Seonu Clan (2)

When Yeonha heard the rumor that I had deliberately taken the blame to go to the front, she looked a little flustered and left.

Her expression felt strangely different from my memory, leaving me unsettled.

‘What is it? What’s different?’

Back then, Yeonha had only comforted me endlessly as I wept….

Was it because I hadn’t cried this time, so it felt different?

I was lost in thought when it happened.

The second visitor I had been waiting for arrived.

Tap!

It was much earlier than I had expected.

Startled by the silent descent of his figure from the roof, I cried out.

“Father?!”

The second visitor was none other than my father, Seonu Jung.

He was staring at me with a heavy expression.

‘What is this? Even Father feels different from that time?’

Was it because I had changed?

Both the time of his visit and the way he looked at me were entirely different from my memory.

Back then, he had come with a resigned expression and asked if I had any last requests.

And I, pathetically, had asked if he would let me escape. Father had sighed, shaken his head, and left.

But now—this heavy expression, this silent gaze—was nothing like before.

As I looked at him nervously, Father finally opened his mouth in a heavy tone.

“Is it true, then, that you were falsely accused?”

My eyes widened in shock.

It seemed he had overheard what I had told Yeonha earlier.

Then he had been here already?

Could it be… even back then?

Why?

Unable to answer, I just stared at Father’s face, and again he spoke heavily.

“Jin… I knew you were hiding your talent and playing the fool. But I never thought you wished to leave the clan. If I had known earlier….”

His face was filled with deep regret.

It was such an unexpected expression that I was thrown off.

And then he said something I had never imagined I would hear from him.

“I am sorry, Jin. Because of this worthless father, your life has been ruined.”

My mind was a tangled mess.

What was this? What was happening?

All this time, Father had completely neglected me.

He never stopped me from doing as I pleased, but neither had he protected me from my brothers and their mothers when they tormented me.

Because of that, I had been utterly isolated in the clan, and I had deeply resented him for it.

But now… what was this?

Could it be?

An image I had never considered in my past life began to piece itself together in my mind.

The maternal families of my three brothers held immense influence within the clan.

Even Father, as Clan Head, had to constantly negotiate with them.

So, if he openly favored one of us, he would lose the ability to restrain the other maternal families?

Was that why he neglected everyone—and why, having no maternal backing, I had no one to protect me?

No… was neglecting me actually his way of protecting me?

‘Then… could it be?!’

The father I had always resented, the one I had never once yearned for, looked different to me today.

Of course, this was only a hypothesis. The resentment I had harbored for so long did not vanish in an instant.

But his expression of deep regret was undeniably real.

Then Father asked,

“Is there anything you wish to ask of me?”

I suddenly came to my senses.

Whatever his true intentions, I could not miss this long-awaited chance.

I swallowed hard and spoke in a solemn tone.

“Would you grant me access to the Clan Head’s private library? Just for a day.”

Father looked surprised and asked again.

“The library? For only a day?”

I carefully chose my words and answered slowly, earnestly.

I had to convince him.

“Shamefully, I have neglected my training and know nothing of our clan’s martial arts. Before I am sent to the front, I wish to learn at least a little of them.”

Yes. That had been one of my greatest regrets in my past life.

When my brothers were all dead or missing, I was pushed into becoming Clan Head, but because of my indulgent past, I had never learned a shred of Seonu Clan’s martial arts.

So when I went to the Yunnan Front, I had to painfully scrape up martial arts from scratch.

‘Even stealing techniques from others just to survive.’

The memories of those bitter, degrading times came back.

Treated as useless, ignored and ostracized by even my comrades on the front.

That was why, if I could master the clan’s supreme technique, the Seonu Thirteen Swords, I could rise far faster than before.

At least it would be better than secretly mimicking others’ techniques, as in my past life.

Father asked with a complicated expression.

“You think you can learn martial arts in only a day, by reading books?”

“I believe it is better than not trying at all.”

After a moment of thought, Father nodded.

“Very well. I shall allow it.”

Yes!

I almost shouted in triumph, clenching my fist.

At last, I could remedy one of the greatest regrets of my past life.

But Father was not finished.

“However!”

“Yes?”

Startled, I looked at him tensely.

Then he said something else I had never imagined.

“Cultivating inner energy alone is dangerous. I shall teach you myself. Sit cross-legged, now.”

“Yes? Y-yes, Father!”

Flustered, I sat at once.

Then warmth spread into me from his palm on my back, guiding me.

“What I shall teach you is the Chaos-Origin Infinite Art. I will recite the formulas a few times, so listen well and memorize them. In the beginning, there was yin and yang, and then there was chaos….”

The Chaos-Origin Infinite Art?!

I was so shocked I nearly cried out.

It was the inner cultivation art that only the Clan Head and Heir could learn.

Father was teaching me the Seonu Clan’s ultimate secret!

It should have filled me with joy and excitement for new power.

But strangely, it was the warmth of his palm on my back that moved me more.

So warm…

The warmest feeling I had ever received from family in my entire life.

The next day, I was allowed into the Clan Head’s private library.

Though my brothers protested furiously, Father dismissed them, saying it would dishonor the clan if I died on the front knowing nothing.

So, for the first time in two lives, I entered the private library, cracking my knuckles with a sly grin.

“Heh-heh-heh.”

Just one day?

Plenty!

I had no intention of truly practicing martial arts today.

All I needed was to memorize them. That was my greatest skill.

As a child, I had been called a prodigy for my memory, and once I was thrown onto the front, I was forced to sharpen it even more to survive.

Since I had no martial arts, I had to watch my comrades’ techniques once, then mimic them from memory.

Later, Captain Seol Pung admired my ability and gave it a name.

He called it “Photographic Memory.”

With one glance, I could recall even the number of leaves in a forest. A living copier—that was me.

So I could confidently say:

‘Today, every one of you in here is coming into my head. Surrender quietly, and I’ll use you all well, heh-heh!’

The private library was a small room filled with shelves on all sides, most of them martial manuals.

Just imagining all that martial knowledge entering my head made me feel full without food.

Of course, not everything would be useful. Among them were basics like the Three Talent Sword and Six Harmony Fist, and even health exercises like the Five-Animal Frolic.

‘But so what? It’s still a hundred times better than starving for techniques like last time.’

I began with the Chaos-Origin Infinite Art that Father had taught me, and the clan’s supreme art, the Seonu Thirteen Swords, reading them three times carefully so I wouldn’t confuse the order.

I memorized perfectly, but my understanding was far deeper for the Chaos-Origin Infinite Art than the unfamiliar Thirteen Swords.

Frankly, I understood nothing of the Thirteen Swords at all.

‘So it really is impossible to learn martial arts just by looking at words and diagrams. In novels, they become masters from a single manual….’

Indeed, novels were just novels.

Still, I kept stuffing more techniques into my head.

I believed someday they would be of use.

Time flowed like water.

After memorizing half the manuals three times, it was already afternoon.

By then, my head throbbed unbearably, and my body was completely drained.

‘I feel like I’ll die. I can’t go on.’

Overstuffed with memories, I staggered outside for fresh air.

The world spun as I stood, and I collapsed in the grass outside the library.

“Ugh, I’m dying!”

Flat on my back, I stared blankly at the sky.

I felt a little better—until I remembered half the manuals were still unread, and the headache returned.

Temptation crept in.

‘Should I stop here?’

After all, most of it wasn’t immediately useful, and I couldn’t understand half of it anyway.

Just mastering the Chaos-Origin Infinite Art and learning the first forms of the Thirteen Swords was already an achievement, wasn’t it?

Those thoughts swirled in my head.

Then I heard voices.

“Hmph! I knew it. As if that pig could learn martial arts.”

“Indeed. A pig will always flop wherever it pleases.”

I looked up to see my three brothers.

They were escorting two beautiful young ladies through the garden.

My gaze was naturally drawn to them.

Both were stunning.

One had her eyes hidden by her bangs, giving a gloomy impression.

But the other’s beauty was so radiant it made my eyes widen just from a glance.

Swallowing hard, I compared her to the most beautiful woman I knew.

‘She could rival Lady Tang herself!’

Lady Tang Yeo-eun, one of the Flying Dragon Unit captains, had been a direct descendant of the Tang Clan of Sichuan.

Though she was nearly the youngest of the many Tang siblings, she had proven herself on the front with her mastery of poison, hidden weapons, and, unusually for the Tang, astounding swordsmanship. She had earned the title “Tang Clan’s Sword Phoenix.”

She was acknowledged as one of the phoenixes—women of beauty and martial brilliance destined to lead the martial world.

But now, here was someone of equal beauty. No wonder my eyes were caught.

Unfortunately, my brothers noticed.

The eldest, Seonu Seong, glared and shouted at me.

“Filthy pig, how dare you look at Lady Zhuge? Forgive us, Lady Zhuge, for his insolence.”

Lady Zhuge?

Could it be Lady Zhuge Seoyul, the Sword Phoenix of the Zhuge Clan?

I had heard the rumors: though the Zhuge Clan was famed for strategy and wisdom, one sword genius had emerged among them.

‘If I recall, the Zhuge Clan was sending her to various clans to gain experience… so she came here?’

Yes, I vaguely remembered hearing that at this time, the Zhuges were sending someone around.

I hadn’t paid attention before, thinking it had nothing to do with me.

Either way, I quickly averted my gaze.

I knew well how men acted around beauties—especially crude ones like my brothers. Who knew what they might do to impress her?

Better to retreat to the library.

Then, the young woman—surely Zhuge Seoyul—asked,

“And who is he?”

My heart dropped.

No, lady! Were you trying to kill me?

Do not show interest in me!

My brothers rushed to answer.

“Our shameful third brother.”

“As you can see, more pig than man.”

“Father gave him time to study martial arts before being sent to the Blood Demon Front tomorrow, and yet he lazes here.”

She looked shocked.

“The Blood Demon Front?”

Then her curious eyes turned to me again.

‘Oh no, please, lady!’

I squeezed my eyes shut.

As expected, my brothers’ eyes turned vicious, glaring at me as if they would devour me.

“He is not someone worthy of your interest.”

“Indeed. Just a pig, as you see.”

“He goes to the front only to atone for his crimes.”

“Ah.”

She nodded as if she understood, but her gaze did not leave me.

That must have displeased them, for the youngest, Seonu Gi, scowled and began walking toward me with a sinister grin.