“Go ahead, open it.”

Mu-hui hesitated, glancing at Seong Ju-tae instead of immediately opening the wooden box engraved with the words “Heart Engraving.”

Seong Ju-tae, who had spent days crafting the sword, looked as if he had aged decades, his once dark hair now completely white, and the wrinkles around his temples and cheeks deepened.

Having secluded himself in the workshop during the sword’s creation, Mu-hui was seeing this transformation for the first time.

“Are you alright, Master?”

“Haha, of course. Even my son was worried when he saw me, but I feel more alive than ever.”

Perhaps it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream that rejuvenated him. Seong Ju-tae’s voice was strong and vibrant as he urged Mu-hui again.

“Go on, open it.”

Mu-hui lifted the lid of the box. As the sword was revealed, Mu-hwa, watching from the side, couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

“It’s beautiful!”

The scabbard, crafted from black iron, was intricately engraved with plum blossoms, symbolizing the Plum Blossom Sword Sect. The blossoms shimmered with a subtle purple hue, reflecting light with a gentle glow.

The decorations extended to the sword’s hilt and guard, making it seem as if a purple plum blossom had bloomed in the night.

Unlike the elegant and restrained beauty of the Plum Blossom Sword, the Heart Engraving Sword radiated a captivating and noble allure.

“This sword is meant to be a treasured heirloom of the Hwasan Sect, so its appearance had to be exceptional. It won’t hinder its performance in battle.”

Mu-hui nodded in agreement, admiring the sleek and balanced scabbard. As he gripped the hilt, he marveled at how naturally it fit his hand, as if it had been made for him alone.

‘Yes, this is my sword.’

When Mu-hui drew the blade, even he was taken aback. The blade was a deep black, yet it possessed a clarity as if it had captured the night sky itself.

The blade’s beauty left the onlookers, including Dok-go Yul and the disciples, speechless.

Mu-hui carefully examined the blade, then infused it with his inner energy, flicking it with his finger.

A clear, resonant sound echoed, like the plucking of a zither string. But Mu-hui was more focused on the blade’s reaction.

The blade, flexible like the Plum Blossom Sword, straightened with the weight and solidity of a heavy iron sword. It combined the best qualities of both, making it a legendary weapon.

As Mu-hui sheathed the sword, the purple glow that had illuminated his face faded away.

“How did you create such a sword?”

Mu-hui, having regained his composure, asked. Seong Ju-tae replied with a mix of pride and slight embarrassment.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect the blade to turn out like this. I intended to use a special metal to make it clear and pure like the blue sky, with a purple hue from the added materials.”

Mu-hui thought of something as he looked at the blade, reminiscent of the night sky.

“The horn of the One-Horned Beast.”

Though not identical, the blade’s color was strikingly similar to the horn.

“You’re right. During the forging process, I ground the horn into powder and sprinkled it, which transformed the blade’s color.”

“Remarkable. I’ve heard only the Jade Fire Staff of Shaolin and the Red Fang Blade of the Hebei Peng family have such mystical hues.”

Dok-go Yul murmured in admiration, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Indeed! The Red Fang Blade will be considered a divine weapon in a hundred years. Let’s hope the Heart Engraving Sword achieves the same status.”

As Seong Ju-tae spoke, Mu-hui’s eyes lingered on the inscription “Purple Haze Heart Engraving” etched on the blade.

Captivated by the sword’s beauty, Mu-hui bowed deeply to Seong Ju-tae.

“Thank you, Master.”

“I only did my duty. The rest is up to you.”

Seong Ju-tae looked at the sword in Mu-hui’s hand as if it were his own child, then turned to Dok-go Yul.

“Now, let’s make your sword. Come with me, I have many questions.”

“Yes, sir!”

Dok-go Yul eagerly followed Seong Ju-tae, while Mu-hwa watched them with envy.

“I can’t wait for my Plum Blossom Sword to be finished.”

“Just a few more days, be patient,” Mu-jin reassured her, glancing at the Heart Engraving Sword.

* * *

Mu-hui and his companions left the workshop, heading back to Mount Hwa. A cart followed them, carrying the completed Plum Blossom Sword.

“Thanks to you, Mu-hui, I have a great sword now.”

Dok-go Yul had a new sword strapped to his back, which he named Ghost Eternal Sword, inspired by the Heart Engraving Sword. It was a tribute to his master, the Sword Ghost, with the characters “Dok-go” engraved on the blade.

“This trip to Shaanxi was fortunate. I improved my martial arts by training with the herbs the turtle gave me, and I gained a lifelong companion in this sword.”

“So, are you leaving Shaanxi again, Brother Dok-go?”

“Yes, I need to rejoin the Dok-go Association to complete some pending tasks.”

Mu-hwa pouted, disappointed, but Dok-go Yul, oblivious to her feelings, smiled at Mu-cheol.

“Next time we meet, let’s see whose sword is heavier.”

Dok-go Yul patted Mu-cheol’s shoulder, and Mu-cheol nodded silently.

As they traveled leisurely, they suddenly stopped. A group dressed in black blocked their path.

The leader glanced at Mu-hui’s group and spoke.

“You’re from the Hwasan Sect. I’m sorry, but you can’t pass here. Please take another route.”

“Who are you to block the road in broad daylight?” Mu-jin protested, but the man in black remained silent, his companions’ auras growing more menacing.

It was clear they were ready to fight if Mu-hui’s group didn’t back down. Mu-jin chuckled incredulously.

“Which sect are you from to act so recklessly?”

Mu-hui, who had been quietly observing, spoke up.

“There are assassins hidden around us.”

At his words, Dok-go Yul and the disciples reached for their weapons. Mu-hui looked directly at the leader in black.

“You’ve mastered demonic arts. Are you from the Black Night Palace?”

Though his tone was calm, the revelation was shocking.

Dok-go Yul and the disciples stared at the man in black, who, caught off guard, shouted instead of answering.

“Kill them!”

The leader, startled by Mu-hui’s mention of demonic arts and the Black Night Palace, dropped his pretense.

At his command, the thirty or so martial artists around them sprang into action.

Simultaneously, dust rose from the ground as assassins, their faces covered except for their eyes, emerged.

“Protect the cart and the secular disciples,” Mu-hui ordered, charging at the martial artists. The demonic energy they exuded was a vile, unnatural force, known as demonic energy.

It had been a long time since Mu-hui felt such repulsive energy. His hand tightened around the hilt of the Heart Engraving Sword, veins standing out on his hand.

“Filthy vermin of the Black Night Palace.”

As the sword was drawn, its black blade, like the night sky, unleashed a purple flash upon the martial artists.

With a swift, crescent-shaped slash, the sword cut through the air, slicing through the black-clad figures without pause.

The martial artists were stunned by Mu-hui’s display of skill, but they didn’t stop their charge, their demonic energy and killing intent only intensifying.

Mu-hui found it laughable.

There was no need for elaborate swordplay. A simple horizontal slash scattered the front line, followed by a diagonal cut that swept through the rear.

The sound of the sword cleaving through the air was accompanied by the cries of the fallen, as Mu-hui’s effortless mastery left the martial artists in disarray.

In a blur of violet, everything in the path of the sword was sliced cleanly, regardless of whether it was a demon or a weapon.

With just three swings of his sword, the demons charging at him fell silent, their advance halted in an instant.

“Demons appearing out of nowhere like this?”

Standing amidst the fallen demons, Mu-hwi expanded his senses to their fullest extent.

It was as if he had the keen eyes of a bird of prey, surveying the ground from high above. The surrounding situation quickly came into focus for him.

As Mu-hwi scanned the area with his heightened senses, his eyebrows twitched.

He was in a remote part of southern Shaanxi, near the border with Hubei, close to the town of Sunyang.

Yet, in this Sunyang area, a small-scale celestial net had been laid out. At the center of this net, he sensed a large presence.

“So, they were guarding a part of the celestial net.”

Having grasped the situation, Mu-hwi turned his back. Mu-hwa, moving with agility surpassing that of an assassin, was protecting the disciples of the Hwagacheolbang, while Dokgo Yul, Mu-jin, and Mu-cheol unleashed a relentless barrage of sword light.

Before long, the combined forces of the Hwagacheolbang’s disciples and Dokgo Yul had dispatched all the assassins.

“Senior Brother.”

Mu-jin called out as he withdrew his sword from an assassin’s neck, prompting Mu-hwi to speak.

“The demons of the Black Night Palace have set up a celestial net. It seems they’re targeting someone.”

The mention of the Black Night Palace caused everyone’s faces to harden. There wasn’t a single person present who wasn’t connected to the Black Night Palace in some way.

Though the sudden appearance of the Black Night Palace was puzzling, Mu-jin knew this wasn’t the time for questions.

“It’s a dire situation. Should we stay here, then?”

Though they didn’t know who was trapped in the celestial net, it was clear that help was needed.

The sooner the assistance of a master like Senior Brother arrived, the better.

“If you come with me, it’ll slow us down. And if the demons seize the carriage, it could be disastrous. It’s best if you stay and guard it.”

“That makes sense.”

Mu-hwa agreed, glancing at the carriage loaded with the Plum Blossom Sword, and Dokgo Yul nodded in agreement.

“Senior Brother, go safely.”

Nodding at Mu-cheol’s words, Mu-hwi launched himself toward the center of the celestial net.

With his senses wide open, Mu-hwi extended his presence like a shadow, moving swiftly. Each step he took transformed the landscape around him in an instant.

The path ahead was mostly flat, but small hills dotted the landscape.

Along the way, he spotted demons stationed at various points. However, Mu-hwi only cut down those directly in his path, ignoring the rest.

There was no time to waste on small fry.

“Tsk.”

Even as he sped forward like a flying arrow, Mu-hwi didn’t miss the details around him.

He saw the bodies of villagers and beggars from the Beggars’ Sect, likely killed to prevent any witnesses from escaping.

As Mu-hwi neared the center of the celestial net, a massive explosion erupted ahead.

Boom!

The shockwave was so powerful that even Mu-hwi, far away, felt the tremor through the ground.

Sensing a familiar surge of energy, Mu-hwi quickened his pace.