The Principle of Pahe
How much time had passed?
Judging by the lantern running dry, at least ten shichen must have gone by.
Yet Jang Muhwi did not rise.
Feeling the weight of exhaustion, he let his eyes lose focus for a moment. His gaze drifted past the surface of the paper into the empty space beyond, emptying his mind of all thought.
The state of no-mind—where every thought was cleared and every shred of will set aside.
Like staring at the moon reflected on the still surface of a lake, he simply observed the points.
For Jang Muhwi, this was rest.
Then a strange change began to unfold.
At first the points trembled faintly. Soon they blurred together, rising like heat haze. It even seemed as though the scattered dots were slowly rearranging themselves within his vision.
It felt as if someone were patiently unraveling a hopelessly tangled skein of thread.
Thin lines appeared, connecting point to point.
Some sliced through the air with sharp speed; others traced gentle, flowing curves.
They were not mere lines.
They were sword trajectories.
They were flows of energy.
When all of them merged, they formed a single shape.
A pentagonal diagram that illustrated the circulation of qi and the distribution of power.
At last, he had grasped the true meaning of the second chapter of the Mumyeonggeomgyeol.
Countless sword paths and qi meridian diagrams came together in his mind to create a vast picture. At the center of that picture lay the gap.
Slowness hidden inside speed. Weakness concealed within strength. The inevitable opening buried inside even the most perfect technique. Reading it, seeing through it, piercing it.
Pahe!
In that instant, a fierce flash of realization surged through him as though his eyes had snapped open with sudden brilliance.
“This was it…!”
Jang Muhwi muttered the words before he could stop himself.
When all speed is divided, it becomes slowness. When all strength is divided, it becomes weakness. No matter how infinitely the technique may change, the axis at its foundation never shifts.
That was the message the second chapter sought to impart.
Pahe was, in the end, the eye that could pierce straight through to the root beyond the dazzling surface.
Jang Muhwi slowly emerged from the state of no-self.
His body felt fatigue, yet his mind was clearer and lighter than ever.
His eyes had deepened, carrying a new weight that had not been there before.
He rose from his seat and walked slowly toward the lantern. Then he rolled up the sheet of paper and set it alight.
The second chapter of the Mumyeonggeomgyeol caught fire.
Jang Muhwi opened the window.
In an instant the ashes rode the wind and scattered.
Jang Muhwi opened the door of the pavilion and stepped outside.
Creak.
His eyes widened.
On his right stood Galmu-ryang. On his left stood Ma Uiryong. Both were blinking wearily.
Neither looked well.
“Are you all right?”
“It’s nothing,” Ma Uiryong answered, his face suggesting he might collapse at any moment.
Galmu-ryang followed with a nod.
“I’m fine, Squad Leader.”
“You two don’t look fine at all.”
Jang Muhwi narrowed his eyes, carefully studying their condition.
He took both men to an inn outside the Murim Alliance. It was to reward them for their hard work.
After ordering food and waiting a short while, Jang Muhwi tilted his head at the unusually lively atmosphere inside the inn.
Judging by their clothing, merchants had gathered not only from the Qinghai region but from the southern and northern lands as well.
Northern merchants from places like Gansu wore plenty of leather to survive the cold. Southern merchants from Yunnan or Guangxi, on the other hand, favored breathable fabrics.
Although Qinghai was indeed a vital hub connecting south, north, and west, the number of merchants seemed far greater than expected.
There was no smoke without fire.
Something was clearly going on.
Jang Muhwi quickly pricked up his ears.
One merchant spoke in a low voice.
“Did you hear? People from the Namgung Clan and the Sichuan Tang Clan are coming.”
“Not only that—they say even the provincial governor is on his way.”
“Hehe, the Qinghai Branch must be hosting quite the event.”
“I heard the Four Gods Assembly wasn’t originally this large.”
“Why the sudden crowd this time?”
“I don’t know the details. But with famous masters of Murim and high officials from Qinghai attending, we should at least show our faces. What could be more important than that?”
“You’re right. Come to think of it, there’s only a week left.”
“Indeed.”
“Still, it’s thanks to you! If we’d arrived any later we might not have gotten a room.”
They clinked their cups together in good spirits.
Jang Muhwi caught something odd in their conversation—the part about only a week remaining.
He turned to Galmu-ryang.
“They said the Four Gods Assembly is in a week. What’s going on? The Branch Chief clearly told me it would be in fifteen days…”
“Gasp. Squad Leader!”
“What is it?”
“Do you truly not know? It has been exactly one week since you entered the pavilion.”
“Wait… When I checked the lantern oil, only about ten shichen should have passed. What are you talking about?”
When Jang Muhwi tilted his head in confusion, Ma Uiryong cut in.
“It looked like the flame was about to die, so I kept refilling the oil. Big Brother.”
“……”
Jang Muhwi found himself looking back and forth between the two men.
Only now did he understand why they looked so haggard.
Galmu-ryang and Ma Uiryong had stood guard without rest for over a week.
Then Galmu-ryang asked cautiously.
“Then… did you enter a state of no-self?”
“It appears so.”
“Congratulations, Squad Leader.”
Galmu-ryang bowed, his face bright with joy.
At the same time, Ma Uiryong offered a respectful salute.
People at nearby tables were staring at Jang Muhwi’s group with strange looks. But the moment passed quickly; they soon turned away and continued chatting about the upcoming Four Gods Assembly.
A week went by.
Today was the day of the Four Gods Assembly.
From early morning, a taut tension filled the main training ground of the Qinghai Branch.
The low-ranking warriors and staff moved with even stricter discipline than usual, each holding their assigned positions.
This Four Gods Assembly was the first large-scale event the Qinghai Branch had hosted in a long time.
Several factors had caused the scale to snowball.
The participation of the Thunder Force Sword and the financial backing from a powerful patron were the main reasons. As more influential figures confirmed their attendance, others flocked in simply to make connections.
Jang Muhwi remained inside the Hyeonmu Unit’s pavilion. There was no need to go out early and waste energy.
He changed into the most immaculate martial robes he owned. Rather than a warrior, he looked more like a refined painter.
In a way, the description was accurate—he had decided to paint the most beautiful sword path anyone would see at today’s assembly.
Once his attire was perfectly arranged, Jang Muhwi strapped on a perfectly ordinary sword.
His overall appearance was unremarkable, yet his eyes gleamed like a freshly honed blade.
He still needed to fully internalize the principle of Pahe he had realized.
The ones who had helped him through that process were Galmu-ryang and Ma Uiryong.
Inside the private training room of the pavilion, Jang Muhwi had taken turns sparring with both men.
The prerequisite for Pahe was perception—the eye that could see the root.
What he needed after gaining the insight was real experience, and the two men had helped him accumulate a portion of it.
Even though they already looked ready to collapse, Galmu-ryang and Ma Uiryong had trained with him for three full days.
Of course, their own martial arts had improved dramatically in the process.
Pahe was an attack that struck directly at an opponent’s weakness. Once a warrior realized his flaw had been seen through, he would desperately try to reinforce it. Repeating that cycle eventually produced a flawless technique.
Thanks to the training, Galmu-ryang’s bloodless saber art and Ma Uiryong’s Ma Family staff technique had both advanced another level.
“Squad Leader, are you prepared?”
Galmu-ryang, who had somehow restored his energy, asked with perfect courtesy.
Ma Uiryong polished his iron staff, eyes shining.
Though the rest had been short, both men had recovered completely. Their gazes burned with firm resolve.
Jang Muhwi looked at them and asked,
“Is everyone ready?”
“You may depart whenever you wish, Squad Leader.”
Galmu-ryang’s voice carried even greater discipline than before.
Ma Uiryong refused to be outdone.
“We’re ready, Big Brother.”
“Then let’s go.”
Jang Muhwi answered briefly and took the lead.
Their group traveled light, yet their steps held not the slightest trace of hesitation.
Low-ranking warriors they passed pressed their swords to their chests in respect. Every single one of them was quietly cheering for Jang Muhwi.
The path leading to the training ground was just as crowded. Martial artists and merchants hoping to watch the Four Gods Assembly packed the route, and the topic on everyone’s lips was, of course, the upcoming duels.
The hottest subject by far was the Namgung Clan’s Thunder Force Sword.
At last they reached the enormous training ground of the Murim Alliance Qinghai Branch.
The venue was already packed with people from every direction; empty seats were nearly impossible to find.
At the far end, four majestic banners representing the Four Great Martial Units fluttered with imposing presence.
The VIP seats were filled with renowned masters of Murim and high officials of Qinghai whose names alone commanded respect.
At the highest seat sat Wang Jimak, Chief of the Qinghai Branch, wearing a solemn expression. Several seats beside him remained empty—clearly reserved for the Namgung Clan’s Thunder Force Sword, distinguished guests from the Sichuan Tang Clan, the provincial governor, and others.
The moment Jang Muhwi reached his position, Hyeon-gok of the Cheongryongdae arrived directly across from him.
Not only Hyeon-gok, but the two warriors who would fight for the Blue Dragon Squad had also arrived. They were said to be the greatest experts Hyeon-gok had selected from the entire unit.
Seeing them, both Galmu-ryang and Ma Uiryong narrowed their eyes.
A silent clash of auras had begun.
After staring at one another for a long moment, Ma Uiryong spoke.
“Can I kill them, Big Brother?”
“Today, do as you please.”
“Huh?”
When Ma Uiryong’s eyes widened in surprise, Jang Muhwi added,
“If it feels too burdensome, half-kill them instead. That goes for all of you, so keep it in mind.”
Ma Uiryong thumped his chest loudly.
“Don’t worry about a thing. Just leave it to me, Big Brother.”
“I will obey your command, Squad Leader.”
While Ma Uiryong flashed a bright, toothy grin, Galmu-ryang answered with a perfectly stoic face.
Once the distinguished guests had taken their seats, Wang Jimak descended to the duel stage and summoned both Jang Muhwi and Hyeon-gok.
They needed to submit their lists of participants immediately.
The original format called for five warriors per side, fighting under winner-stays rules until one unit remained victorious.
However, the Hyeonmu Unit only had three members including its leader—insufficient to fill five slots.
The Cheongryongdae had therefore yielded on the matter of numbers.
In exchange, Hyeon-gok had made one request: to keep the fighting order secret until the last moment, making the duels more thrilling.
Wang Jimak had readily agreed.
He would only announce the order right before the matches began.
“Here it is, Branch Chief.”
Jang Muhwi handed over the list and returned to his seat.
Once there, he quietly observed Hyeon-gok.
Then he smiled brightly.
Jang Muhwi knew Hyeon-gok very well. The man must have pulled some trick to elevate his own reputation.
The low-ranking warriors stationed around them were already speculating about the order.
“I bet Galmu-ryang goes first.”
“No, it’ll be Ma Uiryong.”
“Then the Blue Dragon Squad will probably send Kang Byeok-hae and Jo Un-ryong.”
“Makes sense. The leader will come out last.”
While everyone buzzed with predictions, the sound of drums rang out from the duel stage.
Boom!
Boom!
Before the echoes had even faded, Wang Jimak unfolded the list containing the participation order.
It was the roster submitted by the Cheongryongdae.
As he read it, Wang Jimak tilted his head in confusion.
He turned to look at Hyeon-gok.