Chapter 146

The [Martial Alliance Gratitude Token] and a pretty hefty reward.

A Blood Church executive.

And not just any, but a direct subordinate of the infamous Blood Demon.

The reward given to me for defeating Jang Do, one of Asura’s Six Arms.

But that’s not important.

I slammed my fists on the table and confronted Jaro, the Martial Alliance Leader.

“What! Leader! Why isn’t my Soul Flight and Spirit Scatter Technique registered as a top-tier martial art? What’s the meaning of this?”

Jaro looked at me with a baffled expression.

“Are you crazy? Why did you think it would be registered in the first place?”

The story goes like this.

Summoned by Jaro, I arrived at the Martial Alliance Leader’s office with Sososo, and while examining the [Martial Alliance Gratitude Token], I expressed my curiosity.

“Huh? I just took it because it was given to me. What’s it for?”

“Lord Sima, that is…”

It started with a kind explanation from Sososo, who loves taking care of me.

The Martial Alliance, to enhance the quality of its members and promote the growth of future generations.

Preserves martial arts donated by martial arts masters or those that might be lost to the world due to a lack of successors.

Based on the danger, power, and difficulty of learning.

Divided into four grades: A, B, C, D.

Allowing Martial Alliance members or martial artists who have made contributions to access and learn these martial arts.

And the [Martial Alliance Gratitude Token] I received was an item that could be exchanged for these preserved martial arts manuals.

The Gratitude Token I received was of the highest grade.

Allowing access to the most outstanding A-grade martial arts.

But the problem was, when donating a martial art.

The name of the creator is attached to the martial art, and depending on the grade of the donated martial art, a pension is provided.

Upon hearing this, my eyes lit up.

“Eh? That’s like a patent! I recently created a new footwork technique! Please register it as an A-grade martial art!”

And thus, I started throwing a tantrum.

Anyway, back to the present.

Jaro threw the application form I had diligently filled out with Sososo’s help onto the table.

“It’s not that it can’t be registered as an A-grade martial art. It can’t be registered at all.”

With a look as if he was staring at a pile of dung, he furrowed one eyebrow.

“Soul Flight and Spirit Scatter Technique. To learn this, you need Double Hands Fighting, Taijiquan, Heavenly Polar Bear Formation, Fudo Myo-o’s Step, and how many other martial arts? Why is the difficulty so high?”

“And it’s too inefficient. Even if it were registered, it wouldn’t be A-grade, it’d be C-grade. C-grade!”

Not even B-grade, but C-grade!?

Shocked by the leader’s harsh words, I retorted.

“Wh-what, C-grade? No! Leader! The Heavenly Ladder is B-grade! How can my Soul Flight and Spirit Scatter Technique be C-grade!”

Heavenly Ladder (上天梯) – A divine technique where one leaps up, steps on their own foot in mid-air, and leaps again. The martial world’s double jump. A martial art created by a scholar.

“Ha! You think you can beat the Heavenly Ladder?”

Jaro snorted and showed me a book summarizing the martial arts held by the Martial Alliance.

“Here, take a look at the list of A-grade martial arts and get a grip.”

–

[List of A-grade Martial Arts]

Falling Petals Divine Sword Palm (落英神劍掌) – A palm technique transformed from sword techniques, releasing sword energy.

When the palm technique is unleashed, countless sword energies shaped like falling petals advance, cutting and piercing the opponent. (The martial world’s Scattered Thousand Cherry Blossoms)

Void Exhausting Thunder (空盡雷) – A thunder that even erases the void.

A martial art developed by a master who observed the echoing sound of wind in a cave. Using their body as a resonance chamber, like a cave, to amplify sound and internal energy before launching it. (The martial world’s Fuss Ro Dah!)

Caution: Since the body is used as a resonance chamber, those who have not trained their internal and external energy to protect their bodies will explode and die if they forcefully unleash it.

Yin-Yang Chaos Blade Technique (陰陽倒亂刃法) – The pinnacle of sword variation, using a light one-handed sword and a heavy greatsword.

Crafting the Black Sword (黑劍) and Golden Blade (金刀) as described in the martial arts manual, then training.

Through the Four Yang and Thousand Jin technique, using a light sword to execute heavy sword techniques and a heavy sword to execute light sword techniques, confusing the opponent. Without knowing the counter, one cannot avoid being hit.

–

As I looked at the list of martial arts that I wanted to see performed or learn, I drooled.

“Ugh…”

I glanced at the description of my Soul Flight and Spirit Scatter Technique I had written.

Soul Flight and Spirit Scatter Technique (魂飛魄散步) – A genius footwork technique created by the genius Sima Mantian, who even deceives the heavens.

Using the imbalance of a limp to add the force of falling, increasing speed and spinning rapidly. Spinning around, it confuses the enemy.

Also, shouting “Deoooot!” with a spirited yell while spinning feels good. It’s fun.

“…Damn it.”

I turned around and staggered out of the leader’s office, punching the wall with a fist full of frustration.

Bang-!

“Blood Church executive… one of Asura’s Six Arms… I got it…”

“L-Lord Sima!”

Seeing my gloomy (?) back, Sososo placed her hand on her chest, feeling sorry for me.

“Ah! Elder Jaro, thank you for today. I’ll visit again next time.”

After bowing to Jaro.

Tap tap tap- With quick steps, she followed me out of the leader’s office.

And left alone, Martial Alliance Leader Jaro muttered as he watched the shameless disciple who had seduced his precious granddaughter-like Sososo.

“…Heartless bastard.”

Since Sososo liked him, he couldn’t even hit him. It was a lamentable situation.

***

Namgung Family’s villa garden.

There, Sososo was comforting the downcast Sima Mantian.

“Lord Sima, cheer up! Registering a martial art is originally a complex process. Not being registered doesn’t mean it’s a low-quality martial art.”

To be precise, Sima Mantian had already stopped caring…

‘Namgung noona~ so cute~.’

He was quietly watching Sososo, who was passionately speaking, finding her adorable.

And then.

“Hmm… but it seems there is a problem.”

Because he couldn’t say that Elder Jaro’s words were completely wrong.

He had to admit what needed to be admitted.

Soul Flight and Spirit Scatter Technique (魂飛魄散步).

I could use it without any problems, but that didn’t mean it was a problem-free martial art.

Martial arts are meant to be passed down to future generations.

‘Is there anyone in the martial world besides me who can perfectly execute the Soul Flight and Spirit Scatter Technique?’

Regardless of the martial art’s power or difficulty.

This was a martial art created solely for me, for my use.

In that sense.

It was a martial art that didn’t fit at all with the Martial Alliance’s martial art registration system, which aimed to promote the growth of future generations.

‘…It’s only natural that it can’t be registered.’

Unlike me, who had reached the peak by fighting recklessly, Sososo, who had truly reached the peak, seemed to read my worries.

“Lord Sima, do you know the Yue Maiden Sword Technique (越女劍法)?”

She held her sword and took a stance.

She taught me about martial arts through martial arts.

“I’ve heard of it…!”

Before I could finish, Sososo moved, and the Yue Maiden Sword Technique unfolded. I couldn’t continue speaking and just stared wide-eyed at the sword technique.

A swift sword technique, completely different from the heavy Namgung sword.

No, a chillingly swift sword technique.

It wasn’t related to ice techniques, but a cold sensation was felt.

Not the soft gaze Sososo usually directed at me.

But the emotionless gaze when holding a sword became a sharp sword energy, approaching fiercely.

Sososo wielding the Namgung sword was also beautiful…

A cold sword wind brushed past my cheek. A cold gaze pierced my heart.

Sososo performing the Yue Maiden Sword Technique was also beautiful.

In fact, Sososo’s small stature and the strong yin energy of the Nine Yin Divine Meridian combined to make it even more fitting.

“Phew…”

After finishing the beautiful sword dance… no, martial arts demonstration, Sososo caught her breath.

“Lord Sima, the sword technique I just performed is the Yue Maiden Sword Technique, but it’s not the Yue Maiden Sword Technique.”

She looked at me with her soft gaze again and spoke kindly.

During the Spring and Autumn period, the states of Wu and Yue were always at war, fighting for the position of hegemon.

After a great defeat by Wu, King Goujian of Yue, who had even served as a vassal, desired revenge. But the Yue martial artists couldn’t defeat the superior Wu sword techniques.

Then, a girl named Yue Maiden (越女) appeared.

Without any formal sword training, she had learned sword techniques by playing with monkeys in the mountains and defeated Wu swordsmen.

Seeing this, Goujian and his advisor Fan Li were astonished and accepted Yue Maiden as a martial arts instructor.

I blinked as I listened to Sososo’s story.

“By any chance, was that monkey named Kakarot or Vegeta?”

“Huh? Kaka? Vegeta?”

Sososo tilted her head cutely with a puzzled expression.

“Just kidding. Please continue.”

I listened to Sososo’s story again.

Goujian, to obtain Yue Maiden’s sword techniques, invited her as a sword instructor to teach swordsmen.

…However.

Ironically, Yue Maiden was the best swordsman in the world.

But since she had learned her techniques by playing with monkeys, she didn’t understand the system of sword techniques.

“Uncles, why can’t you do this? It’s easy.”

She sparred with Yue swordsmen as she had played with monkeys.

The best swordsman in the world, freely swinging her sword without knowing sword techniques.

The Yue swordsmen couldn’t keep up with Yue Maiden’s fairy-like movements and all fell within three moves. But to leave behind outstanding sword techniques for the world.

They couldn’t keep up with Yue Maiden’s movements.

Instead, they followed the girl’s shadow and organized it into a sword technique.

And named it the Yue Maiden Sword Technique (越女劍法).

“Lord Sima, any martial art starts as a martial art solely for oneself.”

Sososo looked up at me with a serious yet gentle face.

“It’s a bit cruel, but no martial art can be perfectly passed down.”

Just as a martial art created by a left-handed person is optimized for left-handed people, habits, values, judgments formed over a lifetime inevitably mix into martial arts.

That’s why future disciples can’t perfectly execute the founder’s martial arts like the founder.

It’s natural. Because they’re not that person.

But that’s why it becomes more versatile, or sometimes meets a genius and develops further.

It undergoes various changes and is passed down.

“So don’t worry. The Soul Flight and Spirit Scatter Technique is undoubtedly an excellent martial art.”

Sososo stood on her tiptoes and reached out to pat my head, but.

“Ah… uh… that…”

Her arm couldn’t quite reach, and her face turned red. I gently bent down and brought my head to her small hand.

The sight was so touching and lovely.

“Namgung noona, why are you so cute?”

“…Huh?”

And then I immediately wrapped my arms around Sososo’s thin waist and lifted her up, hugging her.

“I am the genius Sima Mantian, who even deceives the heavens.”

I kissed Sososo’s red cheek and smiled playfully.

“I won’t be discouraged by this.”

After all, as Sososo said, martial arts can be improved and refined over time.

“L-Lord Sima, it’s good that you’re feeling better… but… please put me down… someone might see…”

For now, it’s enough to enjoy the present.

“Let them see. I don’t care.”

I hugged Sososo tightly, smelling her scent, and whispered affectionately.