With a swift twist of his waist, Muryeon deftly deflected the incoming sword aimed precariously at his midsection. His right leg snapped out like a whip.

Thwack!

The man from the Eight Jade Sword Brigade, struck squarely on the chin by Muryeon’s kick, flew through the air like a kite with a broken string and crashed onto the arena floor. He didn’t get up, likely knocked out cold.

“Wow!”

“The Mount Hua Sect wins again!”

“Even their second disciples are this skilled? They say the Plum Blossom Swordsmanship rivals the Eighteen Arhats and the Wudang Seven Swords, and it seems they were right!”

The swordsmen who had been watching in tense silence erupted into cheers at Muryeon’s victory.

They were full of admiration for how Muryeon seized a fleeting opportunity in a closely contested match to launch a counterattack.

The man from the Eight Jade Sword Brigade whom Muryeon had defeated was a formidable opponent, having lost only five times in the past six days while securing seventeen victories.

Muryeon’s triumph over such a recognized master in the martial world drew an enthusiastic response.

“Phew.”

Muryeon wiped the blood trickling from a cut on his cheek and exhaled deeply. Despite a few minor injuries, he had managed to remain steady and defeat his opponent.

‘I was worried about facing someone with a reputation, but it wasn’t as difficult as I thought.’

Compared to the countless real battles he had faced as a Plum Blossom Swordsman in the martial world, this duel felt rather lukewarm.

‘Perhaps the elixirs sent by the Heavenly Flow Trading Company made it easier.’

Before setting out for the Sword Sect, the Mount Hua Sect had received elixirs sent by Im Suryun, intended for those participating in the World Sword Competition.

As the Mount Hua Sect’s reputation soared, the support from the Heavenly Flow Trading Company grew increasingly substantial.

It was widely known in the martial world that the Heavenly Flow Trading Company had close ties with the Mount Hua Sect, and they were reaping the benefits of this relationship.

“Hah.”

As Muryeon turned with a flourish, his plum blossom robe billowing dramatically, the face of the Sword Sect’s leader darkened.

The Eight Jade Sword Brigade, which the Sword Sect had proudly presented, was being thoroughly dismantled by the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.

Even though the Mount Hua Sect could keep sending the same victorious disciple to the arena, they chose to rotate their disciples for each duel.

‘Yet the Eight Jade Sword Brigade is still being decisively outmatched. Damn it. At this rate, we’ll only tarnish the name of our sect!’

The Sword Sect’s leader leaned forward, taking in the sight of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.

‘Plum Blossom Swordsmen. Truly formidable. The rumors in the martial world were understated.’

While the Sword Sect’s leader wore a sour expression, the Sword Sect’s elder watched the Plum Blossom Swordsmen with interest.

“Huh. When I went into seclusion, the Mount Hua disciples were weaklings, but now they’re completely different. I must have been in seclusion for a long time.”

The elder glanced at Muhwi, who was grinning smugly from the opposite side.

‘That guy is smiling on purpose.’

Muhwi’s smile was certainly effective.

Every time the leader glanced between the Eight Jade Sword Brigade and Muhwi, he let out a deep sigh.

Initially, the focus had been solely on the Mount Hua Sword Saint, but the Mount Hua Sect before them was entirely different from the one in their memories.

“Plum Blossom Swordsmen…”

Contrary to expectations, the Eight Jade Sword Brigade was proving inadequate. Even the elder, who had only considered a confrontation with the Mount Hua Sword Saint, felt a peculiar discomfort.

“Leader.”

“Yes, speak.”

“The repeated defeats have dampened our spirits. Perhaps one of the vice leaders should step in to break the Mount Hua Sect’s momentum?”

“That’s a good idea.”

Agreeing with the elder’s suggestion, the leader turned to the three vice leaders.

“Who will step forward?”

“I will.”

The vice leader, who had been most displeased with the Plum Blossom Swordsmen’s winning streak, stood up.

“Vice Leader Narak!”

“Hmm! It seems the Sword Sect feels threatened, even though there are still members of the Eight Jade Sword Brigade left.”

As Vice Leader Narak stepped onto the arena, the swordsmen watching expressed their anticipation. Seeing this, Mujin’s face tensed slightly.

As Mujin tightened his grip on his sword hilt, Muhwi asked, “Mujin, will you go?”

Muhwi hadn’t forgotten the grudge between Narak and Mujin’s family, the Yeonan Jin Clan.

“Yes, I’ll face him.”

The one who had brought Mujin to the Mount Hua Sect, Hyunbaek, looked at Mujin’s profile and spoke in a calm tone.

“Don’t rush. Stay calm and don’t let your emotions take over.”

“Yes, Master.”

As Mujin took heavy steps toward the arena, Muhwi spoke up.

“Mujin, just do as you always do. It’s not too late to put everything into the final strike.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Senior Brother.”

When Mujin stepped onto the arena, Vice Leader Narak recognized him and his eyes gleamed.

“Jonghwa Sword. So, I finally meet the one who killed my son.”

Vice Leader Narak seemed to recall his son, Wi Seheon, who had been killed by Mujin at Little Mount Hua, and a subtle killing intent flickered in his eyes.

“I haven’t forgotten the atrocities Narak committed against the Yeonan Jin Clan.”

Mujin had lost his family, and Vice Leader Narak had lost his son. The two were deeply entangled in a web of vengeance.

At Mujin’s firm voice, Vice Leader Narak smirked.

“Yeonan Jin Clan… It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that name. It’s a shame this is just a duel.”

Vice Leader Narak laughed as he gripped his sword.

“Even if I can’t take your life in a duel, losing an arm shouldn’t be a problem. After all, losing an arm doesn’t mean losing your life.”

Mujin didn’t respond, simply drawing his Plum Blossom Sword.

Both Mujin and Vice Leader Narak moved simultaneously.

In an instant, they closed the distance, their swords clashing fiercely from the start. The metallic clangs rang out continuously, echoing loudly.

As sparks flew in the air, the sword energies from both sides shone brightly, asserting their presence.

Vice Leader Narak’s sword energy wove a complex web in the air, pressing down on Mujin from all directions.

Yet Mujin advanced without hesitation. He thrust his sword six times in quick succession, pushing back the encroaching sword energy, then twisted his waist to unleash a series of crosswise strikes.

Slash!

Mujin sliced through the web of sword energy Vice Leader Narak had created, then moved his wrist with delicate precision, extending his sword as if painting a picture.

Swish!

The plum blossoms, spinning like petals caught in the wind, blocked the oncoming sword gusts, their purple hue standing out vividly.

To fend off the onslaught of blossoms, countless sword shadows erupted from Vice Leader Narak’s blade, scattering in all directions.

In that moment, Mujin soared into the air, unleashing a burst of purple sword light above Vice Leader Narak’s head.

Squinting, Vice Leader Narak hurriedly raised his sword to parry. Dozens of sword energies split thinly, shooting up like bamboo shoots after rain.

Mujin executed the Plum Blossom Blood Rain technique, channeling the force generated by his spinning body into his sword.

Plum Blossom Blood Rain.

A flurry of thrusts from the Plum Blossom Sword.

The sword energies that erupted from each thrust multiplied endlessly, raining down on Vice Leader Narak’s head.

But Vice Leader Narak was not to be outdone.

His Ghost Wheel Sword Technique, a sword art that maximized the use of sword energy and shadows, unfolded in full force.

Vice Leader Narak thrust a massive sword energy through the thick layers of sword shadows, effortlessly blocking the Plum Blossom Blood Rain.

Feeling the significant impact through his sword, Vice Leader Narak deliberately smiled at Mujin.

“Impressive. Who would have thought a child of the Yeonan Jin Clan would achieve such feats! You should be grateful to me! Would this have been possible if you had stayed with the Yeonan Jin Clan?”

As Vice Leader Narak’s sword strikes rained down, Mujin twisted his sword in the opposite direction and struck upward.

Clang!

The two swords met in the middle, locked in a test of strength.

“If the Yeonan Jin Clan were still intact, your son wouldn’t have died by my hand.”

Despite Vice Leader Narak’s provocation, Mujin responded calmly.

Attempting to unsettle Mujin’s composure had backfired, leaving Vice Leader Narak’s lips twitching in frustration.

“How dare you!”

With eyes wide open, Vice Leader Narak roughly flicked away the Plum Blossom Sword and advanced, pressing Mujin with relentless footwork.

As twenty or so sword paths overlapped, a chaotic flurry of sword strikes poured down. The strikes surrounded Mujin from all directions, pressing in like a net.

Yet Mujin calmly thrust his sword, blocking each of Vice Leader Narak’s strikes or countering directly with the techniques of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art.

Each time he extended his sword, a significant impact surged through, but Mujin stepped forward unfazed.

‘This is truly strange.’

Before stepping onto the arena, Mujin had been troubled by how to manage the deep-seated grudge against the Yeonan Jin Clan, but now it was different.

The more they exchanged blows, the calmer his heart became.

Facing Vice Leader Narak, the target of his long-held grudge, Mujin found the reality starkly different from the countless imagined scenarios of revenge he had envisioned during his martial training.

“Was this all there was?”

When he had just escaped the Yeonan Jin Clan and begun training as the third disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, Vice Leader Narak’s position had seemed as high as the heavens.

But now, facing him directly, Vice Leader Narak posed no real threat to Mujin, leaving him questioning whether this was truly the target he had set his sights on.

Clang!

Mujin deftly parried the relentless strikes from Narakbuju’s sword, closing the distance between them with a swift step.

“Perhaps it’s not that you’re insignificant, but that my world has changed,” Mujin remarked, his voice calm yet firm.

The inner power of the Jahasim technique enveloped his sword, casting a radiant purple glow. As the violet blade danced through the air, the intricate patterns of the Gwirun Sword Technique seemed to melt away like snow under the sun. The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique was consuming the Gwirun style.

Narakbuju, taken aback, shouted in desperation, “What nonsense are you spouting alone?”

Mujin’s sword rose, unleashing a brilliant flash of light. He had traveled the martial world with his senior brother, honing his skills and broadening his horizons. Over time, he earned the nickname “Purifying Sword” and faced countless formidable foes as a Plum Blossom Swordsman, risking his life in battle.

He had experienced such trials countless times. The child from the Yan’an Jin family, who once fled in fear, had grown into a steadfast Plum Blossom Swordsman of the Mount Hua Sect, now able to look down upon those he once thought untouchable.

Mujin’s sword split into dozens of branches, surging forward like a storm. His path, adhering strictly to the Mount Hua Sect’s sword techniques, showcased the strength built from years of blood and sweat.

A single plum blossom bloomed, followed by dozens more, spreading their gentle yet powerful fragrance across the arena. Narakbuju found himself surrounded by the blossoming flowers.

“Just a mere descendant of the Yan’an Jin family!” Narakbuju roared, swinging his sword wildly. Though a few blossoms were torn apart, more bloomed to fill the gaps, enveloping him completely.

The Plum Blossom Full Bloom. No technique of the Gwirun style could quell the endless blooming of the plum blossoms.

Narakbuju, slashed and scratched by the petals, was in disarray. His neatly tied hair had come undone, leaving him disheveled. As he staggered, a fierce purple blade sliced through the air, cutting across his left arm.

“Aaargh!” he screamed as his left arm fell to the ground, and he dropped to one knee. Mujin’s blade hovered at his throat.

“Heh, you must want to kill me. Go ahead, do it, you brat from the Yan’an Jin family,” Narakbuju taunted, looking up at Mujin with defiance.

Mujin’s eyes were cold and unyielding, but he slowly withdrew his sword. Narakbuju let out a mocking laugh.

“To spare your enemy when they’re right in front of you? You’ve wasted your martial training.”

Mujin met his gaze with clear, serene eyes, devoid of any murderous intent. “I am not like you and your kind. I don’t kill indiscriminately, regardless of time or place.”

He lowered his sword with deliberate calm. “I am both a descendant of the Yan’an Jin family and a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. This place is to uphold the honor of the Mount Hua Sect, not for my personal revenge.”

Narakbuju’s laughter faded as he realized Mujin’s unwavering resolve. “The spirits of the Yan’an Jin family must be weeping at this sight,” he sneered.

Mujin stepped closer, his eyes steady and composed. “No, my father and mother would understand. The Mount Hua Sect is my home, my family.”

He leaned in, his voice low and resolute. “And this isn’t the end, Narakbuju. One day, I will come to Narakbu and formally challenge you to a life-and-death duel. That’s why I took your left arm, not your right.”

Mujin’s eyes, deep and cold as a tranquil lake, lingered on Narakbuju’s wound. “Make sure you treat that wound properly.”

Without a backward glance, Mujin turned away, his plum blossom robe billowing behind him, urging him forward.

“Just wait a little longer. It won’t be too far off,” he vowed silently, looking up at the sky. The sun shone brightly down on him, as if acknowledging his promise.