The Teacher’s Grace Is Like Heaven

6 – Never Forget (6)

A single bell rang announcing the start of the match. The ground cracked and a tremendous shockwave occurred. However, that wasn’t real.

I briefly glanced sideways with my eyes. I confirmed Bi Yan’s figure rapidly closing the distance under the cover of the shockwave, aiming to pierce my vitals.

Her ambush surpassing the attacks of most martial artists was aimed at my flank. I calmly swung my wooden sword and attacked her.

Her piercing attack aimed precisely at my side stopped halfway. Taking that opening, I launched a kick and struck Bi Yan’s abdomen.

“Oof?!”

“Don’t think sword techniques only use the sword.”

“I know that too!”

However, she leapt back in that moment to minimize the impact. Her movements were seasoned. I silently took my stance.

Bi Yan now wasn’t like before, insisting on only using the Three Talents Sword Technique and expecting me to humor her. I would face her with everything I had like against a martial artist!

Bi Yan who had leapt back bounced off the floor like a spring and shot up. Her unceasing attacks held an aura like raging waves.

While guiding Bi Yan’s attacks away or deflecting them, I looked for openings as much as possible. And that strategy worked. An extremely slight opening appeared.

Although that gap was smaller than a needle hole, in a martial artist’s battle even a very small crack could determine victory or defeat.

“?!”

Although with the Three Talents Sword Technique and Three Talents Inner Power I could pretend to be a martial artist, the faces of martial artists who saw me were full of ridicule and contempt.

It was natural in a way. I didn’t have any special techniques. Nor outstanding talent. I didn’t even have a good master.

Martial artists saw nothing of worth in me like that, and I thought the same. But still, I did not let go of the sword.

Bang! A sound like metal shattering echoed in the yard. Bi Yan’s sword slashing vigorously like raging waves now pointlessly cleaved empty air.

My wooden sword stopped right before reaching Bi Yan’s shoulder. Bi Yan was looking at me blankly. As I looked at Bi Yan, I spoke.

“Your aura is excellent but lacks substance.”

“I’m sorry, Master.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. You just have to build up steadily from now on.”

“I still have far to go.”

“Isn’t that so for all martial artists?”

I showed a faint smile as I put away my sword. At that, Bi Yan also looked up at me and smiled. I cleared my throat.

Anyway I got payback for the past with this but… I didn’t feel very good. Before, I at least had excuses like being careless or whatnot.

And it’s not a very nice look for a master to go all out against their disciple. Originally in martial arts novels, the master leisurely defeats their disciple.

Especially since Bi Yan was just a 8 year old kid back then. Going all out against a brat like that? That’s just wrong.

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So I also casually sparred with her, only to get miserably beaten in just two months. I didn’t expect her to be capable of such movements either…

But then I can’t urge her to fight again, saying I was careless. So in the end, I had no choice but to admit defeat.

I sheathed my wooden sword at my waist. Bi Yan who had flown outside to retrieve her wooden sword bowed to me after returning. And spoke.

“Thank you for the lesson, Master.”

“Did you realize anything?”

“Yes, I definitely realized something.”

“Then that’s good.”

I looked at Bi Yan for a while. Bi Yan who met my eyes briefly averted her gaze. Her actions themselves were no different from the Bi Yan I knew.

However… I couldn’t deny she had somehow subtly changed. Was it because of that dream she had before that influenced her so much? If not that, then what…

I shook my head. As a master, I couldn’t doubt my disciple. On top of that, objectively I wasn’t a particularly good master either.

I didn’t have a prestigious clan. Nor acquired outstanding inner energy or first-rate techniques. I wasn’t even a venerable elder who pioneered a path with tremendous talent.

What could someone like me do? The answer is simple. Do what I can do right now. If I can do something, then make it happen.

In the past 10 years, there wasn’t a single time I forgot this creed. And what I could do as her master was believe in my disciple.

“Ma, Master?”

“Sorry about that.”

Unknowingly, my hand was stroking Bi Yan’s head. Her black hair swayed, giving off a pleasant fragrance.

I hurriedly tried to retract my hand. For Bi Yan who had that experience from 2 years ago, physical contact from others was the most fearful thing.

However, my hand was grabbed by the small hands of a young child. Although blushing slightly, she looked straight at me and conveyed her will.

“It’s alright, Master…….”

Saying so, she even closed her eyes and felt my touch. I hope she’s felt a little better by being with me. If so, that’s good.

* * *

‘She possesses a horrifying talent, yet has no hesitation in murder, rather she delights in slaughter and willingly commits it. Truly a fiend befitting the Heavenly Calamity Star!’

Was that simply her destined fate? Or someone’s intentional curse? No one knows the answer. She herself didn’t know for her whole life.

But she didn’t particularly try to find out. Rather, she never resented her fate. Because just as they said, she delighted in slaughter and willingly committed it.

At first I thought it was a human calamity. Since bandits had killed her parents in the past. And so she became like this. In the end, it’s all just retribution.

However, that notion didn’t last long. I felt pleasure in killing people and spilling their blood. Only then did she realize.

The fact that as people said, she simply enjoyed murdering. The Heavenly Calamity or whatever? Indeed… a most fitting nickname.

“That still remains unchanged even now.”

Bi Yan sighed but did not stop walking. The sun had completely set, and the moon, faint and crescent, had taken its place in the night sky.

She was walking a deserted mountain path. The sins of the Heavenly Calamity still tormented her. She finds contact with people revolting.

Even just exchanging a few words, she wants to twist their mouths. That impulse kept bubbling up. But she was not unhappy.

Rather, despite living amidst those impulses, her days were fun and happy. That was all thanks to Master.

In truth, now that I think about it… even in my past life before leaving Master, Bi Yan was somehow enduring her desires. But I didn’t realize it then.

That in fact, it was Master who was containing it all in his vast vessel. Just when did it start becoming like this? The answer has already appeared.

‘My, what an ill-fated child this is.’

‘Look at those eyes. A child that would even devour its parents.’

‘Take that face away. It’s hideous to look at.’

Memories of the past I can’t even remember properly now. Those wretched people called parents had shunned their own child for the sole reason she was ill-fated.

Not just the other children, even the villagers tormented and cursed her. On top of that, they were all killed by a band of thieves.

She herself had almost been dragged away by despicable creatures unfit to be considered human. She didn’t cry. She knew no one would come even if she cried.

‘Excuse me, could you please kill me?’

And so, she wished for death instead. If she died, at least she wouldn’t suffer. At least she would be free from the extreme disgust and anger.

Anyway, there was no existence in this world that would take in the girl. But then she met him. The only person who reached out a hand to her.

He charged alone against the band of thieves that had devastated the county. And naturally, he was victorious. He held his hand out to the girl.

‘Take my hand.’

Seeing his dignified figure, the girl unconsciously thought. I want to become like that person too. And so, she took his offered hand.

The warmth she felt then, the parental love that came from that place, the girl experienced for the first time. A crunching sound echoed.

The blood flowing from her mouth dirtied her teeth and lips. Humans are cunning and arrogant. Failing to remember the sincere intentions they held at first,

as time passes they become conceited. And that applied to the girl as well. Failing to remember the love she first experienced, eventually she became conceited.

And as a result, the girl ended up killing her own master with her hands. The sense of loss and agony from that time were not something she even wanted to imagine now.

And so she wished. To set herself right from the start. That’s why she came back. But could she really guarantee it? The girl thought.

Although she returned to the past, nothing had changed. To be honest, if not for Master in my past life as well, I absolutely wouldn’t have felt regret or anything.

But… what if I fall into the path of evil again? And so, kill my Master again? I don’t want that. That can’t happen.

“I absolutely won’t forget.”

The girl took out a kitchen knife she had brought from the kitchen. And gripping the knife in reverse, she stabbed her own arm with all her strength. Blood splattered on her face.

The feeling of the warm blood cooling wasn’t very pleasant. But the girl paid it no mind, and continued scratching her arm with the knife.

Flesh and skin couldn’t withstand the metal and tore. Blood kept flowing without stopping. Before long, white bone became visible.

“No, I can’t forget.”

From the unbearable pain, her arms and legs trembled. The mangled arm wouldn’t stop bleeding. She seemed like she would collapse any moment.

But the girl grit her teeth and endured. This was her will. The will to absolutely never forget that day. The girl soon brought the knife to the bone.

The sharpness of the metal blade steadily shaved away the white bone, and began carving letters. A master’s grace is like heaven, so there is no way to repay it.

And so, if nothing else… I will carve this grace into my bones so I do not forget.