The Tiger And The Phoenix And The Wolf. (1)

From the Sword Empress, one could feel no aura like from Yu Seol. She was simply a warrior whose realm could not be measured.

“Have you returned to the murim world again?”

Just being with the two peerless warriors made Yu Jinsan feel greatly reassured.

If the Sword Empress and Yu Seol joined forces, there would be nothing to fear.

But that hope quickly collapsed.

“Having performed the golden-hand washing ceremony, how could I return to the murim world again? I cannot break the rules.”

The golden-hand washing ceremony means washing one’s hands and retiring from the murim world.

Yu Jinsan already knew that. He had only asked just in case.

“I guess I was needlessly mistaken about your purpose.”

“No. Actually, there’s something even more important than that.”

“Is it related to Tianzhu?”

“Yes. The reason I returned from where I went to Tianzhu is to send a warning to the murim world.”

“A warning?”

The Sword Empress gave a slight smile.

“You already know, don’t you, Grandpa?”

She had earlier met and spoken with the Evil Sect Alliance leader.

She seemed to know much information about himself as well. If so, the conversation would proceed faster.

“It seems all our worries are proving true. Is the situation that bad?”

“Yes. Their strength surpasses imagination. A frontal confrontation offers no answer, so we’ve tried to undermine them from within, but the situation is not favorable.”

For the Sword Empress of the world to say this, it seemed more serious than he had suspected.

“Is it really to that extent?”

The Sword Empress nodded with a dark expression.

“There are two more masters working with me covertly in Tianzhu. Even so, for now all we can do is buy time.”

“How much more time can you buy?”

“The leader there, the Arahant, has noticed our presence and is tracking us constantly. We won’t be able to hold out long.”

She used the expression ‘hold out.’

That implied an existence even she could not handle. His curiosity about what kind of person that was only grew.

“Is this Arahant that strong?”

“He is someone trying to become a god. He is presumed to have already surpassed the bounds of humanity.”

“I don’t fully understand that, but we must prepare thoroughly here as well.”

“Yes. To face them, the Central Plains’ murim world must unite as one.”

That meant the Murim Alliance and the Evil Sect Alliance would have to join forces.

But the two forces were devoting all efforts to checking each other.

Therefore, the only force preparing for the current crisis was the independently acting Blue Dragon Troops. But they alone were not enough.

“What did the Evil Sect Alliance leader say?”

“He said he’d rather die together than join the Murim Alliance.”

It was exactly as expected. Mixing water and oil was impossible.

The Justice Faction would respond similarly.

They had killed each other’s masters, disciples, and sahyung-sajaes.

Setting aside the ideologies the two factions pursued, how could the long-entangled grudges be resolved? There was only one way.

“One side will have to absorb the other by force, minimizing the damage.”

“Yes. And there is only one person capable of that.”

“Who are you referring to…?”

Yu Jinsan tilted his head in puzzlement.

Yu Seol, sipping honeyed water beside him, gave a sly smile.

“Me, Grandpa.”

To butt into the adults’ conversation, this was no time for jokes.

Just as Yu Jinsan was about to scold his granddaughter, the Sword Empress smiled and began to pat Yu Seol’s head.

“She is a child with talents surpassing mine. Everyone’s fate rests on Seol.”

To receive such recognition from the former world’s top warrior, the Sword Empress.

It was very gratifying, yet worry came first.

This was not something he could agree to easily.

“She is still lacking in areas. To seriously strike the Murim Alliance we’d need to secure enough allies, but at present…”

Yu Jinsan trailed off.

He was the sort to plan meticulously and act only when there was a chance of victory. He would not risk his granddaughter’s life on an adventure.

But the Sword Empress also seemed to have her own ideas.

She continued her view without losing her smile.

“You cannot confront them head-on. Subdue, one by one, the pillars the Justice Faction relies upon. When the pillars fall, even the largest building collapses.”

It was not hard to understand her intent.

It amounted to visiting the prominent Justice Faction schools and defeating them one by one.

It would be very tedious and difficult.

Yet it was not entirely far-fetched.

“It’s not easy, but there’s logic to it.”

“Yes. If the Murim Alliance leader is subdued, the Murim Alliance’s cohesion will weaken and it will collapse.”

It was an interesting plan, but the problem came after that.

If the Murim Alliance were dismantled, they would need to be rallied together with the Heterodox factions to oppose Tianzhu.

But that was hardly realistic.

Perhaps the Sword Empress had already thought this through.

“I’d like to hear more. What happens after that?”

“Next is to unify the murim world through a rally—not under the name of the Justice Faction or the Evil factions, but under the name of the Supreme.”

His granddaughter becoming the official Supreme of the murim world? Just the thought made his heart swell.

But it was merely a plan—how could that be easy?

The Central Plains region is vast and warriors are many.

Even the Blood Death Guest from Tianzhu only toured a very small area in the west before meeting a grisly end at the Defeating Blade Clan, did he not?

The process would not be smooth.

“I’m not yet confident it’s possible. The proud Justice Faction sects won’t submit so easily.”

“We will make the situation possible.”

Being such a grueling task, it was not something to decide lightly.

He needed time to deliberate.

“Hmm. This requires some thought.”

“In any case, I must return to Tianzhu. Until then, I will make the jewel shine even brighter for you.”

“Do you mean you’ll help with Seol’s training?”

“Yes. That’s why I came. It will help me as well.”

At that moment, Yu Seol, who had been listening silently, brightened up.

“Then, unnie, will you sleep over at our house with me?”

“Yes, I’ll play with Seol and stay together. How about that?”

Yu Seol beamed and hugged the Sword Empress around the waist.

“Heeheehee. Great!”

The Sword Empress embraced Yu Seol and stroked her back.

Perhaps because they shared many similarities, the two fit together very well.

The unique aura of the divine body type and the graceful appearance.

Perhaps for that reason, somehow they looked exactly like mother and daughter.

Seeing his granddaughter happy made Yu Jinsan feel pleased.

“The household is brightly lit for once. If you need anything while staying, please say so.”

He had much he wanted to ask her, but there was plenty of time, so nothing was urgent.

The Sword Empress bowed her head once.

Three days had already passed since the Sword Empress came to the house.

It was a short time, but she and his granddaughter had grown very close.

They stuck together all day like thread and needle, so it was natural.

Above all, they had many similarities. She enjoyed the granddaughter’s pranks and indulged them all.

“Unnie, catch this!”

When Yu Seol waved a hand, a plate floating in the air flew toward them.

It was marvelous how it drew the character ‘zhi’ (之) through the air as it approached.

The plate circled around the Sword Empress threateningly, but she showed no sign of alarm.

Instead, she smiled and raised her index finger.

The plate began to spin round and round on her fingertip.

“Here it goes!”

A moment later, the plate that had hung in the air traced a large arc and returned to Yu Seol.

Its speed and angle changed constantly as if possessed by a spirit.

Not only that; it even created an afterimage and split into two.

Yu Seol snatched them up and sent them flying back in the same fashion.

The noisy give-and-take of the plates looked almost like a stunt performance.

Just then Yu Jinsan was walking out of the kitchen.

‘Is this some secret technique this time?’

They stuck together all day and played many strange games.

But none of them were simple.

Yu Jinsan saw through their intent precisely. The Sword Empress was diagnosing the gaps in his granddaughter’s experience and supplementing them.

Most of it was things Yu Jinsan had not been able to teach her.

‘But somehow she’s come that far already…’

His granddaughter’s talent to grasp anything instantly was astonishing even as he watched.

He was dazedly watching for a moment.

“Grandpa, catch this!”

Startled by his granddaughter’s sudden shout, Yu Jinsan flinched.

In the blink of an eye, a plate was flying straight toward his nose.

Its ever-changing movements, as if alive, were extraordinary.

If he tried to snatch it and got hit in the face by the plate, it would be a humiliating sight.

Yu Jinsan gave up trying to catch it and twisted his upper body to avoid it.

The plate smashed into the wall and shattered to pieces.

“Oh no, my plate…”

“You should’ve caught it—why did you dodge it?”

Yu Jinsan muttered sadly as he cleared away the plate’s fragments.

“Ah, my life. How long must I live being tormented by my granddaughter like this?”

Yu Seol, looking apologetic, smiled and gestured.

“Grandpa, come here and play with us. The three of us.”

“No. Grandpa has to prepare dinner, so keep playing with your unnie.”

If he joined, he’d only interfere with their training.

Yu Jinsan turned and went back into the kitchen.

Yu Seol shrugged her shoulders once.

“Unnie, shall we do something else now?”

“Hmm~ then shall we try some sparring practice?”

“Hehe, yes!”

When Yu Seol spread her right hand wide, a wooden spear flew into her grip from somewhere.

A wooden training sword also flew like an arrow toward the Sword Empress.

A sparring match between the Sword Empress and the Yin Monster was a sensational topic that would stir the murim world.

If anyone witnessed this scene, they’d boast about it for life.

Having heard the conversation from the kitchen, Yu Jinsan couldn’t miss this opportunity.

‘I absolutely have to see this.’

They were peerless warriors whose martial arts had reached consummate perfection.

Sword Empress Soso and Yin Monster Yu Seol faced each other and assumed their stances.

Neither moved rashly. There was no visible gap.

At one moment Yu Seol’s body sprang off the ground and flew up.

‘Good! Our Seol is doing well!’

Yu Jinsan cheered his granddaughter in his heart.

Yu Seol moving as if stepping on the air seemed one with the wooden spear.

The Sword Empress, who had been waiting, stepped back and leisurely parried with the wooden sword.

Soon the two sparring weapons met and began to dance.

Contrary to Yu Jinsan’s expectation, the sparring was not fierce at all.

There was not a trace of brute force, nor even flashy techniques.

They were merely exchanging sword and spear patterns to gauge each other’s skill.

Is this the Profound Realm’s sparring?

There was no brilliance, but Yu Jinsan couldn’t take his eyes off them—their every move contained tens of thousands of variations.

Even simple moves encompassed the changes of the universe, and watching them felt like gaining enlightenment.

Clack-! Tap-tap-! Tap-tap-tap-!!

The sound of the wooden spear and wooden sword striking rang light and lively.

Their movements were like a pair of butterflies entwined in dance.

Watching, Yu Jinsan clenched his hands in tension.

‘Go, our Seol, win!’

He couldn’t judge who was winning or losing. In any case, he hoped his granddaughter would win.

Their fluttering movements in the breeze were utterly captivating.

And just as that beauty reached its peak.

The wooden sword and the wooden spear both snapped at once.

Yu Jinsan, watching through the kitchen door gap, quickly poked his head in.

His face was full of a satisfied smile.

‘What happened? A draw?’

Only those involved would know the outcome. Beyond victory or defeat, his chest swelled with emotion.

At the same time, a burning will arose in him to become stronger himself.