Chapter 12
“I can’t keep holding on to my ever-so-busy little brother, can I? Go on, head down now.”
“Aren’t you being a bit much?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re just dumping everything on your younger brother and planning to live the easy life. That’s what this is!”
Mujin had completely distanced himself from family affairs. He left all responsibilities to Mu-ho, and was now unintentionally enjoying a life of luxury and leisure. But truthfully, there was still much to be done. Even taking care of his wife and children left no time to spare. On top of that, he was secretly strengthening aspects behind the scenes.
“Well, who told you to become the heir?”
“This is fraud, outright fraud!”
“You’re the one who swore on your honor as a man and even put our family on the line. And now you’re trying to back out? Fine then, do what you want.”
Mu-ho felt his insides churn at Mujin’s laid-back attitude. But there was nothing he could do. No one would believe him even if he tried to explain. He had been the one to lead the massive restructuring of Songho Sect. It was far too late to claim otherwise now.
“So I’m the only one who looks like a liar!”
“If you get it now, go on and enjoy your dignity as the Young Family Head. My beloved little brother. Meanwhile, this elder brother of yours needs to chop some more wood—for the sake of the family’s warmth and preservation.”
Muttering complaints, Mu-ho changed into a spare outfit to maintain his image before heading down the mountain. Though his grumbling had increased, Mujin still found his younger brother’s loyalty admirable.
“That kid...”
He was starting to see things that had been invisible in the past due to lack of maturity. Mu-ho wasn’t just stoic and mature, he had an innocence befitting his age. Yet, because of Mujin, he was forced to bear a burden too heavy for him.
Was that why?
Maybe deep down, Mujin wanted to tease him a little. Watching his brother throw a tantrum somehow made him feel proud.
Whoosh!
With a flick of his hand, a massive tree was cleanly sliced and transformed into firewood. His invisible intent had reached such a peak that the tree split cleanly along the grain without him ever touching it.
The martial arts of the War King were rooted in Armed Combat Martial Arts. He couldn’t see it, but the natural flow wrapped around his body like a second skin.
—You really are a monster.
‘Says the Demonic King, calling a human a monster.’
—You’ve nearly reached your former level of mastery.
‘In terms of inner power, yeah.’
Mujin hadn’t wasted the last five years. He dedicated himself to regaining what he had once achieved. Even the Demonic King had to acknowledge Mujin’s martial arts. Now he understood why Mujin had such unshakable confidence.
Five years may not seem short, but it’s not nearly enough time to complete such feats. And yet, the War King had restored his original self in just five years. Moreover, his understanding of martial arts had grown deeper than before.
‘I’ve always lived looking straight ahead.’
Unlike the relentless battles of the future, he now had time to reflect. He feared becoming complacent, but instead, it gave him a chance to fully systematize his martial arts.
“If things keep going this way, our sect should be able to stand firm.”
—What about the world?
“If I can save it, I will. If not, I’ll leave it to the heavens. You know what they say—The net of Heaven is vast and wide, yet nothing escapes it.”
—You selfish bastard.
“Why should the Demonic King care about the world? What are you, a hero now?”
—Hmph, I should’ve known that’s what you’d say.
Mujin’s goal was peace and stability for his family.
The world could wait. He figured: First, cultivate the self and manage the household, then rule the country and bring peace to all under heaven. Anyone claiming to seek world peace without first protecting their own family was just fooling themselves.
“You know me. I’m the War King.”
—You’re more arrogant than I am!
“Not denying it.”
—Don’t admit it, you punk!
“Now that’s the Demonic King I know.”
—You’re the one who’s not!
Mujin and Cheon-gyeong were slowly influencing each other’s personalities. Normally, people get irritated when others affect their mindset, but the two of them didn’t care.
And in a way, that was only natural.
They were the War King and the Demonic King—men of absolute pride and unshakable conviction. They weren’t weak enough to be swayed by others.
Besides, it’s rare for a martial master to have a fickle mind. Most were so stubborn they’d rather be wrong than admit it and change direction.
Back in the day, he would’ve cracked that idiot’s skull, but now he seemed fine. Maybe it’s time to crack it again? A tempting thought.
“Anyway, it’s still the same, huh?”
—Seems that way.
“You’re the Demonic King, and you can’t even break some measly restriction?”
—How about you treat me like the Demonic King before you talk? Weren’t you the one who told me to shut up before?
“Incompetence is a sin.”
—You damn bastard! H-Hey… don’t cut me off—!
You really think I won’t just because you told me not to?
Mujin smirked and severed the spiritual connection. It was one of his favorite tricks, he’d been using it for the past five years.
“Works every time, even when he knows it’s coming.”
He looked forward to the Demonic King’s explosive tantrum. The training was twofold: soul tempering and ability enhancement. While he didn’t rely on Twin-Soul Mind Technique, having two souls allowed him to train each one separately. This combination enhanced his overall combat strength.
“As long as I’m careful with their abilities, it’s no big deal.”
But those “abilities” weren’t easy to deal with. They were one of the Demonic King’s most terrifying powers. Which meant the enemies likely had such powers as well.
Internally, Songho Sect had grown far more robust than it was five years ago. Its financial issues, once a bleeding wound, were now healed, allowing them to invest in martial artists and recruitment.
This wasn’t the result of a short-term miracle. It was the fruit of a carefully laid, long-term strategy.
****
Five years later, Songho Sect had grown into a mid-sized martial sect with over 150 warriors. While that number couldn’t compare to the great sects, it was enough to establish a solid presence within Cheongyang.
Still, they hadn’t focused on expanding their size or influence. Instead, they dedicated themselves to stabilizing and strengthening their existing authority.
“Creating disruptions to exploit openings and using unexpected variables can be one form of combat, but if your fundamentals collapse, you won’t have the capacity to act on those variables. No matter how sharp your instincts are, there’s a clear limit to what you can achieve if you’re lacking in capability.”
“We will keep that in mind, Young Sect Master!”
The ones receiving instruction from Kang Mu-ho were members of the elite Red Tiger Unit, regarded as the most elite among Songho Sect’s three martial squads.
The three squads—Blue Tiger Unit, Black Tiger Unit, and Red Tiger Unit—were each composed of thirty-five warriors.
Each squad trained directly under Mu-ho at designated times to learn the sword techniques he personally refined.
To Red Tiger Unit Captain and his men, the Young Sect Master Mu-ho was the perfect lord, possessing not only skill but a maturity beyond his age. Most notably, he improved the sect’s signature sword technique, Ten Songho Swords, into a more powerful form known as the Five Blades.
‘If only he were more assertive, he’d easily rival the heirs of the great sects.’
‘To think he’d refine a sword technique at that age—truly remarkable.’
He was a model for others to follow.
Normally, when a sect undergoes a succession, some degree of unrest or infighting is inevitable. But not here. Instead of disorder, the sect thrived and grew stronger, simply without making a flashy display of it.
There was no doubt that Songho Sect would soon rise beyond Cheongyang and gain recognition throughout Anhui Province, and at the heart of that rise would be the Young Sect Master Mu-ho.
‘It’s kind of overwhelming.’
Mu-ho pretended not to notice, but he could guess just by looking at their expressions. They saw him as a symbol of admiration, but in truth, he was just the punching bag of his older brother. He got beaten to a pulp every day, but no one knew that.
And honestly—
‘It’s not like I’m even hiding it.’
If he tried to conceal it, that’d be one thing. But his brother Mujin wasn’t the type to hide himself. He just didn’t show himself. He barely left his room and rarely stepped outside. Maybe once or twice a year, he’d go out—but even then, never for long.
‘That’s a relief, I guess.’
No one in the family knew him like Mu-ho did.
He might joke around and laugh more than before, but every now and then, the atmosphere around him sent chills down his spine. Like the sharp aura of a battle-hardened veteran who’s survived a hundred wars.
Lately though, he was starting to doubt if that intensity was even real. A small part of him wondered if he was just falling for an elaborate bluff.
“Hehe, still training hard, I see.”
“It’s only right that I do.”
It was Elder Kang, one of the senior elders of the sect.
He nodded with satisfaction at the sight of the Red Tiger Unit’s training. When Mu-ho first announced he’d personally instruct them in swordsmanship, the elder had been skeptical. After all, teaching was an entirely different matter than personal skill, and even martial arts masters could be terrible instructors.
But Mu-ho was different.
‘Truly remarkable.’
The Red Tiger Unit was outstanding. While they might not yet rival the elite units of great sects, they were clearly on a whole different level compared to other smaller sects. Even their eyes gleamed with sheer confidence.
And it wasn’t just the Red Tiger Unit.
Both the Blue and Black Tiger Units had also improved dramatically. To say they’d made “great strides” would be an understatement.
Slowly but surely, the time was coming for them to step beyond the remote corners of Cheongyang.
‘I still can’t forget that shock from back then.’
Mu-ho had redefined the sect’s sword arts. Even with deep trust in him, it had been hard to believe. But after seeing it firsthand, Elder Kang had been left speechless.
He had taken the weaknesses of the Ten Songho Swords and eliminated them, transforming the technique into a practical, battle-ready style. That moment of astonishment was still talked about to this day.
“At this rate, you just might become the top sword sect in Anhwi Province, hahaha!”
“Please, don’t say such things, Granduncle! What if someone hears you?”
The top sword sect in Anhwi was, without question, the Namgung Clan—a cornerstone of the Five Great Clans, renowned for their indomitable spirit and the mighty Changcheon Sword Style, known across the land as wielders of the Heaven’s Greatest Sword.
To casually claim supremacy over them? Just because they’re righteous doesn’t mean they’d let such a slight slide. If anything, because they’re righteous, they hold pride and honor above all.
“Fair point.”
“But no one knows what the future holds, do they?”
“Heh… you got me there, Young Sect Master.”
Elder Kang was genuinely delighted.
The Namgung Clan might take offense if they heard, but the Young Sect Master’s ambition was important. The future of Songho Sect lay in his sword. Watching Mu-ho grow stronger every day was enough to fill his stomach without a single bite of food.
“So, what brings you here?”
“Oh, nothing really. Just thought I’d drop by. That said… for the future of the clan, shouldn’t we be thinking about heirs too?”
“I’m still not ready.”
“Your father’s worried, you know.”
“I’ll try my best.”
Mu-ho was 28 years old. Not exactly young. At that age, it wouldn’t be surprising if he already had a wife and child. But he had delayed everything for the sake of martial arts. Still, if he waited any longer, there was a real risk. Securing an heir would bring peace of mind to everyone.
“I’ll give it a try myself, then.”
“I don’t want to burden you with that.”
“Burden? Nonsense. There’s nothing more important than this.”
“Understood.”
---The End Of The Chapter---
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