Swoosh!

In a flash, Mu-hwa’s plum blossom sword danced through the air, weaving a dazzling pattern as it encircled the demons. Occasionally, the demons would hurl daggers to halt Mu-hwa’s advance, but he effortlessly deflected them with his silk robe, raising his sword diagonally.

As he unleashed his sword energy, Mu-hwa moved with the wind, stepping lightly on the shadowy path. The daggers that followed only pierced the afterimages he left behind, embedding themselves in the legs of other unfortunate demons.

Mu-hwa, with his exceptional talent in movement techniques, had already surpassed many of his peers in the art of the shadowy path. His swift swordplay, combined with this technique, earned him the nickname “Whirlwind Plum Blossom.” His sword became a storm, sweeping through the demons with ease.

Though Mu-hwa was known for his perpetual smile, his face was now devoid of emotion as he faced the demons. The same was true for Mu-jin and Mu-cheol.

Clang!

When training with Mu-hwi, the senior disciples felt as if they had returned to their prime, achieving remarkable progress at an astonishing pace.

‘But more than anything…’

Hyun-baek glanced at Mu-san and Mu-ho, who stood beside him. The young second-generation disciples, once merely under their protection, were now standing shoulder to shoulder with them, battling the demons.

He vividly remembered the days when these second-generation disciples, once third-generation, were forced to stay up all night studying secret techniques under Mu-hwi’s strict guidance.

And now, they had grown so much.

And so splendidly.

No matter how much the senior disciples improved, it would have been overwhelming to face all these demons alone. The reason they could manage was that the second-generation disciples were each fighting as if they were more than one person.

‘If only the other senior brothers could see this.’

Recalling the senior brothers who had perished at the Blood Temple, Hyun-gak looked at Mu-hwa and Mu-cheol, who were sweeping through the demons on the other side.

“Hyun-on, Hyun-guk, your disciples have grown well. I wonder if you can see this.”

Murmuring the names of Mu-hwa and Mu-cheol’s masters, Hyun-baek resumed his swordplay. There were still too many demons to indulge in sentimentality.

“Ugh!”

“Take at least one of them with you using the Explosive Demon Technique!”

As the Mount Hua Sect began to overwhelm the demons, more of them attempted to use the Explosive Demon Technique, hoping to take some of the sect’s disciples with them rather than die in vain.

This made the senior disciples hasten their movements. Observing the battlefield, Mu-hwi gripped his sword and spoke.

“Plum Blossom Sword Masters, Plum Blossom Descent.”

Mu-hwi’s calm voice, infused with inner strength, cut through the chaotic battlefield, reaching the ears of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters. At his command, they raised their swords high.

Twenty-four swords pointed skyward, blocking the sun, then descended like rays of light. The sword strikes, aimed at the sun, soon split into dozens of paths, blossoming magnificently.

The Plum Blossom Sword Masters simultaneously executed the Plum Blossom Descent technique, a move from the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art.

Plum Blossom Descent.

The sword strikes, scattering like sunlight breaking through clouds, disoriented the demons, both visually and physically.

The swords of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters, darting and scattering, pierced the hearts and energy centers of the demons attempting the Explosive Demon Technique.

As the sword paths extended, buds began to bloom along their trails.

Dozens of plum blossoms surrounded the demons.

“This is…”

“Mount Hua…”

The demons felt trapped in a prison of plum blossoms, the scent of which was eerily unsettling.

‘They’ve truly grown stronger.’

Watching the senior and second-generation disciples, along with the elders, decimate the demons, Mu-hwi nodded in approval.

Having fought alongside the Mount Hua disciples during the Blood Temple incident, Mu-hwi could clearly see their progress. If the third-generation disciples continued this momentum, Mount Hua could once again reach its golden age.

Buzz!

Mu-hwi’s sword, too, emitted a dark, violet light, echoing the Plum Blossom Descent of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters.

Mu-hwi’s Plum Blossom Descent was unbound by space or distance. It targeted all demons clashing with the Mount Hua disciples and elders.

The violet sword light fell upon the demons invading Mount Hua, spreading like sunlight, true to the name “Descent.”

To the Mount Hua disciples, it was a breathtaking sight, but to the demons, it was a terrifying and ominous hue.

“Ah.”

Baek-soon, who was about to pierce a demon’s heart, lowered his sword in awe. The demon, already impaled by Mu-hwi’s sword strike, collapsed, spewing blood.

The same fate befell other demons. Like sunlight touching the skin, the demons fighting the elders fell without understanding why, coughing up blood.

They stared in disbelief at their bodies, turning crimson.

The violet plum blossoms bloomed brilliantly.

The red and white plum blossoms, cultivated by the Plum Blossom Sword Masters, filled the grounds of Mount Hua with petals.

“The Sword Saint of Mount Hua. Truly, the Sword Saint’s blade.”

A single strike dominating the battlefield—a display of astonishing prowess.

Baek-soon, who had been the most delighted to hear of a new Sword Saint emerging in Mount Hua, couldn’t help but smile with pride as he witnessed Mu-hwi’s swordplay.

“Hahaha! Disciples.”

At Baek-soon’s call, Baek-san, Baek-jin, and the other elders turned to him.

“As if it’s new, but Mount Hua truly has many plum blossoms.”

Before the elders’ eyes, the disciples had filled the battlefield with flowers and petals. The elders, whose faces had been stern throughout the battle, began to relax one by one.

“Indeed.”

“Brothers, it’s a truly beautiful sight.”

Baek-yu, who had just decapitated a demon, also turned to take in the scene.

The plum blossoms blooming in the air, the sword scent filling the surroundings, and the demonic energy that had once enveloped the sect was now dissipating, replaced by the clear air of Mount Hua.

“How wonderful.”

Breathing in the fresh air, Baek-yu smiled lightly and sheathed his sword.

* * *

Not long after the attack by the Black Night Palace, new tidings reached Mount Hua.

The Black Night Palace had not only targeted Mount Hua but had also appeared at the Zhongnan Sect and the Nine Heavens Sword School. It seemed they had sent demons to all three major sects that had opposed them during the Blood Temple incident.

Their madness, indiscriminately stirring up the three major sects, was enough to impress even Mu-hwi.

‘Do they have demons to spare?’

At first glance, it seemed like the Black Night Palace was wasting their forces, but Mu-hwi didn’t think so. He suspected that even after the forces lost in Shaanxi, the Black Night Palace’s strength remained unscathed.

The mysterious master of the Black Night Palace, the Demon of the Mountain. Could he be the only hidden master? Unlikely.

This led Mu-hwi to believe that the Black Night Palace was concealing power far beyond what was shown during the Blood Temple incident.

“Are they finally starting to show their true colors?”

Demonic arts, by nature, defied logic and were often bizarre, causing great upheaval in the martial world whenever they appeared.

Throughout martial history, it wasn’t uncommon for a newly emerged demonic sect to wreak havoc across the martial world, so it wasn’t entirely surprising.

Folding the letter, Mu-hwi stepped out of the Plum Blossom Pavilion. In the training grounds before him, the Plum Blossom Sword Masters were diligently practicing.

Perhaps due to the recent demon attack on Mount Hua, their training was more rigorous and sharp than usual.

It wasn’t Mu-hwi who pushed them; the Plum Blossom Sword Masters had increased their training intensity on their own.

Mu-hwi closely observed their movements.

Even when the Four Kings and the Great Dragon clashed simultaneously, the Plum Blossom Sword Masters maintained their formation without faltering. With their martial skills having grown since then, the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Formation would be even more formidable.

‘At this level, they won’t be outmatched by any elite sect.’

The name of the Plum Blossom Sword Masters had begun to spread across the martial world due to the events at Bi-dong. In time, as Mu-hwi intended, they would become the martial force representing Mount Hua.

Even if the Black Night Palace reappeared, Mu-hwi believed that with the Plum Blossom Sword Masters’ prowess, Mount Hua would stand strong.

Guiding the Plum Blossom Sword Masters’ training, Mu-hwi was summoned by Baek-yu to the upper hall. Upon entering, Baek-yu handed him a letter.

“It’s from the Martial Alliance.”

“Read it.”

With a slightly tense expression, Baek-yu extended his hand.

Reading the letter, Mu-hwi tilted his head with interest.

“I’m a bit surprised. To take such a step.”

“Hmm.”

Baek-yu merely sighed. The letter Mu-hwi was reading had been sent by the Martial Alliance to all major sects, including the Nine Great Schools and the Three Great Families.

The letter’s content was as follows:

The demonic sect, Black Night Palace, declares its establishment.

A grand opening ceremony was held, inviting various martial arts sects from across the land, including the Martial Alliance, Sa Do-cheon, and the Overlord Fortress.

“It seems they’re showing a different face than the usual demonic sects that have appeared in the martial world,” Baek Yu remarked.

Mu Hui nodded in agreement. Traditionally, demonic sects would bide their time in the shadows, slowly building their strength. They would weaken or divide the martial world through various schemes, only to unleash their accumulated power all at once when the time was right.

But the Black Night Palace was boldly revealing itself to the world, even going so far as to invite the powerful martial alliances to their domain. It was a strikingly unconventional move compared to other demonic sects.

“Mu Hui, what do you make of this? Is it a display of confidence?” Baek Yu asked.

“Hmm… I think the first priority is to understand what the Black Night Palace truly wants,” Mu Hui replied thoughtfully.

“Indeed,” Baek Yu agreed, recalling the words of Mar Yeon-no, whom he had recently beheaded.

“The blood and lives we spill will serve as the lord’s declaration of the Black Night Palace’s emergence in the martial world.”

Reflecting on Mar Yeon-no’s words, Baek Yu realized that the Black Night Palace’s grand opening was an extension of their recent attacks on the three major sects in Shaanxi. The demonic followers had sacrificed themselves merely to announce the Black Night Palace’s name to the martial world.

With this event, the once-forgotten name of the Black Night Palace was suddenly etched into everyone’s minds.

“What will the Martial Alliance do? Will they attend the ceremony?” Mu Hui wondered aloud.

“Calling it a ceremony is like walking into the jaws of a demon. The risk is enormous. The leader must be deeply troubled,” Baek Yu mused.

The sudden, overt appearance of the Black Night Palace was something even Mu Hui hadn’t anticipated. He had expected them to follow the pattern of other demonic sects, suddenly unleashing chaos upon the martial world when the time was ripe.

“Let’s wait for the leader’s decision,” Baek Yu suggested.

As Mu Hui listened, he glanced at the letter in his hand.

“The Black Night Palace…”

Elsewhere, Mu Cheol wielded the Iron Hawk Sword Technique, unleashing powerful gusts of sword energy. Despite the chaos, the straightforward and refined swordplay of Mu Jin easily overwhelmed the demonic followers. Only three second-generation disciples were needed to cut through the enemy ranks like straw.

The disciples of the Mount Hua Sect were showcasing their formidable reputation without reservation.

“Stay calm and hold your positions! Keep an eye on the demon using the Explosive Demon Technique!” a senior disciple commanded.

“Second-generation disciples, control your bloodlust!”

Even before Mu Hui and the Mount Hua Sect arrived, the sect had already gained the upper hand. Despite their advantage, the experienced first-generation disciples cautioned the second-generation disciples against getting carried away.

No matter how much experience and training one had, the wisdom that came with age could only be gained over time. The first-generation disciples, having endured the Shaanxi Bloodshed, led their juniors with a different demeanor.

“Truly… it’s going smoothly,” Hyun Gak thought, a smile forming as he deeply slashed a demon’s chest.

The Black Night Palace’s demons had invaded their main base. Under normal circumstances, it would have been a dire crisis. In previous attacks, they had barely managed to fend off the invaders, losing several pavilions and dozens of plum trees in the process.

The Mount Hua Sect had been struggling in the aftermath of the Shaanxi Bloodshed. But now, things were different. The situation wasn’t as dire or urgent as during the Black Night Palace’s first assault.

With new martial arts techniques and diverse support from the Heavenly Stream Trading Company, along with Mu Hui’s focused training and guidance, the first-generation disciples were growing rapidly, defying the usual stagnation of middle age.

“Let’s wait for the leader’s decision.” End

“Step aside and clear the way.”