Mount Mudang

Before charging into the battlefield, Hyun-gong took a moment to observe the cult leader.

His martial prowess was truly extraordinary. It was immediately clear why Namgung Jincheon, a swordsman of great pride, had admitted he couldn’t defeat the leader with his own blade.

Sam Anbul and Manryeokseung, along with Namgung Jincheon and Namgung Myung, focused solely on attacking the leader, maintaining only the bare minimum of defense. Yet, the leader effortlessly parried their attacks, exuding the confidence of someone facing opponents clearly beneath him.

In the martial world, when faced with a formidable opponent, it’s instinctive to gauge the gap between oneself and the adversary. Hyun-gong was no different.

“Can I face the leader with my skills?”

He was confident in his defense, believing he could withstand a few moves. But that was all. He could endure only a few techniques, and even that was uncertain if the leader had hidden skills or techniques. The future was unpredictable, but for now, this was the reality.

Hyun-gong felt the immense weight pressing down on his shoulders.

“Then, could I join forces with So-seung to defeat the leader?”

It was an uncertain question. Neither Yeom Bo-jin nor Hyun-gong knew the limits of this peculiar alliance, the Myeol-in Ilmang Palace.

When Hyun-gong first began training in the Myeol-in Ilmang Palace, his goal was to replicate the martial prowess of Yeom Bo-jin, who once had full use of his legs.

However, as his training progressed, his perspective changed.

The technique wasn’t merely about giving Yeom Bo-jin legs. Having a lower body that could focus solely on footwork without conscious effort was more extraordinary than he had imagined.

At some point, Hyun-gong’s thoughts shifted. Perhaps he could draw out something beyond the potential Yeom Bo-jin once possessed.

From his perch on Hyun-gong’s back, Yeom Bo-jin asked, “Are you afraid?”

Had anyone else asked, Hyun-gong would have spun a tale without hesitation. In the past, he often did so even with Yeom Bo-jin. But now, he answered honestly.

“I am afraid. When the leader’s blade flashes, I know my body won’t remain unscathed.”

Yeom Bo-jin’s sword was sharp, but so was the leader’s. If the leader attacked with the intent to sacrifice flesh to take bone, Hyun-gong would be in danger before Yeom Bo-jin.

Yeom Bo-jin asked again, “So, do you want to run away?”

“Yes. I want to run. I am someone who fears more for what I might gain than what I might lose.”

Those with nothing to lose fear nothing. But those with much to lose have many fears. Hyun-gong had more to lose than anyone.

Friends, honor, martial arts, power. Through a perilous journey, Hyun-gong had gained so much. Yet, just before he could comfortably enjoy the fruits of his labor, he found himself on the most treacherous battlefield.

Hyun-gong realized that his past complacency had sown seeds of fear within him.

Yeom Bo-jin asked one last time, “So, will you run?”

“Of course not. I am too greedy to run away.”

He was afraid. But Hyun-gong was too greedy to abandon everything. Besides, wasn’t there a chance of victory?

Yeom Bo-jin was pleased even with his disciple’s greedy nature. A true coward couldn’t transform greed into ambition and fighting spirit.

“Good. Very good. My beloved disciple, let’s go.”

“Just call me your legs, as you always have. What’s with the ‘beloved disciple’ nonsense…?”

Hyun-gong’s heart trembled with tension. So he took a deep breath. Hoo—

He then inhaled the air of the battlefield deeply into his lungs. The stale scent of fallen leaves, the mingled smell of blood, and the heat of human breath filled his chest. Now, his heart no longer trembled.

A voice in his head urged him to flee. Hyun-gong emptied his mind and opened his ears. He absorbed the cries of life and death around him. Now, the voice telling him to run was silent.

Hyun-gong reminded himself of his role. He didn’t need to kill the leader himself or save everyone.

“I have only one task.”

To bring the sharpest sword of the righteous martial world as close as possible to the enemy’s heart.

Hyun-gong and Yeom Bo-jin’s eyes shone brightly.

The two shouted in unison.

“Let’s go!” “Here we go!”

Hyun-gong lowered his stance, pushing off the ground with legs taut as if they might burst, and launched into a swift movement. Hyun-gong and Yeom Bo-jin advanced in a straight line toward the leader.

At that moment, four martial artists of the righteous faction stepped back, blocking the left and right guardians. The path to the leader was clear.

The leader’s eyes met those of Yeom Bo-jin and Hyun-gong. Though their swords hadn’t yet clashed, the leader’s gaze was visibly startled.

’…Of course. It’s only natural to be surprised.’

Hyun-gong’s once merely swift movement had transformed into the Hyuncheon Step of the Mudang Sect. His steps twisted intricately, creating the optimal movement for Yeom Bo-jin’s first strike. Finally, Hyun-gong slightly twisted his upper body to align with Yeom Bo-jin’s sword path, enhancing its power.

Hyun-gong stopped just a step and a half from the leader. It was a distance where their swords had to meet, and so they did.

The leader’s right arm blurred, and a flash of his sword descended upon Hyun-gong.

Yet, Hyun-gong didn’t close his eyes, staring intently at the leader’s sword path.

Clang!

The leader’s sword, filled with immense internal energy and a domineering aura, clashed with Yeom Bo-jin’s sword, which, though lacking in internal energy, was sharp enough to cut through flesh. The two swords intertwined.

Taiji Sword, Chaotic Wind Severing Technique.

Clang, clang~

In the blink of an eye, their swords met and parted several times. Hyun-gong, reading Yeom Bo-jin’s intentions, stepped back half a step, then lunged forward, thrusting his upper body toward the leader.

Yeom Bo-jin matched this movement with his next technique.

Eight Trigrams Sword, White Lotus Amidst Rocks.

Yeom Bo-jin’s extended sword met the leader’s advancing blade. This time, neither sword broke through. The two swords crossed, forming an ‘X,’ scraping against each other as they spiraled downward. Sparks flew between the two blades.

”…!”

The leader’s expression showed surprise once more. Though the leader’s sword was undoubtedly a fine weapon, the sword Yeom Bo-jin wielded was the Songmun Ancient Sword.

The Songmun Ancient Sword smoothly penetrated the leader’s blade, shaving a thin layer off one side. It was a sight that even those who lived by the sword had never witnessed.

Hyun-gong, Yeom Bo-jin, and the leader all had the same thought.

’…This is unbelievable.’

The leader leaped back, but Hyun-gong was already poised, ready to spring forward with his upper body lowered.

Though the leader’s movement skills surpassed Hyun-gong’s, he couldn’t easily shake off someone focused solely on movement and footwork. Especially since the leader was retreating.

Before the leader’s feet touched the ground again, Yeom Bo-jin’s sword, swift as a beam of light, clashed twice with the leader’s blade, ringing out with metallic echoes.

Laughter erupted from behind Hyun-gong.

“Haha, hahaha!”

Yeom Bo-jin seemed genuinely exhilarated.

In terms of overall martial understanding, internal energy, the sophistication of techniques, and the variety of skills mastered, the leader was ahead. Neither Yeom Bo-jin nor Hyun-gong could deny this.

But one thing was certain.

‘Though a few steps behind in the breadth of martial knowledge, the sharpness of his technique is a step ahead.’

Yeom Bo-jin’s sword was that sharp. Unlike the leader, who had mastered a wide array of techniques, Yeom Bo-jin had devoted his entire life to the sword of the Mudang Sect.

The leader realized it too. Without risking injury, he couldn’t disarm Yeom Bo-jin. The sharpness of that sword made it impossible to recklessly target Yeom Bo-jin. This was the most perfect defense Yeom Bo-jin had pursued all his life.

The sharpness of Yeom Bo-jin’s sword ensnared the leader. The leader’s actions slowed, and a slow sword was caught by a fast one, a dull blade couldn’t overcome a sharp one.

To make matters worse, many of the leader’s numerous skills were ineffective against Hyun-gong. Techniques that could bring others to their knees with mere steps couldn’t threaten Hyun-gong.

Of course, the leader wasn’t entirely on the defensive. He cleverly manipulated his internal energy while receiving Yeom Bo-jin’s powerful strikes.

Yeom Bo-jin’s sword and the leader’s blade met. Normally, two swords would stop upon contact, but strangely, Yeom Bo-jin’s extended sword suddenly changed direction, shooting upward against his will.

Then, the leader’s left index finger pointed at Hyun-gong.

”…!”

Yeom Bo-jin’s arm muscles tensed. Simultaneously, his eyes followed the leader’s finger to Hyun-gong’s forehead. Yeom Bo-jin roughly pulled down his sword, using the flat of the blade to shield Hyun-gong’s brow.

Thud!

A wave of energy was blocked by the flat of the Songmun Ancient Sword.

Thud, thud, thud!

Three more waves followed in quick succession.

Hyun-gong’s shoulder, Yeom Bo-jin’s neck, Hyun-gong’s right eye. Yeom Bo-jin twisted his sword to block each wave.

A cold sweat trickled down Hyun-gong’s back. If Youngbo Jin-in had reacted even a moment too late, or if he had misjudged the cult leader’s target, they would have faced death or severe injury.

“Impressive,” the cult leader murmured, though Youngbo Jin-in was far from relaxed. The invisible energy waves emanating from the cult leader’s fingers were erratic, and the way they manipulated the force within the sword was even more troubling. How could the power within a sword change direction so unpredictably?

“The boundless technique of Pasa, as Sam Anbon described it,” Youngbo Jin-in thought, recalling the tales Sam Anbon had shared about his encounter with the cult leader eight years ago. Despite unleashing his full strength with the Arhat Divine Fist, the cult leader’s technique had turned the power back on him.

Youngbo Jin-in hesitated, unable to recklessly extend his sword.

“This is dangerous,” he realized. A sword isn’t wielded by arm strength alone. It requires the full weight of the body, both upper and lower, and the internal energy of a martial artist amplifies the power within the blade. If the cult leader could freely redirect such immense force, neither Youngbo Jin-in nor Hyun-gong would be able to maintain their balance. Losing balance in a fight could mean death, especially when they couldn’t quickly recover from a fall.

“We need help,” Hyun-gong thought, scanning the surroundings.

But the four top masters of the righteous sect were already engaged, held back by the two protectors of the cult. The Great Protector skillfully wielded a saber against Sam Abbul and Hapryeokseung, while the Left Protector, bloodied but relentless, held off Namgung Myung and Namgung Jincheon with a long, thin sword.

“This is going to be tough,” Hyun-gong realized. There was no immediate support to rely on.

Youngbo Jin-in whispered to Hyun-gong, “I’ll try to evade the Boundless Technique.”

“Can you do it?”

“I’ll manage. It might take a bit of luck, but what other choice do we have?”

“True enough,” Hyun-gong agreed, lowering his stance and focusing on the cult leader. The cult leader, too, took a deep breath, aiming his sword at Youngbo Jin-in and Hyun-gong. Both sides knew that the outcome hinged on the Boundless Technique.

“It’s a gamble,” Hyun-gong thought. “Two moves, maybe just one, will decide the winner.”

Hyun-gong positioned himself to support Youngbo Jin-in’s swordplay, his movements stretching like a shadow around the cult leader.

As the distance closed to a step and a half, the cult leader and Youngbo Jin-in’s swords clashed with a sharp clang.

Before the metallic sound faded, the force within Youngbo Jin-in’s sword veered off course, attempting to drive the blade into the ground.

“Now!” Youngbo Jin-in’s extraordinary focus allowed him to almost perfectly catch the moment the force shifted. He immediately braced the back of the sword’s hilt with his left palm, pushing it with raw strength. It was a risky maneuver, but he succeeded in redirecting the sword’s path.

Though he couldn’t completely reverse the force to target the cult leader’s heart or head, the sword, initially plunging toward the ground, now aimed for the cult leader’s left thigh.

All of this happened in an instant. The cult leader’s eyes widened, caught off guard by Youngbo Jin-in’s unexpected response.

Youngbo Jin-in felt the sharp blade pierce flesh through his fingertips. The sword sliced through the outer side of the cult leader’s left thigh, leaving a wound as deep as two finger joints.

“Ugh!” The cult leader groaned, Youngbo Jin-in’s gamble paying off.

The redirected force, Youngbo Jin-in’s near-miraculous reaction speed, and his flawless counterattack had worked. The cult leader’s thigh was quickly soaked in blood. Though it was unfortunate the blade hadn’t struck the inner thigh, the injury would give them an advantage in the ongoing battle.

Just as Youngbo Jin-in thought this, the cult leader made his own gamble. Raising his sword, he pointed with both index fingers at Youngbo Jin-in’s head and Hyun-gong’s heart.

Until now, the cult leader had never used his left hand to release energy waves while wielding a sword with his right. It was a seemingly simple move, but it required immense concentration, meaning one hand was likely to falter.

Youngbo Jin-in now faced a choice: defend his own head or shield Hyun-gong’s heart.

Hyun-gong had faced a similar situation before, during a battle with the North Sea Ice Palace Lord. Despite knowing it was a trap, he had thrown himself in front of Seolhwa. He understood this was a matter beyond reason.

A foreboding instinct, almost a certainty, gripped him.

“Master!” Hyun-gong shouted, twisting his body in a desperate attempt to evade. But the cult leader’s left hand remained steady, aiming for Hyun-gong’s heart.

In the next moment, Hyun-gong’s vision was obscured by a swirling pattern.

He recognized it immediately—the pattern engraved on the blade of the Songmun Ancient Sword.

The sword, descending from above, momentarily blocked Hyun-gong’s view before stopping in front of his heart.

The master and disciple were remarkably alike. Just as the disciple had done, the master made a foolish choice.

Youngbo Jin-in murmured in a hollow voice, “I know. I know all too well. And yet…”

Even as he spoke, Youngbo Jin-in’s sword remained motionless in front of Hyun-gong’s heart.

Whoosh.

A sharp energy wave shot past, grazing the top of Hyun-gong’s head.