“Well…”

I had always thought that no matter how excellent I was, there would be plenty of people more outstanding in the world, and after the incident at Sungchang Trading Company last time, I realized that being outstanding is useless if you can’t use it, so it couldn’t be helped.

But answering like this would seem like talking back, so I just swallowed it. The Grand Elder probably wasn’t asking me for reasons anyway.

“Of course, being this calm is far better than going around arrogantly without discerning heaven and earth. Still, I wonder if things would have been different if there were more people your age around. You both acted like adults from a young age, so maybe it wouldn’t have been that different.”

The Grand Elder shrugged and changed the subject.

“Anyway, enlightenment is not something easily gained. Don’t think it’s just that simple because you felt it was no big deal. There are more people in the world who can’t even attain the tiny bits of enlightenment you get while training. Not everyone can move their body entirely at will.”

I-Is that so?

Now that I heard it, it did seem that way. I wasn’t very good at using my body in my past life either. The Grand Elder finished speaking and tapped the small wooden box containing the spirit pill with his fingertip.

“It’s more effective to absorb the essence of a spirit pill when you’ve just had some enlightenment. Eat it now. I’ll be watching.”

Though he spoke at length, in the end, it meant he was giving me a gift because I did well.

But despite his talk of reality and such, this was indeed a precious item to be a mere gift. It’s no exaggeration to say it’s a privilege I’m receiving because the Grand Elder, as the Medicine Hall Master, can produce spirit pills himself.

‘My special position within the sect probably has something to do with it too.’

Various thoughts came and went. In the end, since this was also a kind of opportunity, there was no reason to refuse, so I expressed my gratitude.

“Yes, then I’ll gratefully accept.”

“Good, good.”

I took one last look at the Grand Elder’s face full of contentment and opened the box.

This spirit pill didn’t bring a rush of cold energy as soon as I swallowed it like the one I ate as a child. However, as expected of a spirit pill made by an elder of a Taoist sect, I could feel a cool sensation spreading throughout my body.

I began to absorb the energy, carefully circulating the inner force along the meridians. Come to think of it, when I was young, my master helped me with this process, so this was my first time doing it alone.

‘It’s not difficult, though.’

The great circulation is something I always do.

Starting from the dantian, the inner force spread through the meridians, absorbing the energy of the spirit pill. As I kept balancing it for a while, at some point it felt like my sense of time and space had disappeared completely.

It’s a sensation you can experience when concentrating.

I focused all my attention solely on moving the inner force, with no room for other thoughts.

I’m not sure how much time passed like that, but only when I finally felt certain that I had somewhat calmed even the energy that had become mine did I slowly open my eyes.

“…Huh?”

And I witnessed my clothes, which were definitely white, now stained a dull black.

After looking at my sleeve for a few seconds, it wasn’t hard to figure out what had happened. Along with the achievement gained through enlightenment, the added essence of the spirit pill had caused my body to change a little. It wasn’t a complete rebirth, just the impurities leaving my body, but even that was an uncommon occurrence.

Despite it happening to me, I couldn’t help but marvel at it as if it were someone else’s experience.

‘So this is how it turns out.’

The moment I had that thought, I heard the Grand Elder’s voice from beside me.

“You see? When inner force is replenished in a state of enlightenment, even the body changes.”

As I turned my head, the Grand Elder was approaching with a wet cloth. The area where I sat and my clothes were a mess due to the expelled impurities, but he didn’t seem to mind that at all.

I thought he was going to hand me the cloth, but it covered my face instead of my hand, so I couldn’t answer.

“Mmph.”

“Stay still.”

The cloth rubbed my face thoroughly here and there. The touch was a bit rough, but it didn’t hurt, and since it was the Grand Elder doing it, I just stayed quiet.

Once my face was mostly wiped, the cloth fell away. When I opened my eyes again and looked at the Grand Elder, he was smiling contentedly. His expression was as if he had gained more profit than expected from an investment.

‘Well, that’s not entirely wrong, I suppose.’

Anyway, I should greet him first.

“Thanks to you, Grand Elder, this disciple has gained an achievement. Thank you.”

“You gained it because you were capable of receiving it. If you weren’t, it would have been useless no matter how much you ate.”

Though he said that, his smile grew even wider than before.

“But the floor…”

“What’s the big deal about cleaning up? Don’t worry about it, just wash up and sleep here tonight. Quite some time has passed.”

At those words, I looked out the window and indeed, the sky was deeply colored. Judging by the moon’s position, it seemed to be close to midnight.

“I’ll send word to your master. This should be enough to make that fellow fuss, don’t you think?”

I can’t imagine my master fussing even the tiniest bit.

I rolled my eyes and then received a newly dampened cloth from the Grand Elder. As I wiped my hands, the Grand Elder took out clothes usually given to patients staying in the Medicine Hall and set them down nearby.

“Now, get up. Go wash, and take these clothes to change into. The ones you’re wearing now will have to be thrown away.”

“Yes.”

The Grand Elder, who had retrieved the cloth from my hands, suddenly smiled as if he had just thought of something and said,

“With such a great achievement, you might even win the Dragon Phoenix Gathering next year. I should join the entourage too.”

That comment made me think of something strange out of the blue.

‘A disciple raised on spirit pills and praised for talent in a major sect…’

To others, I would be precisely defined by that sentence. It’s not wrong in reality either.

‘If I were to lose to some genius from an unknown sect or clan, that would make me seem like a supporting character in its own way.’

Hmm, I came up with it, but it really feels like a useless observation.

Seeing that I’m having these joke-like thoughts, I guess I’ve become more relaxed too.

Time flowed in its natural course.

The new year passed, and as it gradually warmed up, the plum blossoms bloomed and then fell, leaving fruit in their place—a process that conveyed a newly wondrous sensation, making for special days.

Although I had seen it every year since joining Hwasan, having that mental image made things I hadn’t noticed before clear. Perhaps because of that, the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique had clearly improved compared to last year.

So I ended up forgetting that the Dragon Phoenix Gathering was happening this year.

It wasn’t until I heard that we should depart for Hanam soon since the heat had subsided that I belatedly remembered such an event was scheduled for this year, and that I too had to participate.

“Even so, I didn’t think you’d be that uninterested,”

Senior Ryu shook his head and sighed. I narrowed my eyes and replied,

“It’s possible.”

“Yes, our Heun. I thought I had gotten used to you by now, but I realize I’m still far from understanding you, junior sister.”

As I kept staring at him with narrowed eyes, he smiled and changed the subject.

“Then I guess you don’t know who’s participating from other sects and clans? You probably don’t care who’s considered a favorite to win either.”

“Are there people already predicting winners?”

“The last event was 9 years ago. It’s an event held every 3 years, but it was skipped twice, so of course there’s a lot of interest.”

Come to think of it, I think the junior disciples said something like that last year. Was it that it’s being held after almost 10 years? To be precise, it was skipped twice, so it’s been 9 years.

“Those predicted to win are mostly those with honorary titles. Like the young master of the Namgung clan, Thunder Sword Azure Dragon Nam Kyung Seo Han, or Wudang’s Wudang Sword Dragon Wu Ha Dojang. There’s one from Mount Kunlun too, and I heard there’s a famous one from the Peng clan of Hebei? Most of them have probably passed their coming of age, and might be a few years older than Ha Hyun.”

“Well, if they have honorary titles, it means they’ve been in the martial world for a few years.”

“That’s right. Oh, by the way, I heard the young master of the Namgung clan is quite handsome. That disciple from Mount Kunlun is also known for his looks, called the Kunlun Jade Dragon. What do you think?”

A mischievous look spread across my senior’s face. I tilted my head.

“What do I think about what?”

“Ha Hyun is handsome too, isn’t he? Aren’t you curious who’s more handsome? Maybe Ha Hyun will get an honorary title at this competition, perhaps Plum Blossom Jade Dragon?”

“Ah…”

“Our Heun is so pretty and skilled too, you might be called Sword Flower. No, don’t make such an overtly displeased face.”

My senior reached out and lightly pinched my cheek.

“Even if you feel looks aren’t that important, most people are swayed by appearances. Besides, since many young martial artists gather at the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, while it seems to be mainly about martial arts on the surface, there’s also a lot of socializing going on behind the scenes.”

“Socializing?”

Hasn’t the genre suddenly become strange?

“It’s natural since opportunities for young talents to naturally form connections are rare. When the Grand Senior Brother participated in the Dragon Phoenix Gathering 9 years ago, I heard there were many marriage proposals afterwards.”

“For the Grand Senior Brother?”

It’s not at all that the Grand Senior Brother is lacking. He’s the next-in-line successor who wouldn’t be out of place anywhere.

But still, for a Taoist who has to live on the mountain for life… marriage proposals?