168
Chapter 168: Wounds. I Hope You Treat Them Properly.
Muryun lightly deflected the sword thrusting dangerously toward his midsection, his waist twisting sharply in the process. His right foot lashed out like a whip.
Thwack!
The man from the Eight Jade Sword Unit took the full brunt of Muryun’s kick squarely on the chin and flew backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing onto the arena floor. He didn’t get back up—likely knocked unconscious.
“Ooh!”
“Hwasan Sect wins again!”
“These great disciples are also the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, huh? They say the Plum Blossom Swordsmen are on par with the Eighteen Arhats or the Wudang Seven Swords—seems it’s true!”
The swordsmen who had been watching with bated breath erupted in cheers at Muryun’s victory. They praised how he had seized a fleeting opportunity in a close match to deliver a decisive counterattack.
The man Muryun had faced from the Eight Jade Sword Unit was no pushover—he had only suffered five defeats in the past six days of duels while racking up seventeen victories. The fact that Muryun had defeated a recognized master sent waves of excitement through the crowd.
“Huu…”
Muryun exhaled, wiping the blood trickling from a wound on his cheek. Though he had sustained a few minor injuries, he had remained unshaken and brought down his opponent.
‘I was worried since he even had a special title, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought.’
Compared to the countless real battles he had experienced as a Plum Blossom Swordsman in the martial arts world, this duel felt lukewarm.
‘The elixir sent by the Cheonryu Merchant Group probably made it easier to win.’
Before departing for the Guyu Sect, the Hwasan Sect had received elixirs sent by Im Su-ryeon, intended for those participating in the World Sword Discourse Tournament. As the Hwasan Sect’s reputation soared, the support from the Cheonryu Merchant Group grew stronger by the day.
It was already widely known in the martial arts world that the Cheonryu Merchant Group had close ties with the Hwasan Sect, and they were reaping the benefits handsomely.
“Haa…”
The leader of the Guyu Sect darkened as he watched Muryun turn away gracefully, his plum blossom-patterned robe fluttering.
The Eight Jade Sword Unit, which the Guyu Sect had confidently fielded, was being thoroughly crushed by the Plum Blossom Swordsmen. Despite having the option to keep their victorious disciples in the arena, the Hwasan Sect was rotating their participants for each duel.
‘And yet, the Eight Jade Sword Unit is clearly outmatched. Damn it! At this rate, we’re only tarnishing our sect’s name!’
The leader of the Guyu Sect leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
‘The Plum Blossom Swordsmen… They’re truly strong. The rumors in the martial arts world might have even undersold them.’
While the leader scowled as if he had bitten into a bug, the Guyu Sword Emperor observed the Plum Blossom Swordsmen with interest.
“Hoh. Back when I was in seclusion, the Hwasan Sect’s disciples were weaklings. Now, they’re completely different. It seems I was in seclusion for far too long.”
The Sword Emperor glanced at Mu Hwi, who was smirking annoyingly from the opposite side.
‘That bastard is deliberately laughing like that.’
Mu Hwi’s smirk was undeniably effective—every time the sect leader alternated his gaze between the Eight Jade Sword Unit and Mu Hwi, he let out heavy sighs.
At first, the Sword Emperor had only been interested in the Hwasan Sword Saint, but now, the Hwasan Sect before his eyes was entirely different from the one he remembered.
“Plum Blossom Swordsmen, huh…”
Contrary to expectations, the Eight Jade Sword Unit was proving utterly inadequate. Even the Sword Emperor, who had only been focused on facing the Hwasan Sword Saint, felt an odd discomfort in his chest.
“Sect Leader.”
“Yes. Speak.”
“Their morale is shattered from repeated defeats. Why not have one of the deputy leaders step up and break the Hwasan Sect’s momentum?”
“A fine idea.”
Agreeing with the Sword Emperor, the Sect Leader immediately turned to the three deputy leaders beside him.
“Who will step forward?”
“I’ll go.”
Narak Leader, the deputy leader who had been the most displeased by the Plum Blossom Swordsmen’s winning streak, rose to his feet.
“Deputy Narak Leader!”
“Hmm! The Eight Jade Sword Unit still has members left, yet the Guyu Sect already feels threatened.”
As the Narak Leader stepped onto the arena, the watching swordsmen buzzed with anticipation. Meanwhile, Mujin’s expression stiffened slightly.
As Mujin tightened his grip on his scabbard, Mu Hwi asked:
“Mujin, are you going out?”
Mu Hwi hadn’t forgotten the grudge between the Narak Clan and Mujin’s family, the Yeonan Jin Clan.
“Yes. I’ll face him.”
Hyeon Baek, the one who had brought Mujin to the Hwasan Sect, observed Mujin’s profile before speaking calmly.
“Don’t rush. Take your time. Don’t let your emotions control you.”
“Yes, Master.”
As Mujin took heavy, deliberate steps forward, Mu Hwi called out:
“Mujin. Fight like you always do. It’s never too late to pour everything into the final strike.”
“I’ll remember that, Senior Disciple.”
When Mujin stepped onto the arena, Narak Leader’s eyes gleamed with recognition.
“Four Flowers. So, I finally met the one who killed my son.”
Narak Leader’s gaze darkened with killing intent as he recalled Wei Se-hun, the young master of the Narak Clan, whom Mujin had killed on Xiaoshan.
“I haven’t forgotten the atrocities your Narak Clan committed against the Yeonan Jin Clan either.”
Mujin had lost his family. Narak Leader had lost his son. The two were bound by deep-seated hatred.
At Mujin’s stiff tone, Narak Leader smirked.
“The Yeonan Jin Clan… It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that name. What a pity this is just a duel.”
Narak Leader gripped his sword and laughed.
“Since it’s a duel, I can’t take your life—but there’s no harm in taking an arm. Losing one won’t kill you.”
Mujin didn’t respond, simply drawing his Plum Blossom Sword.
The two moved simultaneously.
In an instant, they closed the distance, their swords clashing violently from the outset. The metallic clangs rang out incessantly as their blades crossed dozens of times in a single breath.
Sparks scattered through the air as sword energy from both sides flared brilliantly, asserting their presence.
Narak Leader’s sword energy fragmented midair, weaving a complex web of sword strokes that hemmed in Mujin’s movements from all directions.
Yet Mujin advanced without hesitation. He stabbed six times in succession to repel the incoming sword energy, then twisted his waist and unleashed a flurry of slashes.
Swish!
After tearing through Narak Leader’s net of sword energy, Mujin flicked his wrist delicately, as if painting a stroke in the air.
Swoosh!
Like petals scattering in the wind, purple plum blossoms bloomed in succession, deflecting the storm of sword strikes with dazzling elegance.
To counter the onslaught of blossoms, countless afterimages burst from Narak Leader’s sword, splitting in all directions.
In that moment, Mujin soared into the air and unleashed a violet sword light above the Narak Leader’s head.
Narak Leader frowned and hastily raised his sword to block. Dozens of sword energies split thinly, surging upward like bamboo shoots after rain.
Mujin executed the Dark Scent Flutter, spinning midair to channel the rotational force fully into his sword as he unleashed his technique.
Plum Blossom Blood Rain (梅花血雨).
Dozens of thrusts from the Plum Blossom Sword.
From each thrust, three or four sword energies multiplied endlessly before cascading down on Narak Leader like a downpour.
But Narak Leader was no slouch either.
His Ghost Wheel Sword Technique (鬼輪劍法), which maximized the use of sword energy and afterimages, reached its peak.
Narak Leader deflected the Plum Blossom Blood Rain effortlessly by firing a massive sword energy through the thick layers of his afterimages.
Feeling the considerable impact through his blade, Narak Leader deliberately grinned at Mujin.
“Impressive. Who knew a brat from the Yeonan Jin Clan could achieve this much! You should be thanking me! Would this have been possible if you’d stayed with your clan?”
Narak Leader’s sword strikes tore through the air, slashing diagonally downward. Mujin twisted his sword in response, countering with an upward slash.
Clang!
The two blades met in a contest of strength.
“If the Yeonan Jin Clan had been left alone, your son would never have died by my hand.”
Despite Narak Leader’s provocation, Mujin remained composed.
Narak Leader’s lips twitched in irritation—he had tried to shake Mujin’s calm, only to be rebuffed.
“How dare you!”
Eyes wide with fury, Narak Leader violently parried the Plum Blossom Sword and pressed forward aggressively, driving Mujin back with relentless footwork.
Over twenty sword strokes overlapped, creating a chaotic storm of slashes that enveloped Mujin like a net, pressuring him from all sides.
Yet Mujin remained serene, blocking Narak Leader’s strikes one by one or countering head-on with techniques from the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
Each clash sent significant shockwaves, but Mujin stepped forward unfazed.
‘How strange.’
Before stepping onto the arena, he had agonized over how to control the resentment he had harbored for the Yeonan Jin Clan. But now, it was different.
With every exchange of swords, his mind grew calmer.
Facing the leader of the Narak Clan—the very target he had envisioned in hundreds of revenge fantasies during his training—was nothing like he had imagined.
“Is this all you’ve got?”
When he had first escaped the Yeonan Jin Clan and begun training as one of the Hwasan Sect’s three great disciples, the Narak Leader Faction’s leader had seemed as untouchable as the heavens.
But now, standing before him, Narak Leader didn’t instill even a hint of danger. Mujin almost felt ashamed for having once seen this man as an insurmountable foe.
Clang!
Mujin effortlessly deflected Narak Leader’s rapid thrusts aimed at his torso, then closed the distance with the Dark Scent Flutter.
“Right. It’s not that you’re insignificant—it’s just that my world has changed.”
The inner energy of the Purple Sunset Heart Method enveloped the One-Winter Plum Blossom Sword, causing the radiant violet sword light to glow brilliantly.
The intricate sword energies of the Ghost Wheel Technique melted away like snow under the dazzling violet slashes.
The Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Technique was devouring the Ghost Wheel Technique.
“What nonsense are you spouting?!” Narak Leader shouted in desperation.
Mujin’s sword rose upward, releasing a dazzling flash of light.
He had traveled the martial arts world with his senior disciple, broadening his horizons and honing his skills.
Before he knew it, he had earned the title Four Flowers and faced countless formidable enemies as a Plum Blossom Swordsman, fighting life-or-death battles.
After countless such experiences—
The boy who had once fled the Yeonan Jin Clan had grown into an unshakable Plum Blossom Swordsman of the Hwasan Sect, with no need to run anymore.
To the point where the once-unreachable object of his vengeance now seemed beneath him.
Mujin’s surging sword energy split into dozens of branches, storming forward like a tree’s limbs. Behind them, his sword strokes extended in all directions.
His straightforward swordplay, untainted by other styles and purely faithful to the Hwasan Sect’s techniques, grew more majestic with every drop of sweat shed in training.
A single plum blossom bloomed first, followed by dozens more around it.
The gentle yet powerful fragrance of plum blossoms spread across the arena.
Before he knew it, Narak Leader stood at the center of the blooming flowers.
“A mere descendant of the Yeonan Jin Clan—!”
With a furious roar, Narak Leader stomped the ground and swung his sword wildly.
A few blossoms were torn apart, but countless more bloomed in their place, engulfing Narak Leader.
Full Bloom of Plum Blossoms (梅花滿開).
No technique of the Ghost Wheel Sword Technique could suppress the endless blossoms.
Shredded by the blossoms and scratched by the petals, Narak Leader was a mess. His neatly tied hair had come undone, now a wild mane.
As Narak Leader staggered, a sharp violet sword light split through the diagonal slash aimed at him—and severed his left arm.
“Gaaah!”
His left arm fell to the arena floor as Narak Leader dropped to one knee. Mujin’s blade hovered at his throat.
“Heh. You want to kill me, don’t you? Do it, you Yeonan Jin Clan brat.”
Mujin’s icy gaze bore into the Narak Leader. But then, he sheathed his sword.
Narak Leader sneered.
“You sheathe your sword even with your enemy at your mercy? What a waste of martial training.”
Mujin looked at him with clear, untroubled eyes.
“I’m not like you people from the evil sects. I don’t kill indiscriminately just because I want to.”
He lowered the Plum Blossom Sword slowly.
“I am a descendant of the Yeonan Jin Clan—but I am also a disciple of the Hwasan Sect. This arena is for upholding the Hwasan Sect’s honor, not for my revenge.”
“Kehaha! The souls of the Yeonan Jin Clan in the underworld must be vomiting blood at this sight!”
Narak Leader’s laughter gradually died as Mujin stared back with unshakable calm.
“No. My father and mother would understand. The Hwasan Sect is my home now—my family.”
Mujin took a step closer, locking eyes with the Narak Leader.
“And this isn’t the end. Narak Clan Leader. One day, I’ll come to the Narak Clan and formally challenge you to a life-or-death duel. That’s why I only took your left arm today.”
Mujin’s tranquil, lake-like eyes held a deep chill. He glanced at the wound where Narak Leader’s left arm had been.
“Wounds. I hope you treat them properly.”
Without a shred of hesitation, Mujin turned his back. His plum blossom-patterned robe fluttered vigorously, as if cheering his every step.
‘Wait for me just a little longer. It won’t be too long.’
As he walked away, Mujin looked up at the sky and made his vow. Above him, the sun shone brightly in response.