Chapter 90: Winter Confinement

I returned to the family mansion.

By then, autumn had fully passed, and a cool breeze was beginning to blow. It was the wind signaling the approach of winter.

My Father, who no longer scolded me, spoke during our first meal back.

“You are grounded for one month. Stay in the mansion. Do not even step outside the castle walls during the winter.”

He ordered my confinement.

“Isn’t one month too short, dear?”

“Ahem… Then let it be two months.”

“Two months is also short! Shouldn’t it be at least one year?”

The family, far from stopping him, was clamoring that the time was too short. This was their own way of worrying about me. If my Older Brother were here, he would have done the same.

“Your answer?”

“…Yes. I will do so.”

“Good. Do not ever do that again.”

“I am sorry.”

Thanks to the family, my confinement was extended to two months.

‘It’s a bit weak, but…’

Since I had no way to spend time at home, I thought it might be quite a long time. However, time began to pass unexpectedly fast.

In the morning, when I opened my eyes…

I increased my Mana and internal energy through meditation along with my Cultivation Heart Law.

The current stage of the Mysterious Heaven Absolute Martial Art was at the 7th Star. The internal energy that filled me every time I circulated the Cultivation Heart Law was terrifying.

‘This is why top-tier martial arts are great.’

As I gathered internal energy by circulating more than sixty years’ worth of power…

Vrrrrm—

In an instant, I was at a point where I could suck in all the natural energy from the surrounding atmosphere.

I was already powerful, but now I was even drawing in energy through my willpower.

After just one circulation of the Cultivation Heart Law…

“This is insane.”

Internal energy equivalent to twenty days’ worth filled me up. Even with the legendary Great Methods—no, even with demonic arts—this kind of speed would be impossible.

Normally, one would gather internal energy here to pierce the middle danjeon.

‘My realization isn’t perfect yet anyway.’

However, I did something else.

Currently, my body was in a strange state. Although I had achieved Transcendence, the So Cheon Seong Yuk Rae Method had not reached mastery.

‘This is also at about the 8th Star.’

I had simply pulled up my level based on my Transcendence. My stage had risen, but its depth was lacking for me to claim it was entirely my own.

‘My internal energy will start to slow down once it fills the danjeon further.’

Theoretically, the maximum amount of internal energy the lower danjeon can hold is around 180 years. Even then, there were many cases where the speed suddenly slowed down once it exceeded 120 years.

‘I’m not there yet… but it’s close.’

Such things occurred frequently when one could not fully coordinate the massive internal energy of 120 years. Power that one cannot fully control is as good as not being one’s own power.

‘It becomes clumsy.’

A person with sixty years of internal energy who can fully control their power is stronger than one who has forcibly accumulated 180 years of internal energy. Those who cannot properly control their own power are merely dragged along by it.

My state was just before that.

My internal energy was rising rapidly, but the realization to match it was still lacking.

‘Theory and practice are different.’

During my time as Jegal Hyeon, I had established martial arts theory and developed the logic for higher realms, but I had not yet fully applied it to myself. I wasn’t able to move forward in earnest.

This situation was perhaps…

‘Martial arts require the unity of mind, ki, and body. I’m a mess.’

It could be because the balance was broken. In this situation, there was no need to blindly increase internal energy. I used that internal energy for something other than my danjeon.

Vrrrrm—

The Liu Lei Method was at the 8th Star. I channeled my internal energy into the external art that strengthened the physical body.

At the same time…

“I need to handle my body properly first.”

Whoosh—

I raised my fists instead of a sword and moved my body. I wanted to understand and feel my body by pushing it to its limits.

By burning internal energy, my body continued to grow firmer. However, that didn’t mean the stage of the Liu Lei Method rose.

‘The understanding of my body is increasing.’

On the outside, it only seemed to consume time. It was a situation without progress. But I was certain.

‘This way is correct.’

Even if it seemed slow for now, I was sure that the foundation I was building would be the basis for my future progress.

Therefore…

Whoosh— Whoosh—

I could pour my time into training my body without stopping.

When afternoon came again, a guest would visit my training ground.

“Rayrn! It’s time for surveillance! Let’s go!”

“…Can’t I skip today? I’m staying home the whole time anyway.”

“What nonsense! Hurry up and follow me!”

It was my Older Sister.

My sister, a training fanatic, had been ordered by our parents to monitor me. She was told to make sure I wasn’t sneaking off somewhere or starting something else.

She performed that command gladly. She was quite proactive!

‘Thanks to that, she’s excited.’

Was she not a martial arts fanatic to begin with? Using surveillance as an excuse, she visited me every day and dragged me to the training ground.

And then…

“Now! Take it!”

“Hup.”

As soon as we arrived at the training ground, she handed me a sword. It meant we should train together while she monitored me.

“Hold it! At first, I thought you only had knowledge. I was so disappointed until I found out how strong you were, you know?!”

“…Yes, yes.”

When I first gave her the martial arts, she couldn’t even properly gauge how strong I would be.

‘I didn’t really let her know.’

I had certainly shown my Aura to my Father, but not to my sister. Even when I received the Aura Cultivation Method, which I called a Dragon’s Relic, she didn’t know my true strength.

As someone in a lower stage than me, she couldn’t even grasp my skills, which were at a superior level. For her, that was…

“Haaaap! I was so frustrated! Keeping secrets from your family! Huh?!”

It literally became the most frustrating thing to her. Even though she was advancing her own stage with the cultivation method she received from me and was heading toward becoming an Aura Expert…

‘A monster…’

It rankled her that she hadn’t recognized her younger brother was stronger than her.

Look at her. Even now, isn’t she swinging the sword with insane strength?

Swish— Swish—

She slashed ten times in an instant. Each strike contained at least five variations. Dozens of variations unfolded from her sword.

‘Lower body focus.’

It was a sword technique executed after a split-second calculation. No, for her, it was likely executed instinctively rather than calculated. That made her even more of a monster.

It was a sword technique that would be impossible for others to even read. But it was clearly visible to my eyes.

“Your upper body is open.”

Whoosh— Thud!

“Ugh…”

The moment I thrust my sword into the gap between her variations, my sister’s blindly rushing sword stopped instantly. But it was only for a moment.

“As expected of a monster!”

“…You’re the monster, Sister.”

Changing her momentum, she then…

Whoosh—

She pointed her Heavy Sword at me.

‘It’s so versatile.’

Her Aura grew as the sword moved. The grown Aura amplified and became heavy. A Heavy Sword that has reached its peak can carry power as heavy as a mountain. However, my sister’s sword was still…

“It’s not even as big as a small hill. The sword is light.”

Clack!

It was at a level I could block by late-amplifying my Aura.

“That’s cheating! Here I come again!”

“…Whatever you say.”

My sister’s sword continued to grow fiercer. In her sword, which she wielded freely now that she knew my stage was stronger than hers…

“Don’t build up killing intent!”

“This is all part of how you use a sword!”

A fierce momentum that had never been there before was etched into her strikes.

‘Is she that frustrated?’

She was as fierce as if she had met a mortal enemy.

“Not until I get stronger!”

“You used to tell me to be stronger, not weaker!”

“I don’t know! Come here! Don’t run away!”

Where had the kind sister who worried about my frail body gone? Amplifying her Aura as she came at me, she seemed determined to attack until she surpassed my stage.

‘…It won’t happen even if she dies trying.’

It seemed it would take quite some time for her to realize the reality of the situation.

My sister poured out all her strength as if venting her frustration.

“Huff… Huff…”

After this, once her body recovered, she would spend until nightfall saying she was training again. And…

‘She’ll get stronger again.’

It was certain she would grow stronger every single day.

‘I’m getting stronger because of my past life’s memories and foundation.’

But her growth rate, which came solely from her own talent, was mysterious.

“I’m doing it again tomorrow.”

“Yes, yes. Do as you wish.”

“I don’t like that attitude! You’ve become so slippery since you got stronger!”

“Maybe a little?”

She glared at me while continuing to catch her breath in frustration. Ignoring her look, I asked her a question.

“By the way, how is Father lately? Is he still like that?”

“…It’s no joke.”

“As I thought…”

While I was understanding myself and spending time training with my sister, my Father was…

‘…He’s training the entire family.’

As soon as he returned, he summoned the Knight Order and moved with a fierce momentum. Every winter, there was a monster outbreak in the North.

‘They were easily blocked.’

He led the entire Knight Order and stood at the vanguard, sweeping away the monsters. According to rumors in the territory, his momentum was fiercer than that of the monsters.

Although the completed Aura of an Aura Master wasn’t visible, he cut down everything he saw, again and again.

‘I heard he caught several chieftains…’

He completely devastated the monsters that had broken out. After securing time so quickly…

“Weakness is a sin.”

Uttering firm words unlike his usual self, he led the summoned knights straight to Ophern Castle. Since then…

“I heard he catches the knights every day?”

“How?”

“In the past, it felt like he was showing some mercy… but now he spars with them until they run out of strength. He works them to the bone.”

“Every day?”

“Yes! Every day!”

He began to push the knights and make them train. It was a momentum that suggested he would push them until they literally became stronger.

‘…I guess me going off like that was a shock to him.’

Thinking it happened because we were weak, the last incident was clearly a massive shock to my Father. I thought the knights were dying because of it, but…

“Summarize things soon. I have found those to whom I will pass down the Auran Yeongongbeop.”

“Yes. I will prepare immediately.”

He had taken the Auran Yeongongbeop from me not long ago.

‘And I didn’t even explain much.’

Originally, martial arts have depth, so they are not easily learned without a master. However, Father, who had already reached the level of an Aura Master, was unstoppable.

“It is much easier than before.”

As they say, when you stand atop a great mountain, the things below look small. Martial arts of the second or third rate, not even the highest level, were not difficult for Father. Although mastering them instantly was impossible…

“I will use it for teaching immediately.”

There was no trouble in him leading the knights and teaching them the basics. Thanks to Father’s teaching, rumors began to circulate among the knights.

— House Ofern has a new Aura Cultivation Method.

— It is being taught. And its power is higher than before.

Where he got it or what it was didn’t matter to the knights. Although not as much as my sister, all the knights were also training fanatics. They wanted to get stronger.

In order to receive the Auran Yeongongbeop from Father…

“They say they’re all rolling around like crazy together?”

“…Everyone has gone mad.”

They said they were participating gladly in Father’s harsh training. Beyond the family, the entire house and all the knights had fallen into a training frenzy in the middle of winter.