The path of the demonic arts is one that defies the natural order, pursued by those who are no longer human.

Over countless years, those who walked this path, driven by insatiable greed, often became supreme masters, feared and revered in the martial world.

Yet, even with the emergence of such masters, the demonic arts alone could not contend with all the supreme masters of the martial world.

Thus, the demonic arts sought alternative strategies to confront these formidable opponents.

One such strategy was to use numbers against a single master. The demonic arts took inspiration from the Shaolin’s Hundred and Eight Arhats formation. The ancient demonic practitioners of the Black Heaven perfected a formation of their own.

The Dark Night’s Imprisoning Formation.

A massive formation that combined the martial principles of the Black Heaven with dark sorcery.

Two hundred in the inner circle, two hundred in the outer circle, and a reserve of one hundred, totaling five hundred participants. The formation was rigorously trained by the elite force known as the Jinryeongdan.

Boom!

A deep, suppressed rumble echoed as if rising from the depths of the earth. The elderly leader of the Jinryeongdan, who was orchestrating the formation, twitched his fingers at the sound that should not have escaped the formation’s confines.

“Bind it tighter.”

At his command, the demonic energy of those maintaining the formation surged, and the lips of the sorcerers chanting incantations moved even faster.

The demonic energy thickened, its flow quickening. Yet, the noise and vibrations from the center of the formation showed no sign of abating.

‘Could they have already deciphered the formation’s core and the life gate?’

Rumble!

As if an earthquake had struck, a crack appeared in the central darkness, and a radiant figure began to emerge.

“What is this?”

“What trickery is this?”

The elders were aghast as the figure, glowing with an auspicious light, seemed to melt away the demonic energy. A massive sword, wreathed in a brilliant aura, burst forth like a star in the night sky.

“Ugh!”

The sword descended, cleaving the nearest elder in two.

Boom!

As another thunderous crash resounded, a figure wielding an invisible sword emerged from the darkness below, cutting down the surrounding demonic practitioners.

With each swing of the violet sword light, the practitioners fell like leaves, blood spraying in all directions.

Heads and limbs flew, and blood rained down in torrents.

“The first barrier has fallen. Deploy the second!”

The formation was designed to withstand destruction, knowing full well the terrifying power of a supreme master.

It could be rebuilt and reactivated, buying time and exhausting the master’s strength.

Though it required the sacrifice of those maintaining the formation, it was a small price to pay to stop a supreme master.

Hummm!

The darkness began to close in around the figure again, attempting to trap him along with dozens of demonic practitioners.

The reserve forces waiting on the outskirts of the formation were deployed.

The radiant figure dimmed, and silence returned. Only the leader’s orders echoed across the plain.

“Change the plan. Maximize the formation’s power.”

Boom!

But the figure shattered the darkness even faster than before. None of the practitioners trapped with him survived.

“Come on, try to trap me. Let’s see how long you last.”

His laughter, infused with inner strength, reverberated through the formation, a deadly blow to the practitioners.

Many suffered internal injuries, blood streaming from their ears.

Boom!

The figure moved with blinding speed, his invisible sword cutting through the practitioners like a wolf among sheep.

At the same time, the sword, now high in the sky, descended upon the sorcerers maintaining the formation from outside.

As he struck a critical point, the leader’s eyes widened.

“How did he know?”

But his gaze quickly turned steely.

“Front lines, use the Explosive Demon Art to buy time.”

At his command, the practitioners at the front unleashed the Explosive Demon Art.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

They didn’t even attempt to approach the figure, knowing they would die before taking a single step.

The Explosive Demon Art had a wide range, allowing them to attack from a distance.

Explosions erupted simultaneously from all directions, the practitioners indifferent to their comrades being caught in the blast.

Their sole focus was to wound the figure, even slightly.

By reversing their demonic energy, they turned their bodies into living bombs.

Boom!

The practitioners’ lifelong accumulation of demonic energy unleashed a massive storm, their bodies becoming countless shards of shrapnel that rained down on the figure.

The explosion, fueled by the sacrifice of over fifty practitioners, was immense, capable of engulfing a three-story building.

The area where the figure stood was consumed by the chain of explosions.

The impact was so great it affected the entire formation, a dark red cloud rising from the blast zone.

Swoosh!

A sharp tearing sound split the air, and the dark cloud parted.

A massive violet sword light swept through, scattering the practitioners like leaves.

The figure emerged from the explosion unscathed, his left hand raised high, surrounded by a swirling mass of plum blossom petals.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

As he lowered his hand, hundreds of petals surged toward the practitioners preparing another Explosive Demon Art.

The Late Blossom Technique.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The petals, imbued with the force of the plum blossom, struck the practitioners’ chests.

The energy seeped into their veins, spreading throughout their bodies. Those attempting the Explosive Demon Art coughed up blood.

“Quickly, deploy the third barrier!”

The leader’s command was drowned out by the figure’s low murmur.

“Too slow.”

Though the formation trembled at the leader’s order, the air was already filled with blooming plum blossoms.

The violet light spread, gradually dispelling the darkness of the formation.

* * *

Blades thrust at him from both sides.

Mu-hwa leaned back, deftly avoiding the attack, his hands moving swiftly.

With a flick of his wrist, he slashed at their abdomens and waists, his left hand weaving in the force of the plum blossom.

“Ugh!”

“Gah!”

Dispatching the two attackers simultaneously, Mu-hwa used the momentum to leap toward a carriage, his leg extending like a crescent moon.

Crash!

The carriage door, locked tight, shattered under his kick, revealing the startled face of Im Su-ryeon.

Despite her disheveled appearance, she maintained her usual calm demeanor.

“Miss Im!”

“Miss Mu-hwa!”

Mu-hwa quickly untied the ropes binding Im Su-ryeon’s hands and asked, “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

“Hu… I’m fine.”

Im Su-ryeon took a deep breath, calming herself, and surveyed the scene outside the carriage.

“Mu-sang, watch out for the hidden weapons!”

“Yes, senior!”

Outside, the demonic practitioners clashed fiercely with the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.

Though outnumbered, the swordsmen’s skill was evident, their white robes standing out against the black-clad practitioners.

“Now that we’re here, you’re safe, Miss Im.”

Mu-hwa straightened confidently, and Im Su-ryeon nodded.

Though she hadn’t trained in martial arts, she could see the swordsmen were overwhelming their opponents.

‘These practitioners were supposed to be skilled, but the Plum Blossom Swordsmen are on another level.’

Watching the swordsmen dominate, Im Su-ryeon felt reassured that the Heavenly Trading Company had made a wise investment.

As she sighed in relief, she asked, “Where is the leader of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen?”

“The senior is drawing attention near the Divine Flower. He’s likely in the thick of battle now.”

“I see.”

Im Su-ryeon suppressed her disappointment.

While Mu-hwa protected her, the other swordsmen dealt with the remaining practitioners.

As the situation settled, Im Su-ryeon bowed her head toward the Plum Blossom Swordmaster.

Her movements were slow and deliberate, exuding a calm composure.

“Thank you for your assistance from the Mount Hua Sect.”

“It was nothing. We simply did what was necessary,” Hyun-baek replied to her gratitude.

“Miss Im, I know it’s difficult, but we must move immediately. This place is dangerous, as you know.”

“Of course. Please, don’t worry about me. Let’s proceed.”

Nodding, Im Su-ryeon seemed to recall something and spoke up.

“Now that I think about it, I overheard something while I was imprisoned. The demons mentioned that Jin An-ma left his post in Shinhwa to deal with the Iron Mountain Fist King. I didn’t catch much more, but I thought it was important to share.”

“Hmm…”

Hyun-baek pondered for a moment, then looked into the distance as if seeking advice.

“What do you think?”

From seemingly nowhere, Jin-young’s voice responded.

“Jin An-ma’s whereabouts are currently unknown, but we’ve already deployed our assassins throughout Honam. We’ll focus on tracking him down.”

Hyun-baek nodded at Jin-young’s words and turned to the Plum Blossom Swordmaster.

“Let’s reunite with the Plum Blossom Sword Lord as soon as possible.”

* * *

An old man walked across the plains, catching the thick scent of blood carried by the wind. The grass trembled in the breeze, and as the sun set, darkness crept in, making the surroundings increasingly eerie.

Squelch!

Despite the pools of blood scattered everywhere, the old man didn’t hesitate to let his leather shoes soak in it. As he walked further, he saw bodies strewn all around, so many that it was hard to find one intact. Just days ago, this was a vast, flat expanse, but now it was marred with craters and gouges, as if something had violently reshaped the land.

“Hmm.”

Amidst the chaos, the old man strolled leisurely, as if taking in the sights. The further he went, the more bodies he encountered, piled so high they formed towers.

He stopped and looked at a man sitting cross-legged against the backdrop of a tower of corpses. As the old man’s gaze fell upon him, Mu-hwi opened his eyes and met his stare.

“Are you the Grand Protector?”

“Indeed.”

“They said it would take a day, but you arrived quickly.”

“I hurried when I heard the opponent was the Mount Hua Sword Saint. Still, it seems I’m late.”

The Grand Protector surveyed the area before turning back to Mu-hwi.

“It looks like you’ve wiped out the entire Jinryeongdan, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“Thoroughly ruthless. I’ve heard the stories, but you don’t quite fit the image of a Taoist.”

Mu-hwi chuckled.

“Is that so? I saw no reason to spare the demons.”

“Then why are you still here? Were you waiting for me?”

“Why ask when you already know?”

The Grand Protector tilted his head.

“Even if you broke the Am-yu-ya-jin-ryeong-jin, you must have expended considerable energy. Are you just young and reckless, or do you think I’m beneath you?”

“Hardly. The Palace Lord kept you hidden for a reason, so I intend to kill you while I have the chance.”

The purple twilight that enveloped Mu-hwi was both auspicious and ominous, its sharp killing intent making it seem even darker.

The Grand Protector laughed, glancing between the corpses of the Jinryeongdan and Mu-hwi.

“Mount Hua Sword Saint. You seem more like the Mount Hua Sword Demon to me.”

Mu-hwi grinned.

“I think so too.”

Mu-hwi’s purple aura clashed with the Grand Protector’s dark energy in the air. The impact of their auras was so intense that the surrounding corpses seemed to shiver as if coming back to life.