After returning from the hunt, I went into the training hall to practice the secret technique Father had taught me, from carrying qi on the wind to emitting several strands at once.

Eating felt like a waste of time, so I made do with jerky and replaced sleep with qi-circulation meditation. The more I practiced, the more I realized how important this technique was. Detecting an enemy before they could ambush you was like carrying a spare life.

I worked hard throughout my training. I had learned countless times that if you didn't walk today, life would make you run tomorrow.

After spending several days absorbed in training, I finally emerged. I could now freely carry my qi on the wind, and I had increased the number of strands to three or four.

Yi An was waiting at the entrance.

"Young Master, you should rest now and have a proper meal."

"I told you to go about your business. Why are you here?"

"Protecting you is my business."

Apparently, she had guarded the entrance the entire time I was training.

I decided it would take shock treatment to change this stubborn girl's mind.

"Is standing guard at this door really helping me?"

"What do you mean?"

"What would you do if someone ambushed me?"

"I'd throw myself in the way."

"If you took a blade for me and died protecting me, how would I feel? Would I be happy to have survived? Would I dance in the middle of the training grounds?"

"You wouldn't, but... it would be better than dying. Besides, you're not much of a dancer."

"That's a selfish sacrifice. You're only valuing your own feelings."

I didn't want to attach a word like selfish to her noble willingness to sacrifice herself. But she needed this kind of shock treatment. The trouble was, it didn't work.

"Yes, yes. From now on, please call me a selfish bitch who only cares about her own feelings."

"Yi An, do you truly want to protect me?"

"Yes."

"Then start training your martial arts. When the time comes to really protect me, don't just passively block the attack. Kill the attacker!"

If that made her stronger, every bit of that strength would lay the groundwork for her own happiness.

This time, she didn't respond with a joke. She quietly nodded.

Just then, someone shouted from a distance.

"Hey, lump of lard!"

I turned to see three men walking toward us. They were disciples of the Blood Heaven Saber Demon.

"The Second Young Master still hasn't come out today?"

From the sound of it, they had come several times while I was training.

But what was that? Lump of lard? Had those bastards lost their minds?

They apparently couldn't see me behind Yi An's large frame.

"How many times have they pulled this shit?"

"I'm fine. It's nothing."

"If this is nothing, what in the world counts as something? Your entire family getting slaughtered by an enemy?"

"Young Master! I'm fine."

Yi An was worried I might cause trouble. She would be concerned whether I got hurt or they did.

"Yi An, you don't need to worry so much. I won't go so wild over you that I ruin my own life. Everyone is like that. People know how to look after themselves."

Meanwhile, they drew closer, and Yi An spoke quickly.

"Young Master, they don't seem to have come with good intentions. I think you should avoid them for now."

"Of course I should avoid things. Wasps, dog shit, Father's sudden wrath. But not these men."

By then, the three bastards stood before me.

"Oh? You're here too, Second Young Master."

The man who had sneered at Yi An was Yang Po, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's second disciple.

I knew exactly what sort of bastard he was. Birds of a feather—he was trash of a different kind from Gu Pyeongho, who had dosed my food with energy-dispersing poison.

He was notorious for belittling people and subjecting them to personal abuse... Right. That boy.

My gaze shifted to the handsome disciple who had come with Yang Po.

He was the youngest, wasn't he? He was the kindest and most affectionate of the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's disciples, but Yang Po's fucking harassment eventually drove him to suicide. How relentless did the abuse have to be to make a martial artist take his own life?

Even now, the youngest looked unhappy. He had probably been dragged here against his will.

The other man was the fourth disciple. I couldn't remember his name, but I didn't remember him as a particularly good person.

I turned my gaze back to Yang Po.

"Disrespecting my bodyguard means disrespecting me, doesn't it?"

"My apologies. I didn't see you, Second Young Master. She's rather enormous."

"Whether I'm here or not has nothing to do with it."

"I told you, I didn't see you with her."

This ignorant bastard couldn't even grasp the point of the conversation.

Father was entirely to blame for his ability to act this way. Ever since Father announced that anyone in the Cult could become his successor, being the Heavenly Demon's son had lost much of its distinction.

Ultimately, he was seizing an opportunity to earn a reputation as someone who wouldn't back down even before the Heavenly Demon's son.

"I hear you've come looking for me several times."

"I have."

"Why?"

"Do you really need to ask? My junior disciple Gu can no longer practice martial arts."

"So what do you want me to do? Nurse him? Yi An, go fetch a rag. Let's wipe his sweat for him."

"Second Young Master! Do you think I'm joking?"

"We're not close enough to have a serious conversation."

Perhaps feeling slighted, Yang Po's demeanor grew fierce. A bastard who bullied people to death was offended by a few mocking words. It was laughable.

"You crippled a man. You need to take responsibility!"

"Have you heard that your junior disciple used energy-dispersing poison?"

"Hmph! Your people must have fabricated that."

"Oh, so that's the line you're sticking to?"

"Enough excuses. Make a formal apology."

I could guess why he had come demanding an apology.

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon had yet to choose a chief disciple. His disciples therefore did everything they could to win his favor. Yang Po wanted to secure a formal apology from me and claim credit for restoring his master's dignity.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm not sure doing this will make your master choose you as his chief disciple."

"What nonsense! I came here for my junior disciple. To right the wrong done to him! Do you understand?"

"What wrong?"

"His attack may have been excessive, but you deliberately crushed his arm."

He must have thought he had a valid grievance, but he was merely playing in the palm of the Buddha's hand.

"Then Father and the esteemed Eight Demon Supremes were in the wrong?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

The sudden mention of Father and the Eight Demon Supremes startled Yang Po.

"Aren't they? Father acknowledged my victory and asked what I wished for. Your master didn't raise a single objection. What does that mean, then? The cult leader and your master couldn't exercise the judgment that even you possess?"

Yang Po was so flustered that he stammered.

"W-what kind of sophistry is that? That's not what I mean!"

"Isn't it? You're saying the cult leader knowingly covered up his own son's wrongdoing."

Yang Po's face went white.

"Don't be ridiculous!"

How could he possibly beat me with words?

"Or do you think he's gone senile? Is that it?"

"Shut your mouth! How dare you show such insolence!"

Yang Po turned to his fellow disciples, but they were just as flustered.

One wrong move could leave him accused of criticizing the Heavenly Demon, so he made a show of reluctantly backing down.

"I'll leave for today, but this isn't over."

"Wait! You need to apologize before you leave."

"Apologize for what?"

"For insulting my subordinate."

Only then did they look at Yi An. The Second Young Master's fat subordinate had never mattered to them in the first place.

Of course, Yi An wanted things to end there.

"I'm fine, Young Master."

"I'm not. Now, you dared run your mouth at my subordinate, so get on your knees and apologize. You wouldn't mean an apology anyway, so at least show it through your actions. Let people hear that you knelt."

Yang Po spoke with an incredulous expression.

"Did you just tell me to kneel before that pig of a bitch?"

"Yes. Even better if you put your forehead on the ground."

"Second Young Master, are you insane? I'd sooner die than kneel."

The answer I wanted came quickly.

"You'd sooner die? How manly. All right. I'll grant your wish."

SHING!

Yang Po started when I drew my sword.

"You really are insane."

"If you leave now, word will spread through the Cult."

Yang Po looked around for witnesses.

"Not there. Right here."

I pushed my lips out in a deliberately irritating pout.

"This little mouth will spread the word. The Blood Heaven Saber Demon's second disciple ran away in fear of the Second Young Master. I can't say for certain, but I doubt your master will like that much. You'll wear the label of coward for the rest of your life."

Yang Po's expression hardened. He had come to impress his master, only to risk earning his displeasure.

"Kneel and apologize, or fight me. Your choice."

"Why are you taking this so far?"

"You can come looking for me. You can demand that I restore your junior disciple. You can come in a pack and declare revenge. I understand all of that. But why harass my subordinate? Why call her a lump of lard? Have you ever even bought her a meal? Have you?"

Far from showing remorse, Yang Po looked even more offended.

"You really mean to kill me for that fatty."

"Correct."

Yang Po's eyes narrowed viciously, and he acted just as I had expected.

"Just who do you take me for!"

"My subordinate is worth a hundred of you. No, a thousand. No..."

Before I could reach ten thousand, Yang Po drew his saber.

SHING!

"Senior Brother, don't!"

The fourth disciple behind him hastily tried to stop him, but Yang Po was already beside himself.

"Second Young Master, beating junior disciple Gu may have gone to your head, but you'll soon regret it. I can't kill the cult leader's son, but I'll cut off an arm to avenge my junior disciple."

Yang Po was certain he could beat me.

I couldn't remember precisely, but my skills around this time seemed to have been roughly on par with the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's disciples. It was all my brother's fault. From childhood, he had harassed and held me back so relentlessly because of my Heavenly Martial Physique that I hadn't been able to develop my martial arts properly.

"What will you do without energy-dispersing poison?"

"Don't make me laugh! I'm not junior disciple Gu!"

Yang Po attacked first, pressing me hard.

In my previous life, I had learned time and again that a martial artist's character bore no relation to their skill.

Yang Po was no exception. His saber technique was excellent, utterly unlike his rotten character. He was skilled enough to give the me of that time a proper contest.

Of course, to the current me, he was an opponent I could defeat in a single move, just like Gu Pyeongho.

But I fought him as an equal to conceal my true ability.

Whenever Yang Po pressed me, his watching junior disciples cried out in admiration.

Yi An, on the other hand, gave a short scream each time. Only the fact that we had both agreed to this duel kept her from intervening. Otherwise, she would have jumped in several times.

After patiently enduring some twenty exchanges, I unleashed the killing move I had planned.

Until now, I had matched my opponent's movements. Now it was time to show the essence of the Heaven-Soaring Sword Art.

My sword swayed lightly, like a willow leaf stirred by a gentle breeze.

WHOOSH!

SHUNK!

Red blood burst out in a spray.

My sword had pierced his mouth and emerged from the back of his head.

DRIP. DRIP.

Everyone froze in silence. Only blood dripped from the tip of my sword.

Watching the life fade from his eyes, I spoke.

"You're dying because of that mouth. You used it to insult my subordinate, and it was that same mouth that refused to apologize."

That mouth had killed his kindhearted junior disciple, and it would kill many more. His path ended here.

When I withdrew my sword, Yang Po pitched forward, blood gushing from his mouth.

"Senior Brother!"

His junior disciples rushed over to examine him, but he was already a cold corpse. They were aghast. They couldn't have imagined I would actually kill Yang Po. Naturally, Yi An was staring at me in even greater shock.

The fourth disciple shouted accusingly.

"You killed our senior brother? Second Young Master, you really..."

"What did you expect?"

"Can you handle the consequences of this?"

I looked at him and said coldly,

"Your mouth takes after your senior brother's."

Perhaps remembering my remark about Yang Po dying because of his mouth, he clammed up.

"Tell them exactly what happened. Add even one word that isn't true, and I'll come for you at night."

They carried Yang Po's body away. That was when I saw the relief on the youngest disciple's face. How much had he suffered to be unable to hide his joy at someone's death?

He would originally have died under Yang Po's harassment. Now he would live. The cook who had put energy-dispersing poison in my rice had died as before, but the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's youngest disciple, who should have died, would now live. Fate could remain the same, and it could change.

'Kindhearted youngest disciple, hang in there and become the Saber Demon's chief disciple someday!'

That was my wish, but accomplishing that much would depend on his own will and effort.

Meanwhile, Yi An was looking at me as though her whole world had collapsed.

"Didn't you say everyone knows how to look after themselves? Didn't you tell me not to worry?"

"This wasn't because of you, so stop looking like that!"

"... It was because of me, wasn't it?"

"No. Don't get the wrong idea."

"Then why did you cause such enormous trouble?"

"It's hardly a big deal. I simply killed someone who deserved to die."

"The esteemed Blood Heaven Saber Demon won't let this pass."

"He will. He has nothing to gain by getting involved."

"Will he really?"

"Think about it. This fight began because his disciple insulted the Second Young Master's bodyguard. He could have ended it with an apology, but he dug his heels in and died. What would the Blood Heaven Saber Demon gain by intervening? All he'd hear is criticism for raising his disciple poorly."

"But it might hurt his pride."

"The Blood Heaven Saber Demon doesn't have that kind of pride."

"How do you know?"

"I know. Your handsome Young Master knows everything."

My composure finally seemed to ease Yi An's tension a little.

"Well, that's a relief, then."

"On the other hand, killing Yang Po benefits me. Everyone will be watching me. If becoming the successor requires a certain score, I've just added one point to mine."

I had demolished Gu Pyeongho in the duel, and now I had killed Yang Po. Every eye in the Cult would be on me.

"Don't tell me you thought that far ahead?"

"Of course I did. I was killing a disciple of the Blood Heaven Saber Demon. Do you think I'd do that simply because I was offended?"

I had left a powerful impression on Father during the hunt. I needed to keep that momentum going.

"Yi An, insulting you means insulting me. So don't say it's all right in a situation like that."

"I didn't think it through."

"From now on, we'll have far more important problems to think about. Will the owner of the trash get angry because we took it out? Today is the last day we waste time on such trivial, useless worries."

A surge of emotion flashed in Yi An's eyes as she looked at me.

"You mean it. Young Master... you really have changed."

"That's also why you need to change."

The changes in me over the past few days had been enough to draw out a change in her.

Yi An nodded.

"I'll change too. I'll become stronger!"

It wouldn't be as easy as saying it. She would question herself, look back, and struggle time and again. Changing a person's life was never easy. Even my own seemingly effortless transformation had only been possible because of the entire lifetime I had lived before.

"And Young Master, thank you for today. When you stood up for me earlier, I was so happy. Truly."

"Of course you should be grateful. Never forget today as long as you live!"

She smiled. Not just any smile, but a beaming grin that buried both eyes completely in her cheeks.

Yes, smile like that. Now that I've returned to the past, live your life smiling just like that.