The Red Wolf Sword looked down at Mu Hui with a curious expression when he recognized him.

“It’s an honor that a young disciple of the Mount Hua Sect knows my nickname.”

“Of course, it is. We need you to clean up the Bloodshed Gang today, after all.”

Mu Hui’s bright smile made the Red Wolf Sword’s cheeks twitch.

“Are you relying on the reputation of the Mount Hua Sect? The martial world isn’t so forgiving.”

“Not at all. This is all there is to the martial world.”

Mu Hui tapped the sword at his waist and looked up at the Red Wolf Sword.

“My neck hurts from looking up. Why don’t you come down, unless you’re scared?”

With a crooked smile, Mu Hui beckoned with his finger, and the Red Wolf Sword let out a dry laugh before kicking off the railing.

He leaped down from the second floor, his robes fluttering as he landed lightly.

The Red Wolf Sword glanced indifferently at the headless body of the Bloodshed Gang leader and the fallen black-clad men around him.

“Did you teach martial arts to these thugs?”

“Judging by their skills, it’s hard to say I taught them anything.”

As the Red Wolf Sword gestured with his head, the remaining black-clad men quickly retreated.

After dismissing the thugs, the Red Wolf Sword assessed the auras of Mu Hui’s group one by one.

‘They’re at the level of late-stage disciples.’

In truth, they were more skilled than their peers, but it wasn’t a problem. Even if they all attacked at once, he could handle them.

“Heh.”

Mu Hui seemed to understand why the Red Wolf Sword was smiling and grinned in response.

“It looks like you’re here to make a name for yourself, but why not back off? Since you’re new to the martial world, I’ll let you go this time.”

The Red Wolf Sword released a bit of his aura, as if to show off his martial prowess. The creeping pressure enveloped Mu Hui’s group, and the disciples felt a tingling on their skin.

‘So intense, this is the power of an unorthodox martial artist!’

‘Hmm… I can even sense a faint killing intent.’

‘……’

While the disciples stood frozen, unable to respond, Mu Hui snorted alone.

“Don’t pretend to be considerate. We have no intention of backing down.”

Mu Hui’s mocking smile made the Red Wolf Sword’s lips tighten into a line.

“Your tone has been grating on me from the start.”

The Red Wolf Sword glanced past Mu Hui at the other Mount Hua disciples. They were clearly tense, but there was no trace of fear.

All their eyes were fixed on one person’s back.

‘Are they putting their faith in this arrogant brat?’

The Red Wolf Sword fiddled with his sword hilt as he looked at Mu Hui. Although the Mount Hua Sect had lost much of its power recently, there was no need to provoke them unnecessarily.

At most, they were late-stage disciples new to the martial world.

There was no need to kill them; a few scars on their faces would scare them off.

“As a senior, let me show you the harsh reality of the martial world… Hup!”

Clang!

The Red Wolf Sword, who had been leisurely reaching for his sword, suddenly drew it with a startled expression.

Mu Hui had closed the distance in an instant and swung his sword.

“Show me that harsh reality, senior.”

The Red Wolf Sword frowned as he looked at his trembling sword. The movement he had just witnessed and the power he felt through the blade were anything but ordinary.

‘How dare he!’

Humiliated by being outmaneuvered by a late-stage disciple, the Red Wolf Sword twisted his wrist.

He intended to deflect Mu Hui’s sword, but Mu Hui’s blade flipped immediately.

Clang!

A short clash of swords, and Mu Hui’s blade remained firmly attached. He had read the Red Wolf Sword’s move perfectly.

As the Red Wolf Sword’s brow furrowed, Mu Hui’s wrist shot forward.

“Ugh.”

The Red Wolf Sword quickly twisted his head to avoid the blade aimed at his cheek. As his stance faltered, Mu Hui didn’t miss the opportunity.

Infusing his sword with internal energy, Mu Hui pressed down on the Red Wolf Sword’s blade while his left hand executed a bamboo leaf technique.

Mu Hui’s arm swayed like a bamboo leaf in the wind, and before long, it had snatched the Red Wolf Sword’s wrist.

Startled by Mu Hui’s grip strength, the Red Wolf Sword was taken aback.

“You little…!”

In shock, the Red Wolf Sword quickly gathered his internal energy to push Mu Hui away.

He swung his sword wildly, but Mu Hui retreated without any significant injury.

Seeing Mu Hui still smiling, the Red Wolf Sword bit his lip and lowered his gaze.

His left wrist was swollen and red.

If he had been a moment slower, it would have broken.

The Red Wolf Sword couldn’t even comprehend how his wrist had been caught.

‘Why can’t I see through this kid’s moves?’

Even if he had been careless, he shouldn’t have completely missed the attack of a late-stage disciple. The Red Wolf Sword’s grip on his sword tightened, his hand growing damp.

His instincts were sending him a warning.

‘Is there something more to him?’

Feeling a chill down his spine, the Red Wolf Sword’s steps became more cautious.

The throbbing in his left wrist had erased any thought of toying with Mu Hui.

The Red Wolf Sword lunged at Mu Hui, his hands moving in a blur. Sharp, piercing sword strikes rained down on Mu Hui in rapid succession.

The Red Wolf Sword’s attacks, shaped like a drill, surged up and down, resembling a giant beast with its jaws wide open.

Witnessing this, Mu Hwa let out a short scream.

“Ah, senior brother!”

Mujin also watched their senior brother’s back with a grave expression. The relentless assault from the Red Wolf Sword was fierce, and each strike aimed to sever vital points.

‘Is this the swordsmanship of the unorthodox sects? How ruthless!’

The sight of their senior brother in the midst of the Red Wolf Sword’s onslaught seemed perilous. If it were him in that position, he would have been torn apart.

Mujin, observing from a distance, was sweating profusely just from watching the Red Wolf Sword’s prowess.

But what terrified him more than the Red Wolf Sword’s attacks was the thought of their senior brother bleeding and collapsing.

Gritting his teeth, Mujin spoke as if spitting out the words.

“We have to help senior brother!”

“Let’s go!”

Just as Mujin and Mu Hwa were about to step forward with determination, Mu Cheol grabbed their shoulders.

“Look at senior brother’s face.”

At Mu Cheol’s calm voice, the two turned to look at Mu Hui. He was smiling, just as he always did.

Even with sharp sword winds threatening to tear his shoulders and ankles, he was smiling?

At that moment, instead of dodging the sword winds, Mu Hui advanced. Simultaneously, he drew a graceful arc with his sword, releasing three strands of sword energy.

The Red Wolf Sword instantly recognized the technique Mu Hui was using.

‘Falling Plum Sword? With just the Falling Plum Sword…’

The Red Wolf Sword’s mocking thoughts were cut short.

He couldn’t help it when he saw the path of Mu Hui’s sword. It was not something a novice should be able to perform.

Swish.

Mu Hui’s sword energy deftly wove through the raging sword winds. The dense assault of sword winds began to split around the three strands of sword energy.

Mu Hui’s sword energy had precisely targeted the weaknesses and connections of the technique.

“What is this!”

The Red Wolf Sword’s eyes widened in disbelief as he watched his swordsmanship being effortlessly dismantled.

“The Thief’s Fang Sword Technique, huh? It’s fierce, but it has many openings.”

“How does a newcomer like you know that!”

“Besides, you haven’t even learned the latter half.”

The Thief’s Fang Sword Technique.

One of the sword techniques learned by the lower-ranking members of the Thief’s Fang Sect. In his past life, Mu Hui had seen it countless times while annihilating various branches of the Thief’s Fang Sect.

“Who are you, really!”

What was even more astonishing was that Mu Hui wasn’t just recognizing the Thief’s Fang Sword Technique; he was thoroughly dismantling it.

As Mu Hui’s sword swayed, sword energy poured out continuously.

The Falling Plum Sword’s energy pierced the weaknesses, disrupting the connections of the technique, while the Swift Sword of the Bamboo Wind unleashed a burst of light.

The Red Wolf Sword barely managed to evade the light, but somehow, his shoulder was stained red.

Mu Hui had anticipated the Red Wolf Sword’s evasive move and added a twist to the Swift Sword’s end with the Myriad Fragrance Sword’s subtlety.

The Red Wolf Sword’s eyebrows twitched, but he had no time to feel the pain in his shoulder.

‘Where did this monster come from…’

The sword techniques he used were indeed those learned by late-stage disciples of the Mount Hua Sect, but the way they were executed far surpassed that level.

What late-stage disciple could seamlessly blend three different sword techniques, each with its own subtleties, into a single cohesive form?

Mu Hui’s eyes burned with a cold, blue light as he looked at the Red Wolf Sword. Startled, the Red Wolf Sword involuntarily took a step back.

It felt as if he were facing a master far above his level.

“Red Wolf? Even the nickname Red Dog would be too generous.”

Mu Hui had completely lost interest in the Red Wolf Sword. There was nothing more to see.

As Mu Hui stepped forward with the Light Step of the Immortal, his robe fluttered vigorously.

He brushed aside the sword winds coming from both sides and effortlessly opened a path, closing in on the Red Wolf Sword.

The Red Wolf Sword belatedly reacted, raising his sword to shield himself.

But by then, Mu Hui had already infused his sword with internal energy, compressing it.

The more he did, the heavier Mu Hui’s sword became.

Clang!

A swift, vertical slash from the middle.

It was simple and heavy.

The final move contained the subtlety of the Solitary Sword Technique.

A long, crimson line slashed across his chest, the Red Wolf Sword stared blankly at his broken blade, now in two pieces.

“You little brat!”

The Red Wolf Sword staggered, attempting a counterattack, but Mu-hui’s movements were relentless.

With a swift kick, Mu-hui swept the Red Wolf Sword’s ankle with a Jade Ring Kick, sending him sprawling to the ground. Without hesitation, he drove his sword into the man’s right palm.

“Aaargh!”

“Oops, seems like my old habits are coming back.”

The Red Wolf Sword screamed as a hole was punched through his hand, but Mu-hui remained unfazed, tearing open the man’s robe.

On the Red Wolf Sword’s chest was a red tattoo that read “Nine Springs.”

Mu-hui’s lips curled into a smirk.

“So, you are with the Nine Springs Division.”

The Nine Springs Division—one of the three pillars supporting the Gu Yu Sword Sect, alongside the Hell Division and the Abyss Division. While the martial world knew this much, Mu-hui was privy to deeper secrets.

‘He was completely sidelined in the succession race for the sect leader.’

Confirming the Red Wolf Sword’s affiliation with the Nine Springs Division, Mu-hui saw the pieces of the puzzle fall into place in his mind.

“It was odd, really. The Gu Yu Sword Sect should be focused on Gansu, not suddenly reaching out to southern Shaanxi.”

The Red Wolf Sword’s eyes trembled at Mu-hui’s muttering.

As Mu-hui had said, the Gu Yu Sword Sect was embroiled in a war with the Zhanlong Society, trying to expand from Gansu to Shaanxi. The Hell and Abyss Divisions were competing to earn merit in this war, leaving no room for the Nine Springs Division. Their task was to guard the main base and provide support from the rear. Desperate for recognition, the Nine Springs Division had turned their eyes to southern Shaanxi.

“You’ll pay dearly for interfering with the Nine Springs Division’s affairs. I’ll tear you apart and burn Huashan to the ground!”

The Red Wolf Sword threatened with venom in his voice, but Mu-hui merely chuckled softly.

He knew too much to be swayed by such threats.

“If word gets out that you died here, do you think the Hell and Abyss Divisions will leave the Nine Springs Division alone? They won’t have the resources to worry about this side.”

All the Gu Yu Sword Sect’s forces and attention were directed at the Zhanlong Society in Gansu. Meanwhile, the Nine Springs Division was secretly plotting elsewhere? It would only serve as an opportunity for others to pounce.

Mu-hui twisted the sword embedded in the Red Wolf Sword’s palm, then leaned in to meet his eyes directly.

“Ugh.”

“Did you think I’d be afraid? Of the Nine Springs Division? I was the one who stood alone against the Gu Yu Sword Sect.”

Mu-hui whispered softly, his words carrying a meaning the Red Wolf Sword couldn’t grasp. Yet, instinctively, he knew Mu-hui wasn’t speaking nonsense.

The Red Wolf Sword’s eyes widened, his mouth opening and closing without sound. Mu-hui’s sword had already drawn a red line across his throat.

“And you dare mention Huashan? Go to the Nine Springs you love so much.”

Without uttering a final word, the Red Wolf Sword clutched his neck and fell lifeless.

Mu-hui flicked his wrist, shaking the blood from his blade before sheathing it.

“As expected, it was too easy.”

The disciples could only stare in awe at Mu-hui, who had effortlessly resolved the situation.

* * *

In the main hall of the Bloodstained Pavilion, the surviving members of the Black Path knelt, heads bowed.

Mu-hui sat in the ornate seat where the pavilion master or the Red Wolf Sword might have sat, calmly wiping his sword with a cloth.

At the forefront of the kneeling group, a middle-aged scholar kept his head deeply bowed.

“So, you’re the deputy master and chief of the Bloodstained Pavilion?”

“Yes, sir.”

Mu-hui glanced at his disciples standing behind him.

“We’re shutting down the gambling den immediately. Can you handle it, or should I come along?”

The disciples understood the implication in Mu-hui’s words.

“We won’t show such a pathetic display again. Leave it to us this time, senior brother.”

Mu-jin spoke with determined resolve, echoed by Mu-hwa, who was bandaged from a previous mistake in battle, his eyes burning with a desire to redeem himself.

Mu-hui nodded.

“I trust you. Go, my disciples.”

As the disciples left, Mu-hui turned his attention back to the Black Path members.

“Now, deputy master, speak.”

The deputy master, who had been bowing deeply, cautiously raised his gaze.

“Sir, what do you wish to know?”

Mu-hui tossed the cloth he had been using to clean his sword in front of the deputy master.

“I’d prefer not to stain this cloth with more red.”

The deputy master swallowed hard, understanding the implication of “red.”

Mu-hui continued, his voice cold as he looked at the gleaming blade.

“Give me a reason to spare your lives. Quickly.”

The indifferent tone in Mu-hui’s voice drained the color from the faces of the deputy master and the Black Path members.

End