The Defeat of the Abyssal Lord.

“The Abyssal Lord lost an arm to Huiji Su.”

“This is quite a blow to the Gu Yu Sword Sect.”

The Gu Yu Sword Sect was upheld by three pillars: the Hell Division, the Nine Heavens Division, and the Abyss Division. The leader of one of these divisions had been defeated by the second disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.

For the swordsmen who had been watching the duel, the outcome was a shocking surprise.

“Who would have thought the Gu Yu Sword Sect would falter like this?”

The murmurs of astonished swordsmen were met with exclamations of admiration from those around them.

“If not for the Mount Hua Sword Saint, the Purifying Sword would have been the future of the Mount Hua Sect.”

“Not just the Purifying Sword, but the Gale Sword, the Iron Sword, and the other second disciples too. How did they train to achieve such skill at their age?”

“Even the first disciples are formidable. The Mount Hua Sect hasn’t just recovered from its decline; it’s entering a new golden age.”

The swordsmen couldn’t stop marveling at the prowess displayed by the Mount Hua Sect.

Despite their successive victories, the Mount Hua Sect maintained a calm demeanor, while the Gu Yu Sword Sect simmered with barely contained rage.

Amidst this, the duels continued, and the results were devastating. The Eight Jade Sword Squad was defeated by the Plum Blossom Swordsman, the Hell Division leader lost to Baek Sun, and the Nine Heavens Division leader was bested by Hyun Baek.

As the duel between the Mount Hua Sword Saint and the Gu Yu Sword Sect’s leader loomed, the sect leaders of both factions were already locked in combat.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sharp sound of clashing metal pierced the air.

Despite the tension, the spectators, including the disciples of both the Mount Hua and Gu Yu Sword Sects, watched the duel with the focus of statues.

“I’m more nervous than I should be.”

“Don’t worry. The sect leader will surely win.”

Muho bit his lip anxiously, while Musan placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, though even Musan’s grip betrayed a hint of tension.

Among the first disciples and elders, many watched Baek Yu’s back with eyes filled with apprehension.

“Sect Leader…”

This duel between the leaders of the sects carried a significance far beyond the previous matches.

The Gu Yu Sword Sect’s leader, with a face as fierce as a demon, unleashed his sword energy with relentless ferocity.

Each swing of his sword filled the arena with a desperate intensity.

‘Fools. They bicker endlessly, yet when it matters, they lose together.’

Recalling the three division leaders, the sect leader gritted his teeth and swung his sword with renewed vigor.

Baek Yu’s swift sword thrust aimed for his solar plexus, but the sect leader parried it with a long breath and countered with a series of rapid strikes.

Swish!

The swirling petals, like a swarm of insects, were a nuisance.

Yet, with each tremor of the sect leader’s sword, the purple petals shattered and scattered into the air.

Having deflected the onslaught of petals in a single breath, the sect leader flicked his wrist and simultaneously thrust at Baek Yu’s waist and shoulder.

Eight rapid thrusts in a split second.

“Hup!”

With a short shout, Baek Yu drew a small arc, deflecting all the thrusts, and stepped forward, unleashing a storm of sword energy.

The sect leader split the oncoming sword storm and lightly retreated to absorb the impact.

“Sect Leader, why aren’t you using the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique? Are you underestimating me?”

“Not at all. Since reaching a certain level, I’ve devoted my life to mastering the Seven Stars and Three Ridges. I’m simply using the sword technique I’m most confident in.”

The two elders, having caught their breath, clashed fiercely once more.

Boom!

The fierce clash of swords sent shockwaves through the grand arena, causing the hair and clothes of the spectators to flutter wildly.

The sect leader pursued Baek Yu, who retreated slowly, and swung his sword horizontally.

“Sect Leader, do you think you can win with those techniques?”

Baek Yu deftly deflected the horizontal slash aimed at his throat and spun on his heel, summoning a plum blossom.

The plum blossom, dancing along Baek Yu’s sword, flew towards the sect leader’s chest.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I noticed during the duel that even the Plum Blossom Sword Master has learned the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique. Isn’t the old Three Great Plum Blossom Sword Techniques outdated even in the Mount Hua Sect?”

For the first time, Baek Yu, who had maintained a stoic expression throughout the duel, smiled at the sect leader’s question. The sect leader, tearing through the plum blossoms, asked.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Do you really think it’s an outdated technique?”

“Indeed. I’m pressuring you with our sect’s new sword technique, am I not?”

The Ghostly Jade Sword.

A sword technique newly devised by the Gu Yu Sword Sect’s master during his secluded training. The sect leader was the first to learn it from the master.

The Eight Jade Sword Squad and the three division leaders had also learned the Ghostly Jade Sword under the master’s guidance, combining it with their existing techniques based on their achievements.

However, unlike the other disciples, the sect leader was accomplished enough to rely solely on the Ghostly Jade Sword.

Clang!

Each time the sect leader’s sword sliced through the air, a unique, shattering sound echoed, as if jade beads were breaking.

With each shattering sound, the plum blossoms in the air were crushed or torn apart.

The unique sound, imbued with internal energy, disturbed Baek Yu’s composure and prevented the petals from dominating the space.

Meanwhile, the fierce sword strikes relentlessly targeted Baek Yu’s vital points.

Baek Yu countered with the Three Ridges Plum Blossom Sword and the Radiant Plum Blossom Sword, alternating between the two.

Barely deflecting the threatening strikes aimed at his abdomen, he retreated to a safer position.

Throughout the duel, Baek Yu had been on the defensive, gradually being pushed to the edge of the arena, prompting a sneer from the sect leader.

“Can the Mount Hua Sect’s leader face his disciples after running away like this?”

A strike from the Ghostly Jade Sword, rising from the lower left and twisting three times.

The oddly twisted sword traced a difficult path to block, aiming for Baek Yu’s chin.

Clang!

The sect leader’s eyes narrowed. Baek Yu had intercepted the strike with a counter-move before the technique could fully unfold.

“There is no such thing as an outdated martial art. There are only martial arts of the past and the future. The Three Great Plum Blossom Sword Techniques have supported the Mount Hua Sect’s history.”

Baek Yu’s right hand, gripping the Plum Blossom Sword, slowly pushed forward, forcing the sect leader’s sword back.

Creak!

‘This man… still has such strength?’

The veins on the sect leader’s hand bulged, but he couldn’t stop it.

“The birth of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique doesn’t mean the Three Great Plum Blossom Sword Techniques will be abandoned. They will continue to evolve, and they are doing so even now.”

Flipping his sword, Baek Yu pushed the sect leader’s sword aside, then swept the Plum Blossom Sword upward in a large arc.

Five plum blossoms bloomed along the sword’s path, like waves in the air.

The five blossoms collided and merged, flying towards the sect leader as a single mass.

‘The Five Plum Blossoms Compete for Speed.’

The sect leader immediately recognized the technique Baek Yu had unleashed.

Having a long history of clashes with the Mount Hua Sect, the Gu Yu Sword Sect was well-versed in their techniques.

The sect leader had already mastered the counter-technique and instinctively executed it against the Five Plum Blossoms.

“Hmm?”

The sect leader’s sword, intended to pierce the five points connecting the sword paths and slice upward to split the plum blossom mass, was blocked.

The movement of the five plum blossoms was similar yet completely different from the flow of the Five Plum Blossoms the sect leader knew.

“The technique…”

“What do you think? It’s a technique I’ve personally developed. By adding the essence of stillness, the mysteries of illusion and transformation have become even more pronounced. It’s the principle that there is a path in every place.”

The five plum blossoms exploded simultaneously, their petals engulfing the sect leader’s upper body. He quickly sidestepped, but his left sleeve was shredded.

Through the torn fabric, Baek Yu’s form passed like the wind. Closing the distance with a swift step, Baek Yu pressed the attack.

Unlike before, when he had only retreated, his movements were now active and agile. The Plum Blossom Sword, sketching countless variations in the air, was even more so.

Despite exchanging over a hundred moves, Baek Yu had never shown such a side before.

“Was it boring just running away? I apologize. I needed time to adapt to a technique I’d never seen before. I prefer to learn everything about my opponent slowly and then fight…”

As Baek Yu fully unleashed his internal energy, a faint aura shimmered around his shoulders.

Though it didn’t extend like a dance, Baek Yu’s aura covered his back and shoulders.

“You talk… too much.”

Until now, Baek Yu had appeared precarious, responding with delayed answers. But now, he was the one initiating conversation, speaking at length.

‘Was he conserving his strength?’

Seeing Baek Yu’s relaxed demeanor, the sect leader let out a cold laugh and swung his sword more aggressively.

The Ghostly Jade Sword’s fierce strikes, accompanied by a chilling aura, tore through the air, cracking the arena floor.

Yet Baek Yu never retreated. Instead, he skillfully exploited the openings in the sect leader’s techniques.

Amidst the sprawling sword energy of the Ghostly Jade Sword, dozens of sword shadows protruded like branches.

As the Plum Blossom Sword sliced through the air, the sword’s aura wavered, shattering the Sect Leader’s technique.

“Could it be the Winter Plum Conceals Spring? No, it seems entirely different. Has this technique changed too?”

Every time Baek Yu executed the techniques of the Seven Petals and Three Edges, new, refined techniques emerged.

The Sect Leader realized that Baek Yu had deliberately used the old techniques for the first hundred exchanges.

“So, you were a fox in sheep’s clothing!”

Baek Yu watched the Sect Leader’s wide-eyed expression with his characteristic gentle smile.

“I don’t act rashly. I think things through to ensure I gain the upper hand. That’s how I became the head of the sect. Ah, in the unorthodox sects, they might call this cunning, wouldn’t they?”

“Shut up!”

The disciples of the Mount Hua Sect, especially the second-generation disciples, were taken aback by Baek Yu’s fighting style.

“Who knew the Sect Leader had such a side?”

“Indeed. I never would have guessed.”

Even Mu Hui, who had known Baek Yu since a past life, was surprised by this side of him.

Only the elders and a few first-generation disciples nodded knowingly.

“Now that the Sect Leader has shown his true colors, this duel should be no problem. He always hides his true self until he’s confident of victory.”

“That’s why we often fell for his tricks during our time as second-generation disciples.”

Baek Sun and Baek Jin chuckled, taking their seats and sipping tea as they watched the spectacle.

“Ha!”

The Sect Leader let out a fierce shout, swinging his sword vertically as if to cleave Baek Yu’s head in two.

Baek Yu deftly sidestepped with the Plum Blossom Flow, tilting his body slightly and thrusting his sword deeply.

A swift strike that cut through the air like lightning.

The Cold Plum Flash.

Recognizing the ultimate move of the Seven Petals Plum Blossom Sword, the Sect Leader hesitated, thinking it was a newly developed technique.

In that moment of hesitation, when his sword faltered, the Sect Leader realized.

“Damn that sly fox!”

It wasn’t a new technique.

It was the same technique he already knew.

The Sect Leader realized he had fallen for Baek Yu’s psychological ploy.

He extended his sword immediately, but in the realm of masters, a moment’s hesitation was an eternity.

Swoosh!

A purple flash grazed the Sect Leader’s side, and the sword light that twisted mid-air reached his neck.

“Sigh.”

The Sect Leader let out a deep sigh of regret, while Baek Yu smiled warmly.

“There are no outdated martial arts, only outdated martial artists. We must constantly strive to improve, Sect Leader.”

“Haha! You wretched monk…”

The Sect Leader suppressed a laugh, realizing the factors that led to his defeat in this duel from Baek Yu’s final words.

His trembling sword slowly lowered to the ground.

* * *

The silent observer, the Old Sword Master, finally rose from his seat.

The swordsmen, who had been engaged in heated discussions about the duel between the Mount Hua Sect Leader and the Old Sword Sect Leader, fell silent and turned their attention to him.

“Mount Hua Sect. Impressive.”

The Old Sword Master’s voice swept across the grand arena.

“A complete defeat. It’s utterly disgraceful. The sect’s reputation is in tatters, and it would be fitting to cut down the disciples who participated in the duel.”

The Eight Jade Sword Squad looked pale, and even the Old Sword Sect Leader flinched.

“It’s not that our disciples disgraced themselves, but rather that you performed admirably, so I can’t hold you entirely responsible.”

The Old Sword Master looked at Mu Hui, who was ascending the stage, and asked.

“You trained the Plum Blossom Swordsman, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did.”

The Old Sword Master turned his gaze to the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, who watched with tense expressions. His eyes were filled with interest.

“Creating new martial arts and teaching them are entirely different fields. You managed to engrave the newly created martial arts into others. I couldn’t do that, and that was my downfall.”

The Old Sword Master hadn’t expected the Plum Blossom Swordsman, who had mastered the newly created martial arts, to achieve such high accomplishments.

Martial arts aren’t mastered merely by memorizing techniques and formulas.

One must truly understand and internalize the spirit of the martial arts, eventually making it their own and evolving it.

This process takes considerable time, so the Old Sword Master assumed they would use the Three Generations Plum Blossom Sword techniques in parallel.

“The Plum Blossom Swordsman’s efforts were significant, but your teaching must have been effective. It was no ordinary swordsmanship, even at a glance.”

Listening to the Old Sword Master’s words, Mu Hui smirked.

“None of that matters. The Old Sword Sect was simply too weak.”

Mu Hui’s provocation left the gathered swordsmen of the martial world in shock, staring at him.

The Old Sword Master took in Mu Hui’s figure, his plum blossom robe billowing.

His own martial arts, the creation and teaching of martial arts.

The intense determination and spirit in his eyes.

Not a single thing was lacking.

Mu Hui’s journey had become a significant turning point for the Mount Hua Sect.

“He is worthy of being called a grandmaster.”

The Old Sword Master’s eyebrows slowly rose as he gazed at Mu Hui.

“When I entered seclusion, I resolved not to emerge until I reached the absolute realm.”

The Old Sword Master smiled at Mu Hui, and two swords floated above his head.

“After finally completing my seclusion, I heard of the Azure Sky Sword Master’s exploits and felt empty. But the Mount Hua Sword Saint is a worthy opponent.”

Clang!

The sword slid out of its sheath on its own, emitting a sharp, piercing sound.

The sound of the Ghostly Soul Sword.

Its eerie yet sharp sound was different from what the Old Sword Sect Leader had displayed.

It sounded like a wailing ghost.