Chapter v12c21

“Hey, you! Timid Jun-ho! If you want to win, remember the feeling from that day!”

Bi Ryu-yeon, who had been silently observing until now, shouted, offering his advice.

‘The feeling from that day!’

He was referring to the day Yoon Jun-ho had overcome his crippling weakness and fought against the terrifying members of the Twelve Blood Demon Squad, emerging victorious.

‘The feeling from that day, the feeling from that day, the feeling from that day…’

That day, he had swung his sword in a trance, forgetting even his own weakness. Yoon Jun-ho desperately tried to recall the feeling of being pushed to the brink of death. But there was a crucial problem.

‘What was the feeling from that day?’

He racked his brains, struggling to remember, but no matter how hard he squeezed his memory, nothing came out. His memory of that day was still a blank slate.

“I… I don’t remember. What do I do?”

Yoon Jun-ho turned to Bi Ryu-yeon, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and frustration. Bi Ryu-yeon covered his face with his left hand and looked up at the sky. He felt a headache coming on, but he decided to endure it.

“Even if your bad memory can’t remember, your body will. So trust yourself! Have courage! What’s the point of carrying that Blue River Sword if you don’t have the courage to use it? Break it in half and trade it for candy!”

Bi Ryu-yeon’s rebuke was harsh, showing no sympathy for Yoon Jun-ho’s indecisiveness.

‘My body remembers even if my mind doesn’t?’

He didn’t have time to dwell on it.

Clang, clang, clang!

The masked figure’s attacks continued. Yoon Jun-ho decided to take a leap of faith and trust Bi Ryu-yeon. It was a reckless decision, but his courage was commendable, even if he didn’t realize it himself.

But in his memory, Bi Ryu-yeon had never lied. His only problem was that he always spoke the truth, unfiltered and without any consideration for the consequences.

“What’s this? Is this the extent of your skill?”

The masked figure mocked Yoon Jun-ho, effortlessly controlling him like a child. Yoon Jun-ho had no words to retort. He felt ashamed.

“Is this the level of the Mount Hua swordsmanship?”

Even Yoon Jun-ho, with his timid and gentle heart, couldn’t tolerate an insult to his sect.

“My incompetence is my own responsibility. Don’t insult the Mount Hua swordsmanship. The Mount Hua sword is limitless.”

Yoon Jun-ho fixed his gaze on the masked figure, his grip on his sword tightening.

“Then prove it! Or die by my hand!”

A terrifying killing intent erupted from the masked figure’s eyes, piercing Yoon Jun-ho’s body.

Pure, concentrated killing intent!

Yoon Jun-ho knew, with absolute certainty. It was like a premonition.

‘I’m going to die!’

His vision darkened, as if engulfed by darkness. His mind went blank. He felt that his death was inevitable, that any struggle would be futile.

Would he give up? At that moment, the most primal desire, buried deep within his heart, awakened. It was the pure instinct to survive.

“Haaa!”

A powerful shout erupted from his lips. At the same time, a brilliant red sword energy burst from the tip of his Blue River Sword, like fireworks, and hundreds of red plum blossoms bloomed in a dazzling display. A faint fragrance of plum blossoms filled the air.

“T-That’s the Sword Fragrance Realm!”

Yang Yu-jung, the Wind Plum Sword, the Mount Hua Sect leader, recognized the level of skill Yoon Jun-ho had just displayed, a level that was astonishing for someone his age. The elders were also amazed.

Overwhelmed by Yoon Jun-ho’s red sword energy, the masked figure had lowered his sword. His faded purple robe was tattered and torn, a sorry sight. It was Yoon Jun-ho’s doing. But the fact that he had emerged unscathed after facing such a powerful attack head-on was a testament to his high level of swordsmanship.

Yoon Jun-ho stared at the masked figure in surprise. The technique the masked figure had used to block his attack was one he could never forget.

‘Plum Blossom Net!’

It was the strongest defensive technique of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, a technique that “that person” had personally taught him countless times. The unique hand movements were unmistakable.

Yoon Jun-ho, snapping out of his daze, quickly sheathed his sword and prostrated himself before the masked figure. He placed his hands on the ground, his forehead touching the ground, performing a kowtow. And before the masked figure could stop him, he cried out in a trembling voice,

“Yoon Jun-ho, unworthy disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, humbly greets Grand Master!”

Tears streamed down his face, blurring his vision.

It was only natural for the Mount Hua Sect camp to erupt in shock and disbelief.

“I knew it!” the sect leader groaned, pressing his hand to his forehead. The elders scolded Yoon Jun-ho for his carelessness. The commotion continued, not only among the Mount Hua disciples, but also among the Cheonmu Academy delegation, the Central Plains and Mount Zhongyang Escort Agencies, and the other spectators.

Yi Gyeong-yeong, who was Yoon Jun-ho’s senior brother, was so shocked that he didn’t even care if his jaw dislocated.

“H-How could he… ?”

The words, “How could he possess such incredible skill? I can’t believe it!” remained stuck in his throat, choked by shock. He had witnessed the entire duel with his own eyes, but he still couldn’t believe it. His wide eyes were glued to Yoon Jun-ho. Or rather, he was glaring at him, as if he wanted to devour him.

“That crybaby idiot…”

Yi Gyeong-yeong had been one of Yoon Jun-ho’s biggest tormentors at Mount Hua, constantly bullying him for being a crybaby and a fool.

“You’re a disgrace to Mount Hua!” he had shouted, making Yoon Jun-ho’s life miserable.

But now, Yoon Jun-ho had returned as a member of the prestigious Mount Hua Convention delegation, while he was still a four-time failure, struggling to pass the Cheonmu Academy entrance exam. He suddenly felt pathetic and envious.

Their positions had completely reversed. No senior brother could look down on Yoon Jun-ho now, a representative of the righteous martial world, chosen for the Mount Hua Convention delegation. Yoon Jun-ho had transformed from a crybaby, a fool, a disgrace to Mount Hua, into an object of envy.

His legs felt weak, and he almost collapsed. His lips twitched.

“Ha, ha… Haha…”

A hollow laughter escaped his gaping mouth. The crybaby he used to bully had reached a level he couldn’t even dream of. He was no longer the same Yoon Jun-ho. He could no longer bully or torment him. In fact, he might have to face the consequences of his past actions.

The title of “Mount Hua Convention representative” carried that much weight. It was a position that even an insignificant Mount Hua disciple couldn’t aspire to.

Moreover, Yoon Jun-ho had proven his worth as a representative, showcasing his skills in front of countless witnesses. No Mount Hua disciple could question his selection now.

Yi Gyeong-yeong suddenly felt the full weight of the phrase “the world is a fickle place.” He felt his strength draining away. He felt dizzy. A sense of emptiness and helplessness washed over him. He felt nothing but a vast, unending despair.

He had never felt so insignificant.

So Yu-gyeong, on the other hand, was impressed by her timid junior brother for a different reason. Yoon Jun-ho had been the target of ridicule from other disciples, not only his senior brothers but also the junior brothers who had joined the sect later. While others had bullied and tormented him, she had always treated him kindly, offering words of encouragement.

Honestly, she had been surprised when he had passed the Cheonmu Academy entrance exam (mostly due to the Grand Master’s insistence), but it was nothing compared to her current astonishment. Yoon Jun-ho, who had seemed like a small, helpless bird, had suddenly transformed into a majestic hawk, soaring through the sky with powerful wings.

A mixture of joy and complex emotions surged within her.

‘Congratulations, Senior Brother Yoon!’

She congratulated him sincerely. She enjoyed seeing the bewildered expressions and gasps of shock from the other disciples.

‘I can’t slack off on my training either. I have to pass the exam this time. Then I can be with Senior Brother!’

She made a firm resolution. It was a typical thought for an eighteen-year-old girl in the prime of her youth. She felt a surge of motivation.

“Hmm… Ugh…”

The masked figure seemed flustered by Yoon Jun-ho’s sudden action. His bewilderment was evident even from afar. But Bi Ryu-yeon noticed a pearl-like glint in the masked figure’s wrinkled eyes, a fleeting sparkle in the sunlight.

The masked figure finally spoke, his eyes filled with kindness.

“Raise your head. I can’t see your face.”

Yoon Jun-ho raised his head. His face was a mess, streaked with tears.

“You’ve improved a lot.”

“T-Thank you, Grand Master!”

Yoon Jun-ho bowed deeply again, overwhelmed with emotion. The masked figure’s bewilderment was now obvious.

“W-What are you talking about! I’m just a masked figure, Plum Blossom Mask. There’s no reason for you to call me Grand Master. You’re mistaken. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Grand Master!”

Yoon Jun-ho replied enthusiastically.

“You’re not listening at all!”

The masked figure pounded his chest in frustration. It seemed there was no point in staying any longer.

“Did I do something wrong, Grand Master?”

Yoon Jun-ho continued to address him as “Grand Master” with every sentence.

“Sigh, no! You should know better… And your knees must be hurting. Get up.”

The masked figure approached Yoon Jun-ho and patted his shoulder gently, speaking kindly. But no one noticed his other hand, moving with the speed of a pickpocket, reaching into Yoon Jun-ho’s pocket. Even Yoon Jun-ho himself only felt something in his pocket a moment later, a testament to the masked figure’s speed.

“T-This is…”

Yoon Jun-ho started to speak, but the masked figure stopped him. He was telling him to be quiet. A voice whispered in Yoon Jun-ho’s ear. His eyes widened.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a Mount Hua disciple, for any swordsman.

“S-Such a precious gift… I can’t accept this!”

But the masked figure didn’t give him a chance to refuse.

“Well, I’ll be on my way. Don’t forget what I said. Keep training hard. Farewell!”

The shy old man, who called himself Plum Blossom Mask, vanished as suddenly as he had appeared. His movement technique was truly extraordinary. Even after he had completely disappeared, people continued to stare in the direction he had vanished. Yoon Jun-ho gazed in that direction for a long moment before bowing deeply.

And he whispered,

“Thank you.”

“He’s a mischievous fellow. Leader Jang, I think I’ll catch up with my old friend and share a drink. I’ll have to postpone my meeting with these young men. I wish your agency prosperity for generations to come. Farewell.”

The old man in the bamboo hat, without even waiting for a reply, leaped into the air and chased after the masked figure, Plum Blossom Mask. His figure soon disappeared into the twilight shadows.

“Ah! He’s gone.”

Bi Ryu-yeon exclaimed. He had missed his chance to learn the old man’s identity.

“He’s gone. But we’ll meet again. I’m sure of it!”

The old man with the gray hair spoke with conviction. Everyone felt that his words would come true.

Silence fell again.

Yoon Jun-ho remained bowed in the direction the masked figure had vanished. He felt that he could never repay the Grand Master’s immense kindness.

His shadow stretched long, like the twilight.

“Um… That person… Could he be…?”

Binggeom tried to speak, but Yang Yu-jung beat him to it.

“W-Well, Elder Binggeom! I have urgent business to attend to, so I must take my leave with my disciples. I wanted to share a drink with you and discuss the way of the sword, but it seems fate is not on our side today. I’m disappointed, but we’ll have to meet another time.”

Yang Yu-jung’s words were sincere. He was clearly disappointed. But he couldn’t bring himself to face Binggeom and Yeomdo inside the inn. He and the elders wanted to leave as soon as possible. Of course, their anxious behavior only fueled people’s suspicions, but they were too flustered to notice.

“Y-Yes, of course.”

Their suspicious behavior and awkward silence were strange, but there was a sense of urgency that couldn’t be ignored.

“All the disciples of Mount Hua wish you good fortune in your endeavors. Farewell!”

Yang Yu-jung turned around as soon as he finished speaking. And he hurried away, as if he had a sudden urge to relieve himself. He practically fled the scene, like a criminal being chased by the police!

Perhaps he was afraid to face Binggeom and Yeomdo and discuss the masked figure.

And amidst all the commotion, the confrontation between the Central Plains and Mount Zhongyang Escort Agencies was completely forgotten.