The banner of the Martial Alliance fluttered vigorously in the wind.

With each gust, the righteous warriors surged forward, undeterred by the dark mass of demonic foes gathering before them.

“Charge!”

Despite the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, the Martial Alliance forces showed no hesitation in their advance.

“We hold the center! Stand firm and steady!”

At the forefront stood the Xuanwu Unit, led by their commander, who wielded two short staffs like windmills, smashing the heads of the oncoming demons.

‘The head. If it’s destroyed, they can’t recover!’

The commander aimed for lethal blows, wary of the demons’ uncanny regenerative abilities.

The Xuanwu Unit, led by their commander and captains, held their ground against the demonic onslaught, forming a tight formation reminiscent of a turtle’s shell.

As the Xuanwu Unit held the center, dispersing the enemy’s momentum, other martial forces flanked the demons, cutting them down.

“Die!”

A righteous warrior’s sword cleaved into a demon’s shoulder, drawing a deep wound that spurted blood. Yet, instead of retreating, the demon laughed maniacally and charged forward.

“What the—!”

Expecting the demon to fall back, the warrior was caught off guard and stumbled backward.

The demon grabbed the warrior’s sword with one hand and swung with the other, unfazed by the gash in its shoulder.

Crack!

The sound of bones breaking made the warrior swallow hard. The demon’s palm, aimed at his temple, stopped just short.

The demon’s head had exploded, thanks to a timely strike from Dokgo Yul, who leaped forward, followed closely by Dokgo Hui, his black cloak billowing behind him.

Dokgo Yul carved a path with his Ghost Blade, and without needing instructions, Dokgo Hui followed, maintaining formation.

Dokgo Hui’s unit, seasoned by countless battles, tore through the fearless demons with their relentless assault.

In the chaos of the massive battle, Dokgo Hui’s unit stood out, moving as one formidable entity, like a single living organism.

Swoosh!

A middle-aged man, even as his insides spilled from a gash in his side, shouted towards Dokgo Yul’s back.

“Commander! Should we position ourselves next to the Xuanwu Unit?”

“Hold on. I have a strange feeling.”

Since reaching transcendence, Dokgo Yul’s senses had sharpened remarkably, and he trusted his instincts implicitly.

‘There’s something ahead.’

Boom!

Dokgo Yul advanced, swinging his Ghost Blade wide, slicing through the demons blocking his path.

After cutting down over thirty demons, two massive sword energies flew towards him from behind.

Dokgo Yul raised the broad side of his Ghost Blade to block the attack, then shifted his gaze.

A middle-aged man wielding twin swords grinned at him.

“Not bad for a young one.”

Dokgo Yul sized him up and asked, “You seem to be someone important. Who are you?”

“I’m the Lord of the Vast Night.”

One of the six leaders of the Black Night Palace, yet Dokgo Yul’s expression remained skeptical.

“I was hoping to play with a sect leader, but you’ll have to do!”

The Vast Night Lord lunged at Dokgo Yul, twin swords poised.

Dokgo Hui’s warriors instinctively spread out, giving them space to duel.

Clang!

The Vast Night Lord spun like a top, striking the Ghost Blade repeatedly. Despite the force, Dokgo Yul stood firm.

The Lord’s twin swords danced with reckless abandon, as if he didn’t care about getting hurt.

‘Relying on demonic arts, is he?’

Indeed, the Vast Night Lord launched fierce, self-destructive attacks, pressing Dokgo Yul hard.

Dokgo Yul parried skillfully, not fully engaging, just deflecting the strikes.

The Lord’s rapid, flashy swordplay combined with his reckless moves forced Dokgo Yul to endure over forty exchanges in a blink.

‘This isn’t the one.’

Dokgo Yul’s eyes, cold and calculating, watched the Lord closely. The Ghost Blade, which had been showing only its broad side, flipped to reveal its sharp edge.

Whoosh!

The Ghost Blade swung in earnest, its heavy strikes forcing the Vast Night Lord to retreat for the first time. The weight of the blows made the Lord’s eyebrows knit together.

“You!”

Ignoring the outburst, Dokgo Yul pressed forward, adopting an aggressive stance with his Dokgo Sword Technique.

His feet left imprints on the ground, his hands swung fiercely, and his eyes read the Lord’s every move.

These elements combined into a whirlwind of power through the Dokgo Sword Technique.

The Ghost Blade savagely slashed at the Vast Night Lord.

“Ugh!”

In an instant, three wounds appeared on the Lord’s body.

Even as he summoned demonic energy to heal, new wounds opened elsewhere.

‘Something’s wrong!’

Crack!

The Lord’s eyes narrowed as his sword broke. He tried to deflect the strike, but his sword snapped, and his wrist gave way.

Though his demonic arts would soon heal him, the opponent before him seemed unlikely to give him even that brief respite.

‘Why is this happening!’

As if he had been holding back, Dokgo Yul’s power surged with each swing of his blade.

“You’re not the one.”

“What?”

Ignoring the question, Dokgo Yul brought the Ghost Blade down vertically. The Lord hastily raised his remaining sword.

But the Ghost Blade sliced through effortlessly, cleaving the Lord in two.

“What?”

“Lord?”

The demons of the Vast Night, witnessing their leader’s swift demise, struggled to comprehend.

Meanwhile, Dokgo Yul looked past them, towards the source of a powerful aura.

As the Vast Night Lord fell, the aura’s owner revealed themselves.

“It’s you.”

Facing the aura, Dokgo Yul finally understood who had been tugging at his senses.

A middle-aged giant leaped from afar, landing before Dokgo Yul with a wide arc.

Thud!

The giant, matching Dokgo Yul in size, reached for the massive sword on his back, a menacing grin on his face.

“I didn’t expect to step in so soon.”

Dokgo Yul noted the man’s features and the missing fingers on his left hand, then pointed his Ghost Blade forward.

“The Left Guardian of the Black Night Palace.”

“You recognize me and still don’t flee?”

Despite the Left Guardian’s fierce expression, Dokgo Yul smirked.

“I heard the Sword Saint took your fingers. I’ll take your head.”

Mentioning the Sword Saint made the Left Guardian’s eyes blaze with fury.

“You insolent brat!”

The Left Guardian drew his greatsword and swung at Dokgo Yul’s neck.

Boom!

The greatsword and Ghost Blade clashed with a thunderous roar. Despite the full-force swing, Dokgo Yul didn’t budge an inch.

Seeing the indifferent look in Dokgo Yul’s eyes, the Left Guardian’s expression twisted.

“That annoying look. Just like the Sword Saint.”

Dokgo Yul chuckled.

“You have a good eye.”

He spun, putting his full strength into a strike aimed at the Left Guardian’s waist.

It was more a crushing blow than a slicing one.

Crash!

The Left Guardian, forced to block, staggered back two steps.

“How dare you!”

Realizing he had been pushed back, the Left Guardian’s face flushed with anger.

As the Left Guardian exuded a fierce aura, Dokgo Yul thrust his sword forward.

* * *

Dongting Lake, vast and endless, stretched out like a sea, its deep blue expanse seemingly boundless.

It was as if another sky lay beneath the heavens. Against this backdrop, the Sword Saint and the Sword Immortal sat side by side, meditating.

“Ah.”

Mu Hui exhaled slowly, opening his eyes.

When he began meditating, the dawn light had just broken, but now the sun was rising again.

He had meditated for an entire day.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve meditated so calmly and for so long.’

Mu Hui, who had always pushed himself relentlessly, training swiftly and mercilessly, found this peaceful meditation a rare respite. In his past life and this one, it was no different.

As he became more lenient with himself, Mu-hui realized that his martial arts skills followed suit, mirroring his self-discipline.

Yet, training with the Sword Sage, Mu-hui found himself acting in ways completely contrary to his past habits. Surprisingly, he felt neither anxiety nor discomfort.

“How curious. Is it the aura of the Sword Sage that influences me so?”

When Mu-hui opened his eyes, the Sword Sage did the same.

“The natural energy of Dongting Lake is truly delightful.”

“I understand what you mean.”

Sitting side by side, they savored the renowned Silver Needle Tea of the region, watching the dawn paint the waves of Dongting Lake.

The Sword Sage took a sip and nodded in appreciation. “The fresh aroma fills the mouth, invigorating the senses.”

“It’s much like the natural energy here. No wonder it’s called Junshan Silver Needle.”

“Speaking of which, let’s visit Junshan today.”

Together, they set off towards Dongting Lake. Junshan stood tall at the lake’s center, a mountain that typically required a boat to reach. But for the Sword Sage and Mu-hui, such means were unnecessary. They simply moved across the water.

The Sword Sage glided over the lake, creating gentle ripples, with Mu-hui following closely behind. Though not as graceful as the Sage, Mu-hui had become adept at water-walking, thanks to his training around the lake.

“With a bit more practice, I’ll master the art of the Hidden Fragrance Step,” Mu-hui thought.

The Sword Sage watched Mu-hui’s progress with a smile. “He learns so quickly. At this rate, I’ll run out of things to teach him. It must be his natural talent.”

When Mu-hui first attempted water-walking, he splashed about, soaking his shoes and pants. Now, he moved with minimal disturbance, the ripples he created only slightly larger and faster than those of the Sage.

The distance between them, once over fifty paces, had shrunk to less than ten.

It was remarkable progress.

“Your will isn’t confined to your inner strength or your sword. Your body moves as you wish, but are you using its full potential? Reflect on this. Elevate your entire being by infusing it with intent.”

The Sword Sage offered endless wisdom, always pushing Mu-hui to new heights, much like the masters who had taught him in his youth.

“Fear not the Demonic Absorption Technique. Just as the demonic path has its ways, so does the righteous path.”

While the demonic path grew stronger by exploiting others, the righteous path gained strength by inheriting the insights and will of past generations. The Sword Sage intended to make Mu-hui stronger through the righteous path.

“Infuse your intent into everything—your inner strength, your sword, your body, and even the wind and earth around you. Become a part of nature. Grasp the principles and phenomena of the universe in your hand.”

Watching Mu-hui run across the water with his eyes closed, the Sword Sage smiled gently.

How long had they been running?

Nine paces. Five paces. Three paces.

The gap between the Sword Sage and Mu-hui narrowed.

Seeing Mu-hui running alongside him, the Sword Sage reached out and took his hand.

“Master!”

Mu-hui called out as the view before him changed. With each step the Sword Sage took, the sky seemed to draw nearer.

They were now at the height where birds flew, practicing the art of Walking on Air.

“Mu-hui, look.”

At the Sword Sage’s words, Mu-hui looked down.

Junshan rose majestically from the center of Dongting Lake, its peaks and valleys forming a harmonious landscape. The lake’s jade-green waters surrounded the mountain, creating a stunning scene.

The sunlight bathed the clear waters of Dongting Lake, caressing the verdant mountain.

“Truly, it’s as the poem describes.”

The lines of the poem about Dongting Lake and Junshan came to mind.

“It stirs the spirit.”

The Sword Sage released Mu-hui’s hand.

“Ah!”

Mu-hui began to fall towards Dongting Lake. From such a height, his robes flapped wildly in the wind.

“If you can fully harness your body’s potential and influence the world around you with your intent…”

Mu-hui recalled the Sword Sage’s teachings as he moved his feet.

He repeatedly stepped into the air, much like a child splashing in water.

His frantic movements gradually slowed, and his descent became more controlled.

Watching Mu-hui’s clumsy yet successful attempt at Walking on Air, the Sword Sage nodded approvingly and descended slowly.

The Sword Sage floated down like a leaf, his posture upright, embodying the grace of an immortal.

“Well done. You’re not far from mastering the realm of the Heart Sword.”

Though both stood on the surface of Dongting Lake, there was a difference.

Mu-hui stood on a floating leaf, while the Sword Sage stood directly on the water.

“Your movements have changed, so your sword must have as well.”

The Sword Sage extended his right hand, conjuring a sword of pure energy. Mu-hui drew his Heart Sword in response.

“Here I come.”

“Come.”

On the vast expanse of Dongting Lake, the two masters began their dance.

The sunlight shimmered on the lake’s surface, casting a radiant glow around the two as they moved.