The once dormant forces of the Overlord’s Castle had begun their march, prompting the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect to descend from their mountain stronghold.

Led by the Plum Blossom Swordmaster, the first and second disciples were making their way directly to Zhongnan Mountain. They had confirmed that the Overlord’s Castle was moving in a straight line towards the Zhongnan Sect, clearly targeting them.

As the Mount Hua disciples paused for a rest, a group of beggars from the Beggar Sect appeared.

“Young Master Mu Hui, we have new information.”

“Thank you.”

Mu Hui unfolded the yellow paper handed to him by So Jin-gae. It contained a brief summary of the ongoing battles across Shaanxi.

With the Beggar Sect’s assistance, the Mount Hua Sect was able to receive real-time updates, allowing them to adjust their speed and direction as needed.

“The Wulin Alliance’s branch in Hanyang has fallen.”

“Their forces are retreating, joining with other Zhongnan Sect families.”

The Overlord’s Castle advanced without delay, showcasing the same overwhelming power in Shaanxi that had swept through Sichuan.

The Zhongnan Sect and the Wulin Alliance had tried to hold them back, but it was merely a stalling tactic.

Fortunately, the Overlord’s Castle was so focused on reaching Zhongnan Mountain quickly that they ignored any sects not directly in their path.

Mu Hui, reading the information with Hyun Baek, furrowed his brow slightly.

“The Overlord’s Castle is a problem, but we can’t ignore the forces of the Dark Assembly either.”

While the Overlord’s Castle advanced north from the west, the Dark Assembly’s warriors were attacking from the south, targeting the rear sects supporting the front lines against the Overlord’s Castle.

Mu Jin frowned as he realized the situation.

“Senior Brother, if both the Overlord’s Castle and the Dark Assembly reach Zhongnan Mountain, even the Zhongnan Sect will struggle.”

Everyone knew that the paths of the Overlord’s Castle and the Dark Assembly would converge at Zhongnan Mountain. Moreover, the Dark Assembly was advancing faster than the Overlord’s Castle.

Comparing the information from So Jin-gae with the map of Shaanxi, Mu Hui spoke up.

“The Overlord’s Castle seems to have some distance to cover, but the Dark Assembly is moving quickly.”

So Jin-gae nodded in agreement.

“The Dark Assembly isn’t trying to annihilate every sect they encounter like the Overlord’s Castle. Their goal is to disrupt the rear, so they’re moving fast.”

Mu Hui drew two intersecting lines on the map.

“At this rate, we might encounter the Dark Assembly before reaching Zhongnan Mountain.”

So Jin-gae closed his eyes in thought, then nodded.

“There’s a significant chance of that happening.”

Confirming his suspicions, Mu Hui turned to Hyun Baek and Hyun Gak.

“Masters, what if we intercept the Dark Assembly before they join forces with the Overlord’s Castle at Zhongnan Mountain?”

“Are you suggesting we strike first?”

The two senior disciples pondered Mu Hui’s proposal, and Hyun Gak spoke first.

“Given the Dark Assembly’s underhanded tactics, it’s concerning what they might do at Zhongnan Mountain.”

Unlike the Overlord’s Castle, which simply crushed everything in its path, the Dark Assembly used arson, poison, traps, and ambushes to disrupt the rear, making them a troublesome foe.

Hyun Baek nodded in agreement with Hyun Gak.

“The terrain of Zhongnan Mountain isn’t ideal for defense. If it were Mount Hua, it would be better to consolidate our forces and use the terrain to our advantage. Mu Hui’s suggestion has merit.”

Mu Hui added, “There’s also the potential presence of the Dark Emperor to consider.”

The Overlord’s Castle was led by the Ghost King, and while the Dark Emperor hadn’t been seen, his elite assassins had been spotted.

Even if the Dark Emperor wasn’t visible, it was unwise to assume he wasn’t involved, given his mastery of assassination techniques.

“Facing both the Ghost King and the Dark Emperor at Zhongnan Mountain would be a significant challenge.”

Mu Hui saw no reason to sit and wait for the worst-case scenario to unfold.

“Understood.”

“I agree. Allowing the Overlord’s Castle and the Dark Assembly to join forces would be more harmful than beneficial.”

Hyun Baek and Hyun Gak nodded in agreement with Mu Hui. While nothing was certain, avoiding the worst-case scenario was wise.

“Then.”

Mu Hui turned to So Jin-gae.

Understanding the look in Mu Hui’s eyes, So Jin-gae smiled and nodded.

“I’ll focus on tracking the Dark Assembly’s movements. I’ll do my best to ensure the Mount Hua Sect has the advantage.”

“The assassins of the Thousand Kill Sect will assist as well.”

“Understood. We’ll secure a decisive advantage in the information war.”

With So Jin-gae’s words, Mu Hui and the senior disciples clasped their hands in gratitude.

“We’re counting on you.”

So Jin-gae clasped his hands in return, smiling.

“Looks like I’ll be running around with my feet on fire.”

* * *

Soyeong Mountain.

A small mountain nestled between the northern Yeo Mountain and the southern Taeryeong Mountain. While not as grand as the Five Great Mountains like Mount Hua, Yeo and Taeryeong Mountains were still large and rugged.

The two mountains stretched north to south, forming a natural fortress. To travel from the eastern edge of Shaanxi to the central city of Xi’an, one had to either go around the long mountain range or traverse the challenging terrain.

If Yeo and Taeryeong Mountains were the fortress walls, Soyeong Mountain was the gate.

Its terrain was less rugged and its height moderate, making it a favored route for merchants needing to cross Shaanxi quickly.

Mu Hui and his group were no exception.

Going around the mountain range to reach Zhongnan Mountain in time was impossible. So they chose to cross Soyeong Mountain, despite the physical toll.

A sharp wind cut through the forest of Soyeong Mountain.

The source of the wind was an arrow imbued with blue internal energy.

Whoosh!

Mu Hui deflected the arrow aimed at his forehead with the back of his hand. As he did, three more arrows followed, and five volleys of arrows targeted the Mount Hua disciples behind him.

Thwack!

The disciples drew their swords and deflected the incoming arrows. The internal energy in the arrows was formidable, causing the Plum Blossom Sword’s blade to tremble.

‘An archer of this caliber must be at least a supreme master. Such archery skills…’

Expanding his senses, Mu Hui detected a presence at a considerable distance. As he showed interest, a raspy voice called out.

“Where are you rushing off to, Sword Saint of Mount Hua?”

Elders emerged from the forest.

Each one was a master in their own right.

“The Dark Assembly, I presume.”

Mu Hui assessed the elders, noting the diverse types of energy they emitted.

It seemed they were a mix of orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic martial artists. And there were hidden assassins as well.

The Dark Emperor had inherited the organization from the White-Faced Demon, so it wasn’t surprising.

“Quite a crowd.”

Behind the masters, masked warriors continued to appear among the dense trees, surrounding them from all sides.

“Why hurry to Zhongnan Mountain? Stay and play with us.”

Mu Hui released a sharp, tingling energy as he looked at the elders.

“Do you think you’re worthy of playing with me, old men?”

“Of course not. You’re the famous Sword Saint of Mount Hua. We’re no match for you.”

Despite their words, the elders showed no sign of retreat. Instead, they unleashed their energy, ready to face Mu Hui.

“But we’ve not spent our lives idly. We’d appreciate the chance to show what we’ve accumulated.”

One elder raised his right hand high.

“Begin.”

The elder, who had been looking at Mu Hui with a smug expression, turned his head in confusion when nothing happened.

“Hmm?”

Mu Hui smirked at the elder’s now expressionless face.

“Old man, are you surprised the fire hasn’t started?”

The elder’s face darkened at the mention of fire.

“How did you know?”

The Dark Assembly had gathered many masters and forces at Soyeong Mountain, but they knew it wouldn’t be easy to stop the Mount Hua disciples led by the Sword Saint.

So they had set traps and ambushes throughout the mountain and prepared to set it ablaze with oil.

Their plan was to burn the mountain once the Mount Hua disciples entered, buying time and causing significant damage to the disciples, if not the Sword Saint himself.

“You thought you were here to stop us, but it’s the other way around.”

Mu Hui slowly drew his Simmyung Sword.

The blade, shimmering with a dark, purplish light, began to emit a violet sword aura.

“The Mount Hua Sect has come to hunt you.”

With Mu Hui’s words, the sounds of battle erupted throughout Soyeong Mountain. The elder grimaced as he sensed the commotion.

“Did you split your forces from the start?”

The old man surveyed the forces behind Muhwi. The dense forest made it impossible to gauge their exact numbers, but he could tell they were substantial. He doubted Muhwi would split his troops unnecessarily.

“Now that I think about it…”

The emblem of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen of the Mount Hua Sect.

The pure white robes embroidered with plum blossoms.

The Plum Blossom Swordsmen, who were always by Muhwi’s side, were nowhere to be seen. Only disciples without the distinctive robes surrounded him.

If Muhwi had been the only one wearing the plum blossom robe, it would have been obvious that the swordsmen were absent. But even Muhwi was dressed in the standard Mount Hua attire, so nothing seemed amiss.

This was the usual garb of the Mount Hua disciples, after all.

‘Damn it! If I’d paid a bit more attention, I would have noticed. How did I miss this?’

The old man realized that Muhwi had exploited this psychological oversight.

“Ugh!”

“What is this!”

The warriors of the Dark Assembly, spread across Soyoung Mountain, were caught off guard by the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, the Beggars’ Sect, and the assassins of the Thousand Kill Sect, who had been lying in wait. Chaos ensued.

With the Mount Hua disciples joining the fray from within the encirclement, the tide of battle shifted dramatically.

“Disciples! Watch your step. There are traps!”

“We know, Senior Brother Muryun!”

The momentum had swung so swiftly that the traps set by the Dark Assembly were rendered useless.

Swoosh!

Muhwi spun through the air, evading a barrage of sword energy, and thrust his Simmyung Sword through an opening, deflecting both an axe and a sword simultaneously.

“Argh!”

As Muhwi’s Simmyung Sword slashed through, the heads of two charging elders flew into the air. The masters of the Dark Assembly, shocked by Muhwi’s lethal skill, cried out.

“Where is Gwan Yu-gung! What are you doing!”

Gwan Yu-gung, a master archer of rare skill, had reached the pinnacle of archery. Along with his three disciples, he was supposed to provide long-range support from the rear. But when his arrows ceased to fly, the Dark Assembly’s masters were thrown into disarray.

They had relied on Gwan Yu-gung’s support to hold their ground against the Mount Hua Sword Saint.

Muhwi answered their unspoken question.

“So it was Gwan Yu-gung shooting those arrows. Don’t count on him. He’s quite busy himself right now.”

“What!”

Muhwi’s sword split a spear in an instant and then slashed vertically, cutting through an enemy’s chest.

In exchange for his answer, Muhwi claimed the lives of the elders.

Several masters rushed in, attempting a coordinated attack from all sides, but none could match the speed of Muhwi’s shadowy movements.

Like a tiger among a herd of deer, Muhwi cut down the masters of the Dark Assembly with ruthless efficiency.

The soil of Soyoung Mountain was soaked with blood, a testament to Muhwi’s merciless blade.

“Damn it!”

“Has Gwan Yu-gung been taken out too?”

The masters of the Dark Assembly, glancing between the advancing Muhwi and the forest where Gwan Yu-gung was supposed to be, grew increasingly pale.

Gwan Yu-gung had no time to worry about this battle. He was preoccupied with the Mount Hua warriors, led by Hyunbaek, who had broken through their limits and were pressing the attack.

“Argh!”

Having slaughtered twenty masters in the blink of an eye, Muhwi’s gaze locked onto an elder who seemed to be the leader.

“You!”

The elder gritted his teeth and thrust his sword, but it didn’t even graze Muhwi’s sleeve. Muhwi deftly twisted his shoulder to evade the strike and then effortlessly swung his Simmyung Sword upward.

“Argh!”

Muhwi severed the elder’s right arm and drove his sword into the left, pinning the elder to the ground. He pressed down on the elder’s chest and demanded,

“Where is the Dark Emperor?”

Muhwi’s eyes blazed with a fierce, icy light as he looked down at the elder.