An old sword.

Its edge was completely gone, and rust had eaten into it. One look told you it was in terrible shape.

It wasn’t even a sword you’d imagine could cut anything.

Should I even call that a sword? I thought that—then froze.

“......Whose sword is this?”

[Huh?]

I asked warily, and Seongheon looked puzzled. To him, it probably just looked like an antique—so why would I be on guard?

‘You’ve gotta be kidding me.’

I didn’t have a choice.

“So what is it, then—some former Heavenly Demon’s sword, or some former alliance leader’s sword, or the first alliance leader’s sword? Something like that?”

The Divine Sword at my waist had started out shattered too. So this worn-out sword might have some bizarre background as well. And I wasn’t about to touch another one of those.

But Seongheon said,

[......It’s just a sword I used a long time ago.]

“Then it’s not like it’s some Mount Hua secret sword with some meaning built into it, or—”

[It was a decent sword.]

“Decent?”

I didn’t drop my suspicion.

So then—

[......It is a special-grade weapon forged by the Sichuan Tang Clan, but.......]

“See? I knew it.”

Special-grade, my ass.

I narrowed my eyes into a flat glare at Seongheon. He answered with an awkward expression.

[I meant it has no particular meaning behind it.]

I could even hear the grievance in his voice.

[Look at it. It’s barely even something you can call a sword anymore.]

“That’s beside the point.”

I understood what he meant, but I stayed firm.

“I don’t know what it’s worth as a sword. But even so, it’s still a valuable object.”

And if it was a special-grade weapon from the Sichuan Tang Clan, then obviously it was something incredible—

“Wait.”

I stopped mid-sentence, my face hardening. Special-grade?

“If it’s a special-grade that exists at Mount Hua......”

One sword surfaced in my head.

The Plum Blossom Governance Sword.

Sichuan Tang Clan. Among their special-grade weapons forged by the Poison Venerable, it was a sword that had been handed over to Mount Hua.

‘This?’

This sword?

This rusted piece of junk?

“......How do you manage it until it turns into this?”

If it was the Plum Blossom Governance Sword, it wasn’t even that old compared to other special-grades.

Compared to Full Moon, the Sword Saint’s blade, even more so. Full Moon had only been crusted with blood and a bit damaged—once you cleaned it off, it was still worth looking at.

‘This one doesn’t even have that.’

The Plum Blossom Governance Sword was too far gone.

And that made it worse.

“What am I supposed to do with this? Don’t tell me you want me to repair it.”

This was a problem. I’d already piled up burden because of Yoo Cheongil. I couldn’t do more here.

And now you want me to repair a special-grade weapon too? Not a chance.

“I can’t do that for you.”

[Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t want it repaired. This sword can’t return to its original form anymore. And the maker has already ascended to the heavens—do you think I’d expect that?]

“.......”

The maker meant the Poison Venerable.

“Then what?”

[I only want you to deliver it.]

“......Deliver it.”

He meant Yuyeon. He wanted me to deliver this worn-out—no, formerly special-grade—sword to Yuyeon?

‘......That doesn’t feel possible.’

Even so, it was special-grade on paper. Was it really right to hand something like this over so casually?

[I’ll give you more divine pills.]

“......No. That’s not the issue.”

Pills or whatever—this wasn’t the time for that. But—

‘......Goddamn it.’

Yuyeon flashed through my head anyway.

“......If I take this to her, what changes?”

[Nothing.]

“Nothing?”

[Even if she holds the sword, she won’t use it. She’ll only take the meaning.]

“Then why give it at all?”

[Call it a proud old man’s pathetic lingering attachment.]

“.......”

Lingering attachment.

My eyes narrowed at that word.

“You haven’t even died yet.”

He was still a living spirit. Seongheon had collapsed, sure, but he was still breathing.

At that, Seongheon smiled thinly.

[Do you think it can’t happen?]

“.......”

Bringing one old sword didn’t seem hard. But if the real problem was that it was something left behind by a ghost—then yeah. That was a problem.

CLICK.

I grabbed the sword anyway.

WHIRRRR.

Soul energy seeped from the sword into my body.

“Ha.”

Not shallow. This was on the high end.

‘Heavy.’

Carrying this as-is would be heavy.

Not weight-heavy—soul-heavy. If I handled something like this carelessly, I’d probably regret it later.

‘Hm.’

Should I just refuse? That thought crossed my mind—

Yuyeon.

“.......”

Her name brushed past my mind for a moment.

A woman with a tiny back standing in front of me, saying she’d save me, annoyed me in a weird way.

‘This is bad.’

This kind of thing is bad. Ah—now I’m needlessly bothered. The situation I hate most.

‘Fuck.’

A brief thought flickered through me. Then—

“......Hm.”

One method came to mind. Not a complete solution, but it could lessen it, at least.

GRIP.

I tightened my hold on the sword.

Then I lifted it and spoke to Seongheon.

“......Putting the sword aside—this divine pill. This one is what our sect master meant, right?”

[Like I told you, I’m not certain. But if you consider the Divine Spear’s situation...... it will be better than a Great Reverting Pill.]

“......Why?”

[If a Great Reverting Pill exists for a martial artist’s realm increase and for restoring and expanding internal energy, then this one’s purpose is more clearly treatment.]

“Treatment?”

[Yes. Since the Central Plains’ greatest physician made it, that’s only natural.]

“......!”

My eyes widened. Seongheon made this /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ divine pill?

[If this doesn’t work, the only option is for me to go myself—but I can’t, can I?]

“.......”

He was right. I let out a breath and held the sword.

“......I’m saying it again, though.”

As I slowly wrapped the sword in cloth, I spoke to him.

“There won’t be a second time. Anything beyond this is impossible too.”

My soul trembled faintly. A warning. Don’t break the burden.

I ignored it and said it anyway, and Seongheon answered,

[Thank you.]

He said it softly. I clicked my tongue.

It was something Chief Baek had said, but—

‘You need to meddle less.’

I was reminded again that he’d been right.

*****

I came back outside. There wasn’t much time left.

RRRUUMBLE—!!

The moment I stepped out, I watched the mechanism close automatically. I said to Seongheon with a genuinely impressed voice,

“This...... did the Poison Venerable make it?”

[Oh? How did you know?]

“.......”

Of course.

‘That old man really was something else.’

The Poison Venerable. Seeing how he’d built Blue Moon Sect’s stashes and Sichuan’s stashes, I’d thought his skill was insane—but he’d even built Mount Hua’s hidden stash.

‘His hands were unbelievable.’

Not just weapon-making—he clearly had a knack for this too.

‘Alright. Then first.......’

Should I head for my destination? Just as I thought that—

“Where are you coming out from?”

“......!”

I flinched. At the sudden voice, I turned my head.

‘The Sword Emperor......?’

The Sword Emperor was there, arms crossed, staring at me.

“......Sir.”

“I wondered where you’d gone because I couldn’t see you. Then I felt your presence, which was strange. You’re coming out of a very odd place.”

“.......”

Did he see everything? It sure looked like he did.

“Well—”

“What’s that.”

TAP.

It happened in an instant. The Sword Emperor stepped in and snatched the sword from my hand.

“That.”

“A sword.”

He gave it a quick glance, then returned it like it was nothing. He didn’t look particularly interested. But—

“Putting the sword aside.”

The Sword Emperor’s sharp eyes swept over me.

“Did you have a fortuitous encounter?”

“.......”

Gulp. I swallowed dryly. It seemed he’d recognized my change in an instant.

“It was loud earlier. So the rumor was true.”

Eight Demonic Ones. The rumor that I’d taken down Taema had already spread. The Sword Emperor heard it too?

“It doesn’t look like it was just enlightenment....... And you weren’t even at a point where you should’ve gained enlightenment. What did you go through?”

“......I...... don’t really know either.”

I played dumb. I can’t exactly say, “I got possessed by the Heavenly Demon, then got released, and became Transcendent Peak,” can I?

“You don’t know.”

At that, the Sword Emperor’s eyes narrowed. Sharp. The air itself felt like it turned into a blade.

Just as the atmosphere started to chill—

‘Huh.’

I noticed something on the Sword Emperor.

“......By the way, sir.”

“Speak.”

“Where did you go......?”

“Why ask?”

“Because you smell like blood.”

“.......”

The Sword Emperor froze for a moment. Then the corner of his mouth lifted slowly.

“Sharp.”

“.......”

So it was blood. Honestly, more than blood—

‘He’s covered in spirit traces.’

His body. The space around him. It was thick with spirit remnants.

‘How many did you kill?’

Not one or two. I could tell he’d been cutting through a lot.

“I concealed the scent, and you still felt it. Your senses are better than you look.”

“.......”

Should I take that as praise? I couldn’t tell.

“Not bad. Then.”

Praise aside, the Sword Emperor stepped closer.

And then—

“How were they?”

“......Pardon?”

“I’ve never heard of someone called Taema. But you faced the Strange Demon, didn’t you? What was that disgusting thing like?”

“.......”

There was only one answer.

“......It was disgusting.”

Exactly what the Sword Emperor said.

“Haha.”

Maybe my answer amused him. The Sword Emperor laughed.

“I like that answer.”

“......You know about the Strange Demon too, sir?”

“It’s not like I don’t.”

Judging by the way his face twisted, it didn’t seem like they were on good terms.

“It’s the kind of bastard you shouldn’t get tangled with. I should’ve killed him this time.......”

“......You’re going to kill them?”

“If I get the chance.”

FSSSS.

A pungent killing intent brushed my throat. It was chilling.

‘That far?’

I knew the Sword Emperor was aiming at something. I knew that “something” was HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE. But still—

‘Then why didn’t he show up?’

Why wasn’t he there when we were fighting? I’d known the Sword Emperor hadn’t been on Mount Hua when everything went down.

‘Where did he go?’

With traces like that, he hadn’t just taken a casual stroll. What did he do? It was baffling on top of baffling.

While I forced myself to ignore the killing intent—

“Then I can finish what I didn’t get to do.”

The Sword Emperor brought up the lesson.

“It’ll be easier.”

Because my realm rose, it would be easier. That was what he meant, but—

“Ah, wait a moment.”

“Hm?”

“Lessons are fine, but....... I still have something I need to do.”

“Something?”

“Yes.”

The Sword Emperor’s expression darkened. He didn’t understand why I’d suddenly have “something to do,” so I added a clear explanation.

“I have someone I need to fight.”

“......?”

The Sword Emperor’s expression turned worse than before.