109
Chapter 109
The three paths leading up Bongwon Mountain were packed with martial artists. Even the steep, pathless cliffs were being scaled by those with exceptional lightness skills, leaping up the mountainside.
It looked like a swarm of ants scrambling to claim food at the summit.
After assessing the terrain and the surging crowd, Mu Hwi immediately changed direction—toward the steeper slope where fewer martial artists were climbing.
None of the disciples following him batted an eye at his decision. Some even smirked.
"This is more like a hill than a mountain."
Hearing Mu Hwi’s mutter, Mujin chuckled.
"Compared to Hwasan, this is just a child’s walking path."
"We could climb this with our eyes closed, right?"
"Mu-hwa, keep your eyes open."
Mujin lightly scolded Mu-hwa, who had playfully half-closed her eyes.
No matter how rugged Bongwon Mountain was, it couldn’t compare to Hwasan—where a single misstep could send you straight to the afterlife.
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen, deploying their Dark Scent Flutter movement technique, effortlessly surged upward, overtaking the martial artists who had started ahead of them.
"What?!"
"How are they moving like that on this terrain?!"
Every time a tree branch trembled, three or four Plum Blossom Swordsmen shot past like arrows, slicing through the forest. Dokgo Yul, using his Dokgo Divine Steps, kept up without difficulty.
"Tch!"
Seeing mere late-stage foundation level disciples surpass them with such mystical movements, the martial artists were both shocked and spurred to push their internal energy further.
Even as their Yongcheon acupoints erupted with energy, propelling them forward with swift kicks off branches, they could only stare helplessly at the plum blossoms fluttering in the distance on those robes.
Perhaps spurred by impatience from the Plum Blossom Swordsmen’s bold advance, one of the middle-aged martial artists ahead suddenly turned and unleashed a barrage of hidden projectiles.
"Ghk—stay back!"
The needles fanned out in a wide arc, but Mu Hwi merely flicked his hand through the air.
He didn’t even use Plum Blossom Scattering Hands. Just a casual gesture disrupted the airflow, tangling the needles’ trajectories.
Ting-ting-ting!
As the needles clashed and fell, Mu Hwi’s finger twitched. Some of the needles twisted unnaturally and shot back toward the middle-aged man.
"Gahk!"
Unable to react in time, the man collapsed under a tree, his thighs and buttocks studded with his own needles.
Watching this, Mu Hwi spoke coldly,
"Listen well. If anyone attacks, respond thoroughly. There’s no need to hold back with the sword."
Once inside the cave, the situation would turn dire. There was no reason to spare attackers when subduing them would waste energy.
Most orthodox martial artists avoided killing when possible, but Mu Hwi rejected that entirely.
When it came to real combat, he instilled in his disciples the ruthless pragmatism of the Evil Path.
"Mercy is something you can afford once you’re the best in the world."
That was Mu Hwi’s philosophy.
"Understood."
"Yes, Senior Disciple!"
Mu-cheol’s gruff acknowledgement was followed by the others. Mu Hwi’s transcendent energy perception spread outward, soon enveloping the entire mountain.
'Over there.'
Countless presences were converging in one direction. Mu Hwi kicked off westward, leading the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
***
Clang!
Boom!
Chaos reigned at the cave’s entrance.
Martial artists clashed violently, tangled in frenzied combat.
Before the massive cave entrance—presumably the cave’s gate—lay shattered remnants of a stone door, piled haphazardly.
But something was off.
The entrance was being blocked by warriors of Paewangseong, yet the martial artists who had climbed Bongwon Mountain weren’t trying to break through. Instead, they had surrounded the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and were attacking them en masse.
"Hyeon Gak! Watch your back!"
"I know!"
Led by Hyeon Baek, the first-generation disciples held their ground, protecting each other’s backs amid the storm of blades.
The ground around them was soaked in blood—fortunately, none of it belonged to the Plum Blossom Swordsmen. Without a single injury, they were cutting down the frenzied attackers.
Though surrounded, the first-generation disciples were pushing back—it was the swarm of martial artists growing desperate.
"Who dares raise a sword against the Plum Blossom Swordsmen?"
Mu Hwi’s voice, infused with profound internal energy, rang out like a bell. The sheer force in his tone froze every martial artist mid-motion.
"Cough!"
Some clutched their chests, faces reddening from the internal shockwave.
All eyes turned toward the source of the voice.
Their expressions twisted in disbelief. That thunderous voice, shaking the mountain, should have belonged to a seasoned master—yet before them stood a young late-stage foundation level disciple.
'That kid produced that energy?!'
'So it’s true—the Hwasan Sword Devil! Did he monopolize all their pills? What kind of internal energy...'
'A monster.'
Mu Hwi didn’t bother drawing his sword.
Hummm.
With a light activation of Purple Sunset Divine Energy, his aura manifested. A violet glow settled over his shoulders, radiating an ethereal light.
The overwhelming, untouchable majesty made the surrounding foliage tremble and shed leaves.
Adding to it, the flickering violet light in Mu Hwi’s eyes seemed to devour all surrounding light, making his presence utterly dominant.
The pressure from Purple Sunset Divine Energy alone was crushing, but Mu Hwi’s razor-sharp killing intent doubled the suppression.
When he took a step forward, the crowd flinched.
No one dared block his path under that mystically oppressive aura.
Under the dominance of the Purple Sunset, the martial artists retreated one step. Then another, under the piercing gaze of Mu Hwi’s violet-lit eyes.
None could stand in his way—none even tried to speak. It felt like any resistance would tear them apart.
'Like a sword pressed to my throat.'
'He is the blade itself.'
Their instincts screamed warnings, and the martial artists obeyed.
The crowd silently parted as Mu Hwi walked. With every ripple of Purple Sunset, every flutter of his plum blossom robe, the path widened.
The second-generation disciples watching his back were awestruck.
They had expected a bloody battle to break the encirclement—not this effortless stride to their seniors.
Admiration filled their eyes as they watched Mu Hwi’s Purple-cloaked figure.
'As expected of the Senior Disciple.'
Mu-cheol, guarding the rear, nodded to himself before glancing back.
The path Mu Hwi had carved remained intact. Even after he passed, none dared move—only turning their heads to watch.
"Seniors, are you alright?"
Without even drawing his sword, Mu Hwi had breached the encirclement and reached the first-generation disciples.
"Plum Blossom Sword Lord!"
Perhaps due to outsiders watching, Hyeon Baek addressed Mu Hwi formally.
This ensured the terms Plum Blossom Sword Lord and Plum Blossom Swordsmen were firmly etched into the onlookers’ minds.
"What’s the situation?"
"The Paewangseong bastards blocking the entrance said they’d open it if we killed you first."
As Hyeon Baek glared toward the cave’s defenders, the second-generation disciples’ faces darkened.
Paewangseong’s scheme was clear: let others shed blood, thinning out Hwasan’s forces while reducing the number of cave entrants.
"They knew they were being used, yet played along?"
Dokgo Yul clicked his tongue at the surrounding martial artists.
"Blinded by greed. They don’t even know what’s inside."
Mu Hwi strode toward the entrance, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen following.
Led by their Sword Lord, they cut boldly through the crowd.
The cave’s entrance was guarded by two Paewangseong elders and a squad of warriors.
Under the oppressive weight of the Purple Sunset Divine Technique, none dared even reach for their weapons.
"Halt!"
Only the elders managed to gather enough energy to shout. Mu Hwi ignored them, continuing forward.
When ten paces remained, Mu Hwi asked without breaking stride,
"Old men, did you wag your tongues carelessly?"
"Elder Cheon!"
"I’ll go first!"
Sensing his killing intent, the elders moved to strike preemptively.
As their feet shifted, Mu Hwi’s hand naturally settled on his sword tassel.
The elders saw this—and then their vision flooded with violet.
'What—?'
"Hup!"
In the instant Mu Hwi gripped the tassel, his sword flashed faster than they could perceive.
A crescent-shaped slash, distorted as if crumpled, hung in the air.
The Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Technique’s subtlety marked its start, while the Iron Plum Sword Technique’s ferocity concluded it.
The elders couldn’t react. Only their instincts screamed danger, making their bodies twitch—but by then, the slash had already split them apart.
Even if they had defended, the result wouldn’t have changed.
In a single exchange, Mu Hwi had slain both elders. The Paewangseong warriors stood dumbfounded, blinking in confusion.
Thud.
As the elders’ heads and upper bodies hit the ground, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen surged forward. Mu Hwi had already issued orders via sound transmission.
"The moment their heads fall, breach the entrance."
The warriors’ dazed hesitation was all the opening needed.
Splat!
"Pull yourselves together!"
"Block them!"
At the blood fountain from the elders’ corpses spilled, the Paewangseong captains shouted.
But the Plum Blossom Swordsmen had already slipped through the gap into the cave’s darkness. Watching them disappear, Mu Hwi smirked at the remaining warriors.
"Try your best to stop us. Good luck."
He deliberately hadn’t killed them. The sheer number of martial artists on Bongwon Mountain was a variable beyond mere skill.
Paewangseong hadn’t stationed two squads here for nothing.
Mu Hwi would let them fulfill their original purpose—holding back the crowd.
With that mocking remark, he vanished into the cave. None dared pursue.
"Now’s our chance!"
"Go, go!"
As martial artists trampled the elders’ corpses to charge inside, the entrance became a storm of blood once more.
***
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen raced through the cave’s passages. Mu Hwi led while listening to Hyeon Baek’s report.
"So many have already entered?"
"Yes. The Battle Dragon Sect and Five Venoms Palace’s elites went ahead, followed by one of Paewangseong’s Seven Great Units. That’s why the other squads blocked the entrance."
Two of the Seven Evil Heavens, a Paewangseong elite unit, and countless experts had already infiltrated.
As Hyeon Baek said, the cave was a den of chaos. The passage they traversed was littered with corpses and bloodstains.
"And one more thing..."
Hyeon Baek, who had been speaking clearly, suddenly hesitated.
"What is it, Senior Hyeon Baek?"
"It was too chaotic to be certain, but... I think I saw the Sword King."
Mu Hwi’s brow furrowed.
"The Sword King of the Baekri Family?"
"It might’ve been a mistake. Why would someone of his status come here? What could he lack?"
"Who knows? Maybe he still clings to lingering feelings for our master."
Mu Hwi’s lips curled slightly.
'The Sword King...'
He had never crossed blades with him in his past life. The thought intrigued him.
Since the earlier arrivals had likely dismantled all traps, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen advanced unimpeded.
"Hup!"
"Gruesome."
The first chamber at the passage’s end was a horrific sight.
Over fifty corpses lay strewn about, with thick poison mist blanketing the floor.
"Don’t tell me the Paewangseong were the ones affected at the entrance?"
At the chamber’s center, a group unaffected by the mist waited—martial artists from Seven Evil Heavens and the Five Venoms Palace.
"We just finished clearing the trash and were about to move on, but here comes Hwasan."
An old man at the center studied the plum blossoms on their robes before grinning unpleasantly.
Then, noticing their attire, his brow furrowed.
"I’ve never seen Hwasan wear pure white robes like that... Who are you?"
Mu Hwi split the poison mist with sword energy and answered politely,
"We are the Plum Blossom Swordsmen of Hwasan."
As violet light shimmered along his blade, the same glow began radiating from the others’ swords.
The old man’s face stiffened as the Plum Blossom Swordsmen’s blades all turned violet.
Huuuuum...
The cloying poison mist was pushed back, replaced by the thick fragrance of plum blossoms.
< We are the Plum Blossom Swordsmen of Hwasan. > End.
< Then I’ll prove something too. >