Chapter 13

## Chapter 13. I Lost

"Is that all you have?"

"Yes."

I showed him the light pack I was carrying. Inside were a few clothes, some medicinal pills, golden wound ointment, and a few books.

I had put the money pouch in my pocket and strapped a sword to my waist.

I don't particularly favor any weapon, but I chose a sword because it's versatile and easy to use.

There are also things I need to do with the sword before I leave.

"It's a distance that should take about a month to reach."

If I took a shared carriage, it would cut the time in half, but I also wanted to train my stamina, so I planned to go on foot.

"Master! You must become successful!"

The snot-nosed kids who heard I was leaving had gathered at the training ground to see me off.

'Calling himself my disciple' Zhang Yi said, hanging onto my arm.

"When I turn fifteen, I'll take the entrance exam for the Azure Dragon Academy! Then you must teach me the ultimate martial arts! It's a promise between men!"

Oh dear.

This 'man' has tears welling up in his eyes.

I pinched his cheek and chuckled.

"Alright."

The reason I said fifteen is because fifteen is the minimum age for admission to the Azure Dragon Academy.

There are occasional exceptions, like when a prodigy from one of the Nine Great Sects or a prestigious family gets a recommendation, but that's very rare.

I pulled on Zhang Yi's sticky rice cake-like cheeks and said,

"But in five years, I might not be at the Azure Dragon Academy, but at the Heavenly Martial Academy?"

Although they are both one of the Five Great Martial Academies, there is a significant difference between the Azure Dragon Academy and the Heavenly Martial Academy.

Naturally, there is also a big difference in monthly salary.

My plan is to first build experience as a new instructor at the Azure Dragon Academy and then transfer to the Heavenly Martial Academy as a seasoned instructor.

"Then I'll go to the Heavenly Martial Academy too. I will definitely learn the ultimate martial arts from you!"

Zhang Yi still believed I was the greatest martial artist in the world.

It's a thought only a village boy who has never properly seen a martial artist could have.

'Kids this age change their future aspirations every morning...'

A few days after I leave, he might lose interest in martial arts.

I absentmindedly patted his head.

"Right. The entrance exam for the Heavenly Martial Academy is notoriously difficult, so you need to practice hard until then."

"Yes!"

I had subtly mixed the Green Forest Eighteen Postures into the martial arts I usually taught, so if he practices them consistently, his body will become strong, and he won't suffer from frequent illnesses in the future.

"Long, be careful on your journey."

"I packed some pancakes for you to eat on the way."

"It's hot, so take this. It's the best black tea from our shop."

"Will those shoes be enough for such a long journey?"

Besides Zhang Yi and the snot-nosed kids, many villagers had come to see me off.

People gave me snacks, shoes, black tea, and even books to read when I'm bored (I sneakily peeked and saw it was a spring painting).

"Why go to such lengths..."

Perhaps because of my father's good reputation, the villagers showered me with gifts.

I was slightly moved and looked around at the people who had come to see me off.

So many people came.

Even if the son of a local dignitary passed the imperial examination, it wouldn't gather this many people...

'This is a bit too much, isn't it?'

Moreover, what are those expectant looks in their eyes?

"When will the duel start? You can't go if you lose, right?"

At the clueless old man Guo's comment, the villagers clammed up and avoided my gaze.

'Of course. These people...'

I turned my head sharply and glared at my father.

"Did you spread the news around the village?"

"If you don't want to go, you can say so now."

"That's not possible."

I put down the gifts I received from the villagers and faced my father.

"Do you really think you're ready?"

"Yes."

About a month ago.

After eating three ginseng roots, I was beaten by my father with a broom.

That night, I had a serious conversation with my father.

-Do you really want to go to the Azure Dragon Academy? And become an instructor, not a student?

-I've already told you several times.

-...Among those students, there are already those who have surpassed the first-class realm or are about to. Do you think you have the ability to teach them?

-It might be a bit lacking now, but it will be different in a month. Enough to surprise you.

-How...

-Do you think I'm just being reckless?

My father and I had a staring contest for a while, and in the end, he was the one who sighed first.

As expected, my father is weak for his son.

-Okay. Then convince me before you leave. I'll let you go.

And a month has passed.

A few days ago, I received a message from Gao Zhuyue, and I have finished preparing to go to the Azure Dragon Academy.

"Let's not use internal energy."

Swish.

Father was the first to draw his sword.

It wasn't a practice wooden sword or a blunt one, but a real sword with a sharp edge.

But what was even sharper was his gaze.

"Let's see how much you've improved."

Father, who was proficient in the unique family martial art, the Whirlwind Sword Technique, stood in the starting stance and stared at me intently.

His posture was more cautious and flawless than any I had seen before.

'This won't be easy.'

Of course, I don't plan to lose.

I drew my sword and took the same starting stance as my father.

"Hmm..."

"Phew..."

Over the past few months, I had watched my father practice sword techniques every morning.

The Whirlwind Sword Technique is a high-level martial art that can be considered first-class, with the subtleties of fluid and versatile sword movements.

But there always seemed to be something important missing from the sword techniques I had observed.

"Can you give me a three-second head start as a senior in the martial world?"

Father smiled gently and moved his sword tip slightly.

"Out of the question."

He stepped forward with a light footwork, closing the distance in an instant.

I turned my body slightly to the side and drew my sword diagonally.

Clang!

A sharp metallic sound. I took two steps back to absorb the shock in my wrist.

Father pressed his attack aggressively, riding the momentum of his first strike.

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

The sword strikes came like a storm.

If I lost focus in the midst of the numerous sword afterimages, I would be pierced at a vital point.

"Wow!"

"Amazing!"

The spectators burst into cheers as the high-level sword techniques were displayed.

'I'm the one who's in trouble.'

This is the sword technique of a martial artist who is at the peak of the first-class realm, on the verge of reaching the ultimate level.

Even without internal energy, the speed and power were overwhelming.

"Give up now! You'll get hurt if you keep this up!"

I didn't have the energy to respond.

I focused all my attention on blocking my father's attacks with my sword.

Even holding out was a challenge.

I felt like I might drop my sword at any moment.

But I held on. If I keep holding on, then...

'I see it!'

No matter what technique, it becomes familiar with enough observation.

Especially when I had watched the techniques in detail over the past month.

-Clang!

A different sound.

My counterattack, which precisely targeted the gap between techniques, made my father retreat in surprise, looking at me with astonishment.

"You..."

His eyes were filled with the question of how I could counterattack.

I took a moment to catch my breath and smiled.

"Surely this isn't all you've got?"

"Hah."

Father laughed in disbelief at my provocation.

But the moment my counterattack began, his smile froze.

"This time, I'm coming at you."

I leaped into the storm.

Swords rained down from all sides, but none of them hit me directly.

One by one, I deflected the swords coming at me and began to counterattack.

"!!"

Father's eyes widened in shock.

As the flow was broken by my sword, his movements became disordered, and the storm he was creating began to lose its power.

"Hah!"

Father, taken aback, shouted and forced himself to put more strength into his body.

A mistake.

The Whirlwind Sword Technique is a technique that emphasizes fluid and versatile movements, not brute strength.

-Hum!

The forced strength created a larger opening, and I wasn't the kind of person to miss such an opportunity.

"Mother's death wasn't your fault."

"!!"

Father's body stiffened for a moment.

His sword grazed my shoulder and passed by, and I boldly moved in.

Right. This is psychological warfare.

But it's also a conversation that must be had now.

"Being born weak wasn't your fault either."

"You...!"

The Bai Wuhun I saw had the talent to surpass the ultimate level, perhaps even reach the super-ultimate realm.

But something was holding him back.

I got a clue about that 'something' from Gao Zhuyue's words in the past.

-Your father's sword? It was truly remarkable!

With a drunk face, he reminisced about the past with a hazy expression.

-No one in his generation at the Azure Dragon Academy could match Bai Wuhun. Do you know what? Every year at the Dragon Phoenix Duel held by the Heavenly Martial Academy, your father made it to the semi-finals!

-Brother, it's embarrassing to talk about the past...

-Do you know what the other Heavenly Martial Academy students' faces looked like? Hahaha! Thanks to this guy, we also got to enjoy some benefits. When we went to the city, beautiful women would call out to us as Jade-Faced Scholars...

-Brother!

-Hahaha! He was that cool. Back then, you really seemed free. You did whatever you wanted without being bound by formalities, and I envied you so much...

A free spirit.

But the Bai Wuhun I saw wasn't like that.

He always looked at me with a pained expression and, despite his grumbling, always gave in to my stubbornness.

'The guilt of losing to his son created a kind of heart demon for him.'

The Whirlwind Sword Technique I watched every morning was nearly perfect, but it lacked freedom.

The reason was me, Bai Shulong.

"I am not a burden you have to carry for life."

"What are you talking about! Who said you're a burden!"

-Hum! Hum!

As his mind became disoriented, his precise sword technique crumbled, and his movements became larger.

It was no longer a sword technique, but a desperate struggle.

I wouldn't lose to such a thing.

"It's over."

Thud.

Before I knew it, my sword was touching my father's chest.

"I'm leaving you today, Father."

"You...?"

"Stop feeling guilty about me."

"..."

The guilt over me and the deceased mother was weighing on his heart.

Because of this, a martial artist lost his vitality and freedom.

He confined himself and lost the possibility of soaring.

I hoped he would truly find his freedom again.

'You have the talent to reach a much higher level.'

"I..."

Father tightened his grip on the sword.

No way?

If he doesn't admit defeat here, I'll be in a very difficult position.

I won, but in a way, I engaged in psychological warfare during the duel.

Then, after hesitating for a moment, Father slowly lowered his sword.

"Alright. I lost. Go."

Father sighed deeply.

He looked suddenly years older and exhausted, but there was also a look of relief on his face.