Shadow in the heart of the four continents
Burning. Everything was burning. Screams of horror filled the air as the inferno raged on. People were trampled in the chaos, crushed beneath the weight of collapsing houses. Amidst the turmoil, a woman reached out her hand.
"I did this to protect you."
Jeong Su, trembling with fear and confusion, took a hesitant step towards her. The woman's face softened further, her hand still outstretched.
"Come with me," she urged, her voice filled with a strange warmth. "I can teach you to harness the power within you, to protect yourself and those you care about."
Jeong Su jolted awake, the memory of the flames and the lady's voice still echoing in his mind. His room in the inn was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon through the window. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart pounding.
"What was that?" he muttered, wiping the never-ending sweat from his face.
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"Too crude!"
"Put your legs to work!"
"You swing too high!"
"That's too low!!"
Babo's yell echoed through the forest. Jin drenched in sweat and clutching his practice sword, tried to keep up with Babo's rapid-fire corrections.
"Oh shut up, old man..." Jin whispered to himself.
"Huuuhh!? Did you say something?" Babo smirked.
!!
Jin flinched, his grip on the sword tightening, "nothing! Just trying to focus!"
Babo's smirk widened, "that's what I thought. Now, less whining and more swinging! You want to defeat your enemies or tickle them?"
Jin sighed and readjusted his stance, "I know this is for me but why does he have to be harsh with his words?.."
Babo smacked his face and stood up. "Stay still," he said, moving beside Jin. He then corrected Jin's stance, positioning his feet properly and adjusting the grip on the sword.
"Like this," Babo instructed, demonstrating a more balanced posture. "Feel the ground beneath you. Let your center of gravity stabilize you. Engrave that on your brain."
Jin nodded, "it would have been better if he didn't say the last sentence..."
Babo stepped back and sat down, "now, swing." he said with a commanding tone.
Swooosh!
Jin swung his blade in an almost perfect arc, he felt all of his muscles working in unison, and the air not resisting his movements. Jin smiled, he looked at Babo and saw him frowning.
"The hell is that?! Swing it like your life depends on it!"
Jin's smile faded, "I thought that was pretty good..."
"Pretty good isn't going to cut it in a real fight! We need perfection," Babo barked.
"Perfection? No one is perfect though..." Jin said rolling his eyes.
"That's the words of someone who is a weakling!" Babo shouted at Jin piercing through his ears.
Jin covered his ears, "damn! Okay, okay." Jin gripped his sword and swung.
Swissshh!
"Control your breathing you brat! I'm here to teach you swordsmanship, not Qi-gong you brat!" Babo barked once again.
Babo stood up once again and extended his arms to Jin, "sword, hand me."
"I'm the one training here old man!"
"Smack?"
Jin immediately handed Babo the sword, "okay...you don't have to do that."
Babo walked up to a boulder and took his stance, he took a deep breath and gripped his sword tight.
Swing, Swing, Swing!
Babo hands the sword back to Jin. Jin looked at the boulder and it has been...Diced! "What?!? He swung three times, the sword was 50 kilos, and It was dull! Dull! How?" Jin thought to himself. He turned at Babo sitting down, "how?!" Jin asked.
Babo shrugged, " I don't know, maybe if you LISTEN TO ME AND TRAIN THAT IS!!"
Jin rolled his eyes and groaned, "that again?" Jin took his stance and swung
H
A
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A
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A
!
They continued their training. The sun climbed higher in the sky, casting long shadows across the forest floor. Babo pushed Jin harder, demanding perfection with each strike. And Jin, stubborn and driven, met each challenge with unwavering resolve.
Finally, as the afternoon sun began its descent, Babo called a halt to the session. Jin collapsed to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His hands trembled as he set the sword aside.
"Now. Do the PyeongHyeong technique." Babo said as he looked at Jin, who was lying on the ground.
Jin pushed himself to do the lotus position feeling all his muscles aching. Jin takes a deep breath, Qi accumulating in his dantian, and he circulates his Qi in his blood vessels cleansing it. Babo stepped back preparing for the worst.
Thud.
Thud.
Boom.
Jin still felt his muscles aching but he felt refreshed, he opened his eyes slowly, and a stinky stench breezed through his nose.
Jin sniffed the air and his nose contorted, "WHAT THE FFFUUUCKK!!" Jin yelled covering his nose.
"You still not used to it? You stink!" Babo teased Jin while laughing at him.
Jin groaned, "Next time, I'm bringing nose plugs."
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Kosdae looked through the windows at the bustling courtyard below. The servants moved swiftly, carrying out their duties, but Kosdae's eyes were distant, searching for someone who wasn't there.
Her nanny comes in, "why'd you look so sad, Lady Kosdae?"
"Do you know where Su Yoo-Jin has gone to?" Kosdae asked with an empty expression.
"No. The manager said that she would come back on Monday, Lady Kosdae."
"Oh...okay..." Kosdae turned to the window once more, "let me know if she comes back."
Her nanny nodded, and she closed the door. The nanny hurriedly goes to Meoni's room and knocks.
Knock, Knock.
A voice escaped from the inside, "come in."
The nanny entered and spoke urgently, "Meoni, Lady Kosdae is very distressed. She's been looking out the window for hours, waiting for Su Yoo-Jin."
Meoni's face softened with concern. "Don't worry... She will tough it out...just like before..." Meoni said, a sad look crossing her face as if a terrible memory washed over her.
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Nine years ago—
It was when the Heavenly Demon was defeated by the Southern Alliance. The news spread like wildfire throughout the Murim, igniting hope and relief among those who had suffered under his tyranny. However, this victory came with a dark consequence. The Heavenly Demon's followers, driven by rage and desperation, went on a rampage, destroying everything in their path.
The Western Continent, previously untouched by the war, soon found itself engulfed in chaos. Demonic cultivators, consumed by vengeance, attacked villages and towns, leaving a trail of devastation behind them. The once-peaceful lands were transformed into a hellscape of burning homes and slaughtered innocents.
Meoni stands side by side with her lover, Hwasan Chun.
They faced thousands of Demon Cultivators. They gripped their sword tight.
"Are you ready, Hwasan?" Meoni asked smirking at the Demon Cultivators below them.
Hwasan looked below and closed his eyes.
Thwack!
Hwasan struck Meoni on her back causing her to fall unconscious, "Uncle, take her back to Yeon-in. Please."
"Are you sure, Hwasan?"
Hwasan nodded trying to hide his tears, "yes, uncle, take her back."
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Meoni was snapped back to reality by Kosdae's nannie.
"Lady Meoni?" The nannie asked looking at Meoni.
A bitter smile appeared on Meoni's lips, "oh, sorry uh...Just wait until her little friend comes back."
The nannie nodded and headed outside, closing the door behind her.
Meoni sighed deeply, she stared at the ceiling one more time, remembering the time she and Hwasan spent together.
-Meoni, don't overdo it, we need some strength to spare for the generals.
-look at those demon bastards barging at our continent.
-Meoni, don't waste energy by cutting off the limbs first. Just chop their heads off.
Meoni closed her eyes to stop the memory, she sighed once more, "Murim sure is a harsh place, right Hwasan?"
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Jeong Su looked out the window of his darkened room, his thoughts returning to the woman in his dreams, "why now?" he muttered again, wondering if the memory of the flames and the woman's voice would ever leave him.