BFLT 5

BFLT

Posted by Mona, Released on October 9, 2025

Episode 5. The Taeeumjeolmaek (2)

Lee Kang had only ever put true will into his fist once.

A faint smile crept across his lips, but after exerting himself to the limit, he collapsed on the spot. When he awoke—as if all that exhaustion had been a dream—the full moon was already hanging bright in the sky.

「You almost died, you know.」

Turning his head, he saw the Immortal Sword Spirit perched atop the blade.

“…I’m already dead, how could I almost die again?”

「I meant you almost attained nirvana.」

Lee Kang recalled what had happened before he lost consciousness. Indeed, the Taeum Gyeong (Lunar Classic) that the Immortal Sword Spirit had completed was mysterious beyond measure.

Compared to other internal manuals he’d studied, its formulas were both simpler to grasp and yet deeper in meaning.

Since the Immortal Sword Spirit had personally instructed him, the learning process was even smoother.

“Lose yourself in non-self, forget the flesh. Imagine you are dead.
Your body decays and becomes dust, your bones crumble to nothing—only your will remains.”

Following that advice wasn’t so difficult; after all, Lee Kang had experienced death before.

Ultimately, he had managed to infuse his will into his fist. He even remembered the Immortal Sword Spirit screaming when that punch had accidentally struck its abdomen.

“…Are you all right?”

「Ahem! Even if a descendant reaches enlightenment, he would not so easily attain nirvana.
I was merely careless—such a thing won’t happen again.」

Thankfully, the gaping hole that had appeared in the Sword Spirit’s body had healed. Naturally, Lee Kang’s single punch could hardly make an immortal ascend.

Then, suddenly, Lee Kang shivered. Though he had slept in the private training hall, the night wasn’t cold—so why did he feel a chill?

「The Taeum Gyeong trains yin energy—opposed to the fiery yang of the Hwayang Mind Method.
That is why I taught it to you, a man with the Lunar Severed Pulse.
Since you’ve yet to stabilize your yin qi, it’s only natural you feel cold.」

“Really? No one ever mentioned that part.”

「It happens.
Balancing yin and yang isn’t all there is to martial study—and the incomplete version of the Taeum Taeum Gyeong you learned merely refreshes body and mind.」

The Immortal Sword Spirit’s usual levity vanished; he sat solemnly, eyes on the moon.

「While you lay sprawled asleep, I thought deeply.
Touching what cannot be touched—that is the first realm of the Taeum Gyeong.
But it is not something one reaches in half a day.」

“You said I had talent, didn’t you?”

「Even so. It’s difficult—no, impossible. Unless…」

Perhaps that punch had shocked him; the Spirit’s tone shifted.

「…You’ve died before, haven’t you. Truly died.」

“I almost did last time, remember?”

「No, not almost. You lost your flesh completely—only soul and spirit remained. Then you were born anew…
Reincarnated, were you?」

“……!”

Lee Kang’s heart plummeted. He had never told a soul that secret.

「Judging by your face, I’m right! Ha-ha-ha!」

The Spirit laughed, clearly pleased with himself.

“…What nonsense.”

「Not nonsense. I myself drift here after death—why not reincarnation?
Still, to remember one’s past life and death—that happens but once in a thousand years.
What were you then? A warrior? A farmer? A scholar?」

Lee Kang’s case was far stranger. After a pause, he spoke cautiously.

“I… wasn’t from the Central Plains.”

He didn’t tell everything—only that he had been born in a distant future and died young of illness.

「Hmm! Astonishing.
The old hermit Cheong-rim would faint if he heard this.」

“You don’t seem very surprised yourself.”

「One stops being easily surprised with age.」

The Sword Spirit accepted Lee Kang’s confession lightly—so lightly it calmed him.

「Still, best not tell anyone—not even your family.
Keep it secret.」

“I planned to.”

「Then it’s settled. You truly are the only heir fit to succeed my legacy!」

The Immortal Sword Spirit leapt to his feet. Lee Kang, his body sore, sat up as well.

「The Lunar Severed Pulse may be the worst constitution for learning martial arts…
but for realizing the enlightenment I reached at life’s end, it might be perfect.」

“My last punch was just luck, honestly.”

「You think I didn’t know? Doesn’t matter.
If you haven’t mastered it, you’ll train until you do.
All it takes is effort. Can you do that?」

Lee Kang pressed a hand to his chest.
Thump, thump.
His heart was beating.

All his life, the world had betrayed him—
In his past life, diagnosed with terminal cancer right after finding a job.
In this life, born into a noble clan only to be cursed with a crippled pulse.

The Sword Spirit pointed skyward.

「Then—let us cut down the moon.」

Those words made his heart race. It was the first time in ages he’d felt such fierce determination.

Could he do it?

“Of course I can.”

All his life, effort was the one thing he knew how to give.

「Good. We’ll change your regimen completely.
From tomorrow, you’ll supplement your yang qi and train the Taeum Gyeong anew.」

“Yes, master!”

「Ah, and about that perfected Taeum Gyeong—
the old name won’t do. We should rename it.」

“If you want to, sure…”

「Since it’s the true completed version, let’s add the character for truth—
call it the True Lunar Classic! (Jin Taeum Gyeong)」

Lee Kang froze, then shook his head violently.

“Absolutely not.”

「Eh? Why not? Sounds magnificent!」

“My uncle’s name is Jin-Tae—Baek Jin-Tae.”

「What’s that got to do with—wait, Jin-Tae’s penis… Jin-Tae-…」

The Sword Spirit’s voice trailed off. Then, stamping his foot like a child:

「Bah! Fine!」

“See? Told you it wouldn’t work.”

Lee Kang finally sighed in relief.

The Sega’s half-penny.

Three years had passed since that incident. At only eleven, Baek Lee Kang had been exiled to a remote manor.

Now, two months had gone by since his return.

Officially, he’d been called back after surviving an assassin’s attack, though the details of that night remained secret. Servants assumed the Patriarch had simply forgiven him.

At the Jade Training Hall—paved with rare crimson stones that radiated gentle yang heat—servants gathered under the eaves.

They cleaned the place daily, since only direct heirs of the Baek Clan could train there.

“It’s been a full month of this, hasn’t it?”

“So soon? Feels like yesterday.”

Three men—two cleaners and the gatekeeper, Jang Pal—leaned over the railing. Below, Lee Kang was training alone.

“When did he come?”

“Before dawn. Been at it four hours straight.”

“What? That early?”

“Every day for a month now.”

Lee Kang’s reputation was infamous even among servants. Before his exile, they all knew how he’d been viewed. When he first returned and stepped into the hall, many laughed. Surely he’d quit within days.

“…What’s gotten into him?”

“Thought he’d give up right away.”

But Lee Kang shattered their expectations—never missing a single day despite his frail body.

It was inspiring to some, but not to all.

One servant, Wang-il, sneered.

“What’s so great about that? You call that martial arts? He’s just dancing in broad daylight.”

Indeed, Lee Kang’s movements were slow and awkward, lacking sharpness or grace.

“Heh, does look like dancing.”

“Better finish before young master Ha-jun’s turn. What a nuisance.”

“Hey, keep your voice down.”

“He can’t hear us from that far.”

Though grumbling, Wang-il lowered his tone. He still held resentment toward Lee Kang—perhaps worsened by losing half a month’s wages gambling the night before.

“Still, he has changed, hasn’t he?”

“Maybe he’s jealous that his younger brother became heir.”

“Wang-il, why so harsh on him?”

“Why not? He’s lazy, rude to elders—and don’t forget how he knocked over the ancestral table at the memorial three years ago!”

“That’s none of our business though.”

“Well…”

“He’s never mistreated us servants, has he?”

That silenced Wang-il. When he couldn’t argue, he simply grew angrier.

“Ha! You’re all just pretending to be saints.”

“It’s not that. Just feels wrong to mock someone working that hard.”

Wang-il scowled, emboldened by their hesitation.

“People don’t change overnight! He’s just showing off to the elders since Ha-jun’s the heir now—”

“What an interesting story.”

A voice like ice cut him off.

“H-huh?!”

They turned—and froze.

Behind them stood a middle-aged man with a sword at his waist and a gaze cold enough to pierce steel.

“L-Lord Neung Ji-pyeong!”

He was the Baek retainer known as ‘The Quiet Blade’—a master who trained Ha-jun in movement arts. His presence was so silent even top warriors failed to sense him. To the gossiping servants, he might as well have appeared from thin air.

“Forgive us!”

“We beg your mercy!”

Everyone knew his temper. They trembled, waiting for punishment.