143
Chapter 143: An Uninvited Guest Has Arrived
Myeong San was sprinting rapidly through the forest. His thighs and calves had long been screaming in protest, and though not as much as his legs, the rest of his muscles were also asserting their own pain to him. Myeong San wanted to stop immediately and collapse onto the ground, but seeing Mu Hwi’s back in the distance made it impossible for him to halt.
Mu Hwi was masterfully drawing out Myeong San’s maximum speed, adjusting it so that Myeong San could run right up to his limit.
“Hup!”
As his stamina waned and his entire body ached, his concentration faltered. Perhaps because of this, Myeong San noticed a protruding tree branch too late and twisted his body hastily. Though he avoided the branch, his posture—and even his breathing—were thrown into disarray.
“The Nine Palace Step isn’t just a practice to make your body lighter and move faster.”
Mu Hwi’s voice reached Myeong San’s ears—clear and calm, as if spoken right beside him.
“Just as swordsmen can gauge an opponent’s level by observing a single strike, a martial artist’s lifelong training can be glimpsed in a single step.”
Mu Hwi’s voice tickled his earlobes along with the wind, but Myeong San had no energy to respond. The best he could do was exhale rough, blood-tinged breaths and stubbornly take one step after another.
“The movement of the body, starting from the toes and extending to the head—the Nine Palace Step, external training to temper the flesh, internal training to cultivate energy. Combined with the martial principles of the techniques one has mastered, all of it manifests in a single step.”
“Huff!”
Myeong San looked at his master’s back stretching far ahead. The forest was so dense that, while walking might have been manageable, there were too many obstacles hindering rapid movement using the Nine Palace Step.
Even now, as he pushed forward, he was busy twisting his body left and right to avoid obstacles. Yet his master, with his hands clasped behind his back, simply strode forward effortlessly, no matter what lay ahead. Nothing could stop his master’s steps.
“That is why a martial artist’s single step is akin to the martial path they walk. Myeong San, the martial path you’ve cultivated so far is still only at this level.”
Myeong San could only grit his teeth.
As if proving that he still couldn’t be compare to Mu Hwi’s martial path, Mu Hwi’s back soon disappeared from Myeong San’s sight. Left alone in the dense forest, Myeong San refused to stop moving.
‘Even if I can’t catch up, I must not stop.’
If he kept following his master’s footsteps without stopping, no matter how slow he was, he believed he would eventually tread the same ground his master had.
Not stopping, moving forward—this was the martial path Myeong San walked.
Myeong San continued stepping forward with the Nine Palace Step in the direction Mu Hwi had disappeared. His legs trembled, and his chest felt as if it would tear apart, but he absolutely refused to stop.
He paid extra attention to his internal energy, ensuring a continuous flow through the Yongcheon pressure point to sustain the Six Harmonies Heart Technique.
Finally, the edge of the forest came into view, and Myeong San hurled his body toward the scattered sunlight breaking through the thick branches.
“Haaahk!”
Gasping heavily, Myeong San took one last large step before staggering and collapsing onto the grass. Mu Hwi, who had been waiting for him while sitting on a rock ahead, took out a gourd bottle and poured water over Myeong San’s head.
“Straighten your posture and steady your breathing. Refill your dantian, which you’ve emptied cleanly through the Nine Palace Step.”
This was their first rest since moving early, eating at the inn, and running until the sun was high in the sky.
Myeong San’s entire body trembled finely, as if it might shatter. Still, he suppressed the rising pain and crossed his legs into the lotus position.
“Haa.”
As he regulated his breathing with the Six Harmonies Heart Technique, his rough breaths began to settle, starting with his parched throat. His body gradually stabilized. Watching silently from the side as Myeong San’s breathing steadied, Mu Hwi also immersed himself in energy circulation with the Purple Sunset Divine Technique.
Master and disciple, facing each other in meditation, only opened their eyes simultaneously after the sun had tilted slightly.
“Your foundation is well-built. Keep refining it steadily. The achievements of the Six Harmonies Heart Technique will be crucial when you advance to higher-level techniques in the future.”
“Yes, Master.”
Rising from their spots, the master and disciple walked toward the mountain ahead. Seeing this, Myeong San asked,
“Is that the mountain the sect founder often visited?”
“Yes. Though the mountain itself isn’t large, its terrain resembles that of Hwasan in many ways. That’s why it’s called Sword Peak Mountain.”
“That’s fascinating. I assumed it was in Shaanxi, but it’s actually in Henan.”
Though they had crossed from Shaanxi to Henan, it wasn’t an excessively long distance. After all, Hwasan was located on the border between Shaanxi and Henan, so moving just a bit eastward brought them directly into Henan.
Before ascending Sword Peak Mountain, Mu Hwi stopped at an inn in the village at its base.
‘This place remains unchanged.’
The inn was just as he remembered from his last visit.
Worn tables and chairs. Though old, it was well-maintained, giving off a tidy atmosphere. The innkeeper welcomed Mu Hwi and Myeong San.
“Welcome!”
Seeing even the innkeeper unchanged, Mu Hwi allowed a faint smile.
“Hup! You’re Taoists from Hwasan!”
The innkeeper brightened upon noticing the robes worn by Mu Hwi and Myeong San. He treated the master and disciple with utmost hospitality.
“It’s been a long time since a Taoist from the Hwasan Sect has visited our humble inn. In the past, a middle-aged Hwasan master used to visit often with his friend.”
Mu Hwi realized the innkeeper was referring to Hyeon Jo and Dokgo Heon.
“Is that so?”
The innkeeper personally brought a teapot and filled their cups as he continued.
“Yes. At first, I thought the friend was a villain captured by the Hwasan master. Unlike the gentle-faced Hwasan master, his friend had a scarred face and looked incredibly fierce.”
“Ah, I see.”
The innkeeper, recalling the fierce friend’s smile in Mu Hwi’s expression, awkwardly laughed and changed the subject.
His honed intuition as an innkeeper who had dealt with countless martial artists was ringing alarm bells.
“Ahem! What would you like to eat?”
“I hear the noodles topped with duck meat at this inn are quite famous. We’ll have that.”
“Ah, you’re well-informed. I’ll bring two bowls right away.”
True to his word, the innkeeper soon served two generous bowls of noodles topped with seasoned duck meat.
“Ooh.”
Myeong San’s lips twitched at the sight of the lavish toppings centered around the duck meat. Having only eaten clean, simple meals on Hwasan, the sight of such rich food made his mouth water.
“Let’s eat.”
“Yes, Master.”
As Mu Hwi picked up his chopsticks, Myeong San eagerly lifted his spoon to savor the broth. Watching his disciple across the table, Mu Hwi was reminded of Hyeon Jo.
Every time he visited this inn, he would order noodles to eat. Now, Myeong San sat in Hyeon Jo’s place.
‘This isn’t so bad either.’
As he watched Myeong San slurping the noodles, Mu Hwi also twirled his chopsticks around the strands.
“Hmm.”
The taste of the noodles was unchanged.
Thanks to that, Mu Hwi could relive the memories of the past.
***
After finishing their meal at the inn, Mu Hwi and Myeong San slowly ascended the mountain. Myeong San watched Mu Hwi’s back as he climbed the rocks with his hands behind his back.
‘I thought he’d make me train by sprinting up the mountain, but surprisingly, he’s taking it slow.’
During the climb, Myeong San avoided speaking to Mu Hwi as much as possible.
The atmosphere had shifted. Though they were side by side, an invisible boundary made it feel as if they were in separate spaces.
‘He must be thinking of Sword Saint, Hyeon Jo.’
Myeong San quietly followed Mu Hwi. When they reached the mid-slopes of Sword Peak Mountain along the ridge, a small cottage with a wide yard came into view.
“Is this where the founder stayed…?”
Myeong San looked around curiously while Mu Hwi slowly stepped forward to examine the cottage. Despite being left unattended for so long, it was in good condition.
‘It feels like someone’s been maintaining it. Maybe someone’s been staying here.’
The training yard, once used for sparring, was free of weeds, and the cottage itself was well-kept.
As Mu Hwi surveyed the area, he soon realized who had been maintaining the cottage. A familiar presence was approaching from afar.
“We have a guest.”
“A guest?”
Following Mu Hwi’s gaze, Myeong San also turned his head. Not long after, a man carrying a deer over his shoulder emerged from the thicket.
In the man’s hand was a heavy sword engraved with the words Dokgo (独孤)—the Ghost Eternal Sword, a famed blade forged alongside the Sim-myeong Sword in the Three Great Iron Workshop.
The man, upon seeing Mu Hwi and Myeong San at the cottage, tilted his head in confusion.
“Huh? What’s this? Mu Hwi, why are you here?”
“Dokgo Yul, that’s what I wanted to ask you.”
Dokgo Yul alternated his gaze between Mu Hwi and Myeong San before nodding.
“I see. Sword Saint, Hyeon Jo, must’ve told you about this place, too. Well, it’s not that surprising.”
Dokgo Yul set down the deer he had hunted and began skillfully skinning and butchering it. This, too, was something Mu Hwi had taught him in his past life.
Having started as an orphan and clawed his way up from the bottom, Mu Hwi had taught Dokgo Yul—also an orphan—not just martial arts but various survival skills.
Though, to be honest, most of it had been taught haphazardly, leaving Dokgo Yul to figure things out on his own.
Mu Hwi watched as Dokgo Yul, now even more skilled than him, deftly carved the meat. He sat nearby and observed.
“Have you been staying here all this time?”
“Whenever the Dokgo Association takes a break after completing a request, I stay here. Since Master and Sword Saint, Hyeon Jo, are no longer here, someone has to maintain the place. It holds their legacy.”
“I see.”
“Besides, I lived here as a child, so it brings back memories. Not bad at all. Wandering around Sword Peak Mountain, I sometimes suddenly recall forgotten moments with Master.”
Mu Hwi simply nodded at Dokgo Yul’s words. Then, when Dokgo Yul tossed him a liquor bottle, he opened it and took a swig.
“You should look around, too. You might find traces of the two martial artists here and there. Who knows, you might even gain some enlightenment.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
As he drank, Mu Hwi sank into thought.
‘Pathetic. Why am I still hung up on this?’
Though he thought this to himself, his eyes as he looked at Dokgo Yul were filled with bitterness.
Seeing his disciple reminiscing about him, even the liquor he usually enjoyed tasted hollow.
It was just bitter.
At first, Mu Hwi hadn’t planned to reveal to Dokgo Yul that he was the Sword Devil in his past life. After all, he had resolved to live as Mu Hwi after being reborn in this body.
But seeing Dokgo Yul remembering Dokgo Heon like this made him feel that keeping this secret was wrong.
‘Someday, I’ll tell you the truth. My disciple.’
He could say it now, but with Myeong San present, the timing didn’t feel right.
Though not entirely certain, Mu Hwi had a premonition that a time would come when he could have a serious conversation with Dokgo Yul and reveal everything.
As someone who had communed with the natural energies and was gradually stepping into the realm of foresight, this premonition felt reliable.
“No wonder I caught a deer instead of a rabbit today. I’ll prepare a proper meal.”
Dokgo Yul cheerfully began butchering the deer. As Mu Hwi silently watched, he slowly turned his gaze.
A man was walking slowly toward the cottage.
The sun had already set, and darkness was gradually creeping up Sword Peak Mountain from below. It almost seemed as if the darkness was spreading with the man’s steps.
An eerie sensation, as if the man was bringing the darkness with him, made it impossible for Mu Hwi to look away.
“Ah!”
Myeong San, who had turned his head following Mu Hwi, let out a short gasp before trembling as if trapped in ice. Just the aura emanating from the man made him feel bone-deep terror and a threat to his life.
Dokgo Yul was no different. He set down the knife he had been using to butcher the deer and reached for the Ghost Eternal Sword instead. Yet, his grip on the hilt was weak.
With each step the man took, Sword Peak Mountain was slowly swallowed by darkness.
His footsteps carried no imposing weight, yet their approach was instinctively repulsive, filled with ominousness.
“An uninvited guest has arrived.”
At Mu Hwi’s words, the man’s steps finally halted. The darkness that had been about to engulf the cottage paused momentarily.
“No one has ever welcomed my presence. Will you be the one to welcome me?”
