Chapter 222:

Chapter 222:

The Greatest Genius Under the Heavens

Several days after clashing with the Plum Blossom Sword Saint.

Information reached the Zhongnan Sect that the Taoists of the Hwasan Sect had started to return towards Hwasan.

Upon receiving this news, Mu-jin immediately sought out the head of the Zhongnan Sect.

It wasn’t to inform them that he had ambushed the Hwasan Sect and severely injured the Plum Blossom Sword Saint.

Rather, he had come to advise them to exercise caution.

“Master. It may be presumptuous for an outsider to meddle, but as one who has come to assist with training, I must say this: Now is the time to fortify your internal structure rather than expand your territory.”

“Hmm. Why do you think that?”

Baekun Zhenren asked, stroking his white beard with a composed expression.

“The main reason is due to training.”

“Training, you say...”

“The external training I’m conducting cannot yield significant results in just one or two months. It will take at least three months to see any meaningful changes, and a minimum of six months to achieve noticeable outcomes.”

“Hmm. So, while the second and third-class disciples continue their training here, couldn’t the first-class disciples and elders outside eradicate the remnants of the Hwasan Sect?”

“There are two problems with that.”

“Not just one, but two? I’m very curious.”

“First, the Hwasan Sect’s retreat could be a trap. Sending disciples too close to their territory could result in a devastating ambush.”

Mu-jin was the only one aware of the severe injury inflicted on the Plum Blossom Sword Saint.

Even Hye-geol and Mu-gyeong, who had accompanied him, hadn’t directly witnessed the fight, so they only knew that Mu-jin had escaped safely.

“And the second reason is due to the Zhongnan Sword Manual. Expanding our front lines too close to Hwasan would extend the supply lines from Zhongnan, even if you don’t intend to send the second or third-class disciples. For logistics, someone will inevitably need to go out.”

“And if they do, they might suffer injuries like last time?”

“Exactly.”

In response to Mu-jin’s answer, Baekun Zhenren stroked his beard in silence, as if testing him.

After a brief but tense silence.

“Don’t worry. I had no intention of sending disciples out or attacking Hwasan in the first place.”

Taking a sip of tea, Baekun Zhenren added.

“This conflict began because the Hwasan Sect attacked us. The Zhongnan Sect’s sword is for defense, not for seizing others’ possessions.”

His words were calm but filled with conviction.

Mu-jin nodded in agreement.

“Then, could you restrain the disciples a bit?”

“...Restrain the disciples?”

Instead of further explaining, Mu-jin led the sect leader to the Zhongnan Sect’s main training ground.

There, they witnessed.

“Let’s sweep away those Hwasan Sect scum who dared to challenge our mighty Zhongnan Sect!”

“That’s right, Senior Brother!”

“For the Zhongnan Sect!”

“For victory!!!”

Young and reckless disciples, drunk on the thrill of brawling, were running wild.

Mu-jin had reluctantly intervened in the affairs of another sect after witnessing this scene.

After all, he couldn’t let the students he had trained die in vain.

Baekun Zhenren, who had followed Mu-jin to the training ground, uncharacteristically raised his voice, veins bulging on his forehead.

“You insolent brats!!!”

He was furious at their attitude of treating war like a game.

‘New recruits are always like this.’

After enduring rigorous training a few times, they often became eager for real combat, not realizing their lives would be on the line.

‘Fortunately, the sect leader of Zhongnan is a sensible person.’

Since it seemed the sect leader would handle the situation, Mu-jin quietly stepped away.

Mu-jin’s intervention aimed to save as many Zhongnan Sect disciples as possible, but there was a contradiction in his actions.

He was hiding the fact that the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, the core of Hwasan’s power, was severely injured.

If the Zhongnan Sect attacked Hwasan now, they could likely achieve victory despite some losses.

However...

‘Ultimately, the real enemy is Shinchun. If we deplete our forces fighting Hwasan, we’ll be playing right into Shinchun’s hands.’

To prepare for the future war, it was better to conserve strength and improve internal capabilities.

“What do you mean? I’ve only tried to save you, Senior Brother.”

“This... is this what you call being alive?”

Seeing his senior brother’s enraged face, Huamyeonggyun Zhenren revealed a sincere smile for the first time.

“Senior Brother, you were in extreme Qi Deviation. I had no choice but to do this to save you.”

Huamyeonggyun Zhenren’s instruction to the head of the medicinal hall had been simple: destroy the Plum Blossom Sword Saint’s Danjeon, ensuring he could never gather internal energy or practice martial arts again. It was the most horrific punishment for a martial artist, justified under the guise of treatment.

“Is this what you call living? Cough...”

The Plum Blossom Sword Saint, shouting in fury, coughed up blood. Huamyeonggyun Zhenren leaned in close to his senior brother, whispering softly.

“I have also lived like this, so now it’s your turn to live such a life.”

A life as a puppet without free will, merely following orders.

“So please calm down, Senior Brother. You must live a long life.”

With a gentle smile, as if he were a devoted disciple, Huamyeonggyun Zhenren wiped away the blood the Plum Blossom Sword Saint had coughed up.

* * *

Meanwhile,

“How dare you block my path!”

“I’m sorry, Supreme Elder. It is the Sect Leader’s order.”

“Regardless of the Sect Leader’s order, how can a disciple of the main branch block a Supreme Elder’s path?”

“This is all for your safety, Supreme Elder.”

“Argh!”

Supreme Elders heading to the medicinal hall where the Plum Blossom Sword Saint was lying were stopped by disciples of the Plum Blossom Sword Sect. This repeated scene had been going on for several days now, and the Supreme Elders had figured out the situation.

“We shouldn’t have accepted the proposal to withdraw our disciples.”

With the Plum Blossom Sword Saint incapacitated, they had accepted the Sect Leader’s proposal to avoid another attack from the trio. But who knew he would allocate personnel like this?

“Let’s retreat for now.”

A Supreme Elder leading the way tried to calm down his enraged senior brother. While they retreated physically, their determination did not waver.

“Are you really going to give up, Senior Brother?”

“Of course not. I only suggested retreating because causing a scene here undermines our cause.”

“Then what will you do?”

“Since the Sect Leader has drawn his sword first, we must prepare ourselves too. We need to get the Great Elder out.”

Five of their senior brothers had died in the last attack, leaving only seven of them. Hence, they needed thorough preparations.

The Supreme Elder, who sent a telepathic message to his junior brother, turned to look back at the medicinal hall with eyes full of murderous intent.

* * *

While a tense atmosphere filled with hostility was brewing within the Hwasan Sect, Mu-jin, the one who had spread the deadliest poison in the sect, was moving cautiously.

In the dead of night, he was not planning another attack on the Hwasan Sect. Instead, Mu-jin, along with Mu-yul and Mu-gung, was preparing to leave.

“Are we really going to slip out like this?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve taught them everything they need to know. Master Uncle Hye-geol and the other uncles can handle the rest.”

The Shaolin disciples had been practicing Mu-jin’s external training methods for years. With the training framework established, they could train the Zhongnan disciples sufficiently.

However, Mu-gung’s concern was different.

“I mean, is it really okay to run away like this again?”

“I told you, there’s a more significant task. We’re going to capture the successor of the Heavenly Demon! No one will scold us for this.”

“Well, that’s true...”

The reason the Muja Trio had followed Mu-jin again was compelling: capturing the successor of the Heavenly Demon! It was an inherently exciting mission.

However, they did not accept the mission thoughtlessly. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong had asked why they weren’t bringing other Shaolin elders along.

“To deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies! Moving in a large group might let the enemy escape!”

Mu-jin’s logical explanation left them without a rebuttal.

Nonetheless, they couldn’t help but worry.

“Are Master Uncle Hye-geol and the others okay...?”

They couldn’t help but worry about the elders who might get scolded because of them.

In this regard,

“Is Mu-yul okay?”

It was rather unusual for Mu-yul, Hye-geol’s disciple, to participate in this nighttime escape.

“Hehe?”

Seeing Mu-yul’s carefree smile, Mu-gung realized his concern was unnecessary.