In his past life as a sword demon, Mu Hui had faced countless situations, but this was a first for him.

The creature before him had fur as black as the deepest night, with a mystical purple sheen that shimmered in the breeze. Its eyes were a striking red, reminiscent of fiery gold.

This monkey, which seemed to have stepped out of legend, wielded a rusty plum blossom sword instead of the mythical staff.

It was clear at a glance that this was no ordinary monkey.

Just as a martial artist’s inner strength manifests as a powerful aura, this monkey exuded an extraordinary presence.

“Is it a spirit beast?” Mu Hui wondered, furrowing his brow.

Before he could ponder further, the monkey aggressively parried Mu Hui’s sword.

“Kiieek!”

The unexpected weight behind the monkey’s strike forced Mu Hui to step back, its red eyes gleaming with intensity.

In a swift motion, the monkey spun and extended its sword, unleashing a flurry of sword shadows towards Mu Hui.

Mu Hui was taken aback. “Plum Blossom Sword Technique?”

The sword shadows spread and spun, enveloping Mu Hui in an instant. In response, he thrust his sword into the heart of the swirling shadows, causing them to bloom open like a flower.

“Kiik!”

Though he struck with precision, the monkey deflected the attack with a flick of its thick tail, using the momentum to aim a slash at Mu Hui’s side.

“Fighting a monkey with a sword… who would’ve thought?” Mu Hui muttered, quickly maneuvering behind the monkey with a swift step.

Sensing the threat, the monkey’s fur bristled, and it leapt away without looking back.

Mu Hui didn’t pursue, captivated by the monkey’s agile movements.

“Ha,” he breathed, watching the monkey’s ghostly afterimage fade. Its footwork was nothing short of miraculous.

“What is this monkey?” he mused, noting the familiar yet altered form of the Huashan sect’s sword techniques.

The monkey had adapted the human techniques to suit its own form, giving them a raw, untamed quality. Its movements were infused with the essence of Huashan’s martial arts, yet uniquely its own.

“A spirit beast trained in martial arts…” Mu Hui marveled, watching the monkey’s bristling fur and heavy breathing.

Spirit beasts weren’t unheard of, just rare. But one that had mastered martial arts? That was unprecedented.

“Kiieek!” The monkey charged again, darting around Mu Hui with unpredictable strikes.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Its erratic movements defied the conventions of martial arts, with seven out of ten strikes catching Mu Hui off guard.

The monkey’s agility, combined with the essence of Huashan’s techniques, was something only a creature like it could achieve. Even Mu Hui found himself reacting on instinct at times.

“It could easily outmatch the first disciples,” he thought, genuinely impressed by the monkey’s prowess. Having seen enough, Mu Hui’s demeanor shifted, his eyes narrowing with focus.

His sleeve fluttered as he unleashed his sword with a swift, cutting wind.

“Kiik!”

The monkey, attempting a surprise attack, was startled by the sudden thrust of Mu Hui’s sword, narrowly avoiding it. A few strands of its fur floated in the air, severed by the blade.

“Kiieek, kiik!” The monkey retreated to the trees, swinging its sword in frustration before vanishing as if it had evaporated into thin air.

Its movements were so mysterious, it seemed to ride an invisible cloud, beyond even Mu Hui’s ability to track.

Mu Hui watched the monkey disappear, lost in thought. His eyes glinted with intrigue.

“The way it moves… I want to learn it,” he murmured, recalling the legendary footwork of his past life.

Mu Hui’s reputation as a sword demon was known to many, but few knew it was his mastery of the unique Dokgo Shinbeop that earned him the title. This technique, a blend of footwork and body movement, was renowned for its ghostly, mesmerizing agility.

He had once sought to integrate Huashan’s techniques with his own, and now, the monkey’s movements had captivated him completely.

***

After encountering the mysterious monkey, Mu Hui headed straight to the sect’s elder, Baek Yu, hoping he might know something about the creature.

Listening to Mu Hui’s tale with interest, Baek Yu stroked his beard and chuckled.

“So, you’ve met the Dark Monkey.”

“The Dark Monkey? It has a name?”

Baek Yu nodded. “I saw it once when I was a second disciple, beside the then Huashan Sword Saint, Guk Hyun.”

Mu Hui raised an eyebrow. “How long has that monkey been around?”

“Well, even when I was young, it was said to be over two hundred years old… it might be over three hundred by now.”

Mu Hui let out a dry laugh. Three hundred years? The Dark Monkey was practically the hidden master of Huashan.

“Truly a spirit beast,” he remarked.

“It’s been nurtured by generations of Huashan Sword Saints, learning martial arts alongside them. It’s a living history of Huashan’s techniques.”

“I was indeed impressed by its skill.”

“The Dark Monkey has a knack for finding the Sword Saint. I thought it had passed since it hadn’t met the current one.”

Baek Yu sipped his tea, reminiscing about the monkey.

“I’m glad to hear it’s well. Treat it kindly if you meet it again. I’ve heard even Sword Saints have gained insights from watching it.”

“Yes, I plan to,” Mu Hui replied, eager to observe the monkey’s movements up close once more.

“What do monkeys like?” he wondered, momentarily distracted.

Baek Yu shifted the conversation. “You’ve heard about the Baekri family, I assume.”

“Yes, Master.”

Baek Yu’s tone grew serious. “Though Shaolin mediates, a clash with the Baekri family is inevitable. The Sword King won’t intervene directly, but his grandson, the young master, might.”

“You mean the River Dragon Sword?”

The Huashan Sword Saint was no more, but Mu Hui, his disciple, remained. The Baekri family would likely seek to avenge past defeats through the young master.

“I’m not afraid of the Six Dragons, Master. Rest assured.”

Baek Yu chuckled. Few would dare dismiss the Six Dragons so lightly, yet Mu Hui’s words seemed neither arrogant nor boastful, but simply matter-of-fact.

His confidence was evident in his gaze and every subtle gesture.

“Let them come to Huashan themselves,” Mu Hui suggested.

“To Huashan?” Baek Yu had expected any duel to take place at Shaolin, as neither Huashan nor Baekri would want to make the first move.

“They claim they want to assess Huashan’s strength. Let them come and see for themselves.”

“There’s merit in that. I’ll consider it.”

Their conversation left Baek Yu feeling reassured.

“With the Six Harmonies Sword Meet approaching, we should focus on that.”

“Indeed, Master.”

***

Sangju

Nestled between Huashan and Zhongnan Mountain, Sangju was home to a small mountain called Yuk Mountain. To most, it was just an ordinary mountain, but to the Huashan and Zhongnan sects, it was sacred ground where the Six Harmonies Sword was born.

Thus, the Six Harmonies Sword Meet was always held at Yuk Mountain.

A spacious lodge was built on the mountainside, complete with training grounds and dueling arenas.

The lodge was jointly managed by the Huashan sect’s secular branch, Gahwa Gate, and the Zhongnan sect’s branch, Mukyu Gate.

This allowed disciples from both sects to focus solely on the meet without any distractions.

“Wow, this is great.”

“I heard from the seniors that the food here is excellent too.”

The Huashan disciples, upon arriving, were pleased with the well-kept lodge.

“Baek Yu, you’ve arrived?”

The head of the Zhongnan sect, Hong Seon, warmly greeted Baek Yu and the Huashan disciples.

Baek Yu extended his hand, clasping Hong Seon’s and giving it a friendly pat.

The bond between the two had been forged since their days as disciples, clashing swords at the Yukhap Sword Gathering. Their trust ran as deep as their martial prowess.

As the sect leaders exchanged greetings, the elders accompanying them engaged in light conversation, inquiring about each other’s well-being.

“Hongseon, I heard you decided to attend this Yukhap Sword Gathering at the last minute, so I hurried over as well.”

Though the gathering was a significant event for both the Mount Hua and Zhongnan sects, it wasn’t mandatory for the leaders of each sect to attend.

For a leader of one of the Nine Great Sects, even a casual outing could draw the attention of the martial world.

Not all attention was favorable, and the leaders were well aware of the responsibility and weight that followed their every step, making them cautious about leaving their sects.

“Apologies, I wanted to see the young disciples of Mount Hua myself. My students owe them a great debt, and as their leader, it’s only right that I express my gratitude in person.”

Hongseon shifted his gaze to the Mount Hua disciples, quickly scanning them until one particularly stood out.

‘Not the eyes of a novice, but those of a seasoned swordsman.’

He immediately identified Muhwi, whose sharp, orderly gaze exuded a distinct presence.

“Why are we just standing here? Let’s arrange a proper meeting later.”

“Haha, understood.”

After settling into their accommodations and taking a brief rest, the disciples of Mount Hua and Zhongnan gathered again.

Together, they offered a ritual to the founders of their respective sects, wishing for the success of the Yukhap Sword Gathering.

This ritual marked the beginning of the gathering.

The leaders and senior members of each sect took their seats at the head of the martial stage, while the participating disciples waited in their designated areas.

“The Yukhap Sword Gathering is not about winning or losing. It’s a place to recognize the differences in our approaches and learn from them.”

“Defeat is not shameful. A true martial artist uses defeat as a stepping stone for growth. However, if you fail to fully express your swordsmanship, you must reflect on that.”

After imparting these words to their disciples, Baekyu and Hongseon exchanged nods and shouted in unison.

“Let the Yukhap Sword Gathering begin!”

“Disciples ready for the match, step forward!”

With the declaration from the two sect leaders, the gathering commenced.

The third-generation disciples from each sect, armed with wooden swords, ascended the martial stage.

Elder Hongyun of the Zhongnan sect, acting as the judge, faced the third-generation disciples.

“I am Jinsan, third-generation disciple of the Zhongnan sect.”

“I am Gukmahyo, third-generation disciple of the Mount Hua sect.”

The Mount Hua disciples, not yet having received their Taoist names, used their worldly names.

“As you know, the only sword technique allowed for third-generation disciples is the Yukhap Sword. Begin the match!”

Crack!

Jinsan and Gukmahyo’s wooden swords clashed fiercely from the start.

Initially, they were evenly matched, but after a dozen exchanges, a gap began to form.

Since they could only use the Yukhap Sword, victory naturally depended on their mastery of it.

“I concede.”

“It was a good match.”

The first match ended in Jinsan’s victory before reaching thirty exchanges.

The subsequent matches followed a similar pattern. Despite their efforts, the Mount Hua disciples couldn’t overcome the Zhongnan disciples.

‘It can’t be helped.’

The Mount Hua sect had accepted their third-generation disciples later, putting them two years behind the Zhongnan disciples in martial training.

At such a young age, two years made a significant difference, and it was only natural that the Mount Hua disciples struggled.

Out of the ten scheduled matches, they had already lost six in a row.

The Mount Hua disciples had yet to claim a single victory against the Zhongnan disciples. Some matches were close, but they ultimately lacked the endurance to win.

“I concede.”

With the latest defeat, the Mount Hua disciples faced their seventh consecutive loss. Observing this, Musan noted that Muhwi’s expression remained remarkably calm.

“Senior brother, I thought you’d be upset about the third-generation disciples’ losing streak.”

Musan asked cautiously, and Muhwi chuckled.

“They’re just starting out. There’s no need to be upset. It’s a good motivation for them.”

“Haha, true. The sect leader did say not to dwell on victory or defeat.”

Muhwi, watching the matches with his chin resting on his hand, turned his head slightly toward Musan.

“You know something else, right?”

“Uh?”

“I trained you all rigorously, and you still lose? Haha. If that’s the case, you might as well be dead.”

“As expected of you, senior brother.”

As Musan responded with a startled expression, Muhwa gestured toward the martial stage.

“Look, Sanha is up next, senior brother!”

Muhwi watched as Imsanha faced the Zhongnan disciple, offering a respectful salute.

[Disciple, break the losing streak. Ten losses in a row would be too much.]

Imsanha nodded in response to Muhwi’s telepathic message.

“Begin the match!”

With Hongyu’s declaration, Imsanha let out a spirited shout and brought his wooden sword down vertically.

“Haaap!”

< That movement, I like it. > End

< I’ve been looking forward to meeting you, Muhwi. >