The Regressed Sword Demon Changes the Future

On the first night of his return to the past, Jang Baekseo couldn't easily fall asleep due to his chaotic thoughts.

'What on earth brought me back to the past?'

There was only one thing that immediately came to mind as a reason.

'The stone monument created by the sect's founder!'

See the future and change the present! The meaningful phrase, and the fact that the day he returned was the day he had hit his head on that very monument and fainted, bothered him.

'Perhaps I didn't return to the past from the future, but my present self glimpsed, or experienced, the future?'

The thought that this might be more realistic than returning to the past from the future occurred to him.

But whether it was the former or the latter, the result was not much different. He knew the future, and that future had to be changed!

'There's no time to be complacent!'

That night, Jang Baekseo couldn't easily fall asleep. The night was too short to organize what he had to do and what would happen in the future.

***

Mornings at Mysterious Profound Sect were early.

Perhaps it wasn't just Mysterious Profound Sect, but all the martial sects in the world. The mornings of those who practiced martial arts were always early.

Early in the morning, after a quick breakfast, the young third-generation disciples gathered in the training ground, swinging their swords in unison.

The training of the third-generation disciples, most of whom were around ten years old, was being supervised by the instructors belonging to the second generation.

And Baekseo was in the latter position.

Although he belonged to the third generation, unlike the other disciples who were around ten years old, he was fourteen and the eldest, the senior brother, of the third-generation disciples.

As such, from the perspective of the second-generation instructors, he was responsible for teaching the parts they missed due to the age and skill level differences, at their eye level.

But today, the third-generation disciples were bewildered by a sight different from usual.

This was because their senior brother, who was usually so gentle and mild-mannered, had appeared as a completely different person after just one day.

"Tsk, what's with that sword-swinging posture? What can you do with such a uselessly wide stance!"

"S-sorry, Senior Brother!"

"Goodness, what are you going to do if the connection between your forms is so messy? Are you fine with dying from a counterattack the moment your strike is blocked!?"

"Th-that's because the sword path isn't familiar to my hands yet…"

"Since when did a coward who just spouts excuses become a disciple of Mysterious Profound Sect?"

"I'm sorry!!"

Jang Baekseo's criticism was so scathing that even the second-generation instructors watching were flustered.

This was because Jang Baekseo was now guiding them not as the senior brother of the third-generation disciples, Jang Baekseo, but as the Sword Demon, Jang Baekseo.

To say it was unavoidable because they were young and let it slide, the martial skills of the children of the same age he had seen in the Demonic Cult as the Sword Demon were far superior.

Of course, it was unreasonable to compare the situation of the Demonic Cult with that of a small to medium-sized sect in the Central Plains, but it was inevitable that a comparison would be made.

"…Still, there's one decent one."

Among the third-generation disciples he was guiding, only two people did not hear his harsh words.

One was Sohyun, the youngest of the third generation.

How well could a young girl who was only seven years old swing a sword?

There was no point in making a fuss about the accuracy or sharpness of her sword path to a child who was participating just to get used to and familiar with the sword.

Therefore, in the true sense, there was only one person to whom Baekseo did not give harsh words.

"Hap!"

A boy with a neat appearance, who looked to be about twelve years old, swung his sword with a powerful shout. He was the only one in this place who was avoiding Baekseo's harsh words.

'Hmm, the Yuyu Sword is a simple introductory sword technique, but to be able to execute it so cleanly is another story.'

Even a simple sword technique required corresponding effort to execute it cleanly!

In that respect, that boy passed.

'His name was definitely… Jang Yuhan, yes, the second disciple of the third generation, Jang Yuhan.'

As he was nodding his head in satisfaction, a yawn suddenly escaped him.

"Hwaam~"

It seemed that his fatigue had not been properly relieved because he had stayed up all night thinking about the future.

As he was thinking that and looking around at the other third-generation disciples…

"…You seem quite tired, Senior Brother."

The second disciple of the third generation, Jang Yuhan, spoke to him.

"Hmm? Ah, I didn't get to sleep properly yesterday…"

According to his memory, before his regression, he had a pretty good relationship with his second junior brother, but…

"I believe that a senior brother who leads the other junior brothers should also have self-management as a necessary virtue."

"Well, you're not wrong."

'Well, look at this?'

Is he criticizing me right now?

This alone was absurd, but what was even more absurd was the reaction of those around them.

A reaction as if this was a daily occurrence. The reactions of the other third-generation disciples, as well as the other second-generation junior brothers who were out as instructors, were no different.

"…I sometimes think that the role of an instructor is a bit too much responsibility for you, Senior Brother."

"…Is that so?"

Suddenly, a memory from the past came to mind.

Memories of what kind of person he was before his regression, and how he was treated.

Jang Baekseo, the senior brother of the third generation of Mysterious Profound Sect.

A boy who entered Mysterious Profound Sect as the eldest of the third generation at a young age, but was not particularly gifted in comprehension or martial talent. Thanks to his decent physique and diligent and hardworking personality, he was not bad as a martial artist, but as a senior brother who had to lead people, he showed a performance that was well below average.

Due to his gentle personality, he couldn't say bad things to others, and because of that, many among the other third-generation disciples secretly looked down on or made fun of him.

As a result, the other senior uncles and adults of the second and first generations did not look upon him favorably either.

Moreover, Jang Baekseo, who was more likely to throw out a lame joke or make playful remarks than to show a serious side as a senior brother, was by no means a respected figure within the sect.

"Ha…"

At the sudden memory, Jang Baekseo felt his breath catch in his throat.

And he looked at one of the people who was watching this situation.

A second-generation instructor and the one who had accepted him as a disciple, a man with a sharp impression who looked to be in his mid-thirties, and also his master, Cheongmu.

'Even if others don't, shouldn't you be stopping this situation?'

The disciples of Mysterious Profound Sect were divided into three generations: first, second, and third. And it was possible to take disciples from the second generation onwards. Also, Cheongmu was not only his master but also Yuhan's master. Even within the sect's system, he was the senior brother of the third generation, but in terms of the master-disciple relationship, he was Yuhan's senior brother.

But Yuhan was showing such an arrogant attitude, and no one was stopping him?

'It's laughable…'

"Junior Brother."

"What is it, Senior Brother?"

"How about you check for yourself whether I'm qualified or not?"

"…Are you suggesting a duel?"

At those words, the surroundings stirred.

Although it was not said openly, a perception had secretly spread among the disciples of Mysterious Profound Sect that the strongest in the third generation was not the senior brother Jang Baekseo, but the second disciple Jang Yuhan.

In such a situation, the sight of Jang Baekseo proposing a duel to Jang Yuhan, who was considered stronger than him, drew the attention of the third-generation disciples who were pouring their energy into their morning training all at once. Of course, the second-generation disciples who were out as instructors also showed interest.

"Why, are you scared?"

"…If you wish…"

Once the duel was agreed upon, a space was prepared in an instant.

Without anyone giving an order, the other people in the training ground cleared a circle.

Moreover, the second-generation instructors, who should have stopped this and guided them, showed a cooperative attitude towards the duel, saying things like 'it will be a good stimulus for the other third-generation disciples.'

Finally, Jang Baekseo and Jang Yuhan, who faced each other in the center of the training ground, held wooden swords, and the duel began.

***

Cheongmu thought he understood his disciple quite well.

He thought he knew Jang Baekseo especially well. He had given a name to the child who was wandering the streets as an orphan in his childhood, took him in as a disciple, clothed him, fed him, and taught him.

Therefore, the appearance that Baekseo had shown from yesterday to this morning was a shock to him.

First of all, his gaze was completely different.

Not the gentle eyes of before, but the eyes of an old master who had roamed the martial world for decades and transcended the gap between life and death!

And what about his actions?

Perhaps due to a sense of inferiority for being inferior in skill to his second junior brother, Yuhan, despite being the senior brother, Baekseo was reluctant to say unpleasant things to other junior brothers or give advice during training.

But this morning, Baekseo did not hesitate to point out the flaws of his junior brothers, and the content was also accurate!

That's why he deliberately let the situation where Yuhan was picking a fight with Baekseo unfold.

In Cheongmu's mind, there was a certain hypothesis about why Baekseo had changed in such a way, and to confirm that hypothesis, he deliberately stopped the other second-generation junior brothers from trying to stop the duel.

'If my thoughts are correct, I'll know through this duel…'

Baekseo, standing in the center of the training ground, looked at Yuhan intently.

With neat features and flowing hair, this boy, who perfectly suited the name of a handsome youth, also had an excellent physique for his age, ignoring the fact that girls are usually bigger than boys at that age.

Of course, since there was a two-year age difference, Jang Baekseo's physique was larger, but the difference was not that great.

'Ho, is he not nervous?'

But what caught Jang Baekseo's eye more was Yuhan's expression, which did not seem nervous at all.

A calm expression without any tension!

Was it because he was used to dueling, or…

'Is it because he thinks I'm that much of a pushover…'

Thinking about it uselessly would only make him feel worse, so he decided to proceed quickly.

"As your senior brother, I'll give you a three-move handicap. Come on, try me."

At Jang Baekseo's words, the onlookers stirred.

Who was the second disciple of the third generation, Jang Yuhan?

He was a boy said to be born with the talent to one day bring glory to the name of Mysterious Profound Sect. His skills were so great that even the elders of the first-generation sect, not the second, took a liking to him and taught him techniques one by one.

With outstanding natural talent and having learned and mastered advanced martial arts from various elders early on, it was a public secret that Yuhan's martial prowess was already the best in the third generation.

But for Jang Baekseo, who was not particularly outstanding in martial arts, to offer a three-move handicap to such a Jang Yuhan, it was bound to be absurd.

Jang Yuhan, who heard those words, seemed to think the same, as he made a somewhat reluctant expression.

But that was only for a moment. Yuhan, who had returned to his calm expression, took a ready stance.

"Since you say so, I won't refuse!"

In an instant, Yuhan's body shot forward like a beast pouncing on its prey, and the wooden sword in his hand was swung!

A form of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Technique, the advanced sword technique of Mysterious Profound Sect, was unfolded in the hands of the young boy.

Even the second-generation instructors, who were already learning the Mysterious Heaven Sword Technique, were impressed by the clean strike. Jang Baekseo…

Tak!

"What…!?"

"Huh… how did he do that?"

He parried it so lightly.

The reason the third-generation disciples were surprised was because Jang Baekseo had lightly blocked the attack of Jang Yuhan, the strongest among them. The surprise of the second-generation instructors was on a completely different level.

In particular, the surprise of their master, Cheongmu, was much greater than that of the others.

What Jang Baekseo had just shown was not simply parrying the opponent's attack with force.

'He broke the flow of the form!'

In unfolding a single form, there are emptiness and substance, and within that, there is a flow of power. Naturally, in that flow, there are weak points and strong points.

And the strike that Jang Baekseo had just shown was a strike that forcibly nullified the form itself by instantly cutting off the weakest point in the flow of the form's power!

'But… I haven't taught Baekseo the Mysterious Heaven Sword Technique yet! So how on earth did that child!?'

The move that Jang Baekseo had just shown was a move that Cheongmu and the other second-generation junior brothers could also show. But that was only possible because the second-generation disciples had already learned all of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Technique and their achievement was superior to Jang Yuhan's!

'As expected… am I right?'

Jang Yuhan was also surprised.

'How…'

It was the most complete form among the sword techniques he had learned.

He had never imagined that it would be so easily broken, let alone blocked or dodged.

Above all…

'Senior Brother shouldn't know the Mysterious Heaven Sword Technique?'

Jang Yuhan was surprised for the same reason that Cheongmu was shocked.

This was because, at this time, Jang Baekseo had not yet learned the Mysterious Heaven Sword Technique.

Jang Yuhan, who had learned various martial arts from other first-generation elders due to his outstanding talent, was already learning the Mysterious Heaven Sword Technique, but originally, the Mysterious Heaven Sword Technique was an advanced sword technique even within Mysterious Profound Sect!

Yuhan was a special case, and even if he was the senior brother of the third generation, it was not a technique that could be learned at the age of fourteen.

"What are you doing? You have two moves left."

"!!"

He was different. He was too different from the senior brother he knew.

But there was no point in thinking about that now. It was time to focus on the duel in front of him!

"Hup!"

If the first attack was a straightforward frontal attack, this time it was an attack aimed at the side.

At first glance, it could be thought of as a simple horizontal slash, but if one were to be careless, they would be caught off guard by the sword strike that would suddenly change its trajectory and soar up!

But…

Taak!

The result was the same as before. Yuhan's form was once again futilely broken by a strike that accurately aimed at the weakest part of the form's flow.

"How on earth!?"

"What do you mean, how… The weak points are so obvious, why would I just let them pass?"

The essence of martial arts!

The Daoist sects of the Nine Great Sects, like Wudang and Huashan, say this.

'Cultivate the Dao through martial arts and reach the state of an immortal.'

In the same context, Shaolin and Emei say they cultivate the path of Buddha.

Even if the tune was different, the martial world of the Central Plains was full of people who said they achieved something by practicing martial arts in this way.

'Well, I won't necessarily deny it, but…'

He didn't deny it, but to Jang Baekseo, the concept of martial arts was much simpler and more straightforward.

'I subdue the enemy's weakness with my strength…'

Pressing the opponent's weakness with one's own strength.

This was the basic and the ultimate principle of martial arts!

And what had just been revealed in the previous two exchanges was a direct manifestation of Jang Baekseo's thoughts.

(End of Chapter)