193
Chapter 193: Dokgo Seeking the Sword in Solitude.
Mu Hwi remained alone on Chaoyang Peak, sitting cross-legged. Darkness bloomed before him. From within the shadows, Heukcheon emerged and surveyed his surroundings.
“Where are the others?”
“They’re at Lotus Peak. I figured it’d be more comfortable if the final moments were just between us.”
Heukcheon studied Mu Hwi and let out a sigh.
“Such a transformation in just three days. I didn’t expect this. Did the Sword Immortal sacrifice himself in the end?”
“He’s alive and well.”
Heukcheon’s eyelids twitched slightly.
“You achieved this level of ascension and he’s still alive? Impossible.”
“The Three Seats helped.”
“Oh?”
Heukcheon, taken aback by the unexpected answer, pondered for a moment before nodding. His facial muscles twisted as a deep, sword-blue demonic energy surged from his entire body.
“The Three Seats pooled their strength… So that’s the way of the martial arts world now? This might be more interesting than I thought.”
Mu Hwi slowly rose to his feet.
“It won’t be as fun as you think.”
“The Hwasan Sword Saint.”
Heukcheon’s voice echoed like a proclamation.
“I’ve given you many concessions and opportunities. I understood the unfairness born from the difference in time. I even held a faint hope. So, don’t disappoint me.”
Heukcheon’s hand, rippling with demonic energy, pointed at Mu Hwi. Thick streams of demonic energy shot forth like massive pillars of light, resembling intense sunlight piercing through clouds.
Whoooosh—!
The Demon Sky Scattering Art (魔空流散), the same technique used by Palace Lord, but the difference was stark.
If Palace Lord’s Demon Sky Scattering was as thick as a palace pillar, Heukcheon’s was like an ancient, colossal tree hundreds of years old—large enough to swallow several people whole. In an instant, Mu Hwi’s vision was engulfed by demonic energy. Mu Hwi drew his sword and slashed through the Demon Sky Scattering.
Not a fancy technique—just a simple vertical slash.
Swoosh—!
A chilling sound of something being cleaved.
The Demon Sky Scattering split cleanly in two, passing by Mu Hwi’s left and right. Even after being split, the black beams soared high above Chaoyang Peak, piercing the clouds.
Rumble—!
The ground where the split Demon Sky Scattering had passed was left with deep furrows, deep enough to sink one’s knees into.
“You’re worthy to stand here as the martial arts world’s representative.”
By the time Heukcheon’s voice reached him from afar, his grip was already inches from Mu Hwi’s throat. Heukcheon’s movements were faster than sound.
But Mu Hwi was no slower. The air vibrated with the movements of the two masters. Every time Mu Hwi and Heukcheon clashed, thunderous explosions erupted, and storms of shockwaves raged.
Under such force, not a single tree or rock on Chaoyang Peak’s summit remained intact.
Clang—!
Mu Hwi deflected Heukcheon’s claw aimed at his heart upward and immediately slashed downward with the Sim-myeong Sword. The sword’s edge targeted Heukcheon’s thigh as he lunged forward.
Heukcheon wrapped his knee in demonic energy and deflected the Sim-myeong Sword with a knee strike. Then, he stomped down with the same leg.
Boom—!
The ground flipped over from the impact, and violent waves of energy shattered rocks in succession. In response, energy erupted from Mu Hwi’s entire body.
Crash—!
A monstrous shockwave exploded from the collision of energies, engulfing both men.
When Mu Hwi perfectly neutralized his own energy, Heukcheon’s eyelids twitched—almost as if he were smiling.
Heukcheon was dispelling the shockwave when he suddenly caught the scent of plum blossoms. A natural fragrance emanating from Mu Hwi’s energy.
As if trying to erase the scent, Heukcheon roughly crossed his arms. A massive force erupted from both sides, attempting to crush Mu Hwi.
In response, the petals scattered from the Sim-myeong Sword sharpened. Countless falling petals spread left and right, revealing razor-sharp light.
Plum Blossom’s Sharp Guidance (梅開利導).
As plum blossoms bloomed fully between the petals, the opposing forces shattered into dozens of fragments. Mu Hwi stepped on the Dark Scent Flutter and lunged, thrusting the Sim-myeong Sword toward Heukcheon’s brow.
Heukcheon dodged with a tilt of his head and raised a finger, pointing at Mu Hwi. A black beam shot from his fingertip.
Mu Hwi evaded, but the beam curved with Heukcheon’s hand.
Swish—!
The Polished Finger Technique (磨光指法) grazed Mu Hwi’s plum blossom-adorned robe. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Mu Hwi unleashed a flurry of sword strikes.
Clang—! Clatter—!
The shimmering blade scattered purple light in all directions, unleashing countless slashes. At a glance, over a hundred variations unfolded.
Heukcheon formed a rod of demonic energy and caught it. He spun the demonic rod once before thrusting it toward the wave of falling blossoms.
Heukcheon spun, swinging the rod relentlessly. Each strike brimmed with destructive force, his rotations creating perfect offense and defense.
He blocked the sword strikes assaulting him from all directions while simultaneously smashing the plum blossoms blooming around him.
Crash—!
At the end of his whirling rod technique, black lightning erupted, striking a wide area simultaneously.
By the time Heukcheon unleashed all the techniques of the Demon’s Shocking Rod Art (魔提震棒法), half of Mu Hwi’s sword strikes had been dispersed.
Heukcheon laughed as he saw the plum blossoms and petals still blooming everywhere, along with the relentless sword strikes.
“They multiply endlessly.”
Then, the demonic rod’s length extended infinitely.
Since it was made of demonic energy, it seemed to have no limit—like the legendary Ruyi Jingu Bang.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Not only did it stretch as if reaching the sky, but it also thickened like a pillar. Mu Hwi couldn’t help but curse.
The colossal demonic rod came crashing down. The raging winds and crushing pressure bore down on Mu Hwi.
Bang—!
A majestic wave of energy erupted from Mu Hwi’s body, clad in purple light, dispersing the wind and pressure in an instant.
Simultaneously, he twisted his torso and swung the Sim-myeong Sword in a massive slash downward.
A rich sword fragrance spread from the Sim-myeong Sword.
The flowing fragrance enveloped the massive demonic rod, forming a single current. The Sim-myeong Sword raced along this current without obstruction.
Plum Fragrance Becomes a River (梅香成流).
A gigantic sword energy surged from the Sim-myeong Sword’s tip. The energy, long enough to easily demolish a palace, began splitting the demonic rod in two.
Whoosh—!
Mu Hwi advanced with the Dark Scent Flutter, executing Plum Fragrance Becomes a River. As he cleaved the massive rod, he closed the distance.
Following Mu Hwi’s charge, a banquet of plum blossoms unfolded in the space around him.
Countless sword strikes split and spread left and right.
Plum blossoms blooming and petals soaring in tune with Mu Hwi’s steps and the Sim-myeong Sword.
All these purple waves stretched like wings behind Mu Hwi before gathering into a single sword strike with a flap.
Hidden Fragrance, Motionless Flower (暗香不動花).
Watching the rising purple sword light of Hidden Fragrance, Motionless Flower, Heukcheon now held a demonic blade in his hand. Twisting his torso, he executed the finest technique of the Moon-Cutting Demon Blade.
Full Moon, Starry Night (滿月星夜).
A black moon rose before Heukcheon.
The colossal full moon emerging from the demonic blade’s tip burst with ominous moonlight.
A vertical purple line descending from above. A black arc rising from below.
They overlapped at a single point.
Darkness and purple light exploded simultaneously, engulfing Chaoyang Peak.
Kwaaa—!
With an earth-shaking explosion, Mu Hwi was sent flying backward.
“Ugh…”
Mu Hwi coughed up blood with a groan.
The shock that wracked his body had briefly knocked him unconscious, though only for a split second. On his chest remained a wound shaped like the moon’s elegant outline.
‘This much is fine.’
The cut on his chest was shallow. It wouldn’t hinder the fight. Mu Hwi stopped the bleeding and gazed at Heukcheon in the distance.
‘You really are a lonely man.’
The Sword Immortal was right.
At first, he felt nothing, but as the battle intensified, he faintly sensed Heukcheon’s will.
Only solitude. Endless solitude.
It resembled the Sword Devil’s past life, yet it was different.
If the Sword Devil had tried endlessly to escape his solitude, Heukcheon was a man who had thrown himself into it.
Having spent such a long time drowning in solitude, he was a terrifying and remarkable man—beyond just martial arts. And a pitiable one.
“Good.”
Heukcheon hadn’t been blown back like Mu Hwi, but the impact had driven his feet ankle-deep into the ground.
He pulled his feet free and examined his right arm. His sleeve was torn, and blood flowed from his forearm.
Heukcheon stared at the wound.
It wasn’t even a proper sword wound—just a graze. Seeing his own blood, a smile spread across Heukcheon’s face.
“How long has it been since I last saw my own blood…?”
His eyes, gleaming with demonic energy, locked onto Mu Hwi. In that moment, vitality returned to Heukcheon’s previously dead-seeming eyes. Demonic energy erupted from him in all directions.
As the sword-blue demonic energy engulfed Chaoyang Peak, the surroundings were plunged into darkness in an instant.
Seeing the hemispherical domain of demonic energy, Mu Hwi summoned the Purple Sunset Divine Technique.
“Heukcheon’s Night Domain (黑天夜場).”
“You know this technique. Can you handle it? At your current level, even if you’re prepared to die together, all you’ll manage is a scratch.”
The undulating sword-blue darkness around him was like an extension of Heukcheon’s limbs. Fighting this dark night itself felt like battling the entire universe.
It was overwhelming, but the purple light in Mu Hwi’s eyes only grew deeper.
“The Three Seats gave up their own power to protect the martial arts world. If that’s still not enough, then I’ll have to give up mine too.”
Mu Hwi had already steeled his resolve.
Whoooom—!
The purple sunset flowing over Mu Hwi’s body shimmered with an even more radiant light. The Sim-myeong Sword emitted a clear sword cry.
Then, the Plum Blossom Spirit Jade on Mu Hwi’s wrist trembled precariously.
“Sword Saint.”
Heukcheon’s eyes narrowed.
Mu Hwi had been adapting to his newfound power, his level rising slightly with each exchange.
But now, his level was skyrocketing at a steep pace unlike before.
“You’re burning your innate energy.”
Heukcheon was right.
Mu Hwi was drawing out vast amounts of innate energy and burning it along with his mind, energy, and body.
With the Three Seats’ help, Mu Hwi had faced a colossal wall as vast as the sky. Now, he was burning his innate energy to temporarily surpass even that wall.
“Even if you defeat me, what’s the point if you die? The martial arts world you protect won’t have you in it. I don’t understand.”
The Purple Sunset Divine Technique surged through Mu Hwi’s body, making his hair and sleeves flutter.
“You’ll remember what I said about righteousness. My chivalry exists solely to protect Hwasan Sect. My martial arts unfold accordingly.”
The Sim-myeong Sword, now radiating a deeper purple than ever, pointed at Heukcheon.
“How could a lonely man like you understand?”
Hearing this, Heukcheon smiled as if genuinely pleased.
“You’re the first—and last—worthy opponent of my life.”
The sword-blue darkness of Heukcheon’s Night Domain rippled.
From within the darkness, countless weapons emerged—each different. The eighteen conventional weapons, along with all kinds of exotic arms.
Hundreds of demonic weapons obscured Heukcheon view. All of them aimed at Mu Hwi.
“Have you been drowning in solitude all this time?”
Mu Hwi stepped toward the lonely darkness.
Above him, the purple mist spread, and a sword forged from the mist glowed with auspicious light.
Starting with one sword, the number multiplied until twenty-four intangible swords formed.
“Wait. I’ll save you from your solitude.”
Mu Hwi launched himself forward.
The twenty-four intangible swords overtook him. They arranged themselves into formation and began moving in unison.
Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Formation (二十四手梅花劍陣).
The intangible swords executed the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Technique, shattering the oncoming demonic weapons.
The barrage of demonic weapons wasn’t just a mindless assault. With so many different weapons, each attacked with unique techniques.
It was unimaginable how one could handle so many weapons with varying techniques. But Mu Hwi didn’t care.
The twenty-four intangible swords felt like fighting alongside the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
Naturally, since they were forged from Mu Hwi’s memories of him.
Boom—! Crash—!
Deafening explosions of destruction erupted endlessly. The unyielding purple light dyed the darkness, carving a path.
Countless demonic weapons vanished, and the intangible swords dwindled one by one. When the last sword disappeared, Mu Hwi stood before Heukcheon.
Heukcheon grabbed a demonic sword from his surroundings.
“Come at me.”
Clang—!
The Sim-myeong Sword clashed with the demonic sword.
While destroying the demonic weapons, Mu Hwi’s level had risen further. Now, he could fight Heukcheon evenly head-on.
He ruthlessly slashed downward at the demonic sword, aiming for his neck. It split in one strike.
Breaking the Sword to Seek Transcendence (破劍求過).
Amused, Heukcheon gripped a demonic blade and spear in each hand.
The finest techniques of the Moon-Cutting Demon Blade and the Dragon-Advancing Black Wind Spear came in rapid succession, but Mu Hwi paid no heed and thrust his sword.
A bold sword strike split the darkness.
Breaking the Blade to Seize the Initiative (破刀求先).
Breaking the Spear to Uphold Chivalry (破槍求俠).
The demonic blade and spear twisted and shattered. Heukcheon waved his hand. Though Mu Hwi had broken through the demonic weapons with twenty-four intangible swords, many remained.
A hundred demonic weapons rained down on Mu Hwi’s back. But that wasn’t all.
Heukcheon’s demonic energy split like droplets, forming spikes that fell like a downpour.
On one side, countless demonic weapons. On the other hand, innumerable demonic energy spikes.
Mu Hwi gripped an intangible sword in his left hand.
Spinning like a whirlwind, he executed two techniques simultaneously with both hands.
Breaking the Army to Seek Martial Mastery (破軍求武).
Breaking the Arrows to Seek Home (破箭求家).
Heukcheon’s schemes turned to nothing.
“Impressive. Have you condensed all martial arts’ counter techniques into one?”
Amid the scattering demonic energy, Heukcheon lunged and struck with his palm. The Sim-myeong Sword slashed diagonally toward Heukcheon’s palm.
Breaking the Palm to Seek Brotherhood (破掌求弟).
The palm force split, and blood spurted from Heukcheon’s hand.
Boom—!
Heukcheon stomped, and from the earth, tentacle-like strands of demonic energy lashed out, attempting to bind Mu Hwi. The Sim-myeong Sword danced in response.
Breaking the Bonds to Seek a Queen (破索求后).
After shredding a dozen strands, Mu Hwi faced the intangible sword in Heukcheon’s hand, now radiating darkness.
This intangible sword was filled not just with solitude but also with a killing intent never seen before.
“Finally, you show killing intent.”
“Make this even more enjoyable.”
Mu Hwi also gripped his own intangible sword, now swirling with purple.
His sword carried only one resolve: to protect Hwasan Sect. He recalled the Three Seats who had sacrificed themselves and all the bonds he’d formed in the martial arts world.
A stark contrast to Heukcheon’s sword, brimming with solitude and killing intent.
The intangible sword, imbued with chivalry, the martial world, and bonds, scattered purple sunset.
From its light, warmth emanated.
Something absent from Heukcheon’s desolate sword.
Breaking Energy to Seek the Path (破氣求道).
Kwaaa—!
When the two intangible swords clashed, a deafening explosion rocked Heukcheon’s Night Domain.
The two swords scattered as halos of light, and both men were blown back.
“A martial art that destroys and counters all weapons…”
Heukcheon’s energy shifted.
As if the world were collapsing, the darkness of Heukcheon’s Night Domain descended upon Mu Hwi all at once.
The Night Domain dyed the area in black night, amplifying Heukcheon’s demonic techniques.
Its final technique was to swallow the trapped foe whole.
Heukcheon’s World Annihilation (黑天滅界).
The endless night expanded in all directions according to the mysteries of the universe. Then, it converged back to a single point around Mu Hwi.
Space distorted around that point. Mu Hwi instinctively knew: being caught in it meant the end.
He closed his eyes and raised the Sim-myeong Sword.
Having surpassed his limits, he could see even without his eyes.
“Heukcheon. Isn’t this space truly lonely?”
“Yes. No matter who enters with you, in the end, you’re always alone.”
Purple light stretched into the shrinking Night Domain. The Sim-myeong Sword, bathed in purple mist, erupted with intense radiance.
Mu Hwi infused the sword with his will.
A man who struggled desperately to escape solitude.
Had that man seen this space, he wouldn’t have accepted it quietly like Heukcheon.
The Sword Devil would have struggled. Desperately.
The Sword Devil’s life imbued Mu Hwi