172
Chapter 172: It Doesn’t Matter Who’s There.
Kwoong!
The earth trembled momentarily as twenty-four warriors simultaneously stomped their feet, sending concentric shockwaves rippling outward. As the essence of the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Formation took hold, the circular shockwaves gradually distorted before scattering into countless fragments.
After repeatedly dispersing and reforming, the shockwaves transformed into fine, petal-shaped energy, blanketing the surroundings of the formation. On top of these colorless petals, purple petals dripped steadily from the swords, scattering across the battlefield like a storm of blossoms.
The demonic energy spewed by the surrounding fiends couldn’t even touch the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, dissipating against the countless petals acting as a barrier. The swordsmen, executing the formation, were truly under the protection of plum blossom petals.
Following the flow of the formation, the swordsmen adjusted their breathing and stepped forward in unison.
Twenty-four swords stretched outward, their tips blooming with dense clusters of petals. The extravagant blossoms scattered their petals across the battlefield, filling the air with an elegant sword fragrance.
"Kun (坤) to Kan (坎), Dui (兌) to Qian (乾)—shift!"
At Mujin’s command, the swordsmen swiftly swapped positions.
Unlike usual, the vanguard role—typically held by Mujin, Mu-hwa, and Mu-cheol—was now taken by first-generation disciples like Hyeon Baek and Hyeon Gak. The same applied to other positions in the formation. Second-generation disciples now occupied key roles, forming the core of the formation.
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen were preparing for an eventual generational shift.
The second-generation disciples were gaining experience in leading and maneuvering the entire formation.
‘It’s definitely different. The masters always saw things on a broader scale.’
‘There are more things to pay attention to than I thought. If it were my usual position, I’d just have to hold my ground.’
The second-generation disciples, who would normally focus solely on their assigned positions, now had to survey the battlefield with a wider perspective.
"Battle changes rapidly. If you don’t issue commands accordingly, the formation will lose its flow and collapse."
"Stay calm and precise. See the bigger picture—like looking down at Hwasan from the Lotus Peak."
Even when the second-generation disciples faltered, the first-generation disciples at the front immediately assisted and offered advice.
Thanks to this, the second-generation disciples, though stumbling at times, steadily accumulated experience in leading the formation.
Mu Hwi’s intention—to naturally pass down the teachings and experience of the previous generation by integrating first and second-generation disciples—was proving effective.
The lessons and experiences naturally inherited in real combat would, in time, be passed down again when the current third-generation disciples became second-generation swordsmen.
Thus, the teachings of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen continued to flow seamlessly through the generations.
Swaaak!
The plum blossoms tore through the surging fist winds, slicing through fiends in a single stroke. Countless sword petals rained down, leaving innumerable wounds on the charging demons.
"Plum Blossom Swordsmen!"
"There aren’t even thirty of them! Crush them with sheer force! Throw yourselves at them!"
The fiends belonged to Goeya (壞夜), a sect of the Black Night Palace. True to their name—Those Who Break the Night—their demonic technique prioritized raw power over technique, complemented by exceptional external and defensive skills to withstand the recoil.
Their former leader, Goesanmado, had once rivaled the Iron Mountain Fist King in combat.
The fiends, their fists wreathed in thick black energy, charged at the formation without hesitation. Fist winds erupted from their strikes, and heavy weapons like great axes swung with enough force to rend the air.
Not a single attack could be taken lightly. Yet, despite facing an all-out assault, the formation did not stop.
"Five steps—advance!"
Splitting the fist winds apart, the swordsmen unleashed a counterattack. When an axe descended from the front, plum blossom swords from the sides shattered it mid-air.
The Goeya fiends fought desperately, but the swordsmen’s steps and blades never ceased. United as one, they crushed the demonic offensive.
Kwaaaang!
Fiends who had charged with furious roars now collapsed, screaming and spurting blood.
"Grahk!"
"The Wall of Three Demonic Technique was pierced this easily?!"
The Wall of Three Demonic Technique (壁森魔功), Goeya’s signature defensive technique, was supposed to allow the fiends to fight without restraint. Yet, against the Plum Blossom Swordsmen’s blades, it split apart like paper.
Even when reinforced with thick demonic energy, turning their bodies nearly black, a single pass of those ominous purple sword lights left deep wounds.
"The petals! Don’t ignore those petals! If they hit a vital point, it’s fatal!"
"Charge! Even if we die, close the distance!"
The Goeya fiends knew that with every step they took, three or four of their comrades would lose their heads.
Yet they did not stop. Instead, they roared and swung their fists harder. After all, countless more fiends stood behind them.
‘The fiends we fought at the main sect were tenacious, but these ones are worse.’
Even as blood gushed from their comrades’ bodies, the fiends trampled over the corpses without hesitation, like an oncoming black tide.
Mujin sharpened his focus, knowing that even a slight delay in his commands could invite disaster.
Mu Hwi watched from above.
The Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Formation, shaped like a five-petaled blossom, was densely surrounded by Goeya fiends. It looked as though black waves were crashing against the plum blossoms—yet no matter how violently the waves surged, the petals remained unsubmerged.
The formation, now led by second-generation disciples, held firm.
Mu Hwi’s eyes, glowing with violet light, observed this before shifting to a middle-aged man commanding the fiends.
The moment he identified the leader, the Sim-myeong Sword floating beside Mu Hwi shot toward him.
"You won’t break through like this. Call the Great Lords—Ghk!"
The man, mid-command, choked on his own scream. His left arm was gone before he even realized it.
"Hey."
At the unfamiliar voice, the man turned his head forward.
All his subordinates, who had been standing perfectly fine moments ago, now lay decapitated.
The only one left standing before him was a man whose mere presence caused the surrounding demonic energy to scatter helplessly.
A man with eerie violet light in his eyes.
Recognizing the purple plum blossoms embroidered on the man’s robe, the middle-aged fiend barely managed to speak.
"The Hwasan Sword Saint."
"Where is Im Su-ryeon of the Cheonryu Merchant Group?"
When the man didn’t answer immediately, Mu Hwi tapped his sword sheath.
"Kgh—!"
Without even seeing the movement, his right arm fell to the ground. Overwhelmed by pain and blood loss, the man swayed forward—but Mu Hwi did not allow him to collapse.
His terrifying internal energy bound the man’s body, suspending him mid-air.
"I’ll ask one more time. Where is Im Su-ryeon of the Cheonryu Merchant Group?"
The man, feeling his strength drain as pain wracked his body, grinned. Faced with death, he had nothing left to fear.
"I won’t speak. You’ll never find where that woman is."
Despite the threat, Mu Hwi’s lips curled slightly.
"Good. She’s still alive, then."
Realizing too late that Mu Hwi had tricked him, the man’s eyes widened.
"You—!"
But Mu Hwi had already turned away. The man’s neck snapped with a twist.
Surveying the remaining fiends, Mu Hwi summoned his will.
Three swords, now without owners, floated up in response to his intent.
The battlefield trembled as violet light erupted from the tips of the sword, staining the sky.
***
"Sword Saint, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen have saved our Hwamun Sect. We are eternally grateful."
"There’s no need. It was only natural."
Watching Mu Hwi respond with a composed martial salute, the Hwamun Sect leader swallowed dryly.
‘When cutting down fiends, his aura was terrifying—yet now, he’s completely different. After seeing him fight, I understand why he’s called the Sword Devil of Hwasan.’
As the Leader marveled, Mu Hwi asked,
"We’re in Yuanling, yet fiends are already appearing. Is the Martial Alliance’s situation so dire?"
The Hwamun Sect Leader sighed.
Their current location was Yuanling (沅陵), northwest of the recently fallen Xinhua branch of the Martial Alliance.
The presence of fiends here meant the Alliance’s frontlines were being pushed back.
"The Black Night Palace is sending fiends in two prongs—one through Guangxi from the south, the other through Guizhou from the west. They’re trying to seize western Hunan using their hold on the south."
"So that’s why these bastards showed up."
Fortunately, the Alliance’s frontlines hadn’t completely collapsed.
"The main Alliance is gathering forces near Dongting Lake and Changsha in the northeast to counter them."
Mu Hwi nodded. The letter from the Alliance had also mentioned Dongting Lake as the rally point.
However, since the Plum Blossom Swordsmen had come from Shaanxi in the west, heading straight to Xinhua was faster than diverting to Dongting Lake.
"I understand the general situation now."
"Then, will the Hwasan Sect continue south?"
Hearing about Im Su-ryeon’s predicament, the Hwamun Sect Leader asked cautiously. Mu Hwi nodded again.
"Our sect owes much to Lady Im."
Going south meant they would inevitably encounter countless Black Night Palace fiends.
But after witnessing the might of Mu Hwi and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen firsthand, the leader couldn’t bring himself to dissuade them.
"This isn’t confirmed, but I’ve heard the Black Night Palace prioritized capturing Lady Im over attacking Xinhua. As the Cheonryu Merchant Group’s young mistress, she’s definitely still alive."
The most the leader could do was share what he knew.
"With the Black Night Palace fully mobilized, even previously unseen fiends—and former-generation masters—have emerged. Be careful."
"Thank you."
Watching the Plum Blossom Swordsmen depart, the Hwamun Sect Leader sighed in admiration.
"Truly warriors who can fight a hundred each. They rival the Eighteen Arhats and the Wudang Seven Swords."
Once the swordsmen vanished, the leader turned to his subordinates.
"Let’s move quickly. We must evacuate the civilians as soon as possible."
"Understood, Sect Leader!"
***
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen continued south.
They encountered fiends several more times, but never in the same numbers as before—mostly smaller, scattered groups.
Even after seven battles in five days, the swordsmen showed no signs of fatigue.
Though their progress was slowed by occasional detours to mislead the fiends, they were now close to Xinhua.
While the swordsmen rested in a forest, Mu Hwi—arms crossed and eyes closed—suddenly opened them.
From the shadows, a figure emerged.
"It’s been a while, Graceful One"
As Munyeong, Sect Leader of the Thousand Killer Chosen Sect, bowed, Mu Hwi nodded in greeting.
"It has."
Before descending Hwasan, Mu Hwi had requested the sect’s assistance. In enemy territory, real-time intelligence was best gathered by assassins like them.
"Fortunately, Lady Im is unharmed. Though more than half her entourage was slaughtered."
"Why was she kidnapped?"
"Just as we suspected—to cut off the Cheonryu Merchant Group’s support for the Martial Alliance."
The Cheonryu Merchant Group was the Alliance’s biggest benefactor, supplying food, weapons, medicine, and even hiring mercenaries.
Im Su-ryeon’s personal involvement in this trade mission was also tied to Alliance support.
"Is Lady Im still in Xinhua?"
"Yes. She’s imprisoned at the Alliance’s Xinhua branch but will be moved in a few days."
"Then we must rescue her before then. What’s the situation in Xinhua?"
"The former-generation master, Jinamma (眞暗魔), is currently absent. But his subordinates, the Jinnyeong Unit (眞囹團), remain."
"It doesn’t matter who’s there."
Mu Hwi’s unwavering reply drew a faint smile from Munyeong.
After discussing the rescue, Munyeong retrieved a book from his robes and handed it to Mu Hwi.
"Graceful One, read this. I transcribed it myself."
"What is it?"
"Our sect’s founder, who defeated a demonic sovereign of his era and earned the title Heavenly Slaughter Emperor (天殺帝), left personal records about the demon he vanquished."
"What was the demon’s name?"
"Mukyacheon (黙夜天)."
"Mukyacheon..."
Mu Hwi opened the book.