Hwasan Sect’s Genius Swordsman Chapter 69

Chapter 69

“I am Mu Hwi, the Hwasan Sect’s Sect Leader candidate.”

At Mu Hwi’s introduction, not only Gong Hyeon but also the Four Great Guardians behind him slowly opened their half-closed eyes, taking in Mu Hwi’s presence.

The forearm revealed as he bowed.

Its rugged yet smooth lines, as if carved from rock, showcased its firmness.

Even from the brief glimpse of his physique beneath his robes, it was clear that Mu Hwi’s external training surpassed even that of Shaolin’s martial monks, who focused heavily on external techniques.

Mu Hwi’s body was flawless, not only in the extent of its training but also in its overall balance.

But Gong Hyeon and the Four Great Guardians knew.

What Mu Hwi displayed externally was only a fraction of his true capabilities.

His gaze, deep and unfathomable like the pool beneath a waterfall, seemed as though one could easily fall into it and never escape.

“Mu Hwi… So you are the Hwasan Sword Devil.”

“It is an honor that you recognize this junior’s humble title.”

Gong Hyeon stared intently at Mu Hwi before finally breaking into a benevolent smile.

“Amitabha. It seems the martial arts world’s vitality has settled in Hwasan.”

The other martial artists listening to their conversation took Gong Hyeon’s words as mere praise for Mu Hwi.

But Mu Hwi, who had seen the look in Gong Hyeon’s eyes, knew that the words were not praise but astonishment.

‘Even the Shaolin Abbot couldn’t fully grasp my level.’

Gong Hyeon and the Four Great Guardians each extended their energy senses to gauge Mu Hwi’s level, but all failed.

Gong Hyeon and the Four Great Guardians were peak masters, but Mu Hwi had also reached the same level of mastery.

By cultivating the Jahahonil technique, his internal energy had risen in quality, and with the elixirs sent by the Cheonryu Merchant Group and the Jasodan, his internal energy had also increased in quantity.

As the imbalance between his mind, energy, and body gradually evened out, Mu Hwi’s energy, which had been straddling the line between peak and transcendent, soared in an instant.

To fully grasp the energy of a peak master, one would need to reach the level of an Emperor or King in the martial arts world, or even transcendence.

Despite being shocked by Mu Hwi’s achievements that defied common sense, Gong Hyeon managed to compose himself in an instant.

“The fame of the Hwasan Sword Devil has reached even Henan, and I was very curious. Seeing you in person, I can see that your achievements are a blessing to the martial world. Please continue to strive forward.”

As Gong Hyeon spoke in a generous tone, Mu Hwi also bowed in response.

Gong Hyeon, guided by a first-generation disciple who arrived late, entered the sect, while the martial artists gathered around the gate glanced at Mu Hwi and whispered among themselves.

“For the Shaolin Abbot to say such a thing is almost the highest praise, isn’t it?”

“As expected of a renowned sect. It seemed to be declining recently, but it’s regaining its prestige.”

“We’ve been waiting for you, esteemed guests. I am Mujin, a second-generation disciple. Allow me to guide you.”

As Mujin greeted them, leading three second-generation disciples, the eyes of the renowned martial artists sparkled.

“Mujin… One of the Hwasan Four Flowers.”

“Truly impressive. The rising stars of the Hwasan Sect are all outstanding.”

The first and second-generation disciples were fully mobilized at the gate, guiding the guests who had come for the Righteous Path Grand Assembly.

Normally, the reception hall would have welcomed guests one by one with great courtesy, but with guests lining up all the way to the stairs below the gate, that was impossible.

The disciples, having been thoroughly trained by the reception hall master beforehand, perfectly understood which guests to send directly to the main hall and which to guide to their lodgings first.

“Hmm… Though overshadowed by the fame of the Hwasan Four Flowers, the achievements of the second-generation disciples are generally high.”

“Indeed, at that age, their steps are so stable. Even Wudang disciples wouldn’t be able to match that.”

“Their energy control is also well-honed. It seems Hwasan has staked the sect’s future on raising these second-generation disciples.”

The renowned martial artists, watching the second-generation disciples busily moving around the Hwasan Sect, did not hold back their praise.

Though they weren’t at the level of the Hwasan Four Flowers, who were among the best in the martial arts world, none of them lagged behind, and their overall level is uniformly high.

If you picked any one of the second-generation disciples here and compared them to disciples from other renowned sects, their skills would be on par with the upper-middle tier.

This was truly remarkable.

No matter how renowned a sect is, it is nearly impossible to raise the capabilities of disciples so uniformly.

Yet the Hwasan Sect had done it, as if to show off.

“They truly have depth.”

The martial artists participating in the Righteous Path Grand Assembly couldn’t take their eyes off the second-generation disciples.

Mu Hwi, whose senses had become even sharper after reaching the peak master level, pretended not to notice but didn’t miss a single reaction around him.

‘Who taught them? This much is expected.’

Mu Hwi, who had been smirking coldly to himself, turned his gaze to the Namgung Family Head climbing the stairs in the distance.

***

Although the Righteous Path Grand Assembly was meant to discuss major matters in the martial arts world, the meeting didn’t start immediately.

Since most had traveled long distances from all over the martial arts world, a banquet was held on the first day to help them recover from their journey.

The banquet hall, set up in the grand training ground, was filled with renowned martial artists, sect leaders, and the rising stars who had accompanied them.

The banquet hall was arranged in a square shape, with a slightly elevated sparring platform in the center.

On the platform stood Mu Hwi and twenty-four second-generation disciples.

“Oh? It’s the second-generation disciples stepping forward, not the first-generation.”

“The achievements of the second-generation disciples are indeed impressive. Hwasan must be confident.”

The eyes of the renowned martial artists sparkled as they watched.

The Righteous Path Grand Assembly was not only a place to discuss major matters in the martial arts world but also a stage for the hosting sect to showcase its strength and martial prowess to the martial arts world.

That’s why, in such events, it was usually the mid-tier experts, who served as the main force of the sect, that stepped forward, not the still-immature rising stars.

Even Wudang, which hosted the last Righteous Path Grand Assembly, had showcased the Wudang Seven Swords’ Seven Star Sword Formation.

Of course, there were concerns that the martial techniques or formations displayed could be analyzed and countered.

Nevertheless, the sects hosting the Righteous Path Grand Assembly continued this tradition to demonstrate their confidence and pride that their techniques wouldn’t be easily broken, even if analyzed.

This was the essence of the martial prowess that orthodox sects had accumulated over the long years.

‘Twenty-four? The numbers don’t match for either the Six Harmonies Sword Formation or the Plum Blossom Sword Formation.’

Namgung Heo, the Namgung Family Head, fell into thought as he watched the twenty-four second-generation disciples on the platform.

The Six Harmonies Sword Formation could be performed by nine, eighteen, or thirty-six martial artists, while the Plum Blossom Sword Formation required eighteen.

Neither matched the number here.

Even the renowned martial artists knew this, so they watched the second-generation disciples on the platform with curious eyes.

“Begin the formation.”

Mu Hwi’s voice announcing the start of the formation was eerily calm. Yet, the eyes of the renowned martial artists couldn’t help but widen.

In the noisy banquet hall filled with a large crowd, Mu Hwi’s soft voice had clearly reached everyone’s ears.

“What is this!”

“How can a rising star have such profound internal energy?”

“It’s not just the internal energy itself, but the delicate control of it that’s even more impressive.”

Mu Hwi’s voice, carrying deep internal energy, spread through the banquet hall like a gentle wave, and the renowned martial artists couldn’t hide their astonishment.

Especially the rising stars who were experiencing the Righteous Path Grand Assembly for the first time were even more shocked.

They couldn’t believe that someone their age could display such prowess.

Boom!

The twenty-four second-generation disciples stepped in unison, beginning the formation.

Clang!

Twenty-four Plum Blossom Swords were drawn simultaneously, pointing in all directions, as if flower buds were blooming under the warmth of sunlight.

The second-generation disciples executing the formation were all performing the Plum Blossom Sword Technique. At the same time, Plum Blossom Sword energy scattered in all directions.

At some point, petals of spring began to rain down on the platform.

A burst of red and white light.

No one could hold back their admiration at the beautiful sight.

The formation, which had occupied all directions, now held nine positions, then eighteen, and finally thirty-six.

Naturally extending their swords in all directions of the Six Harmonies, the formation changed shape moment by moment under Mu Hwi’s command.

The renowned martial artists watching the formation’s unfolding couldn’t help but marvel.

“It’s as if the flowers are swaying in the wind.”

“Hmm… This is an extraordinary formation I’ve never seen before.”

“The formation is impressive, but the overall skill of those young disciples is remarkable.”

“Sect Leader, has the Hwasan Sect always had such a formation?”

As questions flooded in from the leaders of the Nine Sects and other renowned martial artists, Baek Yu simply smiled.

“The elders are in the process of creating a new formation, and we’re currently teaching it to the second-generation disciples.”

In truth, it was Mu Hwi who had proposed the initial draft of the formation.

Since Mu Hwi had never created a formation before, he sought help from Hwasan’s elders.

Recognizing its value, the elders had set aside other tasks to focus on refining Mu Hwi’s formation.

But Baek Yu felt no need to mention Mu Hwi’s involvement. There was no need to fully reveal Mu Hwi’s capabilities to the martial arts world.

After all, gaining too much fame didn’t always bring positive outcomes.

Especially if it became known that Mu Hwi not only excelled in martial arts but also had the talent to create new techniques, it would only bring more trouble.

“This unfinished formation already seems superior to any other formation in the martial arts world. Does it have a name yet?”

“It hasn’t been decided yet.”

As Baek Yu answered the questions of the renowned martial artists, a thick plum blossom fragrance filled the banquet hall. The noses of the masters present twitched slightly.

Though the plum blossoms hadn’t fully bloomed yet, the number of second-generation disciples who could release sword fragrance by channeling internal energy through their Plum Blossom Swords had increased.

Mu Hwi watched his disciples flawlessly execute the formation.

‘The formation isn’t complete yet, and the sword technique isn’t either. Only when both are complete and intertwined will their true power be revealed.’

The new formation being created could be executed while performing other sword techniques, but it would only reach its full potential when paired with the new sword technique.

‘The reactions are good too. It’s much better than the rigid Six Harmonies or Plum Blossom Formations.’

While commanding the formation, Mu Hwi continued to observe the reactions of the martial artists and smirked in satisfaction.

Even though the first-generation disciples hadn’t stepped forward, the second-generation disciples were achieving an even greater effect.

Clang!

“Magnificent!”

“As expected of the Hwasan Sect’s disciples.”

As the formation ended and the Plum Blossom Swords were sheathed in unison, applause erupted from the banquet hall, directed at the second-generation disciples.

The second-generation disciples, who had successfully executed the formation, also smiled brightly.

***

The second day of the Righteous Path Grand Assembly.

After breakfast, the renowned martial artists gathered in the main hall.

The leaders of the Nine Sects, the heads of the Three Great Families.

Along with them, the leaders of other prominent orthodox sects and renowned martial artists took their seats.

Baek Yu, seated at the head, stood and bowed to the martial artists.

“I thank all of you, fellow martial artists, for traveling such long distances to attend the Righteous Path Grand Assembly.”

At this, those gathered also bowed in their seats, each showing their respect.

“Then let us begin the meeting.”

At that moment, the doors of the main hall swung open.

A man entered without hesitation.

Though his hair was disheveled and his clothes shabby, the aura surrounding him was as fierce as a storm.

“Ah, I’m late, so late. My apologies, Sect Leader.”

Though it was a solemn gathering of the martial arts world’s most prominent figures, no one dared to voice any complaint.

Baek Yu smiled at the man’s words and gestured to an empty seat.

“Senior Hong, we were worried you might have forgotten about the Righteous Path Grand Assembly. Please, take a seat.”

“Hehe, there’s one good thing about getting old. The higher your status, the fewer old folks to scold you for being late.”

Hong Sa-myeong, the Wind King and Sect Leader of the Beggar Sect, possessed two grand titles. With a mysterious movement that even the renowned martial artists couldn’t follow, he swiftly took his seat.

“Sorry for being late, juniors.”

“I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard Senior Hong apologize. It must be over fifty by now. Amitabha.”

At Shaolin Abbot Gong Hyeon’s jest, the other martial artists also nodded and laughed.

For a moment, a gentle atmosphere prevailed, but Hong Sa-myeong, true to his title of Wind King, spoke bluntly.

“Listen up, juniors. I’ve found traces of the Demonic Cult.”

His sudden declaration cut through the air.

At this, the benevolent smile on Gong Hyeon’s face vanished, replaced by a sharp gaze, and the expressions of the other martial artists hardened.

Someone asked Hong Sa-myeong in a trembling voice, “Senior Wind King, does this mean the Demonic Cult is rising again?”

< Who taught them? This much is expected. > End

< Do you know who I am? >