179
Chapter 179: This Time, I’ll Definitely Keep My Promise
While reviewing the battle with Spear Sovereign, Mu Hwi had kept his senses spread wide around him. When he felt the presence of Sword Immortal approaching, he opened his eyes and stood up from his seat.
“Elder Sword Immortal.”
“Mu Hwi. So, you were the one who dealt with Sacheon Alliance Leader?”
“Yes.”
At his unwavering answer, Sword Immortal nodded. Stroking his beard gently, Sword Immortal examined Mu Hwi’s aura.
‘It’s hard to fully gauge his cultivation now. He absorbs teachings like a sponge.’
Not only had he fully internalized Sword Immortal’s teachings, but it also seemed that with each powerful enemy he faced and defeated, he leaped forward in progress. Otherwise, there was no way he could have faced Spear Sovereign head-on today and emerged unscathed.
When Sword Immortal had sensed Spear Sovereign’s overwhelming aura from afar, it was clear he had been fighting with everything he had—just as if he were facing the Three Seats.
“Good.”
Sword Immortal turned his gaze to the Iron Mountain Fist King, who was deep in meditation.
“I originally came to assist the Iron Mountain Fist King, but it’s fortunate you arrived first. How is the injury on your leg?”
“It’s fine. As long as I don’t push myself too hard, it should heal quickly.”
Just as Sword Immortal turned his head after hearing the answer, the Iron Mountain Fist King finished his meditation and opened his eyes. He looked at Sword Immortal and Mu Hwi in turn.
“Senior. Junior.”
“Judging by your complexion, you seem alright.”
“Yes. I’ve stabilized the worst of my internal injuries. With a bit more rest, I should recover fully.”
Then, the Iron Mountain Fist King turned to Mu Hwi.
“Junior. Thank you. I never thought I’d owe my life to you.”
As he spoke, the Iron Mountain Fist King scrutinized Mu Hwi’s physique. Though hidden beneath his plum-blossom robe and martial attire, the Iron Mountain Fist King didn’t miss the changes in Mu Hwi’s body.
“You’ve developed the optimal musculature for swordsmanship through the external techniques I taught you. No wonder your progress has been so astonishing. I should train harder myself. Truly impressive.”
At the Iron Mountain Fist King’ earnest words, Sword Immortal pretended not to hear and continued stroking his beard, while Mu Hwi simply nodded.
“Ah… Yes.”
Sword Immortal, as if trying to change the subject, spoke up.
“They’re coming.”
At his words, Mu Hwi and the Iron Mountain Fist King turned their gazes. In the distance, a group was rapidly approaching—the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and the Martial Alliance’s combat unit.
“The Plum Blossom Swordsmen. They clashed head-on with Sacheon Alliance’s escort unit, the Ten Thousand Blood Unit, yet didn’t yield an inch. You’ve taught them well.”
“You flatter me.”
“Let’s head back. By now, most of the forces should have gathered in Changsha.”
***
Changsha, Hunan Province
Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, was a fertile region developed around the lower reaches of the Xiang River. The Martial Alliance’s Changsha branch was the largest in Hunan, making it the natural rallying point for the alliance’s forces.
Currently, countless martial artists were gathering in Changsha—most of them righteous faction members affiliated with the Martial Alliance. With the sudden emergence of the Black Night Palace’s overwhelming forces and the mobilization of Sacheon’s army in Jiangxi, the Martial Alliance was swiftly assembling its own forces.
Mu Hwi and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen were resting in their assigned quarters.
“The Sect Leader and elders are on their way?”
“Yes. They left some disciples to guard the main sect and are bringing the rest. The leaders of other sects are also arriving in succession.”
“Hmm…”
Mujin, who had been reporting the situation, hesitated for a moment before asking.
“Senior Disciple. So far, the clashes have been skirmishes between combat units, but it seems things will escalate from here.”
“You’re talking about a full-scale war.”
“Yes.”
Until now, the conflicts between sects in Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Anhui had involved a limited number of combatants. But the Black Night Palace had now revealed its hidden strength in full force, and Sacheon Alliance was gathering its large army in Jiangxi, with the Guyu Sect converging there as well.
At any moment, they could cross the border from Jiangxi into Hunan, where the Martial Alliance and the Black Night Palace were amassing their forces. The situation was at a tipping point.
“Given the current pattern, that’s highly likely.”
Seeing that Mu Hwi didn’t deny it, Mujin’s face darkened.
“Many martial artists will die.”
Mujin’s voice wavered slightly, his worry evident. Though he phrased it generally, it was clear he was concerned about the Hwasan Sect disciples who would be sent to the battlefield.
“Hmm…”
While the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and the first-generation disciples had experience in large-scale battles, the second-generation disciples did not. The thought of their juniors stepping onto such a grand stage naturally weighed heavily on Mujin.
“I won’t say everyone will survive. That’s just a dream. You can’t hold everything in your hands.”
Mu Hwi’s blunt response made Mujin nod faintly and sigh.
“But their martial arts aren’t shallow, either. I didn’t teach them to die easily. Let’s trust our fellow disciples.”
“Yes, Senior Disciple.”
“And remember what I once taught you. The reason we train in the sword is to embody the Tao we pursue through our swordsmanship—to practice the Tao with our swords.”
Mujin’s eyes lit up immediately.
“Of course, Senior Disciple.”
“Practicing the Tao with the sword also has two purposes of self-cultivation.”
After a moment of thought, Mujin nodded.
“You mean self-cultivation (修身) to refine oneself and self-preservation (守身) to protect oneself.”
“Right. Our swords, as disciples of the Tao, are meant to practice the Tao while also protecting it. As long as you remember that, it’ll be enough.”
Mujin understood what Mu Hwi was implying. If the Hwasan Sect disciples fought to protect one another, they would have nothing to fear, no matter how many enemies they faced.
“I’ll pass this on to the disciples.”
“Good. Though I’m sure they’ll figure it out on their own.”
Mujin left with a slightly lighter expression, but Mu Hwi felt an inexplicable restlessness. He stepped outside and wandered through the garden.
“A battlefield…”
Memories of his past life’s Shaanxi Bloodshed—an unpleasant recollection—flashed through his mind as he pressed his lips into a thin line and walked.
“Hyeon Jo. Now I understand why you often made that face.”
Mu Hwi smiled bitterly, recalling the expressions Hyeon Jo often wore on the battlefield.
The Sword Devil, who had participated in the Shaanxi Bloodshed, hadn’t had much to worry about. Aside from occasionally keeping an eye on Dokgo Yul, who had followed him on a whim, his only task had been to slaughter the demonic warriors before him. For the Sword Devil, it was simply about cutting and cutting again.
But Hyeon Jo, who had fought beside him, had often worn a far more complicated expression.
The Sword Devil had never asked why, but now, as Mu Hwi, he thought he understood.
“There’s so much more to protect now. This is unfamiliar.”
Hyeon Jo must have worn that expression every time Huashan Sect disciples fell in battle. A battlefield wasn’t just about defeating the enemy—it was never that simple.
Even after cutting down a hundred demonic warriors, Hyeon Jo would grieve if even one disciple was lost.
For every gain, there was a loss.
To minimize those losses, Hyeon Jo had to swing his sword even more desperately.
It was the moment he realized that protecting was twice as hard as killing.
“Protect…”
As Mu Hwi murmured to himself, Dokgo Yul approached from across the garden. Spotting Mu Hwi, he glanced around cautiously.
“Don’t worry. It’s just us. I’ve set up a barrier.”
Only then did Dokgo Yul hurry over to him.
“Master. I’ve finally broken through the wall.”
He looked at him expectantly, hoping for praise.
“You managed it, huh.”
Mu Hwi had sensed his reaching the Transcendent Realm the moment he saw him, so he merely smirked.
“I didn’t take any requests and focused entirely on training. The new Dokgo Heart Method and that unfinished sword technique, too.”
Before parting in Sacheon, Mu Hwi had taught her the modified Dokgo Heart Method and three new sword techniques. It seemed he had naturally reached the Transcendent Realm while mastering them. Though his reaction was calm, Mu Hwi was genuinely pleased with his progress.
“Now I’ve finally caught up to Master’s past achievements.”
Watching him puff out his chest proudly, Mu Hwi let out a dry laugh.
“You fool. Not all Transcendent Realm experts are equal. Don’t get complacent—keep pushing forward.”
“I know.”
After that, master and disciple walked side by side in silence, slowly circling the garden.
“Master. It seems like a full-scale war will break out soon.”
“I know.”
“It’ll be bigger than the Shaanxi Bloodshed.”
Dokgo Yul glanced at Mu Hwi’s silent profile before speaking in a subdued voice.
“What happened back then… Won’t happen again, right?”
At his question, Mu Hwi stopped walking. He simply raised his head and stared at the sky. Unable to bear it, Dokgo Yul pressed again.
“Master. Why won’t you answer?”
“What are you so worried about?”
Mu Hwi chuckled, but Dokgo Yul didn’t voice his thoughts.
“Master…”
“Don’t worry. Reaching the Transcendent Realm isn’t the end. There’s still much more I have to teach you.”
At his firm words, Dokgo Yul smiled wryly.
“Then you have to keep your promise this time.”
“Promise?”
As he echoed his words, Mu Hwi remembered.
Back during the Shaanxi Bloodshed, before ascending the mountain with Hyeon Jo to face the previous palace lord, he had made a promise to Dokgo Yul.
“Stay at the inn. After I kill that palace lord, I’ll teach you a new sword technique.”
But that promise had gone unfulfilled.
He had been ambushed by Heukcheon, fallen off a cliff, and died.
Mu Hwi turned to face Dokgo Yul, who had been walking behind him.
“Disciple. This time, I’ll definitely keep my promise.”
“Yes, Master.”
Master and disciple exchanged a faint smile.
***
Mu Hwi and Xian Zhu strolled through the streets of Changsha at night. Though the sun had set, the city was alive with vibrant lanterns, and merchants continued their business late into the evening.
Xian Zhu held onto Mu Hwi’s arm, carefully observing his gait.
“Brother Mu Hwi. I heard you were badly injured. How are you now?”
“It’s mostly healed. After reaching the Absolute Realm, most wounds recover quickly.”
“Really? If it hadn’t, I was going to apply Golden Wound Ointment for you myself. What a shame.”
Mu Hwi flinched and shook his head.
“No need.”
“Hmph.”
Xian Zhu snorted, then stared intently at Mu Hwi’s face before stroking his cheek.
“Your skin’s gotten even smoother. Is this also because of your breakthrough? I need to reach the Transcendent Realm soon, too.”
Mu Hwi leaned back to avoid her touch, then suddenly moved toward a street vendor.
“Two candied hawthorns, please.”
He quickly bought them and shoved one into Xian Zhu’s mouth to distract her. Xian Zhu stared at him, then grinned and chewed the treat.
“The Alliance Leader will arrive in Changsha tomorrow, and the meeting to discuss future plans will begin.”
“After that, the Martial Alliance will move in full force.”
“This brief respite ends today, then.”
Though the Martial Alliance’s forces were holding their ground across Hunan, the Black Night Palace continued its advance, pushing back or overrunning several branches. Xian Zhu herself had just returned from leading Jongnam Sect disciples in battle against the Black Night Palace’s demonic warriors.
Amidst all this, she had made time to see Mu Hwi, skipping rest just for this moment.
“I’ve trained hard, but I still can’t fight side by side with you yet.”
“Heh. That’s how it is.”
Xian Zhu quickly finished her candied hawthorn, puffing her cheeks like a squirrel before speaking.
“I’ll fight hard in my own place, so you be careful too, Brother.”
“Why tell me to be careful?”
“No matter how strong you get, my worry for you never lessens.”
At her quiet words, Mu Hwi smirked.
“I’ll keep that in mind. You be careful too.”
“If you say so, I will.”
Mu Hwi and Xian Zhu wandered the streets, smiling faintly. But time, cruel as ever, passed swiftly.
Every martial artist in Changsha could feel it—the moment was drawing near.
Veteran masters meditated quietly in their quarters, preparing their minds and bodies, while hot-blooded younger disciples sparred lightly among themselves to pass the time.
“Everyone’s here.”
The Alliance Leader removed his bamboo hat as he surveyed the gathered heroes before him.