A large figure emerged from the shadows.
It was as if a bear had stood up on its hind legs and was walking forward. It was Mucheol, the second disciple, known for having the most robust build among them all.
"You knew?"
Though Mucheol kept his usual stoic expression, his eyelids had lifted slightly—a subtle change that hinted at his surprise.
Knowing well the gap in martial ability between Muhwi and Musan, his surprise was all the more significant.
"Hiding like that doesn't suit your size. What's going on?"
"I just happened to see those two heading this way."
Mucheol had found it suspicious to see them sneaking around in the middle of the night.
Even more so since their destination appeared to be Muhwi's secluded quarters, a place rarely visited by the second disciple.
As Mucheol walked toward Muhwi, his eyes were filled with curiosity, as though he were looking at something utterly new.
"I didn't expect you to beat Musan."
He had been listening to everything. If Musan had shown signs of trying to harm Muhwi under the guise of a duel, Mucheol had been ready to step in.
But instead, Muhwi had thoroughly crushed him—so thoroughly that Mucheol had to question what he was seeing.
And that Liuhe Sword just now...
The trajectory of the Liuhe Sword that Muhwi had displayed wasn't ordinary. It was a simple straight line—yet beautiful.
Not even Mucheol, nor anyone among the second generation of disciples, could have drawn such a line.
So much so that his gaze, which had been fixed on Musan, found itself glued to Muhwi's wooden sword and wouldn't budge.
"Were you hiding your martial skills this whole time?"
"Sure, let's go with that."
Muhwi gave a vague answer, seeing no real way to explain things. Mucheol seemed to accept it, nodding in understanding.
"Then I'll take my leave."
Without another word, Mucheol turned to go. Muhwi watched his broad back disappear into the dark, recalling the version of Mucheol he had glimpsed in his dreams—truly an intriguing man.
In his memories, there were two kinds of second-generation disciples:
Those who treated him with polite distance and those who subtly disrespected and mocked him.
But Mucheol had belonged to neither group. He'd quietly lingered around Muhwi and offered subtle support.
You could say he was the only one on Muhwi's side.
For someone known as a living statue—cold, silent, and seemingly indifferent—it was hard to understand his behavior.
Even Muhwi, who had received his help, never understood why. Only Mucheol himself would know the reason.
Still, I suppose it's good to have at least one reliable fellow disciple.
Take what just happened—if anyone else had seen Musan and Muho sneaking around, would they have followed them all the way here?
Whatever the reason, the situation was only possible because Mucheol cared enough to act on his concern for Muhwi.
"If you ever hit a wall in your martial arts, come find me. I'll help you."
As Muhwi murmured the words, Mucheol seemed to pause for a moment, but then kept walking forward.
Once Mucheol vanished completely into the darkness, Muhwi picked up his wooden sword again.
Though it was already deep into the night and the moonlight had grown colder, his desire to swing the sword hadn't diminished.
Recalling the Myanghyang Sword that Musan had used earlier, Muhwi began to imitate its form slowly.
He added the unorthodox movements of the Myanghyang Sword to the Liuhe Sword's directional strikes.
Straight lines, diagonals, and curves in continuous combinations.
And yet, his wooden sword moved fluidly, without a hint of hesitation. Adding the directional principles of the Liuhe Sword brought even more variation to the movements.
I should head back to Maesogak.
The wooden sword, weaving through layers of moonlight, began to move more vividly.
*****
Dawn at the training hall.
"Haah… So you're saying you ended up on the receiving end instead?"
Listening to the story from last night, Muryun stared coldly at the two disciples who had bowed their heads.
"He's not the Elder Brother we used to know. He's really changed."
"Muryun-hyung, I don't think it's a situation we can handle recklessly anymore. If it were the old Elder Brother, maybe—but now…"
Muho had meant to say that Muhwi now truly lived up to his title, but when he saw the deep furrow in Muryun's brow, he trailed off.
Say something that makes sense.
Thinking the two were exaggerating to excuse their failure, Muryun struggled to contain his anger.
"Enough. Go prepare for morning training."
Seeing Mujin approaching in the distance, Muryun waved them off.
"You're here, Mujin-hyung."
"Yes. But what's wrong with Musan? His gait seems… off."
"Well, about that…"
As Muryun explained, Mujin let out a low hum.
It wasn't just that Musan had been beaten—that was surprising enough. But what truly shocked Mujin were the actions the two disciples had taken.
"I'll have to discipline those two separately later."
"Huh? Why do you say that?"
"There's a world of difference between harboring something silently and acting on it outwardly. And why on earth would you pull something like this behind someone's back? It's honestly embarrassing."
Contrary to his expectations, Mujin's scolding came sharp and sudden, and Muryun's face flushed slightly.
"Even if the Elder Brother stands up again, I can always beat him with skill."
"I'm sorry, Mujin-hyung. I acted thoughtlessly…"
Mujin lightly patted Muryun's slumped shoulder and then turned around. Most of the second-generation disciples had already gathered, and the early morning training was about to begin.
Still… how did Elder Brother manage to beat Musan? Wasn't he all talk before?
Had he been hiding his skills all this time? Either way, it didn't matter. Mujin simply couldn't imagine losing to Muhwi.
From the very beginning of his time at Mount Hua, Mujin had set his sights on becoming the sect leader's disciple.
He had trained relentlessly for that goal and was now recognized as having the best martial skills among the second-generation disciples.
In the end, I will be the sect leader's heir, Elder Brother.
As he looked at Muhwi standing atop the platform, Mujin gently ran his hand over his wooden sword.
Muhwi stood at the front, looking down at the assembled disciples who were lined up before him. As his eyes slowly moved across them, there was a calm composure in his gaze that hadn't been there before.
Maybe it was because of the news that he had effortlessly defeated Musan—Mujin thought he could see not just calmness, but solid confidence in Muhwi's eyes.
To think someone could change this much overnight. Was he hiding his true nature all along? What is going on?
Mujin watched curiously as Muhwi stood tall, his hand resting naturally on his hip with ease and confidence. And the other disciples felt the same.
What's gotten into the Elder Brother? He's actually making eye contact with us.
All he did was straighten his back and square his shoulders, but he looks like a different person.
It was the first time Muhwi had taken the platform as the Elder Brother.
The disciples listened intently, wondering what he would say.
His tightly sealed lips finally parted, and what came out made every second-generation disciple question their ears.
"From now on, morning training will consist solely of Liuhe Sword practice."
They exchanged glances, unsure if they'd heard correctly. But from the confused expressions on all their faces, it was clear they hadn't misheard.
As everyone stood there, mouths slightly agape, Muhwa raised his right hand. The long hair draped beside his cheek swayed gently with the motion.
"Elder Brother, is there a reason we're going back to the Liuhe Sword? As you know, we've already been practicing it for quite a long time."
Upon joining Mount Hua, second-generation disciples would enter the Chunmaegwan Hall, where they studied classical texts like the Do-gyeong to develop their foundation as disciples of the sect.
And during their time in Chunmaegwan, they trained in only three martial arts:
Liuhe Sword (六合劍)Liuhe Breathing Method (六合心法)Nine Palace Steps (九宮步)
No other techniques were taught. Only these introductory forms, to establish a rock-solid foundation.
Orthodox martial arts are the path of enlightenment.
Each time one hits a wall, they must sweat, reflect deeply, and gain insight—either breaking through or overcoming the obstacle head-on. That is the martial path of the orthodox sects.
It's like stacking one stone at a time to build a high tower.
Yet during this process, harsh storms—called mental demons (心魔)—may strike at any time, threatening to topple that tower from within.
That's why building a foundation that won't falter, no matter what internal demon arises, is the most important task of all.
"Muhwa. You speak as though you've already perfected the Liuhe Sword. Are you that confident?"
When Muhwi countered with a question instead, Muhwa was left speechless, unable to reply right away. As Muhwa fell into an awkward silence, Muhwi turned his gaze away.
"What do the rest of you think?"
Even with the follow-up question, no one responded.
Not even Mujin, known for having the best martial skills among the disciples, dared to claim that he had perfected the basics. So he stayed silent, waiting to hear what Muhwi would say next.
"You all probably want to hurry and learn the next martial art, to advance to higher techniques and bloom plum blossoms with your sword."
"Are you saying that's wrong, Elder Brother?"
It was Mujin who finally spoke up.
Mount Hua—renowned as the sect of swordsmen who bloom plum blossoms with their blades.
As disciples of such a sect, aspiring to bloom plum blossoms with the sword was only natural.
The plum blossom was the very symbol of Mount Hua.
"Enjoy the fragrance of the plum blossoms, but don't become intoxicated by it. You're all too obsessed with the flower."
As he spoke, Muhwi looked over the disciples one by one. Some flinched slightly, for when their eyes met his, they felt a chilling energy.
As if a blade sharpened to a fine edge had been pointed at them.
"When did the plum blossom become the foundation of Mount Hua's martial arts? Mujin, tell me—what is the true foundation of our martial arts?"
"The Liuhe," Mujin answered, looking slightly dazed. He had realized what Muhwi was trying to convey.
"The plum blossom is simply a manifestation of the Liuhe. But you've all been so dazzled by its beauty that you've thrown away the foundation and are now chasing after the shell."
The most important elements in martial arts are intention (意) and thought (念). These are the roots of any martial discipline.
Every motion—whether it be the flick of a hand or a single step—carries meaning. If you lose that foundation, the intent behind each technique changes, and so does its interpretation.
Moves once essential can become unnecessary, and the form and structure will begin to warp.
When that happens, the martial art either regresses or transforms into something entirely different.
Many sects that once made their names known across the martial world have vanished quietly due to such a process.
"Embed the Liuhe in your sword, not plum blossoms. Then the Liuhe will bloom of its own accord."
The eyes of the second-generation disciples as they looked at Muhwi now held a completely different light.
Have I been learning martial arts the wrong way all this time?
Who knew Elder Brother was capable of teaching us like this?
Maybe it really would be okay for him to lead our training.
Just a few words, but it felt less like hearing from a peer and more like being taught by one of the elders from the upper ranks.
Muhwi drew the wooden sword from his waist and held it lightly, pointing it downward.
"The Liuhe Sword is our foundation and our root. Do I need to say more? If not—pick up your wooden swords."
As soon as Muhwi's words ended, the disciples scrambled to grab their wooden swords.
All but one.
Muryun remained standing still, not reaching for his sword. Instead, he glanced sideways at Musan and Muho.
If you won't step up, I will.
Muhwi saw this moment precisely and curled his upper lip.
"Seems like more explanation is needed—Muryun."
In the front row, Mujin—already holding his wooden sword—turned slightly to glance at Muryun.
Muryun… what are you thinking?
Muryun lowered his head slightly in response to Muhwi's call.
"I've listened to your guidance carefully, Elder Brother. But as I listened, a question came to mind."
"Go ahead."
"If the Liuhe Sword is truly that important, I wondered whether you were the right one to oversee our training. As everyone knows, your martial arts are—"
Thud.
Muhwi suddenly struck the platform with his wooden sword.
Startled by the unexpected action, Muryun trailed off mid-sentence.
"So you're saying my martial arts aren't good enough for you to learn from? Then you'd better convince me."
Raising the wooden sword and pointing it at Muryun, Muhwi nodded.
"Step onto the platform. Right now."
Muryun began to walk forward—but paused as he looked at Muhwi's face.
What is this…?
< Since when was the plum blossom the foundation of Mount Hua? > — End
< This is how the Liuhe Sword is wielded