The elegant mountain ridges stretched out against the evening mist. The twilight mixed like pale paint with the fog, and the unstable crimson of the sunset faintly illuminated the mountains, almost but not quite coloring the world.

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke calmly.

"It’s winter here."

Standing atop a blade of grass, he swayed faintly side to side like a thicket, his hands clasped behind his back.

As he brushed against the gentle breeze, a pure white divine sword repeatedly slashed past his earlobe, neck, waist, and forearms, narrowly missing him each time. The cool sensation brushed his skin, yet no blood or sound followed.

Sarak, huuuk—

The fifteen-year-old girl unleashed extremely precise strikes, and the eighteen-year-old youth evaded them with an even higher level of mastery. Jeong Yeon-shin was reading not only the flow of energy from the young master but even the minute movements of her muscles, his Seocheon Technique’s blue radiance flashing in his eyes.

He wasn’t merely evading.

At this moment, a transparent spiral of wind swirled from Jeong Yeon-shin’s right hand. It was his ever-present Whirlwind Aura, meant to pressure his opponent into fighting at full strength.

"......"

Jeong Yeon-shin had nothing particular to say, and the young Ipwang City Lord swung her sword in silence. The chilling sword wind neatly sliced the grass beneath their feet, cutting it from the tips downward.

The girl’s thick leather shoes, designed like blind arrows, barely touched the high grass as she soared with Flying Across Grass. Every movement bolstered her sword energy.

‘All her strikes are flawless.’

At this level, it was near perfection.

Even Jeong Yeon-shin, before stepping into the martial world, hadn’t been able to draw such a sword path. It meant that as a swordsman, she already surpassed him at the same age. It was a matter of experience, not talent—a mastery that could only come from living on battlefields.

What kind of life had she endured?

Jeong Yeon-shin wanted to praise her, just as his master had once welcomed him.

"You have struggled hard to survive."

He said it after a moment's thought, but it felt awkward.

Beads of transparent sweat formed under the young master's neck, her collarbone faintly steaming from the exertion despite her body having already achieved Hanseo Immortality.

‘She's finally responding.’

Jeong Yeon-shin felt relieved. The girl had seemed too indifferent to everything, making it difficult to approach her.

Swoosh.

He stopped her thrusting sword with his left hand.

"Let’s take a break."

It was a courteous proposal. He flicked his finger and—ting!—the Immortal Sword flew and stuck into the ground.

The soft orange glow of the sunset flowed down the long blade to the earth. Even under the dusk, the sword blade remained white, unlike the slightly faded future Immortal Sword.

‘This sword doesn’t suit her body yet. I wonder why.’

Jeong Yeon-shin sat down cross-legged with that thought.

"......"

The girl stared at him silently for a long time before slowly sitting opposite him. She needed to regulate her breathing.

Several breaths passed.

Still, Wolpung had not arrived. As the first leader of the Divine Sword Unit, his strength should have allowed him to dominate any battlefield, so this was unusual.

It seemed the young master found it odd too. Occasionally she glanced over Jeong Yeon-shin’s shoulder, then quickly returned to silently observing him. Her slightly widened eyes betrayed a trace of tension.

"He won’t come easily. There are many reasons."

Jeong Yeon-shin continued in a calm voice.

"First, the dense forest blocks vision. Second, I relied on my defensive aura and slowed my movement deliberately. Third, a barrier, equivalent to a division captain’s level, surrounds us. It’s the ultimate Repelling Return Formation."

Perhaps in all the world, only three people could master the Repelling Return Formation to such a degree—himself included. As he now intended to escape, few could catch him, not because of weakness, but because of his position.

"If you want to travel safely through the martial world, you’ll need this much preparation for every action. The martial world is filled with too many variables... One or two plans alone won't suffice. I've only come to realize this recently."

He spoke gently, like a master sharing long-forgotten lessons.

‘...Why does every word seem meaningful?’

Even though another regression might occur if Wanjeok Dae-sa died again, it didn’t feel like a fleeting conversation. Perhaps because he would likely never have time like this with his future master.

Slowly, he met her gaze, a faint mist rising from her heated body.

"I hope you live."

He spoke quietly. It was why he had fought her without killing intent—wishing to subdue the Ipwang City Lord merged with Chunhamok without slaughter.

It was a hope more difficult than overcoming her deadly constitution. He wasn’t even strong enough yet to be called the greatest of the age.

He had already abandoned his ambitions.

To die foolishly at the hands of his master would bring only pain to those left behind: his grandfather, the Divine Sword Unit, and others like the Seven Swords Road.

"...That technique."

Suddenly, the girl pointed at Jeong Yeon-shin’s palm.

The swirling spiral of wind, still pouring out stormy energy.

"It’s violent, but it doesn’t carry killing intent. How is that possible?"

"It’s because of the martial art’s origin."

"Origin...?"

"It was completed while killing someone I didn’t want to kill."

Jeong Yeon-shin answered calmly, and the young Ipwang City Lord asked no further. Only the grass, bowing occasionally to the swirling current, made any sound.

Like the subtle whispers of high-ranking noble clans attuned to nature’s emotions.

Breaking the silence himself, Jeong Yeon-shin spoke again.

"Your internal breathing has stabilized. May we continue—?"

"Can’t we stop now?"

The girl’s lips moved slowly.

"This is a great opportunity, but not now. We have to leave."

Suddenly, the ground shook.

Krrrrr— 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

It wasn’t a one-off tremor. The vibration spread rapidly from beneath their feet across the thick forest and up the mountains.

The once-elegant landscape began to ripple like waves.

A timeline he was experiencing for the first time without regression.

‘What is happening...?’

[Sambong—!]

A thundering voice shattered the sky.

Hundreds of birds took flight over the wide forest, their wings flapping violently.

At the same time, the hemispherical barrier surrounding Jeong Yeon-shin and the girl quivered like smoke.

"Amcheonje?"

At Jeong Yeon-shin’s murmur, the young Ipwang City Lord gave a small nod.

"The Yuan Martial Gods and the faded clan's sovereigns have come. Each for their own purposes."

They were legendary figures.

He had heard of them since childhood—the surviving peerless masters of the Yuan dynasty, who ruled China before the Ming dynasty’s rise. And the faded clan’s sovereigns were said to have once devastated Sinya-hyeon.

The girl whispered.

"They’ve all come to sever Chunhamok. To prevent the Ming dynasty’s rule from becoming stable."

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

Allies, then.

Just then—

The barrier suddenly rippled as if struck by a torrential downpour.

Kaaaang!

Countless arrows bombarded them.

Piercing shockwaves tore through the barrier, and in the blink of an eye, the overwhelming barrage smashed it into mist.

Revealed beyond was an army of Ming elite warriors, numbering easily in the thousands.

The forest now seemed to be made entirely of people.

[There they are!]

[Start with the Clan’s Sovereign!]

The Ming warriors’ secret voice transmissions rang out.

They were referring to the young master as Sovereign. Just as the aristocrats of the Blood Flame Sect had once revered the Seven Swords Road.

‘They must have sensed her through Chunhamok’s flow. It must stretch across the entire region.’

It was precious information. That even in a full-scale war against the Cheonhamok forces, neither Jin Myeong-jo nor Hyeon Won-chang could rely on the Formation that Returns Ghosts.

If only such regression were possible outside as well. Even if the mind wore down, it would make it easier to protect those around.

―Everyone, deploy "White Sky in Clear Day Form Body". Await the clan chief and Chi Cheon-gung Baek. Wolpung will arrive soon as well. In his fury, he will surpass an army of ten thousand with ease.

―The guardians and the clan chief are currently engaged with the five Great Martial Gods. The Faded War King is also marching south...

―Five of them? What about Jang Sam-bong?

―He clashed with the Amcheonje. Then, as if seizing the opportunity, he suddenly vanished.

―Send a messenger to the Bonmok. Under no circumstances should Jang Sam-bong's location be lost. And the man in the violet long robe... any analysis on him?

―Awaiting revelation from the Bonmok.

―Why are you halting the report? Hurry and fulfill the duties of the sacrificial priest.

―...Northern Emperor.

The woman’s face, raising the report with a puzzled look as if she herself didn't understand the meaning, had fewer wrinkles than Jeong Yeon-shin remembered. Yet the serene downward curve of her eyes and the narrow cheeks were exactly the same as in his memory.

The First Elder of Cheonhamok.

She oversaw the Four Great Guardians of Bonmok and behaved as if she were Goldwall Sage’s own mother. In Ipwang Fortress terms, she had been akin to the Grand Commander. Now, she appeared middle-aged.

―What?

The Myung Clan swordsman beside her furrowed his brow. A middle-aged man, seemingly the leader of the clan's armed forces, though he wasn’t in Jeong Yeon-shin’s memories. It seemed he hadn't survived until the outer timeline.

―Northern Emperor? Is that all?

―Yes. Nothing more beyond those two words...

―Fine. For now, we must guard our backs against the Amcheonje. If unchecked, he could claim himself as Jang Sam-bong’s equal. A moment's slip could lead to annihilation...

Jeong Yeon-shin pulled the sleeve of his young master closer into his arms and silently agreed.

‘Things just got troublesome.’

The Ultimate Martial Way of the Amcheonje was more alien than even the final desperate moves of the Six Original Star Lords. He had manipulated dragons as if they were his limbs and fought Jeong Yeon-shin, Yulha Nangnang, and Grandmaster Beomha simultaneously.

―Prepare. Fire at once.

The leader of the Myung Clan's armed forces spread the sound transmission widely, and Jeong Yeon-shin extended his senses far to locate Grandmaster Wonjeok’s aura. With Sword Thunder Shattering Ridge Style Simgeuk Qilin, he could sever a head in a single painless blow.

‘Regression truly is a blessing.’

There was still much to unearth within Cheonhamok’s domain.

Starting with the young master. Every micro-movement of her unconscious muscles, every foundational martial art she embodied, what thoughts had shaped her as she grew, what kind of person the young Ipwang Fortress Lord had been, and how it would influence her sword path.

Even trivial habits like unknown sleeping quirks needed to be studied.

Just like a master would.

"You...?"

Was it because he had tightened his grip? The girl trapped in his arms tilted up his chin with her hand.

He didn’t lower his gaze.

Because another presence had crossed the sky just before the Myung Clan’s forces launched their assault. Fluttering splendidly was a long robe even purer and whiter than Sam-bong Zhenin's robe.

[Void Annihilation Realm.]

It echoed chillingly.

"......!"

The forces of the Myung Clan, which had replaced the forest, rippled as if becoming a great wave. It was as if a tsunami had crept onto the land.

Jjeojeojeojeojeojeojung!

A thunderous roar pierced through Jeong Yeon-shin’s upper dantian alone.

‘Still the same.’

He furrowed his brow at the light dizziness.

Not only himself, but everyone's Jing-Qi-Shen was misaligned like ill-meshed gears. Those who hadn’t yet formed the Three Harmonies lost the brilliance their upper dantian had granted them, and even the keen eyes unique to masters extinguished like candle flames.

An unseen abyss unfolded.

It was the Ultimate Martial Way.

"Amcheonje! The Great Martial Gods, Jang Sam-bong, Amcheonje...! Sacrificial priest, quickly obtain permission for unification! To the Bonmok, hurry...!"

"Master, you must not! Not yet!"

"Quickly!"

Sound transmission was an art requiring delicate internal force control. Without being masters {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} of orthodox martial arts like Grandmaster Beomha and Yulha Nangnang, they had no choice but to shout aloud in such a situation.

[Wretched beings. Where has Jang Sam-bong gone?]

A Myung Clan white-robed man, blending his body with the clouds using Cloud Emptiness Movement, spoke, gazing slowly across the assembly.

Jeong Yeon-shin stared up at him blankly.

‘An age of chaos indeed.’

He didn’t yield an inch of distance to any swordsman. Even though he had fewer preparations than during the time he ruled Hangzhou as his domain, he appeared stronger now.

Perhaps because, in his youth, the integration of his Jing-Qi-Shen was more robust than ever.

Swish.

Perhaps due to his overwhelming aura, a slender, transparent wind body formed like a brush stroke, brushing against the white-robed man’s sleeve before disintegrating on its own.

A presence that single-handedly replaced natural disasters.

There had been none in ancient or modern times who could surpass the Amcheonje in one-against-many battles. It was no wonder even the highest bow masters fell silent in this moment.

[Soon, you will prattle about fate and die. Surely you have business here. If you do not answer plainly, even if you become a faded clan of mine, I will annihilate you all...]

It happened in an instant.

[Namhwa Expansive Tai Chi.]

[Brilliant Winged Five Steps.]

[Starry Night.]

[Entering the Way Together Across.]

Bluish sparks raced through the forest like beams, forming a Tai Chi. Before he knew it, Jeong Yeon-shin was behind the Amcheonje, without even glancing back at the crimson thread line etched around the man's neck as he hoisted him with one hand.

[You are...?]

Jeong Yeon-shin silently tightened his grip. To prevent him from resurrecting as the skeletal Won Yeong-shin.

[Heaven Splitter.]

Thud―!

Fragments of the shattered head fell with a clatter. The Amcheonje's body, now headless, belatedly crashed down to the ground with a heavy thump.

"......."

All the martial forces of Cheonhamok, including the First Elder, were struck speechless. Even though the young Ipwang Fortress Lord had been released from Jeong Yeon-shin’s embrace, she could only stare at him with clear, unblinking eyes.

It was then that the world blurred.

The sign of regression.

Something grave had happened near Wi Yeon; it seemed Grandmaster Wonjeok had once again perished. Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly envied the Martial God.

‘It's alright.’

Adapting to a new internal energy system here was a tremendous gain. Outside, the broken Guanglun's backlash would have ruptured his meridians repeatedly.

Above all.

He was immersing himself in his young master. Every fragment of knowledge was a great joy. No matter how many times it repeated, he never tired of it. It truly felt like the privilege of infinite time.

‘If something happens outside, Grandmaster Beomha will wake me. Just think of this as a secluded cultivation before a major battle.’

Thus.

When this kind of time had repeated ten more times.

"Enough of this."

At the starting point of regression, Sam-bong Zhenin brought his face close to Jeong Yeon-shin's. Behind his smiling face, the sky rotated like an enormous Tai Chi.

It was chillingly bizarre.