Hwasan Sect’s Genius Swordsman Chapter 8

Chapter 8

‘Ugh… The places I got hit yesterday are aching.’

Watching Mu Hwi beat Muryun, Musan shuddered as he recalled yesterday’s memory.

‘Besides, to think he would subdue even Senior Disciple Muryun so easily…’

Among the second-generation disciples, if ranking purely by martial arts prowess, Senior Disciple Muryun had always been counted among the top five.

Seeing the Senior Disciple toying so easily with such a person made him appear like a different person altogether.

Musan glanced around discreetly.

Everyone was unable to take their eyes off Mu Hwi’s completely transformed appearance.

Musan felt a strange emotion realizing that his other disciples were feeling what he had felt yesterday.

With each passing day, the Senior Disciple was rapidly changing the impression he had built up until now.

He was putting into action his words about not living as he had in the past.

“What will he show us next…”

The time they had spent ignoring and distancing themselves from Senior Disciple had been truly long. Yet somehow, expectations toward the Senior Disciple were gradually sprouting, to the point where he felt strange about himself.

With a bitter smile, Musan raised his head again to look at Mu Hwi who was swinging his wooden sword as if excited.

“Ugh…”

Mu Hwi grabbed the front of Muryun’s uniform, who was about to lose consciousness from being hit so much. Muryun went limp in Mu Hwi’s grasp.

“Musan, Muho. Come up and take this fellow to the Medical Pavilion.”

“Yes!”

Quickly rushing forward at Mu Hwi’s call, Musan and Muho each grabbed one of Muryun’s arms. Supported by the two disciples, Muryun descended the platform and quietly left the training ground.

Tak

Mu Hwi planted his wooden sword between his feet and looked around at the disciples below the platform.

Perhaps because the scene of beating Muryun was still fresh in their minds, the disciples tensed up slightly and their bodies stiffened just from his gaze falling on them.

Just by quietly standing there and moving his eyes, Mu Hwi was controlling the atmosphere of the training ground.

Mu Hwi’s gaze stopped on Mu-hwa, who had first asked questions about practicing the Six Harmonies Sword.

“Do you understand why I was able to completely handle Muryun’s offensive with just the Six Harmonies Sword?”

“Is it because you built a solid foundation with the Six Harmonies Sword?”

“That’s one reason, but Muryun’s foundation was shallower than expected. This became especially apparent when he started using the Wind-Playing Sword. Does any disciple know why?”

As Mu Hwi scanned the training ground while asking, Mu-cheol answered. Some disciples turned around in surprise when Mu-cheol spoke up on his own.

“Emotions. His mind was disrupted.”

Mu Hwi nodded.

“Muryun was flustered and impatient. Thanks to hastily deploying the Wind-Playing Sword, his speed increased but his moves were simple and light. It was easier to block than the Six Harmonies Sword.”

Someone among the second-generation disciples asked,

“Is what you just said related to the foundation?”

“The foundation I speak of isn’t simply about swinging the sword in proper form many times. A novice merely swings the sword with their arms, while an intermediate practitioner swings with their whole body and incorporates breathing into the sword.”

Mujin, who had been quietly listening to Mu Hwi’s words, spoke up.

“Then what about a master?”

“One who observes themselves while swinging the sword.”

This answer seemed vague at first glance. Mu Hwi, not expecting the disciples to understand immediately, explained in more detail.

“Various elements must harmonize – the stillness within the movement of the mind, breath control, maintaining and shifting the center of gravity, distribution of internal energy. This is why you must constantly observe yourself. This is called cultivation, and it’s the reason we learn swordsmanship in the Hwasan Sect, which follows the Way.”

Mu Hwi explained his understanding of the sword, gained until he was called the Sword Devil and First Sword of the Evil Path, in a way fitting for the Hwasan Sect which follows the Way.

All Streams Return to the Source

The Orthodox and the Unorthodox. Though their paths differ, when taken to the extreme they reach the same point – it isn’t so difficult if one could deeply penetrate the essence.

‘Do these fellows realize I’ve just given them quite a profound insight?’

Mu Hwi smirked watching the disciples blinking blankly. It didn’t matter if they couldn’t understand or grasp it right now.

If they kept it in a corner of their hearts without forgetting, it would help them break through walls in the future.

“This isn’t something you can achieve simply by learning advanced martial arts. Strive to cultivate yourself by constantly observing while swinging the sword. That is what building a foundation means.”

There was a strange profundity in Mu Hwi’s words.

Among the disciples who trained together, who else could speak with such depth as Mu Hwi?

The impression of Mu Hwi built up over the past decade and more was gradually crumbling.

It was the moment when, for the first time, the light of trust began appearing in the eyes of the disciples regarding Mu Hwi.

“If there are still any disciples with complaints after such a kind explanation, let’s have a conversation with wooden swords.”

At Mu Hwi’s words mixed with humor, several disciples also smiled.

‘Not bad.’

There was something ignited in the eyes of the second-generation disciples looking up at him.

Confirming this, Mu Hwi slowly brought his wooden sword to the middle position. The second-generation disciples simultaneously drew their wooden swords and took the same stance.

“Hyah!”

Powerful shouts began echoing from the training ground. Thus began the first-morning training session led by Mu Hwi.

Watching the second-generation disciples perform the Six Harmonies Sword, Mu Hwi raised his voice.

“Not stretched out properly!”

Mu Hwi began scolding the disciples whenever he saw something that bothered him.

“Mu-hwa! The power in your sword is lacking. That’s what happens when you swing with just your arms instead of your whole body.”

“Yes!”

The Six Harmonies Sword was the sword technique the second-generation disciples had practiced for the longest time. Nevertheless, they had to focus all their attention on extending their swords.

If not, they would receive a stern rebuke from their Senior Disciple.

“Muhae, Muyun! Why are your lower bodies so shaky? Are you showing that you’ve been negligent in your horse stance training?”

“We’re sorry, Senior Disciple!”

Mu Hwi was precisely identifying and correcting his disciples’ flaws. The disciples who heard Mu Hwi’s words immediately tried to change their actions.

Even before Mu Hwi pointed them out, some vaguely recognized their own problems.

But when Mu Hwi clearly pinpointed these issues, the credibility of his advice inevitably increased.

As the second-generation disciples began focusing more on their swords, their enthusiasm made the cool morning air grow hot. Mu Hwi’s rebukes struck almost every disciple, and even Mujin, who boasted the best martial arts among the second-generation disciples, couldn’t escape them.

“Mujin! Your upper body is stiff. Relax your shoulders more and extend your sword with more elasticity.”

Momentarily hesitating at Mu Hwi’s ear-piercing rebuke, Mujin thrust his sword again with full force.

“Yes, Senior Disciple.”

After swinging his sword several times, Mujin seemed to get the feel for it and gradually relaxed his upper body. Watching this, Mu Hwi let out a short exclamation internally.

‘Indeed, when it comes to pure martial talent, that fellow is the best.’

Though Mu Hwi kept giving advice, few disciples could immediately incorporate it into their bodies. This was natural, of course.

Even if one understood something mentally, it was naturally difficult to instantly correct habits that had become ingrained in the body.

That’s why martial artists fill in their weaknesses one by one through repeated daily practice.

‘That fellow is worth developing.’

When Hyeon Jo was looking for a disciple, everyone expected Mujin to be chosen. But Hyeon Jo chose Mu Hwi.

Mu Hwi knew the reason that no one else in the Hwasan Sect knew.

Because he had heard it from Hyeon Jo in his previous life.

-Mu Hwi, was it? Looking from afar, he doesn’t seem like much. Does he have some talent I don’t know about?

-His martial talent is ordinary. However, he has the greatest tenacity in Hwasan. I’ve never seen Mu Hwi give up on anything.

-What, tenacity? Did you choose that fellow just for tenacity? Hmm…

-Other disciples with brilliant talents can become strong on their own. But Mu Hwi will struggle. Turning an ordinary person into a master. Isn’t that the role of a teacher and what martial arts is about?

-The role of a teacher… Then I must have failed.

‘Wait.’

Mulling over his conversation with Hyeon Jo, Mu Hwi suddenly realized something.

Would the declining Hwasan really change just because Mu Hwi succeeded Hyeon Jo and created new sword techniques?

‘How could that be?’

That was only possible because of Hyeon Jo, who was worried and wanted to change the current Hwasan.

But Hyeon Jo was gone now.

Then who would take on the role of teacher, guiding disciples on the right path using new sword techniques as a guiding light?

‘It turns out this is even more troublesome than I thought.’

In this Hwasan, only one person knew Hyeon Jo’s will, naturally only Mu Hwi could inherit that role.

‘When I die and meet him again, I’ll have to buy him a lot of drinks. Seriously.’

Wearing a bitter smile, Mu Hwi took in the sight of the second-generation disciples performing the Six Harmonies Sword through gritted teeth.

How to lead them depended entirely on Mu Hwi’s capability.

‘Didn’t they say that the plum blossoms bloomed by Hwasan disciples each have different temperaments and fragrances?’

From Mu Hwi’s position, it would be easier to select and focus on teaching those among the second-generation disciples with outstanding talent.

The Sword Devil from his previous life would have done that.

Because it was efficient.

But he wasn’t the Sword Devil now, but the Senior Disciple.

The one who leads the second-generation disciples of the Hwasan Sect.

Mu Hwi decided to take everyone along without abandoning anyone.

This would be the way that suited Mu Hwi and Hwasan.

Hwasan had given him a new chance.

There was no need to live exactly the same life as his previous one, so this time he planned to live a life somewhat befitting Hwasan.

‘I’ve never properly taught even the few disciples I had before, yet now I have to spoon-feed so many disciples.’

The Sword Devil of his previous life had always focused only on raising his own level and neglected teaching disciples.

Looking back now, the Sword Devil of his previous life wasn’t as good a teacher as Hyeon Jo.

‘Though that fellow would survive well even if thrown into hell, I wonder what they’re doing now.’

Though Mu Hwi was briefly lost in old nostalgia, he still caught the slightest wavering in his disciples’ swords with uncanny precision.

“How are your wooden swords already shaking when you’ve barely swung them!”

Mu Hwi’s rebuke somehow seemed even more forceful, noises rang out across the training ground again.

Watching his disciples pouring sweat like rain on the training ground, Mu Hwi thought.

Though he couldn’t become a good teacher, he would try to become a decent Senior Disciple.

That would be the first step toward change.

He had to change himself first before he could change his disciples and Hwasan.

“Plum blossoms…”

Mu Hwi suddenly became curious.

What kind of plum blossoms would his disciples bloom, what fragrance would they give off, and what kind of fragrant plum blossom could Mu Hwi himself bloom?

Little by little, Mu Hwi was trying to imbue his new path with Hwasan’s colors and fragrances.

* * *

After finishing morning practice and dismissing the second-generation disciples, Mu Hwi headed straight for the Scripture Pavilion.

The Scripture Pavilion was located in a small ravine inside Yeonhwa Peak, and at the entrance of the ravine was a wide forest of plum trees.

The plum trees here all bloomed red plum blossoms, so the Hwasan disciples called this forest Hongrim (Red Forest).

Mu Hwi walked toward Hongrim, where the plum blossom fragrance lingered heavily.

<The One Who Leads the Second-generation Disciples of the Hwasan Sect.> End

<The Dialogue at the Scripture Pavilion.>