In any case, besides the Nine Great Families and Five Great Clans, numerous other righteous faction elders from prominent clans and sects will gather. Even the venue is the Murim Alliance, so what can they do?

The Murim Alliance has the Sword Emperor, former head of the Namgoong clan, as its leader.

Though he passed the clan leadership to his son, as his title suggests, he is a master of considerable skill. As such, I heard he was respected by most righteous martial artists and took on the role of Murim Alliance leader.

Moreover, there are hundreds of alliance members under such a great leader. With so many righteous martial artists watching closely, the demonic cult cannot act openly.

“Anyway, it’s good that we’ve confirmed both are willing. I’ll inform the sect leader. Let’s end the discussion on this topic here…”

My master nodded slightly and changed the subject.

“I only heard the news yesterday, so I just told you about the Dragon Phoenix Gathering now. What I originally planned to say today was this. Listen.”

He looked at Ha Hyun and me in turn before calmly declaring:

“From today, I will teach you the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.”

I paused and widened my eyes.

The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

While its name is famous everywhere, only true disciples of Mount Hua can learn this advanced skill containing the essence of Mount Hua.

‘…Already?’

Well, of course, if master judges the time is right, then it must be.

But it would be stranger not to be surprised.

Ha Hyun and I have been practicing the Five Elements Plum Blossom Sword for about a year and a half. Even that was considered quite early.

‘Both in terms of age and time since joining the sect.’

Of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t understand what we’ve learned so far.

As if predicting my thoughts, master continued:

“It is indeed quite early compared to your senior and junior disciples. However, I judged it would be fine to teach you both since you are talented and quick to understand. You also won’t become arrogant just because you’re learning early.”

Smiling gently, he lightly tapped the hilt of the sword at his waist.

“As before, I’ll demonstrate it first, but unlike the swords you’ve learned so far, simply memorizing the movements won’t be enough to properly execute it. You’ll need to delve deeper and understand it. So before I demonstrate, there are some things I need to explain first.”

Until learning the Five Elements Plum Blossom Sword, he would demonstrate first and then repeatedly instruct us to try performing it as we remembered while getting the sword movements into our bodies. So this was the first time the usual format was broken.

Master posed a question:

“Do you remember when you first heard about the Six Harmonies?”

Though I do remember, master’s serious atmosphere made me hesitate before answering:

“Yes. You said the Six Harmonies encompass heaven, earth and the four directions, so the Six Harmonies are the world itself.”

I remember it clearly. It was when we first learned the Six Harmonies qi technique. Ha Hyun would surely remember too.

Hearing my answer, master smiled faintly.

“That’s right. And the world exists within a flow that occurs naturally. We call it the Tao because we don’t know its true name and have to force a label on it.”

Master lightly gestured around. Following his gaze, I noticed the plum trees with leaves starting to wither.

“As you know, there are many plum trees on the mountain.”

Indeed. Mount Hua is a barren rocky mountain, but once you enter the sect grounds, plum trees are everywhere.

There were so many, I couldn’t fathom how they brought saplings and nurtured them to bear fruit. All varieties were present – red plum, white plum, and even green plum blossoms.

“Even those trees you see daily form buds at winter’s end, bloom fully in early spring, drop petals to bear fruit, and now their leaves wither and fall… Isn’t all of that also part of the Tao, being the natural flow of things?”

Thinking about it, that was true. It was just so obvious I had never given it any thought.

“I’ve been speaking as if these were my own thoughts, but they are actually words left by our sect’s founder. While contemplating the plum blossoms, he gained enlightenment about the Six Harmonies – the world – and created the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique. This is also why the Six Harmonies Sword forms the basis of Mount Hua’s swordsmanship.”

“Ah…”

“Therefore, when executing the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword, one must be able to embody an understanding of the Six Harmonies, originating from the life cycle of plum blossoms. Even this master always keeps that in mind, but I dare not claim perfection.”

It was an incredibly humble statement coming from the one called Mount Hua’s Greatest Swordsman.

Master paused briefly, then slowly drew the sword from the scabbard at his waist. The blade flashed brightly, reflecting sunlight as it emanated a chilling aura. Pointing the sword tip towards the ground, master spoke again:

“Since the universal law of all things simply is as it is, there should be no obstruction in the sword’s path. One must know how to move roughly and swiftly to create numerous changes, and also how to control slowly and meticulously. Many call Mount Hua’s swordsmanship flashy, but you mustn’t be swayed by such words.”

The sword pointing to the ground gradually rose upwards.

“Now, step back.”

As Ha Hyun and I quickly moved away, he nodded slightly.

“Everything I’ve said so far is insufficient. They were merely words spoken in hopes of providing some reference as your master. Now I’ll demonstrate all the forms from beginning to end, so practice while pondering this sword technique in your own way.”

As he finished speaking, a reddish qi enveloped master’s sword. Unlike the faint, formless mist-like sword energy Ha Hyun and I produce, it was a vivid and chilling sword aura befitting a master of the Flower Realm.

Until now, he hadn’t used internal energy when demonstrating forms, but this time it seemed he wanted to show us something extra through it.

Just as I thought that, the sword sliced through the air at a pace neither fast nor slow.

Perhaps because it was a sword technique created from insights gained by observing plum blossoms, the trajectories of light left behind as the sword cut through the air and the qi scattering in all directions looked like flower petals dancing.

As before, I must have watched in a half-dazed state, unaware of the passing time.

It was only when master lowered his sword that I finally came to my senses.

Master’s hair was slightly disheveled but his breathing wasn’t labored at all as he brushed the hair from his forehead and turned to look at us.

“You’re not as proficient in qi manipulation as I am yet, so it will be difficult to create the same form as me. That will come with practice, so don’t be impatient.”

“Yes…”

“Also, I believe you understand without me saying that mastering the correct forms is just as important as qi manipulation and understanding the sword technique.”

When master said that, I had an all too familiar premonition.

It’s that time again. The routine that’s been going on since learning the Six Harmonies Sword – try it out as you remember after seeing it once…

“If you make a mistake or don’t remember, I’ll tell you right away, so give it a try.”

Master’s hand pointed directly at me.

“Ha Eun, you’re the senior disciple, so you go first.”

“Yes.”

It’s not even that surprising anymore.

As time passed, the weather grew colder.

Dragon Phoenix Gathering or whatever, I was so focused on learning the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique that I lost track of time.

By the time winter arrived, after refining it several times and practicing daily, I had completely mastered the forms. Though there were twenty-four of them, with this body’s excellent aptitude, just memorizing them wasn’t too difficult.

‘But…’

Honestly, I still don’t really understand how to embody the Six Harmonies.

Early morning, as always, while meditating in the training hall, I pondered the subject I had been grappling with since fall all the way until now as the seasons changed.

It seems I need some kind of insight that spreads broadly from the life cycle of plum blossoms to the Six Harmonies, but it all feels too vague. Even constantly mulling over master’s words doesn’t help.

Of course, I know this isn’t something that should be clearly explained from the start. In the end, the insights I gain on my own are most important.

If everything is taught from beginning to end, it won’t truly become mine.

If I’m going completely off track, master will stop me, but otherwise, just watching over me as I find my own path is enough to fulfill his role.

‘But maybe because I’ve learned and mastered things so quickly until now, it’s frustrating that this isn’t coming quickly.’

Come to think of it, there’s another problem.

The very fact that I’m the one trying to follow the teaching of embodying the Six Harmonies feels somewhat contradictory.

The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique was created when the sect founder gained insight into the Six Harmonies while observing plum blossoms. And heaven, earth and the four directions exist within the natural flow called the Tao.

‘But I’m clearly not a being that came about naturally.’

I think the natural way of human life is to simply end when you die, but here I am living an unintended second life in this strange way. Isn’t this going against the Tao of the Six Harmonies?

‘Saying it like that makes me sound like someone who shouldn’t exist.’

Well, even if not to that extent, I’m certainly an unusual existence.

My mind only grew more confused as I meditated.