In the grand hall of the Black Night Palace, the atmosphere was tense and foreboding as the master of the palace faced Heukcheon, his long-time disciple.

“What brings you to summon me, my disciple?” the master inquired.

“I heard you recently visited Zhejiang Province,” Heukcheon replied.

“Indeed. I went to see the sea and investigate rumors of a hidden master at Mount Putuo’s Sword Pavilion. Though he had reached the realm of a king, it was not a wasted journey.”

“You brought back a child with you. Are you planning to take him as a disciple?”

Heukcheon nodded. “He will be my fourth disciple. It seems, master, you finally have a pupil of your own.”

Despite Heukcheon’s words, the master of the Black Night Palace maintained a dry, humorless smile.

“Master, may I offer some advice?” Heukcheon asked cautiously.

“Advice? Go ahead, my disciple.”

“When will this fourth disciple grow enough to be of use? Wouldn’t it be better to focus on conquering the martial world with me instead?”

“The martial world…” the master mused.

“We’ve already clashed with the Martial Alliance and the Heavenly Demons multiple times, gauging their strength. With the recent addition of the Dark Assembly to our ranks, our power is overflowing.”

The master lowered his head, contemplating Heukcheon’s words.

“If you were to lead us now, the martial world would soon bow to the Black Night Palace,” Heukcheon urged.

Yet, the master’s expression remained as unmoved as a wooden puppet.

“Why should I focus on conquering the martial world?” he asked, his voice steady and unyielding.

Heukcheon lifted his head, the smile wiped from his face. “Didn’t you raise and teach us, building our forces for this very purpose? To use us as your hands and feet in creating a new order?”

“Is that truly what you believe? The martial world is your ambition, not mine. What would I do with such a dull conquest?”

Heukcheon’s grip tightened on the armrest of his throne, leaving a crack in the wood.

“Then why did you take on four disciples? To continue the legacy of Heukcheon? Or merely for amusement?”

The master clasped his hands behind his back, observing Heukcheon with a hint of disappointment.

“My third disciple, you still don’t understand me. The Sword Saint and the Sword Immortal grasped my essence immediately. You fall short of them. Why did I take on disciples?”

Heukcheon fell silent, his lips pressed tightly together.

“I wanted my disciples to become heavenly demons. Or perhaps it doesn’t matter if they don’t.”

“……”

“The path of the demonic is to pursue strength without regard for means, walking a path beyond humanity. It is a directionless force, wild and untamed.”

The master regarded Heukcheon as if he were a mere insect.

“I hoped my disciples would walk this path, eventually challenging and surpassing me. I wanted disciples who would devour me and strive to become heavenly demons.”

Heukcheon swallowed hard, understanding that the master’s words were not mere metaphor. Many demonic arts required the sacrifice of others’ life force, blood, and inner strength to achieve mastery.

‘Raising potential threats with his own hands? Has he gone senile from living too long?’ Heukcheon thought, bewildered.

The master’s face showed a flicker of disappointment, a rare display of emotion that startled Heukcheon, who had known him since childhood.

“But my disciples either stop short or rely solely on my power. The demonic path of this era is dull. It’s a truly lonely existence.”

As the master fell silent, his form gradually merged with the surrounding darkness.

“Master,” Heukcheon called out, his voice tense.

“Yes, master.”

“Seek what suits your vessel. Walk your own demonic path. This is my final lesson.”

The darkness that had swallowed the master vanished, leaving Heukcheon staring at the empty space where he had stood, unable to speak for a long time.

Eventually, Heukcheon, his eyes gleaming with a dark energy, muttered to himself, “Very well. I will walk it.”

* * *

The World Sword Tournament concluded with the Huashan Sect’s victory. The Eight Jade Swords of the Gu Yu Sword Sect and its three leaders demonstrated power worthy of challenging the top three sword sects, yet they failed to secure a single win against Huashan, leaving a strong impression on the martial world.

It was clear to all that the Gu Yu Sword Sect was not lacking; rather, Huashan had grown exceptionally powerful. The future of Huashan seemed promising, especially with many second-generation disciples excelling in the tournament.

“Senior Brother, what did you discuss with the Gu Yu Sword Sect’s leader at the end?” Mu Hwa asked, piquing the curiosity of the surrounding disciples.

Huashan had stayed an extra day at the Gu Yu Sword Sect, during which Mu Hui had a private meeting with their leader.

“Nothing much. We reviewed our duel, discussed the art of swordplay, and he mentioned retiring,” Mu Hui replied.

“Retiring?”

“He plans to focus on training the next generation, but I suspect he’ll keep an eye on you from the sidelines.”

The second-generation disciples had shone brightly during the tournament, earning new titles and accolades. With Huashan’s future looking brighter than ever, it was natural for the aging leader of the Gu Yu Sword Sect to feel anxious.

“He asked how I trained you so well.”

“And what did you say?”

“I told him to push them to their limits, just as I did.”

Mu Hui’s response elicited groans from the disciples.

“You’ve done a disservice to the Gu Yu Sword Sect,” Mu Hwa remarked.

“Who would have thought we’d feel sympathy for a rival sect?” Mu Sang added, and the other disciples nodded in agreement.

“So don’t slack off. You never know when the Gu Yu Sword Sect might catch up,” Mu Hui warned, glancing around at his disciples.

Mu Ho shook his head confidently. “That won’t happen, Senior Brother. No matter how hard they train, we’ll always wield our swords more.”

His confidence was infectious, and the other disciples nodded in agreement. Mu Hui didn’t argue, knowing that the second-generation disciples were not only participating in group training but also dedicating time to individual practice.

It was common to see them training under the moonlight or at dawn, slicing through the air with their swords. What had once been enforced discipline had become a thirst for self-improvement. Without this drive, even Mu Hui’s relentless encouragement would have had its limits.

‘They’ve achieved so much at such a young age, yet none of them have grown arrogant. That’s a relief,’ Mu Hui thought, nodding in approval as he observed his disciples.

However, there was one thing Mu Hui overlooked: the second-generation disciples, witnessing Mu Hui’s mastery, dared not let arrogance take root.

“The sun is particularly harsh today,” Mu Hui remarked, taking a break from training with his disciples.

He was soon summoned to the main hall, where he found not only Baek Yu but also a middle-aged man waiting. Mu Hui greeted the man with a respectful bow.

“The branch leader is here.”

The middle-aged man was in charge of the Tianliu Trading Company’s Shaanxi branch. He often visited Huashan to deliver supplies, so he and Mu Hui were well acquainted. However, today his face was tense, unlike his usual relaxed demeanor.

‘This isn’t just a courtesy visit,’ Mu Hui realized, quickly taking a seat and looking at Baek Yu.

“It’s urgent. Miss Im has been kidnapped by the Black Night Palace,” Baek Yu announced.

Mu Hui tilted his head, puzzled by the sudden news. “How did this happen?”

“She was overseeing an important trade in Hunan,” the branch leader explained.

“I know there’s been frequent conflict in Hunan, and the Black Night Palace has expanded its influence there.”

The branch leader nodded. “Even though the Black Night Palace has taken over southern Hunan, the trade’s destination, Xinhua, was still under the Martial Alliance’s control, so we weren’t too worried.”

As the branch leader sighed deeply, Baek Yu handed Mu Hui a letter.

“This arrived from the Martial Alliance yesterday. It seems related to Miss Im’s situation.”

Mu Hui quickly read the letter.

– The Black Night Palace is advancing north with an unprecedented force in Hunan. The Heavenly Demons are also involved. The Martial Alliance is short on manpower and requests support from various sects.

After reading, Mu Hui nodded. It seemed that the Black Night Palace’s sudden advance had led to the capture of Xinhua, where Im Su-ryeon had been, resulting in her abduction.

“We’ve asked the Martial Alliance for help, but they’re stretched thin. So we came to Huashan for assistance. The head of the trading company is deeply concerned.”

The branch leader clasped his hands together, bowing his head. Baek Yu quickly reached out to steady him.

“The Cheonryu Trading Company has supported the Mount Hua Sect in countless ways. It’s only right that we lend our strength now.”

“Thank you, truly, Master Baek!”

Baek Yu nodded, turning his gaze to Mu Hui.

“Plum Blossom Sword Master, lead the Plum Blossom Swordsmen down the mountain immediately. Rescue Miss Im and assist the Martial Alliance.”

“I will follow your command, Master.”

The Plum Blossom Swordsmen moved swiftly. In less than half an hour, they were fully prepared, their plum blossom robes fluttering as they set off towards Honam.

* * *

“How much longer until the villagers are evacuated?”

“Not yet, Chief. It will take some more time.”

“This is bad. The demons must be closing in by now.”

As if his words had summoned them, a lookout shouted before the Chief’s muttering had even ended.

“Chief! The flag of the Black Night Palace is in sight!”

The members of the Martial Alliance turned, focusing their inner energy to enhance their vision.

In their eyes, the flag with the characters for “Destruction Night” fluttered ominously, beneath which a horde of demons advanced.

“Those are the ones who annihilated the Three Sword Squad and the Dark Forest Unit.”

Clashes with the Black Night Palace were not uncommon, but the alliance members sensed something different this time.

Never before had they seen such a large number of demons, nor the unfamiliar flags, including the one marked “Destruction Night,” appearing one after another.

The members could feel it in their bones—Black Night Palace was rising in full force.

“Chief, what should we do?”

The Chief of the Fire Gate looked at his men, who awaited his orders with bated breath.

“If things continue like this, the demons will encounter the fleeing villagers, won’t they?”

“Yes, they will.”

“Damn it. Those cursed demons. They know no limits.”

The Black Night Palace had always been ruthless, killing indiscriminately, whether martial artists or commoners. Nothing survived their path.

Even the most notorious sects weren’t this brutal. They might rob for food or treasure, but rarely did they kill commoners unless absolutely necessary. They saw them as a steady source of income, not worth killing.

But the Black Night Palace was different. They spared commoners only if it served their purpose.

“Ugh.”

The Chief of the Fire Gate, recalling the massacre in southern Honam, sighed deeply before issuing his orders.

“Gather all scattered units. We need to buy time.”

The Chief’s decision was met with silent nods as his men swallowed hard and prepared to follow his command.

The Fire Gate gathered, their faces set in grim determination as they awaited the approaching demons.

When the black characters of “Destruction Night” on the flag became clear even without focusing their inner energy, the Chief spoke again.

“I’m sorry, everyone. For giving such an order.”

Without turning back, his words were met with resolute faces.

“It’s alright, Chief.”

“This is why we joined the Martial Alliance, isn’t it?”

“Exactly. Let’s face this without shame until the end.”

Hearing the resolve in his men’s voices, the Chief felt a slight easing of his burden.

“Steady your breathing.”

As the demons drew closer, the Fire Gate members reached for their weapons in unison.

“Fire Gate!”

Boom!

The Chief’s command was cut short as a violet streak shot down from the sky like a meteor, splitting the flag and sweeping through the demons.

The impact of the purple flash was so intense that even the ground beneath the Fire Gate trembled.

“What the—!”

In an instant, dozens of demons were obliterated by the violet light. The demons, who had been advancing steadily, were thrown into disarray by the sudden storm of energy.

A group of martial artists charged at the demons’ flank, their movements synchronized as they formed a formation, likely preparing a sword array.

‘Even with a sword array, it won’t be enough!’

The demons, numbering around two hundred, were formidable.

“What?”

Yet, the small group of less than thirty charged confidently, leaving the Chief momentarily stunned.

“Chief! Look at the robes they’re wearing!”

The shout from his deputy snapped the Chief back to his senses, and he squinted to see.

The swordsmen, displaying formidable martial prowess as they cut through the demons, wore white robes embroidered with vivid plum blossoms.

Recognizing them, the Chief’s eyes widened.

“The Plum Blossom Swordsmen!”

Amidst the black aura, the sudden burst of violet petals shone brilliantly, scattering in the air.