Chapter v8c1

Young warriors and emerging masters,

If they are late stage practitioners, they fire up their eyes

And approach with a determination to make amends,

This is the Hwasan Gyuyak Jihoe (Mount Hua covenant Assembly)

Commonly referred to as the Hwasan Jihoe (Mount Hua Assembly)

a competition That takes place once every five years, a grand battle among battles

To compete for supremacy in both righteousness and villainy,

It can be called the most fitting event for being the largest in the Murim.

Remembrance Ceremony

The incense carries the soul in the smoke and flies away in the wind. On the crimson altar of offerings

The incense stuck in the bronze censer burns itself

And turns into smoke, rising to the sky with the wind.

Within the quietly burning incense smoke, many people’s earnest wishes are contained. A fervent hope that the smoke carrying the scent of burning incense will safely carry the souls of the deceased to their resting place!

Incense, imbued with thousands of wishes, sacrifices its own life to carry the souls of twenty individuals. Outside the Memorial Hall , where the altar to comfort the souls of the fallen warriors is located, hundreds of martial artists were lined up in rows and columns. The hundreds of warriors, all dressed in white as pure as the first snow, were commemorating the spirits of their fallen comrades. Their appearance was so solemn that it felt majestic. No one dared to laugh or chat idly. They all watched the inside of the the Memorial Hall without moving, their eyes blazing. The warriors, looking at the twenty spirit tablets placed on the altar, were suppressing their burning anger within their hearts, their eyes shining brightly.

Like any other remembrance ceremony, the overall atmosphere enveloping the ceremony is usually gloomy and dark. However, this place had a distinctly different atmosphere from other funeral halls. The air surrounding the practice field was tense like a drawn bowstring, and that tension contained a cold murderous intent that could chill one’s heart. The oppressive atmosphere weighing down on people’s shoulders was unbearably heavy.

This was no ordinary mourning hall by any means. Typically, one wouldn’t expect mourners to carry weapons of war, like the bodyguard’s halberd, while grieving in a funeral hall. Yet, here, every single one of them was armed, their weapons reflecting the chilling atmosphere.

“Argh, these bastards…”

Inside the the Memorial Hall, an elder who was standing behind the presiding elder clenched his fist and trembled, letting out a low groan of anger. It was the old master Unhae Muyong, who usually taught the art of stealth and infiltration. Seeing the corpses of the warriors he had trained, he felt as if his own children had been struck by the sword of evil and returned cold and lifeless, causing the blood of the old master to boil.

His anger rose to the point of making the passage of time seem insignificant.

“Is this the plight after thirty years..”

Next to the overwhelmed Muyong, another old man with a white beard reaching down to his chest also let out a soft sigh. He kept stroking his beard, which seemed to be his way of controlling his murderous intent and anger.

“For thirty years, there has been no such incident… Who dares to commit such a fearless act against our Cheonmu Academy? To say that everyone was massacred… It’s just too unreal to believe…”

Swordmaster Seong Ju, who had spent half his life teaching swordsmanship at Cheonmu Academy, burst out with a deep sigh filled with profound sorrow.

Behind the twenty spirit tablets, twenty coffins were placed, all but one of which were empty, without even a body inside. Except for one person, not even the bodies could be found. The martial artists might have been even more agitated by the devastating reality that they couldn’t even collect the bodies of their disciples. They were now angry at themselves for not being able to at least retrieve the bodies intact.

The overall atmosphere of the remembrance ceremony was only harsh.

The face of Cheol gwon Ma Jin ga, the head of Cheonmu Academy who was presiding over the ceremony, was noticeably hardened. The fact that he could contain the lava like boiling anger inside him without expressing it was thanks to his immense patience. Despite the surge of anger, he could not directly express it, considering his position. His lofty status in the Murim made him a person who could not freely express his emotions.

Having a high position does not mean one can freely express their emotions. It is a great misconception to think that a high position gives one the right to do so. Those with higher status than others must know how to control their emotions and be cautious.

Because the influence he has on those around him is so great, his emotional changes can sway the emotions of those around him. A minor action or word can become a public outrage in the Murim, and that risk is always lurking.

He was not so incompetent as to be unaware of that. Therefore, he was now quietly, yet more strongly than anyone else Suppressing his anger deep within,

Even though the relationship with the Dark sect has been poor recently, after the Heavenly Tribulation Bloodbath a hundred years ago, the dark and light factions have maintained a relationship where, despite grinding their teeth in private, they have outwardly kept up a cold and hypocritical smile.

For nearly a hundred years, a cold war system was maintained, allowing for the passage of time without major incidents, which is why the annihilation of a single unit was such a tremendous event.

A peace that forced a bloodless facade and a strained smile amidst the chilling tension of duplicity has continued for nearly a hundred years. Of course, it cannot be said that there were no small or large incidents that brought a storm of blood to the Murim, but there was never a direct confrontation between the two sects. If we were to nitpick every minor incident, then the recent peace could be said to have lasted for the past thirty years.

Grinding their teeth, trembling with rage, and sharpening their swords in private, yet outwardly all smiles… The two sects have been acting out a false peace. But even a false peace is a thousand times better than a bloody and brutal reality, so everyone kept their mouths shut.

Everyone has turned a blind eye to the embers smoldering within. A spring compressed by force will eventually bounce back with even greater force! Perhaps the Murim is now experiencing that backlash.

In the past thirty years, not even the minor factions, let alone a direct unit of cheonmu Academy, have been hit. A sanctuary that not even the most radical extremists with psychological trauma would dare touch! That was cheonmu Academy.

Its pride has been wounded again after thirty years.

Honestly, Ma Jin ga was at a loss for what action to take.

The anger of the people of Cheonmu Academy was piercing the heavens, but they could not directly protest to Dark Heaven Alliance. It was not a lack of courage. It was not a disadvantage in power. Because symbolically, an event no less significant than this had also occurred at Dark Heaven Alliance, the pillar of the Dark sect.

The apple of the heuk do wa’s (Dark sect) God! The eldest grandson Gal Hyobong of the pae cheon do ( heavnly demonic lord ) Gal Jung hyeok, the wielder of hyeolryu do (Blood Flowing Blade)

The fact that Cheonmu Academy was involved in this could not be overlooked. Even if they claimed innocence and cried out against the false accusations, without evidence, the situation was turning against them. It was maddening for those being targeted.

They wanted to end it cleanly without any aftermath, but the grudges were already tangled like a spider’s web, making it nearly impossible. If things got more entangled from here, it was clear as day that a storm of blood would sweep through the Murim once again.

As if unaware of Ma Jin ga’s burning heart, only the harsh sound of the scripture reading echoed solemnly within the ceremonial hall.

Ma Jin ga looked around with a heavy heart full of turmoil. As expected, the faces of the leaders were far more serious than those of the disciples lined up in the practice field.

Although no one spoke directly, it was evident that everyone was deeply contemplating how to handle this grave and tremendous situation.

It was not a situation where anyone could carelessly speak to each other. They did not want to see innocent blood spilled in case of an unexpected explosion.

As the Wudang faction’s presiding elder Unheo Jin in recited the scriptures and led the ceremony, the clear sound of the scriptures carried on the wind throughout the practice field.

Unheo Jin in continued the remembrance ceremony, undeterred by the heavy atmosphere, as he had a grave duty to proceed to the next order.

As the chant for comforting the spirits added to the somber mood, the air in the hall became even heavier.

“Comfort the spirits!”

As the presiding elder Unheo Jin in announced the next part of the ceremony, a dozen musicians carrying various instruments such as the zither, xiao, and flute entered. The remembrance Hall was spacious enough to accommodate the mixed gender group of musicians, who formed a circle as they took their places, inevitably leaving a round space in the center.

Chirring! Chirring!

The clear sound of bells!

All eyes turned to one place.

A woman wrapped in elegant and colorful silk brocade, adorned with various gold and silver ornaments, stepped forward. A necklace decorated with colorful gems hung around her neck, and golden bracelets with silver bells were fastened to her slender, milky wrists and ankles. Her appearance was so beautiful and mystical that it almost seemed like a celestial fairy had descended to the mortal world.

A silence so profound that it felt cold enveloped the hall. Everyone was speechless, gazing intently at her graceful beauty. Pure and radiant glow, noble dignity, dazzling presence, and skin as white as frosty jade. A brilliance so dazzling it could blind, a beauty of the heavens!

She was none other than Na Yerin.

“Wow!”

People’s mouths fell open. Sincere exclamations burst forth from their agape lips.

Even in the plainest martial attire prioritizing functionality, her beauty could not be hidden. It was an impossible task. And now, adorned with the finest silk, craftsmanship, and jewelry, her beauty transcended worldly standards. It was only natural that people were captivated and lost their souls to it.

Her attire was too glamorous for the remembrance ceremony, but no one expressed dissatisfaction. They all knew well that this was also an integral part of the ceremony. Far from discontent, they were rather ecstatic. Even though they could not show it outwardly during the ceremony, they were radiating enthusiasm within.

With light and graceful steps, the people in the hall were captivated by her sorrowful beauty, simply watching her.

Jin hon geom mu (remembrance ceremony sword dance)

A dance with a sword to comfort the spirits of the dead warriors!

Chyararararang!

With a clear and distinct sound of the sword, her beloved jade sword was drawn from its sheath. The milky blade, filled with a chillingly dazzling aura, shone brilliantly as it shattered the sunlight.

“Chang Chang!”

Then the musicians began to play.

Swoosh!

In tune with the musicians performance, Na Yerin quietly drew a sword in the air. It was as if only she and her sword existed in this world.

At first, the sword was so slow it was almost tedious. It seemed like it would take a year for a single swing. But as the melody intensified, her sword movements began to quicken as if responding to the music. Her beloved sword flashed, scattering a clear and pure brilliance into the air. The sword and the melody became one, creating a beautiful harmony.

The long sleeves that reached the floor spiraled around her body fantastically. The violently flowing sleeves disoriented the crowd’s vision. Na Yerin’s body began to spin like a top. A white mist started to swirl around her.

As a celestial fairy descended to the mortal world to dance, who could not lose their soul to such beauty?

Her sword, swimming elegantly through the air, drew a graceful spiral as if creating a whirlwind. It was a beautiful dance, like painting on an empty white canvas. A fresh sword energy drew a white trajectory in the air. A mournful energy flowed through the slender blade she held.

The cold energy emanating from the jade sword formed a white mist, wrapping around her and rising up. Within the heightened pitch of the melody, Na Yerin’s sword dance accelerated, reaching its climax. The onlookers had moved beyond mere watching to being deeply immersed in the sword dance. Those captivated by her sword dance felt their hearts pounding loudly and their blood racing faster. Unknowingly, they were drawn into the dance, becoming flushed with excitement. The heat in the hall continued to rise.

A sword dance so beautiful it could bring tears, turning the world white, with a cool sorrow breathing at the tip of the sword that stirred the air. The melody filling the remembrance Hall made the witnesses feel a heart wrenching sadness. And Na Yerin’s absolute beauty sublimated that sadness into pure whiteness.

Everyone was so caught up in the poignant beauty that they lost their souls and forgot to speak. Her body began to spin more and more, drawing spirals.

The musicians, too, were caught up in her sword dance, playing with all their might in a fierce performance. Sweat droplets scattered in the air as if burning their souls, and her dance also seemed to respond, gradually reaching its climax. Na Yerin was now showing a violent rotation that was hard to follow with the eyes. It was as if the wind was wrapping around her body. A streak of sword light extended horizontally from her rapidly spinning body.

Ziiiiing!

It was a sword strike that vibrated the air.

With a sword strike that seemed to split the heavens and the earth, her dance ended.

“Ding!”

The melody stopped.

A hollow silence followed. No one stepped forward to break this sweet silence. People were still unable to emerge from the ecstasy they had just experienced. The silence was longer than expected. And then, after a moment!

“Woahhhhh!”

An ecstatic cheer erupted from the hall. The remembrance Hall was a cauldron of emotion, mixed with excitement and enthusiasm. The sorrow and anger that had tightly gripped the hall seemed to be blown away.

“Woahhhhh! Long live Cheonmu Academy ! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!”

With high cheers, the spirit was ignited.