Hwasan Sect’s Genius Swordsman Chapter 49

Chapter 49

“A disciple from Hwasan Sect greets the Sect Leader of Jongnam Sect.”

As Hong Xian nodded, Baek Yu pointed to an empty chair.

“Sit down.”

Once all the members of the Hwasan Four Flowers had gathered, Hong Xian looked at the four disciples of Hwasan Sect.

“I asked Baek Yu to arrange a meeting with you all.”

The fact that Hong Xian wanted to meet the Hwasan Sect disciples in person made the disciples visibly nervous.

Only Mu Hwi remained calm, waiting for Hong Xian’s next words.

“To cut to the chase, although the disciples of the Hwahon Sect expressed their gratitude the other day, a few words of thanks are not enough to repay the debt of gratitude. At that time, Jongnam was in a state of chaos.”

Hong Xian took out a wooden box he had prepared in advance.

“This is the Small Ancestral Sect of the Jongnam Sect.”

If the Hwasan Sect had the Purple Sunset Tablet and Purple Night Tablet as their representative elixirs, the Jongnam Sect had the Large Ancestral Tablet and Small Ancestral Tablet. The Hwasan Sect disciples were astonished when Hong Xian unhesitatingly presented the Small Ancestral Tablet.

‘No matter how good the relationship between Hwasan and Jongnam is, this is not something to be taken lightly. Four Small Ancestral Tablet… The Jongnam Sect must have put in some effort.’

Mu Hwi calmly observed the wooden box, licking his lips.

As Baek Yu and Mu Hwi remained silent, Mujin cautiously opened his mouth, glancing at their expressions.

“To give all four of us Small Ancestral Tablet, isn’t that too generous?”

“Too generous?”

Hong Xian’s eyes, which had been filled with laughter, turned serious.

“You didn’t just capture the Assassin Demons that Jongnam missed. On a smaller scale, you avenged the resentment of our fallen disciples. On a larger scale, you protected the honor of the Jongnam Sect.”

Hong Xian continued, looking directly into the eyes of the Hwasan Sect disciples.

“If it weren’t for you, the disciples of Jongnam, those children, would not be here today. They would have surely wandered the martial arts world seeking revenge for their master. It is thanks to you that they were not consumed by vengeance.”

Mu Hwi nodded, recalling that the masters of Xian Zhu and Xian Mei were the first-generation disciples of the Jongnam Sect who had fallen to the Assassin Demons.

“Since the Jongnam Sect has received such a great favor, four Small Ancestral Tablets are not too much to give.”

Hong Xian’s voice was firm, and the dignity of a Sect Leader emanated from him. Mujin bowed his head.

“This junior was short-sighted.”

“No, I know it came from humility.”

Hong Xian’s lips curled into a smile again.

“It’s fine to accept it. Just think of it as a reward for the great deed you have accomplished.”

As Baek Yu, who had remained silent, intervened. The Hwasan Four Flowers no longer hesitated and accepted the wooden box.

“The Hwasan Sect’s mental techniques are derived from the Six Harmonies Sword Technique, so absorbing the Small Ancestral Tablet should be easy.”

“Thank you, Sect Leader.”

Mu Hwi, representing the Hwasan Four Flowers, expressed his gratitude, feeling reassured by the wooden box in his possession.

‘No matter how much elixir I take, it’s never enough.’

By consuming the Small Ancestral Tablet and absorbing its energy, it seemed that the achievement of the Heavenly Containment Heart Technique would increase.

Hong Xian smiled as he watched the Hwasan Four Flowers fidget with the wooden box.

“If you still feel burdened by the elixir, let’s do this. Since you will often venture into the martial arts world, take care of the Jongnam Sect disciples whenever you meet them. I hope that the future generations of Jongnam and Hwasan will remain as close as we are now.”

“It will surely be so.”

Mu Hwi’s confident reply made Hong Xian nod in satisfaction. As the Hwasan Four Flowers stood up, Hong Xian took a sip of tea and continued.

“They are good children. Baek Yu, you have raised your disciples well.”

“I didn’t do much. Those children grew up on their own.”

The two Sect Leaders closed their mouths for a moment, savoring the aftertaste of the tea. Then, Baek Yu broke the silence.

“I heard there have been provocations from Paewangseong(Overlord Castle). How is the situation?”

“It’s true that they have signed a truce with the Sacheon Alliance. There have been a few clashes with the families located near Shaanxi, but it has been quiet for the past four months.”

If the provocations from Paewangseong had continued, Hong Xian would not have been able to participate in the Six Harmonies Sword Assembly. Perhaps the conference itself would have been postponed.

Upon hearing this, Baek Yu’s expression darkened slightly. He was well aware of the news about the Sacheon Alliance.

‘I heard that the Sect Leader of Cheongseong Sect lost an arm, leading to the truce. It must be true.’

Baek Yu put down his teacup and spoke.

“They are like wolves. We must be careful.”

“Just in case, I have assigned elders and first-generation disciples to various families near Sacheon. If there are any provocations, we will respond immediately.”

The Six Harmonies Sword Assembly is a famous event in the martial arts world. Hong Xian was concerned that Paewangseong might take advantage of this opportunity to cause trouble and had prepared in advance.

“If the situation becomes difficult, do not hesitate to contact Hwasan. We will help immediately.”

“Haha, of course. Hwasan and Jongnam have always watched each other’s backs. By the way, how is Guyu Sword Sect these days? The Six Dragon Society seems to be slowing down recently.”

“Guyu Sword Sect… It seems they haven’t been paying much attention to this side lately…”

Baek Yu and Hong Xian, who had not seen each other in a long time, spent the night discussing the state of the martial arts world.

***

“Good morning.”

As Mu Hwi opened the door, his eyes reflected the shimmering sunlight like silk.

After consuming the Small Ancestral Tablet, Mu Hwi was able to break through the fifth level of the Heavenly Containment Heart Technique and reach the sixth level.

Originally at the peak of the fifth level, Mu Hwi easily ascended to the sixth level and was now on the verge of reaching the seventh level.

Normally, the energy of the Small Ancestral Tablet would be absorbed into the dantian immediately, but to reach the seventh level, Mu Hwi had devoted the entire night to circulating his energy. However, he had not yet stepped into the realm of the seventh level and only felt like he was on the threshold.

Having not slept at all and immersed in energy circulation throughout the night, Mu Hwi looked more energetic than usual.

‘There are differences among them, but they have all reached the third level.’

The disciples who had consumed the Small Ancestral Tablet had also been stuck at the second level but were now able to instantly raise their Heavenly Containment Heart Technique achievement to the third level. In particular, Mujin seemed to be on the verge of reaching the fourth level with just a little more enlightenment.

‘Being part of a prestigious sect means elixirs come rolling in. Very good.’

Thinking about how he used to scour the black markets of the martial arts world periodically to find good elixirs still sent shivers down his spine.

As Mu Hwi led the disciples to the training ground, they saw Xian Zhu, Xian Mei, and other Jongnam Sect disciples approaching from the opposite side. Xian Zhu smiled and waved when she saw Mu Hwi.

“Disciple Mu Hwi, you drank a lot yesterday. Is your stomach okay?”

“Of course.”

“I’m looking forward to today’s sparring.”

Xian Zhu smiled slyly and flicked the blue tassel tied to her sword.

The disciples of the Hwasan and Jongnam Sects entered the training ground side by side and moved to their respective areas.

“Finally, it’s our turn.”

As Mu Hwi fiddled with his Plum Blossom Sword, the surrounding disciples flinched.

“We should show those watching a good performance, right?”

As Mu Hwi spoke with a smile, the disciples glanced at the area where the third-generation disciples were gathered.

As if on cue, the third-generation disciples were alternating their gaze between the empty training ground and the second-generation disciples, waiting for the sparring to begin.

“Vanguard.”

“Yes! Senior Disciple!”

Musan, who was to be the first to step forward in this sparring session, answered loudly at Mu Hwi’s call.

“Today, we must achieve a complete victory. For that, the vanguard is crucial. Do you understand?”

Musan’s eyes darted up and down. Although Senior Disciple was speaking softly, one corner of his mouth was strangely twitching upward.

Moreover, his eyes were shining brightly, like those of a beast. Why was he looking at me, a fellow disciple, with such eyes?

Musan avoided Mu Hwi’s burning gaze and asked.

“Senior Disciple, you’re not really going to kill me if I lose, are you?”

Mu Hwi frowned at Musan’s nonsense, then recalled what he had said during external training and chuckled.

“Do you really think I would kill a disciple? I’ll just let you experience what it’s like to die.”

“Sigh. I will definitely win.”

Musan, his soul seemingly drained by Mu Hwi’s cold smile, waited for the sparring to begin.

Soon, the elders of Hwasan and Jongnam, led by the Sect Leaders, took their seats. Hong Xian stood up after Baek Yu nodded.

Stepping forward, Hong Xian looked at the second-generation disciples of both sects and spoke.

“The second-generation disciples must have been waiting for today. It’s an opportunity to obtain elixirs.”

At Hong Xian’s words, the second-generation disciples of both sects lit up with excitement.

In the second-generation disciple sparring, each sect would select an outstanding disciple to award an elixir.

Each sect prepared their own elixir to give to the disciple of the opposing sect, as a form of camaraderie-building event.

“The Jongnam Sect has prepared the Snake Poison Pill, and the Hwasan Sect has prepared the Human-shaped Ginseng.”

Thus, the Hwasan Sect disciple would receive the Snake Poison Pill, and the Jongnam Sect disciple would receive the Human-shaped Ginseng.

The Snake Poison Pill was an elixir made from the gallbladders and venom of various poisonous snakes. It enhanced internal energy and increased resistance to poison.

The Human-shaped Ginseng was a ginseng imbued with spiritual energy, taking on a human form. It strengthened the bones and muscles and enhanced internal energy.

Although it was considered inferior to the Human-shaped Snow Ginseng, the Human-shaped Ginseng was still a good elixir.

‘A poison pill… It won’t increase internal energy much, but it will grant immunity to considerable amounts of poison. I’ll take that.’

As Mu Hwi’s eyes sparkled at the thought of the Snake Poison Pill, the sparring between the second-generation disciples began.

“Disciples, step forward!”

At Hong Yun’s shout from the center of the training ground, Musan, who had been sitting, sprang up and headed to the training ground.

Seeing this, Muho approached Mu Hwi and asked.

“But Senior Disciple, can we really achieve a complete victory?”

“Are you lacking confidence?”

Mu Hwi, who had been watching the training ground, raised an eyebrow, and Muho scratched his head.

“It’s not that, but I can’t say I’m fully confident.”

Mu Hwi then looked back at Musan and continued.

“Think about the training you’ve done so far. Do you really think you’ll lose to the second-generation disciples of the Jongnam Sect?”

“Hmm…”

 Muho let out a sigh. Under Senior Disciple’s guidance, the second-generation disciples had devoted themselves solely to training. Not only was the intensity of the training high, but they had never used their time so efficiently before. The second-generation disciples could confidently say they had done their best.

“Whether willingly or unwillingly, you all followed my training. If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t have even mentioned the word ‘complete victory.'”

Mu Hwi glanced at the second-generation disciples of the Jongnam Sect and said.

“While you were struggling desperately, do you think the Jongnam Sect did the same? Just thinking about this should give you the answer.”

“That’s true.”

 Muho, who had answered, sat down next to Mu Hwi. After a moment of silence, Mu Hwi, still staring at the training ground, opened his mouth.

“Disciples, you can have a little more confidence.”

Even considering the entire martial arts world, the second-generation disciples of the Hwasan Sect were among the few who had undergone such rigorous training.

Hearing this, the disciples who had been eavesdropping on Mu Hwi and Muho’s conversation nodded.

A faint smile appeared on the faces of the disciples who had been tense.

Muho, who had been smiling slyly, glanced at Musan, who was sneaking looks at them, and said.

“Senior Disciple, you should have spoken more gently to Musan.”

“That guy is like a lazy foal that only runs when it’s rear is on fire. He doesn’t respond to carrots, only whips.”

At Mu Hwi’s decisive words, the other disciples burst into laughter. Everyone agreed with Mu Hwi’s assessment.

“Haah!”

While the second-generation disciples of the Hwasan Sect were laughing among themselves, Musan was desperately thrusting his sword.

‘If I lose this sparring and return to Hwasan, it will be hell!’

Musan’s sword, which had lightly tapped the ground, cleanly sliced through the air.

While the third-generation disciples were only allowed to use the Six Harmonies Sword and Nine Palace Step, the second-generation disciples could use other martial techniques.

The swift sword of the Three Leaf Piercing Wind was instantly raised to the chest, but Xian Yu, a second-generation disciple of the Jongnam Sect, calmly raised his sword to the middle stance.

The sword domain of a Jongnam Sect disciple, based on the Six Harmonies Sword. An impenetrable space that nothing could violate, this was the world.

The sword of Jongnam was the beginning and end of protecting the world.

To fully protect the world, the first step was to firmly hold the center.

This was the essence of the Heavenly Sword Technique.

Clang!

Xian Yu deflected the sword wind of the Three Leaf Piercing Wind with the Heavenly Sword Technique. Despite the sword being deflected faster than the thrusting speed, Musan calmly rotated his ankle and shoulder.

Using the recoil to draw a semicircle, Musan unleashed the Ten Thousand Fragrance Sword, aiming for Xian Yu’s ankle.

As the sword aiming for the ankle was pushed away, three sword shadows were immediately unleashed, thrusting toward the thigh, waist, and chest. The swift sword mixed with the phantom sword of the Ten Thousand Fragrance Sword was dizzying to watch, but Xian Yu simply swung his sword forward calmly.

A calm sword, neither fast nor slow. The strength and weight were just right, with occasional light changes.

In the martial arts world, there were countless martial techniques. To face them all, one needed the Middle Path (中道), which did not lean toward any extreme.

Xian Yu’s Heavenly Sword Technique was showing Musan the Middle Path that Jongnam sought to walk.

If Hwasan leaned to the extremes of speed, illusion, and change, Jongnam advocated the Middle Path, leaning toward nothing.

‘It’s as solid as a fortress wall.’

After cleanly receiving over thirty sword strikes and returning his sword to the middle stance, Musan lowered his stance and gathered internal energy at the Yongquan point.

“But it doesn’t seem impossible to break through.”

Musan’s eyes shone as he raised his internal energy with the Nine Skies Mind Method.

Thrusting his sword repeatedly, he unfolded the sword techniques as he had learned from Senior Disciple, and gradually, it became visible.

The seemingly solid fortress wall was slowly cracking.

Xian Yu’s forehead was beaded with sweat as he maintained the middle stance, unchanged from the beginning. Realizing that his fierce onslaught was not in vain, Musan gathered his internal energy and went all out.

Moreover, the muscles that had been tempered through numerous near-death experiences expanded, pouring strength into the sword. The sword, drawn in four lines, unleashed sword shadows that split vertically and horizontally.

‘Even though I used less internal energy than usual, the power of the sword increased. This is external training!’

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Musan and Xian Yu clashed again. The two disciples engaged in a fierce back-and-forth, colliding intensely.

The training ground was filled with the metallic sounds of clashing swords and occasional rough breaths.

After about twenty exchanges, Xian Yu’s foot took a step back for the first time. With this momentum, Musan’s sword penetrated deep into Xian Yu’s sword domain.

As his shoulder relaxed, the muscles in his arm and back writhed violently.

The overflowing speed naturally added strength to the sword strikes. Suddenly, six sword strikes burst forth like a split, and Xian Yu’s eyes widened. In response, Xian Yu’s hand lost its original flow and moved hastily.

Clang!

“Ugh!”

Xian Yu, who had been silently executing the Heavenly Sword Technique, let out a groan for the first time and dropped his sword.

Blood oozed from Xian Yu’s torn palm.

Seeing this, Hong Yun, who was judging the match, raised his hand.

“Winner! Musan of the Hwasan Sect!”

Despite Hong Yun’s declaration, Musan stood awkwardly, blinking in confusion.

‘Wow, it worked.’

Musan couldn’t believe that he had broken through Xian Yu’s sword pressure, which had initially felt overwhelming. Unconsciously, Musan turned his head.

Mu Hwi, who had been watching Musan, was smiling, showing his white teeth.

“Of course, you should be able to do at least this much.”

As Mu Hwi muttered, the next sparring match continued.

The second-generation disciples were showing off with their swords just how desperately they had trained.

< Of course, you should be able to do at least this much. > End

< This match should be good. >