The Wind God Dance
Wind God Dance.
It was, quite literally, the martial current created by the Wind God himself.
If I had to put it another way, it was the very source of the Northern Heavenly Sword Clan’s martial arts. Even the Gale Continuous Sword, the technique I used most often, was no more than a fragment derived from the Wind God Dance.
“That is true... but the trial is difficult. Even I, in my younger days, failed to reclaim the Wind God Dance.”
Father spoke with a bitter expression.
If he was willing to say that much, then the difficulty of the trial had to be immense.
I was already prepared for that.
My father had said the same thing in my previous life.
The only difference was that, back then, I had never taken part in the trial myself.
Why?
Because by the time I went, the sacred ground had already been destroyed.
That was about ten years from now.
At the time, I still hadn’t given up on the clan, and before Father died, he told me where the sacred ground was. I went there, hoping somehow to restore the family.
But the place was already beyond saving.
The granduncle who was supposed to be guarding it was nowhere to be seen, and the entrance to Wind God Valley had collapsed.
I hadn’t known it then, but looking back now...
Wasn’t that probably the work of Black Night Castle?
That’s the most likely answer.
I had heard that Granduncle had reached the Heavenly Martial Realm, just like my late grandfather.
And Heavenly Martial Realm was another name for the Profound Realm.
In other words, among the people of the Northern Heavenly Sword Clan, he was arguably the strongest of them all.
If there was a force capable of killing someone like that and destroying the sacred ground, there could only be one.
The problem is that I don’t know exactly when it happened, or how they got to him.
In my previous life, even after learning of that place’s existence, I hadn’t gone there immediately.
Partly because I was too busy and forgot about it, and partly because I didn’t think I was ready yet.
But things were different now.
Knowing I had no time to waste, I had to get there as quickly as possible.
The same thing might happen again very soon.
In the worst case, the sacred ground might already be half in ruins.
So I had to see it for myself.
I had to know what condition it was in.
“Whew. It seems your resolve is already firm.”
Father let out a light sigh as he spoke.
“Then go to Mount Hang. What you seek should be there. Your granduncle will be in Wind God Valley, halfway up the mountain.”
Mount Hang was one of the Five Great Mountains of the Central Plains, also known as the Northern Peak.
It was the same place I had visited in my previous life while searching for Granduncle.
“Yes. Thank you.”
I bowed deeply to Father and stepped outside.
Sagong Cheon followed behind me.
“Have you decided on our destination?”
“I have.”
I nodded.
“We’re going to Mount Hang.”
Mount Hang was one of the most famous mountains in the Central Plains.
Its altitude was high and its paths treacherous, yet its grandeur was so overwhelming that every year, a steady stream of travelers came just to see it.
And because of its dangerous terrain, it was also used as a strategic military point.
That was why Mount Hang was always crowded with people.
But Wind God Valley, the place I’m headed for, lies away from the routes people usually take.
Ordinarily, you had to ask the locals again and again and barely manage to find it.
But I had no need for that.
I had already walked this road once before.
With Sagong Cheon beside me, I climbed steadily up the mountain and reached a valley halfway up its slope.
“So this is Wind God Valley.”
I stared ahead and murmured in admiration.
Unlike in my memory, Wind God Valley had not collapsed.
Which meant the disaster I feared had not happened yet.
And then there was the subtle feeling of wind flowing through the air...
No doubt about it. This is a formation.
The entire valley was protected by some kind of formation.
Most likely, its purpose was to prevent intruders from approaching and to distort the surrounding terrain.
But for some reason, I could clearly see the route in and out of that formation.
It seemed to be responding to the Northern Wind Mind Method inside me.
A formation designed so only members of our Shanxi Jin Family who have learned the Northern Wind Mind Method can enter.
I turned to Sagong Cheon and warned him firmly.
“The formation may cause you to lose your way, so stay close behind me. As much as possible, step exactly where I step.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Slowly, we followed the path guided by the Northern Wind Mind Method and entered the valley.
The scenery of Wind God Valley, which we had been observing from afar, changed at once.
From the outside, it had looked small, unimpressive, and half-obscured by mist.
But once inside, it began to feel far larger, grander, and more imposing.
Then it happened.
“Who goes there?”
A voice suddenly rang out from all directions, reverberating through the air.
I knew exactly what it was.
Six Harmonies Voice Transmission.
An advanced voice-transmission technique so refined that anyone below the Harmony Realm could not even imitate it.
That was Six Harmonies Voice Transmission.
Which meant the other party was, at minimum, a master of the Harmony Realm.
Without flinching, I cupped my fist toward the front and spoke.
“Jin Muyeol, Young Lord of the Northern Heavenly Sword Clan, greets the foremost sword of the current Jin family.”
“The Young Lord of the Northern Heavenly Sword Clan? You?”
The startled voice came back immediately.
At the same time—thud!
Someone leaped down from the nearby cliff.
It was a burly old man with a body packed with muscle.
An old sword hung from his waist, and a long scar slashed across his face.
If a timid child saw him, they might burst into tears on the spot.
“You’re saying you’re my grandnephew?”
“Yes, Granduncle.”
As I looked at him, an indescribable wave of emotion rose in me.
Jin Ho-geon.
The highest elder of the Northern Heavenly Sword Clan.
This was the man who, in his prime, had dominated Murim under the name Gale Divine Sword.
I had only ever heard of him through the stories of others.
And yet now...
To stand before my living granduncle like this filled me with emotion.
“My father told me where to find you, so I was able to come. It is an honor to meet you.”
“Your father... you mean Yu-gwang. Hah! Hahaha! The last I heard, his health had taken a turn for the worse, but it seems he’s doing well after all. That is truly a relief.”
Great-Granduncle let his guard down and rejoiced sincerely.
Looking at me, he spoke in an even warmer tone.
“Did you say Muyeol? As you know, I am your granduncle, Jin Ho-geon. And this one is...?”
“My trusted man and bodyguard.”
“I am Sagong Cheon. It is an honor to meet the elder known as the Gale Divine Sword.”
“I see. Hahaha, good. A pleasure. Both the Young Lord and his guard are still young, yet your accomplishments are remarkable. A blessing for the clan.”
It seemed Granduncle had discerned both our levels at a glance.
Well, of course he had.
He was a master of the Heavenly Martial Realm—the Profound Realm.
Someone like that would have no difficulty seeing through the level of mere juniors who had only reached the Transcendent Realm.
With a gentle expression, Granduncle asked,
“If the heir of our Northern Heavenly Sword Clan has come all the way here, then naturally it must be because you wish to challenge the Founder’s trial?”
“Yes. But I also came because I wish to bring you back with me, Granduncle.”
Judging from the memories of the past, if he stayed here, Granduncle would surely die.
But I had no intention of allowing that.
Emotionally, I couldn’t bear to let the clan’s greatest elder meet such an end.
And from a practical standpoint, letting a force like him die for nothing would be an enormous waste.
But Granduncle looked troubled.
“I’m sorry, child, but I cannot leave this place and return to the clan.”
“May I ask why?”
“Because there are those who covet Wind God Valley.”
“...!”
That was something I had never heard before.
In my first life, I had learned nothing here at all.
And yet there were people targeting this place?
“Who are they?”
“I do not know their exact identities. I only know they are a hidden force lurking in the darkness of Murim. They covet our ancestor’s legacy and constantly keep watch on this place.”
“That...”
“The reason I left Murim and secluded myself here is tied to that as well. I have already driven off those lurking around this area twice before. I do not know when they may return again.”
“A hidden force in the shadows...”
One name flashed through my mind.
Black Night Castle.
It was too early to be certain, but wasn’t it most likely them?
I spoke carefully.
“Granduncle... I think I may know who they are.”
“What? Is that truly so?”
“Yes. They are called Black Night Castle.”
I began explaining calmly.
I told him how the Northern Heavenly Sword Clan had begun to decline at some point. How that decline had been driven by Father’s poisoning and the elders’ corruption. And how all of it was part of Black Night Castle’s scheme.
“The audacity!”
After hearing everything, Granduncle roared in a thunderous voice.
The cliffs around us seemed to shake from his voice alone.
A master of the Heavenly Martial Realm, shouting in earnest, carried that much force.
“They dared lay hands on our Northern Heavenly Sword Clan? Those damnable wretches...”
“Please calm yourself, Granduncle. We’ve already resolved part of it.”
“What?”
“The Patriarch’s condition has improved. By chance, I came into possession of a martial art and a Medicine King Divine Pill, and I used them to purge the poison. As for the elders’ rampage, that too has largely been brought under control. One incident gave me the opportunity to restore discipline.”
I also told him about the Shanxi Yoo Family and what had happened with Wang Jin this time.
As Granduncle listened, his eyes widened, and soon an expression of astonishment spread across his face.
“Hoh... is that really true? You accomplished all that?”
“It is true, elder Gale Divine Sword. I stake everything I have on the truth of his words.”
Sagong Cheon stepped in at just the right time to support me.
At that, Granduncle broke into a broad smile.
“Hah! Hahaha! A truly extraordinary talent has emerged in our Northern Heavenly Sword Clan! A blessing for the family! I am truly proud. If your grandfather were still alive, he would have been overjoyed.”
“Yes. But we still can’t lower our guard. The Black Night Castle forces that orchestrated all this behind the scenes are still alive and well.”
“Hmm.”
“That is why I want to bring you back to the main house, Granduncle. If anything happens, having an elder like you there would make it far easier to deal with.”
“You flatter this old face of mine. Still, I understand what you are trying to say.”
Granduncle looked at me calmly and said,
“I believe I need some time to think. The safety of the clan is important, but guarding this place is of great importance as well.”
“Of course. I have no intention of forcing you.”
“Haha. Thank you for saying that. In that case, let me first guide you to our ancestor’s trial ground.”
Granduncle took the lead and guided us to the entrance of a small cave, cleverly concealed in a crack between the cliffs.
“Deep within this place, the Founder rests. But to reach him, you must overcome several trials. Do you have the confidence for it?”
“Yes.”
“A special art is at work here, and the trial is designed so that it may only be attempted once before the age of thirty. Your father and his brothers, and even my own brothers and I, all failed to reach the end.”
“But I’ll be different.”
“Oh? Hahaha! Good. That is the confidence I like to hear. A man of the North should be no less.”
Laughing heartily, Granduncle opened the cleverly hidden cave entrance for me.
“One last warning.”
“Yes.”
“Do not die.”
Rumble...
As I stepped inside, the stone door shut behind me once more.
I looked out into the pitch-black darkness.
The air here was utterly different from outside.
Shhhk!
And then arrows came flying at me with savage speed.
Slice!
In an instant, I drew my sword and cut the arrows down.
The arrows dissolved away as though they had never existed in the first place.
And seeing that, I knew with certainty.
The trial had already begun.