Yu Yeon-seo staggered back to her feet and fiddled with the wooden sword in her hands.
Even though she had fallen, there was still a determined gleam in her eyes, as if she felt she could do better if she tried again.
After pondering for a while, she finally lowered the sword and turned around.
“Um... is this enough?”
“It is.”
“But I fell.”
“Even so, it is more than enough. Don't worry about it. No one is good from the very beginning.”
Baek Un-jin gently reassured her, telling her not to be concerned.
From that day onward, Yu Yeon-seo spent her mornings studying under Baek Un-jin at Seoun Pavilion, while her afternoons were devoted to swordsmanship and cultivation techniques.
“Let's start with the Cheongyeon Technique.”
“Yes!”
In front of Baek Un-jin, I slowly formed the hand seals of the Cheongyeon Technique.
The Cheongyeon Technique was one of Cheongu Sect's representative cultivation arts. It activated the spiritual meridians and acupoints within the body, allowing one to freely manipulate spiritual energy and mystical power.
To cast a spell, three fundamental steps were usually required: activating one's spiritual meridians, reciting an incantation, and forming hand seals.
Certain advanced practitioners could omit parts of the process, but the more precisely each step was executed, the stronger the resulting spell became.
As I felt spiritual energy surge through my meridians and flow along my acupoints, I intertwined my fingers and completed the seal.
A faint blue glow rose around me like shimmering mist.
Manifesting a cultivation art into reality—this was the first true step of becoming a cultivator.
“I did it! Waaah—”
“Do not release the energy until the very end.”
“Yeees.”
Perhaps because I was still a beginner, the spell dissipated the moment my concentration slipped.
Still, compared to when I had first started, I had improved considerably.
After practicing how to maintain the technique, I moved on to sword training.
At first, Yu Yeon-seo could not even maintain a proper stance and frequently tripped over her own feet, but as time passed, her posture steadily improved.
“How is it?”
“Your stance is still unstable. When you swing the sword, extend your arm farther forward.”
“Yes.”
Though he said it casually, Yu Yeon-seo was the type of child who understood ten things after being taught one.
Sure enough, she immediately realized what the problem was and corrected her posture on her own.
Under Baek Un-jin's watchful gaze, Yu Yeon-seo shifted her footing and swung her sword through the empty air.
As the blade traced graceful arcs, the energy of heavenly fortune subtly rippled around it.
“Ah!”
But only for a moment.
Her swordsmanship was still incomplete, and before long she made another mistake and tumbled over.
“Are you alright?”
“Ah—y-yes. I'm fine. Why though? I thought I did it correctly...”
After landing hard on my backside, I grabbed Baek Un-jin's hand and stood up.
His gaze drifted briefly over my clothes before he chuckled softly.
“Your clothes have become quite short. You've grown.”
“Really?!”
Only then did I examine what I was wearing.
I thought the sleeves seemed shorter, but it wasn't my imagination after all.
Ever since arriving at Cheongu Sect, Yu Yeon-seo had been growing taller and healthier by the day.
According to Baek Un-jin, my fall had simply been caused by my clothes becoming too small. There was no major issue with my movements.
Looking at my outfit, he muttered,
“I suppose it's time to make you a wing robe.”
A wing robe was the general term for the garments worn by cultivators.
They were crafted from a special fabric woven with Heavenly Rhythm Silk.
Clothing made from this material possessed extraordinary properties—it could regenerate itself when infused with spiritual power and even provide protection against external attacks.
Since cultivators frequently found themselves in combat, ordinary clothing would inevitably end up torn apart countless times.
The problem was that Heavenly Rhythm Silk garments were notoriously expensive.
“I can just wear regular clothes. Wing robes are expensive, aren't they?”
“I'll have a modest one made. Don't worry.”
“...”
“Isn't it better to have one than not? Though your face suggests you already want it.”
As Baek Un-jin joked, my cheeks instantly flushed red and I quickly turned away.
Of course I wanted one!
It was said that cloth woven from Heavenly Rhythm Silk changed color according to the spiritual power of its wearer, earning it the nickname Color-Changing Fabric.
Honestly, who wouldn't be curious about what color theirs would become?
Besides, wing robes practically cleaned themselves and came with countless conveniences.
“You've been working hard lately. Think of it as a reward.”
Baek Un-jin gently patted my head.
“Tomorrow, we'll leave Cheongu Sect to have the robe tailored. So let's end today's training here.”
“Yes!”
That night, excitement over finally going out kept me awake.
Since possessing Yu Yeon-seo's body, I had practically never left Cheongu Sect.
This would be my first outing.
The next morning, when I came running over at dawn, Baek Un-jin took one look at me and said,
“You seem excited.”
“Of course! But where are we going? To Cheongseo?”
Cheongseo was the region where Cheongu Sect was located.
Even going there felt like a grand adventure to me.
“We're going to Hyeonbaek in Seongyul Province.”
“Seongyul Province? Isn't that incredibly far away?”
The Baekryeon Kingdom consisted of five provinces.
Cheongu Sect was located in Cheongryeon Province, and Seongyul Province was at least two provinces away.
Traveling there should have taken weeks.
Do cultivators simply not care about spending a month traveling?
That was what I was thinking when—
“It won't take that long.”
Baek Un-jin pulled out a flying artifact from his storage pouch.
It resembled a large carpet.
As spiritual power flowed into it, the carpet slowly rose into the air.
“Woah...”
A flying artifact!
I had read about such things in novels, but seeing one with my own eyes was a completely different experience.
I lightly hopped onto the carpet.
The surface sank slightly beneath my weight.
Baek Un-jin stepped aboard after me.
“You'd better hold on tightly.”
“Huh? Waaaah!”
Before I could even finish reacting, the carpet shot forward at terrifying speed.
Had I not immediately grabbed onto it with spiritual power, I would have been flung off instantly.
We were moving so fast that mountains and villages blurred together.
Thanks to the flying artifact, a journey that should have taken weeks was completed in less than half an hour.
The problem was—
“Ugh...”
The speed was far too much for me.
The moment we landed, I staggered and slammed headfirst into a nearby wall.
“Ow!”
“Are you alright?”
“Y-yes. Well... actually, no.”
The world spun around me.
Flying sickness? Motion sickness? Whatever it was, apparently traveling at ridiculous speeds came with side effects.
As I stood there dizzy and disoriented, Baek Un-jin sighed and placed something into my mouth.
“Do you feel better now?”
“Yes! But what was that?”
“Motion sickness medicine.”
“Oh.”
“It's not uncommon for first-time cultivators to get airsick on flying artifacts.”
So it wasn't just me.
Instantly, I felt much better about myself.
It was obviously no ordinary medicine either—the effects were immediate.
Once I recovered, I looked around Hyeonbaek in Seongyul Province.
“Fresh fruit! Delivered this morning!”
“Medicinal herbs! Herbs that will wash away all your fatigue!”
“Today's price only! It might go up tomorrow!”
“Wooooow...”
Together with Baek Un-jin, I wandered through the bustling central marketplace.
The streets overflowed with life.
People crowded every corner, shops lined every road, and countless strange items and fascinating foods competed for my attention.
It was impossible to look away.
“Don't stray too far.”
“Yes!”
“Hey there, little miss! How about a sweet sugar figurine?”
I stopped and turned toward the voice.
Rows of delicate sugar sculptures decorated the vendor's stall.
They were so beautifully crafted that if someone told me they were real flowers, I would have believed them.
Come to think of it...
How long had it been since I ate something sweet?
Meals at Cheongu Sect were good, but there weren't exactly any snacks.
“How much is it?”
“Five jeon.”
I searched my pockets.
Only then did I remember I didn't have any money.
Just as I was about to retreat with a disappointed expression—
“I'll take that large flower.”
“Seven jeon.”
“Keep the change.”
Baek Un-jin stepped forward and bought it for me.
“If you wanted one, you could have simply asked.”
“I felt bad.”
“You certainly apologize for a lot of things.”
Even after becoming his disciple, I still felt as though I owed him far too much.
Asking for even small favors felt strangely difficult.
Baek Un-jin handed me the flower-shaped sugar figurine.
“Go ahead and enjoy it.”
“Yes!”
Well, gratitude was one thing.
Sweets were another.
I happily licked the sugar figurine while trotting after him.
The place Baek Un-jin eventually entered was a fabric shop hidden deep within the market.
From the outside, it looked like a crumbling old building.
But the moment we stepped inside, the scenery changed completely.
A vast interior unfolded before us, filled with countless bolts of luxurious silk.
“...You're saying there's no Heavenly Rhythm Silk?”
“That's correct. It seems an evil spirit appeared along the trade route used by the merchant caravan transporting the silk, so their arrival has been delayed.”
