Shook the Heavens

Chapter 3. Falling Sword Sect (1)

The two men crossed Kunming.

After about three days, they finally reached Tranquil Valley. Even after that, they proceeded northeast for several more days.

Throughout the journey, the mules carried the two men at a leisurely pace without much complaint.

While passing through several cities and villages, Lee Jincheon sold medicine and also bought various items.

In Yunnan Province, located at the southwestern tip of the Central Plains, not only the Han people but also various other ethnic groups lived.

Seonwoo Byeok had learned about this, but it was his first time actually encountering them in person.

However, Lee Jincheon spoke their dialects as if he were born and raised in the area and blended in nonchalantly.

“Oh my!, mother. Your back is bad, what to do? Hey, I’m feeling generous! I’ll give you one for free, just try this~.”

“Ah, this thing is really good for a man, but I have no way to express it! It makes you just, just leap and bound! Eh?! You get it, brother?!”

“……”

Seonwoo Byeok had almost given up trying to understand him. And he silently followed behind.

He didn't even ask for their exact destination.

There was no point in doubting his benefactor, and he had already decided to follow him.

And at some point, the two men even sold their mules and walked on their own two feet.

By then, most of Seonwoo Byeok’s external injuries had healed. He was also gradually getting used to a body without inner arts.

However.

Creak, creak!

“Why? Is it tough?”

“…It is not.”

This… is unexpected.

Currently, Seonwoo Byeok was pulling a cart with his bare hands, climbing a steep mountain path.

On the cart were piled high the various goods Lee Jincheon had bought from different places.

It would be a lie to say it wasn't tough.

It would not have been an easy task even if his qi center was intact. Moreover, Seonwoo Byeok's wounds had just healed.

Naturally, his appearance became a complete mess. His whole body was drenched in sweat, and his heart was pounding as if it would burst.

But right next to him, Lee Jincheon, who was watching Seonwoo Byeok, had a constant smile on his face.

‘…There must be a meaning to this.’

Seonwoo Byeok silently looked ahead.

He had never done this kind of training before, but of course, it couldn't be the same as before.

It was painful, but at the same time, it was also a vivid sensation that Seonwoo Byeok had long forgotten since his inner arts had reached a certain level.

How long had they climbed the mountain like that?

“Ohohoho, you’ll be able to earn your keep, at least. Being dense has its uses.”

Seonwoo Byeok, who was taking one step at a time in a state of mindlessness, suddenly lifted his head at Lee Jincheon’s whisper.

A fence was visible in the distance.

“We’re here. This is the new home where you will live from now on. Make sure to remember the way well.”

“…Yes, Sect Leader.”

Bow, Seonwoo Byeok bowed his head.

The moment he solidified his decision to follow Lee Jincheon at the crossroads, Seonwoo Byeok was granted two qualifications.

One was the qualification to call Lee Jincheon himself by the title ‘Sect Leader’.

In other words, he was accepted as a proper member of a sect.

Although he still didn't even know what kind of sect it was, a sect led by a master of Lee Jincheon's caliber couldn't be just an ordinary group.

And the other one.

“Welcome, Lee Byeok. From the moment you step inside, you have become a member of this village.”

Passing through the gate of the fence, Lee Jincheon said.

“……”

Lee Byeok.

Seonwoo Byeok, who had left the clan, could no longer be a Seonwoo, and Lee Jincheon readily gave him his own surname.

It's awkward, but he'll get used to it soon.

No, he has to get used to it. Lee Byeok shook off his brief thoughts and looked around.

It was an ordinary mountain village.

A quiet village with no more than a hundred households by rough estimate. He had passed through several such villages so far.

Nowhere did it look like a place where an eccentric master like Lee Jincheon would live.

But what you see on the outside may not be everything. Anyway, it was just as Lee Byeok was about to catch his breath.

“Well, look who it is! Sect Leader Lee!”

An old man who was tipping a wine bottle under a tree in the distance greeted him.

“Oh my!, Elder! Have you been well?”

“Keol keol keol! It’s you! You’re finally here! My, the one who left around the time the flowers bloomed shows up only when summer is almost here, is it right to be so late!”

“Ahaha, it just turned out that way!”

“Anyway, your cute disciple is quite furious, so you should be prepared… Hmm? Who is that child?”

“Hoho, a new disciple.”

“Hoh? Is that so.”

Suddenly, the old man’s gaze swept up and down Lee Byeok. When his gaze reached the cart, he let out a laugh, ehehehe.

“Yes. That’s great. That’s great! Welcome to our Flower Pavilion Village, kid.”

“…Thank you, Elder.”

What is the meaning of that laugh?

Lee Byeok could not understand. He looked like an ordinary village elder in every way.

But perhaps this old man, like Lee Jincheon, was also a master hiding tremendous qi.

Above all, he was using the title ‘Sect Leader’ for Lee Jincheon as if it were natural.

“Ah! Sect Leader! Isn’t that Sect Leader Lee!”

“Sect Leader! The item I requested!”

“Oh my!, Sect Leader! Where have you been, coming only now! My husband was looking for you so much!”

Moreover.

As the two crossed the center of the village, everyone they met greeted ‘Sect Leader’ one and all.

Lee Jincheon smiled and responded to all that hospitality, sometimes distributing the goods he had brought on the cart.

But… none of them looked like martial artists. They were just extremely ordinary villagers.

“Now, here it is.”

Trying his best to hide his rather bewildered expression, Lee Byeok silently followed Lee Jincheon.

And in front of a certain main gate in the center of the village, the two finally stopped walking.

[Falling Sword Sect]

A plaque with stylish calligraphy.

Literally read, it means ‘Joyful Sword Sect’. Somehow, it’s a little… different from what I expected.

“This is your new sect.”

“…Yes, Sect Leader.”

Creak, Lee Byeok opened the gate.

Whoosh!

Then, as if waiting, something flew in from inside. Lee Byeok instinctively reached for his waist.

But there was no sword there.

Thwack, thud!

The flying ball hit Lee Byeok in the face. And it fell to the ground. It rolls, rumble, rumble.

“……”

Lee Byeok, in a state of bewilderment, looked around inside the gate. For a martial arts sect, it was quite small.

If he had to describe it, it was like a slightly large commoner’s house with a few living quarters attached.

And in the open space that seemed to be a training ground, about a dozen children were gathered.

Three or four years younger than Lee Byeok.

Their gazes were directed this way, specifically towards the ball. In no way did they look like they were training in martial arts.

“Eh? What’s with that guy?”

“Doesn’t look like he’s from our village?”

“Ah, Sect Leader! It’s the Sect Leader!”

Then, when Lee Jincheon revealed himself, all interest in Lee Byeok momentarily vanished in an instant.

Rumble.

“Sect Leader! Did you buy yummy things?! I finished all of the Three Talents Sword! Let’s celebrate!”

“Me too! Me too!”

“Ehehe, yes, yes. My cute little customers… no, lay disciples! Have you been well? Eating well, doing just a little bit of martial arts, and listening to your mothers?”

Several of them rushed over.

Ignoring Lee Byeok, they began to cling to Lee Jincheon. The children literally clung to him like monkeys.

A sight where the discipline of a martial arts sect could not be found. A ball rolling in the middle of the training ground in broad daylight as if it were natural.

“……”

Thump, thump, thump.

Then the ground rumbled heavily.

A huge figure was approaching from the distance. A sense of pressure as if a small mountain was walking.

For the first time, someone who looked like a martial artist appeared. Lee Byeok found himself feeling glad to see the giant man.

Bow.

The giant man bowed his head.

“Welcome back, Sect Leader.”

“Wow, how did Dae-woong get even taller? Are you a bean sprout, growing every day?”

The next moment, the giant man’s gaze turned towards Lee Byeok. Lee Byeok faced the giant man who was two heads taller than him.

Unexpectedly, he didn't seem to be very old; there were still traces of youth left on his face.

Tension arises in the intersecting gazes.

“Ah, right. Greet each other. This guy is—”

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Before the words could even finish.

Something flew in again.

But by the time Lee Byeok noticed. That object had already flashed past his eyes like lightning.

Thwack!

And it got stuck in the main gate.

It was fortunate that Lee Jincheon had hastily moved back; if he had been even a little late, the place where that object was stuck would have been his crown, not the gate.

That is… that kitchen knife.

“You dodged? Did you just dodge?”

“W-Wow, Somi. My lovely senior disciple! Have you been well? You missed me a lot, right?”

A girl was standing at a distance.

The same age as Lee Byeok or one or two years older.

Dressed like an ordinary country girl, but a beauty who, at a glance, one could tell had an extraordinary inner power.

But that slender body was currently trembling violently, drenched in anger. Stomp, stomp, she began to approach.

Grab.

“Uwaaah! You rotten human! A Sect Leader who doesn’t care about the household and wanders around for months?! You’re having a grand time, aren’t you? Huh?! Where on earth have you been and what have you been doing?!”

“Ugh, wait! Somi! Calm down! The kids are watching! This is money! I told you I worked hard to earn money?!”

“Hmph! Let me see it!”

Without a word, the girl grabs Lee Jincheon by the collar and starts shaking him down. And she snatches Lee Jincheon's pocket.

Jingle! Jingle!

“Hmph! This pittance! It’s not even a few coins! It’s obvious! You probably settled down in some brothel and caroused extravagantly!”

When she shook the pocket, the few remaining coins fell to the ground. After shaking him for a while in a further frenzy, the girl suddenly let out a sigh, haa.

“Ehyohyo, my fate. What sin did I commit in my past life to be doing scullery work in a mountain valley like this…, huh? What’s this, this shabby little kid?”

“Uhm. That is… your new junior brother.”

A brief silence flowed.

Kwaduk!

“Keuk!”

“This human! You’re increasing the number of mouths to feed again?!”

* * *

Thud!

The girl set down the dining table.

On the table were three bowls of mixed grain rice, a clear soup, and a few simple side dishes.

“Here, eat. Food.”

Haa, letting out a barely audible sigh, the girl sat down at one side of the table.

“Senior Sister, where is the Sect Leader?”

“What do I care about a cow-like human like that? He’s passed out sleeping, if he’s hungry let him graze on grass on his own.”

“……”

The giant man and the girl.

Lee Byeok stared blankly at the two people facing him at the table. Are these two senior and junior martial siblings?

“Why? Are you dissatisfied with the side dishes?”

“…No, it’s not that.”

The girl’s gaze turned towards Lee Byeok.

“Hmph, it’s not that, my foot. You look like a young master who came from some rich house. Sorry, but in this neighborhood, this is a feast.”

“…”

Clatter, clatter!

Lee Jincheon silently picked up his spoon and chopsticks.

Perhaps because of hunger, it tasted better than it looked. As he was about to speak, Lee Byeok suddenly realized they hadn't even formally introduced themselves yet. However.

“Forget it. Don’t talk. I don’t particularly want to know about you, and I can pretty much imagine everything.”

He was cut off before he could even open his mouth.

“It’s obvious. You, you don’t have a qi center, do you?”

Twitch.

Lee Byeok was genuinely surprised.

But that wasn't all.

“You were originally from some prestigious neighborhood, heard you were a prodigy in martial arts, then lost your qi center due to some unspeakable circumstances and were picked up by our Sect Leader, right?”

“……”

Lee Byeok stared at the girl with a dumbfounded face. Regardless, the girl calmly continues.

“How do I know? Because we’re similar. I don’t have one either, a qi center. And neither does he.”

“……”

“I won’t say anything bad.”

Thud, the girl put down her spoon.

“Finish your meal, take a nap, and go down the mountain tomorrow morning. I’ll give you enough for travel expenses.”

“…Why?”

It was a gentle dismissal.

Is that so. This girl has no intention of accepting Lee Byeok as a member of the sect.

“I’m saying this for your own good. If you get played by that nonsense about being able to practice martial arts without a qi center… your life will fall into the abyss. That man is a complete con artist.”

“……”

“Senior Sister, I don’t think that’s right. Badmouthing the Sect Leader is a bit….”

“Ah, shut up, you big bear!”

Thwack!

The giant man, who had been eating silently, interjected into the conversation. At that moment, the girl's spoon rapped the giant man's hand.

“Haa~ Well, right. It certainly doesn’t make sense. Our great Sect Leader has no qi center and his qi and blood are a mess, yet he uses all sorts of unidentified martial arts like it’s nothing. But that’s….”

“…Wait, what did you say?”

“Huh? What? Did I say something strange?”

“The Sect Leader, he has no qi center?”

“Huh? What. Don’t tell me, you followed him all the way here without even knowing that?”