Chapter 51: The Plum Blossom Sword Dragon (1)
The Namgung Clan, regarded as the pillar of the Orthodox Factions, is renowned for its mastery in swordsmanship.
True to its name, this clan specializes in achieving the pinnacle of sword art.
Endlessly training their bodies to encapsulate all their insights into a single sword.
It is a place where one seeks to reach the unparalleled realm as a sword wielder, continuously honing their skills without cease.
That was the meaning carried by a sword master.
The seasonal techniques and representative sword styles used by the Namgung clan, such as the Emperor’s Sword Form and the Changgong Muae Sword, serve as evidence of their prowess.
Until the appearance of the Sword Emperor, it was a clan that always held the title of the World’s Best Sword.
However, by now, their status seemed to be somewhat shaky.
The title of the World’s Best Sword was currently held by the Sword Emperor, Wi Hyogun.
Conversely, the Heavenly Venerable, Namgung Jeolcheon, had acquired the pretentious title of ‘Heaven,’ which was not what he had yearned for.
He wished to walk among the heavens as a sword bearer, but that title was now claimed by Wi Hyogun. Hence, the meaning of being the Heavenly Venerable had diminished.
Moreover, it was also regarding Namgung Cheonjun, who was said to represent the prodigies of this generation, receiving the nickname ‘Lightning Dragon.’
While it was true that Namgung Cheonjun was an exceptional prodigy, he was by no means the best.
The true superior was unquestionably Gu Huibi.
To add to the irony, even the name ‘Sword Dragon’ was one that Namgung Cheonjun could not claim.
He was simply referred to as the ‘Lightning Dragon’ due to the element he utilized, but as a member of a sword clan, he ultimately lacked the title of Sword Dragon.
As a result, Namgung Cheonjun shed tears of blood in frustration, yet the outcome remained unchanged.
This generation’s Sword Dragon did not belong to Namgung but rather to Mount Hua.
The Plum Blossom Sword Dragon of Mount Hua.
The youngest swordsman of Mount Hua, who would later be known as the Plum Blossom Sword Emperor, stood before me now.
This man was believed to possess boundless talent for the sword. He was a prodigious genius who had begun to make plums bloom at the tip of his blade at a remarkably young age, solidifying his position as a future powerhouse.
And there he was, standing right in front of me.
He appeared to be two or three years older than me, with his hair neatly tied back, presenting a tidy appearance.
His eyes had a somewhat innocent look, yet there was a strange firmness mixed in, giving him an impression of an attractive man.
“Young Master.”
The Sword Dragon asked me a question.
“How is it that I can feel the aura of Mount Hua from you?”
In that moment, I realized something was terribly amiss.
The events trace back not too long ago.
It had been seven days since I reached the 4th realm of flame arts, and more than fifteen days since I set out for Mount Hua.
I vividly remember the manic tremor in Muyeon’s eyes when he saw me suddenly rise to the 4th rank in the morning.
Compared to before, I felt as though defeating someone like Namgung Cheonjun would be fairly easy now if we were to duel again.
Though, of course, it would be questionable if he had also continued to grow during that time.
If I were to assess my current skill level, I’d say I’ve reached the attainment of a competent late-blooming prodigy—up to that position at least.
At my current age, it would have seemed like a tremendous achievement from Muyeon’s perspective.
The reality, however, was enshrouded by unexpected fortunes and unconventional means, and I was merely a mixed bag.
Regardless of that, one thing remained unchanged: I had ascended to the 4th realm.
The process of absorbing the heat and explosively enhancing my physical abilities had also become feasible without excessive strain on my body.
I guess it was similar to consuming an oversized meal; it was still bound to be hard to sustain for an extended period.
Hihiheng—!
Boom—!
A demon howled as it tumbled down.
Its hefty body crashed to the ground, sending a cloud of dust flying.
I glanced down at the fallen creature—definitely a demon that resembled a horse.
I think I recalled its name being Green Fighting Horse or something along those lines.
“This thing just popped up out of nowhere and startled me.”
– Blaze!
Once the battle concluded, I retracted the Qi enveloping me.
The reason I randomly took down a demon was due to a sudden appearance of a demon gate while I was wandering.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to test out my newly acquired strength at the 4th realm, I took the plunge and engaged in battle head-on.
Muyeon did not intervene either as he could sense the new level of power I had acquired.
Comparing it to when I fought demons previously, there was certainly a noticeable difference.
The impact of the heat on my body had drastically reduced, and with an increase in my internal power came greater destruction potency and speed.
I was, without a doubt, inching my way into the realm of first-rate martial artists.
Considering my young age, that was exceptionally rapid progress.
To draw a comparison, Gu Huibi had reached the 4th realm at seventeen.
She was hailed as the pinnacle of the Gu Clan throughout history; hence, returning home, I anticipated receiving significant attention.
“I’d probably catch the keenest gaze from the Second Elder.”
He would likely charge at me with a grin resembling that of a monstrous creature.
On the other hand, I assumed the First Elder would not be too thrilled about this.
Since the friction regarding Gu Jeolyub, he had refrained from showing any movement, yet I suspected he was concocting something behind the curtain.
Although this speculation did not point to a favorable direction, it was all too possible.
“If only he’d just sit tight and do nothing.”
It was my desire for him not to unveil his ambitions and merely maintain the state of his position.
It seemed bothersome to deal with an old wolf revealing its fangs unnecessarily.
“Yet, if he dares to show them, I’ll have to yank them all out.”
“What did you just say, Young Master?”
“Nothing of consequence. I just have a cavity in my tooth, but since it doesn’t hurt yet, I didn’t bother having it pulled.”
“A cavity?”
“Yes. I sincerely hope it remains painless; otherwise, I’ll have to deal with it once the pain kicks in.”
Leaving it unattended could lead to rot, so a removal would be necessary.
“Investigation is complete!”
One of the escorts called out.
I queried Muyeon with a bored expression.
“What do we do with the bones and hide?”
“We’ll probably salvage a portion of them, but most will have to be left behind.”
“What a bummer.”
Demon skins and bones can fetch a decent price.
Their hides are much tougher and stronger than regular animal skins, making them useful in various realms, and some unique demon hides could even serve as materials for spirit pills.
Even though classified as low-tier green-grade demons, it was still a form of currency—thus, a tad disappointing.
“We still haven’t even completed half the journey…”
It felt like we had been traveling for ages, yet the distance still stretched ahead of us.
At this point, I bitterly reflected on how foolish I must look for engaging in this trip after being lured in by the Heavenly Pill.
“Nah, given it’s the Heavenly Pill… yeah, this is worth it for the Heavenly Pill.”
That continued to be my mantra as I moved through each day.
Long-distance travels simply did not suit me.
After leaning back in the carriage to start again, Wi Seol-Ah next to me began sniffing me.
Huh, has she turned into a dog…
I flicked her forehead in response to her odd behavior.
“Ow!”
Wi Seol-Ah let out a brief scream and stepped back.
That was when it struck me; the Sword Emperor was at the helm of this carriage.
I had just hit his granddaughter in front of him—instinct had led me to do it, but now I felt a cold sweat break out as goosebumps crawled up my arms.
I cautiously glanced at the Sword Emperor who seemed unfazed, still peering ahead as he rode along.
“…What’s the deal? Why are you suddenly sniffing me?”
I couldn’t question, “Why are you acting like a dog?” in front of the Sword Emperor, so I asked in the most polite manner I could muster.
Wi Seol-Ah rubbed her forehead before replying.
“I can smell the scent of flowers from Young Master.”
“What flower scent?”
“I’m not sure… but I can smell it!”
In retort to Wi Seol-Ah’s remark, I pointed towards the corner of the carriage.
“It must be coming from over there, not me.”
In that corner rested a small box which contained a treasured item I had been carrying around.
Since I had previously been holding it closely, the plum blossom fragrance had been quite potent, prompting me to place it in the box for easier storage.
Thanks to that, it was easier to manage without the scent or light leaking out everywhere.
Worry crept in as I frequently shifted my gaze towards the box, but that was in a good way.
It was better than risking absorbing some of the Qi from the treasure accidentally…
“…No, it definitely comes from the Young Master.”
I disregarded Wi Seol-Ah’s muttering.
Earlier, she had been talking to herself while clutching the box filled with treasure, leading me to think she was simply having an odd day.
What were her words again? “Hello, stranger Grandpa, who are you?” or something like that?
She seemed particularly fatigued today, so I figured it was best to leave her alone.
I was absolutely not frightened by her talking to herself.
‘Ghosts don’t exist in this world.’
Even after reviving through time, I held no belief in ghosts.
…Once again, I reiterate, it’s not that I’m scared…
A demonic being like me could never be afraid of ghosts.
Ignoring the inexplicable cold sweat trickling down my face, I closed my eyes.
I simply wished for us to reach Mount Hua as swiftly as possible.
‘What a grueling long-distance journey; I swear I won’t do this again.’
After this trip, I conjectured I’d remain cooped up in the clan for at least a year, dedicating myself strictly to business—this was my resolution.
The carriage continued on for quite a way.
I was partially dozing off at this point.
In a bid to make some progress before night fell, we pushed on without pause.
How long had we been traveling thus? Suddenly, the carriage jolted, coming to a stop.
The abrupt halt sent my body lurching forward.
“Whoa!”
Wi Seol-Ah stumbled, nearly tipping over.
With my senses still dulled by sleep, I instinctively enveloped Wi Seol-Ah in my Qi and shielded her with my arm, ensuring she wouldn’t be hurt.
It wasn’t a drastic fall, but better safe than sorry.
Fortunately, the only consequence was a slight mess to Wi Seol-Ah’s hair, and she appeared unharmed.
I promptly opened the door and stepped outside.
“What’s going on?”
My voice carried a hint of annoyance, quite unintentionally.
Being abruptly roused from sleep had that effect.
Stepping outside with a scowl, I spotted someone standing before the escorts.
“…Huh.”
My mouth went dry as I prepared to question the situation. The individual blocking the carriage appeared familiar.
A white outfit decorated with red plum embroidery.
And a sword at the hip, embellished with plum blossom motifs.
Martial artists wearing such clothing hailed exclusively from one place.
The location I had personally annihilated alongside the Heavenly Demon.
“I apologize for blocking your path; however, I have a curiosity I wish to inquire about.”
The young man spoke with a soothing tone.
His voice complemented his gentle appearance perfectly.
Both his features and voice were ones I recognized intimately.
It belonged to none other than the person I had directly executed by snapping his neck…
The last survivor of Mount Hua.
“I am Yung Pung of Mount Hua.”
He was the Plum Blossom Sword Emperor, or rather, currently, he was known as the Plum Blossom Sword Dragon.
“Is it acceptable for a martial artist from Mount Hua to engage in such perilous actions?”
Muyeon challenged Yung Pung.
Clearly, he hadn’t appeared out of thin air to block our path.
He should have been the one facing Yung Pung, being the leader, yet confusion had taken over, prompting Muyeon to step in.
Upon hearing Muyeon’s words, Yung Pung appeared troubled, continuously offering apologies.
“I’m truly sorry. I did not mean to obstruct your path in this manner, but I needed to step forward to verify something.”
“Verify what?”
“I wanted to ascertain whether one of our clan’s members was inside that carriage.”
The direction Yung Pung jutted his finger towards was indeed the carriage I occupied.
What does he mean by Mount Hua being in the carriage?
Everyone stood there, perplexed by the seemingly random declaration from Yung Pung.
“I felt a familiar aura from afar, which compelled me to verify, and luckily, it seems like there’s no issue after all.”
He let out a breath of relief, looking reassured.
“However, I still harbor questions. If there are no members of Mount Hua in that carriage…”
As Yung Pung spoke, a familiar scent wafted through the air.
It was the same plum blossom aroma I had grown weary of over the past ten days.
The fragrance felt alarmingly close.
In an instant, Yung Pung, who had been some distance away, appeared right in front of me.
“Young Master.”
Yung Pung’s voice was both gentle and solemn.
With that tone, my mind echoed the words I had once heard beneath the destruction of Mount Hua.
[What have we done wrong…!! Why are you doing this to us!!]
“How is it that I can sense the aura of Mount Hua from you?”
At Yung Pung’s question, my heart raced.
Then I thought to myself.
Oh no, this truly is…
[I’m screwed.]
I’m really screwed…
“Uh…?”
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.