Chapter 48: Mismatch

‘I need help in the current situation anyway.’

Upon reaching Class 4, I began walking my own path. My Master, who had already reached Class 5, was already walking his.

However, there was one thing he was definitely superior at: the understanding of mana. I intended to make use of that.

“Don’t you think we don’t need to limit ourselves just to magic?”

“Then what?”

“How about we try to understand magic power and mana themselves?”

“How so?”

“I want us to explore mana itself together.”

“Oh…!”

My Master clapped loudly after hearing my words. He wore a surprised expression as if he had heard something completely unexpected.

“Magic is ultimately the understanding of magic power, mana, and the world… You are right!”

“Yes. There’s no need to go in circles when we can just go straight to the core.”

“That is the correct answer! Incredible. You’ve truly thought of something I never considered.”

*Clap.* Master clapped his hands loudly once more.

He closed his eyes for a moment as if savoring the current situation, and when he opened them again, he had returned to that sparkling expression he had when I first met him.

“Good. Then let us begin immediately. In order for this Master to reach Class 5…”

The story began to unfold as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Having returned to being a good teacher, Master began to pass down everything he possessed to me. Every word he spoke became my flesh and blood.

The understanding of magic power and magic described by a Class 5 Mage was beyond significant — it was profound.

‘This is great.’

I was someone who needed an understanding of magic, magic power, and mana. While absorbing everything he taught, I began to build a foundation.

***

Winter had already arrived. Two months had passed since the Harvest Festival.

In the meantime, I devoted all the time remaining after my lessons with Master to researching Aura cultivation methods. It went without saying that Master’s explanations were a huge help.

“I’ve finally finished it!”

Several things were completed at once.

By modifying cultivation techniques, I created two Aura cultivation methods, as well as physical arts and light-footwork. All that remained was the sword art.

‘The conceptual manual for Father isn’t ready yet, but this will be enough for now.’

It was a significant achievement.

I based the Mugong I was passing down on the techniques of the Jegal Clan, which I understood deeply. This wasn’t the Murim, and the people of this House were my real family, so I had no reason to hesitate.

‘It’s essentially the same as re-establishing the Jegal Clan here.’

The only difference was that the name Jegal would be replaced by Opern.

For the cultivation method, I based it on the Great Azure Star Cultivation, skipping the So-cheon-seong-gong. Though it wasn’t as good as the Hyeonwon Dan Shingong, the Great Azure Star Cultivation was still a first-class technique.

‘And it’s extremely stable.’

My family members already had the foundations of Aura. If they used this cultivation method to form a Danjeon and open their meridians, their current power would increase several times over.

If I could eventually pass down the Hyeonwon Dan Shingong I was practicing, it would be the icing on the cake.

‘Though I’ll have to fully understand it myself before I can interpret it for them.’

For physical arts, I naturally included the So Cheon Seong Yuk Rae Method. In this case, I significantly improved it by adding Kim Seonggeon’s memories.

‘People in this world are sturdier, so I can increase the intensity.’

Perhaps because of that, it became quite different from the version used by the Jegal Clan.

I didn’t pass down any specific footwork patterns.

“Footwork can be handled by refining the movements they already have.”

They were already learning the House of Opern’s secret techniques to move their bodies lightly. Compared to the level of footwork I had mastered, it was crude. However, it was a style they had practiced their entire lives. It was better to raise the level of the House’s secret techniques rather than passing down the Jegal Clan’s style directly.

So, I chose light-footwork instead. Naturally, the Heavenly Secret Movement was selected. For the sword art, I started by creating the Great Azure Star Sword Art.

“I learned a lot too, thanks to this.”

The Great Azure Star Sword Art was built upon the foundation of the So-cheon-seong Sword Art. I put a lot of effort into interpreting and creating it. In a way, I had pre-converted a sword art I would eventually have to learn into a style suited for this world. Thanks to that, the level of my own swordsmanship rose significantly.

And finally, the long-awaited last piece.

“The Jade Maiden Art is the best.”

It was the ultimate beauty technique! Even if the noble ladies of great families didn’t learn Mugong, this was the one technique they would risk their lives to master. By activating all sorts of fine meridians and circulating internal energy, the Jade Maiden Art was the strongest for making one look younger.

“Tsk… I originally planned to use this to treat my Jeongmak.”

I had researched the Jade Maiden Art with the idea of activating every fine meridian. I hadn’t expected that the research, which had been useless back then, would be used in this way here.

“Now then, shall I go and deliver these?”

It was time to spark a training boom in the family.

Passing down the Mugong wasn’t the end.

“The state of the meridians here is…”

I had to teach them the concepts. The concept of meridians, the method of circulating Qi, and even the meaning of Yin and Yang, which I wasn’t even fully sure of myself. Even the spirit of martial arts.

It is often said that the Mind, Qi, and Body must be united in Mugong.

‘It’s because everything is included within the Mugong.’

There was a reason for it.

If the mind is lacking, the Mugong becomes distorted. The mind is what even leads to Qi deviation. Even if one has strong energy, they will collapse if their body is not sturdy enough to accept it. Conversely, even if the body is solid, it will break if there is no Qi to support it.

The saying that martial arts begin and end with the unity of Mind, Qi, and Body came from that reality.

Passing down such Mugong was no easy task, even if it was just the basics.

‘Is it already another month?’

If I hadn’t had the experience of teaching in the Murim, it would have taken much longer.

Fortunately, in Father’s case, it was fast.

“Hmm… This is a concept I never even imagined.”

He was a man who had reached the level of Aura Master even without a cultivation method. Beyond luck, his talent had to be extraordinary for that to be possible. After receiving the cultivation method, Father seemed to understand ten things after being taught only one.

“I shall spend some time alone for a while.”

He completely shut himself in his private training hall. Whenever Father was away, Mother was the one who handled his duties.

‘That was unexpected.’

Surprisingly, Mother was even faster. Or perhaps her effort was just extraordinary.

“Ho-ho. Every single day feels truly different. I regret the years I lived without knowing this.”

“I-is that so?”

“Yes. Just you wait until next spring.”

What was she waiting for? The social season in the spring? Or was it for Father, who had shut himself away and left Mother alone?

I couldn’t tell which it was.

One thing was certain: Mother was changing more and more every day. Her skin was becoming smoother and younger. Her body’s lost balance was returning. The faint flush on her cheeks spoke of her rapidly circulating vitality.

“This is truly wonderful. Fufu.”

Except for the work of the territory she did on Father’s behalf, she spent all her time practicing the Jade Maiden Art.

‘To think Mother would be the most enthusiastic.’

Mother was the only one who seemed normal out of the family, but that was a thing of the past. It felt like a side effect of passing down the Mugong was that I had turned even Mother into a martial arts fanatic.

The surprise was my Older Sister.

“So, it works like this?”

“Yeah. For now, yes.”

“Good. Then I’ll call you later if I need you.”

My sister, who recently became a Practician, practiced the Great Azure Star Sword Art like her life depended on it after learning the internal cultivation method. Since it was a sword art, she had to learn the forms from me.

‘I thought she would be stuck on it for a long while…’

Interestingly, she memorized the forms of the Mugong in no time.

“Don’t look for me until I look for you first.”

Then, she shut herself in the training hall just like Father.

‘What on earth caused this change of heart?’

Thinking back, it was strange. The whole family knew that I had received the Dragon’s Legacy. In particular, it wasn’t a secret that it was related to Aura cultivation methods. Given my sister’s usual personality, she would have come to pester me out of curiosity. She would have demanded a cultivation method or a training secret immediately.

Yet, she had been quiet. It was as if she were using up all the patience she possessed for her entire life.

‘I thought I’d have a hard time after passing down the Mugong.’

Even after the handover, it was surprisingly quiet. It wasn’t that she lacked enthusiasm for Mugong; she had mastered the forms of the sword art instantly. That would be impossible without passion. But then, she had retreated completely into the training hall.

“Hah!”

*Whoosh! Crack!*

Judging by the sounds coming from the training hall, she wasn’t slacking. If anything, she was training more fervently than before. The energy felt from beyond the walls was also significant.

‘I truly can’t figure her out.’

There was clearly a change of heart I didn’t know about. It might be that period of change that every martial artist needs at least once — a time to tune oneself.

“She said she’d find me if she needed me. Hmm…!”

If she ever needed me, she would surely come looking.

The problem was the last one remaining: my Older Brother.

Having grown up as the material to rule the territory, my brother was flawless as the next Lord. He was flexible and knew how to maintain his own values.

The problem was his sword. My brother’s sword, which resembled Father’s, was honest and stout.

‘It’s excessively honest.’

His sword revealed everything. Rather than mixing in variations, he moved by the book. He enjoyed swinging with honest technique and pushing his opponents back with strength. It was, quite literally, a heavy sword.

Perhaps that was why.

“…This is difficult.”

He could not adapt at all to the Jegal Clan’s sword art, which cornered opponents with all sorts of variations, calculations, and endless movement. He mastered the forms of the Mugong quickly, but he couldn’t move past the application stage.

‘Our dispositions are just too different.’

This was an unexpected problem. In the Jegal Clan, the members’ personalities were bound to be similar. Even if they weren’t born with similar traits, they would eventually develop similar temperaments by being immersed in the family tradition. As a result, direct descendants could master the arts quickly. Even if they didn’t reach great mastery, no one found it difficult to learn.

The problem was that the people of the House of Opern were not people of the Jegal Clan. My brother was unable to do what the others mastered easily.

It didn’t suit his nature.

However, I couldn’t just leave him be. I wasn’t cold-hearted enough to abandon the brother who had taken care of me back when I was severely lacking before my awakening.

‘If there’s no other way, I’ll have to force it into him.’

There was only one method left.

‘I didn’t think I’d have to use this method on my brother.’

Whether the student lacked motivation or talent, I already knew the most efficient way to teach.

“Hoo. I didn’t think I’d use this on my family…”

*Shring.* I drew my sword. As I drew the blade, my brother looked at me with startled eyes.

“Brother, come at me.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s not a method I use often, but I have one good trick.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Yes. So, come.”

The best method. It was none other than the rod. If you can’t learn it with your head, carving it into your body makes everything go smoothly!

“Actually, I’ll go first.”

*Whoosh!* My body leaped toward my brother.