175
Chapter 175: I'll Handle That Myself.
The demonic energy surged like dark storm clouds.
Starting from the Great Guardian’s arms, the black demonic energy began to ripple across his entire body. As it did, the area around him grew unnaturally dark.
The darkness spreading outward from the Great Guardian couldn’t extend beyond a certain distance.
The violet energy, draped over Mu Hwi’s shoulders, covered his entire body. Like the twilight glow coexisting between light and darkness, even the Great Guardian’s darkness was embraced by the violet energy.
As the boundary between the violet energy and darkness formed in the middle of the plains, Mu Hwi and the Great Guardian lunged forward simultaneously.
Clang!
A vertically slashing sword strike was neutralized by an ink-black palm force. The resulting shockwaves exploded outward, kicking up dust across the plains.
When the blade met the palm, the Great Guardian clenched his hand. His thumb and index finger gripped the sword’s body, locking it in place as if held by steel pincers.
At the same time, his remaining three fingers naturally pointed toward Mu Hwi. The moment black energy erupted from his fingertips, Mu Hwi twisted his head aside.
A wind blade pierced through the air in an instant.
It sounded like a single tearing of wind, but in reality, three overlapping sonic booms resonated.
The circular shockwaves from the wind blade grazing the air drew blood from Mu Hwi’s skin. Though the wind blade itself was tiny, the resulting shockwaves were threatening enough to crumple even thick iron doors.
The Great Guardian tilted his wrist and fired another wind blade. Simultaneously, he raised his left index and middle fingers in a sword-sealing gesture before thrusting them toward Mu Hwi.
Mu Hwi vibrated his sword, pulling the Sim-myeong Sword free from the Great Guardian’s grip, then immediately countered the wind blade and finger strike.
Though the wind blade was only the size of a finger joint, the concentrated power within it was nothing to scoff at.
Each time Mu Hwi sliced through a wind blade, a heavy shock traveled up the blade.
'As expected, he’s far stronger than the Left and Right Guardians.'
Unlike the Left and Right Guardians, who had remained in the Transcendent Realm, the Great Guardian had reached the Absolute Realm.
While Mu Hwi carefully observed the Great Guardian’s martial arts, the latter’s hands left chaotic afterimages in the air.
Whoosh!
Dozens of wind blades flew in all trajectories, followed by massive palm strikes shaped like giant hands, assaulting Mu Hwi from three sides.
Mu Hwi’s wrist twisted strangely as his swordplay trembled violently. Dozens of blooming plum blossoms slashed vertically, swallowing the wind blades and shattering the palm strikes.
Boom!
Amid the chain of collisions that shook the earth, the Great Guardian appeared ghost-like at Mu Hwi’s flank, crushing the violet energy around him and aiming a finger strike at Mu Hwi’s eyes.
Mu Hwi deflected the finger strike with Plum Blossom Scattering Hand and bent his wrist, driving the Sim-myeong Sword straight into the Great Guardian’s abdomen.
The demonic energy flowing from the Great Guardian’s body swelled, covering him entirely. The sword’s edge vanished into the dark energy.
Mu Hwi’s eyes narrowed.
'Strange.'
He had pierced through the sudden surge of demonic energy, but he didn’t feel the sensation of striking flesh. Instead, it felt as though something had blocked the way.
Yet, as if an invisible hand were pulling, he couldn’t withdraw the Sim-myeong Sword from the demonic energy.
While the sword was trapped, the Great Guardian thrust a palm strike directly at Mu Hwi’s face.
Mu Hwi executed Plum Blossom Scattering Hand with his left hand while strengthening his right, which gripped the sword’s hilt.
The violet energy, infused with the subtleties of Plum Blossom Scattering Hand, erupted from the Sim-myeong Sword’s blade in a shockwave.
The demonic energy restraining the sword loosened momentarily and scattered.
Kwang!
Mu Hwi, having countered with Plum Blossom Scattering Hand, stepped back and observed the Great Guardian’s demonic energy, which still churned like dark clouds.
“An unusual protective technique.”
“It’s different from ordinary techniques that merely absorb impact.”
“It resembles Black Cloud Bowing Energy. Is it a lesser version?”
The moment Mu Hwi mentioned Black Cloud Bowing Energy, the Great Guardian’s fingers, which had been moving leisurely, froze.
“How do you know of that technique?”
Black Cloud Bowing Energy was one of the foundational martial arts of Black Heaven Divine Technique, the root of the Black Smoke Energy protective technique he had mastered.
And that wasn’t all. Every demonic technique the Great Guardian had learned was directly derived from Black Heaven Divine Technique.
“Looking at your other techniques, there are similarities…”
Mu Hwi muttered to himself as he raised the Sim-myeong Sword to a middle stance. The Great Guardian’s eyes darkened as he watched.
'I don’t know how, but he’s deeply familiar with Black Heaven Divine Technique.'
Even within the Black Night Palace, only the Palace Lord and his master, Heukcheon, had mastered Black Heaven Divine Technique. Yet Mu Hwi knew details even the palace’s demonic warriors were unaware of.
“I see. You weren’t just waiting idly. You intended to experience Black Heaven Divine Technique indirectly, even if only through me.”
This young Sword Saint was preparing for a battle against Heukcheon by crossing blades with him now.
Seeing Mu Hwi grin at his words, the Great Guardian asked,
“One question. Only the Palace Lord, Heukcheon himself, and the previous Night Lords who received direct instruction about the Black Heaven Divine Technique know its secrets. So how do you know so much about it?”
“It just happened.”
The Great Guardian’s fingers leaked demonic energy like smoke as he watched Mu Hwi dismiss the question.
“Fine. There’s no need to know. Killing you will suffice.”
“Great Guardian. Show me as many techniques as you can before you die.”
At Mu Hwi’s words, veins bulged at the Great Guardian’s temples as he moved first. Cloaked in demonic energy, his movements were silent yet sinister.
Mu Hwi, who had been facing forward, suddenly twisted his upper body violently and swung his sword backward. The Great Guardian’s index finger, aiming for the back of Mu Hwi’s neck, was narrowly deflected.
A footwork so static it seemed predictable, yet it vanished without a trace to strike from blind spots.
In response, Mu Hwi deployed Dark Scent Flutter, cutting off the Great Guardian’s path as he tried to roam freely across the plains. Simultaneously, the Sim-myeong Sword bent sharply.
The Great Guardian frowned as his vision filled with purple sword light.
With each stroke of the Sim-myeong Sword, petals and sword shadows filled the air, while plum blossoms bloomed above, scattering their fragrance.
The Great Guardian thickened his Black Smoke Energy to block Gradual Plum Blossoms, then spread both palms and slammed a twin-palm strike toward Mu Hwi’s crown.
A massive black palm force expanded instantly, aiming to crush Mu Hwi where he stood.
Mu Hwi twisted his body slightly, using the recoil to leap upward, thrusting the Sim-myeong Sword toward the descending palm force.
Zing!
Under the tremendous pressure, the sword bent as if about to snap.
Mu Hwi channeled the force through his wrist and forearm, dispersing the impact while drawing up violet sword energy.
A resolute violet wave surged from the blade’s base, stiffening the Sim-myeong Sword straight again.
“Haap!”
As the shockwaves intensified against his palm, the Great Guardian frowned and released more demonic energy.
Mu Hwi rotated his wrist and thrust the Sim-myeong Sword forward with full force.
A pillar-like sword aura shot vertically, intertwining with sword shadows before surging upward in layers.
Crack!
The straight sword energy of Wandering Green Bamboo pierced the palm force’s center, aiming for the Great Guardian’s throat.
The Great Guardian twisted his body and split the sword energy in two with a finger technique.
As if stepping into emptiness, he kicked off the air, while Mu Hwi raised his elbow to block.
Thud!
After dozens of exchanges midair, Mu Hwi and the Great Guardian were pushed apart by the recoil.
Dark Scent Flutter, Palm That Lifts Clouds and Darkens Skies.
Even while exchanging blows, Mu Hwi linked the Great Guardian’s demonic techniques to similar techniques in Black Heaven Divine Technique.
'Bit by bit, I see it.'
As they fought, the descriptions of Black Heaven Divine Technique he had only read began to take concrete form in his mind.
By tracing the Great Guardian’s techniques back to Black Heaven Divine Technique, the flaws left by Myukcheon’s records became clear, and areas for improvement or advancement revealed themselves.
Feeling his understanding of Black Heaven Divine Technique deepen, Mu Hwi smirked and swung the Sim-myeong Sword.
'Just a little more!'
Dozens of wind blades surged through the Plum Blossom Endurance defense, targeting vital points.
Mu Hwi sliced through them in one breath, then charged forward, slashing horizontally at the raging palm force.
A crescent-shaped sword aura shot toward the Great Guardian’s throat, forcing him to jerk his head back.
'The number of times I’m dodging is increasing.'
The Great Guardian’s eyes narrowed as he noticed his collar had been cut. Simply knowing the techniques shouldn’t have allowed this.
It wasn’t that Mu Hwi was finding flaws in his martial arts—his sword itself was growing sharper.
'He’s using me as a whetstone to hone his blade.'
Watching Mu Hwi’s sword evolve in real time, the Great Guardian couldn’t hide his shock.
Meanwhile, Mu Hwi, who had shifted positions using Dark Scent Flutter as if folding space, lunged forward, aiming to drive the Sim-myeong Sword into the Great Guardian’s chest.
"Kuh!"
The Great Guardian twisted midair, kicking off while swinging both hands to evade and counter simultaneously.
But Mu Hwi’s violet eyes flickered brightly, reading his movements perfectly.
The Sim-myeong Sword slashed diagonally as the Great Guardian’s twin palms painted the air black with demonic energy. The sword slipped between them.
A thin violet stroke against the thick black palm force—yet Mu Hwi’s hand didn’t stop.
His strikes, dominating the air and blooming with plum blossoms, carried Tiansha’s flaw-breaking principles.
The Great Guardian’s eyes widened as the sword naturally bypassed and severed the palm strikes’ trajectories before surging upward.
"How?!"
His left palm split open, blood gushing, while his right forearm was deeply slashed to the bone.
The Sim-myeong Sword pressed forward. Watching the plum blossoms bloom lavishly, the Great Guardian gritted his teeth and pushed Black Smoke Energy to its limits.
But dozens of plum blossoms pierced his defenses, followed by hundreds of petals swirling around him.
The relentless strikes of Luxuriant Plum Blossoms filled the air with overlapping sword strokes, blossoming into hundreds of variations.
The Black Smoke Energy, which had been devouring the sword energy, gradually thinned, exposing more of the Great Guardian’s skin.
He retreated step by step.
Thud!
Mu Hwi didn’t miss the opening.
The Sim-myeong Sword, raised high, gleamed with violet sword energy sharpened like a flame.
The sword, infused with violet energy, fell vertically.
The Great Guardian desperately crossed his arms, blood spraying as he executed a desperate technique. But by then, a dazzling violet light had already exploded before his eyes.
The elegant stroke of Plum Blossoms at Dusk tore through dozens of palm forces and sliced apart the silent wind blade that had secretly aimed for Mu Hwi’s heart.
"Kuh!"
The Great Guardian coughed blood as he stared at the Sim-myeong Sword impaling his chest, then glared at Mu Hwi.
“It seems the palace’s assessment was mistaken.”
Originally, the Great Guardian had come to Hunan after detecting the movements of the Sacheon Alliance .
But he never expected to be defeated like this by the Hwasan Sword Saint, whom he had considered a warm-up before facing the Heavenly Lord.
And not just defeated—overwhelmed without even inflicting a fatal wound.
The Great Guardian realized the vast disparity between the rumors of Mu Hwi’s strength, his actual power, and his growth rate.
“He is different from me. Did you truly think that merely learning a few techniques in advance would let you oppose him?”
“I’ll handle that myself.”
To the Great Guardian’s final question, Mu Hwi only smirked.
“Thanks for the lessons.”
As his vision faded, the Great Guardian strained to capture Mu Hwi’s face one last time.
'He’s no longer the Third Seat.'
With that final thought, the Great Guardian’s brow furrowed as he breathed his last.
Mu Hwi pulled out the Sim-myeong Sword, shook off the blood, and sheathed it before turning his gaze elsewhere. He immediately dashed toward the rendezvous point where he had promised to reunite with the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
***
Dongting Lake, Henan Province
Forces from the Martial Alliance, as well as sects answering their call for aid, were gathering rapidly.
Xian Zhu, who had arrived with Jongnam Sect disciples, waved when she spotted Dokgo Yul leading the Dokgo Society from the opposite direction.
“Dokgo Yul!”
“Xian Zhu. It’s been a while.”
The two, meeting after a long time, assessed each other’s energy as they had before. But Xian Zhu blinked in surprise, her eyes widening as she stared at Dokgo Yul.
They had always been rivals, achieving similar milestones. But now, unlike before, she couldn’t fully grasp his energy.
“Dokgo Yul, it seems you’ve had a great enlightenment.”
“I did come across a rare opportunity.”
Seeing his confident expression, Xian Zhu tilted her head.
'If I can’t read his energy at my level… Could he have broken through the wall?'
After the burning of Jongnam Mountain, Xian Zhu had trained relentlessly, feeling her own inadequacy. She had even consumed the Jongnam Sect’s supreme elixir, Taeeul Dan, reaching the peak of the Transcendent Realm.
Yet if she couldn’t sense Dokgo Yul’s energy, it could only mean one thing—he had entered the Supreme Realm.
“Let’s talk as we walk.”
“Agreed.”
After a brief exchange, Xian Zhu and Dokgo Yul walked side by side.
'Brother Mu Hwi...'
'Master.'
Both thought of the same person as they quickened their pace.
Having heard that the Hwasan Sect had already entered Hunan, they knew it wouldn’t be long before they reunited.