108
Chapter 108
"What a damn bastard..."
Mu Hwi, who had been reading the letter containing information about the hidden cave, swept his hair back and burned the letter to ashes with incense. Watching the letter scatter as dust, he let out a cold sigh.
The hidden cave had been discovered in Hanzhong, Shaanxi.
Hanzhong was a region located in the southwestern part of Shaanxi, closely bordering Shanyang and Gansu.
Moreover, it was the hidden cave of two absolute masters who, during their lifetimes, had shared the titles of Sword Saint and Sword Devil, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Hero Emperor. Rumors about it had already spread throughout the martial arts world, drawing martial artists from all over.
Normally, Mu Hwi wouldn’t have cared about such matters. Whenever hidden caves, graves, or treasures appeared, the martial arts world was swept by storms of blood. Even if one went personally, the losses often outweighed the gains.
But of all things, it had to be the hidden cave of the Sword Saint and the Sword Devil.
Neither the Sword Saint nor the Sword Devil had any reason to leave behind separate hidden caves. Yet, martial artists couldn’t possibly know the full circumstances of these two masters, and even if they did, they would still head for the cave.
If there was even the slightest chance of obtaining peerless martial arts, martial artists would step forward without hesitation, even if it meant walking into certain death—such was their nature.
"Whose scheme is this? Sacheon, Paewangseong... Or perhaps the Evil Cult?"
At the Righteous Path Grand Assembly, the Beggar Sect had discovered traces of the Evil Cult, so it wouldn’t be strange if the Evil Cult resurfaced at any moment.
Mu Hwi stroked the sword tassel at his waist.
"No, it doesn’t matter who it is."
What was important was making whoever dared to play games using the names of the Sword Saint and the Sword Devil pay the price.
Once Mu Hwi made his decision and stepped out of Meihui Pavilion, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen were waiting for him.
As Mu Hwi emerged, Mujin stepped forward and bowed his head.
"Senior Disciple. The sect leader has given an order."
"Speak."
"He commanded the Plum Blossom Swordsmen to head to Hanzhong and properly uncover the truth behind this hidden cave that defiles the honor of our late master, Sword Saint."
Mu Hwi nodded at the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
"Plum Blossom Swordsmen. We march to Hanzhong."
As Mu Hwi strode forward, his plum blossom-adorned robe fluttering, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen followed, their own robes billowing behind them.
This was the Plum Blossom Swordsmen’s first official expedition.
***
Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province.
"Finally, we’ve arrived."
Mu Hwi let out a sigh as he looked at the mountain before him.
Bongwon Mountain.
It was said to be the mountain where the hidden cave of the Sword Saint and the Sword Devil was concealed.
"There are so many people here."
"Most of them must be martial artists."
Mu-hwa gaped at the sight of crowds gathering at the foot of the otherwise barren mountain.
Tents of various sizes were pitched everywhere, with sect flags planted among them. Some merchants had even set up makeshift inns under tents, likely hoping to profit from the influx of people. Despite the inflated prices, the martial artists were quickly consuming the alcohol and food.
"Luckily, it seems we’re not too late."
Hyeon Baek let out a sigh of relief after confirming the crowd at the base of Bongwon Mountain.
According to the information, while the hidden cave had been discovered, its entrance had not yet opened. Eccentrics from all over the martial arts world had tried using their skills to break through the thick stone gate’s mechanisms, but so far, there had been no success.
Had the entrance already opened, half the people gathered here would have already ascended the mountain toward the cave.
"And the remaining ones would block the paths, trying to plunder whatever treasures were brought out."
The likelihood of bloodshed inside and outside the cave was high.
Mu Hwi’s eyes darkened slightly as he scanned the various flags planted around. Some belonged to renowned sects, while others were from factions he had never heard of.
The problem was that the current gathering was just the beginning—more martial artists would continue to arrive over time.
In fact, as Mu Hwi and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen had traveled directly from Hwasan to Bongwon Mountain, they had already encountered countless martial artists heading to Hanzhong.
After roughly surveying the terrain, Mu Hwi picked a spot and asked Hyeon Baek,
"Eldest Disciple Hyeon Baek. Should we set up our tent there for now?"
At Mu Hwi’s question, Hyeon Baek nodded.
"Mu Hwi. You are here as the Plum Blossom Sword Lord. The decision-maker is not a first-generation disciple—it’s you."
Hyeon Baek glanced at the plum blossom robe Mu Hwi wore and the small iron plaque tied to his waist before adding,
"This robe and iron plaque symbolize the authority of the Plum Blossom Sword Lord. Regardless of seniority, they were bestowed by the Sect Leader to signify that you must fulfill your duties solely as the Plum Blossom Sword Lord. You don’t need to consider our opinions."
"I’ll keep that in mind, Eldest Disciple Hyeon Baek."
Seeing Hyeon Baek speak up to reassure Mu Hwi, the other first-generation disciples also nodded in agreement.
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen consisted of first and second-generation disciples, yet their leader was Mu Hwi, a second-generation disciple.
By seniority alone, it made no sense for first-generation disciples to follow the orders of a second-generation disciple.
To resolve this, Baek Yu had specially crafted the plum blossom-embroidered robe and the Plum Blossom Sword Lord’s iron plaque to elevate Mu Hwi’s authority. Currently, the Plum Blossom Sword Lord’s status was equal to that of the elders of Hwasan.
In essence, Baek Yu had laid the groundwork so Mu Hwi could lead the Plum Blossom Swordsmen freely.
Moreover, even without the robe and plaque, the first-generation disciples genuinely respected and followed Mu Hwi, so there would be no issues in commanding the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
Mu Hwi immediately took charge.
"Then, we’ll be on our way."
Following Mu Hwi’s orders, the first-generation disciples ascended the mountain to gather more precise information, while the second-generation disciples began setting up the tent.
The surrounding martial artists watched the Plum Blossom Swordsmen closely.
"So Hwasan Sect has come too."
"It’s the hidden cave of the Sword Saint of Hwasan—of course they’d come. I expected elders or first-generation disciples, but instead, a fresh-faced second-generation disciple shows up."
"But at a glance, those youngsters’ martial skills don’t seem ordinary."
The martial artists stared warily at the plum blossoms embroidered on the robes.
Unsurprisingly, Hwasan was the center of attention. Though the martial artists openly scrutinized the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, the disciples paid them no mind and continued their work.
"If too many of these formidable guys show up, even if the cave opens, it’ll be troublesome."
"Hmph! No matter how prestigious the sect, how can they handle so many martial artists alone? It’s called the Sword Saint’s hidden cave, but it seems they didn’t even know it existed. First come, first served!"
"I’m more curious about the Sword Devil’s martial arts than the Sword Saint’s. Wasn’t he the man called the ‘First Sword of the Evil Path’ from the lowest depths? Besides, since he was from the Evil Path, his techniques would suit me better."
Sitting on a rock, watching his juniors work, Mu Hwi’s lips curled slightly. Even just sitting there, the conversations of countless martial artists lodged clearly in his ears.
Simply by listening, he could grasp the extent of the greed driving those gathered here.
"Haah, even if there really were secret manuals, do you fools think you could handle them?"
As he inwardly scoffed, Mu Hwi grew increasingly irritated by the blatantly hostile gazes directed at him.
He was already in a foul mood over someone using the names of the Sword Saint and Sword Devil for their scheme, and now he had to endure the martial artists’ open hostility as if they had already claimed the cave’s treasures. He saw no reason to endure it.
Mu Hwi stood up and grabbed the flagpole bearing Hwasan’s banner.
Thud!
With a loud sound, the banner of Hwasan was planted firmly in front of the tent. Though he had merely gripped the center of the pole and struck the flat ground, it sank deep into the earth.
As the pole struck, a circular wave of energy erupted, spreading outward. The martial artists who were struck by it stiffened.
"Cough!"
"This…"
Just being grazed by the energy wave caused their internal energy to churn, and in severe cases, some suffered internal injuries.
A late-stage master effortlessly unleashing such profound energy—one that even most experts couldn’t hope to match—instantly brought the same epithet to the minds of the martial artists.
"The Hwasan Sword Devil!"
"He’s much younger than the rumors said."
"Just with a mere energy wave…"
With that simple display of force, all the hostile gazes directed at Hwasan vanished in an instant.
Those who had been eyeing the young second-generation disciple, hoping to extract information about the cave while the first-generation disciples were away, quickly backed off.
Thanks to this, the disciples guarding the perimeter could work more comfortably.
"That’s better."
"Senior Disciple. The tent is fully set up."
"We’ve also checked all the supplies."
As Mujin and Mu-hwa reported in turn, Mu Hwi nodded.
Mu-hwa crouched beside Mu Hwi to rest, then looked at the bustling crowd and asked,
"Senior Disciple. Should we consider all the Evil Sect members here as enemies?"
At Mu-hwa’s question, Mu Hwi shook his head. When Mu-hwa tried to ask further, Mujin answered instead.
"Even if they’re from the orthodox sect, we can’t let our guard down. Greed blinds people."
"Could it really be that bad?"
Seeing Mu-hwa’s innocent face, Mu Hwi chuckled.
"No one here came to uphold courtesy or righteousness. They only care about the cave’s treasures. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have come in the first place."
"We mustn’t let our guard down, then."
Standing behind Mu Hwi like a guardian statue, Mu-cheol spotted someone and spoke up.
"Senior Disciple. I see Dokgo the Hero."
Mu Hwi, who had already sensed him through his energy perception, nodded leisurely. Meanwhile, Mu-hwa’s eyes sparkled as she hastily fixed her disheveled hair. Glancing at her, Mu Hwi shook his head.
"Brothers of Hwasan!"
Dokgo Yul, having spotted Hwasan’s banner, had immediately come to the tent. He greeted Mu Hwi and the others warmly.
"Hero Dokgo, it’s been a while."
"Heehee. Disciple Dokgo, how have you been?"
After exchanging greetings with the disciples, Dokgo Yul grinned at Mu Hwi.
"I’ve been keeping up with the rumors. Seems you’ve grown even stronger."
"Right back at you. If you want me to call you ‘brother,’ you’ll have to work harder."
"Haha! Haste makes waste."
Mu Hwi nodded after assessing Dokgo Yul’s level. Though his words were light, it seemed Dokgo Yul had also trained hard.
His achievements had progressed further, placing him among the top five late-stage foundation level disciples Mu Hwi had ever seen.
"You came too, as expected."
"Well… Since it’s my master’s hidden cave, I had to come."
Watching Dokgo Yul’s expression as he spoke, Mu Hwi stood up. He guided Dokgo Yul into the tent, where the two spoke privately.
"You don’t look too happy."
"Neither do you. Probably because we’re thinking the same thing…"
Dokgo Yul trailed off, lost in thought for a moment, before continuing.
"I think this hidden cave is fake."
"Why?"
"My master would never have made a hidden cave. He’d rather spend the time swinging his sword one more time or use the resources to buy pills."
Mu Hwi couldn’t help but laugh at Dokgo Yul’s words. Truly, a disciple knows his master. Dokgo Yul had perfectly grasped the essence of Dokgo Heon from his past life.
"Yet you still came all this way because…"
"I can’t tolerate anyone playing games with my master’s name."
Dokgo Yul had rushed here for the same reason as Mu Hwi.
"But did you come alone this time?"
Dokgo Hoe, who was usually with Dokgo Yul, was nowhere to be seen.
"Well, in a place like this, it’s hard enough to look after oneself. So I’d like to stick with Hwasan."
"Do as you please."
When Mu Hwi nodded indifferently, Dokgo Yul suddenly reached out to grab his hand.
Mu Hwi swiftly pulled his hand under the table, avoiding the grasp, but Dokgo Yul’s eyes burned with an almost overwhelming intensity.
"Let’s work together to crush this cave’s scheme! Our meeting here must be what our masters wanted!"
"You madman… Here we go again."
Dokgo Yul had a habit of becoming excessively passionate once fixated on something—like when he had shouted about reclaiming the title of Sword Devil and even sought out Mu Hwi at Hwasan Sect.
Just then, Mujin hurriedly entered the tent.
"Senior Disciple! The entrance to the hidden cave has opened!"
At Mujin’s shout, Mu Hwi’s eyes turned icy, and Dokgo Yul clenched his fists.
As Mujin and Dokgo Yul hastily prepared to ascend the mountain, Mu Hwi quietly fiddled with his sword tassel.
"The timing is truly impeccable."
He had heard that the entrance to Bongwon Mountain’s hidden cave had remained closed for over nine days.
Yet, the moment Hwasan arrived, followed by Dokgo Yul, the entrance opened as if waiting for them.
Was this mere coincidence?
Mu Hwi had known from the start that this cave reeked of deception—it was fake, after all.
But now, he wondered if the cave’s true purpose was to lure out the disciples of the Sword Saint and Sword Devil.
"We’ll find out when we reach the cave’s end."
As Mu Hwi stepped out of the tent, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, who had already finished preparations, were waiting for him.
Mu Hwi’s gaze swept past them.
"Jinyang Sect! Hurry, run!"
"If we’re too late, it’ll be over!"
Martial artists who had heard the news were already scrambling up the mountain, and in some corners, fights had already broken out.
With countless people ascending Bongwon Mountain simultaneously, it looked as though the mountain itself was writhing to life.
The disciples, witnessing this, gulped nervously, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"I’ll take the lead."
Mu Hwi stepped forward, and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and Dokgo Yul followed, deploying their movement techniques.
< There’s no way Master would’ve made a hidden cave. > End.
< They are the Plum Blossom Swordsmen of Hwasan. >