183
Chapter 183: Let’s Go Back
The Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Formation of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
The Eighteen Swords of the True Night Palace unleashed the Night Palace Killing Star Formation (夜窮殺星陣).
The Night Palace Killing Star Formation was an ultimate formation created to counter not only the Boundless Sky Sword Formation of the Changgong Sect but also the Seven Stars Sword Formation of the Wudang Seven Swords and the Eighteen Arhats Formation of the Eighteen Arhats.
Sword formations clashed against sword formations, and though the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Formation was halted, the Night Palace Killing Star Formation also collapsed in the process.
'The Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Formation... Part of its strength comes from the lack of intel compared to other sword formations in the martial arts world, but the formation itself is an extraordinary masterpiece.'
The leader of the Eighteen Swords of the True Night Palace, Yahon Sword, steadied his breathing and watched as the Plum Blossom Swordsmen swiftly repositioned themselves, his eyes glinting sharply.
Just because the formation had collapsed didn’t mean the battle was over. Yahon Sword’s demonic energy surged like a turbulent current.
"Their momentum is broken. Kill them all!"
"Move as we’ve trained!"
The swordsmen clashed in a chaotic melee, their blades intertwining endlessly.
The first phase had been a contest of collective strength through formations—now, the second phase was a test of individual martial prowess.
Splurt!
A sword slash tore through the Plum Blossom Robe and pierced Mu-hwa’s side, staining it red. However, the demonic warriors who had delivered the strike narrowed his eyes.
'Shallow.'
It should have cleaved through her waist entirely.
But the durability of the Plum Blossom Robe, reinforced with inner energy, and Mu-hwa’s quick thinking—using the Dark Scent Flutter to disperse the strike at the last moment—had reduced it to a shallow wound.
The attack had been meant to kill, so the swordsman’s movement was exaggerated. Mu-hwa didn’t miss the opening as the demonic warriors retracted his blade.
With the Dark Scent Flutter, Mu-hwa spun midair and unleashed a Swift Sword. The rotation, like a spinning top, combined with the ever-changing nature of the Plum Blossom Sword itself.
The demonic warriors’s mind faltered, his right hand gripping the sword hesitating for a split second. He caught the scent of the incoming sword’s fragrance.
'Oh no—'
Swish!
With a clean slicing sound, the demonic warriors’s head flew off.
Mu-hwa, landing after halting her spin, winced as a burning pain rose from her wounded side.
"Huu..."
Her body shuddered from the pain, but she bit her lip and pressed forward.
If she took even a moment to rest, the other Plum Blossom Swordsmen would suffer. Mu-hwa sealed her wound with acupressure to stop the bleeding and charged ahead.
She deflected the blade of a demonic warriors aiming for Muryun’s shoulder. Seizing the opening, Muryun steadied his breath and unleashed the Plum Blossom Scattering Hands.
Crash!
The demonic warriors was sent flying, spraying blood. Muryun and Mu-hwa stood shoulder to shoulder.
"Disciple Muryun! Your eye—!"
"It’s fine! The cut is shallow—my eye’s unharmed! The blood’s just in the way, so I closed it!"
A diagonal sword wound ran across Muryun’s left eyebrow, drenching half his face in blood.
"Are you sure?"
"Mu-hwa, don’t push yourself. Didn’t you just save Musang from the other side?"
"I’m the fastest here."
Mu-hwa and Muryun exchanged glances, nodded, and then dashed off in opposite directions.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Three demonic swordsmen struck and retreated, launching a coordinated assault, but Mu-cheol stood firm against them alone.
"Die!"
The three demonic swordsmen roared and thrust their swords simultaneously. Three strands of demonic energy twisted together, forming a massive sword aura that shot toward Mu-cheol.
"Hmph."
A visible mist of cold air burst from Mu-cheol’s mouth. With a deep breath, he infused his Plum Blossom Sword with Purple Sunset Sword Energy.
A razor-thin sword aura built up from the center of the blade, layer upon layer, until the entire sword was densely packed with energy. A pure purple light scattered through the air like ink.
A massive, thick petal—so large it obscured even Mu-cheol’s towering figure. The petal slowly rotated, multiplying into five petals before a single Iron Plum Blossom erupted with a majestic energy wave.
Iron Plum Fortress (鐵梅哲城).
Boom!
The sword aura crashed head-on, but the unyielding iron plum blossom only trembled—it did not break.
Meanwhile, Mu-cheol leaped over the demonic swordsmen and swung his Plum Blossom Sword horizontally with immense force.
Iron Plum Crossing the River (鐵梅渡河).
The steel petals danced along the elongated slash, slicing through the swords the demonic swordsmen raised in defense.
Two demonic swordsmen coughed blood and collapsed. The last one, barely dodging, clicked his tongue as he watched Mu-cheol take heavy, unyielding steps forward.
"You... Do you not feel pain?"
Bloodstains were spreading across Mu-cheol’s uniform, yet he didn’t stop. He saw himself as the shield of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
"As a disciple who has mastered the Iron Plum Sword Technique, this is my duty."
After bisecting the last demonic warriors’s waist, Mu-cheol’s eyes locked onto something—then he immediately lunged.
Crash!
A vertical black sword aura descended, obliterating dozens of plum blossoms conjured by Mujin. The recoil sent Mujin stumbling back, blood trickling from his lips.
Yahon Sword tore through the dust cloud, thrusting his sword horizontally. Mujin twisted his body, but blood spurted from his shoulder.
"Orthodox martial arts are slow to master, yet you display astonishing skill."
Yahon Sword smirked, glancing at the wound Mujin had left on his hand.
'He must be their leader. He’s strong.'
Though overwhelmed by Yahon Sword’s relentless assault, Mujin’s gaze remained unbroken.
If Yahon Sword turned his attention elsewhere, his fellow disciples would die instantly. So Mujin clenched his teeth and endured.
Yahon Sword seemed to read his thoughts and sneered.
"You’ve lasted long enough. Time to end this."
Yahon Sword’s strides lengthened, his sword speed doubling as it blurred through the air.
A thick black sword aura erupted from his long blade, surging diagonally in a devastating slash.
Mujin deployed Plum Blossom Endurance (梅花忍冬), but the plum blossoms shattered under the pressure.
'Once more.'
Mujin refused to give up.
Just as he widened his eyes to swing his sword one last time, the sturdiest swordsman of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen stepped in front of him.
Kwaaaang!
An iron plum blossom—twice as large and thick as Mujin’s—blocked Yahon Sword’s deadly strike.
"Senior Disciple Mujin."
Mujin was about to respond when he noticed a purple flash streaking toward Yahon Sword’s back and shut his mouth.
Mu-hwa, using the Dark Scent Flutter, had flown in, aiming for Yahon Sword’s spine.
"You dare strike from behind?!"
"Hmph!"
When his ambush was blocked, Mu-hwa immediately unleashed a flurry of Swift Strikes, locking blades with Yahon Sword.
Understanding Yahon Sword’s swordsmanship, Mu-hwa closed the distance, denying him room to strike properly. She unleashed rapid slashes without pause.
"Now!"
Seeing this, Mujin and Mu-cheol also lunged at Yahon Sword. Now, Yahon Sword had to contend with the combined assault of the Hwasan Three Flowers. Even for him, this was no easy task.
"You pests!"
A bombardment of plum blossoms from three sides.
Yahon Sword frantically swung his sword in all directions, blocking the relentless storm of petals.
The trio’s coordination was flawless—their combined force exceeded mere arithmetic addition.
Moreover, though they all practiced the same Hwasan swordsmanship, their individual styles were so distinct that countering them was incredibly difficult.
'Their sword techniques are this different?'
One was fast, another heavy.
The last balanced speed, power, and versatility, harmonizing the three swords into a seamless unity.
Crash!
Yahon Sword barely blocked Mu-cheol’s Iron Plum strike, skidding backward—only for Mu-hwa to slip in low and slash at his ankles before retreating.
"Tch!"
As Yahon Sword staggered, Mujin slashed downward from the front.
Though it seemed like a simple vertical cut, the strike concealed nine hidden variations.
Plum Blossom Nine Transformations (梅花九變).
"Brat!"
Yahon Sword reversed his grip and slashed upward violently. He barely managed to block the technique, shredding petals and blossoms—only for Mu-cheol and Mu-hwa to strike from both flanks.
Iron Plum Falling into the Lake (鐵梅落湖).
Plum Blossom Revealing its Beauty (梅花吐艶).
Meanwhile, Mujin, bracing with his strong lower body, unleashed the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Art once more.
Plum Shadows Forming a River (梅影造河).
"Do not resent us for this combined attack."
"Haaap!"
"Let’s carve him up nicely and gift him to our Grandmaster."
From above, a massive iron plum blossom descended. From below, dozens of plum blossoms spun, scattering razor-sharp petals.
Finally, from the middle, a wave of sword shadows guided the blossoms above and below.
Following Mujin’s dozens of sword shadows, not only his own plum blossoms but also Mu-cheol’s and Mu-hwa’s floated together.
The plum blossoms unleashed by the trio cascaded like a flood, engulfing Yahon Sword.
Sizzle!
A thick black demonic energy erupted from Yahon Sword’s blade like a waterfall—but it was soon swallowed by the tide of plum blossoms.
***
Mu Hwi and the Sword Immortal stepped forward simultaneously. Ripples spread across Dongting Lake’s surface, distorting the reflections of the two masters.
A black sword aura and a pure white sword aura intertwined, forming a circle as if chasing each other’s tails.
A Taiji formed at the tip of the Formless Sword.
Watching the Taiji Wisdom Sword unfold once more, Mu Hwi also unleashed the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
The purple afterimages of the Sim-myeong Sword scattered in the air, transforming into sword shadows and petals.
The Myriad Transformations (千變萬化) of swordplay.
The petals of sword energy scattered from the Sim-myeong Sword rained down on Dongting Lake. For a brief moment, a plum blossom forest bloomed atop the water.
For a sword duel, the Sword Immortal and Sword Saint’s movements were incredibly slow—as if demonstrating swordplay to a child.
Because of this, Dongting Lake perfectly reflected the two absolute masters.
Though their swords moved at a pace even ordinary people could follow, the depth in each stroke was indescribable.
Even if one could see it, replicating it was impossible—it carried an unfathomable profundity.
Every time the Taiji Wisdom Sword unfolded, a whirlpool formed at the Sword Immortal’s feet. Circular energy waves rose gently into the air, following the sword’s path.
Not only the floating petals but even the water droplets kicked up by the masters’ steps hovered midair.
The petals and droplets orbited Mu Hwi and the Sword Immortal, spinning endlessly.
Above the circulating Taiji, plum blossoms bloomed in full glory.
Under Dongting Lake’s sunlight, the petals and droplets shimmered brilliantly, like a constellation of tiny stars floating on the water at noon.
Surrounded by stars, the two swordsmen moved slowly in harmony—like a sword dance, or a painting come to life.
One thing was certain: they were conversing through their swords. Only they knew what was being said.
"......"
Thus, Mu Hwi and the Sword Immortal exchanged no words—only sword strokes.
Splash!
The moment their feet touched the lake’s surface simultaneously, ripples spread across the calm water. The speed of their clashing swords began to accelerate.
The once slow movements now blurred into near-invisibility, appearing only as flashes of light. Dongting Lake’s surface reflected nothing but brilliant sword glares.
Clang!
When Mu Hwi and the Sword Immortal crossed paths, they had already leaped into the air, exchanging blows mid-flight.
Hundreds of plum blossoms reflected on Dongting Lake’s mirror-like surface. Seeing the plum blossoms blooming extravagantly in the sky, the Sword Immortal simply drew a light circle in the air.
As the circle formed, the plum blossoms filling the sky withered away. The Sim-myeong Sword scattered purple light, and new plum blossoms bloomed to fill the empty space.
The speed at which the plum blossoms vanished and reappeared was perfectly matched. Meanwhile, the distance between the two masters gradually closed.
The Sword Immortal and Mu Hwi slashed downward simultaneously.
Whoosh!
The shockwave from their clash spread in all directions, churning Dongting Lake’s calm surface into rough waves.
The force was so strong that even the boats of distant fishermen rocked dangerously.
Mu Hwi and the Sword Immortal were blown back by the impact, plummeting toward Dongting Lake.
The Sword Immortal glided through the air as if painting calligraphy, descending slowly like a falling leaf.
Mu Hwi, on the other hand, seemed to be in freefall—until he thrust his sword toward the water.
The Sim-myeong Sword pierced halfway into the lake’s surface before stopping. Mu Hwi flipped midair and landed gracefully on the water, still holding his sword-thrusting pose.
As Dongting Lake’s waves calmed, Mu Hwi and the Sword Immortal faced each other again.
The Sword Immortal smiled at Mu Hwi.
"Magnificent."
Mu Hwi silently clasped his fists in respect.
The Sword Immortal turned his head.
"Let’s go back. To Jangsa."
"Yes, Elder."