Shhh
The movement—
This action after moving his foot like a hen with one leg and hitting it. It was not an original move in the Plum Blossom Sword technique.
However, Goo Jong-myung was using it, and the Plum Blossom Sword technique was shown.
Swish!
The tip of the sword cut through the wind, and this sharp sword light bloomed like a flower. The sword technique was, as expected, amazing.
Actually, there is a higher level of martial arts than this sword technique, the 24 Movement Plum Blossom Sword technique.
But there was no need to show that now. If the spirit of Mount Hua was within the 24 Movement Plum Blossom Sword technique, then it should exist in the Plum Blossom Sword technique too.
Chak
The sword movement curved, and the blade of the sword gave out this pure white light. The Plum Blossom Sword technique came out one after another, and Seol-Hwi was familiar with these moves.
However, as he saw other variations in the middle of this, he continued to look.
What was this for? Seol-Hwi who was comparing the sword technique in his memory and this one, slightly felt that this was a finer sword technique.
This!
The difference was first in the color. It was there softly and then growing quickly.
The color of the sword energy also changed. And the color was changing according to the speed the sword was moving. It was different from the Purple Cloud Divine Arts.
Numerous waves of light which changed depending on this angle and direction the sword moved to. Seol-Hwi was immersed into the scene and, at some point, remembered a person who could not be here.
Elder?
This gentleman, the Taoist. The person who was quietly looking at the evening sky.
The face which looked grave. Like a true Taoist who gave up on the worldly things. But the eyes of his were filled with admiration.
As if the sky was burning red, he was seeing this scenery which could not be described in words.
Step
With his fingertips he was very affectionately touching the plum blossoms which bloomed in this hallucination.
“Ahh…”
Seol-Hwi realized that this was it. The Purple Cloud Divine Arts and the origin of the Plum blossom Sword technique—
Plum blossoms bloomed even in harsh winters and the cold. The Taoist who tried to imitate that were the Four Gentlemen.
Those who did not lose their pride under any circumstances and had a heart for the love of the world, like the sunset which covered the sky in a beautiful light. The moment he realized this, he remembered the meaning behind the Purple Cloud Divine Arts.
At the same time it was clear what the essence of Mount Hua was.
Heaven, land, and man!
The theory which did not stray from Taoism. However, it was different from the Taiji concept led by Wudang.
The Mount Hua Sect was the red sunset. The desire to spread this light of the sky which turned purple to the land with humans on—
To achieve the ideal heaven.
And the martial arts held this essence. So the center of Mount Hua’s martial arts was actually just man.
I have to think of the last chance.
As soon as the demonstration of his sword technique was done, Cheon Miryo was nervous.
By any chance if Seol-Hwi could not get it done around this time, they would npt get more chances. No, looking at this current situation, it did not seem like this would end nicely.
Just one. One hit.
She already had this plan in her head.
There were several ways to attack Goo Jong-myung.
Even though he was a lower level than her, there was no such thing as absolute superior in the Murim world. A warrior on the level of Supreme Master who was skilled and raging with internal energy could surely block the sword, if needed.
And Goo Jong-myung was a person who had reached the peak of the Supreme Master level. Furthermore, there were many other members of Mount Hua around.
Shhh
Therefore, the first strike would be very important. Cheon Miryo slowly began to bring out her internal energy which was within the body.
In case of an emergency, she would have to hit and then run right away. If her move failed, then to subdue them all…
It was alright if it was just her, but she was considering the safety of the most important person, Seol-Hwi.
While she was thinking that—
Swhh
Seol-Hwi moved.
And like Goo Jong-myung, he took this stance of a hen on one leg.
Shhh
He raised his sword to the sky.
What… is it the Purple Cloud Divine Arts?
Blink. Blink.
Cheon Miryo rubbed her eyes as she looked at Seol-Hwi.
Wheik.
Seol-Hwi continued the sword movement which came out in a similar way to the previous one. But there was this huge difference.
Shhhh
The red energy which gradually gathered at the sword, the color similar to the purple color which Goo Jong-myung managed to get. But the more she looked at it, the more different it was.
It is a bit closer to the red light. Like a sunset… ah!
Her eyes widened. Come to think of it, she had heard of this before.
The name Purple Cloud, known to the world as a purple light shining when the skill is done. The more it reached the end, the more the purple like glow turned to red. When she heard of it, she had just laughed it off. It must have just been one of the rumors of the Kangho’s martial arts.
But—
Cheon Miryo looked at the reaction of the elders on the other side just in case, and it might have been different.
Everyone had their mouths wide open and looked shocked.
“P-Purple Cloud Divine Arts. Huh.”
“It makes no sense…”
“That crimson energy. What was left in the records before I reached my twenties. Oh heavenly god. The lost arts have returned.”
“Ahh… Ahh…”
The elders did not easily shut up. Their hearts were overflowing with emotions and joy to the extent that they doubted whether what they saw was true or not.
Wheeik. Phat!
The sword wielded by Seol-Hwi clearly held the understanding, but he did not know the essence of the arts to unfold it.
It was good though. Did this catch their eye? The red glow of sunset which a swordsman created. It was this unknown thing for Mount Hua which they had been searching for for a hundred years.
“How…”
Among the members of the Mount Hua Sect, the one who was the most shocked was none other than Goo Jong-myung. He too was watching this with his own eyes.
The sword energy at the tip of the sword was not imperfect and shone in purple, but the crimson evening glow had lingered on the ground.
Shiver. Shhh.
How long had he been waiting to see this?
When he was young, he made the promise of achieving it for sure, and when he got older, he just wanted to see his disciples manage to show him that red sunset.
He dedicated years for it, which had never shown even a hint of existence despite the numerous training, meditation, and one on one meetings.
Ironically, this person of another sect, not to mention part of the Demonic Sect, who was regarded as the natural enemy to them, had shown this noble appearance.
Tuk. Tuk.
Wiping the tears which flowed down with emotions built up, Goo Jong-myung focused on it.
It was to completely put the sword which Seol-Hwi was showing into his head.
The flow of that sword looks so elegant.
In a way, it was slow. Oppressive.
As a result, he felt that the connection between the existing technique did not merge well or it would cut off.
But that isn’t happening… did we get it wrong?
His theories regarding it began to go through his head.
The Plum Blossom Sword which Seol-Hwi was using now was lacking compared to him or his disciples.
In his sword, the sharp spirit and eerie energy unique to the Plum Sword disappeared, making it look like a clumsy sword dance wielded alone in just the mood.
Even so, the crimson energy which stayed on the sword, that was the only movement that was unique.
“At the beginning of the sword… did nothing else touch it? Were we ourselves ruining the technique?”
Mount Hua’s Plum Blossom Sword technique.
It had undergone a long period of improvement. Hundreds of years had passed, and it had been perfected over the generations to make it more splendid, sharper, more unique to them.
This was why Seol-Hwi’s Plum Blossom Sword technique which was mixed with the Purple Cloud Divine Arts was dull, rough, and lacking any form of refinement in the eyes of Goo Jong-myung.
As if it were swung at the start of the initiation of Mount Hua. Stupid, heavy, and without force. However, how does that continue?
“Plum Blossom.”
A flower which bloomed enduring the cold. It reminded them of the plum blossom which was stubborn through the winter. And Goo Jong-myung was able to feel it now.
“So this is what it was… Look at both sides of the sword. Like the Namgung family.”
The Sword of the Namgung Family was a sword which was made in realization of the blue sky of autumn. It was said that when their sword technique was at its peak, the light blue sword would flash.
And the Purple Cloud Divine Arts is a sword technique made by watching the amazing red sunset. In the start, Purple Cloud Divine Arts and the Plum Blossom Sword technique were not different.
The fierce rain and wind blew, and the sunset which ended the day where nature was bright and cold would repeat..
If the Plum Blossom Sword was a result, then the Purple Cloud Divin Arts was the process. So even if Seol-Hwi’s path of using the sword was unusual, his energy does not wake because he moved by touching the essentials. The strength was the source.
It was the movement that was possible because Mount Hua’s true essence was embedded into his body.
Shhh
Seol-Hwi’s sword ended as such.
It was almost unbelievable that he could embody so many techniques in such a short time in the right manner.
“Ah…”
“And…”
“Ahem.”
After the demonstration, the atmosphere in the training place was different from before.
Silence. There were too many emotions flowing.
Some of the elders were holding back their tears and others outright sobbed.
“Ahem. Ahem…”
Shockingly, even Goo Jong-myung had this blunt expression.
This new technique of the sect, the unparalleled martial arts which had been hidden for hundreds of years. It was the best which Mount Hua had prided themselves for not being inferior to anyone, but there was too much to be learned, which was why it was left unfinished.
Too long. They had come too long for this day and they felt sad. Confidently, if only the source of the martial arts was passed down in Mount Hua, there would not have been a case of being pushed down by the Wudang’s Sect’s sword.
Because if that happened, they would not have had to join hands with the Demonic Sect.
“Huh…”
But the process had been too much. The reason why the Divine Arts was practiced was none other than for himself. No, to be precise, his master who taught and enlightened him. It stemmed from the failure of the previous masters anc ancestors.
“Simple and short. Right. well…”
Plum blossoms blooming in the snow with high energy and beauty, how can they beat the summer flowers?
Mount Hua’s sword had been improved for a hundred years. The sword turned sharper and the sword technique changed to one of beauty.
The more the Plum Blossom Sword had improved, the higher the reputation of Mount Hua ended up being. And along with that, the Mount Hua’s sword which originally held the red sunset had changed little by little.
I was drunk on showing it. That, that… I just realize it now.
It all happened so naturally. How could a scholar wearing clothes of silk and riding a carriage understand the spirit of a Taoist who endured and overcome the hardships of life?
“Euk… ahhh…!”
Eventually, the Purple Cloud Divine Arts that Mount Hua was looking for was originally in the same place.
What flowed now were the tears of the old warriors, blinded by honor and reign, who belatedly found out that Mount Hua itself had abandoned their treasures.
“Ahh…”
On the other hand, Seol-Hwi, who had finished the Purple Cloud Divine Arts, was embarrassed in a different way.
And the text which appeared in front of the eyes.
<You have learned the Purple Cloud Divine Arts.>
Their entire body did not move, like it was drifting in water.
Is it because of enlightenment? Or have I…?
He was not sure why but he realized that he had to control the energy first. Sitting up in this awkward position, he tried to garner the energy.
I cannot control it.
This new energy continued to circulate within his body. It seemed that there was a problem with recovering energy because of the Purple Cloud Divine Arts.
Shhh
Purple Cloud Divine Arts, the energy in the dantian, refused to stay.
What is this?
The reason why he could not control it was because the Purple Cloud Divine Arts in his body was pushing out any external energy.
How is it happening? What do I do?
It was then.
While Seol-Hwi was sitting cross legged and trying to regain his composure, a sudden uninvited guest appeared. The character who appeared between Seol-Hwi and Goo Jong-myung. This mature man with a bloody wind-like force along with three of his followers. The elders who were watching this made a fuss.
“They are!”
“How can…!”
It was the Heavenly Demon’s First Disciple, the End Demon.
