Chapter 51: The Plum Blossom Dragon (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 51: The Plum Blossom Dragon (1)
The Namgung Clan was a pillar of the Orthodox Factions, a lineage that had dedicated itself to the sword and reached its very pinnacle.
To endlessly temper the body and pour all of one's learning into the blade;
to never cease training, even after attaining the peak—
this was the essence of being a true swordsman.
The Qi wielded by the Namgung descendants and every sword art they invented served as proof of their mastery. They were acknowledged as the greatest... until the Sword Venerable emerged into the world, and the clan's prestige suffered a blow.
The title of 'Sword Venerable' belonged to Wi Hyogun.
Although Namgung Jeolcheon, the Heavenly Venerable and another of the Three Venerables, had earned a lofty title for himself, it was not the one he truly desired. He wished to walk above the heavens as a swordsman, but since that title had already been claimed by Wi Hyogun, it all felt meaningless to him.
Furthermore, while Namgung Cheonjun had gained fame as the 'Lightning Sword' among the world's young prodigies, he was still not the greatest of them. That distinction belonged to Gu Huibi, the Sword Phoenix.
To make matters worse, Namgung Cheonjun had not even been able to claim the title of 'Sword Dragon'. He was called the Lightning Dragon due to his elemental affinity, but he could not earn the title of Sword Dragon despite hailing from a clan renowned for its sword arts. He had done everything in his power to change that, but the result remained the same.
In this generation, the title of 'Sword Dragon' belonged not to the Namgung Clan, but to Mount Hua.
The Plum Blossom Sword Dragon of Mount Hua was the youngest master swordsman of his sect, a man who would one day be known as the Plum Blossom Sword Emperor. He was a genius with boundless talent for the sword, one who could make plums blossom with his skill even at a young age, securing a brilliant future for himself.
And that man was now standing right before me.
He appeared to be two or three years my senior, his hair tied up neatly. He was handsome, with eyes that gave an innocent impression, yet held a trace of seriousness within them.
“Young Master.”
The Sword Dragon addressed me, his voice calm.
“Why is it that I can sense Mount Hua within you?”
And in that moment, I knew I was utterly screwed.
* * *
This had all started not long ago.
A week had passed since I reached the Fourth Star of Flame Arts, and fifteen days since I had set out for Mount Hua.
I still remembered the way Muyeon’s eyes had shaken uncontrollably when he saw me that morning, having suddenly advanced to the Fourth Star overnight.
Compared to before, I now felt confident I could easily defeat someone like Namgung Cheonjun if we were to duel again. Of course, that was assuming he hadn’t also improved during this time. I felt I had finally reached a level of power comparable to the world's young prodigies.
From Muyeon’s perspective, achieving such a state at my age was a monumental feat. And while it had all happened thanks to a series of miracles… in the end, what mattered was the result: I had reached the Fourth Star of Flame Arts.
I was now able to strengthen my body while containing the heat within, rather than letting it radiate outward. This made it far easier to wield my Qi continuously without placing a severe strain on my body. Of course, the technique consumed a massive amount of Qi, so I probably couldn’t sustain it for very long.
Kriieek-!
Thud-!
A demon collapsed to the ground with a final cry. Its massive body hit the earth all at once, sending a cloud of dust billowing out.
I looked at the fallen creature. It was a demon that resembled a horse—a Green Demonic Horse, if I recalled correctly.
“This thing came out of nowhere and scared the hell out of me.”
-Blaze!
With the hunt over, I withdrew the Qi enveloping my body.
The reason I’d ended up fighting a demon was simple: while I was taking a walk, a demon gate had materialized right in front of me. Seizing the chance to test my new Fourth Star power, I had stepped ahead of my escorts to engage it myself. Muyeon hadn’t tried to stop me; he’d clearly sensed the change in my strength.
The difference from before was undeniable. The physical toll from the heat was significantly reduced, and the destructive power and speed of my attacks had both improved dramatically. I believed I had now reached the level of a first-rate martial artist—an astonishing pace for someone my age.
To put it in perspective, Gu Huibi had reached the 4th realm of Flame Arts at seventeen. And she was considered the greatest prodigy in the history of the Gu Clan. I couldn’t even imagine the attention I’d receive upon returning home.
The Second Elder, especially, would probably make a huge fuss.
He’d likely come running at me with that monstrous grin of his. On the other hand, I suspected the First Elder would be far from pleased. He’d been quiet ever since my encounter with Gu Jeolyub, but I was sure he was scheming something behind the scenes. I could only hope it was nothing too serious.
If possible, I’d prefer he just do nothing at all.
I hoped his greed wouldn’t grow, that he’d remain content with his current position. Dealing with an old wolf who decided to bare its fangs would be a hassle.
“But if he does show his fangs, I’ll have to pull every single one of them out.”
“Did you say something, Young Master?”
“It’s nothing. Just that I have a cavity, but since it doesn’t hurt, I haven’t bothered to have it pulled.”
“A cavity?”
“Yes. I hope it stays painless. I’ll have to pull it out the moment it starts to hurt.”
If you leave a rotten tooth in place even after it causes pain, everything will decay. It has to be removed.
“The investigation is complete!”
One of the escorts shouted.
I turned to Muyeon with an interested expression. “What will you do with the bones and the hide?”
“We’ll take a small portion, but I think we’ll have to leave most of it behind.”
“What a pity.”
Demon bones and hides fetched a good price. Demon leather was far stronger and more durable than animal hide, making it highly sought after. Even though this was from a low-ranking demon, it could still be sold for a decent sum. I was a little disappointed.
“And we’re not even halfway there…”
Even though it felt like a long time had passed, we still had a great distance to cover. I felt like an idiot for having been tempted by the Heavenly Pill into embarking on this journey.
…No, this is the Heavenly Pill we’re talking about. Yeah, it’s worth it for the Heavenly Pill.
I spent my days coping with that single thought. Long journeys were definitely not for me.
After settling back into the carriage and waiting for our departure, Wi Seol-Ah, who was sitting beside me, began sniffing the air.
What, is she a dog now…?
I flicked her forehead in response to her strange behavior.
“Ow!”
Wi Seol-Ah let out a short cry and retreated. It was only then that I remembered the Sword Venerable was leading this carriage. I had just hit his granddaughter right in front of him. Cold sweat broke out on my face, and goosebumps prickled my skin.
When I dared a glance at the Sword Venerable, he remained on his horse, seemingly unconcerned.
“…What’s wrong? Why are you sniffing me all of a sudden?”
I couldn’t very well ask ‘Why are you acting like a dog?’ in front of the Sword Venerable, so I phrased it as politely as I could.
Wi Seol-Ah spoke while rubbing her forehead. “I can smell the scent of flowers on you, Young Master.”
“What floral scent?”
“I’m not sure… but I can smell it.”
In response, I pointed to the corner of the carriage. “It’s probably coming from there, not from me.”
In the corner sat a small box containing the treasure. I’d had to find a container for it because the scent would have clung to me if I’d kept it in my pocket. Thanks to the box, it was easier to store without being surrounded by the fragrance. I checked on it from time to time to make sure it was safe, but that was a small price to pay. It was far better than accidentally absorbing the treasure’s Qi…
“…No, it’s definitely coming from you, Young Master.”
I ignored Wi Seol-Ah’s muttering. I’d seen her talking to herself earlier while holding the box, so I decided to leave her alone, thinking she was just acting strange today. What had she said? Something like, ‘Hello, strange grandpa, who are you?’ I didn’t want to engage; she was probably just very tired.
I definitely wasn’t scared because she was talking to herself.
There are no such things as ghosts in this world.
I didn’t believe in ghosts, not even after experiencing resurrection.
…I’ll say it again, but I’m not afraid of ghosts…
There was no way a demonic human like me could be scared of something like ghosts.
Ignoring the cold sweat inexplicably trickling down my face, I closed my eyes. My only thought was to reach Mount Hua as quickly as possible.
A journey this long… there’s no way I’m ever doing this again.
I promised myself that after returning from this trip, I would stay home for at least a full year.
The carriage continued its long journey.
I drifted in and out of sleep. We had to cover as much distance as possible before nightfall, so we pressed on without breaks.
After traveling for what felt like an age, the carriage came to a sudden, jarring halt. The abrupt stop sent my body lurching forward.
“Woah!”
Wi Seol-Ah nearly fell as well. Still half-asleep, I instinctively channeled Qi around her and blocked her path with my arm to prevent her from getting hurt. It wouldn’t have been a bad fall, but it was better to be safe.
Thanks to my quick action, only Wi Seol-Ah’s hair was mussed; she was otherwise unharmed. I then opened the carriage door and stepped out.
“What’s going on?”
My tone was slightly angry without me even realizing it, probably because my sleep had been interrupted.
As I stepped out with a frown on my face, I saw someone standing before the escorts.
“…Huh.”
My mouth, which had been ready to demand an explanation, snapped shut. The person blocking the carriage looked hauntingly familiar.
A white outfit adorned with a red plum symbol. A sword at his hip, bearing the emblem of a plum blossom.
There was only one place where martial artists wore such attire.
The place that the Heavenly Demon and I had destroyed.
“I apologize for stopping you so abruptly,” the young man said gently. His voice matched his soft appearance.
It was a familiar face. A familiar voice.
It belonged to none other than the man whose neck I had snapped…
The last survivor of Mount Hua.
“I am Yung Pung of Mount Hua.”
He was the Plum Blossom Sword Emperor—no, at this point in time, he was known as the Plum Blossom Sword Dragon.
“As a martial artist of Mount Hua, is it really appropriate for you to do something so dangerous?” Muyeon complained to Yung Pung.
It didn’t seem like Yung Pung had simply appeared out of nowhere to block our path. As the leader of this group, I should have been the one speaking to him, but I was still too stunned by the situation, so Muyeon had stepped in.
Hearing Muyeon’s words, Yung Pung offered an apology. “My apologies. I did not wish to block the road in this manner, but I found it necessary to verify something.”
“Verify what?”
“I wished to check if that carriage contains the essence of Mount Hua.”
Yung Pung pointed directly at the carriage I had just exited.
What does he mean? ‘The essence of Mount Hua’ inside the carriage?
Everyone seemed bewildered by Yung Pung’s cryptic words.
“I came to investigate because I sensed a familiar presence from afar,” he continued, “but it seems there is nothing problematic here after all.” He genuinely seemed relieved, letting out a small sigh.
“However, there is one more thing that piques my curiosity. If that carriage does not hold Mount Hua within it…”
As Yung Pung spoke, I detected a familiar scent—the fragrance of plum blossoms that had haunted me for many days. It was very close now.
Because, in the span of a single breath, Yung Pung had closed the distance between us. He now stood right in front of me, though he had been far away just a moment ago.
“Young Master.”
Yung Pung’s voice was tender, yet deadly serious. And with his voice, I also heard the echoes of the cries from the night Mount Hua was destroyed.
[For what reason…!! Why are you doing this to us!!]
“Why is it that I can sense Mount Hua within you?”
At Yung Pung’s question, my heart skipped a beat.
And then I thought to myself.
Sigh, it really seems like I’m…
[Screwed.]
…screwed.
“Huh…?”