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The person who expressed the most surprise was Gwang-du.

“Woaaaah!”

It was Gwang-du’s first time seeing a sword resonate on its own.

I hurriedly said to Baek Pyo,

“We’ll be going now.”

I turned around, dragging Gwang-du with me. Considering Baek Pyo’s feelings, it was right to withdraw quickly.

As I turned, the sword resonated again.

Zing―

I stopped in my tracks at that sound, which seemed to be holding me back, telling me not to go. The depth of the resonance changed. It was responding to my movements.

When I turned back, Baek Pyo was staring at me with a surprised face. He too had sensed that the sword was responding to me.

I slowly walked towards the sword.

Zing―

The sword’s resonance deepened.

I stepped back again. The sword’s resonance became rougher.

Clearly, the sword was calling to me.

Baek Pyo looked at me with an astonished face and said,

“How is this possible?”

I looked at Baek Pyo, asking with my eyes if I could approach the sword.

Baek Pyo, who had been looking back and forth between me and the Asura Bright King Sword, nodded. In a situation where the sword was clearly calling me, he couldn’t say no.

I slowly approached the sword.

The resonance gradually subsided. It looked like a wild beast calming down.

When my hand touched it, the Asura Bright King Sword completely stopped its resonance.

I took down the Asura Bright King Sword that had been hanging on the wall.

My heart raced as I held the Asura Bright King Sword again after a year.

Shaking!

A uniquely refreshing and crisp sound of drawing the sword, clearer than any other sword.

The Asura Bright King Sword resonated again.

Ziiiing―!

With a deeper and clearer resonance than before, it expressed the joy of reunion. That resonance seemed to be saying:

‘It’s been a long time, Alliance Leader.’

Yes, it’s been a long time.

For the first time, I felt an emotional connection with the Asura Bright King Sword. It was something I had never experienced in my previous seventy years of life.

I sheathed the sword again. The Asura Bright King Sword quieted down as if nothing had happened.

For a moment, silence enveloped the room.

Neither I, nor Baek Pyo, nor Gwang-du said anything.

Finally, Baek Pyo asked me in a trembling voice,

“Who are you?”

At this moment, Baek Pyo must be feeling a powerful sense of fate.

On the day he first opened the Wind Tavern, I came. I sat in the same seat where I always sat in my previous life, ordered the same drink and food. I saved his family, said the same words he had said when seeing the first snow, and the Asura Bright King Sword recognized me and resonated.

I looked at him steadily and said,

“I am Byeok Ri-dan, heir to the Byeok Clan Sword Manor.”

Baek Pyo looked at me with an expression of incomprehension.

The fact that the sword, which had never resonated on its own even once in my previous life, resonated today must be heaven speaking to me. Telling me to accept my fate with Baek Pyo.

I am willing to follow that fate.

“Someone who shouldn’t have become the Alliance Leader has taken that position. Because of this, the martial world will fall into great chaos in the future.”

Baek Pyo’s eyes wavered. He would know better than anyone that the current Alliance Leader had been wrongly chosen.

“I intend to prevent that.”

After a brief pause, I finally said the words I had hesitated over so much.

“Will you join me in this endeavor?”

***

The next morning, Gwang-du was wiping down a table in the guest room. He was scrubbing it until it shone.

Just then, a voice came from behind.

“Is there a guest who cleans the inn?”

Turning around, he saw Gong Su-chan standing at the door with a smile.

“Our loose-lipped traitor has arrived.”

“I’m sorry. I saw the Young Master, and he happened to be looking for you. I wasn’t going to say anything, but somehow I felt I should tell him.”

Gwang-du smiled and said,

“Haha, you did well.”

After all, Byeok Ri-dan had come at just the right moment, and things had turned out as he had wanted. Of course, he was quite shocked by the unexpected scene, but still.

“But why are you cleaning?”

“I clean when I’m anxious. Making dirty things clean helps calm my mind a bit.”

“I understand that feeling. In my case, I do all sorts of calculations.”

“Calculations? What kind of calculations?”

“Just whatever comes to mind. How much money the merchant groups in Shandong might earn in a year, how much this inn’s daily income might be…”

“Why do such troublesome things? Don’t tell me this cleaning of mine is the same kind of solution as your calculations?”

“I think my method is more normal, though.”

“Good heavens!”

Gong Su-chan smiled, and Gwang-du laughed along. The two had become closer since coming to Wuhan. Indeed, people become closer when they spend time together.

“So how did the result of your troublemaking turn out?”

At Gong Su-chan’s question, Gwang-du looked out the window. The world had become clean with the white snow piled up.

“The result… I think we’ll have to wait and see.”

***

Baek Pyo stood in the yard, watching Myeong-i playing in the snow.

Jeong Yeong approached from behind. She looked at the two swords standing on the porch. One was her husband’s sword, and the other was a sword she had never seen before. Of course, that sword was the Asura Bright King Sword.

Her gaze deepened. Since starting the business, her husband had never taken out his sword.

“Did you see the moment the first snow fell?”

When Baek Pyo nodded, Jeong Yeong smiled.

“That’s good.”

Although she knew it was superstition, she too believed in her husband’s belief. Perhaps it was the heart of all women who had martial artists as husbands.

“Someone asked me to return to the martial world.”

“Who?”

“The heir of a clan far away in Shandong. I don’t know much about what kind of person he is.”

“He must be a good person.”

Baek Pyo turned to look at Jeong Yeong with an expression that asked why she thought so.

“If he wasn’t, you wouldn’t be agonizing like this.”

That was true. From the moment he first saw Byeok Ri-dan, there was something attractive about him.

But if that was all, he wouldn’t have been agonizing this much. No matter how good a person recommended it, he had no intention of serving anyone other than Cheon Hajin.

However, the resonance of the Asura Bright King Sword was decisive.

Baek Pyo knew. That famous swords like the Asura Bright King Sword choose their own masters. Clearly, the Asura Bright King Sword had chosen Byeok Ri-dan as its master.

The fact that Cheon Hajin’s sword had chosen a new master made Baek Pyo conflicted. Moreover, he had a connection beyond that with Byeok Ri-dan.

When he saw Byeok Ri-dan, he was reminded of Cheon Hajin. It had been that way from their first meeting until now. Moreover, he had saved his wife and son from danger. That alone was an enormous debt of gratitude.

“He believes that the martial world will fall into chaos. He says he wants to protect this martial world. To be honest… I’m not sure what to do.”

Jeong Yeong, who had been quietly staring at her husband, said something unexpected.

“Go.”

“Dear?”

“You know what? You didn’t have a nightmare yesterday.”

Come to think of it, that was true. He hadn’t had the nightmare he’d been having every day.

Jeong Yeong could understand. That her husband’s place was not in a tavern but in the martial world. That it was time to let him go. That instead of fighting nightmares, he should fight real enemies.

“If you’re hesitating because of me and Myeong-i, don’t worry and just go. I can protect Myeong-i. Go for the sake of the former Alliance Leader too. The former Alliance Leader I heard about through you wasn’t someone who would make you give up new dreams to keep old loyalties.”

“Dear.”

“If what that person says is true, and if this world becomes chaotic, you go and stop it. You were the one who protected justice and stopped evil, weren’t you?”

Her gaze turned towards Myeong-i playing in the snow.

“Stop it for Myeong-i’s sake. Protect this world where that child will grow up.”

***

Crunch, crunch.

Baek Pyo came to find me, treading on the pure white snow.

I stood facing him in a clearing in the woods behind the inn.

Baek Pyo had his own sword at his waist and the Asura Bright King Sword on his back.

From this appearance, I could tell that he had made a big decision.

“At first, I thought Master Byeok was a good person. But honestly, now I’m not sure what kind of person you are.”

“I understand.”

“Did you say you wanted me as your subordinate?”

“Yes.”

Baek Pyo drew his sword.

“What does this mean?”

“I don’t serve just anyone.”

Baek Pyo’s eyes shone intensely. It was the look I had seen when we roamed battlefields together.

“You could die in this duel. Do you still want to take me with you?”

Baek Pyo was serious.

Stepping forward, I said,

“I, too, don’t accept just anyone.”

No more words were needed.

Baek Pyo slowly moved his feet. I moved in the opposite direction, tracing a circle.

I know Baek Pyo’s martial arts better than anyone.

His strength and weakness were one and the same. The fact that his sword was not a killing sword[1] but a protective sword[2]. It was weak because it was a protective sword, and strong because it was a protective sword.

This was the moment I was facing the strongest expert since my reincarnation.

“Here I come, be careful.”

After this warning, Baek Pyo launched his sword.

Swish!

Baek Pyo’s sword flew towards my arm.

It was a fast and clean attack without any waste.

I lightly moved my body to avoid the sword.

The sword came flying in succession. Arms, legs, thighs. It was an attack that avoided vital areas.

I dodged, blocked, and deflected his attacks.

At first, Baek Pyo must have been going easy. He probably didn’t think I could be stronger than him.

But as we engaged, he realized I wasn’t easy to deal with and gradually increased the intensity of his attacks.

I countered Baek Pyo with the Immortal Crane Secret Art. Although the Asura Bright King Sword had chosen me, I couldn’t use the Soul-Consuming Asura Sword Technique.

Of course, someday the time will come when I’ll have to show my martial arts. He wouldn’t believe that I learned directly from the Alliance Leader. Considering my age of twenty, Baek Pyo was always by my side around the time when I could have coincidentally received martial arts instruction from the Alliance Leader.

I’ll have to handle it as if I received martial arts instruction from Cheon Hajin’s master or martial brothers. Since I hadn’t told anyone about my personal history, they would have no choice but to believe it.

Swish swish swish swish swish!

Baek Pyo’s sword traced patterns in the air, and my footwork found the blind spots in attacks that should have been impossible to avoid.

I faced his sword with bare hands. I continued with techniques that deflected the blade with the back of my hand or arm.

Although it would have seemed like a perilous moment to anyone watching, I felt at ease. Because the opponent’s skill was excellent, my techniques showed their true value, and I became relatively more comfortable.

But there was no reason to continue this dangerous duel with Baek Pyo.

Avoiding the incoming sword, I dove into Baek Pyo’s embrace.

Whoosh.

Baek Pyo’s body spun once in the air.

Thud.

Lying on the ground, Baek Pyo blinked his eyes. He couldn’t understand how he had been beaten in that last moment. But he must have clearly felt one thing: if I had used my full strength, he would have lost his life with this one move.

I extended my hand towards him.

Baek Pyo grabbed my hand and got up.

Standing up, Baek Pyo looked at me with a bewildered expression. He must never have imagined that I could defeat him.

Of course, I could have let him win.

But in this martial world, especially in the relationship between a leader and a subordinate, the most important thing is trust. While personal trust is necessary, what’s even more fundamental is ability. There is trust and pride in serving a strong master.

I deliberately showed it. To make Baek Pyo completely my person.

In this respect, I have to fight against my previous self.

Before making his final decision, Baek Pyo asked,

“If the moment comes when we have to fight them, will you fight?”

The enemy he meant was Ma Bonggi’s faction.

“Yes, I will fight.”

“We might have to fight against the entire martial world.”

“I know.”

“We might all die.”

“That’s possible.”

“Then why do you want to fight?”

“Because they’re bad guys. Bad guys shouldn’t rule the martial world, right?”

At this simple truth, Baek Pyo stared at me for a moment before resolution flashed in his eyes.

Baek Pyo knelt down and bowed his head.

“I, Baek Pyo, Commander of the White Tiger Regiment and the twelfth generation inheritor of the Wind Crow Sword Arts[3], swear before heaven and earth to serve Master Byeok as my lord and dedicate my life to him.”

And he offered the Asura Bright King Sword he had been carrying on his back.

“This sword is the former Alliance Leader’s unique weapon. It’s the most important and precious sword in the world. Since the sword has chosen Master Byeok, I offer this sword to you.”

“Is it alright to do so?”

“There’s someone who entrusted this sword to me. So it’s not a sword I can dispose of as I please. But this sword has chosen Master Byeok. When the Asura Bright King Sword chose Master Byeok, there must have been a good reason for it. Therefore, I believe the person who entrusted the sword to me would understand.”

I took the Asura Bright King Sword and fastened it at my waist.

The Asura Bright King Sword, having finally found its master, resonated again.

Zing―

At that sound, Baek Pyo nodded. He had finally confirmed that he had found the true master for the sword.

I took Baek Pyo’s hand first.

Baek Pyo looked up at me with burning eyes. As I grasped his hand while looking into those eyes, I felt overwhelmed. Something hot welled up from deep within my chest.

How much had he devoted himself to me?

How loyal a person had he been?

Now our connection had been reestablished.

“Let’s share life and death together.”

At my words, Baek Pyo’s eyes trembled. He was feeling the turmoil in my heart.

“In life and in death, I will be with my lord.”

At this moment, I was grateful to heaven. Grateful for the fate that had connected him and me.

The day after the first snow fell, I gained Baek Pyo, who was more reassuring than an army of thousands.