Book 12 Chapter 19

Yoon Junho versus Plum Blossom Mask

"It's been a long time since I've seen sword energy that has reached the pinnacle of splendor like that."

Bing Geom exclaimed.

"Indeed!"

Yeom Do replied curtly.

The two men, whose obsession with martial arts had grown even stronger after their fight with the Twin Thunder Demons, felt their current abilities were insufficient.

"He's a shy old man, hiding his face behind a mask to court someone."

Bilyu Yeon, who had been silently watching, spoke with an exasperated tone.

"You might be right. He's always had that side to him."

The Old Man of Meeting said as if he knew the person from long ago.

"Is that so?"

"Yes!"

After a brief glance at the old man, Bilyu Yeon let out a 'Hmm…' and shifted his gaze back to the sparring match between the two.

At first, Yoon Junho tried to win with swift sword strikes, but his opponent easily parried them. Realizing he couldn't overpower the opponent with speed alone, Yoon Junho began to attack with more varied techniques. However, the opponent's dense sword defense, like a net, left no room for his intricate moves to penetrate. Despairing at the thorough defense, Yoon Junho abandoned his complex attacks. He then attempted to attack with techniques focused on power, but his internal energy was far from sufficient.

Seven moves had already passed in vain. With each move, the masked man effortlessly deflected Yoon Junho's swordsmanship. The masked man's sword energy, as he deflected Yoon Junho's strikes, was astonishingly elegant.

No matter how Yoon Junho attacked with various methods, the masked man remained as unyielding as a mountain. His defense was so natural that Yoon Junho even had the absurd thought that the man could block his sword with his eyes closed. Yoon Junho gritted his teeth and unleashed each move with all his might, but it was an unequal struggle.

The difference in their skill was clear.

"This is disadvantageous, isn't it?"

"It would seem so."

The old man responded to Bilyu Yeon's observation by lightly tapping the ground with his cane.

"His attacks are uncharacteristically scattered. For someone who is both honest and timid, to try and win with feints and complex techniques… Tsk, tsk!"

Yoon Junho seemed to be wielding his sword desperately, but he couldn't break through the masked man's dense sword aura. Furthermore, his attacks were too scattered, lacking focus.

"Will he lose like this?"

This time, the old man asked. Bilyu Yeon shook his head.

"Not yet. He's not using his full power."

"Oh? He's not using his full power?"

"That's right."

"But why? Is he underestimating his opponent? He doesn't seem like the type to underestimate someone…"

As the old man said, someone underestimating their opponent wouldn't grit their teeth and fight like that. Bilyu Yeon replied indifferently to his words.

"He underestimates himself more often than his opponent. He's quite skilled at devaluing himself."

"Then why? That masked man is not an opponent who can be defeated while conserving energy. Of course, even if he used his full power, he wouldn't truly win, but in this particular match, he might. So why isn't he going all out?"

Then Bilyu Yeon replied, as if it were obvious.

"It's not that he's not using his full power; it's that he can't."

"Hey, hey! Timid Junho! If you want to win, try to recall that feeling from back then!"

Bilyu Yeon, who had been watching silently until now, shouted loudly and offered advice.

'That feeling from back then!'

It referred to the day when Yoon Junho, while tracking Yi Song, fought and defeated the terrifying members of the Twelve Blood Demon Corps.

'That feeling, that feeling, that feeling…'

On that day, he wielded his sword in a trance, forgetting even his fatal weaknesses. Yoon Junho racked his brain with all his might to recall the sensation of being at the brink of death. However, there was a critical problem.

'But what exactly was that feeling from back then?'

He struggled to recall, to bring it back to mind, but no matter how hard he squeezed the frame of his memory, he couldn't achieve a single outcome. The memory of that time was still like a blank white sheet of paper, without a single character written on it.

"I… I don't remember. What should I do?"

With a whimper, Yoon Junho turned towards Bilyu Yeon with a look of evident panic. Bilyu Yeon momentarily covered his face with his left hand and looked up at the sky. His head throbbed, but he decided to endure it.

"Even if your poor brain can't remember, your body probably does. So, trust yourself! Have courage. If you don't have that much courage, what's the point of carrying that Pure River Sword? Just break it in half and trade it for some candy!"

Bilyu Yeon's reprimand was merciless, not considering Yoon Junho's indecisive heart.

'My body remembers even if my brain doesn't?'

There was no time to be distracted.

Clang, clang, clang!

The enemy's attacks continued. Yoon Junho decided to take a gamble and trust Bilyu Yeon. This decision was quite reckless, but his courage alone was commendable. Even if he himself didn't know it.

However, in his memory, Bilyu Yeon had never lied. His only problem was that he always spoke the truth as he saw it, without any filter.

"What? Is this the extent of your true strength?"

The masked man bellowed, handling Yoon Junho as if he were a child. Yoon Junho had no reply. He was unbearably ashamed.

"Is the sword of Hua Shan this pathetic?"

Even though Yoon Junho was timid and gentle-hearted, he couldn't tolerate insults to his sect.

"The incompetence is the individual's responsibility. Do not insult the sword of Hua Shan. The sword of Hua Shan is boundless."

Yoon Junho fixed his gaze on the masked man again and gripped his long sword firmly, as if to twist it.

"Then prove it yourself! If you can't, you will die by my hand!"

A terrifying killing intent erupted from the masked man's eyes and pierced Yoon Junho's entire body.

Pure, dense killing intent!

At that moment, Yoon Junho was certain. It was an absolute premonition.

'I'm going to die!'

Suddenly, his vision turned black as if shrouded in darkness. His mind went blank, and he couldn't think of anything. His death seemed already decided, and he felt that any struggle would be futile.

Would he give up like this? Then, at that moment, the most primal desire, buried deep within his heart, awakened. It was the pure struggle of life to survive.

"Haaap!"

A clear battle cry burst from his lips. At the same time, a brilliant red sword energy erupted from the tip of his Pure River Sword like fireworks, and hundreds of red plum blossoms burst into bloom. Soon, a faint plum blossom fragrance filled the venue.

"Th-that is the Sword Fragrance Realm (劍香之境)!"

Yang Yujung, the Plum Blossom Sword and the leader of the Hua Shan sect, well understood how astonishing this realm was for Yoon Junho's age, given that it was displayed briefly like an illusion. The elders were also filled with admiration.

Perhaps overwhelmed by Yoon Junho's red sword energy, the masked man had lowered his sword to the ground. The masked man's faded purple martial robes were tattered like rags, making him look quite unsightly. This was the accomplishment of Yoon Junho's sword just moments ago. However, the fact that he had no scratch on his skin despite withstanding such brutal sword energy demonstrated how high his sword mastery was.

And Yoon Junho looked at the masked man with surprise. The technique that blocked his decisive blow was a move he could never forget.

'Plum Blossom Weaving a Net (梅艶吐網)!'

It was the strongest defensive move among the twenty-four Plum Blossom Sword techniques, a move that "that person" had personally taught him dozens of times. This unique technique was undeniable.

After a moment of stunned silence, Yoon Junho hastily retracted his sword and prostrated himself before the masked man. He placed his hands in front, touched his forehead to the ground, and performed a kowtow. Then, with a choked voice, he cried out before the masked man could stop him.

"Unworthy disciple of Hua Shan, Yoon Junho! I respectfully greet my Grandmaster!"

His eyes reddened, and tears fell onto the ground.

It was natural that the Hua Shan sect's camp stirred, with exclamations of shock erupting from various places.

'As expected!' The sect leader sighed deeply and covered his forehead, while the elders chided Yoon Junho for his carelessness. The commotion among the Hua Shan disciples, the representatives of the Chun Mu Academy, the Jung Won Express Agency, the Jung Yang Express Agency, and other onlookers did not seem to subside.

Especially Lee Gyeongyeong, who was Yoon Junho's senior martial brother, was so shocked that he didn't care if his jaw fell off.

'H-how did that guy get so…'

The words 'become so skilled in martial arts?' couldn't be uttered due to the mental shock. He had watched it all from beginning to end with his own eyes, but he still couldn't believe it. His widened eyes wouldn't leave Yoon Junho. No, it would be more accurate to say he was glaring at him as if he could devour him.

"That crybaby idiot…"

Lee Gyeongyeong had a history of tormenting Yoon Junho in Hua Shan, calling him a crybaby and a fool. He had been at the forefront of bullying Yoon Junho.

How much had he tormented him, shouting, 'You are nothing but a disgrace to Hua Shan!'

Yet here he was, returning in glory as a representative of the Hua Shan branch, while Lee Gyeongyeong was still a third-time failure in the Chun Mu Academy entrance exam. The thought made his own situation feel incredibly pathetic and sorrowful.

The positions had completely reversed in an instant. Now, no senior martial brother could dismiss him, who had been chosen as a representative of the Hua Shan branch as a representative of the White Path martial world. Yoon Junho, from a disgrace to Hua Shan, a crybaby, fool, and idiot, had instantly transformed into an object of admiration.

His legs felt like they were going to give out. He almost collapsed to the ground. His lips twitched.

"Ha, ha…, haha…"

A seemingly insane laugh escaped his slack-jawed mouth. The crybaby who had been ridiculed in the past had now reached a realm beyond his reach. He was no longer the crybaby of before. This also meant he could no longer ridicule or torment him. No, he was now in a dangerous situation where he might have to pay for the countless wrongdoings he had committed in the past.

The title of representative of the Hua Shan branch carried such weight. It was enough to make ordinary disciples of Hua Shan unable to look up to him…

Moreover, Yoon Junho had proven with his martial prowess that he was not lacking as a representative of the Hua Shan branch, in front of countless watching eyes. Now, no Hua Shan disciple would be able to raise any objection to his selection as representative.

Lee Gyeongyeong suddenly felt the meaning of the idiom "fields of mulberry trees turning into blue seas" deep in his bones. He felt all the strength drain from his body. He felt dizzy. A sense of emptiness and powerlessness washed over him. He felt nothing but an endless, overwhelming void.

This was the first time he had ever felt so utterly insignificant.

So Yu Gyeong, in a different sense, was admiring this timid, small senior martial brother. Yoon Junho, who had been the target of ridicule not only from his senior martial brothers but also from the junior martial brothers who joined later. While everyone else vied to torment him, she alone did not treat Yoon Junho harshly and instead spoke warmly to encourage him.

To be honest, she was very surprised when he was accepted into the Chun Mu Academy (almost by the Grandmaster's insistence), but it was nothing compared to her current astonishment. The once lonely and helpless little bird, Yoon Junho, now felt as majestic as a hawk soaring through the sky with its large wings.

Joy and a mix of emotions crossed her heart.

'Congratulations, Senior Martial Brother Yoon!'

She sent him her heartfelt congratulations. It was also a great pleasure for her to hear the stunned faces and exclamations of her other senior martial brothers.

'I must not neglect my training either and pass this time! Then I can travel with Senior Martial Brother!'

The girl vowed firmly in her heart. It was a thought befitting a 18-year-old girl in her prime. A stronger motivation than ever surged within her.

"Ugh…, groan…"

The masked man seemed quite flustered by Yoon Junho's sudden actions. Even from a distance, his panic was evident. However, Bilyu Yeon did not miss the pearl-like glint that momentarily flashed in the masked man's wrinkled eyes under the sunlight.

Finally, the masked man opened his mouth. His eyes were filled with benevolence.

"Lift your head. I can't see your face."

Yoon Junho raised his head. His face was already a mess from the incessant tears.

"You've improved a lot."

"Th-thank you, Grandmaster!"

Yoon Junho bowed deeply again, overwhelmed with emotion. Then, the masked man's confusion became extremely evident.

"W-what are you talking about! I am merely an anonymous masked man, the Plum Blossom Mask. There is no reason for you to call me Grandmaster. You must be mistaken. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Yes! Grandmaster!"

Yoon Junho replied forcefully.

"You're not understanding at all!"

The masked man pounded his chest repeatedly, appearing frustrated. It seemed like nothing good would come of staying here any longer.

"Did I make a mistake, Grandmaster?"

Yoon Junho addressed him with "Grandmaster" at the end of every sentence.

"Oh, no! Someone who knows… And your knees must be hurting, so please get up now."

The masked man approached Yoon Junho and gently patted his shoulder with his right hand, speaking kindly. But at the same time, no one noticed his other left hand move with incredible speed, faster than any pickpocket, towards Yoon Junho's bosom. Even Yoon Junho himself only felt something foreign in his bosom a moment later, revealing how incredibly fast it was.

"Th-this is…"

As Yoon Junho tried to speak, the masked man stopped him. He meant for him to stay silent. A telepathic message reached Yoon Junho's ears. His eyes widened.

This was an encounter that could be called a "once-in-a-lifetime fate" for a Hua Shan disciple, or rather, for any swordsman.

"Th-this precious thing… I cannot accept it!"

However, the masked man did not give him a chance to refuse.

"Then I shall take my leave. Don't forget what I said earlier. Continue your training. Farewell!"

The shy old man, who called himself the Plum Blossom Mask, disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared. It was truly an unfathomable divine technique. Even after the Plum Blossom Mask had completely vanished, people kept their gazes fixed in the direction he had gone for a long time. Yoon Junho gazed endlessly in that direction and bowed deeply.

Then he quietly said.

"Thank you."

"You're a mischievous friend. Jang Guk-ju, I must go and share a drink with an old friend after a long time. My connection with those friends will have to wait for another time. I wish your express agency eternal prosperity. Farewell."

Without even hearing a farewell, the straw-hatted old man leaped forward and followed the masked Plum Blossom Mask. His figure also soon disappeared into the shadows of twilight.

"Ah! He's gone."

Bilyu Yeon exclaimed. This meant he had missed the opportunity to confirm the straw-hatted man's identity.

"He's gone. But we'll meet again. Probably!"

The old man with gray hair spoke with what sounded like full confidence. Everyone felt as if his words were bound to come true without any deviation.

Silence returned.

Yoon Junho remained bowed in the direction the masked man had disappeared, not showing any signs of straightening up. He now felt that no matter what method he used, he could never repay his Grandmaster's boundless grace.

His shadow began to lengthen like the twilight.

"Excuse me…, but is that person… perhaps…?"

Bing Geom was about to start, but Yang Yujung beat him to it.

"Th-then, Master Guan! I have urgent business, so I and the Hua Shan disciples will be leaving now. I had wanted to discuss swordsmanship with Master Guan over a drink, but it seems our fates did not align today. It is a shame, but we must look forward to another opportunity."

Yang Yujung's words were filled with sincerity. His disappointment must have been great. However, he didn't have the courage to look at the faces of Bing Geom and Yeom Do as they entered the inn together. He and the elders wanted to leave the scene as soon as possible. Of course, their restless demeanor only amplified people's suspicions, but in their haste, they seemed to have no time to consider that.

"Th-then, by all means."

Although their suspicious behavior and awkward silence were strange, there was a desperation that made it impossible to refuse.

"I will pray for your continued martial fortune along with the Hua Shan disciples. Farewell!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Yujung turned around. Then, he hurried out of the venue as if he were a criminal being chased by the police. He fled as if pursued by bounty hunters!

He must have been terrified and tormented at the thought of discussing the masked Plum Blossom Man with Bing Geom and Yeom Do.

And amidst this commotion, the conflict between the Jung Won Express Agency and the Jung Yang Express Agency was completely forgotten.