9.A Confrontation with the Elders of Kangho

A quiet village.

As the three walked through the streets, they noticed a small pavilion in the courtyard where a group of martial artists was engaged in a heated discussion.

Among them, one man stood out the most.

Baek Do-cheon (白道天).

A senior figure of the righteous sects, he had built a reputation over the years not just for his martial prowess but also for his notoriously rigid personality.

"Hah! The martial world these days is in utter chaos!"

His sharp voice echoed through the air.

Before him, several martial artists stood respectfully, quietly listening to his lecture.

Jin (Hwasan Sect) and Wi-yeon (Kunlun Sect) both frowned at the familiar sight.

"…There he goes again."

Wi-yeon muttered under his breath.

Jin smirked.

"The infamous old grump of Kangho. Among the elders, he's the most stubborn of them all."

Lee So-eun silently observed him.

Then—

Baek Do-cheon's gaze turned toward them.

His eyes narrowed.

"Hmm?"

Slowly, he scrutinized Lee So-eun.

Then, he sighed.

"…Do young men all look like this nowadays?"

The atmosphere subtly shifted.

Lee So-eun kept her expression unreadable.

But inside, she was analyzing the situation.

'…Did he notice?'

The old man's gaze was sharp.

"Hey, youngster."

Baek Do-cheon spoke slowly.

"These days, do all martial artists have such frail-looking bodies?"

His tone was calm, yet there was clear suspicion in his words.

"Well, I suppose youngsters these days… wandering around calling themselves martial artists, pfft…"

He shook his head in disapproval.

Lee So-eun's eyes turned cold.

"Elder."

Her voice was low and steady.

"Is a martial artist judged by appearance alone?"

Baek Do-cheon paused for a moment.

His eyes became even sharper.

"My, my, such an impudent young one."

He clicked his tongue.

"But in the world I've lived in—

Martial artists have always been men."

The weight of his words caused the air to grow heavy.

Lee So-eun narrowed her eyes.

"…And?"

She asked coldly.

"Are you saying that women cannot be martial artists?"

Baek Do-cheon chuckled.

"Well, of course.

Even if a woman learns martial arts, her nature remains different, doesn't it?"

He folded his arms.

"My own daughter practiced martial arts, yet I never understood why a woman should be wielding a sword."

At his words, Jin and Wi-yeon both frowned.

Then—

Jin stepped forward.

"Elder."

His voice was firm and steady.

"Isn't Kangho a place where only the strong survive?"

Baek Do-cheon glared at him.

"So what?"

"Then, whether man or woman, if one is strong, they survive.

If they are weak, they perish. Is that not the law of Kangho?"

Jin spoke unwaveringly.

Baek Do-cheon's brows furrowed.

At that moment—

Wi-yeon smirked and joined in.

"Oh, Elder. The world is changing."

His tone was light and teasing.

"We're no longer in an era where women should be barred from learning martial arts."

Baek Do-cheon turned his glare to Wi-yeon.

"So you two are saying you approve of this young one disguising herself as a man?"

At his words, silence fell over the area.

Jin and Wi-yeon exchanged glances.

Then, they each responded in their own way.

Jin answered bluntly.

"I don't care."

Baek Do-cheon's eyes narrowed.

"…What?"

Jin met his gaze with unwavering confidence.

"In Kangho, what matters is not 'who' you are, but 'how strong' you are."

His voice was resolute.

"Whether Lee Seon is disguised as a man or is actually a woman,

he is already strong enough to be recognized as a martial artist."

Baek Do-cheon had no immediate rebuttal.

Then—

Wi-yeon, with a sly grin, added,

"And besides, Elder…"

His voice was playful.

"If both a Hwasan and a Kunlun disciple are standing by one person,

wouldn't that mean that person isn't ordinary?"

Baek Do-cheon was momentarily speechless.

He looked at the three, then let out a deep sigh and chuckled bitterly.

"Hmph… Young people these days sure are strange."

At that moment—

A gentle voice interrupted.

"Husband, that's enough."

They turned to see a middle-aged woman approaching.

It was Baek Do-cheon's wife.

"Are you still talking about such outdated things?"

Her voice was soft, yet firm.

Baek Do-cheon flinched and looked at her.

"But, dear, I was just…"

"Enough."

Her tone left no room for argument.

"It's time you accepted reality.

The world is changing."

Baek Do-cheon fell silent.

She turned to Lee So-eun with a warm smile.

"Young one,

My husband may be stubborn, but he means no harm.

Please don't take his words too seriously."

She smiled kindly.

Then, turning back to her husband, she sighed.

"Come now, let's go.

No need to embarrass yourself by sounding like an old relic."

Baek Do-cheon sighed deeply.

But he didn't argue further.

As he turned to leave, he muttered under his breath.

"…Kids these days sure are strange."

And with that, the elder of Kangho departed.

Encounter with the Demonic Sect, and Unfolding Suspicion

The trio was traveling along a deep mountain path.

Lee So-eun quietly surveyed her surroundings.

'This feels strange.'

The energy here was different from usual.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

Suddenly—

Whoosh!

A sharp presence emerged from the darkness.

"Be careful!"

Jin and Wi-yeon drew their swords simultaneously.

However, before they could act, Lee So-eun moved first.

Bang!

With a loud clash, blades collided.

She took a step back.

And in front of her stood a man dressed in black.

The man, with dark eyes glowing ominously, spoke.

"I felt a strong energy… So it was you."

A sword was in his hand.

Jin gritted his teeth.

"The Demonic Sect…"

Wi-yeon immediately adopted a defensive posture.

"Why are they here?"

However, the man's gaze was solely on Lee So-eun.

He slowly raised his sword and spoke.

"Your swordsmanship… It feels so familiar."

At that moment, Lee So-eun's eyes subtly flickered.

But she quickly concealed her expression and replied.

"Talking nonsense."

The man from the Demonic Sect chuckled.

"Really? But I can't shake the familiar feeling emanating from your sword."

He tightened his grip on the sword.

"Then… Let's confirm it."

And with that, his sword swiftly swung.

The fight began.

Lee So-eun moved quickly, dodging his strikes.

But as the battle continued, the man kept talking.

"This swordsmanship… Where have I seen it before?"

His movements grew faster.

Jin and Wi-yeon couldn't easily intervene.

They realized that this wasn't just a duel.

Lee So-eun was from the Demonic Sect.

She knew it.

The man could sense a similar flow of swordplay to the Demonic Sect's techniques in hers.

'This is dangerous.'

She quickly assessed the situation.

The longer this fight lasted, the more her true identity would be exposed.

So—

She altered her swordsmanship.

In an instant, the flow of her sword changed.

Jin and Wi-yeon also sensed it.

"…What is this?"

Jin muttered softly.

Wi-yeon wore a subtle expression.

Lee So-eun's sword seemed different from her usual style, but the essence was the same.

'Is she deliberately hiding her swordsmanship?'

But the man from the Demonic Sect didn't miss it.

He stopped the fight and sheathed his sword.

And then, he gave her a meaningful smile.

"…Interesting."

He muttered softly.

"I'll figure out who you are, slowly."

He turned and disappeared into the darkness.

However, his last words lingered deeply in Lee So-eun's mind.

"I've seen this swordsmanship before. Where could it have been?"

What that meant was clear.

Her past was slowly catching the attention of the Demonic Sect.

After the man from the Demonic Sect disappeared.

The trio briefly reorganized.

But then—

Quiet footsteps approached.

"Hmmm…"

An old monk in worn robes was quietly observing them.

His face was wrinkled, but a soft smile was on his lips.

Jin and Wi-yeon looked at him with surprise.

"Master?"

They could tell at a glance that he wasn't just an ordinary monk.

However,

The old monk slowly looked at Lee So-eun.

And then, he silently observed her hand.

"Your energy is unusual."

With those words,

Lee So-eun's fingertips trembled slightly.

But she calmly responded.

"…What do you mean?"

The old monk smiled gently.

Then, slowly turned his back and spoke.

"You don't know yet.

But what flows within you is not just swordsmanship."

With that, he quietly vanished.

However,

His words resonated deeply, shaking Lee So-eun's thoughts.

Jin and Wi-yeon looked at her.

"…Lee So-eun, are you okay?"

Wi-yeon asked cautiously.

However,

Lee So-eun gave a brief answer.

"I'm fine."

But inside,

She was thinking one thing.

'Is there something I don't know yet…?'

The man from the Demonic Sect sensed the familiar energy in her swordsmanship.

And the old monk spoke of another power flowing within her.

Now,

She was becoming more exposed to many eyes.

Could this be a mere coincidence?

Or,

Was some truth from her past slowly revealing itself?

Now,

She had to make a choice.

Should she continue to hide her true identity,