It was a rare sight to see the mysterious creature known as Amhu anywhere but at Nak-an Peak. So when it appeared at Yeonhwa Peak, even Mu-hui couldn’t help but be surprised.

“Eeek…”

Amhu, who had been about to take a swig from a bottle, seemed displeased with the taste and tossed it aside, shaking its head in disapproval. Then, with a nimble leap, it landed beside Mu-hui and playfully slapped his thigh with its long tail, as if in protest.

Listening to Amhu’s grumbling cries, Mu-hui nodded in understanding. “Ah, it’s been a while since I last saw you.”

Myeong-san, observing Amhu sniffing each bottle Mu-hui had brought, trying to find one to its liking, looked on with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

“Master, what exactly is that monkey?”

“That’s Amhu, a mystical creature of the volcano. It’s been around for quite some time and knows martial arts. It’s probably much stronger than you.”

“Stronger than me?” Myeong-san asked incredulously, eyeing Amhu with disbelief. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a plum blossom sword tucked into a vine wrapped around its waist, a sight that was nothing short of fascinating.

“I’ve never seen a mystical creature before,” Myeong-san admitted, reaching out cautiously to touch Amhu’s glossy black fur. But Amhu, with a snort, swiftly swatted Myeong-san’s hand with its tail.

“Ouch,” Myeong-san muttered, rubbing his hand where he’d been struck, unable to tear his eyes away from Amhu.

“Eeek!” Amhu glared at Myeong-san before turning to Mu-hui, tapping the plum blossom sword at its waist. Mu-hui chuckled and stood up.

“Alright, I suppose I should show you too.”

Mu-hui walked to the center of the courtyard with Amhu, giving Myeong-san a heads-up. “Don’t miss a single moment. It’ll be a good lesson.”

“Yes, sir!” Myeong-san replied, sitting cross-legged and focusing intently on Mu-hui and Amhu. He was taken aback by Amhu’s stance.

‘Is that the starting form of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique?’

Despite being a monkey, Amhu’s form was flawless, exuding the same precision and spirit as the masters of the volcano. In contrast, Mu-hui stood casually, his sword pointed downward, yet Myeong-san found Mu-hui’s stance more intimidating.

“Eeek!” With a short cry, Amhu’s figure blurred, moving too swiftly for Myeong-san to follow.

The long, trailing shadow of the sword was reminiscent of the masters performing the Plum Blossom Sword Dance. Amhu darted around, launching surprise attacks at Mu-hui, who effortlessly deflected each strike with minimal movement.

‘You’ve improved again,’ Mu-hui thought, noting how Amhu’s swordplay had become sharper and more unpredictable. As Amhu unleashed a flurry of attacks, Mu-hui swayed his sword left and right, blocking each one.

Clang!

“It’s dizzying,” Myeong-san murmured, his eyes darting around, unable to keep up with Amhu’s movements.

After about twenty exchanges, Mu-hui’s swordplay began to change.

“This is the new sword technique of the Volcano Sect,” he announced. Amhu paused, focusing intently on Mu-hui’s sword.

The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

Having lived on the volcano for many years, Amhu recognized the new technique unfolding before its eyes.

With a flick of the wrist, countless sword strikes blossomed, filling the courtyard with their presence. Myeong-san’s eyes widened as he watched the purple sword trails cut through the darkness.

‘Could I ever achieve that?’ he wondered, captivated by Mu-hui’s swordplay. Amhu, too, was entranced, its eyes widening as it recognized the culmination of countless sword marks from the valley, now unified into a single technique.

The darkness around the courtyard was gradually filled with a purple glow, and as plum blossoms began to bloom, their elegant fragrance enveloped Amhu.

Plum Blossom Path

Plum Blossom Butterfly Dance

Plum Blossom Radiance

The techniques of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique unfolded one by one.

“Eeek…” Amhu lowered its sword, mesmerized by the scene before it.

A single sword had conjured the essence of springtime plum blossoms, vibrant and fragrant as if they had truly bloomed in nature. Such mastery of the plum blossom and its fragrance had only been achieved by the legendary sword masters of the volcano.

And now, Amhu instinctively realized that Mu-hui was just a step away from reaching the same heights those masters had once attained.

As the plum blossoms conjured by Mu-hui faded like a dream, Amhu sniffed the air, trying to catch the lingering scent of the sword.

“Think you can mimic that?” Mu-hui asked, sheathing his sword as Amhu stood there, entranced by the display.

After a long moment, Amhu looked at Mu-hui, tugging at his sleeve with a whimper.

“Are you asking me to come to the valley later?” Mu-hui mused, surprised at how he could infer the meaning from Amhu’s cries. Fortunately, his guess seemed correct, as Amhu nodded and disappeared into the trees.

Watching this, Myeong-san blinked in amazement. “It’s truly a mystical creature. It understands human speech.”

“That creature might outlive us all,” Mu-hui replied with a smile.

***

When they reached the cliff at Nak-an Peak, Amhu was waiting. As soon as it saw Mu-hui, it leaped off the edge.

Mu-hui followed immediately. His movements, executing the Plum Blossom Step, were markedly different from when he first descended the cliff. Back then, he couldn’t close the gap with Amhu, but now he overtook it in just five steps.

“See you at the bottom,” Mu-hui teased, lightly tapping Amhu’s head as he descended, disappearing into the jungle below.

“Eeek!” Amhu screeched in frustration, chasing after him with all its might, but it could only watch Mu-hui’s back as he sped ahead.

Arriving at the valley without catching up, Amhu sulked and dashed further inside. Mu-hui followed at a leisurely pace. Inside the valley, Amhu pointed towards a cave.

“You told me not to go in there before,” Mu-hui remarked.

“Eeek!” Amhu had previously blocked Mu-hui from entering the cave at all costs, so he had no idea what lay inside. Now, with Amhu inviting him in, he was understandably curious.

‘Is this why you called me here?’ Mu-hui wondered, following Amhu’s lead into the cave. As they ventured deeper, a faint light became visible ahead.

Entering the chamber at the cave’s end, sunlight streamed through small holes in the ceiling, illuminating the walls. The first thing Mu-hui noticed was the writing etched into the stone.

His eyes narrowed as he read the inscription:

“All the scenery and myriad things manifest at the volcano.

Countless plum blossoms and their fragrance reach the ends of the sunset.

The sword peaks of the volcano flow with purple haze.

The purple haze is the six harmonies, and the six harmonies are the world.”

It seemed like poetry, or perhaps a cryptic message. As Mu-hui pondered the words, he realized who had left them.

“The Six Harmonies Sword Saint,” he murmured. These were the words of the founder of the Volcano Sect. Having studied the sword marks left in the valley, Mu-hui was certain.

“Hmm,” he mused. It wasn’t the mantra of the Purple Haze Technique. Perhaps it was the insights the Sword Saint had gained in his later years.

Mu-hui crossed his arms, contemplating the meaning behind the words. There was a profound truth hidden within, but it eluded immediate understanding.

Just as he was about to delve deeper, Amhu nudged his waist, leading him to the opposite side of the chamber.

“Huh?” Mu-hui was greeted by a fresh, rich aroma, unlike anything he’d ever encountered. At the far end of the chamber, a stone with a hollowed center emitted a strong fragrance.

“Eeek!” Amhu pointed to the stone, and as Mu-hui approached, he saw a small pool of pale pink liquid within.

Bringing his nose closer, he felt a sense of calm and euphoria. Amidst the sweet scent, there was a distinct, sharp aroma characteristic of alcohol.

“Could it be Hua-ju?” he wondered aloud. Hua-ju was a legendary liquor, said to be made from fruits hidden by monkeys and aged over time.

“Is this liquor?” Mu-hui asked, turning to Amhu, who nodded and handed him something. It was a flat, palm-sized stone, perfect for use as a cup.

Amhu dipped the stone cup into the pool of Hua-ju and offered it to Mu-hui.

The stone cup that Amhu handed over was brimming with Hua-ju. Without missing a beat, Amhu filled another cup to the brim.

Amhu offered the cup to Muhui, who couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“After all those times you mooched drinks off me, you’re finally treating me, huh?”

“Kikik!”

The two shared a hearty laugh, clinking their cups together before downing the Hua-ju in one swift motion.

“Ahh.”

Muhui let out a sound of appreciation, savoring the taste of the Hua-ju.

It was as if hundreds of fruit juices had been distilled into a single drop, exploding with flavor in his mouth.

It felt like a series of small explosions were going off in his mouth and mind. Just one sip was enough to make his head spin.

“This is incredible.”

“Kikikik!”

Amhu chuckled at Muhui’s surprise and dipped the cup back into the Hua-ju. Not to be outdone, Muhui followed suit, filling his cup once more.

They clinked their cups again, quickly emptying them.

In that moment, Muhui forgot everything else, focusing solely on the Hua-ju before him.

After what must have been ten cups, Amhu, his face flushed, toppled over and began to snore.

“No matter how mystical you are, you can’t outdrink me.”

Muhui chuckled to himself, downing another cup of Hua-ju. But then, his eyebrow twitched.

“Hmm?”

His voice, slurred with intoxication, carried a hint of confusion as he blinked.

Something felt off.

His entire body was burning, not just from the alcohol, but as if a fire had ignited in his veins, surging wildly.

Especially around his dantian, it felt like molten lava was coursing through him.

This wasn’t the usual sensation of drinking. It was more akin to consuming a powerful elixir.

As he stood there, momentarily dazed by the changes in his body, he turned sharply to the rock where the Hua-ju had been.

The once-full container was now empty, drained by him and Amhu.

“Could it be… this isn’t just Hua-ju, but an elixir infused with spiritual energy?”

The entire basin was a convergence of volcanic and natural energies, and with a mystical creature like Amhu present, it wasn’t an unfounded suspicion.

It was nature’s way that an elixir would exist alongside a mystical creature to balance the natural energies.

Muhui was convinced that the Hua-ju Amhu had created was imbued with the concentrated essence of the volcano’s spiritual and natural energies.

“It might rival the legendary Gongcheongseokyu.”

Gongcheongseokyu was a rare elixir formed when circulating natural energies condensed into a single drop in a special geographical formation.

If his guess was correct, the Hua-ju he had just consumed was not much different from Gongcheongseokyu.

“Whew…”

Muhui, swaying from the intoxication, sat cross-legged. The intense heat in his dantian made it difficult to channel his internal energy.

His hands and feet trembled as he moved. Consuming an elixir wasn’t always beneficial. An elixir too potent for the body could be more lethal than any poison.

“How many cups did I drink?”

Struggling to maintain his posture, Muhui focused on his breathing, trying to clear his mind to enter a meditative state.

As more time passed since drinking the Hua-ju, and as he concentrated more on his body’s condition, he realized the truth.

What he had consumed wasn’t just alcohol but an unparalleled elixir, unmatched in both his past and present lives.

“This might actually kill me.”

Muhui muttered incredulously.

An overwhelming surge of energy was coursing through his meridians. It was so intense that he feared his meridians might burst, taking his body with them.

He sensed he was standing on the edge of life and death.

“Haha.”

Suddenly, Muhui burst into laughter. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Even as he laughed, he could feel some of his meridians tearing under the strain of the energy. Yet, he found the situation oddly exhilarating.

To think he would encounter such a fortuitous opportunity.

If he could withstand it, he would achieve great things; if not, he would perish.

The irony of facing life and death over an elixir amused him.

He felt the fleeting nature of life, yet also realized that indulging in such thoughts was a luxury.

He thought of his mentors, the elders of the volcano, his disciples from both past and present lives, and new acquaintances like Seonju and Gangho Baek.

And finally, he thought of Hyeonjo.

Unlike his past life, where he struggled with loneliness, he was now enjoying an unexpected luxury in this life.

His life wouldn’t be halted by a mere elixir.

“An elixir dares to challenge me? I’ll devour it.”

With a voice filled with determination, Muhui steadied himself, facing the direction where the words of the Six Harmonies Sword Saint were inscribed, and began to meditate.

Sunlight streamed down through the ceiling, illuminating Muhui.

End