Chapter 93
Seong Hwi stared blankly at Mu Hwi’s back, unaware that his mouth had fallen open.
‘The Frost Sound Demon King! He’s challenging an absolute master with the title of King to a bet?’
He couldn’t understand what kind of confidence Mu Hwi had. No, it wasn’t confidence—it seemed more like madness.
‘It was absurd from the moment he declared he’d face the Evil Sect disciples alone.’
Mu Hwi had declared that he would take on all the Evil Sect disciples participating in the team battle.
Though it was said he’d face them one by one, it was essentially the same as enduring a continuous battle against five disciples without rest.
But Mu Hwi had done it as if to prove a point.
He had barely scraped through or faced repeated crises.
His exquisite sword techniques, perfectly matched to his martial arts.
It was as if he already knew his opponents’ martial arts, precisely exploiting the gaps and connections in their techniques.
With each match, Mu Hwi displayed near-miraculous skill, reaffirming his title of Sword Devil.
Mu Hwi had overwhelmingly, or at least smoothly, defeated his opponents, forcing them to their knees.
And now, he was pointing his sword at an absolute master who stood at the pinnacle of the martial arts world.
They say that when the wall you must climb is too high, you can’t even feel despair or frustration.
That was how Seong Hwi felt as he watched Mu Hwi.
“Will I ever see the end of that ocean?”
To Seong Hwi, Mu Hwi had become an entity as vast and unfathomable as the ocean.
As Seong Hwi’s muttering dissipated into the air, Zhuge Myung, who was gathered with the late-stage foundation level disciples of the Small Righteous Assembly to cheer for Mu Hwi, glanced at him.
“Hey…”
Just as Zhuge Myung was about to speak to Seong Hwi, a heavy metallic sound erupted from the martial stage.
Clang!
The Frost Sound Demon King’s right palm strike, enveloped in the cold energy of the Blue Ice Yin Ridge Art.
The Plum Blossom Sword, cutting through the wind, slashed horizontally but was deflected.
Though the blade of the Plum Blossom Sword didn’t penetrate at all, Mu Hwi calmly adjusted his stance and retreated.
Seeing Mu Hwi’s composure, the Frost Sound Demon King’s eyes twitched.
‘After four matches, his breathing is barely disturbed. Impressive.’
Even though there was already sufficient distance, Mu Hwi retreated five more steps.
Mu Hwi’s eyes were fixed on the Frost Sound Demon King’s arms, now tinged with blue.
‘As expected, they’re tough. But not tough enough to be unbreakable.’
Not missing this, the Frost Sound Demon King looked at Mu Hwi with a strange expression.
“You’re gauging it. The hardness of my arms, wrapped in cold energy…”
Every action Mu Hwi took was unlike that of a late-stage foundation level disciple.
He was behaving exactly like the seasoned masters of the martial arts world.
“Hmm.”
The Frost Sound Demon King bent his knees slightly and leaned forward a little. His movements were peculiar as if sprinting on ice.
Swish!
Where the Frost Sound Demon King passed, two lines of frozen ice remained on the ground.
Using the Ice Line Step, the Frost Sound Demon King closed the distance to Mu Hwi in an instant, his sleeves fluttering.
“I felt it in the previous matches too, but it’s truly strange. Your outer skin is clearly that of a junior, yet…”
A palm strike filled with deadly cold energy that would freeze one to the bone upon contact descended toward Mu Hwi’s shoulder.
“Your actions are like those of an old ginger in the martial arts world.”
The palm strike surged directly toward Mu Hwi’s shoulder.
Mu Hwi cleverly inserted the Plum Blossom Sword diagonally into the trajectory of the palm strike.
The Frost Sound Demon King couldn’t have missed Mu Hwi’s intention to deflect the palm strike.
As if mocking him, the Frost Sound Demon King altered his trajectory, but the Plum Blossom Sword had already anticipated where his palm would strike.
It wasn’t that Mu Hwi had read the Frost Sound Demon King’s moves, but rather the subtle changes in his sword technique. This was possible because Mu Hwi’s sword technique fully embodied the essence of the Hwasan Sect.
In his past life, where he primarily used the Dokgo Sword Technique, this would have been difficult. It showed how much his sword technique had advanced compared to his past life.
Crack!
As the blade and surface of the Plum Blossom Sword vibrated subtly and flipped.
Thud!
The Frost Sound Demon King’s arm jerked, and his palm strike twisted slightly, striking only empty air.
“Ha!”
The Frost Sound Demon King let out a cold laugh.
While most martial artists use softness (Yu) to deflect attacks, Mu Hwi uses transformation (Byeon) and illusion (Hwan).
Even the orthodox sects and Iron Mountain Fist King, watching with serious eyes, were amazed by Mu Hwi’s incredible technique.
‘Chilling.’
Even though it was just the aftermath of striking empty air, the shockwave of the palm force caused frost to form on the surface of Mu Hwi’s robe.
When a martial artist’s attack misses, a gap always appears. The Frost Sound Demon King was no exception.
Mu Hwi’s eyes caught a very slight gap, but he didn’t exploit it.
‘If I go in, I’ll die.’
The reason for Mu Hwi’s hesitation became immediately clear as the Frost Sound Demon King’s hand moved.
From the motion of striking empty air, the Frost Sound Demon King naturally transitioned into another move, his hand drawing countless hand shadows.
The gap Mu Hwi had seen was the starting point of the offensive. The Frost Sound Demon King, as if to show off, unleashed the Blue Abyss Ice Jade.
Blue palms emitting cold energy filled the air, leaving Mu Hwi no time to swing his sword.
No, even if he had time, the palm shadows and ice filling the space made it impossible to extend his sword.
Crackle!
The palm shadows, filled with cold energy, connected and froze, forming a sphere around Mu Hwi.
“In an instant, something like that!”
“Ah!”
The renowned figures of the martial world gasped, and Xian Zhu couldn’t sit still.
“Brother Mu Hwi…”
As Xian Zhu bit her lip and muttered in a weak voice, an unexpected event occurred.
A tiny beam of light pierced through the pure white ice. The purple light was so small and insignificant.
In a way, it looked like a sprout.
As the Frost Sound Demon King frowned and raised his cold energy-filled hand, purple sprouts instantly appeared all over the surface of the Blue Abyss Ice Jade.
The blue color of the ice jade gradually deepened, turning purple in an instant.
Crack!
From the shattered Blue Abyss Ice Jade, flower buds covered in ice and frost burst forth.
Plum Endures the Snow’s Cold
As Mu Hwi twisted his waist and thrust his sword, the flower buds merged with purple petals, swirling violently.
The technique of Plum Endures the Snow’s Cold, cutting through the ice fragments and cold energy, was like a spring breeze announcing the end of winter.
The flower buds that flew to the Frost Sound Demon King’s left and right simultaneously bloomed, revealing snow plum blossoms.
The sword’s fragrance, pushing back the cold energy filling the martial stage, made its presence known.
The Frost Sound Demon King, with an enormous amount of cold energy rising like smoke around his hands, unleashed a palm strike.
Whoosh!
A cold wind blew across the martial stage, leaving only finely shattered ice fragments around the Frost Sound Demon King.
The forty-eight sword strikes of Plum Endures the Snow’s Cold.
Though the Frost Sound Demon King had easily blocked them, Mu Hwi smiled.
“One move.”
At Mu Hwi’s muttering, a thick cold energy flowed from the Frost Sound Demon King’s mouth.
Swish!
The Frost Sound Demon King charged again using the Ice Line Step, and Mu Hwi extended his sword, mixing sword shadows and sword wind.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Fists and swords clashed repeatedly, and the Plum Blossom Sword, overpowered, was repeatedly deflected violently.
Mu Hwi tried to maintain a wider distance than usual.
The Frost Sound Demon King pushed aside the dozen sword shadows thrusting toward him with a single palm strike, then casually flicked out a Blue Ice Finger.
A finger technique condensed with cold energy—if it hit even once, it would be fatal.
Even if it wasn’t a finger technique, other attacks were the same. A single mistake could completely turn the tide of battle—this was the most terrifying aspect of ice techniques.
Swish!
Cutting through the finger wind felt like slicing through steel.
“Hoo.”
After slashing through three layers of palm force in succession, Mu Hwi exhaled lightly, his breath turning into thick mist and dissipating.
The cold energy floating in the surrounding air was dense, and ice and frost were easy to find all over the martial stage.
It felt as if winter had descended only on the martial stage.
“How is it? Your body should be slowing down by now.”
The Frost Sound Demon King, having just executed his second move, asked Mu Hwi with the same cold expression as before.
“I don’t feel slow, but it is refreshing.”
Every time Mu Hwi moved, the frost on his robe fell to the ground with a soft plop. Yet, new frost continued to form on his robe.
As the Frost Sound Demon King had said, the cold energy of the Blue Ice Yin Ridge Art was slowly tightening its grip on Mu Hwi.
Because of this, the internal energy of the Purple Mist Divine Technique was racing fiercely through Mu Hwi’s meridians, desperately trying to push back the cold energy.
Amidst this, Mu Hwi was lost in another thought.
‘Something feels itchy.’
It wasn’t that his body was actually itchy, but rather a feeling that he was on the verge of a realization.
But the Frost Sound Demon King didn’t wait quietly for Mu Hwi.
Swish!
The Frost Sound Demon King’s hands grew increasingly venomous, and in response, Mu Hwi’s sword gleamed.
The Frost Sound Demon King blocked the wave of Purple Mist Sword Energy with a palm strike, then clenched his other hand into a fist and threw a punch.
The fist, filled with cold energy, looked like a flying block of ice.
Crash!
In front of the Blue River Fist, a plum blossom bloomed with five petals, showcasing its brilliance.
Mu Hwi executed the technique Plum Endures the Snow’s Cold, but the power of the Blue River Fist crushed the plum blossom and flew toward Mu Hwi.
However, Mu Hwi had anticipated this.
As if waiting, he slashed downward with the Iron Plum Sword Technique, splitting the fist’s power in half.
The Blue River Fist split into two.
Between the split halves, the Frost Sound Demon King’s hand grew larger.
Clang!
The Frost Sound Demon King finally caught the retreating Plum Blossom Sword and thrust his remaining palm toward Mu Hwi.
Thud!
Mu Hwi had no choice but to counter with the palm force of the Plum Blossom Scattering Hand.
A chilling cold energy began to surge through his palm.
Finally, the situation the Frost Sound Demon King had been waiting for had arrived. Mu Hwi also knew what the Frost Sound Demon King was about to do.
“Blue Darkness Ice Prison.”
As the Frost Sound Demon King muttered the name of the technique, an enormous amount of cold energy exploded from his entire body, including both palms.
The blue cold energy spread in concentric circles, enveloping Mu Hwi and the Frost Sound Demon King.
Crackle!
The cold energy surged like a tidal wave, instantly freezing Mu Hwi’s body.
[Let’s see if you can break this too.]
As the Frost Sound Demon King’s secret message reached him, even Mu Hwi’s face was covered in ice.
‘To use this technique, he must be really angry.’
The Blue Darkness Ice Prison was one of the Frost Sound Demon King’s proudest techniques.
Of course, he hadn’t used it at full power. As always, he had adjusted the technique to match Mu Hwi’s level.
If he had used it at the Transcendent Realm level, Mu Hwi wouldn’t even be able to think right now.
Whoosh!
The Purple Mist Divine Technique, sensing the danger to Mu Hwi’s body, moved fiercely, but it wasn’t easy to push back the Blue Ice Yin Energy that was slowly freezing not only his body but also his internal meridians.
As the Purple Mist Divine Technique and Blue Ice Yin Energy engaged in a fierce struggle, Mu Hwi continued to ponder.
Mu Hwi found himself standing alone in a dark, empty space, no longer in the grand plaza of the Martial Alliance.
However, the space was unbearably cold and lonely. It was as if the space itself was made of ice.
In that space, Mu Hwi was the only one emitting a purple light and warmth.
As Mu Hwi gazed at the vast, endless expanse, he saw the Taixu (Great Void).
‘Taixu, and Six Harmonies… Their meanings might be slightly different, but both are directed toward the world, phenomena, and all things—the entirety of existence.’
Trapped in the icy hell, what came to mind was none other than the Taixu Wuling Xinfa.
The principles of the Taixu Wuling Xinfa kept flickering in Mu Hwi’s mind.
‘Is there really a need to distinguish between these two? In the end, they are both part of the Tao that constitutes all things.’
The 口诀 (mnemonic verses) of the Taixu Wuling Xinfa, which Mu Hwi had perfectly memorized, suddenly burst forth, sweeping through his mind.
As the countless 口诀 poured out like a flood, organizing themselves in his mind and converging into a single stream.
Whoosh!
The movement of the Purple Mist Divine Technique began to change slightly.
Then, the stubborn Blue Ice Yin Energy suddenly began to retreat helplessly.
The Purple Mist Divine Technique spread vigorously throughout Mu Hwi’s meridians as if trying to dye his entire body purple.
This was a flow that even Mu Hwi couldn’t control or stop.
Crackle!
The sound wasn’t of ice forming but of ice breaking. It was the sound of the Blue Darkness Ice Prison collapsing.
“So quickly?”
Only six breaths had passed since the Blue Darkness Ice Prison was unleashed.
Yet, cracks were already forming in the ice covering Mu Hwi’s body.
“A monster.”
The Frost Sound Demon King’s muttering revealed a crack in his expressionless face, showing a hint of surprise.
Crack!
The cracks spreading across Mu Hwi’s body grew larger, eventually shattering completely and scattering the cold energy around him.
Inside the Blue Darkness Ice Prison, a purple energy current was swirling.
Just as when Jeonjin mysterious swordsman had used the Taixu Wuling Xinfa in the past, a white energy current had lingered around his body, and now a purple energy current floated around Mu Hwi.
“This is…”
Baek Yu, who had been watching Mu Hwi trapped in the Blue Darkness Ice Prison with a worried gaze, now looked puzzled.
Even if the Purple Mist Divine Technique had advanced, it shouldn’t cause a purple energy current to swirl around the body.
“Purple Mist!”
The purple energy current surrounding Mu Hwi’s body was like a purple sunset itself.
Baek Yu couldn’t understand why this phenomenon was occurring.
Mu Hwi, who had closed his eyes, exhaled a long breath and opened them.
A purple ring formed around his pupils, and a mysterious purple light flowed softly from his eyes.
“Haa…”
Mu Hwi’s breath no longer contained even a hint of cold energy. It meant he had completely expelled the Blue Ice Yin Energy.
Mu Hwi looked at the Frost Sound Demon King, who was staring at him strangely and raised his sword again.
“Only one move left, huh? What will you use for the fifth and final move?”
As the Plum Blossom Sword tilted, the purple sunset glow surrounding Mu Hwi’s body pushed back the cold energy filling the martial stage.
The winter that had dominated the martial stage had passed, and the purple sunset glow now filled the space.
< Now, only one move left. > End
< The Senior Disciple has cut through winter. >
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