176
Chapter 176: Let Me Join In Too.
After joining forces with the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, Mu Hwi continued eastward toward Changsha, where the Martial Alliance was said to be gathering.
The area where Mu Hwi and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen had been active was part of western Hunan Province, so reaching Changsha, located at the eastern edge of Hunan, required covering a considerable distance.
Along the way, their group gradually grew larger, as they occasionally encountered Martial Alliance forces engaged in battles with the Black Night Palace.
Thus, Mu Hwi, taking advantage of their eastward journey, used the assistance of the Thousand Killer Chosen Sect to eliminate any Black Night Palace demonic warriors they came across, advancing steadily.
“Lady Im. How is your condition?”
Mu Hwi spoke while looking at Im Su-ryeon, who was resting by the campfire.
Though they adjusted their pace to accommodate Im Su-ryeon, who had no martial training, it was still quite fast.
In truth, Im Su-ryeon rarely had to walk this far or this quickly in her life.
“I wouldn’t say it isn’t difficult, but it’s not unbearable. Rather, I’m worried that my presence might be slowing us down.”
Im Su-ryeon replied calmly and slightly stiffly, as usual.
“Don’t worry. I’m adjusting things well enough.”
“That’s a relief.”
Mu Hwi nodded and then asked,
“How is the competition within the merchant group?”
“It’s progressing smoothly. Thanks to you, Great Hero Mu Hwi, and the Hwasan Sect. There are only about two competitors left now. I plan to settle things within three years.”
“Three years... It feels like we’ve mostly just been receiving help, so I’m glad to hear that.”
Im Su-ryeon smiled faintly and continued while watching the flickering campfire.
“The Cheonryu Merchant Group has never had a woman as its leader before. I truly want to be the first to achieve that.”
Her voice carried determination, and the firelight reflected in her pupils seemed to burn fiercely.
“That will happen. The Hwasan Sect will stand by your side.”
“Will you become the Sect Leader?”
“That’s the plan. But I can’t quite picture it yet.”
Im Su-ryeon nodded slightly, then turned her head to look at Mu Hwi’s profile.
‘What a shame.’
Since meeting Mu Hwi, Im Su-ryeon had often imagined what her life might have been like if she had lived as a martial artist.
Though often called the Hwasan Sword Saint, she felt that by Mu Hwi’s side, there would be nothing to fear. At times, she even envied the Hwasan disciples who traveled with him.
She had also imagined Mu Hwi standing by her side as the merchant group’s leader, but as they talked about the future, she realized it would remain just that—an imagination.
‘A merchant must always face reality.’
When she was kidnapped, Mu Hwi was the first and most frequent person to come to mind.
Thanks to that, she had clarified her uncertain feelings, but when she weighed the costs like she did in business, she knew it was something she shouldn’t pursue.
For the greater good, this was the right path.
Even a renowned merchant couldn’t have everything. Rather, the more one held in their hands, the more they had to learn to let go.
‘But I don’t regret it. In fact, I’m happy. Just being able to meet Great Hero Mu Hwi like this is enough. I’ll do my best, as I always have.’
Gently clutching her sleeve, Im Su-ryeon nodded to herself.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“It’s nothing.”
When Mu Hwi noticed her gaze and asked, Im Su-ryeon responded with a serene smile.
“I’ll continue to support you from behind, just as I have been.”
“I’ll be counting on you.”
Im Su-ryeon’s smile seemed slightly more melancholic than usual.
‘Is she tired?’
Lost in thought for a moment, Mu Hwi turned his head at the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Graceful One. Were you resting?”
“It’s fine. What is it?”
“We’ve located Jinanma, as we discussed earlier. Judging by the movement of his forces, it seems he’s heading toward Xiangtan, the destination of the Iron Mountain Fist King.”
“Xiangtan. That’s close to here.”
“Correct. We can arrive by tomorrow.”
After checking the map Munyeong unfurled, Mu Hwi nodded.
Xiangtan was located just south of Changsha and was one of the key strategic points for blocking the Black Night Palace’s northward advance.
“By the way, Senior Fist King is quite elusive too—fighting Guishanma in Jiangxi one moment, then suddenly appearing in Hunan.”
It seemed the Iron Mountain Fist King found leading troops cumbersome and preferred to roam freely, wreaking havoc on the battlefield alone.
“He likely gathers information and moves as he pleases. Jinanma seems to have barely caught up while leading his own forces.”
“Let’s move out at dawn.”
“Understood, Graceful One.”
As Munyeong folded the map, Mu Hwi spoke again.
“We’d have been in deep trouble without the Thousand Killer Chosen Sect. Are the disciples alright? It’s quite dangerous work.”
“Yes. Compared to assassination missions, this is easy.”
Munyeong’s expression turned bitter for the first time in a while.
“If our sect’s full strength were intact, we wouldn’t be limited to just gathering information. It’s regrettable.”
“Even this much is a great help to the martial arts world. For now, stabilizing the shaken Thousand Killer Chosen Sect is the priority.”
“You’re right, Graceful One.”
As Munyeong prepared to vanish back into the shadows, Mu Hwi asked,
“Why not rest a while?”
“No. There are more reports coming in soon. Please rest, Graceful One.”
Watching Munyeong disappear, Mu Hwi closed his eyes and entered meditation.
Reviewing the battle with the Great Guardian.
That day’s battle had given him much to reflect on.
He had experienced several demonic technique similar to the Black Heaven Divine Technique and confirmed the effectiveness of their countermeasures firsthand. Experiencing martial arts of the same lineage was a great advantage.
After organizing his thoughts on demonic techniques, Mu Hwi continued delving into the insights of the Heavenly Killer Emperor whenever he had time.
‘For an assassin to reach such heights—what an incredible man.’
Some of his pursuits aligned with Mu Hwi’s, while others offered entirely different perspectives.
Though he couldn’t accept everything, merely pondering the insights and questions left by the Heavenly Killer Emperor was immensely helpful.
The writings, insights, and questions left by the Heavenly Killer Emperor.
The martial arts of the Thousand Killer Chosen Sect, passed down by the Heavenly Killer Emperor.
As he meditated deeply, an image of the Heavenly Killer Emperor formed in Mu Hwi’s mind.
Though it was just his imagination, the Heavenly Killer Emperor—holding a curved blade in one hand and a straight blade in the other—radiated the aura of a peerless assassin, no, a god of death, capable of slaying even absolute masters.
Drawing the Sim-myeong Sword in his mind, Mu Hwi faced the imagined Heavenly Killer Emperor.
In the depths of his consciousness, Mu Hwi and the Heavenly Killer Emperor began their duel.
Mu Hwi’s expression twisted and relaxed repeatedly as the mental training unfolded.
***
At the break of dawn, Mu Hwi’s group headed toward Xiangtan but immediately went on alert upon spotting a large crowd ahead.
“Civilians… And the Martial Alliance?”
Mu Hwi, as an absolute master, could see the farthest and spoke while activating his vision-enhancing technique.
As the distance closed, it became clear they were Martial Alliance forces.
They were escorting civilians, but most of the martial artists were covered in blood, making it hard to find anyone unharmed.
“Sword Lord!”
“Ah, Righteous Heaven Unit Scout Leader! You’re safe too.”
The alliance members exchanged warm greetings before their eyes lit up at the sight of Mu Hwi and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
“Could these be…?”
“Yes! The Hwasan Sword Saint and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen!”
“Ohh…”
The great leaders marveled briefly before their expressions hardened, and they turned toward Xiangtan.
“Sword Saint! The Iron Mountain Fist King is currently holding off the demons alone!”
At those words, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and other martial artists widened their eyes.
“Fist King is fighting alone?”
“Yes. He ordered us to retreat with the civilians. Ashamed as we are, that’s how things unfolded.”
Judging by their condition, the forces from Xiangtan had been fighting nonstop for days, leaving them in terrible shape.
Their auras, faint and flickering, indicated they urgently needed rest and medical treatment.
The Iron Mountain Fist King must have known this and sent them back with the civilians.
“I understand the situation.”
Mu Hwi looked at the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and the assembled forces before speaking.
“Let’s split up. Sword Spirit Great Leader, escort the civilians to Changsha with the forces from Xiangtan. The remaining forces will join the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and head to Xiangtan to support Fist King.”
The great leaders nodded in agreement.
“Time is of the essence, so I’ll go ahead. Follow as quickly as you can.”
With that, Mu Hwi dashed toward Xiangtan.
In an instant, his figure became a distant speck, leaving the onlookers stunned.
“Wow… When will I ever be able to move like Senior Disciple?”
“Hmm…”
Mujin trailed off, unable to provide a proper answer. The other Plum Blossom Swordsmen and remaining forces felt the same.
Before they could even blink, Mu Hwi had vanished, leaving everyone in awe. Hyeon Baek was the first to snap out of it and shouted,
“No time to waste! Let’s hurry!”
“Right! Let’s go!”
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen and the forces immediately channeled their movement techniques to follow Mu Hwi’s path.
But there was no hope of catching sight of him again.
***
Boom!
A heavy shockwave echoed through the canyon.
With each movement of the bare-chested Iron Mountain Fist King’s arms and the clenching of his fists, his muscles writhed as if alive.
When the power of his entire body condensed into his rock-like fists, the trembling muscles abruptly stilled.
For the demonic warriors charging at him, that stillness was akin to a death sentence.
Boom!
The fist he unleashed into the air expelled the surrounding atmosphere, creating a deafening shockwave.
The demonic warriors caught in the path of his strike were reduced to bloody mist without even a scream.
“Third Unit! Forward!”
“Break through!”
Peak masters of the demonic sects unleashed their most lethal techniques.
But no matter how sharp their sword energy, how heavy their palm strikes, or how fierce their fist techniques, none could breach the Iron Mountain Fist King’s defensive skill, the Silent Mountain Stance.
Crash!
Even the self-destructive demonic technique of the demonic warriors was futile. The Iron Mountain Fist King, his muscles swelling massively, hurled himself through explosions unscathed.
The black storm of demonic energy and hundreds of blood-red projectiles shattered harmlessly against his muscles.
“That tickles.”
The Iron Mountain Fist King chuckled, lightly brushing off his bulging chest muscles before licking his lips.
“What kind of defensive skill is that?!”
“His muscles… They’re growing even bigger!”
The demonic warriors couldn’t help but panic. Though they had spent their lives mastering bizarre demonic technique, few things were as grotesque as the Iron Mountain Fist King’s muscles.
Already massive, his muscles swelled further with each punch, making him look less like a man and more like an asura from legend.
“Pathetic. Blinded by demonic arts and shortcuts, you neglected to train your muscles. That’s why you’re in this state.”
Creak!
As each of his fingers slowly curled, a spine-chilling metallic scraping sound echoed.
When all five fingers clenched into a fist, the Iron Mountain Fist King struck the air once more.
A colossal fist-shaped energy swept toward the demons, only to be met by an overwhelming palm force from the opposite direction.
Boom!
Despite the gale-force winds whipping his head back, the Iron Mountain Fist King lunged forward without hesitation.
At the same time, an old man in black robes descended from above, slamming twin palms toward the Iron Mountain Fist King’s head.
“Done watching from the sidelines? Finally decided to step in?”
“Pleasure, Iron Mountain Fist King. I am Jinanma.”
Jinanma swirled demonic energy around his arms like a storm before thrusting his fingers to shred the Iron Mountain Fist King’s muscles.
The Iron Mountain Fist King deflected the claw strike with the back of his hand and countered with a punch aimed at Jinanma’s abdomen.
But Jinanma curled his fingers and caught the fist head-on.
In the brief moment they clashed mid-air, the two exchanged dozens of blows before landing and stepping back.
As they prepared to clash again, laughter rang out from another direction.
“This looks fun. Let me join in too.”
Despite the distance, the voice was crystal clear. Both the Iron Mountain Fist King and Jinanma turned their heads.
Spear Sovereign walked toward them, smiling.
“The Spear That Parts the Heavens.”
“Why is Spear Sovereign here?”
The three masters locked eyes, gathering their energy.