Chapter 74
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman immediately moved upon reading the letter Mu Hwi had spread, but he did not reveal himself hastily.
He spent three days circling the area around Hanyashan, wary of traps and ambushes.
Common sense dictated that the Hwasan Sect would not leave their promising future Sect Leader, Mu Hwi, alone.
But surprisingly, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s expectations were completely wrong. When he realized that Mu Hwi was truly alone, he felt suspicious.
‘What kind of confidence is this?’
He had often heard of the Hwasan Sword Devil’s reputation, but he couldn’t shake the thought that Mu Hwi was still just a late-stage foundation level disciple.
Even the elders of the Nine Sects didn’t intimidate him, so how could a young late-stage foundation level disciple who had only recently made a name for himself?
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman could only laugh mockingly.
‘He must be overreaching to build his reputation.’
A low chuckle escaped the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman as a dense aura, like smoke, began to emanate from his body.
The Taixu Wuling Xinfa (太虛武靈心法), the supreme mental technique of the Jeonjin Sect.
Once considered one of the top three divine techniques in the martial arts world, it now revealed its noble form.
As the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman fully activated the Taixu Wuling Xinfa, his internal energy materialized into a mist-like form, swirling around his body.
Moreover, the concentration and release of his internal energy shifted so naturally that the tangible energy began to slowly erode the surrounding area.
‘The purity of his internal energy is insane. No wonder it’s compared to the Shaolin’s Yijin Jing.’
As Mu Hwi marveled at the Taixu Wuling Xinfa, the mist around him faintly stirred.
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman, using the Huxu Qianying Bu (虛許潛影步), moved like the creeping mist, and in an instant, he was in front of Mu Hwi.
In one swift motion, he closed the distance and thrust his sword toward Mu Hwi’s brow.
The sword light of the Taixu Tianlei Jian (太虛天雷劍) flashed. The white light descending in a diagonal line was like a bolt of lightning.
Kang!
The sharp metallic sound made the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s eyes narrow.
The extended Plum Blossom Sword blocked the Taixu Tianlei Jian’s strike head-on.
“Oh? You blocked my swift sword at this distance?”
Mu Hwi didn’t stop at just blocking the swift sword. As his wrist and elbow trembled, the Plum Blossom Sword at the tip began to writhe like a snake.
The sword edge, slithering up the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s blade, aimed for his right hand gripping the sword.
“Hmph!”
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman tightened his grip and violently swung his sword upward.
Kkeong!
The entangled swords separated, and as the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s sword, which had risen high, descended again, it attempted to cleave Mu Hwi in two.
Swoosh!
Purple petals bloomed at the tip of the Plum Blossom Sword as it drew an arc. Each time the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s sword cut through the air, white mist filled the void.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Purple twilight and white mist enveloped the surroundings.
With each clash of the two swords, the sound of metal shattering echoed incessantly.
True to its name, Heavenly Thunder, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s swift sword displayed lightning-like speed and sharpness, tearing apart every petal in its path.
‘They said he defeated two Wudang elders and later repelled the Wudang Seven Swords.’
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s skill far exceeded expectations.
He seemed to be at the peak of the supreme master level, and with the right opportunity or enlightenment, he might even reach the transcendent realm.
A stronger opponent than anticipated.
Yet, the corner of Mu Hwi’s mouth gradually lifted, and his eyes shone with a clear, sharp light, as if embedded with a divine sword.
Clashing with a strong opponent was always a welcome challenge.
The Sword Devil had grown stronger by repeatedly crossing the line of death.
Standing on the edge of death, feeling the recoil of the sword, the Sword Devil’s heart beat more fiercely than ever.
It was the same now.
Mu Hwi’s eyes, taking a step forward, gleamed with greed.
Like a beast, his eyes scrutinized the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman, searching for something to take.
“Good.”
Seeing Mu Hwi’s deep smile, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s gaze darkened.
‘A late-stage foundation level disciple at the supreme master level… Is that possible?’
Having gauged Mu Hwi’s level through their exchanges, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s expression turned serious.
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman, no longer underestimating Mu Hwi as a mere late-stage foundation level disciple, began to draw out his full strength.
His choice was correct.
Swoosh!
In the instant the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman took a step back, dozens of plum blossoms bloomed before his eyes.
Brilliantly glowing purple plum blossoms.
His vision was filled with dazzling purple blossoms, and between the petals, endless streams of violet petals poured forth.
The surroundings were radiant with purple.
The surroundings were fragrant with sword aura.
As if lost in a fantasy, a utopia.
“Truly a beautiful sight.”
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s eyes, seeing this scene, emitted a cold light.
Let’s not drag this out. Kill him quickly.
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s sword, imbued with white sword energy, was leveled and aimed at the plum blossoms.
“Do you know? Behind that beauty lies the sacrifice of the Jeonjin Sect.”
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s arm blurred, and in an instant, it disappeared. At that moment, dozens of lightning bolts erupted.
Great thunder and lightning.
Swoosh!
The lightning bolts, cutting through the air, fiercely tore apart the blooming plum blossoms.
Yet, the dozens of sword strikes, still retaining their power, pierced through Mu Hwi’s body one after another.
Mu Hwi, using the Dark Scent Flutter to dodge to the side, had his robe torn in several places.
Thanks to the Plum Blossom Mountain Technique and the Dark Scent Flutter, he avoided fatal injuries, but the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s sword was indeed fierce.
‘He survived that?’
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman was inwardly surprised that Mu Hwi was still in good condition after such a move.
Kwang!
Seeing Mu Hwi charging forward with determined steps, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman let out a hollow laugh.
Even though he felt the gap in their strength, Mu Hwi was the one closing the distance first. This late-stage foundation level disciple’s judgment defied common sense.
The internal energy pouring into the Yongquan point drew a strange vortex. Along with it, Mu Hwi’s entire body began to rotate.
With each rotation, droplets of blood scattered from Mu Hwi’s body.
The relentless sword strikes, accompanied by the rotation. The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman did not retreat but clashed head-on.
Amidst the sword shadows filling his vision, the hand shadows and palm strength of the Plum Blossom Mountain Technique suddenly appeared.
As he deflected the sword aiming for his knee, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman swung his left hand, releasing the serene palm strength of the Hanxu Qingyou Zhang (涵虛淸幽掌).
Clang!
With a sound like a drum bursting, the two men simultaneously created distance, only to close it again and clash swords.
They never stopped trying to cut each other down.
The thunderous sounds of the two masters’ collision now seemed to form a rhythm.
In terms of pure skill level, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman was several steps ahead of Mu Hwi.
But Mu Hwi had the experience of his past life to narrow that gap.
With each new sword wound on his body, Mu Hwi’s sword became sharper and more precise.
It was as if he was gradually overlapping with the Sword Devil of his past life.
‘Why is he smiling?’
Just now, Mu Hwi had been struck twice on the collarbone and arm. Despite knowing he was at a disadvantage, Mu Hwi’s smile only deepened.
What reason could he have for smiling?
Splat!
Disliking the smiling face, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman gritted his teeth and thrust his sword.
He shattered the dozens of changes Mu Hwi had created and fired five swift sword strikes through the gaps.
At that moment, Mu Hwi didn’t miss the opening created by the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s slightly larger movement. Mu Hwi, spreading his shoulders wide, swung his sword in a wide arc.
Following the Plum Blossom Sword’s momentum, petals floated up.
Swoosh!
Blood spurted from Mu Hwi’s waist, but at the same time, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s side was also stained red.
‘Damn it, to be wounded by a mere youngster’s sword!’
Startled, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman unconsciously took a step back, and Mu Hwi took two steps forward, closing the gap.
Purple petals followed him. The sword energy petals swirling around Mu Hwi, as if protecting him, greatly annoyed the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman.
As if reflecting his irritation, the lightning bolts he summoned ruthlessly tore through the surroundings.
Kwa ka kang!
Mu Hwi’s Plum Blossom Sword and Plum Blossom Mountain Technique began to gain momentum. Yet, suppressing the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s Taixu Tianlei Jian was no easy task.
‘Somehow, it feels similar.’
While the Jeonjin Sect’s martial arts were originally exceptional, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s techniques were heavily influenced by his temperament, making them generally more aggressive.
Although Mu Hwi was seeing the Taixu Tianlei Jian for the first time, he instinctively sensed that it differed from the original sword techniques.
It felt similar to the sword techniques the Sword Devil of his past life had mastered and refined.
Without a master, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman must have learned his martial arts alone, with countless battles and enemies as his teachers.
Thus, his sword techniques had changed.
Like the Sword Devil of his past life, the Taixu Tianlei Jian was a sword technique that embodied the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s lifetime of experience.
Therefore, Mu Hwi opened his eyes wide, trying to absorb everything about the Taixu Tianlei Jian.
A sword technique honed over a lifetime by a martial artist of this level surely had something to offer.
“How dare you!”
As Mu Hwi attempted to close the distance, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s eyes filled with rage.
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s sword, already displaying swift techniques at the peak of mastery, became even faster.
The swift sword, which had always produced a sharp sound, now moved silently.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Only the sound of Mu Hwi blocking the swift sword could be heard. Yet, some strikes got through, and wounds began to accumulate on Mu Hwi’s body.
The peak of Hanyashan, once filled with only purple and white, now had red added to it.
The more this happened, the brighter Mu Hwi’s eyes and smile became. In contrast, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s eyes trembled slightly.
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman hastily tilted his head back.
At that moment, the Plum Blossom Sword narrowly missed, slicing through the air.
‘His sword speed is increasing. Could he be imitating me?’
The way Mu Hwi gripped his sword, the relaxation of his shoulders, back, and waist. The width and angle of his feet when striking.
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman didn’t miss how these elements constantly changed. Some even resembled his own form.
“Do you think you can steal from me?!”
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman roared and unleashed a thick beam of light. At that moment, it overlapped with Mu Hwi’s slightly slower sword strike.
Splat!
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s sleeve tore, and a long sword wound stretched from his wrist to his elbow.
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman looked down at the wound with hollow eyes.
“Is this how it’s done? I think I’ve got the hang of it.”
“What?”
Mu Hwi, his robe torn and riddled with holes, now fluttered it stylishly, his posture slightly different from before.
He had blended the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s form into his own swift sword techniques.
“A master of swift sword techniques like this is truly rare. I’ve learned more than I thought, old man.”
The subtle movements of the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s swift sword.
The form and style of the Taixu Tianlei Jian.
Mu Hwi’s five senses quickly processed these insights.
As he absorbed the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s sword techniques, his understanding of swift sword techniques deepened, leading to a chain of realizations connected to the sword marks left by the Hwasan Sword Saint, Gongdo.
Along with this, a new technique began to shine.
Mu Hwi immediately charged at the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman, who was bending his knees, and swung his sword.
In an instant, the Plum Blossom Sword, which had been unleashing seven sword strikes, disappeared midway. Just as a wrinkle was about to form on the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s brow.
Swoosh!
A sword strike, having crossed the distance, suddenly appeared and struck the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s side.
A single plum blossom bloomed. Unlike the slow blooming in the basin, this one bloomed twice as fast.
The plum blossom, rotating and tearing through the side.
The wound on the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s side was so severe that it seemed more like grinding than cutting.
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman spat blood from his mouth.
“Plum Blossom by the Roadside” (梅花路傍).
The moment Mu Hwi’s new technique, which he had been refining, was finally completed. As the completion of the new sword technique drew closer, Mu Hwi raised the corner of his mouth.
“Kuhahak!”
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman staggered, then charged at Mu Hwi, spraying blood everywhere.
Mu Hwi felt the intense palm strength concentrated in the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s left palm. Along with the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s fierce, death-defying eyes.
‘Is he planning a mutual strike?’
It was clear that he intended to fix his sword with a subtle movement during the clash and pour all his strength into a palm strike.
But Mu Hwi had no intention of playing along. The Plum Blossom Sword’s blade began to rapidly turn purple.
The heavy strike swung down.
Thud!
The Iron Plum Sword Technique, unleashed unexpectedly, severed the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s sword, and his right arm flew into the sky.
Thump!
The Plum Blossom Sword, charging forward, pierced the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s heart, but he did not stop.
Despite the sword sinking deeper, he continued forward.
For some reason, the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman was desperate. After closing the distance by five steps, he swung his left palm at Mu Hwi’s head.
Mu Hwi’s eyes narrowed.
Though the Plum Blossom Sword in his right hand was embedded in the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s body, it was no longer a concern.
Without hesitation, Mu Hwi released the Plum Blossom Sword deeply embedded in the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s chest.
At the same time, he used the Dark Scent Flutter to leap back.
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman, unable to pursue due to the severe wound on his side and the sword in his heart, could only look at Mu Hwi with hollow eyes.
“What? Did you think I’d play along? Why should I engage in a palm strength battle with an old man?”
Mu Hwi looked at the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s face, which was gradually losing vitality.
“Why are you looking so pitiful? Those who died by your hand must have died with even greater resentment.”
“Gurgle.”
The Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s body trembled, then slowly tilted and collapsed.
Without leaving any last words, only the sound of gurgling blood marked his end.
Mu Hwi carefully pulled the Plum Blossom Sword from the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s chest while standing.
Mu Hwi’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman’s corpse.
As the Jeonjin mysterious swordsman fell, something tumbled out from within his robe.
Picking it up, Mu Hwi found it was a secret manual.
“Quite thick.”
Mu Hwi flipped through the manual, examining its contents.
As he read the title, his eyes narrowed.
< I’ve learned more than I thought, old man. > End
< This is some fine wine. >
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