DRIP—

DRIP—

DRIP—

The sight of dew, imbued with golden heat, falling drop by drop was incredibly marvelous.

However.

"..."

"... It takes a long time."

The speed was too slow.

It was certainly a very marvelous and beautiful sight, but the falling speed was so slow that it quickly became boring.

And a bigger problem was...

'Ugh, this is...'

My arm hurts too much.

Since not a single drop of the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk could be lost, I had to hold the canteen high to catch it, but no matter how trained a person is, keeping their arm raised is no easy task.

"Geumpyo."

"Yes."

"I will give you the opportunity to catch the spiritual elixir directly. Come and hold this."

"..."

Geumpyo looked back and forth between me and the highly raised canteen, then shook his head.

"No, Eldest Senior Brother. I dare not take on such a critically important task. I am fine."

Why are these kids getting so quick-witted?

"Come and hold it while I'm asking nicely."

"... Yep! It is an honor!"

Contrary to his frowning eyes, Geumpyo forced a smile and approached.

As I rubbed my stiff arm and neck with a satisfied heart, Saryeon looked at me with a blank expression.

"Did we really, truly get the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk?"

Even after witnessing a sight rarely seen even in one's next life, Saryeon couldn't hide her blank expression, as if she still couldn't believe it.

'I suppose... she was a child who wished for the Taiyi Sect's ascension more than anyone else.'

She was a child who lived her whole life carrying the heavy responsibility that she had to take charge of the Taiyi Sect.

A child who shouldered an overwhelming burden on her own, even though no one forced her to.

A child who was miserable and in pain throughout her life because of it.

Because I knew her in my past life, seeing Saryeon unable to hold back her deep emotion brought me a little comfort.

"Yeah. The Taiyi Sect really obtained the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk."

For some reason, tears welled up in Saryeon's eyes.

"And we will obtain even more things in the future."

"..."

"I will make it so."

Soon, drops of dew like the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk trickled from her eyes.

Saryeon made an 'oops' expression and hurriedly wiped away her tears.

I subtly turned my head and pretended not to see.

Anyway, what was important right now wasn't what would happen to the Taiyi Sect in the future.

The biggest problem was getting out safely with the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk.

'The problem is that it is way too slow.'

Unlike the foolish Zhongnan Sect, who lost the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk because they kept their torches lit.

We had turned off our torches in advance, so not a single drop was lost.

In that case, we should be able to fill at least half the canteen.

But in a situation where we didn't know when the Zhongnan Sect might storm in, I couldn't gauge how much we would be able to catch.

'Please, just keep doing useless things a little longer.'

Because the more the Zhongnan Sect struggled to block additional people from entering from the outside and to kick out the people inside, the more Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk we would be able to collect.

How much time had passed?

"... Eunho."

Geumpyo's voice rang out low. But there was no answer in return.

Eventually.

"Lee... Eunho!"

Geumpyo called for Eunho desperately with a dying voice, but Eunho just kept pretending not to hear.

"That punk... Ugh, his mute acupoint was struck. Why! Why is he pretending... to be deaf?"

"..."

Caught in the battle of wills between his two older brothers, Dongryong hesitated before approaching Geumpyo.

"G-Geumpyo hyung, should I hold it?"

Geumpyo looked down at Dongryong, who was a full head shorter than him.

Aren't your eyes shaking a bit too violently there?

"No, you're too small..."

Of course, that's how it should be. Surely you wouldn't make your young brother do...

SWISH—

"... Hey, where are you looking?"

At my sharp rebuke, Geumpyo hurriedly withdrew his gaze that had been heading toward Saryeon.

But the direction of his gaze had already been caught.

"Geumpyo hyung, that's too much."

"... Mmm-mmph!"

When Eunho and Dongryong simultaneously put on pathetic expressions, Geumpyo yelled in an outburst.

"W-What! Why?! What did I say?!"

At that moment, Saryeon approached Geumpyo, whose face had turned bright red.

"Give it here. I'll hold it."

"N-No. Senior Sister, please rest."

"If you drop even a single drop, the loss would be massive. Let's take turns."

"... Ah, then just for a moment... hehe."

While we were bickering and enjoying a leisurely moment like never before.

STEP, STEP, STEP.

Someone was caught in my senses.

SPRING.

I quickly stood up and looked at Dongryong.

"Dongryong!"

"... Yes?"

His complexion hadn't changed.

But the aura exuded by the person caught in my senses was unusual.

It definitely felt like the guy who had been chasing us earlier.

I looked at Dongryong's face.

'Why doesn't he notice it this time?'

Briefly lost in thought, I snapped out of my reverie at the sound of someone calling me.

"Mmm-mmph?"

"Senior Brother?"

Saryeon, who had swapped with Geumpyo again, and Eunho approached me.

Right, now was not the time to be distracted.

Saryeon whispered in a worried voice.

"Did something happen?"

"Someone... is coming this way."

"Mmm-mmph?"

"Couldn't they just pass by like earlier?"

I shook my head at Saryeon's words.

"They've already figured us out."

Otherwise, how could they come exactly toward us amidst the countless branching paths?

"Then should we stop collecting here?"

An anxious look surfaced on Saryeon's face.

Of course, it was a sudden situation. However.

"No. Catch it until the end."

Giving up a spiritual elixir right in front of my eyes.

I could never do that.

I looked back at the kids and added.

"Because I will be blocking them."

At that, the junior disciples tried to stop me with appalled expressions.

"Senior Brother! What are you saying!"

"Eldest Senior Brother! I will go with you."

"Me too!"

I tilted my head as the junior disciples rushed at me in a flurry.

What's this? Why are they acting like this?

"This is something I, the Eldest Senior Brother, must do."

When I slowly shook my head again, complex emotions filled the junior disciples' eyes.

'Hmm, for some reason, this feels...'

It looked like the gaze of people feeling sorrow for their Eldest Senior Brother's sacrifice, yet unable to hide their respect at the same time.

What's all this fuss over one guy... Ah.

At that moment, I realized what misunderstanding the junior disciples were having.

Right, so that was it.

I cleared my throat a couple of times and added.

"Ahem, no matter how many Zhongnan Sect members there are, I will make sure they do not enter this place. So... you all must catch the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk until the end."

Of course, it was largely my fault for not mentioning that the opponent was only one person, but well, there was no need to deliberately correct their misunderstanding.

I mean, why not? It could be one person who is like a hundred people. Ahem.

Just then, Eunho, whose paralyzed mute acupoint seemed to have come undone, spoke.

This guy, he must be touched after all...

"... Eldest Senior Brother, then why haven't you been doing that until now?"

I looked at Eunho.

"Eunho."

"Yes."

And slowly said.

"It's your turn to catch the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk."

"..."

I really can't stand a quick-witted junior disciple.

* * *

When I came out of the cave where the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk was dripping and got a bit of distance away, I launched Sword Qi at the ceiling.

SLASH— SLASH— SLASH— SLASH—

THUD, THUMP, CRASH—

Severed boulders and piles of dirt poured down, blocking the narrow entrance that barely had a gap left.

The intermittently spreading light of the Five-Spirit Immortal Flower Milk was completely blocked off, and the surroundings were dyed in darkness.

It was a measure taken just in case, thinking that if no light leaked out, the risk of them being discovered would be slightly lessened.

CHAK— CHAK—

I used a flint to light the torch again and ran out in the direction where the mysterious figure was approaching.

As his presence grew clearer, and the killing intent he exuded could slowly be felt on my skin.

I stood in place and waited for him.

He, who had been running at a fast pace, also gradually slowed down at some point.

Then, he soon began to walk slowly.

As if he also expected to fight me.

Having nothing left to hide, I blatantly spread my senses and began to investigate him.

Since it wasn't a distance where surging qi was used, I couldn't accurately know his martial realm, but I could make a rough guess based on the information of experts I had gathered in my past life.

'A Hall Leader... or higher!'

Since it was a rough guess made through my senses, it was highly likely he was actually even stronger.

'If I'm lucky, he's Hall Leader-class; if I'm unlucky, an elder or...'

For some reason, the Big Dipper swordsmen that Cheol Sunjik had mentioned came to mind.

Hoping my luck wouldn't be quite that bad.

STEP—

A moment later, the sound of footsteps could be heard.

The person who appeared from the flickering torch shadows was a man in his mid-thirties at best.

He was someone holding a shining sword blade engraved with the pattern of the Big Dipper.

'Fuck me, seriously...'

* * *

Big Dipper swordsmen.

The Zhongnan Sect's final attack squad.

A group said never to step outside of Zhongnan unless the sect was on the verge of destruction.

Some would say.

That the Zhongnan Sect's Big Dipper swordsmen were the ultimate weapon for mutually assured destruction.

The Zhongnan Sect says.

If anyone wants to eradicate Zhongnan, they must be prepared to suffer the same fate.

'To think I'd see a Big Dipper swordsman here of all places, someone I never even saw after Zhongnan was destroyed in my past life.'

It felt strange.

No, it felt a little bad.

Well, since the very reason for the squad's existence was to protect their sect, it was only natural that I didn't see them during the Orthodox-Demonic Great War...

Yeah, it was natural, but still.

Seeing such an entity in Cheondong Cave was not pleasant.

'These Zhongnan bastards. They're really something else, aren't they?'

STEP—

The person standing at the cave entrance noticed me and walked further inside.

With every step he took inward, his appearance came more clearly into view.

As if he had just been in quite a fierce battle, bloodstains were smeared here and there on his martial robes, and undried blood was still flowing along the sword blade engraved with the Big Dipper.

He spotted me, looked around the cave, and then furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Are you alone?"

I nodded.

"That is so. I am still too young to take a wife."

"..."

CRACKLE, CRACKLE.

Between the two of us, only the sound of the burning torch heavily filled the air.

* * *

"What I..."

The man's mouth opened slightly and then closed. His pupils shook violently, as if he didn't know what to say.

"That was not what I meant when I asked."

"Is that so? I just answered because I thought it was customary among Zhongnan Sect members to ask about one's marital status upon first meeting."

After pondering for a moment, he replied.

"I apologize for causing a misunderstanding."

... An apology is coming out here?

"As long as you know."

I nodded, hiding any signs of my bewilderment.

"Then I will ask again. Where are your companions?"

I tilted my head.

"Companions? I only entered alone."

The man put on a confused expression once more.

"Then... did you kill the people who were with you?"

What's with this guy? Is he an idiot?

"Ah, if you mean the people I was traveling with, we already split up a while ago and decided to go our separate ways."

"..."

The man stared at me piercingly for a long time.

"That is a lie."

... Guess he's not a complete idiot. Tsk.

Still, I tried firmly denying it one more time.

"What are you talking about? I am someone who has never told a lie in my entire life. Is it acceptable for a Daoist of the Zhongnan Sect to recklessly prejudge someone??!"

When I yelled at him, he put on a somewhat reluctant expression.

"... I-Is that true?"

What do you mean, 'is that true'?

Seriously, what is up with this guy?

"That is so. I have never told a single lie until now."

"Then why are you wearing a mask?"

"... It is because I have a very shy personality."

"Is that so..."

... To accept it this easily.

Fuck, surely this isn't some high-level psychological warfare, right?

Then, I suddenly grew curious about something.

And for some reason, I felt like this guy would answer me.

"Are you really a Big Dipper swordsman?"

"Hup!!!"

The man's eyes shot wide open.

Fuck. W-What?

"H-How did you know that?!!!"

"..."

Wasn't the Big Dipper pattern on his sword blade the symbol of the Big Dipper swordsmen?

Did this guy think the fact that he was a Big Dipper swordsman would be hidden?

"From what I know, the Big Dipper swordsmen do not step forward unless Zhongnan is on the brink of destruction. Why did you come out just to obtain a mere spiritual elixir?"

At my sarcasm, he flared up and shouted.

"Because Zhongnan is currently in a critical situation!"

Even after spitting those words out himself, he put on a shocked expression.

"Oops! That was a secret!"

"..."

At this point, I highly doubted the selection criteria for the Big Dipper swordsmen themselves.

The Big Dipper swordsman was still muttering to himself, his pupils shaking violently.

He soon clamped his lips shut as if he had made up his mind.

"I decided not to kill in Cheondong Cave... but since you have learned a secret, it cannot be helped."

"... It is not even that important of a secret, is it?"

"Still, it cannot be helped. I am sorry."

Fuck! I mean, it's not like I heard it because I wanted to!

The man stepped with the Big Dipper Heavenly Dipper Footwork and instantaneously erased his figure.

'Form-Shifting Illusion?'

Following that, a heavy greatsword cleaving through the air appeared before my eyes.

How does a heavy sword's speed put a fast sword to shame?

CRASH!

The moment I hurriedly blocked it with the Black Dragon Sword, a massive weight crushed down on my shoulders as if the entire cave had collapsed on me.

'What kind of strength is this!'

I knew he was on a higher level than Gun Cheonji, but to think the gap between him and an ordinary swordsman would be this huge.

It wasn't for nothing that the Big Dipper swordsmen were called the final attack squad.

The fine hairs on my body stood on end at the fact that a half-wit who seemed half out of his mind had this level of skill.

Was his foolish appearance earlier intentional to make me lower my guard?

CLASH! CLANG CLANG CLANG! BOOM!

Every time I parried a Martial Move, my feet sank deeply into the ground.

I drew up a massive amount of internal energy and unleashed the Twin Heaven Sword Art and the Lesser Heaven Sword Technique.

SWOOSH!

Sword strikes poured down like lightning strikes through dozens of sword shadows, aiming for his vital acupoints, but his rapidly reversing swordsmanship defended all thirty-six directions once again, blocking every single strike.

Because my identity could be discovered, I didn't dare to use the Ten Thousand Swords and instead brought out my Sword Force.

VWOOM—

With Sword Force soaring a foot high from the tip of the Black Dragon Sword, I scattered the Twin Heaven Sword Art.

Inside the space filled with darkness, the halos of Sword Force poured out in all directions and illuminated the dark.

Even though Sword Force had appeared, the Big Dipper swordsman's sword still merely harbored Sword Qi.

'Can he not use Sword Force?'

My thought that I might be able to subdue him easily was instantly shattered to pieces.

Gu-gung Divine Movement Swordsmanship.

The supreme swordsmanship that, instead of defending all thirty-six directions like the World's Thirty-Six Sword Techniques, perfectly dominated only nine positions (Gu-gung) to simultaneously defend and attack.

To think he had mastered even this.

Only then did I realize that it wasn't that the Big Dipper swordsman couldn't use Sword Force, but that he didn't need to use Sword Force.

CLANG CLANG CLANG! CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG!

Even though it was swordsmanship unleashed merely with Sword Qi, he did not budge in the slightest against the clashes of Sword Force.

Following that, his sword struck down like a thunderbolt toward the spot where the Twin Heaven Sword Art had just swept through.

BOOM! BOOM BOOM BOOM! BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Every time I blocked one, the aftermath of the explosion violently shook my internal organs.

Even though the food I had eaten the day before had digested long ago, I felt like I was going to throw up.

'Subdue? Fuck, what is that! Is that something you eat?'

I fully realized that this was indeed the final attack squad that Zhongnan had poured their heart and soul into creating.

Should I consider it fortunate that I didn't encounter all seven Big Dipper swordsmen?

After all, most of them would probably be older and have a higher martial realm than him.

I couldn't possibly subdue him unless I used my full power.

But if I went all out, I would inevitably leave traces behind.

If I had just experienced their martial prowess a little bit during the Orthodox-Demonic Great War, I would have avoided a head-on confrontation.

'Wait a minute...'

Then, a good idea suddenly struck me.

I couldn't gauge him accurately, but the opponent seemed superior to Ilgak and inferior to Je Geumhak.

If so.

'This might actually be for the best.'

With this level of martial prowess, even if I overdid it a little, he wouldn't die instantly.

'Should I trust in Zhongnan's underlying strength?'

It just so happened that I possessed one martial art I could use at full power without it identifying me.

While my brain worked quickly, the energy of the Universe Light-Splitting Sword scattering from his blade constricted my entire body.

Unlike the World's Thirty-Six Sword Techniques which defended thirty-six directions, the Universe Light-Splitting Sword occupied the opponent's eighteen directions, rendering them completely immobilized.

I unleashed the Taiyi Eighty Thousand Divine Steps and narrowly slipped out of his offensive.

At the same time, I executed the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist to widen the distance and shouted at him.

"Wait! Please let me leave one final word!"

"A... final will?"

He flinched.

"Come on, it's my last moment. Can you not at least do that much?"

After pondering for a moment, he nodded.

He genuinely seemed to believe that I would die by his hand.

"Speak it."

And while he momentarily faltered.

"Please... do not die, and do not suffer severe injuries either. I hope you only get hurt just enough to appropriately faint."

I drew up my internal energy with all my might.

"How is that a final will... Huh?!"

Who said it was my final will.

Sensing something strange, the Big Dipper swordsman hurriedly lunged in, but... it was already too late.

White Moon Heaven-Subduing Three Forms.

First Form.

'Extreme speed.'

The sword swung, and the sound of tearing air echoed out right after.

SHIIING—

The Big Dipper swordsman felt something amiss and hastily raised his sword, but it was already too late.

SLASH—

A single long, fine line formed across his chest, and blood surged out like a fountain.

"Y-You liar... You said... it was the last..."

Yeah. Your last moment.

THUD—

The Big Dipper swordsman collapsed with an expression like a child abandoned by their parents.

Tsk. Why are you making a face like that? It makes it seem like I genuinely did something wrong.