Chapter 6
A massive figure revealed itself between the shadows.
It was like a bear approaching on two legs. It was Mu-cheol, who boasted the most robust physique among the Senior Disciples.
“You knew?”
Mu-cheol appeared to maintain his usual expressionless face, but his eyelids were slightly raised. A very subtle change in expression, meaning he was quite surprised.
Knowing the martial arts gap between Mu Hwi and Musan well, his surprise was even greater.
“Hiding despite your size, what’s the matter?”
“I happened to see those two heading this way.”
Mu-cheol looked suspicious, glancing around while moving in the dead of night.
Especially since the direction was towards Mu Hwi’s hut, which Senior Disciples rarely visited.
Mu-cheol, walking toward Mu Hwi, had eyes as if seeing something fascinating.
“I didn’t expect you to defeat Musan.”
Having heard the entire conversation, Mu-cheol had been prepared to step in directly if Musan showed signs of harming Mu Hwi under the pretext of practice fighting.
But instead, Mu Hwi destroyed him, and at that moment, he couldn’t believe his eyes.
‘Moreover, that Six Harmonies Sword just now…’
The sword path of the Six Harmonies Sword that Mu Hwi showed was extraordinary. It was just a simple straight line, but it was beautiful.
It was such a line that neither he nor any other Senior Disciple could draw.
So much so that his gaze, which had been focused on Musan, had somehow shifted to Mu Hwi’s wooden sword and couldn’t move.
“Were you hiding your martial arts?”
“Well, let’s say that.”
Although Mu-cheol seemed to misunderstand, Mu Hwi gave a casual answer since there was no way to explain. Nevertheless, Mu-cheol seemed to accept it and nodded.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
Mu Hwi took in the sight of Mu-cheol’s large back as he turned to leave without further words. The Mu-cheol he had seen in his dream was quite peculiar.
In his memories, the Senior Disciples were of two types.
Those who maintained their distance while treating first-generation Senior Disciple Mu Hwi adequately, and those who, though not openly, subtly ignored and mocked him.
Mu-cheol belonged to neither group and had often lingered around Mu Hwi, quietly offering help.
Should he be called Mu Hwi’s only ally?
Looking at Mu-cheol’s usual demeanor – disinterested in others and the epitome of taciturnity called a living statue – it was hard to understand certain aspects.
Even Mu Hwi, who received the help, didn’t know the reason, so only Mu-cheol would know.
‘At least there’s one disciple I can trust.’
Just look at what happened now. If someone else had seen Musan and Muho, would they have followed them to the hut like this?
Though the reason was unclear, it was a situation possible only because of his goodwill and concern for Mu Hwi.
“Come find me if you get stuck with martial arts. I’ll help.”
Mu-cheol briefly hesitated upon hearing Mu Hwi’s muttered words, then continued forward.
After Mu-cheol completely disappeared into the darkness, Mu Hwi picked up his wooden sword again.
Although the night had deepened and the moonlight’s chill had intensified, Mu Hwi strongly felt like swinging his sword more.
Recalling the Ten Thousand Fragrance Sword that Musan had just displayed, Mu Hwi slowly began to imitate it.
To the wooden sword that had been thrusting in various directions of the Six Harmonies, the irregular movements of the Ten Thousand Fragrance Sword were added.
A continuous combination of straight lines, diagonal lines, and curves.
Yet the wooden sword extended smoothly without any hesitation. When the directions of the Six Harmonies were added to those lines, the variations became even more diverse.
‘I should visit the martial arts archive again.’
The wooden sword that had been cutting through the layers of moonlight began to move with more vitality.
* * *
Training ground at dawn.
“Sigh. So you’re saying you were defeated by the Senior Disciple.”
Muryun, hearing about last night’s events, glared at the two disciples who hung their heads, finding it hard to believe.
“He wasn’t the Senior Disciple we knew. Senior Disciple has changed.”
“Senior Disciple Muryun. This doesn’t seem like a situation where we should act rashly. If it were the previous Senior Disciple, perhaps, but now rather…”
Muho, who was about to say that Mu Hwi was fitting for the position of Senior Disciple, trailed off when he saw the deep wrinkles forming between Muryun’s brows.
‘You should say something that makes sense.’
Muryun had to struggle to suppress his anger, thinking the two disciples were exaggerating about Mu Hwi to justify their failure.
“Enough. Go prepare for dawn training.”
Seeing Mujin approaching from afar, Muryun waved his hand to dismiss the disciples.
“You’ve arrived, Senior Disciple Mujin.”
“Yes, indeed. But what’s wrong with Musan? His gait seems oddly strange.”
“Ah, about that…”
Mujin let out a sigh as he listened to Muryun’s story.
It was surprising that Musan had been beaten, but what was more shocking was what Musan and Muho had reportedly done.
“I’ll have to discipline those two separately later.”
“Pardon? Why?”
“There’s a clear difference between keeping something to yourself and openly displaying it through actions. And why do such things behind someone’s back? I’m embarrassed just hearing about it.”
When Mujin’s criticism flew unexpectedly, Muryun’s face slightly reddened.
“Even if Senior Disciple Mu Hwi rises up, I can suppress him with ability alone.”
“I apologize, Senior Disciple Mujin. I unnecessarily…”
Mujin lightly patted Muryun’s deflated shoulders and turned his back. Almost all the Senior Disciples had gathered, and dawn training was about to begin.
‘By the way, how did Senior Disciple Mu Hwi defeat Musan? Was it not just empty talk after all.’
Had he been hiding his abilities? Well, it didn’t matter either way. Mujin couldn’t possibly imagine losing to Mu Hwi.
Since first entering the Hwasan Sect, Mujin had been aiming for the position of Chief Disciple.
For this, he had trained fiercely and could boast the best martial arts among the Senior Disciples.
‘In the end, I will become the Chief Disciple, Senior Disciple Mu Hwi.’
Mujin gently caressed his wooden sword while looking at Mu Hwi’s side profile as he stepped onto the platform.
Mu Hwi looked down at the disciples lined up in formation from the platform. As his gaze slowly moved to examine the disciples, there was a composure in his eyes that hadn’t been seen before.
Perhaps because he had heard the news about easily defeating Musan, Mujin thought he saw not just composure but solid confidence in Mu Hwi’s eyes.
‘How can a person change so much overnight? Was he hiding his true self? What could it be?’
Mujin watched with curiosity as Mu Hwi stood confidently with one hand naturally placed on his waist, and the other Senior Disciples did the same.
‘Why is Senior Disciple Mu Hwi making direct eye contact with us for once?’
‘Just by straightening his back and shoulders, he looks like a different person.’
Mu Hwi, standing on the platform as Senior Disciple for the first time.
The disciples listened carefully to hear what Mu Hwi would say.
As Mu Hwi’s tightly closed lips began to open, the Senior Disciples doubted their ears.
“From now on, dawn training will only be conducted with the Six Harmonies Sword.”
The Senior Disciples exchanged glances with each other, wondering if they had heard wrong. Seeing that everyone had bewildered looks, they hadn’t misheard.
While everyone was gaping, Mu-hwa raised her right hand, making her side-swept hair that reached her jawline sway.
“Senior Disciple, is there a reason for returning to the Six Harmonies Sword? As you know, we’ve been practicing the Six Harmonies Sword for a long time?”
When entering the Hwasan Sect, one becomes a third-generation disciple and enters Chunmae Hall. There, they begin building the necessary foundation as a Hwasan Sect disciple by reading various books including the Dao scriptures.
And during their time in Chunmae Hall, they train in only three martial arts:
Six Harmonies Sword (六合劍)
Six Harmonies Mind Method (六合心法)
Nine Palace Step (九宮步)
They teach nothing else, focusing solely on entrance-level martial arts to build a solid foundation.
Orthodox sect martial arts are the study of enlightenment.
It is the martial way (武道) of orthodox sects to face walls, sweat, contemplate to gain enlightenment, and advance by either overcoming or breaking through walls head-on.
It’s like building a tall stone tower by stacking small stones one by one.
In this process, the fierce wind and rain called heart demons (心魔) suddenly whirl about regardless of time and situation, trying to collapse the stone tower in one’s heart.
Therefore, building a foundation that won’t shake no matter what heart demon one faces was the most important task.
“Mu-hwa. It sounds like you’re saying you’ve built a perfect foundation with the Six Harmonies Sword. Are you confident?”
When Mu Hwi asked back instead, Mu-hwa couldn’t immediately answer. As Mu-hwa became speechless, Mu Hwi turned his gaze.
“What do the other disciples think?”
No one answered the follow-up question.
Even Mujin, who boasted the best martial arts among the disciples, couldn’t dare say he had built a perfect foundation. So he didn’t step forward and quietly waited for Mu Hwi’s next words.
“You probably just want to quickly learn the next martial art and move on to advanced techniques to make plum blossoms bloom with your sword.”
“Are you saying that’s wrong, Senior Disciple?”
Mujin spoke up for the first time.
The sect of sword masters who make flowers bloom, the Hwasan Sect.
As disciples of such a sect, it was natural to aspire to make plum blossoms bloom with their swords.
After all, the plum blossom was the symbol of the Hwasan Sect.
“Enjoy the fragrance of plum blossoms, but don’t get intoxicated. You’re too obsessed with plum blossoms.”
While speaking, Mu Hwi examined the disciples one by one. Some disciples flinched because they felt a chilling pressure when making eye contact with the Senior Disciple.
As if a sword with a cold blue edge was pointed at them.
“Since when has the foundation of Hwasan Sect been plum blossoms? Mujin, tell me. What is the foundation of Hwasan Sect’s martial arts?”
“It’s the Six Harmonies…”
Mujin answered with a slightly dazed expression. It was because he had caught on to what the Senior Disciple was trying to say.
“The Plum Blossom is merely the Six Harmonies visualized. Yet the disciples are so distracted by the flashiness that they’ve thrown away the foundation and only want the shell.”
The most important things in martial arts are intent (意) and focus (念). These are the foundations of martial arts.
Every hand movement and step in martial arts contains meaning. If you lose the foundation of martial arts, the meaning contained in the techniques changes, and the interpretation shifts.
Necessary techniques become unnecessary ones, and naturally, the form (形) and method (式) change.
Then that martial art either regresses or becomes completely different from what it was.
It’s not uncommon for sects that once made names for themselves in the martial world to quietly disappear through this process.
“Disciples, embrace the Six Harmonies in your sword, not plum blossoms. Then naturally, the Six Harmonies will bloom.”
The Senior Disciples’s eyes watching Mu Hwi as he calmly advised them were shining with a different light than before.
‘Have I been learning martial arts wrong all this time?’
‘Was Senior Disciple someone who could give such teachings?’
‘Senior Disciple might be fine leading the training after all.’
A few words were all it took, but it felt like receiving teachings from the elders above rather than from a Senior Disciple of the same rank.
Mu Hwi drew the wooden sword from his waist, gripping it lightly and extending it downward.
“The Six Harmonies Sword is both foundation and principle. Do you need more explanation? If not, grab your wooden swords.”
As soon as Mu Hwi finished speaking, the Senior Disciples rushed to grab their wooden swords.
Except for one person.
Muryun, who stood still without gripping his wooden sword, glanced sideways at Musan and Muho in the adjacent line.
‘If you can’t do it, I will.’
Mu Hwi, who was watching this precisely, twisted his upper lip.
“It seems more explanation is needed. Disciple Muryun.”
At this, Mujin, who was holding his wooden sword in the front row, slightly turned his head to look at the motionless Muryun.
‘Disciple Muryun. What are you thinking?’
At Mu Hwi’s singling out, Muryun slightly bowed his head.
“I listened well to Senior Disciple’s teachings. However, while listening, I had a doubt.”
“Speak.”
“Given how important Six Harmonies Sword training is, I wondered if Senior Disciple would be suitable to oversee our training. As everyone knows, Senior Disciple’s martial arts…”
Thud
Mu Hwi swung his wooden sword and struck the platform.
At Mu Hwi’s sudden action, Muryun was dumbfounded and stopped speaking.
“Are you saying my martial arts are subpar and you can’t learn from me? Then I should convince you.”
Pointing his wooden sword at Muryun, Mu Hwi nodded slightly.
“Come up to the platform. Right now.”
As Muryun immediately began to move, he suddenly saw Mu Hwi’s face and felt puzzled.
‘What is this?’
<When did plum blossoms become the foundation of Hwasan Sect?> End
<This is how you perform the Six Harmonies Sword>
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