The Heavenly Demon Goes to See the Plum Blossoms (4)

Do-yoon rubbed his face and staggered as he picked up his smartphone. No matter how much of a dog the sect leader was, the man still led their faction. He needed to report how the situation had developed.

Did you send me knowing I'd lose? Just to gauge her strength? What a crazy bastard. Some of us are over here shaking from fresh trauma, and all you can say is "as expected"? It's pissing me off. Maybe I should drop by his place and beat the shit out of him for old times' sake.

Do-yoon's rage vanished the instant he saw the gift card. Chicken was enough to make the suffering worth it.

The Blood Death Faction Do-yoon belonged to was currently helping the Blood Cult with their operations on Mount Hua. The Blood Sect Leader wasn't exactly a likable NPC, but he always delivered on deals. He'd promised that once this job was finished, he'd help them raise their internal energy much faster than before. That was why the faction had chosen to cooperate.

He hated getting beaten himself but had no problem sending others to get pummeled. If it weren't for the chicken, Do-yoon would have unloaded a truckload of curses on him.

As I walked along the path and lifted my gaze, the steep mountain came into view. This was my first visit here since the day I had come to crush the Mount Hua Sect as part of my revenge. In truth, I simply hadn't found the time. After completing my vengeance and shutting myself away inside the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Mount Hua Sect and the very mountain they resided on had vanished.

From what I later heard, it was the aftermath of some experiment the Blood Cult had conducted on Mount Hua. Just what in the world had they been doing here?

Even from a distance I could see the many traces my in-game self had left behind. The unnaturally bare patches scattered across the slopes. The missing upper section of the mountain. The buildings still under reconstruction. All of them spoke of my past deeds.

Baru, who had been draped around my neck, stared at the half-ruined mountain and asked in a puzzled tone, "Has disaster already struck Mount Hua?"

"It wasn't that."

If the Blood Cult had truly run wild, the mountain itself shouldn't even exist anymore. No, those were simply the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scars of the atrocities I had committed in the past.

"Then what are those traces?"

Both Baru and the viewers were shocked by the sight of Mount Hua, but to me it looked different. If anything, it had been rebuilt quite extensively. When I had destroyed the sect, it was still early in my path of vengeance, so my methods had been especially vicious. I had toppled nearly every building, massacred the sect members, and burned every secret manual and treasured artifact they held sacred. The reason I had spared a few elders instead of completely severing Mount Hua's lineage wasn't mercy. It was so they could watch their sect's fall with their own eyes and die in agony.

In the real Murim, Mount Hua had never recovered even a fraction of its former glory by the time I finished my revenge. While the sect's destruction is commonly blamed on the Blood Cult's interference, I believed Mount Hua would have collapsed regardless. Yet the version in the game was different. These people had stubbornly endured and were fighting to restore their sect's former prestige. It was truly remarkable.

When I reached the vicinity of Mount Hua, I sent a message to the Mount Hua user Harin had introduced me to.

A reply came shortly after. The man stood exactly where he said he would, at the foot of Mount Hua's endlessly long staircase. His cleanly shaved head made him look more suited to Shaolin than Mount Hua.

"Hello, Hwaryeong-nim. My name is Park Yeon."

"Did you hear from Harin?"

"That too, but these days anyone playing martial arts games knows who you are. You've done far too many noteworthy things."

Even though I had spoken casually, Park Yeon smiled as if he welcomed it. He had a gentle personality. Most people affiliated with Mount Hua tended to be rather eccentric.

"You received a quest concerning Mount Hua, correct?"

"Yes. They told me to stop the plum blossoms from blooming here."

"That's a strange wording. The Plum Blossom Sword Technique doesn't even exist in the world of Hwaryong Muin."

Plum Blossom Sword Technique? What sort of sword art was that? Having wandered the Murim, I had heard of nearly every major martial art, yet I had never encountered the term "Plum Blossom Sword."

When I showed my confusion, Park Yeon let out a laugh.

"Even you don't know everything about wuxia novels, I see."

He explained that the Plum Blossom Sword was one of Mount Hua's signature techniques from classic wuxia stories. For whatever reason it hadn't appeared in Hwaryong Muin, but in most other wuxia works, Mount Hua was practically synonymous with the Plum Blossom Sword Technique. His explanation only made me more curious.

"What kind of sword art is the Plum Blossom Sword Technique?"

"It's commonly described as an absolute technique that combines speed, variation, and illusion. The distinctive feature is that the scent of plum blossoms spreads every time the sword moves."

I could roughly picture the style, but I wanted to witness it with my own eyes. The scent of plum blossoms, huh? I wasn't sure if it would make for an enjoyable fight, but it certainly sounded interesting.

"Isn't there something more important to discuss than martial arts right now?"

The moment I tried to continue, Baru voiced her displeasure. Having come here to prevent a disaster, she clearly didn't like me getting distracted by other matters.

"You were the one telling me to take it easy earlier."

"Enough. I'll ask myself."

Baru hopped down from my shoulder and naturally transformed into human form. It seemed she had no intention of hiding the fact that she was a divine spirit.

"Excuse me."

"Ah, yes!"

"Could you tell me why Mount Hua is half-destroyed?"

Although she looked like a young girl, Baru was a mountain deity. The powerful aura she possessed could intimidate ordinary people with nothing but her voice. I could handle it without issue, but for a normal game user like Park Yeon it was clearly overwhelming. The way his eyes trembled made that obvious.

So I gave Baru a light smack on the head.

"What are you doing?!"

"I'm the one who should be asking that. Why are you pressuring someone who's helping us?"

"But if you're a divine spirit, you should show some dignity."

"Want another one?"

When I raised my hand again, Baru quickly covered her head with both arms.

"I'm really fine. You don't have to do that."

Apparently finding shrunken Baru pitiful, Park Yeon waved his hands. As expected, he was far too kind for someone from Mount Hua. Wouldn't you fit better in a different sect?

"You were asking why the Mount Hua Sect ended up half-destroyed, right?"

"Yes."

"Since Lady Baru isn't an outsider, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you must already know about the great war between the righteous sects and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."

"I do. Anyone who lived on the continent during that time couldn't possibly be unaware."

That was true. The way I had rampaged back then had been quite spectacular. Anyone who lived in the Murim would have heard the story at least once.

"At the time, the first place to face the Heavenly Demon was this very Mount Hua. Since it was made into an example, it was destroyed more brutally than anywhere else and driven nearly to complete annihilation. The fact that it's in this state now is only because they've spent years rebuilding. In the past, it couldn't even be called a proper sect."

Baru, who had been listening quietly, glanced at Park Yeon once he finished. She seemed to realize she had asked about something she shouldn't have.

"I was thoughtless. It must be a painful topic for a member of Mount Hua."

"Not at all. I only joined Mount Hua after everything happened, so it doesn't bother me."

"Then I'm glad."

The people currently filling Mount Hua were likely users like Park Yeon. Seeing how a sect that had been slowly dying in the original history had become this prosperous made that obvious. After all, Mount Hua had once been one of the Nine Great Sects of the righteous path. It wasn't strange that modern people unaware of its circumstances had gathered here. Since I had left behind a few survivors, reconstruction was possible as long as people remained.

"You must have many questions, but why don't we talk while we climb? As you know, Mount Hua's staircase is quite long. We'll have more than enough time to chat."

The infamous reputation of Mount Hua's staircase was well known. The rumor that climbing all the way to the top and reaching the sect was a requirement for joining wasn't an exaggeration.

Seeing the steep stairs, Baru stared blankly at the distant summit before scurrying over to my side and raising both arms.

"You want me to carry you?"

"Obviously!"

She had thrown a fit about not wanting to be carried before. After being carried around for a while, she must have realized how comfortable it was.

"You lived on a mountain normally. You can't even climb this much?"

"Did you think I wandered the mountain on foot?"

Well, with convenient abilities like instant movement, there was no reason to walk. Still, that wasn't exactly something to brag about, was it?

Sighing, I lifted Baru and settled her on my shoulder.

"Everyone already knows you're a divine spirit anyway. Wouldn't it be fine to turn into your fox form and be carried?"

"That would lack dignity."

"The dignity you're imagining was destroyed a long time ago."

"Still no!"

Park Yeon watched us bickering and smiled, but when our eyes met he quickly looked away. I seemed to keep dragging him into these situations.

"Park Yeon. What's the current atmosphere like in Mount Hua?"

"Same as usual. Everyone's too busy training their martial arts to think about anything else. The elders are completely focused on teaching us."

The fact that they were learning from the elders...

"Does that mean they're being taught about the principles?"

The position of elder couldn't be obtained through strength alone. It required both martial prowess and long years of dedication to the sect. That meant there was a high chance the elders were original members of Mount Hua whom I had spared rather than users. And anyone who understood the sect's foundations would naturally teach the principles of martial arts.

"You mean ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠following the principles of martial arts, right? You taught us about that in your stream, Hwaryeong-nim. I watched it with great interest."

Then why was he reacting as if this was the first time he'd heard about the principles from me? No way.

"Doesn't Mount Hua teach about the principles?"

"No."

"Why not?!"

"It's a rather long story, but to summarize... it's because of the Heavenly Demon."

The Heavenly Demon meant me inside this game? They weren't teaching the principles because of me? What on earth did that mean?