Clang!

A sharp resonance rang out from Seonju’s sword as it clashed with the spear of the Dragon Spear Master. The impact was so intense that her legs, once firmly planted like the roots of a great tree, wavered precariously.

“Not bad for a young girl,” the Dragon Spear Master sneered, watching Seonju hold her ground with tenacity. Though she stood firm, it was clear she was barely managing to maintain her position.

The Dragon Spear Master paused, but Seonju’s sword had no respite. The relentless assault from the Spear Sect disciples continued unabated.

Whenever one fell, another immediately filled the gap, swinging their spears with merciless precision.

Yet Seonju stood her ground, blocking the path so that no one could interfere with Mu-hui’s duel of life and death.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth—not from internal injuries, but because she had bitten her lip to keep her mind sharp as her consciousness began to blur.

“Huff!”

Seonju exhaled heavily, her waist twisting as her sword, imbued with power, carved a wide arc, slicing through the waist of a Spear Sect disciple.

Clang!

Though she felled the enemy before her, Seonju’s hands moved swiftly, retrieving her sword to block the next attack aimed at her lower body.

She deflected a strike targeting her thigh, only to be met with a barrage aimed at her shoulder and chest.

The combined assault of the Spear Sect disciples pressed Seonju relentlessly.

Slash!

But Seonju stubbornly blocked and countered, over and over. Her entire body was stained with blood, yet she narrowed her eyes and thrust her sword with determination.

She had claimed the center of this canyon as her own domain, allowing no one to set foot within it.

The formidable swordplay of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords erected an impenetrable wall, halting the advance of the Spear Sect. But Seonju was far from unscathed.

Her breath had long carried the metallic taste of blood, her bones creaked, and her muscles screamed in agony. Her once boundless inner energy had vanished, leaving her core dry and empty.

Her body had reached its limit long ago, driven only by sheer willpower.

It was hard to tell if her body was responding to her mind’s commands or merely moving reflexively from years of training.

She had surpassed her limits time and again.

Seonju was no longer even aware of her own state.

‘Is my sword even striking true?’

The thought crossed her mind.

Before she could decide where to strike, her feet moved, followed by her waist and arms. It felt as if she had let go of her mind, her body moving of its own accord in a strange, serene detachment.

Her body moved instinctively, her sword executing the Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords with a will of its own, leaving Seonju to observe herself in a daze.

The spacing of her steps, the movement of her muscles, the angle of her arms channeling the power of her entire body into the sword. Even the flow of her inner energy coursing through her veins with each breath.

Everything was vividly clear.

A sensation she could never have felt under normal circumstances.

Perhaps she had transcended her limits so far that the boundary between consciousness and unconsciousness had blurred.

‘Have I always done it like this?’

The flaws she had overlooked before were now glaringly obvious, and the Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords appeared different.

‘I’m just blocking.’

The technique began with blocking attacks from all six directions, but Seonju now realized that this alone would not lead to mastery.

The Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords was a sword art meant to create one’s own world.

It was time to move beyond merely blocking and to contemplate the world her sword would create.

‘Then, what is my world…’

At that moment of realization, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords began to change.

The flaws she had seen started to correct themselves, and the sword paths subtly adjusted.

Her right foot stepped forward slightly, widening her stance, and her muscles fine-tuned their movements.

As a result, the angle of her arms became more natural, channeling the power from her waist into her sword without any loss.

With her mind as calm as a still lake, the inner energy of the Heavenly Mind Technique rapidly filled her veins.

The inner energy she thought had dried up began to well up from her core and veins. Yet, even in the face of this miraculous phenomenon, Seonju was so absorbed in her sword that she felt nothing else.

She was completely immersed in the Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords, lost in its depths.

“Hmm?”

The Dragon Spear Master, who had been waiting for an opening in Seonju’s defense, widened his eyes.

Seonju’s aura, which had been fading as if losing its vitality, suddenly became clear and strong. It wasn’t just a recovery of strength; her aura grew endlessly powerful.

It became purer, deeper.

Her surging aura spread throughout the canyon.

Zing!

In response, Seonju’s sword sang, and the faint golden sword energy flared up again, illuminating the canyon with its brilliance.

The golden sword energy, shining like a star plucked from the heavens, radiated with a dazzling light.

“Damn it!”

Sensing the change, the Dragon Spear Master leaped back, but Seonju’s sword was already in motion.

No longer was she merely blocking the Spear Sect’s attacks.

The golden sword strike, as if imbued with starlight, raced through the canyon. A long golden tail trailed in the air, as if the sword declared:

This is my domain.

Do not dare trespass.

No longer just blocking attacks from all six directions, she drew the boundaries of her world with her sword.

The endless sword paths traced the borders of her world, and the countless points marked the stars filling her sky.

Heavenly Constellation.

“Argh!”

The Dragon Spear Master’s spear and body were torn apart by the torrent of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords, which poured down like a shower of light.

When she finally executed the technique she had never mastered before, the Heavenly Constellation, Seonju realized she had ascended to the pinnacle of martial arts.

“Haa.”

As Seonju let out a light sigh and was about to collapse, Mu-hui, who had quietly approached her side, caught her arm.

“You’ve finally broken through the wall. Congratulations on reaching the pinnacle.”

Seonju, too exhausted to even lift her head, spoke while looking at the ground.

“Mu-hui, can I rest now?”

In response to Seonju’s question, Mu-hui looked ahead. Seonju had cut down many, but some still remained.

Yet Mu-hui gently placed a hand on Seonju’s head.

“It’s over now. Rest well.”

At his calm words, Seonju immediately fainted, and Mu-hui carefully laid her down.

As Mu-hui prepared to pick up his sword again to finish the fight, a fierce wind swept through the canyon from behind.

Boom!

The gust, accompanied by a powerful force, instantly killed the remaining Spear Sect disciples.

Seeing the old man who had turned a dozen warriors into pulp in an instant, Mu-hui clasped his hands in respect.

“Greetings, Master of the Beggars’ Sect.”

Despite the sudden appearance of Hong Sa-myung, the Wind King and Master of the Beggars’ Sect, Mu-hui remained composed and paid his respects.

Hong Sa-myung barely acknowledged the greeting, instead surveying the scene before letting out a sigh of relief.

“Are you alright?”

When Hong Sa-myung asked, looking at the unconscious Seonju, Mu-hui nodded. Only then did Hong Sa-myung breathe a sigh of relief.

“How did you know to come here?”

“No matter how careful you are, you can’t escape the eyes of the Beggars’ Sect in Henan.”

Even as he answered, Hong Sa-myung walked forward, clicking his tongue at the sight of the Spear Sect leader and elders’ corpses.

“The Spear Sect tried to swallow you whole, but instead, they were devoured. One of the Seven Evil Heavens will fall.”

“Indeed, with their leader and elite forces wiped out, it’s inevitable.”

“That’s not all. It seems they anticipated support from the Beggars’ Sect, as they had stationed forces at the entrance to the Three Gates Gorge.”

Having heard of the Spear Sect’s movements, Hong Sa-myung had originally come with his beggar followers, only to find the Spear Sect’s forces blocking the path, prompting him to rush ahead.

The Spear Sect leader had meticulously prepared, but everything was undone by Mu-hui.

‘This blow will uproot the Spear Sect.’

As Hong Sa-myung assessed the situation, he looked at Mu-hui.

“I heard you withstood five strikes from the Blue Ice King. Truly impressive. This force could have decapitated several top martial artists.”

The forces the Spear Sect leader had brought to the canyon to face Mu-hui were enough to annihilate several mid-sized sects in a day.

Yet that formidable force had been obliterated by just two late-stage martial artists.

Having not witnessed the battle himself, Hong Sa-myung could only imagine what had transpired in the canyon.

Under normal circumstances, Mu-hui and Seonju should have perished here, despite any resistance.

But Mu-hui had defied those expectations with a single sword.

“The martial world will be astounded once more.”

Hong Sa-myung suppressed his desire to test his skills against Mu-hui. It would be inappropriate to challenge someone who had just fought a fierce battle.

“I’ll assign escorts to accompany you to Shaanxi.”

“That’s not necessary. My injuries aren’t severe, so I plan to rest a bit before heading to Shaanxi.”

“Very well. Then I’ll accompany you to the port.”

Mu-hui did not refuse Hong Sa-myung’s offer any further and bowed in gratitude.

The day after the Beggars’ Sect entered the Three Gates Gorge, a rumor quickly spread through the martial world.

The rumor that the Spear Sect leader and his elite forces had been annihilated by the Demon Sword of Mount Hua and the Golden River Sword.

The rumors spread like wildfire across the martial world, fueled by Hong Samyeong’s intention to elevate Muhui and Seonju’s status.

The entire martial world was abuzz once more.

The righteous sects showered Muhui with praise for achieving the impossible yet again, while the unorthodox factions sharpened their blades, eyeing each other warily.

For the unorthodox sects, the instability of Geukcheonmun, one of the Seven Evil Heavens, was not a crisis but a golden opportunity.

***

After disembarking at Shaanxi from the boat at Sammunhyeop, Muhui and Seonju focused on recuperating.

Feeling they had reached a safe haven, Seonju followed Muhui’s guidance and consumed the elixir given by the Martial Alliance, entering a state of meditation.

Over the course of two hours, the insights gained from the canyon and the elixir’s effects began to manifest changes in Seonju’s body.

The golden internal energy of the Celestial Heart Technique materialized around her, swirling like a constellation before converging at the crown of her head.

The gathered light coalesced into a single form.

Three blossoms.

Under the influence of the Celestial Heart Technique, the flowers that bloomed above Seonju’s head were a radiant gold.

Watching over Seonju’s meditation, Muhui murmured to himself.

“Samhwachwijung.”

Samhwachwijung—when one’s internal energy gathers at the crown, forming the shape of three flowers. It was a phenomenon experienced by those who reached the pinnacle of martial arts.

As the flowers atop her head gradually faded and disappeared, Seonju’s hair and the sleeves of her robe, which had been fluttering with energy, settled down.

“Phew.”

When Seonju exhaled slowly and opened her eyes, her gaze was calmer and more composed than before.

“Muhui, I’ve finally reached the pinnacle!”

Seonju sprang up, eager to approach Muhui, but he subtly stepped back, pinching his nose.

“What are you doing?”

Sensing something amiss, Seonju narrowed her eyes at Muhui, only to clamp her mouth shut as a foul odor wafted up.

“……”

The source of the stench was closer than she thought.

It was her own body.

Her navy robe was stained in several places, the impurities expelled from her body as she reached the pinnacle of Samhwachwijung.

Seonju’s nose twitched incessantly as she caught a whiff of herself.

“Ugh…”

Realizing the situation, Seonju’s face turned a deep shade of red, so intense it seemed like it might burst.

Still holding his nose, Muhui gazed out the window and spoke.

“Go wash up, quickly.”

“Oh, come on!”

Mortified, Seonju dashed out the door. She reappeared an hour later, having changed into fresh clothes, her face still slightly flushed.

Even as she chewed on a piece of duck, Seonju glared at Muhui, her eyes seemingly cursing him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You have no consideration, Muhui.”

“Ahem.”

With nothing to say, Muhui cleared his throat awkwardly and reached for the wine bottle. As he poured her a drink, Seonju sipped it slowly, muttering.

“We’ll be parting ways again soon.”

The inn where Muhui and Seonju stayed was at the crossroads between Mount Hua and Zhongnan Mountain.

With their paths diverging, they had no choice but to separate.

“Don’t be too downhearted. We’ll meet again.”

“Alright. I’ve reached the pinnacle, so next time, I’ll train hard to give you a run for your money.”

Seeing Seonju smile, Muhui couldn’t help but smile back. The two clinked their cups lightly, savoring the sweet taste of the wine.

***

Upon arriving at Mount Hua, Muhui went straight to the upper palace to meet Baekyu. Having already heard the rumors circulating in the martial world, Baekyu’s eyes held a hint of anger.

But that anger was directed not at Muhui, but at the now-deceased master of Geukcheonmun.

“If anything had happened to you, the swordsmen of Mount Hua would have marched to Henan.”

Muhui simply smiled.

“I’m glad it didn’t come to that.”

After reporting, Muhui took out the manuals from his robe and handed them to Baekyu.

The manual of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique and its interpretation.

The manual of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Formation.

Three manuals in total.

Baekyu handled the manuals with the utmost care, as if they were precious infants.

“You’ve worked hard.”

As Baekyu examined the manuals, he suddenly looked at Muhui and asked.

“It seems you have something to say.”

Muhui nodded and spoke directly.

“Master, as the head disciple, I wish to establish a new organization within the Mount Hua Sect.”