Five steps.

That was the distance between Muhwi and Seonghoe.

Standing within this narrow gap, the two men exchanged respectful bows.

“I am Seonghoe of the Namhae Sword Sect. I will demonstrate the Namhae Blue Wave Sword.”

Muhwi responded in kind.

“I am Muhwi of the Mount Hua Sect. I will show you the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.”

Hearing Muhwi’s voice, Baekyu subtly clenched the hem of his robe.

“The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.”

Baekyu recalled what Muhwi had said after returning from the Wudang Sect.

– I can confidently say this sword technique will shape the future of Mount Hua.

He had never had the chance to see it, but now, finally, he would witness it with his own eyes.

Baekyu could hear his heart pounding in his ears.

‘It’s been decades since I’ve felt this way.’

He didn’t think Muhwi would lose.

He was simply brimming with anticipation to see how the sword technique, which Muhwi had called the future of Mount Hua, would unfold.

“The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique?”

“Does such a technique even exist in Mount Hua…?”

The martial experts around them trailed off, looking at Baekyu, silently urging him to explain.

“It was created by Hyunjo…”

Baekyu was about to say, as he always did, that it was a martial art devised by Hyunjo.

Until now, he had tried to prevent too much attention from being drawn to Muhwi.

After all, Muhwi was just a young disciple who had only recently stepped into the martial world.

But now, there was no need for that.

After today, everyone in the martial world would know the true prowess of Muhwi.

‘Muhwi has already outgrown my protection.’

Having made up his mind, Baekyu resumed speaking.

“Muhwi has woven a new sword technique based on the legacy left by Hyunjo.”

“Woven? Are you saying he created a new martial art?”

“Mastering a martial art and creating one are entirely different realms. And at such a young age?”

The martial experts were taken aback and asked for confirmation, but Baekyu remained silent.

Silence was affirmation.

The astonished experts turned their full attention to the duel between the young disciples.

‘I still don’t understand.’

Seonghoe fiddled with the hilt of his sword, frowning.

In the Celestial Dragon Tournament, no young disciple had been able to hide or deceive their aura from Seonghoe’s senses.

Yet the man before him, Muhwi, was different.

He felt nothing, as if he were being told he wasn’t worthy.

His aura was completely concealed, yet his stance seemed full of openings.

It was as if his very posture was a vulnerability.

“The Nine Steps will end in failure.”

As Muhwi lightly raised his arm, the already numerous openings seemed to multiply.

“It doesn’t matter. Neither I nor anyone in my sect desires to succeed through trickery.”

Seonghoe had another reason for fixating on Muhwi. The lingering touch of Muhwi’s hand on his shoulder.

He felt that only by crossing swords with Muhwi could he rid himself of this unsettling sensation.

“Very well.”

Muhwi reached for his plum blossom sword, and Seonghoe gripped his golden thread sword.

As the wind blew behind Seonghoe, a flash of light burst from the scabbard.

The sudden draw of the sword seemed to tease Muhwi’s head, but it was a feint.

It suddenly veered, sharply changing direction, and the sword strike surged toward Muhwi’s opposite side.

Haeguhwaechwi (Seagull Snatches Fish)

A move inspired by the sight of seabirds snatching fish from the waters of Namhae.

Seonghoe’s sword became the beak of a bird, aiming to tear at Muhwi’s waist.

‘When did he draw?’

In the space of a finger’s width, the plum blossom sword had already slipped in.

Seonghoe, who had only seen Muhwi grasp the plum blossom sword, was bewildered.

Just as the blades seemed to touch, the plum blossom sword writhed like a snake, climbing up the blade of the golden thread sword.

As a result, the trajectory of Haeguhwaechwi naturally veered away from Muhwi’s waist.

“Hup!”

Seonghoe tried to withdraw his sword quickly, but the plum blossom sword’s blade followed with a peculiar persistence.

Unable to keep up with Muhwi’s changes, Seonghoe gritted his teeth as he watched the plum blossom sword’s blade rise above his own.

Boom!

At the same time, he stomped his foot and infused his sword with internal energy, causing a resonant vibration.

Had it advanced just a bit further, it could have severed Seonghoe’s wrist, but Muhwi withdrew the plum blossom sword without hesitation.

Watching Muhwi create distance, Seonghoe glanced down. Even though he hadn’t been cut, his left wrist tingled.

‘What swordsmanship is this?’

The thought of the plum blossom sword entwining and climbing up the golden thread sword still sent chills down his spine.

Even from that single exchange, the gap in their skills was evident.

As Seonghoe marveled at Muhwi’s swordsmanship, the scent of plum blossoms wafted into his nose.

Muhwi’s sword stance branched out into dozens of directions. At the end of each strike, a purple sword aura was released.

Following the sword’s fragrance, purple petals cascaded down.

The petals, sharp and gleaming as they fluttered through the air, were lethally beautiful.

Like the mesmerizing waves of a sunlit sea, they naturally drew the eye.

‘Is such a feat possible with a human’s sword?’

The swords of other Mount Hua disciples he had encountered at the Celestial Dragon Tournament were also splendid and beautiful.

They delighted and dazzled the eyes, but none were like Muhwi’s.

As Muhwi’s sword repeatedly pierced the air, it traced a delicate path, and at the center of each point, a plum blossom budded.

When five plum blossoms bloomed, purple petals fluttered around them.

The purple sword aura danced around the plum blossoms like butterflies seeking flowers.

Plum Blossom Butterfly Dance

The Plum Blossom Butterfly Dance filled the space around Seonghoe.

For a moment, it felt as if they were fighting in a flower field, not on a dueling stage.

Momentarily entranced by the plum blossoms, Seonghoe’s eyebrows shot up.

“Go!”

The blade of the golden thread sword, which had hesitated, tilted and sliced through the purple spectacle before him.

Shwaa!

The golden thread sword traced a wide arc, scattering blue sword energy.

The subtle twist in the vertical sword strike caused the horizontal sword energy to ripple.

Unlike the sword techniques of the Central Plains, the Namhae Blue Wave Sword always tilted its blade to unleash slashing attacks.

Its path was so insidious and contrary to the principles of swordsmanship that it was difficult to read.

Yet Muhwi’s eyes, shining brightly, tracked the trajectory of the Namhae Blue Wave Sword with precision.

‘They say it was heavily influenced by the sword techniques of the Japanese. It certainly is different.’

Having exchanged dozens of blows in an instant, Muhwi observed the Namhae Blue Wave Sword with interest.

Shwack!

The plum blossom sword thrust rapidly over twenty times, creating explosive sounds.

As changes began to infuse the swift sword path, a hundred variations bloomed in an instant.

The divided sword strikes twisted and intertwined, creating a dizzying spectacle.

And the purple sword aura drifting among the complex strikes made the scene even more chaotic.

Plum Blossom Gradation

The Plum Blossom Gradation began to close in on Seonghoe from three sides.

“Hah!”

“Such changes in a single breath?”

Even the martial experts watching were astonished, and Seonghoe, facing it directly, turned pale.

Yet Seonghoe’s sword continued to move.

His vision was filled with purple light.

Rather than reading each sword path, it seemed better to cut through them all at once.

The Namhae Blue Wave Sword, unfolding in succession, clashed against Muhwi’s sword strikes.

Like waves eroding a rock, Seonghoe’s desperate sword deflected Muhwi’s strikes and pushed back the purple sword aura.

Seonghoe’s sword spun widely, and the surging blue sword energy whirled desperately.

‘It’s overwhelming.’

Frowning, Seonghoe pushed the Namhae Heart Technique to its limit and shouted.

“Haaah!”

As Seonghoe finally broke through the Plum Blossom Gradation, Muhwi greeted him with a smile.

Unlike Seonghoe, who was already panting, Muhwi seemed unchanged from before the duel began.

Clang!

Seonghoe, who had been slashing diagonally at Muhwi’s neck, suddenly shifted his weight to his lower body and raised his sword high above his head.

A vertical upper stance. Even this stance had a slight tilt, making it difficult to block.

Muhwi, as if to show off, raised his plum blossom sword and assumed the upper stance.

Clang!

The two swords crossed in an X shape. Seonghoe stared in shock at Muhwi, who had perfectly mimicked his sword path.

At the same time, Muhwi’s left hand executed the Plum Blossom Mountain Water. Seonghoe hurriedly swept it away with his sword and retreated.

As he stepped back, he swept his sword downward.

Blue sword energy surged like foam, rushing to engulf Muhwi’s feet.

Muhwi lightly tapped his Yongcheon point, executing the Dark Fragrance Step.

In an instant, Muhwi was soaring through the air above Seonghoe’s head.

‘To hover in such a flow?’

The air was a position with more disadvantages than advantages.

Most skilled martial artists avoided taking to the air.

Of course, Seonghoe had just used the Undersea Current to block Muhwi’s approach, but it wasn’t enough to warrant such a dramatic move.

Seeing Muhwi’s lips curl into a smile, Seonghoe suddenly understood.

“You’re imposing a restriction on yourself?”

At Muhwi’s provocative smile, Seonghoe gritted his teeth and then burst into laughter.

Seonghoe drew upon the depths of his dantian, focusing the internal energy of the Namhae Heart Technique into his golden thread sword.

The sword’s energy surged forth like a flowing river, tracing a path that was both wild and serene.

As the blade cut through the air, waves seemed to ripple in its wake.

Just as the first wave crashed, a second followed closely behind.

The waves kept coming, one after another, seemingly endless.

The Southern Sea’s Raging Waves.

“The technique itself is incredibly complex, and the internal energy shifts constantly.”

Mu-hui, observing Seong-hui’s swordplay, drew his own plum blossom sword. He thrust it forward, slicing through the oncoming waves with ease.

Wave after wave, large and small, surged toward him, but Mu-hui remained unfazed.

With a swift motion, he shattered the second wave, and a plum blossom bloomed in its place.

The radiant petals, capturing the essence of a purple sunset, spread outwards, and the fragrance of the sword filled the grand plaza.

“Is that… plum blossom scent?”

“To smell it from this distance… incredible.”

“Truly remarkable.”

Mu-hui’s sword movements grew so swift that it was hard to tell if he was wielding a sword or the very sunset itself.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of plum blossoms filled the arena.

Despite the relentless assault of the waves, the blossoms shone brightly, revealing their sharpness.

Before the profusely blooming plum blossoms, the Southern Sea’s waves split into countless streams, losing their strength and dissipating.

The once turbulent waves of the Southern Sea had calmed.

“Peaceful.”

The battle hadn’t lasted long.

Yet, Seong-hui could feel the widening gap between himself and Mu-hui. With each exchange, the distance grew, now seemingly insurmountable.

Like the vast Southern Sea, where no matter how far you sail, the horizon remains out of reach.

“A new ocean in the Central Plains.”

Seong-hui lowered his sword slowly, gazing at the radiant plum blossoms forming a garden around him.

Only the swept-clean arena floor bore witness to the passage of the waves.

“The waves of the Southern Sea. Quite a sight.”

“And the name of that technique?”

“The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, Plum Blossom in Full Bloom.”

Seong-hui, kneeling on one knee, used his sword to support himself as he stood.

“I concede.”

He bowed to Mu-hui, then turned to the grandmaster of the Nine Schools seated above.

“I conclude the Nine Schools’ challenge here. I will use today’s experience as nourishment for future generations and return to challenge again.”

“You are always welcome. The swordsmanship of the Hae-nam School is truly impressive.”

Baek-yu nodded at Seong-hui, and the other grandmasters offered words of encouragement.

Having acknowledged his defeat, Seong-hui withdrew, and a brief intermission was called to repair the damaged arena.

“The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique? I’ve never seen such a dazzling display.”

“Indeed. To defeat the champion of the Heavenly Dragon Tournament so easily, the fame of the Volcano Sword Demon is well-deserved.”

Naturally, most of the conversation centered around Mu-hui, even among the grandmasters.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such vibrant plum blossoms.”

“For a young talent to produce so many blossoms, it’s no wonder he defeated the Sword of the Forward March alone.”

“It’s a pity we couldn’t see more of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.”

As the arena was cleared and the judges prepared to resume the Heavenly Martial Tournament, Kang Ho-baek nodded as he listened to a report from Jegal-jin.

“Let them in.”

“But, Leader…”

“They’ve come this far; a drink wouldn’t be out of place.”

“Understood.”

With Kang Ho-baek’s permission, a group emerged into the grand plaza.

Even without exuding any aura, their mere presence revealed them to be no ordinary masters.

The audience, sensing their arrival, fell silent, and the atmosphere in the plaza grew tense.

On the stage, an old man smiled at Kang Ho-baek.

“It’s been a while, Brother, or should I say, Leader.”

Kang Ho-baek nodded in return.

“Qing Bing Yin Wang, it’s been nearly ten years. What brings you here?”

In response to Kang Ho-baek’s question, Qing Bing Yin Wang clasped his hands together.

“First, congratulations on the founding of the Martial Alliance.”

Kang Ho-baek nodded, and Qing Bing Yin Wang continued.

“And I wish to announce the founding of the Sa Do Cheon Sect here.”

At his words, Kang Ho-baek’s smile turned icy, and the grandmasters on the dais glared at Qing Bing Yin Wang with anger.

In the brief silence that followed, someone broke the tension.

“Crazy bastards.”

Mu-hui’s low voice did not escape the keen ears of Qing Bing Yin Wang, a master of transcendent skill.

Qing Bing Yin Wang’s gaze snapped toward Mu-hui, who met it with a defiant grin.

“A new ocean in the Central Plains.” End

“I will not step down.”