145
Chapter 145: Do What You Must Do.
Mu Hwi and Dokgo Yul stood together atop Sword Peak Mountain, gazing down at its rugged landscape.
Dokgo Yul pointed toward one of the many peaks, which looked as if swords had been haphazardly thrust into the ground.
"That area has decent terrain, doesn’t it?"
Where Dokgo Yul pointed, there was a flat, wide plateau. Surrounding it, the peaks of Sword Peak Mountain rose like the shape of a gourd, forming a basin-like topography.
"Thanks to the mountain’s energy, it’s good for training martial arts, and the peaks rising like fortress walls make it easy to defend against outside intrusion."
Mu Hwi immediately understood what Dokgo Yul meant.
"Are you thinking of settling here?"
Dokgo Yul nodded.
"While taking on commissions, I’ve traveled all over the martial arts world searching for a place, and this one suits me best."
Dokgo Yul shifted his gaze slightly to a small thatched hut visible in the distance and continued.
"There are a few other places with similar conditions, but this one has traces of our master."
Mu Hwi didn’t answer and instead turned his gaze elsewhere, looking over Sword Peak Mountain. Though small compared to a Hwasan, it was large enough to house an entire sect.
The natural energy imbued in Sword Peak Mountain itself was abundant, making it a place with no shortcomings for martial training.
"Not bad."
"Heh. Right?"
"When do you plan to settle? Are all the preparations done?"
"Still lacking. And above all, I haven’t even avenged our master yet."
Dokgo Yul’s eyes, which had been admiring Sword Peak Mountain with satisfaction, quickly turned dry. He closed his mouth and only spoke again after a long pause.
"Is he someone even you can’t approach right now?"
"For now, yes."
"And later?"
At Dokgo Yul’s question, Mu Hwi answered firmly.
"I’ll reach him somehow. If we meet again when the time comes, I’ll tear him to pieces."
"I’ve just reached the peak of transcendence and gained some confidence, but our master’s enemy is so far beyond me that I can’t even fathom it. If I recklessly raise my sword for revenge and end up dying pointlessly, our master would beat me forever in the afterlife."
"He definitely would."
Dokgo Yul, his face flushed, let out a deep sigh.
"Our master always emphasized acting within one’s limits. I intend to do the same. I may not be able to face Heukcheon directly, but I’ll do my best against the demonic factions. So, I’m counting on you for Heukcheon."
The feeling of giving up on avenging his master due to a lack of martial prowess was truly pitiful. But Dokgo Yul resolved to act according to his master’s teachings. He believed his master would want him to do so.
Seeing Dokgo Yul’s determined expression, Mu Hwi nodded.
Sometimes, choosing to step back requires more courage and is harder than moving forward.
For Dokgo Yul, this was one of those times.
"Leave it to me. You do what you must."
Mu Hwi placed a hand on Dokgo Yul’s slightly trembling shoulder.
***
Hwa-eum’s Bokrae Inn.
As soon as Mu Hwi entered the inn, he spotted an enormous figure impossible to miss even when seated—Mu-cheol’s back.
"Over here! Senior Disciple!"
Mu-hwa, sitting across from Mu-cheol, waved immediately upon seeing Mu Hwi. Beside Mu-cheol and Mu-hwa sat Myeong-yeong and Myeong-am. They had agreed to eat together in Hwa-eum before returning to the mountain, which was why they were gathered at the inn.
When Mu Hwi appeared, Myeong-yeong and Myeong-am stood and bowed respectfully. Myeong San did the same.
"Greetings, Senior Disciple Mu Hwi."
"Greetings, Senior Disciple Mu-cheol and Martial Aunt Mu-hwa."
Mu-cheol nodded silently, while Mu-hwa grinned broadly at being called Martial Aunt.
"Good. Myeong San, sit down."
"Yes, Martial Aunt Mu-hwa."
Myeong San exchanged glances with Myeong-yeong and Myeong-am before sitting beside them. Mu Hwi picked up the teacup Mu-cheol had poured for him and asked,
"Where’s Mujin?"
"We received a letter. Disciple Mujin will likely be delayed by a day. We should return first."
"I see."
After taking a sip of tea, Mu Hwi asked,
"What have you all been up to?"
"We crushed a nearby Black Sword hideout!"
Mu-hwa answered eagerly, as if she had been waiting for the question. Mu Hwi sighed lightly.
"You took the third-generation disciples with you and actually raided a Black Sword hideout?"
"Pfft. I prioritized Myeong-yeong’s safety and picked an easy target. There were fewer than twenty people, just ordinary thugs with no martial training."
Mu-hwa patted Myeong-yeong’s head.
"We quickly drove out the Black Sword members and spent the rest of the time helping struggling villagers. Myeong-yeong worked hard alongside me."
"Hmm. Myeong-yeong, how was it?"
Startled by Mu Hwi’s sudden question, Myeong-yeong, who had been quietly eating, flinched before answering.
"When I become a Senior Disciple, I want to follow in Martial Aunt Mu-hwa’s footsteps—defeating Black Swords and evil sects while helping the people."
Though Myeong-yeong spoke cautiously, gauging Mu Hwi’s reaction, her words were clear and firm. It seemed she had already made up her mind.
After all, Myeong-yeong had suffered under the Black Sword before learning martial arts, so she understood the plight of the common people well.
No wonder she got along so well with Mu-hwa.
"There’s much to learn from Mu-hwa. Study hard."
"Yes, Senior Disciple Mu Hwi."
Mu-hwa looked at Myeong-yeong affectionately as she nodded, then turned to Mu-cheol.
"What about you, Senior Disciple Mu-cheol?"
"We found a spot near Hwa-eum, camped out, and trained."
Mu-hwa was shocked by Mu-cheol’s blunt reply.
"Huh? No wonder you all looked so scruffy. You could’ve stayed at the Jae-gyeong Pavilion. Why rough it?"
"Once you’re in the martial arts world, you won’t always have inns to sleep in. I wanted to teach them various things in advance."
"That makes sense."
As Mu-hwa nodded in understanding, Myeong-am, who had been listening, cautiously spoke up.
"This time, I learned from Senior Disciple Mu-cheol how to imbue my sword strikes with heavier force. It was a very rewarding experience."
Hearing this, Mu Hwi chuckled.
It seemed Mu-cheol had given Myeong-am a taste of one of the subtleties of the Iron Plum Sword Technique. Since they were still at Chunmaegwan, he couldn’t openly teach it.
"Does what you learned from Mu-cheol suit you?"
"Yes, Senior Disciple Mu Hwi. When the time comes to learn the Iron Plum Sword Technique, I plan to focus intensely on it."
"Myeong-am, with your physique, the Iron Plum Sword Technique will suit you well. Work hard."
"Yes, Senior Disciple Mu Hwi."
Though Mu-cheol’s expression remained unchanged as Myeong-am answered decisively, his eyes were softer than usual.
"What about you, Senior Disciple Mu Hwi?"
"You mean us?"
Mu Hwi tilted the liquor bottle he had ordered separately and recounted what had happened at Sword Peak Mountain.
Upon hearing this, Mu-hwa’s jaw dropped, and Mu-cheol’s face hardened. The three third-generation disciples didn’t know the full details, but sensing the gravity of the situation, they stiffened.
"If what you say is true, isn’t he the most dangerous enemy in the martial arts world right now?"
"Correct. He’s the man behind the Black Night Palace and the Society, responsible for much of the chaos in the martial arts world."
"The elders, including the Sect Leader, will be shocked when they hear."
"Not just Hwasan Sect—the Martial Alliance must also be informed. He’s at least at the level of the Three Seats. They need to be aware."
Mu-cheol, blinking slowly, crossed his arms.
"So, he revealed his identity knowing his information would leak."
"Either he doesn’t care if it’s exposed, or he plans to reveal it soon anyway. One of the two."
Mu-hwa looked at Mu Hwi with slightly trembling eyes.
"That man seems to be targeting you, Senior Disciple. What do we do? We don’t even know when the time he mentioned is. It could be just days from now."
Unlike the flustered Mu-hwa, Mu Hwi calmly drank his liquor.
"What’s there to do? Just train as usual. The same goes for all of you. Nothing changes."
Mu Hwi looked at the Hwasan disciples before him and continued.
"No matter what happens, fulfill your roles and train diligently. That’s what a martial artist does."
***
Hanzhong, Shaanxi.
Near the border of Sichuan, Hanzhong was home to one of the most prominent subordinate sects of the Jongnam Sect—the Geoksan Sword Sect.
The Geoksan Sword Sect served as the primary barrier against the forces of the Paewangseong advancing from Sichuan into Shaanxi. Centered around this sect, Jongnam had successfully blocked large-scale invasions by the Paewangseong.
Thanks to this, the rear was relatively safe, with only occasional small-scale raids by special units attacking other subordinate sects or launching surprise attacks on Jongnam Sect.
Now, the signboard of Geoksan Sword Sect, once that very gate, was engulfed in flames as it crashed to the ground.
Crash!
A long whip lashed through the air, sweeping away the corner of a pavilion. The structure tilted easily and collapsed.
"You bastard!"
Amid the rubble, the Sect Leader of Geoksan Sword Sect emerged covered in dust and unleashed a fierce sword aura.
But the whip, writhing like a snake under the Ghost Whip King’s control, scattered the sword aura in an instant and coiled around the middle-aged man’s neck.
"Ghk!"
Like a fish caught on a hook, the Sect Leader was dragged and flung before the Ghost Whip King.
Choked by the whip, the Sect Leader desperately tried to free himself, but it was futile.
"Urk!"
His reddened face gradually turned blue.
The Ghost Whip King adjusted the whip’s length like a leash and dragged the Sect Leader along the ground as he walked.
"Sect Leader!"
"We must save the Sect Leader!"
Horrified Geoksan disciples rushed forward, prompting the Ghost Whip King to grin and flick his wrist.
"Go on! Save your Sect Leader!"
The whip lashed violently, the Sect Leader still bound at its end, and began striking in all directions.
"Ugh!"
"What—?"
The disciples recoiled in shock as their Sect Leader was hurled toward them. But none dared to catch him as he flew at them with terrifying speed.
Crash!
Each time the whip struck the ground, stone tiles shattered, sending dust flying.
Amid the chaos, the Ghost Whip King’s whip lashed out in all directions, instantly killing dozens of disciples. He then ordered the Paewangseong warriors behind him.
"Burn it all. Erase every trace."
"Yes!"
As the warriors scurried to set the sect ablaze, the Ghost Whip King watched impassively.
From the shadows cast by the raging flames, a dark figure emerged.
"We’ve eliminated all fleeing Geoksan disciples and messenger pigeons."
The Ghost Whip King frowned at the assassin.
"Why hasn’t the Dark Lord shown himself? Does he intend to send only underlings?"
"The Society Leader is making separate preparations. Given that Hwasan will inevitably interfere when we strike Jongnam."
"Naturally. It’d be better to draw Hwasan in and crush them all at the Jongnam Sect. Is the Dark Lord so wary of the Hwasan Sword Saint?"
"The Society Leader wishes to firmly crush Jongnam first, not face Hwasan and Jongnam simultaneously. Hwasan comes next."
The Ghost Whip King scoffed at the assassin’s words.
"Fine. Why bother talking to a mere underling? Disappear."
"As you wish."
With a wave of the Ghost Whip King’s hand, the assassin melted back into the shadows.
"After losing his weapon to the Hwasan Sword Saint, the Dark Lord seems properly frightened now."
The Ghost Whip King stroked his beloved whip.
Made from the hide of a flood dragon, celestial silk, and finely drawn steel wires, his whip was nearly impervious to damage from ordinary weapons. Infused with his internal energy, it became even more formidable.
"Let’s see if you can cut through my whip, Hwasan Sword Saint."