Hwiiiiing.
Snow poured in, riding the wind through the hole in the wall. Cheong-sal and the martial artists of the Mount Hua Sect vanished in an instant into the pale, blizzard-swept landscape. The inn was silent.
Everyone was speechless, savoring the lingering aftermath of the tremendous battle they had left behind. No one would pass up watching a fight, but for martial artists, a bloody battle between masters was more than just a spectacle.
It broadens one's horizons, provides stimulation, and can sometimes be the catalyst for a breakthrough in martial arts that had long been stagnant. Though the situation was unexpected, witnessing the secret arts of absolute masters was undoubtedly a stroke of luck. Of course, this didn't apply to those who weren't martial artists.
Such was the case for the boatman, Jang Tae, who had likely held ropes and brooms far more than a sword.
“What in the world just happened?”
Looking at Jang Tae's dazed, half-stunned face, I suddenly became curious.
“What do you think happened?”
“Something suddenly flashed and glittered, then there was a crash and a roar, and it seemed like everyone rushed out… Is that not it?”
Jang Tae hadn't been able to make out a single detail of the two masters' clash. It wasn't surprising. To ordinary people, that's exactly how it would have looked.
Even though I had enhanced my vision using inner energy, I couldn't properly follow their movements. Their forms appeared distorted, leaving blurry afterimages. Swinging forms blurred into lines, and thrusting forms flickered like points of light.
It was so fierce it made one's jaw drop, but looking back, the entire exchange took place in the short time it took to take about fifteen or sixteen breaths.
“How can a person be that fast? They’re not some demon wearing human skin, are they?”
Jang Tae shook his head as if he were utterly appalled. A demon wearing human skin… Then again, when I first saw Do Gwang-il use his inner energy, I also wondered if he was even human.
Tang Hye-seo was also lost in deep thought. Although she primarily used poison and hidden weapons rather than a sword, the shock from the masters' battle just now seemed to be considerable. Even Gwang-hyo, who possessed martial ability that was no less than theirs, didn't move a muscle.
“Hey, over there! Untie this, quickly!”
I furrowed my brow at the grating, hoarse voice and turned my head. A man who had fallen near the hearth was wriggling, trying to free his bound hands. He hadn't said a word until now, so I thought he was a mute, but his mouth was perfectly fine.
“Don't just stand there, bring a knife! Untie this!”
Perhaps thinking this was the perfect chance to escape, the man was in a great hurry. He didn't dare provoke us, instead pestering the easy-going innkeeper. The innkeeper, who had been standing in front of the kitchen, slowly began to walk.
As he approached the hearth, the man held up his bound hands. The innkeeper walked right past the man.
“Hey? Where are you going?”
The innkeeper examined the hole-ridden wall through which snow and cold air were flowing, then rolled over an overturned, empty table. He covered the hole with the table and propped a chair against it to secure it firmly to the wall. Dusting off his hands, the innkeeper turned and looked our way.
“What would you like for your meal?”
I couldn't tell if he was audacious or had simply given up. At the innkeeper's unusual demeanor, Gwang-hyo quietly opened his mouth.
“What food is available?”
“Only somen noodles and eight-treasure soup.”
“That will be all for now. We’ll call if we need anything.”
“As you wish.”
The innkeeper headed straight for the second floor, seemingly to check the rooms where we would be staying.
“Hey! Where are you going! I said untie me! You son of a bitch. Just wait until I get these ropes off.”
The man ground his teeth and turned his head.
“Hey, great heroes over there, please help me!”
I slowly studied the man's face.
“Who are you? How did you end up getting kidnapped by a Demonic Sect warrior?”
“Demonic Sect? What are you talking about? That bastard from before… was a Demonic Sect warrior?”
The man, who had been tilting his head, widened his eyes. He was so surprised that he forgot about untying the ropes and simply blinked, dumbfounded. Suddenly, it occurred to me that we shouldn't be standing around like this either.
Regardless of who won between Cheong-sal and the Mount Hua Sect martial artists, they would come back for that man. Cheong-sal has no connection to us, so he might just let it slide. The Mount Hua Sect is different.
Gwang-hyo said he had a bad history with that Plum Blossom Swordsman. Judging solely by the battle just now, the winner was probably the Mount Hua Sect.
“Great Monk, if the Plum Blossom Swordsman returns, won't there be trouble?”
When Gwang-hyo couldn't answer easily, Tang Hye-seo tilted her head with a strange expression.
“Surely not… The Mount Hua Sect is one of the Nine Great Sects. They wouldn't want to become enemies with Shaolin.”
Even to the daughter of the Tang Clan, a place more thorough about grudges and favors than anywhere else in the Central Plains martial world, it made no sense. But Gwang-hyo remained silent. He just stared at the closed door before returning to his seat.
About a quarter of an hour later, the Plum Blossom Swordsman and his companions returned to the inn. All three were empty-handed, but their relieved expressions suggested they had killed Cheong-sal. The Plum Blossom Swordsman brushed the snow from his head and stared at Gwang-hyo.
“Great Monk Gwang-hyo. It has been a long time.”
Gwang-hyo, still seated, met the Plum Blossom Swordsman's gaze.
“You offered no greeting, so I thought you didn't recognize me. Was that not the case?”
“I may forget the face of a senior martial brother who passed on before me, but how could I forget the Great Monk? Do you remember the promise from that time?”
“I remember. Do you intend to settle it now?”
Gwang-hyo placed his hand on the Buddhist saber resting on the table. The Plum Blossom Swordsman also reached his left hand to his waist and grasped his scabbard. Neither of them had even started to draw upon their inner energy, yet the mere aura they exuded made the surrounding air tense and sharp.
Everyone held their breath, watching the hair-trigger tension. It was a precarious situation, as if a bloody battle that could blow the inn apart was about to erupt at any moment. The firewood burning in the hearth made a dry, crackling sound.
The Plum Blossom Swordsman glanced at the hearth and removed his hand from his scabbard.
“Let’s do this next time. Official business comes first.”
“Did you bring the coachman?”
The Plum Blossom Swordsman turned his head and gestured with his hand. One of the Mount Hua Sect martial artists went outside and returned with Jeon-sang, the coachman from the Black Night Gang. As the bound coachman was placed on the floor, Jang Tae cautiously approached.
“Brother, are you alright?”
“Ughhh… Hurry up and untie this.”
As expected, it seemed the Mount Hua Sect martial artists had captured the coachman before they attacked the inn. The Plum Blossom Swordsman lifted the man still lying by the hearth like a sack of luggage, slung him over his shoulder, and went up to the second floor. The other two Mount Hua Sect martial artists followed him.
None of the three showed any courtesy to the great senior, Gwang-hyo. They didn't even look at Tang Hye-seo and me to exchange names. Although they wore the robes of the Mount Hua Sect, their words and actions didn't seem particularly like those of righteous sect martial artists.
The storm had weakened slightly, but it was still snowing outside. It was impossible to find another inn now. Though I was reluctant, I went up to a room on the second floor before dusk.
Gwang-hyo led the way, preparing for a surprise attack, though it was unlikely to happen. Fortunately, the second floor was spacious with plenty of rooms. The Mount Hua Sect martial artists were also quiet.
We each took the dry rations, jerky, and grain-abstinence pills provided by the Black Night Gang, along with a small iron brazier, and went into our respective rooms. After locking the door and lying down on the bed, the Plum Blossom Swordsman's final form vividly came back to me.
A flower of light, created from the afterimages of his spinning sword. Could that be the famous plum blossom of Mount Hua… It was a secret art as intense and shocking as when I first saw Do Gwang-il's Body-Flickering Technique.
Even after raising my inner energy to the level of five silk threads to enhance my vision, I couldn't understand what had happened. It felt like they clashed once, but the sound of metal rang out multiple times, which meant I had missed the sword's movements.
It was probably due to the difference in the density and depth of our inner energy. I thought that just by learning inner energy, I could become an absolute master, but beyond that, there was yet another realm. It was one mountain after another.
What would have happened if I had fought Cheong-sal or the Plum Blossom Swordsman just now? How many exchanges could I have lasted? What Gwang-hyo said, that we were no match for them and should step back, was by no means an empty boast.
Will I ever be able to reach such a realm one day… As I closed my eyes and replayed the scene once more, I sensed a presence outside. I quietly got up and grabbed my long blade.
“Are you in there?”
It was Gwang-hyo.
“What is it?”
“I have something to say. Come to my room for a moment.”
When I opened the door, Gwang-hyo was alone in the hallway. I looked around before heading to his room. Gwang-hyo served me warm tea and brought up the very thing I had wanted to ask about.
“What are your thoughts on seeing the Plum Blossom Sword?”
“Was that the Plum Blossom Sword Technique just now?”
“It is the Twenty-four Forms Plum Blossom Sword Technique.”
The unique secret art of the Mount Hua Sect. A legendary secret art said to make plum blossoms bloom from the tip of the sword upon reaching a certain realm, and to spread the scent of plum blossoms far and wide upon reaching the ultimate state. Honestly, I thought it was just drunken nonsense.
When you get beaten up badly, you see stars before your eyes, and when your nose bleeds, you smell the fishy scent of blood. I thought it was something like that, but after seeing him create flower petals from the afterimages of his sword with my own eyes, I had no choice but to believe it.
“Do you know which of the Nine Great Sects invested in the Black Night Gang and became its backer?”
“I do not.”
I had only heard that they were sworn enemies with the Kongtong Sect, but both Bok Ha-gyu and Jeok Chu-yeong were reluctant to mention which sect it was.
“The Mount Hua Sect.”
I put down my teacup and carefully observed Gwang-hyo's expression.
“What is your intention in telling me this?”
“If the Plum Blossom Swordsman finds out I'm involved with the Black Night Gang, it will bring harm to Master Jeok. So, continue to keep it a secret. It won't do you any good if the Western Village becomes tumultuous.”
Is that why Gwang-hyo always wore a long robe and a straw hat instead of his monk robes whenever he went to the Black Night Gang?
“Is the bad blood between you that deep?”
Gwang-hyo didn't answer. As if that was all he had to say, he just drank his tea.
“What was the name of that Plum Blossom Swordsman from before?”
“Cold Iron Sword, Hu Il-hyeong.”
“I've never heard of him.”
“That's to be expected. Plum Blossom Swordsmen rarely use their titles or names. Only those in the know are aware of them.”
I didn't understand what he meant.
“I heard that the Plum Blossom Swordsmen are an elite group of only three within the Mount Hua Sect. How can the name of such an absolute master not be widely known?”
With martial ability that strong, it's impossible for his fame not to be widespread. He's not some nobody, but a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects. Gwang-hyo continued his explanation calmly, as if it were a matter of course.
“Plum Blossom Swordsmen are originally such beings. They are the swords of Mount Hua who bloody their hands doing the dirty work for their school. Their hands are never free of blood their entire lives. Even if you ask for their names, they will put the title of Plum Blossom Swordsman first. They often handle messy affairs in the shadows. They are, by nature, swordsmen raised for that purpose.”
It felt somewhat absurd and extremely unsettling. To call the most elite swordsman of the Mount Hua Sect a mere swordsman…
“Among the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, only two or three out of ten live past the age of forty. Most die before then, fighting recklessly without regard for their own bodies. Even if they manage to survive, they spend the rest of their lives quietly training the next generation and are never given important positions in the Mount Hua Sect.”
“With that level of martial ability, couldn't they become an Elder or even the Sect Leader of Mount Hua?”
Gwang-hyo's gaze and expression turned cold.
“What do you think is the greatest ability a sect leader of one of the Nine Great Sects must possess?”
“I suppose… their martial ability must be strong?”
Gwang-hyo shook his head.
“Plum Blossom Swordsmen are sword fiends who, from a young age, are cooped up in the mountains, doing nothing but swinging their swords until they come of age.”
“Aren't all the Nine Great Sects located in the mountains?”
“The training method for Plum Blossom Swordsmen is a bit more severe. Other places are not much different. Every sect has such shadows.”
Gwang-hyo's eyes deepened sorrowfully, as if peering into darkness.
“They know how to swiftly slice an enemy's throat, but they don't know how to understand another's heart. They prefer to see blood flow freely rather than live among strangers. They are proud, single-minded swordsmen who have lived their entire lives with the attitude of never bowing their heads, even if it means having their own throats cut.”
Listening to him, I was strangely reminded of the assassins from the guild of assassins.
“What do you think would happen if such obstinate men became the leader of an organization where the interests of countless people are intertwined?”
The dark path factions actually operated in that way. The strongest one became the master, and the rest obeyed him from below. Then, when the master grew weak, they would slowly raise their heads and draw their swords.
Just like Seon Do-mu and Im Ja-gyeon did at the Black Night Gang. The Nine Great Sects were not that simple. They had to care about reputation, face, and the greater cause, but the enemies they had to face were too powerful.
“If the imperial court and the royal family summoned them, would they be able to rush over and bow their heads to men who have never held a sword in their lives? Could they maintain a smiling face, trying not to offend a nagging eunuch who picks at them with taunts?”
After drinking the tea as if it were liquor, Gwang-hyo continued as if lamenting.
“The leader's back must be flexible for the school to be preserved for a long time. It’s not only the barbarians who can burn down Shaolin and turn Wudang to ashes. This is a world where clever words and a pleasing façade, and honeyed words hiding a dagger, become life-saving techniques, rather than the exhilarating divine arts of a world-shaking art…”
Gwang-hyo's voice, which usually showed little emotion, scattered bitterly and emptily. Suddenly, I thought I understood why he had left Shaolin and stayed in the Western Village for years. It probably wasn't just because of his cherished disciple Jeok Chu-yeong's Hidden Force.
Gwang-hyo didn't say, and I couldn't dare to ask, but it seemed that Shaolin probably operated in much the same way. The next morning, the snow thankfully stopped. As soon as the day broke, the Mount Hua Sect martial artists loaded the bound man onto a horse and left the inn immediately.
Looking out the window, I saw they were heading north, toward Shaanxi. It seemed they were returning to the Mount Hua Sect. About two hours later, we also departed in our carriage.
The sunlight was unseasonably warm for winter, and the snow piled on the main road crumbled easily under the horses' hooves and the carriage wheels. Our pace was a bit slow, but it was manageable enough to move forward. The carriage traveled north toward Shaanxi without stopping.