Wuhuan City was reached with ample time to spare. Having secured a room at an inn, all that remained was to focus on training as usual and maintain physical condition until the preliminary rounds of the Dragon and Phoenix Meeting began.

It was only later that the realization dawned—this gathering was not just a martial arts tournament but also a place for fostering connections.

“I can’t do this anymore. This is just too much. Honestly, I don’t understand it. How do the Five Supreme Clans even maintain their prestige as the Five Supreme Clans? At this rate, how can anyone concentrate on martial arts?”

“Well, rather than remaining as mere strong individuals, maintaining a large family requires fostering harmonious relationships with those around them.”

Still, who would have expected guests to come visiting every day after the first few days in Wuhuan City?

“In any case, I’m done. I can’t do this anymore. Just because I’m the fiancé doesn’t mean I have to attend every single gathering. From now on, I’ll be skipping one out of every three.”

“…Even if you’re exhausted, you’ll still attend two out of three, then…”

Tang Sowol tilted her head with an ambiguous expression, as if unsure whether to feel disappointed or pleased.

But the moment she spoke her next words, any lingering dissatisfaction instantly melted away.

“Really?”

“Yes. So, how about sparring with me all day today?”

“Sounds good. Let’s head down right away.”

Grabbing my sword immediately, I was about to head toward the open space behind the inn when Tang Sowol chuckled and stood up to follow.

“You’re such an easy person to read.”

“Hmph. I refuse to acknowledge that.”

“You’re seriously addicted to martial arts.”

“Whether I’m addicted or not will be decided in a match.”

Now that I thought about it, it had been a long time since I last sparred with Tang Sowol.

No—this would actually be the first time since she had reached the Peak Stage.

I had seen her Returning to the Origin Divine Art a few times before his regression, but it had been at such a high level that I hadn’t been able to fully grasp it.

But now, there was much I could learn.

“You’re the one who suggested sparring all day, so don’t regret it now.”

“You’re talking about sparring, right?!”

Ignoring Tang Sowol’s startled reaction, I grabbed her hand and half-dragged her down.

After that, they sparred to the point of utter exhaustion.

“It was a satisfying day.”

“…Are you sure it wasn’t just you who was satisfied…?”

After quickly washing off the sweat from the intense training session, I returned to find Tang Sowol, who had bathed earlier, sprawled on the bed, muttering in exhaustion.

Beside her, Seol Lihyang was placing a hand on her forehead, likely channeling a bit of cold energy to cool her down.

Seo Mun-Hwarin, who was watching the scene from a slight distance with an expression of curiosity and envy, cleared her throat.

“Ahem. So, why did you call us all together?”

“Mm. It’s nothing much. Since the preliminaries are approaching, I wanted to discuss the schedule for the Dragon and Phoenix Meeting.”

As I sat on the edge of the bed and spoke, Seol Lihyang, who had been preoccupied with cooling Tang Sowol down, widened her eyes and waved a free hand.

“Hey! Why did you torment Tang unni like this again?”

“Torment? That’s an unfair accusation. I was merely taking the sparring seriously.”

“That’s the same thing! And didn’t you tell me to stay away from your bed? But now you’re sitting there all natural and cozy?”

“I can’t exactly stand while talking. Just move aside for a bit. I’ll handle things from here.”

“What? Cheon Hwi-da, don’t tell me you’re planning to…!”

For some reason, Seol Lihyang blushed as if jumping to a strange conclusion. I ignored her, pushed her aside, and sat closely next to Tang Sowol.

Then, I gently placed her head on his lap as a pillow and repositioned Seol Lihyang’s hand back on her forehead.

With this, Tang Sowol had a comfortable pillow, Seol Lihyang could still cool her down, and I could enjoy the soothing chill from Seol Lihyang while also feeling the pleasant weight on his lap.

A perfect arrangement where everyone benefited—except for one person.

Seo Mun-Hwarin.

She glanced around nervously before subtly reaching out to grab Tang Sowol’s sleeve, a sight that was somewhat pitiful to witness.

“Well then, about the Dragon and Phoenix Meeting preliminaries…”

“Ah, but before that, today’s medicine—I mean, tea—must be drunk.”

Perhaps because Hakryeongcho was known as a potent poison, Tang Sowol deliberately called it tea in front of Seo Mun-Hwarin.

Having apparently prepared in advance, she dipped the tip of her pinky into a cup of water and began stirring.

With each slow rotation of her finger, the once-clear water gradually turned a faint shade of purple.

Once it reached the right concentration, she passed it over to Seol Lihyang.

Letting out a small sigh, Seol Lihyang wrapped her hands around the cup and infused it with internal energy, rapidly cooling the liquid.

“Oh!”

With a short exhale, the tea chilled in an instant, forming a thin layer of ice on the surface.

As she took the frost-covered cup, Seo Mun-Hwarin asked in a slightly depressed voice,

“When will this finally end?”

“Hm…? Well, since you can now withstand up to half the full concentration, I’d say you’ll develop complete resistance in about three or four more years.”

“Seven years in total… that’s long.”

“Well, it’s not just any poison but one that even affects the Tang Clan’s toxins. So, if you can gain full resistance with just a few cups of tea over seven years, I’d say that’s a bargain.”

“Let’s correct one thing. This is horrible-tasting tea.”

“But didn’t you say it’s easier to drink when it’s cold? Just chug it all at once.”

“…Fine.”

Bracing himself as if swallowing a lethal poison, I downed it in one go. Even now, I still couldn’t get used to the taste, causing his brows to furrow deeply.

“You do know that the Dragon and Phoenix Meeting preliminaries are divided into two types, right?”

“Of course, I do.”

“I know there are two types, but I don’t know the specifics.”

“You don’t know at all. Isn’t it just sparring between participants?”

Seo Mun-Hwarin, who had been staring intently at the cup that once held the poisonous tea, blinked and spoke.

Well, she had come to participate in the Dragon and Phoenix Meeting without much preparation, so it was understandable that she wouldn’t know the details. That was precisely why I had brought it up.

I was also planning to subtly warn Seo Mun-Hwarin that she might be exposed sooner or later.

Fortunately, I had heard about this from her in his past life and had also asked his senior—Tang Cheong, who had participated in the last Dragon and Phoenix Meeting.

“Since there’s someone who doesn’t know, I’ll briefly explain. The preliminaries consist of two different methods, and you can choose whichever suits you best.”

One method, as Seo Mun-Hwarin mentioned, involved sparring against a martial artist from the Murim Alliance.

Winning wasn’t necessary; the key was to display a level of skill sufficient to pass the preliminaries.

Neither one’s stage of martial attainment nor the amount of internal energy accumulated mattered. This test evaluated only one thing—how well one could fight.

This method was commonly chosen by martial artists from minor sects, wanderers, or bodyguards who had not mastered exceptional martial arts.

“The other method involves leaving a mark on a chunk of Xuan iron.”

“A chunk of Xuan iron, you say?”

“That’s right. Unlike the sparring method, this one is heavily reliant on internal energy and cultivation level.”

Even if it weren’t ordinary iron but Xuan iron, a sufficiently strong sword aura could cut into it. The block was so thick that fully slicing through it was impossible, but it was certainly possible to leave a deep, visible mark.

One didn’t necessarily need to be at the Peak Stage. Any first-rate martial artist should be proficient in Energy Infusion Swordplay, the technique of imbuing weapons and one’s body with internal energy for reinforcement.

Since Xuan iron was much heavier and sturdier than regular steel, leaving a mark on it was extremely difficult unless one had exceptional skill or wielded an extraordinary sword.

In other words, the depth of the mark depended on how well one could control Energy Infusion Swordplay and how much internal energy one could infuse into a single strike.

Since the results could be judged with the naked eye rather than relying on internal perception, this method was well-suited for quickly evaluating a large number of participants.

Moreover, it allowed one to avoid displaying their combat skills in front of others.

“Which brings me to my point—since the second method is faster and simpler, Tang Sowol and I plan to leave marks on the Xuan iron. But Seol Lihyang and Seo-rin, your cases are different, aren’t they?”

“Hm… That’s true.”

“Ah, uhm, ahem! The same goes for me!”

Seol Lihyang had barely managed to reach mid first-rate, but her internal energy reserves were lacking due to insufficient time spent cultivating. Moreover, she hadn’t benefited from an environment rich in yin energy or rare elixirs.

On the other hand, Seo Mun-Hwarin—despite being an absolute master at the Flowering Stage—felt guilty for deceiving others into thinking she was only mid first-rate.

Each of them nodded in agreement for their own reasons.

“What will you do? The first method requires displaying a certain level of skill and takes longer. But in return, it allows you to build a reputation early on.”

“The second method allows you to hide your strength, but it makes passing the preliminaries harder, right? I guess I’ll just go with sparring against a Murim Alliance warrior. Honestly, I doubt I could even scratch Xuan iron with my pitiful amount of internal energy.”

“Your martial arts allow for powerful bursts of energy, but… Ah, I see. You’re trying to hide that aspect, huh?”

“Yeah. If I have to conceal the part I’m most confident in, this is the better choice, right?”

“You remembered well, Lihyang. Good job.”

Tang Sowol, still resting her head on his thigh, beamed and reached out toward Seol Lihyang.

After a moment of hesitation, Seol Lihyang leaned in, and Tang Sowol gently patted her head.

I observed them briefly before turning to Seo Mun-Hwarin.

“What about you, Seorin? I don’t know your exact capabilities, but if you’re really mid first-rate, you might barely pass by striking the Xuan iron.”

“This one…”

Seo Mun-Hwarin hesitated, debating how much of her true strength to reveal and how to establish her reputation as a promising junior martial artist.

In his previous life, she had chosen the sparring method and garnered some attention, which led to the Murim Alliance Leader himself taking an interest in her.

His instinct was to tell her to stay as inconspicuous as possible during the preliminaries.

But back then, she had gradually started avoiding him, so I hadn’t been able to pressure her into making a different choice.

Thus, I decided to give her a subtle warning instead.

“I heard that this year’s Dragon and Phoenix Meeting is larger than expected. Because of that, the Murim Alliance Leader will personally oversee the early rounds of the main tournament. If you perform too well in the preliminaries, you’ll attract more attention.”

“The Murim Alliance Leader himself?”

“That’s right. If you’re considering joining the Murim Alliance or seeking support from a clan or sect, sparring in the preliminaries might work in your favor.”

With this much explanation, Seo Mun-Hwarin would understand—her vague plan of winning once or twice before dropping out was not an option.

Now, she had to make a choice.

She could either give up making a name for herself at the Dragon and Phoenix Meeting and build her reputation slowly as a promising martial artist.

Or she could take the risk, reveal her strength, and immediately establish herself as a righteous faction martial artist.

Seo Mun-Hwarin pursed her lips tightly, anxiously twisting a strand of her white hair.

I silently waited.

Before long, her small lips parted.

With a voice trembling from a mix of apprehension and anticipation, Seo Mun-Hwarin spoke.

“This one shall challenge the sparring method alongside Lihyang.”

“…Is that so.”

Now that it had come to this, I needed to prepare for the worst-case scenario.