192
Chapter 192: We Are Martial Artists (武林人).
The Sword Immortal slumped to the ground as if collapsing. His breathing, which had been calm and steady until now, became ragged the moment the Heukcheon vanished.
“Sword Immortal!”
Mu Hwi, who had been desperately unleashing the Dark Scent Flutter, rushed to support him.
“It’s exhausting. Feels like I’ve fought for seven days and nights straight.”
As the Sword Immortal spoke, the other supreme masters gathered around him.
“Old man, you’ve grown even stronger.”
The Spear Sovereign’s words made the Paewangseong Lord nod in agreement.
“Watching this sword debate, it’s clear none of the Three Seats have remained stagnant. Yet all three were defeated… It seems the times are changing.”
The gazes of the Paewangseong Lord and the Spear Sovereign as they looked down at the Sword Immortal held something special.
It wasn’t just the look of lifelong rivals—it was more like looking at a cherished friend.
Beyond the division of righteousness, evil, and dominance, they had spent years opposing and acknowledging one another.
“So it has come to this.”
At the Paewangseong Lord’s words, the Sword Immortal let out a weak laugh. Yet, Mu Hwi’s expression remained grim.
Mu Hwi asked in a suppressed voice,
“Elder Sword Immortal… What exactly did you mean by what you said to the Heukcheon?”
“Mu Hwi.”
“Yes.”
“I saw you fight the Paewangseong Lord. Even the Venomous Blade would struggle to gauge victory against you. But against the Heukcheon, it would be futile. He’s not an opponent you can defeat even with combined efforts. You must reach a level worthy of facing him.”
“Is the method you speak of… Internal energy?”
Mu Hwi’s voice was hoarse, as if choked. The Sword Immortal smiled and patted his head.
“Of course not. Simply having more internal energy doesn’t make one the Greatest Under Heaven.”
The Alliance Leader, who had been listening nearby, spoke up.
“Then what do you intend to do?”
“Heart, Energy, Body. These three elements must be balanced and elevated to raise one’s level.”
The Sword Immortal planned to refine the Body through the Bolmo Sesu method and enhance the Energy through Gyeokche Jeonryeok.
The Paewangseong Lord, who had been listening, asked,
“That’s fine for the other two, but what about the Heart?”
“I intend to imbue the internal energy used in Bolmo Sesu and Gyeokche Jeonryeok with the Venomous Blade’s insights.”
The Paewangseong Lord narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, while the Spear Sovereign laughed and asked,
“You’re going to transfer enlightenment? Old man, have you lost your mind from fighting? How could that even be possible?”
“The insights of martial arts—when you think about it, they’re the culmination of one’s will. It’s all a matter of perspective. We imbue our limbs and weapons with intent, and we condense our will into form. Is it so strange to imbue internal energy with intent?”
Even the Alliance Leader’s expression darkened.
“I’ve never heard of such a thing. If you attempt this, it would be unprecedented in martial history.”
The Sword Immortal nodded.
“You’re right. It’s something that suddenly came to me while pondering how to save this martial arts world. But it’s worth trying.”
He looked at the supreme masters gathered around him.
“When I faced the Heukcheon, I felt nothing. Truly empty. Only in the final exchange did I sense something.”
“What was it?” Mu Hwi asked.
The Sword Immortal raised his head and gazed at the scenery before him.
“An abyss of solitude. A man who carries profound loneliness even as he breathes the same air as this martial arts world. His words about cleansing the martial arts world weren’t empty—if anything, they were understated.”
The Sword Immortal looked at Mu Hwi.
“We must stop him. Shouldn’t we try everything we can?”
Mu Hwi met the Sword Immortal’s eyes—clear and undisturbed, like the calm surface of Dongting Lake.
Finally, Mu Hwi nodded.
“I will follow your will, Elder Sword Immortal.”
“I’m sorry to burden you so heavily.”
“Senior. I’ll help too,” the Alliance Leader said.
The Sword Immortal firmly shook his head.
“You’ve lost an arm and need to recover. Pushing yourself now would only hinder the Venomous Blade and Mu Hwi.”
His tone was resolute. He knew the Alliance Leader would stubbornly insist otherwise.
Listening to this, the Spear Sovereign interjected,
“Old man, are you saying you can do all this alone?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Hmph.”
The Spear Sovereign stepped between Mu Hwi and the Sword Immortal, taking a seat.
“This martial arts world is my playground. I can’t just sit back and leave its protection to others.”
He looked at Mu Hwi and the Sword Immortal.
“Besides, this absurd plan sounds fun. No one in this martial arts world has ever tried it.”
Meanwhile, the Paewangseong Lord sat on the opposite side, facing the Spear Sovereign. Now, the four of them were seated in a circle.
“Sword Immortal, you said this method would allow another challenge, didn’t you? I, too, will use this to face the Heukcheon. If he intends to destroy my martial arts world, I can’t just stand by. I’ll assist.”
The reactions of the Spear Sovereign and the Paewangseong Lord left not only the Sword Immortal but also the Alliance Leader and Mu Hwi wide-eyed. They hadn’t even asked for help, yet these two stepped forward without hesitation.
And they did so for Mu Hwi and the Sword Immortal.
Was it a whim?
Had the Hwasan Sword Debate changed their heTechnique?
The reason was unclear, but the actions of the Three Seats were truly astonishing.
“Are you both serious?” the Sword Immortal asked.
The Spear Sovereign and the Paewangseong Lord remained silent. The Sword Immortal looked at their expressions and burst into laughter.
“Hah! Of course. We are martial artists. Who else will protect this martial arts world if not us?”
Mu Hwi watched as the Spear Sovereign and the Paewangseong Lord listened intently to the Sword Immortal’s explanation.
The Three Seats exchanged glances, their eyes meeting.
Never had Mu Hwi imagined he would witness the Three Seats uniting their wills for a single purpose.
The sight stirred something deep within him.
“Let’s begin.”
At the Sword Immortal’s words, the four supreme masters seated in the cardinal directions raised their arms. They extended their palms, as if engaging in a simultaneous contest of internal energy, pressing them together.
The four supreme masters connected.
“Remember this. To convey enlightenment, you don’t need to consciously recall your insights. Each of you has a core will that brought you to this level. Let it flow naturally. Just as you unleash your martial technique, let it infuse your internal energy. We can do this.”
“Only the Three Seats could even attempt such a thing.”
“Understood.”
After instructing the Spear Sovereign and the Paewangseong Lord, the Sword Immortal turned to Mu Hwi.
“Use the Purple Sunset Divine Technique to breathe slowly and naturally accept the internal energy flowing into your meridians. I will handle the overall coordination.”
“Right. Old man, let’s see the true virtue of Taiji now.”
“Enough talk. Let’s begin.”
The supreme masters exchanged nods.
The Three Seats, who had each reigned supreme in their own domains, now gathered in one place, united in purpose.
As the supreme masters closed their eyes simultaneously, the Alliance Leader let out a sigh.
The only thing he could do now was stand guard.
Heavens…
***
The Sword Immortal’s Twofold Divine Art.
The Sword Spirit’s Purple Mist Divine Art.
The Paewangseong Lord’s Supreme Tyrant Divine Art.
The Spear Sovereign’s Black Abyss Divine Art.
Four divine techniques surged simultaneously.
Each meticulously controlled their own energy, but the clash with unfamiliar internal energies was unavoidable.
The force of the collision was fiercer than expected, causing the Paewangseong Lord and the Spear Sovereign’s eyelids to twitch.
At that moment, the Sword Immortal’s Twofold Divine Art actively mediated, soothing the Supreme Tyrant and Black Abyss energies. Gradually, the three energies, centered around the Twofold Divine Art, achieved a semblance of balance.
The Sword Immortal then gradually amplified his energy, and the Paewangseong Lord and the Spear Sovereign followed suit.
It’s coming.
Mu Hwi felt the three energies—like a tripartite Taiji—flowing into him through the palms of the Paewangseong Lord and the Spear Sovereign.
His Purple Sunset Divine Art reacted violently.
It was only natural—three foreign energies, all divine techniques, suddenly pouring into his meridians.
Kuuung!
The collision sent tremors through his meridians as if an earthquake had struck, and Mu Hwi’s entire body shuddered.
Huu…
But Mu Hwi remained calm, gently circulating his Purple Sunset Divine Art. Slowly, his energy and the three foreign energies began to coexist.
The Twofold Divine Art’s energy even drew in the Purple Mist Divine Art, balancing them. Mu Hwi marveled at the Sword Immortal’s godlike control.
At the same time, he fully opened his dantian and meridians, focusing on absorbing the Three Seats’ energies.
Their energies spread through his meridians, initiating Bolmo Sesu—expanding his meridians and burning away the impurities within.
Even after all the purification, there’s still so much residue…
It was proof that even reaching the absolute realm didn’t grant a flawless body.
As the turbid energy dissipated, his meridians repeatedly tore and healed, gradually widening and thickening.
Power is overflowing.
Mu Hwi felt vitality surging through his body, as if he were being reborn.
Even after refining one meridian, the Three Seats’ energies remained. The excess energy seamlessly merged into his Purple Sunset Divine Art through Gyeokche Jeonryeok.
Foreign energies—moreover, all divine Technique. Under normal circumstances, attempting to fuse them would risk deviation, let alone harmonization.
But thanks to the Sword Immortal’s Twofold Divine Art and the guidance of supreme masters who understood will, the nearly impossible became reality.
It was the result of four supreme masters pouring their heart into a united effort.
Bolmo Sesu and Gyeokche Jeonryeok progressed methodically through each meridian. Observing this, Mu Hwi gradually sank into a deep meditative state.
“Fascinating.”
Mu Hwi gazed at the vision unfolding before him.
At the highest point of this vision, where darkness usually resided, three distinct colors now shone.
White.
Blackish-brown.
Crimson.
Mu Hwi realized these colors represented the Three Seats’ energies—and more.
The Sword Immortal’s Path of Righteousness.
The Spear Sovereign’s Path of Evil.
The Paewangseong Lord’s Path of Dominance.
Three wills, embodying their very essence.
They succeeded.
Though Mu Hwi had half-doubted the Sword Immortal’s words, the Three Seats had achieved perfection on their first attempt.
Mu Hwi wholeheartedly embraced their energies and wills.
“Tripartite Taiji.”
The three colors occasionally clashed but soon intertwined harmoniously, swirling together like a vortex.
Watching this, Mu Hwi sensed the myriad wills permeating his consciousness.
At the apex of the tripartite Taiji, a new color emerged.
It was violet.
This color signified that Mu Hwi had fully inherited the Three Seats’ wills.
He stared at the new Purple Sunset spreading through his mind—darker yet brighter than any he had seen before.
As the violet light enveloped him, Mu Hwi opened his eyes.
“Huu…”
Taking a deep breath, he instinctively knew his Purple Sunset Divine Art had reached its zenith.
He immediately looked at the Three Seats.
Beads of sweat still glistened on their faces, and they looked as if they had aged a decade in an instant.
“Damn… That was exhausting,” the Spear Sovereign barely managed to say.
The Sword Immortal and the Paewangseong Lord calmly regulated their breathing.
“Sword Immortal, is this it? I don’t feel like I’ve lost much internal energy. Did it work?” the Paewangseong Lord asked.
The Spear Sovereign nodded in agreement.
“Of course. The Three Seats focused on a single person. If you had done this alone, you’d be dead by now.”
“I see.”
The Sword Immortal nodded, then looked at Mu Hwi.
“Mu Hwi, how do you feel?”
“Something’s definitely changed. It feels like I’ve reached a peak.”
“Good. Then it’s done.”
The Spear Sovereign, smiling weakly, looked at Mu Hwi.
“Sword Saint, do you think you can defeat the Heukcheon now?”
The Sword Immortal answered instead.
“No one knows. As they say, ‘Man proposes, Heaven disposes.’ We’ve done our best. Now we wait.”
The Paewangseong Lord and the Spear Sovereign nodded.
Watching this, Mu Hwi bowed deeply to the Three Seats.
“Elder Sword Immortal. Seniors, Paewangseong Lord. Spear Sovereign. For aiding me for the sake of the martial arts world—this junior will never forget it.”
The Sword Immortal nodded, while the other two looked at Mu Hwi curiously.
“From the moment we met, you’ve been fearless with your words. Now, after receiving some internal energy, you’re calling me ‘senior’?” The Spear Sovereign burst into laughter, and the Paewangseong Lord smirked.
“Well, this marks the end of the Three Seats’ era,” the Paewangseong Lord said.
The Sword Immortal and the Spear Sovereign nodded.
“Indeed. A supreme master surpassing the Three Seats has been born. But isn’t this meaningful in its own way?”
“I thought only one of us three would survive in the end. Living long really does bring surprises.”
The Sword Immortal noticed the Alliance Leader approaching and asked,
“Junior, thank you for standing guard. How much time has passed?”
“The sun is setting on the third day.”
“Already?”
The Sword Immortal sighed in relief at the timing.
“Everyone, stand and take in the view. This is Hwasan, the Western Peak.”
At the Alliance Leader’s words, the supreme masters turned their gaze.
Beyond Hwasan’s peaks, the sun was setting.
The sky, clear and flawless, stretched above the mountain’s ridges. The upper sky was azure, while the lower sky blazed crimson, casting a radiant glow.
And between them, the sunset spread—a violet hue.
“Today’s sunset is violet.”
“A color we’ve seen often lately.”
The Sword Immortal’s murmur drew a response from the Paewangseong Lord.
“Weren’t we all just seeing it? Lately, violet sunsets have been frequent.”
The Spear Sovereign’s laughter made the other supreme masters smile.
They saw the Purple Sunset too.
When the Three Seats’ wills fully harmonized and merged into the Purple Sunset Divine Art, the Purple Sunset had appeared.
Only now did Mu Hwi realize the Three Seats had also witnessed it.
He watched as the supreme masters remained entranced by the violet sunset.
Shoulder to shoulder, they admired the same view.
The Three Seats.
The Martial Alliance Leader.
The Spear Sovereign.
The Paewangseong Lord.
Who in the martial arts world could have imagined such a gathering of supreme masters standing peacefully together, watching the sunset?
Not even Mu Hwi, who had proposed the Hwasan Sword Debate, had foreseen this.
Mu Hwi turned away from them and gazed at the violet sunset stretching across the distant sky.
“Beautiful.”
The violet hue painting the world was beautiful.
The sight of Hwasan and the martial arts world beneath it was beautiful.
And so was the sight of the supreme masters standing together.
Then, a thought struck him.
The secret history of Hwasan and Heukcheon that the Sword Immortal had revealed.
Had the Six Harmonies Sword God spared his disciple, the Heukcheon Demon Empress, because he, too, wanted to share a sunset like this?
As a later-generation observer, Mu Hwi couldn’t know the details—but somehow, he was certain.
It was just intuition.
Mu Hwi watched as the violet sunset, which had illuminated all creation, faded into darkness.
The end of the Hwasan Sword Debate was approaching.