Han Soyeon's POV [Flashback]
9997…!
Sword techniques unfurled, the air filled with the delicate scent of plum blossoms. This was both my master's assignment and my daily ritual: ten thousand forms, executed from start to finish.
9998…!
It was no easy task. Unlike the basic Plum Blossom Sword, this exclusive technique, passed down directly by my master, remained intricate and elusive. Each form demanded my full focus. As my understanding of the sword deepened and my body adapted, I'd occasionally slip into a state of flow where time vanished—but my master, with her uncanny precision, would notice and heap on more training.
9999…!
Exhaustion weighed heavily. Sweat drenched my body, clinging unpleasantly to my skin. Yet, there was a reason I pressed on.
10000…!
Completing the forms meant freedom to do what I wanted. Even if I was confined to Hwasan's grounds, it didn't matter. That child was a Hwasan disciple too.
"Huff… huff…"
