Chapter 5: PCDHX

Chapter 5

Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—the wound wasn't that deep.

Because Gureum had been there.

“Gureum!”

The little cloud spirit that Baek Unjin had left with me had taken the stab in my place.

The blade had only grazed my skin, leaving a shallow cut, but a large slash now ran across Gureum's body.

Clutching the limp spirit to my chest, I staggered to my feet.

Only then did Yang Jahan recognize what had blocked his attack.

Clicking his tongue, he lifted his head while holding the bloodstained dagger.

“Tch. A guardian spirit?”

Not my guardian spirit, technically.

But this was hardly the time to explain.

I tucked the weakened Gureum inside my robes and gripped my sword tightly with both hands.

Even though Gureum had shielded me, blood was still seeping from the wound in my abdomen.

“Why did you stab me? We were childhood friends!”

The two of them had been street orphans who entered the Honghwa Sect together.

The memories left behind by Yu Yeon-seo told me as much.

Then why?

The situation was every bit as confusing as the pain throbbing from my wound.

Yang Jahan sheathed the dagger and rested a hand on the sword at his waist.

“How are you still alive?”

“What?”

“You're someone who shouldn't be alive.”

His voice was unnervingly calm.

A chill ran down my spine.

Did he realize I'm not the real Yu Yeon-seo?

No.

He didn't seem suspicious in that way.

“How can you say something like that? Between you and me—”

“That's exactly why I'm saying it.”

“What do you mean I shouldn't be alive?”

“Because you were supposed to die.”

My grip tightened around my sword.

Who exactly was he saying that to?

“So that's why you're trying to kill me?”

“If you stay alive, a lot of people will die.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“You can only say that because you know nothing.”

Yang Jahan adjusted his grip on his sword and closed the distance in an instant.

What speed!

In the blink of an eye, his shadow was right in front of me.

This was my first real battle.

I hurriedly circulated my spiritual energy just as I'd been taught.

Blue currents wrapped around my blade, intercepting Yang Jahan's attack.

Clang!

But the difference in our strength was overwhelming.

“Urgh!”

My wrist twisted from the impact.

I nearly dropped my sword.

He's already this strong?

Sure, he was the protagonist, but wasn't this ridiculous?!

Pulling my sword closer to my body, I focused entirely on defense.

Yang Jahan kicked off the ground and rushed forward.

Then he suddenly lowered his body and spun from below.

I immediately retreated using my footwork technique.

At that exact moment, Yang Jahan formed hand seals with his free hand.

Heaven-Shifting Art.

The moment my foot should have landed on empty air, my body abruptly sank downward.

I stumbled.

In the early parts of the novel, Yang Jahan specialized in gravity-based cultivation arts within the Mugeuk Mystic Sect.

I had been wary of that possibility from the start.

Still, I hadn't expected him to use it at that exact moment.

My balance collapsed as my body was dragged downward.

Matching my falling height perfectly, Yang Jahan's sword shot toward my heart.

Then—

BOOM!

Azure Flame Art.

With my hand hidden inside my sleeve, I quickly formed a seal.

Blue spiritual energy burst forth from my body and violently repelled Yang Jahan's attack.

But because we had been so close together, the backlash sent me flying as well.

Screeeech—

My sword scraped against the ground as I barely managed to land upright.

As expected, the moment Yang Jahan saw the technique, his eyes widened.

“How do you know a cultivation art from the Cheongwoo Immortal Sect?”

Yang Jahan didn't know I had become a disciple of the Cheongwoo Sect.

This was exactly why I hadn't wanted to reveal my techniques.

“I survived because a cultivator from the Cheongwoo Sect saved me.”

“Impossible.”

“What do you mean impossible? I'm standing right here!”

The way he spoke made it sound as though my death was some unavoidable necessity.

Yang Jahan steadied his stance and charged again.

The instant our swords collided, I felt my body being dragged downward by an invisible force.

Even while using the Azure Flame Art, I was barely holding on.

And I was reaching my limit.

My current cultivation was only First Stage Qi Condensation.

I had barely stepped onto the path of cultivation.

Compared to me, Yang Jahan was at least an entire level above.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

His attacks never stopped.

The sword strikes themselves were dangerous enough.

But every time our blades met, my body grew heavier.

That was the real threat.

Grinding my teeth, I glared at him.

After everything I'd gone through to survive—

“You think I'll die to someone like you?!”

Childhood friend or not, I didn't care anymore.

As I pushed the Azure Flame Art to its limits, the surrounding heavenly energy began to tremble violently.

Yang Jahan's eyes turned cold.

He suddenly sheathed his sword and formed another hand seal.

Gravity condensed at his fingertips.

Dark spheres began materializing around him.

I could feel my own strength being drawn toward them.

Mystic Sphere.

The black orbs slowly drifted closer.

The nearer they came, the stronger the gravity became.

I couldn't move.

It felt as though my entire body was being compressed.

Am I going to die here?

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Then—

BOOM!

A deafening explosion rang out.

The sphere before me shattered as though it had collided with an invisible wall.

It instantly crumbled into ashes and scattered into the wind.

I opened my eyes.

The first thing I saw was the hem of a familiar robe.

Baek Unjin.

The moment I recognized him, all the tension drained from my body.

My sword slipped from my hand as I collapsed onto the ground.

“...”

“Master.”

“Are you hurt?”

Baek Unjin's gaze landed on the wound on my abdomen.

Startled, I quickly covered it with my hand and nodded.

“It isn't serious.”

Instead of answering, he let out a short sigh.

Judging by his expression, he clearly had plenty he wanted to say.

He was simply holding himself back.

Then he turned toward Yang Jahan.

Yang Jahan immediately sheathed his sword, clasped his hands respectfully, and bowed.

“This junior, Yang Jahan of the Mugeuk Mystic Sect, greets Senior.”

The cultivation world was far more hierarchical than ordinary society.

Instinctively, Yang Jahan understood that Baek Unjin stood far above him.

Why is that annoying?

Just moments ago, he had been trying to kill me.

Now that my master had appeared, he was acting as though none of that had happened.

I almost died because of you!

“Mugeuk Mystic Sect, hm? You appear to be a disciple still wet behind the ears. Why is a cultivator of the Mugeuk Mystic Sect attacking my disciple?”

“...”

“You would do well to answer honestly.”

Baek Unjin's expression turned icy.

Killing intent flowed from him.

The pressure was so overwhelming that even I, standing under his protection, felt goosebumps rise along my back.

Even Yang Jahan can't defeat Baek Unjin right now.

That much was obvious.

Still, seeing Baek Unjin this angry was a first for me.

The expression he wore now was one he had never shown in front of me before.

Yang Jahan swallowed nervously and slowly lifted his head.

“Before I answer, may I ask one question?”

“...”

“You called that child your disciple. I simply cannot understand why someone of your stature would accept a child with nothing but miscellaneous spiritual roots.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Yu Yeon-seo—!”

“Do not make me ask twice.”

Baek Unjin cut him off.

His voice never rose.

Yet it was obvious he was suppressing his anger.

“Depending on your answer, I may kill you here and now.”

Thinking himself cornered, Yang Jahan's expression stiffened.

Then—

Whoooosh.

A gust of wind swept between them.

A middle-aged man dressed in pale amber robes suddenly appeared.

So suddenly that it seemed he had materialized from thin air.

“Well, well. I wondered why you vanished in the middle of our conversation. I never imagined you had taken on a disciple.”

“Haa. Senior.”

“Oh? Is that your disciple?”

The man chuckled heartily.

Judging from his manner, he seemed completely unbothered by the tension in the air.

Baek Unjin, however, frowned even more deeply.

“Judging by the situation, it seems my disciple has caused trouble for your child.”

The middle-aged cultivator laughed as though it were nothing serious.

Baek Unjin looked anything but amused.

“How do you intend to take responsibility—”

“Ten years.”

“...”

“I'll lock him in closed-door confinement for ten years and make him reflect. I don't know why he caused such a problem, but this once, please overlook it for my sake.”

Baek Unjin's eyes grew colder.

“I refuse.”