Closing the Sanctuary Training (閉關修鍊)
The reason martial artists refer to their learned techniques as “martial arts” (武功) instead of simply “martial technique” is that it emphasizes not only physical training but also the mental discipline and enlightenment inherent in the martial arts philosophy.
Closing the Sanctuary training is about blocking external disturbances, calming the mind in a peaceful environment, introspecting, and battling one’s own turmoil. It was definitely necessary for those who are stuck behind walls to move on to the next level.
[How many times has it been?]
Sometimes, that also means confronting the demons within the heart.
“…….”
In the training ground of Salmak, a young woman with an expressionless face and a youthful appearance faced her own inner self, staring at a mirror of her own image.
[Isn’t it about time to give up?]
The entity before her, a phantom visible only to her, was undoubtedly the very real demon.
“Shut up.”
Cheon So-hee directed her words towards the murderous intent within her heart, uttering the wishes of the star.
[What do you think happened to your brother who went to the Sichuan Tang Family?]
The inner demon taunted her, poking at Cheon So-hee’s greatest worries.
“Nothing will happen.”
[So-hee! Save me! I’m begging for my life!!! …Huh!]
In an instant, a blade was swung. It had the power to cleave two if it were not a phantom, but it did not reach.
The inner demon mirrored Cheon So-hee’s face, grinning in a ridiculous expression she never made.
“Yoon Ho, stop mimicking me.”
Cheon So-hee tightened her grip on the blade, directed at the inner demon. It was a manifestation of herself, yet she had never won against it since their confrontation began.
Naturally.
The inner demon was a part of her, yet also a representation of the Heavenly Killing Star. For a girl not yet in her prime, the wills of the stars were simply too powerful to overcome.
The demon held its sword in the same stance as Cheon So-hee.
[How many times must you lose before you’re satisfied?]
In response to the demon’s tiresome question, the answer was simple.
“Until I win.”
Since her brother promised to do his best, she must do the same.
—
In the end, Cheon So-hee could not settle the score.
Both parties exchanged countless lethal blows, almost severing each other, yet it was a battle where neither could fully obliterate the other.
She used Suratal Myung-gong to check her physical state. Before long, she had grown accustomed to healing the internal injuries inflicted by her inner demon.
[Wasn’t he precious to you?]
As she finished her healing, a whisper was heard in her ear.
“He is precious.”
[You love that man. You’ll let him die by someone else’s hand?]
“My brother won’t die.”
Cheon So-hee entered the training facility believing in her brother. She voluntarily underwent closing training to avoid being consumed by murderous intent.
[You’re worried, too. Let’s just get out of here. The Sichuan Tang Family? Are those poisoners really the problem? I’ll help.]
The inner demon, who always initiated fights, suggested sweetly this time.
“You’ll help?”
[Give me your body. Trust me. How long will you keep playing these games?]
“No way.”
[How can you let someone else kill your most precious person?]
“I can’t.”
[Right. You can’t. If anyone is to kill, it should be you. We should do it together, okay?]
The inner demon’s proposal was sticky and sweet.
Right. He is precious. My Yoon Ho. The most valuable childhood friend. The man who shares the same pain as me. The only one who knows me in this world.
For such a man.
“It can’t be….”
I won’t allow someone else to kill him.
In that moment, a warm energy blossomed within Cheon So-hee.
It was just a faint thread remaining, but it was warm enough to thaw the cold heart of the woman.
[Are you interfering again?]
There’s a hint of annoyance in the atmosphere. A pitiful voice was heard. The tiny energy boldly stood against the towering inner demon.
“Disappear.”
What had she just thought? Cheon So-hee managed to collect herself with the energy left by her brother and firmly stated again.
[I’ll help you. Just nod once.]
But the inner demon was persistent.
“I don’t need it.”
[Let’s get out of this frustrating place!!! Let’s take revenge!!! Let’s kill!!! I’ll lend you my strength!!!]
The voice shouted, sounding desperate. The hunger for blood wouldn’t be sated until the owner of the body complied.
“I’ll kill. I’ll do it by my own will.”
I have no intention of relinquishing control of my body. Cheon So-hee stated decisively.
[Ha. You?]
The inner demon chuckled dismissively.
“I must protect Yoon Ho.”
She had no intention of handing herself over to a beast that cannot protect.
[What if you couldn’t protect him? Don’t you need power for revenge?]
Cheon So-hee briefly imagined the unthinkable.
Yoon Ho, who went to the Sichuan Tang Family. What if something bad happened to him there?
There was but one path Cheon So-hee could choose.
“I’ll kill him with my own hands. I won’t let you take that chance.”
With more power, she could enact more revenge. But that would not be her revenge.
Yoon Ho’s revenge must be dealt with by his own hands until his very last breath. Even if it’s something within her heart, she had no intention of conceding.
[Are you shivering in fear of killing?]
“Yes. So I’m facing it.”
[What?]
Cheon So-hee once again turned her eyes inward.
The sea of murderous intent appears. The sea that used to throw offerings, asking her to calm down. The sea she dared not step into for fear of drowning.
But today was different.
‘I must do it with my own hands.’
Cheon So-hee plunged her hand into the sticky sea of murderous intent that she had never wanted to touch.
In the past, she would have been dragged in by it. If she hadn’t faced it continuously in the training ground.
Cheon So-hee found her own self amid the sea of sticky murderous intent. Not the Heavenly Killing Star’s murderous intent, but Cheon So-hee’s.
It looked like an unsharpened blade, but it appeared sturdier than any sword.
[Ha. This is fun. I’ve never experienced something like this before. Alright… this time, I’ll withdraw.]
The urge to kill was there, yet there was no response from within. Even when tempted with stickiness, it slipped right off like smooth metal.
The voice faded away with a laugh.
“I won’t need it.”
Having faced each other, she found what she had been avoiding.
The boiling turmoil calms down. The sea of murderous intent reacted not at all.
What she was holding now was neither the demon’s nor the will of the stars, but her own. Cheon So-hee finally realized it was time to leave.
She opened the door to the training chamber. A distant light was visible. Passing through a long corridor, she finally faced the dazzling light after a long time.
“What’s going on?”
Soon enough, she noticed the assassins from Salmak standing at attention at the entrance of the training ground.
—
“Have you emerged?”
The first person Cheon So-hee encountered after exiting the training ground was her master, Jeok Na-chal Dan Seo-wol.
“Why are you all gathered here?”
Around the training ground were numerous martial artists from Salmak, not welcoming a return but clearly forming a siege.
“After half a year of not seeing my disciple, shouldn’t we start with greetings? When will you learn etiquette?”
Dan Seo-wol let out a small sigh, maintaining his usual attitude.
“Half a year?”
“Yes. It has been half a year since you went into closing training.”
To think that half a year had passed while she was lost in a frantic fight against her inner demon. Cheon So-hee, despite being unshaken by the siege, could only momentarily be taken aback by the passage of time.
Time had indeed flown. What, then?
“……Brother. What happened to you?”
Cheon So-hee asked about the worry she could not shake off throughout her training.
“…….”
Jeok Na-chal Dan Seo-wol’s firm lips showed no intention of moving.
“Yoon Ho! What happened to him?”
Despite being surrounded by many people, an oppressive silence lingered.
No way.
A bad premonition brushed through Cheon So-hee’s heart.
“What will you do if things have gone wrong?”
Dan Seo-wol observed his disciple’s subtle expression shift for a few moments before asking.
“I’ll go to the Sichuan Tang Family.”
It was a decisive response.
“And then?”
“I’ll kill them all.”
Cheon So-hee’s murderous intent, not that of the Heavenly Killing Star, erupted all around.
“Gulp.”
“Eek! Ninja Techniques! Clear Minded Art!”
“Those without profound achievement, step back!”
Jeok Na-chal Dan Seo-wol raised his hand to calm the surrounding atmosphere.
“Tell me. What happened to Yoon Ho?”
“…….”
Dan Seo-wol remained silent again.
“Really… is it something bad?”
Anxiety seeped through Cheon So-hee’s voice. Despair flowed from her youthful face. Her pupils trembled.
What she thought she had managed to suppress now boiled from deep within her chest.
“Calm your heart.”
Jeok Na-chal spoke in a calming tone, trying to comfort his disciple.
“If my brother dies, then I’ll die too.”
“There’s more than one way to control murderous intent.”
Jeok Na-chal’s gaze met Cheon So-hee’s.
A woman who should have never lost was now speaking with a pitiful expression.
“If my brother dies, I’ll have no reason to live.”
“…….”
“Get out of my way.”
As Cheon So-hee took a step forward, the numerous assassins of Salmak flinched.
“If you let me go like this, countless people will die.”
“I’ll only kill those who killed my brother.”
“Is that really true?”
A strange hue flickered across Dan Seo-wol’s voice, but his disciple didn’t pick up on it. After staring at her master for a while, Cheon So-hee nodded.
“If I’m still alive afterwards, then kill me.”
If she remained alive, she would have tasted far too much blood to be sane. Better to die at her master’s hand than become the Heavenly Killing Star, consumed by murderous intent. Cheon So-hee coldly uttered to her master.
“You really are saying absurd things, disciple.”
Dan Seo-wol spoke as though incredulous.
“Nin! That’s right! There’s nothing this disciple can’t say to the Master!”
Seol-ja, who had already approached Dan Seo-wol, chimed in.
“…… I trust you.”
If her brother was no longer part of this world, the only person she could trust for a clean ending was her master. Cheon So-hee gazed at her master with trusting eyes.
Dan Seo-wol, somewhat surprised by Cheon So-hee’s words, opened his mouth before letting out a chuckle.
“Fine. You’re in your right mind. Stand down.”
“Stand down!”
“Everything is alright. Withdraw!”
As Dan Seo-wol raised his hand, the assassins retreated like a receding tide.
“Huh?”
“Your training hasn’t been in vain, it seems.”
“What on earth is happening?”
As Cheon So-hee looked at her master in confusion, Dan Seo-wol smiled with pride and spoke words different from her expectations.
“Your beloved one is safe.”
————-
“Yukiko! I thought I was going to die!”
The 6th assassin, Seol-ja, sighed in relief, throwing a fuss over it.
“Didn’t I tell you not to come if you’re just going to act like a baby?”
“Yukiko’s too compassionate to leave the 5th assassin be!”
“What happened?”
Jeok Na-chal Dan Seo-wol began to explain the recent events, pointing at his disciple still furious.
“It’s been over a year since you last killed anyone. No one from Salmak thought you could maintain your sanity and come out.”
“Nin! That’s a lie! Jeok Na-chal believed!”
“Be quiet.”
“Master’s favoritism! It really hurts!”
Seol-ja pouted and turned away, arms crossed over his waist.
“Was it because of the rampage?”
Only then did Cheon So-hee realize why the assassins from Salmak had gathered.
She had been taking assassination missions regularly to control her murderous intent. But since parting with Yoon Ho, she hadn’t killed even once.
In a scenario where not for Yoon Ho’s ability, she could indeed have rampaged at any point.
If she had emerged as the Heavenly Killing Star in a rampage, she would have killed indiscriminately. Hence, the moment the training ground opened, they sensed and emerged in full force.
“I really made a mistake testing you.”
Jeok Na-chal not revealing the truth was to check if she would be consumed by her murderous intent.
“If my brother’s safe, I don’t care.”
“Then it’s settled.”
Jeok Na-chal was glad to see his disciple, who typically comported herself insensitively, show worry this time.
“Is Yoon Ho safe?”
Just as he was relieved she showed concern, Cheon So-hee immediately wore a worried expression. Dan Seo-wol couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief before pulling something out from his robes.
“A letter from your beloved. Would you like to read it?”
[To beloved So-hee.]
It was a letter sent by Kang Yoon-ho immediately after returning from the Sichuan Tang Family, intended for Cheon So-hee.
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