Chapter 163

On the way back to the accommodation.

I realized I hadn’t asked one important thing.

“By the way, what is your name, young lady?”

At Mantian’s question, Ma Yang was about to say her name as if it was obvious.

“Huh? Of course, it’s Ma-!?”

When the ‘Ma’ of ‘Ma Yang’ came out, she quickly closed her mouth. This is why habits are scary.

Ma Yang’s eyes looked down at her hands and feet, which were different from usual.

A younger body, a small girl who looked about fifteen or sixteen.

Now, she was Ma Yang but not Ma Yang.

Currently, she was a pitiful beauty who had escaped from the Ilwol God Sect, not Ma Yang.

So, Ma Yang tried to come up with a new name, but when she tried to think of one, nothing came to mind.

‘Ma… Ma… What should I say?’

If she kept worrying like this, it would only seem suspicious. She had to come up with something quickly.

At that moment, a conversation reached Ma Yang’s ears.

A farmer was slamming farming tools on the ground in front of a blacksmith.

“Are you telling me to farm with these soft ‘farming’ tools!? The ‘farming’ will be ruined!”

Ma Yang unconsciously, reflexively opened her mouth and said.

“Ma… Nong… Ma Nong.”

“Pfft- Haha!”

I didn’t mean to laugh. I burst out laughing reflexively at the girl’s name.

Ma~ Nong~ How can someone’s name be Nong, lol.

I apologized to Ma Nong while holding back the laughter that wouldn’t leave my lips.

“I’m sorry. I thought it was a very cute name. I couldn’t help it.”

Ma Yang, now Ma Nong, the forty-two-year-old beauty, narrowed her eyes and glared at Mantian before turning her head sharply.

When fighting against an unknown group, she had the fierce demeanor of a martial artist.

But now, suddenly laughing and casually calling a girl cute, like a playboy.

He’s an incomprehensible guy.

Given the situation, she had no choice but to hide her identity and go along with it, but she had no intention of getting close or entangled with him.

And Ma Nong, under the current Jeonjin Sect leader Wang Miaoyang.

Became Mantian’s junior disciple.

“…Damn it.”

A rough curse flowed from Ma Nong’s delicate lips.

Huh~ The former senior of Jeonjin Sect becoming the junior disciple’s junior-!?

It’s a world turned upside down.

***

Ma Yang set her fake identity, Ma Nong’s background, as the last disciple of a martial artist who had secluded himself in a rural village and was a member of the Jeonjin Sect.

After the master who raised her since childhood died, she was searching for other Jeonjin Sect masters to complete the sect’s revival and training.

She happened to find Ma Yang and followed her.

But it turned out she was an elder of the Demon Sect, Ilwol God Sect, and with the help of Jeonjin Sect’s Sword Guardian Yongyeon, she managed to escape.

And after hearing the story, Wang Miaoyang, who respected the late Ma Yang, felt sympathy for her memories of wandering alone in a strange world until she met Mantian.

She let her guard down more easily than expected.

Moreover, since Mantian, Wang Miaoyang’s disciple, was also a disciple of a former Jeonjin Sect master (a lie Mantian told to hide his master’s identity), she didn’t pry too much.

Or maybe she just pretended to be fooled to keep an eye on her.

Anyway, because of that.

Wang Miaoyang (age thirty, mistakenly became younger due to a failed transformation), Ma Yang (age forty-two, became younger due to a rejuvenation potion).

The senior and junior disciples, who became young girls for different reasons.

“…No need to wander alone anymore.”

A strange scene unfolded where they became master and disciple.

From the side, it looked like a heartwarming scene of a little girl taking care of another little girl.

Though their combined age is seventy-two.

“As the leader of Jeonjin Sect and your senior, I will take care of you now. I will teach you wholeheartedly to become an excellent martial artist of Jeonjin Sect.”

“Umm… Thank you, Miaoyang… I mean, thank you, Master.”

Ma Yang had to hide her identity until she returned to her original body.

But she wondered if it was right to become a disciple of the precious child she had raised since infancy.

With Ma Nong, the Jeonjin Sect members increased from two (Wang Miaoyang and Mantian) to three.

Excited, Wang Miaoyang swung her arms and her eyes sparkled.

“Second disciple, this is the Seventy-Two Empty Clarity Fist! Have you learned it?”

…Maybe this is right? I thought.

Perhaps lost in reminiscence, memories of Wang Miaoyang from childhood came to mind.

When Master Ma Xuan and young Ma Yang were training in martial arts, little Wang Miaoyang would toddle over.

“Tyu-ta! Tyu-utai tyu-tata! Utya-ya!”

With sparkling eyes, she would look at Ma Xuan and Ma Yang and confidently shout.

“I will become a martial arts master!”

And indeed, Wang Miaoyang, with her exceptional talent, quickly caught up to Ma Yang’s level and became an excellent martial artist of Jeonjin Sect.

…Well, having grown up only in the mountains, she’s a bit naive for her age.

I wanted to take her down the mountain often.

But Master Ma Xuan didn’t allow Wang Miaoyang to go down the mountain.

He didn’t let her mingle with the human world.

“Second disciple?”

Ma Yang, lost in memories of the past, snapped back to reality at Wang Miaoyang’s voice.

“Ah… I did learn some martial arts, but mainly focused on swordsmanship, the Jeonjin Sword Technique.”

Jeonjin Sword Technique (全眞劍法) – A basic swordsmanship of Jeonjin Sect using a one-handed sword. A slow but steady swordsmanship.

Though it looks like a common basic technique, like the Mystical Taoist Inner Energy Technique, the longer you train, the more powerful it becomes.

“Jeonjin Sword Technique! Hmm- Hmm! Jeonjin Sect is excellent in martial arts, but it’s a sword sect!”

Wang Miaoyang nodded in satisfaction.

Then she turned her gaze and slightly glared at Mantian, the first disciple, who had learned various martial arts from different sects, possibly more than five.

“Some people neglect the excellent Jeonjin Sword Technique and get lost in other sects’ swordsmanship.”

At Master Wang Miaoyang’s habitual sulking, I shrugged my shoulders and expressed my grievance.

“I never ignored the Jeonjin Sword Technique. And it’s not my fault that Namgung Family’s swordsmanship is tempting.”

There are too many seductive martial arts in the world.

That’s why a good martial artist like me, who just explores various martial arts, gets treated like a mixed-breed, having multiple masters.

I didn’t learn that many either.

Let’s see…

Partner martial arts like the Dog Chasing Stick Technique, Jeonjin Sect’s basic martial arts, Esoteric Sect’s Immovable King Technique, Namgung Family’s swordsmanship and Thunder Technique, Wudang Sect’s Taijiquan.

Double Hands Fighting is practically a universal buff martial art, so I’ll exclude that.

Though it’s a patchwork, Soul Flight and Spirit Scatter Technique is my original martial art, so it’s unrelated to other sects.

Ah, there’s also that ‘martial art’ given by Confucius Master through Seol Mo Dan recently…

Hmm~ Is it a bit much?

“………”

Anyway, I was quite interested in the Jeonjin Sword Technique.

Wang Miaoyang, as the leader of Jeonjin Sect, could perform all Jeonjin Sect martial arts at a high level, but she specialized in the fist techniques.

I also specialized in Jeonjin Sect martial arts.

…Well, to be precise, Wang Miaoyang tried to teach me the Jeonjin Sword Technique.

But recently, I was busy developing Soul Flight and Spirit Scatter Technique and training in the Boundless Spear Technique.

So, it seemed like a good opportunity to learn it now.

When I didn’t focus on swordsmanship, Empty Clarity Fist and Ice Palm Technique were enough, but after learning the Boundless Spear Technique, I was curious about the Jeonjin Sword Technique.

So, I and the suddenly second disciple, Ma Nong, decided to learn the Jeonjin Sword Technique from Master Wang Miaoyang.

“Here, I’ll show you a demonstration.”

Wang Miaoyang took a sword in one hand.

Jeonjin Sword Technique (全眞劍法)

She lightly flicked her wrist and swiftly swung the sword repeatedly towards the bushes.

Shashashashashak-!!

Multiple whip-like fast sword strikes instantly unfolded, cutting the bushes into a cute star shape.

I noticed it was a one-handed sword technique.

The Jeonjin Sword Technique was a fast swordsmanship that overwhelmed the enemy.

I would need to learn more to understand it precisely.

But it felt like thrusting into the enemy’s chest and then slashing from within.

As I was analyzing the Jeonjin Sword Technique.

Wang Miaoyang spoke in an innocent voice and handed me the sword.

“Here, now you try.”

“Huh? Me?”

I blinked at the sudden request, but Wang Miaoyang’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“You’re the senior disciple now. You should set an example for your junior!”

Sparkle sparkle~ Sparkle sparkle~!

The starlight pouring from Master Wang Miaoyang’s beautiful golden eyes stung painfully.

“………”

I quietly exhaled and prepared myself.

Sometimes, even if you know it will be ugly, you have to jump into the mud.

“Ma, Mantian! Unleashing the Jeonjin Sword Technique! Ugaa-!”

Like a primitive man wielding an incomprehensible weapon, I shouted and swung the sword.

Boom~ Boom~!

Wang Miaoyang watched and advised in her own way.

“More like Shushash! Shubak! That kind of feeling!”

…And Ma Nong, watching from the side.

Click- Clack-.

No, Ma Yang, the former senior of Jeonjin Sect and master of the Jeonjin Sword Technique, felt her teeth grinding.

‘That’s not how you perform the Jeonjin Sword Technique! That’s not how you teach it!’

She was just trying to quietly blend in as the junior disciple, but she couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Um… That’s… not how you perform the Jeonjin Sword Technique…”

Before she knew it, she had interfered.