Chapter 7 – Brush with Death(7)
It felt like the sky was falling. The fear of plummeting into a deep abyss where the bottom was unseen. Is this what a frog in a well feels when it first glimpses the vast ocean?
To Sua, who had been called a genius almost every day while learning martial arts, a wall was something unfamiliar and frightening—an unidentifiable entity.
In truth, when considering only levels of achievement, there had been warriors who reached the second-class level at Sua’s age. In fact, prodigies had often achieved it at similar or even faster rates.
The reason Sua was hailed as an unprecedented genius in the history of the Murong family came down to one thing: her monstrous comprehension ability—the talent to perfectly understand martial arts simply by seeing them with her own eyes.
Comprehension was the power to grasp and internalize martial arts. While those born with strong physiques had an advantage when first learning, true progress ultimately depended on insight, just like…
But Sua’s ability went beyond simple comprehension. It was something more—something bordering on the supernatural.
It was a power so formidable that it erased even the resentment and hatred of an unreasonable family head. In the complete isolation of her childhood, all Sua could do was imitate.
At that time, no martial artist dared teach Sua martial arts for fear of incurring the family head’s wrath. Even Murong Hyun, who once looked after her, had been too young and cautious.
There was Murong Jin, the only peak master and former head of the Murong family, but even he could not openly defy the family head’s threats. He, too, was still bound by the family.
When no one stood by the child’s side and even avoided speaking to her, she had no choice. In complete solitude, she picked up a sword and mimicked the adults.
Perhaps she had simply been starving for attention. At first, no one noticed her efforts. But soon, one by one, they began to realize something strange.
The martial forms she performed were too sharp and precise to be mere clumsy imitations. Of course, they weren’t perfect, but she had far surpassed the level of simple mimicry.
[She certainly has an unbelievably superior comprehension ability.]
[It would be foolish to waste such outstanding talent, Family Head.]
[Sua, do you truly wish to learn martial arts?]
[……Yes!]
That day was the turning point. The day her father, who had never even spared her a glance, finally called her by name.
That was when she realized:
Because I’m good at it.
Because I’m a genius.
Father loves me.
She no longer had to curl up in a cold corner to sleep. She no longer had to eat cautiously, afraid of being scolded.
However, despite all this…
Not a single day felt at ease.
She feared being abandoned again. She felt as if everything she had gained could vanish like bubbles in the wind.
And so, she desperately engraved her father’s teachings—no, the Family Head’s teachings—deep into her heart. Whether his words were right or wrong didn’t matter.
All that mattered was his approval.
Under the Family Head’s direct guidance, Sua reached the second-class level in one go. Never once had she felt a wall before now.
Of course, there were warriors stronger than her.
Her brother, Murong Hyun. The elite warriors of Righteous Dragon Hall, where only first-class and above martial artists of the Murong family gathered.
They were all stronger than Sua.
Hmph. If I were given the same amount of time as them, I could do just as well.
No, I’m confident I could do even better.
She had never considered them insurmountable. Instead, competition burned in her heart. She believed that with just a little more effort, she could surpass them.
Of course, she couldn’t imagine defeating Murong Jin, the former family head and peak master. But he was already over seventy years old.
If she assumed they had trained for the same number of years, could she truly say she couldn’t reach the peak level? Sua didn’t think so.
But this nameless man was different.
A master who had reached the peak level at just thirty? It was a shock that threatened to overturn everything she had believed until now.
Sua could easily imagine herself reaching the peak level someday. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t picture herself achieving it by the age of thirty.
Impossible. A master who reached the peak level at thirty?
He must be exaggerating. Judging from his appearance, there’s no way…
Even as she tried to deny it, she did not ask the nameless man for proof.
If she saw with her own eyes the sharp brilliance of his sword energy, she feared her heart would shatter under the weight of that truth.
For Sua, martial arts were her proof of existence. Talent was her only value.
But what if even that was meaningless?
What if the talent she had once used to arrogantly look down on others was, in reality, insignificant?
She wrestled with this thought, refusing to acknowledge it.
Thus, she challenged the nameless man to a duel at every opportunity.
Each time, she fought with all her might, wielding her forms with the desperation of someone willing to die.
Yet, none of her attacks landed.
I wouldn’t be able to win even if I trained for a lifetime…
Am I really a genius?
Was I never a rare gem—just an ordinary stone?
[The martial world is not a place where talent alone can take you far, Sua. I hope you can learn what you lack from him.]
Four nights had already passed since arriving here, but Sua couldn’t sleep.
Her brother’s words echoed in her mind.
For the first time, despite her monstrous comprehension, she felt bound by ignorance.
There was something she was missing.
Yet no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t grasp what it was.
Finally, unable to sleep, Sua sighed and stepped outside.
Whenever loneliness became unbearable, she would look at the stars in the night sky for comfort.
But the moment she stepped out, she saw something unexpected.
The nameless man was swinging his sword alone in the yard.
Sua’s eyes widened like lanterns.
As someone who could memorize and understand all martial arts just by seeing them once, she instantly recognized the sword technique he was wielding.
But her confusion only deepened.
Because the nameless man was practicing the Three Disasters Sword Technique.
Why… Why is he using the Three Disaster Sword Technique?
It was a third-class martial art, barely covering the basics.
Even within the family, it was only taught to beginners who lacked foundational skills.
A peak master practicing the Three Calamities?
Most advanced techniques assumed the use of internal energy. Without proper energy flow, one could even sustain internal injuries.
But the Three Disasters Sword Technique was different.
It didn’t rely on internal energy at all.
It was a foundational sword technique, making it perfect for beginners.
For someone who had surpassed the first-class level and reached the peak level there was no reason to train in it.
Yet, the nameless man continued his repetitive sword strikes, sharper than anything Sua had ever seen.
Her frustration boiled over.
“Why are you practicing the Three Disasters Sword Technique?”
“…Why aren’t you asleep?”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I came out to look at the stars… and saw you.”
“I see.”
The nameless man nodded and remained silent, lost in thought.
Sua waited patiently, hoping for an answer to ease her frustration.
“It’s to return to the beginning and build a stronger foundation.”
“But aren’t you already a master? Your foundation should be more than solid.”
“Who decided that? Even with a lifetime of effort, what is always lacking… is the foundation.”
Actually, I need to hide the fact that I only know the Three Disasters Sword Technique…
For Sua, however, those words felt like a hammer striking her head.
Even a peak master spoke like this?
Had she been arrogant with her mere second-class level?
For the first time, she felt ashamed.
And at the same time—
A desire took root in her heart.
If I work hard here…
Will the master acknowledge me?
