Hwasan Sect’s Genius Swordsman Chapter 14

Chapter 14

In the courtyard of the Bloodshed Clan, about ten black swordsmen were surrounding a middle-aged man in a threatening manner.

The leader of the Bloodshed Clan counted the money in the pouch and snickered.

“Well, well, I wondered why you came so early in the morning, but you’re here to repay the money.”

“I’ve repaid the borrowed money, so please return my daughter quickly.”

Meanwhile, a young girl was being dragged out from the hall of the Bloodshed Clan. The girl saw the middle-aged man and cried out tearfully.

“Father!”

“Young-young!”

The surrounding black swordsmen looked at each other and burst into laughter.

At this, despite confirming his daughter was safe, the middle-aged man felt an inexplicable anxiety.

The leader drove a wedge into that anxiety.

“You’ve paid back the principal, so now you need to pay the interest.”

“What are you saying? I already added the interest to the money pouch I handed over. Isn’t the interest thirty iron coins?”

“Thirty coins was the interest if you paid within a month, but you took over four months. After one month, the interest keeps growing.”

Hearing this for the first time, the middle-aged man’s face turned pale.

“That’s nonsense!”

“Hey, Gakcheol. Take out the contract.”

The large man standing beside him took out a crumpled piece of paper from his breast pocket.

When the leader spread the paper wide, at the end of the text densely filled with writing were the signatures of two people.

“The content is clearly written in the contract like this, and you properly signed it. Does pretending not to know reduce the interest? Does it?!”

The middle-aged man’s eyes trembled finely at the leader’s shout. It was certainly the contract he had signed himself.

However, the middle-aged man couldn’t read, so he had signed after only hearing the leader’s explanation.

“You certainly didn’t tell me about that content when I was signing!”

“Ah, did I forget? That can happen when you’re busy. But it’s clearly written in the contract, you would have known if you’d read it.”

Despite knowing the middle-aged man couldn’t read, the leader pretended not to know spitefully.

‘I’ve been deceived.’

Realizing he had fallen for the leader’s tactics, the middle-aged man’s legs gave out and he collapsed.

“Father!”

His daughter tried to run to the middle-aged man but was held back by the rough hands of a black swordsman and could only watch.

The leader helped up the collapsed middle-aged man and showed a snake-like smile.

“It must be hard to handle the interest now, why not try for one big win? We run a gambling house, and I’ll specifically let you in on a good game. If you’re lucky, you can clear all your debt in one day.”

The leader tempted him while handing back the money pouch he had received, but the middle-aged man, whose mind had gone blank, remained silent. At this, the smile disappeared from the leader’s face.

Slap!

The leader struck the middle-aged man’s cheek and grabbed his head to make him look straight into his eyes.

“Hey, either pay the money, or hand over your daughter. I’ll give you a fair price when we sell her to the pleasure house.”

At the leader’s harsh voice, the middle-aged man could only blame the heavens.

“Tsk tsk. You’re not coming to your senses.”

The leader approached the daughter and forcibly lifted her face by grabbing her chin.

“This would be at least middle-grade. Boys, sell her to Seonhwa Chamber.”

“Yes, leader.”

The black swordsmen dragged the daughter away by her hair, and the middle-aged man grabbed onto their trouser legs.

“I’ll pay the money somehow. Please, let my daughter go!”

“Get lost!”

The middle-aged man kicked in the face, and shouted at the snickering leader.

“You devils! Heaven will punish you!”

“If there really was divine punishment, I would have died from it long ago, you bastard. Khahaha!”

CRASH

At the sudden thunderous noise, the leader’s laughter stopped abruptly. When he turned his head, the main gate was being smashed.

The broken wooden pieces of the gate were scattered across the courtyard like spring flower petals.

“What’s that now.”

The leader glared at the man who had cleanly blown away the gate and was entering boldly.

Thanks to this, the fallen middle-aged man naturally turned his gaze toward the source of the sound.

‘Flower… Plum blossom?’

A young man who appeared to have just passed his twentieth year.

On his sleeve, red plum blossoms were blooming vividly.

* * *

“Hmm…”

Mujin genuinely seemed flustered and tried to steady his rough breathing.

He had imagined a picture of the Senior Disciple entering grandly through the main gate, clearly exposing the wrongs of the Bloodshed Clan and declaring punishment in the name of the Hwasan Sect.

This wasn’t Mujin’s vague imagination, but rather how righteous sects typically operated. The righteous sects tended to emphasize the justification for their actions.

But to start by blowing away the main gate without warning like this? Mujin’s jaw trembled at Senior Disciple’s behavior that defied common sense.

‘Is this really okay?’

As if mocking Mujin who was agonizing internally, Mu Hwi immediately crossed the threshold.

Then Mu-cheol, who had been watching this with an expressionless face, moved his steps, and Mu-hwa and Mujin hurriedly followed.

“Huh? Senior Disciples, this is…”

“Well, I can roughly see what’s going on here.”

The middle-aged man sprawled on the ground and the young girl, was surrounded by about ten black swordsmen. And the leader glaring murderously at the Senior Disciple who had broken through the gate. Though the exact circumstances were unclear, it was obvious that these black swordsmen were oppressing the middle-aged man.

They had only heard rumors about Bloodshed Clan continuously tormenting the common people of Pocheng, but seeing it firsthand, the disciples’ eyes instantly darkened.

Even Mu-cheol wrinkled his nose in disgust.

“What’s going on!”

“Who are they!”

Thanks to Mu Hwi’s flashy entrance breaking down the gate, black swordsmen from inside the hall began rushing out en masse.

As Mu Hwi walked without hesitation into the increasingly chaotic Bloodshed Clan, he narrowed his eyes at the middle-aged man and leader before him.

“Just like the vermin you are, working hard since morning?”

As Mu Hwi sauntered over, the leader waved his hand at the nearby black swordsmen.

“Put these people inside for now.”

“Yes, leader.”

When the black swordsmen who were already in the courtyard forcibly grabbed the fallen middle-aged man and his daughter by their necks, Mu-hwa shouted.

“You sons of bitches! Stop!”

The enraged Mu-hwa launched herself forward to save the middle-aged man and his daughter. Though Mu-hwa rushed past his side, Mu Hwi made no effort to stop her.

“Mu-hwa!”

At Mu-hwa’s sudden charge, Mujin and Mu-cheol quickly moved to follow. Mu-hwa unleashed the Bamboo Leaf Hand technique without even drawing her sword.

“Ugh!”

With her left hand, she snatched the middle-aged man’s sleeve, and with her right hand, she pushed back a black swordsman’s chest and pulled the girl toward herself.

When another black swordsman nearby tried to help, Mujin and Mu-cheol had already firmly secured Mu-hwa’s flanks.

‘Hwasan Sect bastards?’

The leader furrowed his brow watching the Hwasan Sect disciples instantly subdue his men.

Normally, he would have stopped the fight immediately and tried to appease the Hwasan Sect disciples, but there was no need for that now.

Thinking of the Red Wolf Sword currently being entertained inside the hall, there was no need to fear these young Hwasan Sect disciples.

‘These young punks, they really dared to barge in here with just four people, trusting in the Hwasan Sect’s name?’

The emboldened leader watched his men pouring out from the hall and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Subdue them moderately! But don’t kill them.”

When the leader confidently gave his order, the black swordsmen who had briefly hesitated upon seeing the plum blossoms on their robes all charged at once.

“Hmm. This isn’t bad either.”

Mu Hwi watched with interest as his fellow disciples were instantly surrounded by about fifty black swordsmen.

He had originally planned to make the disciples clash with the black swordsmen, but not like this. Still, this flow wasn’t bad either.

Rather, because it was a chaotic battle, he could see the disciples’ true nature clearly. However, dissatisfaction gradually clouded Mu Hwi’s watching eyes.

“Tsk, they’re clearly showing their inexperience at fighting people.”

Mu Hwi clicked his tongue briefly while watching Mujin and Mu-hwa fight. As the Beggar Sect had reported, all of Bloodshed Clan’s black swordsmen were trained in martial arts.

However, their level is insignificant and not enough to pose a threat.

While this was true just comparing their levels, Mujin and Mu-hwa were fighting quite precariously.

It was because the two disciples’ swords were much softer than usual. Unlike the struggling disciples, the black swordsmen were charging in with killing intent.

‘Since it’s their first time using real swords against people, they probably have a vague burden about cutting flesh and bone.’

Moreover, unlike the usual sparring at the main sect, the black swordsmen were charging in from all directions in large numbers. On top of that, throwing dirt, hidden weapons, and spitting were basic dirty tactics. This made the disciples’ movements even more confused. It was a clear demonstration that life and death in the martial world aren’t decided by martial arts level alone.

Sighing in frustration, Mu Hwi picked up several stones lying around and began flicking them between his middle finger and thumb.

As he flicked his fingers, the stones shot out like hidden weapons and struck the neck of a black swordsman trying to ambush Mu-hwa from behind.

“Argh!”

The black swordsman collapsed with a scream, and Mu-hwa, seeing this belatedly, realized that Mu Hwi had saved her.

“Youngest, did you charge in so boldly just to face these black swordsmen with the flat of your blade?”

Mu-hwa, who had been striking down a black swordsman’s leg with the flat of her blade, flinched. Though no internal energy was used, Senior Disciple’s cold words deeply pierced her ears.

“Tch.”

Mu-hwa immediately corrected her sword grip but couldn’t thrust her sword freely like she would when sparring with her fellow disciples.

“Insolent girl!”

While Mu-hwa hesitated, a black swordsman violently swung his straight sword at Mu-hwa’s leg.

Though Mu-hwa quickly withdrew her leg, her robe was slightly torn. Small drops of blood formed in the gap.

‘Right, this isn’t Hwasan Sect where opponents stop attacking when someone gets hurt!’

Mu-hwa’s face, which had been almost tearful, instantly changed as her eyes turned upward and began showing killing intent.

Along with this, her hesitant sword also gained sharpness. Mu-hwa deflected the incoming straight sword in one breath and drove her sword into the black swordsman’s shoulder.

“Aargh!”

As the feeling of the sword tearing through cloth and digging in transmitted clearly through her hand, Mu-hwa’s eyes trembled slightly.

The moment her heart leaped greatly, Mu-hwa quickly withdrew her sword and deflected the club of a black swordsman attacking from the left.

Though Mu-hwa still couldn’t display her full ability, she was showing much better movement than at first.

“That’s somewhat better.”

SLASH

When Mu Hwi heard the sound of flesh tearing and blood gushing from the opposite side, he naturally turned his gaze.

Black swordsmen had also swarmed Mu-cheol, but more of them were falling while spewing blood.

Hwasan Sect’s swords were typically longer and thinner than normal swords, but in Mu-cheol’s hands, it looked more like holding large chopsticks rather than a sword.

Mu-cheol was concisely swinging his sword and taking down the black swordsmen one by one. Unlike Mujin and Mu-hwa, only Mu-cheol shows his true ability.

Mu Hwi watched Mu-cheol intently.

While displaying Hwasan Sect’s unique sword technique, Mu-cheol was extending his sword focusing on power and weight.

You could say he was making good use of his strengths.

‘Not just his body but his temperament too. Rather than Hwasan Sect’s Sword Techniques, the Dokgo Sword Technique might suit him better.’

Since Mu Hwi had been contemplating how to harmonize the Sword Devil’s signature technique, the Dokgo Sword Technique, with Hwasan Sect’s martial arts recently, his attention was particularly drawn to Mu-cheol.

‘There’s no rule that Hwasan Sect’s martial arts must solely focus on illusion and change.’

The new sword technique Mu Hwi would create would be completely different from the Dokgo Sword Technique. But before creating a new sword technique, he thought it wouldn’t be bad to plant new seeds of Dokgo in Hwasan.

‘There’s no need to stubbornly stick to creating just one sword technique.’

CLANG

A sharp sword cry.

At the source of the sound, Mujin was locked in a power struggle with another black swordsman.

When Mujin deflected the sword, immediately other black swordsmen thrust swords and sabers from left and right.

They seemed to be the leader’s direct subordinates as their martial arts were superior to other black swordsmen, and these five were launching a joint attack against Mujin.

“A black swordsman pretending to form a sword formation.”

The leader, who had been watching for an opening, gradually approached behind Mujin with his sword lowered. Mujin was completely unaware of the situation.

Seeing this, Mu Hwi furrowed his brow and slowly brought his hand to his waist.

‘So this is how it’s done.’

Mu Hwi’s right foot stepped forward, with the heel raised supporting weight only on the toes.

He then leaned his upper body forward, shifting his center of gravity forward.

The Jade Bird Sword of the Invincible Swordsman.

Originally a technique that closes distance rapidly while releasing sword energy by drawing the sword.

Mu Hwi modified this slightly.

Instead of releasing sword energy, he imbued the swift thrust of the Three Leaf Piercing Wind into the draw and added the internal energy operation of the Fragrant Step Technique to finely adjust the movement.

BOOM

At that moment when all his body weight concentrated on his right toes, along with the sound of his robe fluttering, a red line was drawn across the neck of the leader who was about to pounce on Mujin’s back.

Mu Hwi flew like a shell at explosive speed, penetrating through the group of black swordsmen.

Along with this, his drawn sword traced an arc, cutting through not only the leader’s neck but also the necks of the black swordsmen performing the joint attack.

THUD

As Mu Hwi withdrew his sword, heads separated from the bodies of the leader and black swordsmen, blooming brilliant blood flowers.

“What!”

“Huk, leader!”

The black swordsmen who stopped fighting at this sudden turn of events stared at Mu Hwi with shocked eyes.

Even with blood splattering on his face and robe, Mujin blankly stared at Mu Hwi.

This was because he hadn’t even seen what kind of technique Mu Hwi had used.

“With your martial arts, you could have broken through such an amateurish sword formation in less than twenty moves.”

Though Mujin tried to protest angrily at this, Mu Hwi had no intention of listening.

“Mujin, are you afraid of killing people, of seeing blood? If you plan to continue like this, return to Hwasan.”

“For a young fighter, you speak good words.”

Second-floor hall of the Bloodshed Clan.

On the second-floor railing, a middle-aged man with a sword at his waist was looking down at Mu Hwi.

Mu Hwi raised the corner of his mouth after confirming the middle-aged man’s appearance.

“I was worried you might have left your seat, but fortunately you’re here. Red Wolf Sword.”

< The disciples’ first real combat. > End

< Old habits came out. >