"Arghhhhh!"
Jo Gul roared, spitting out blood. His bloodstained hand holding the sword trembled violently.
"Damn it, I did it! Damn it!"
Jo Gul quickly turned around. Those standing behind him were watching him with extremely excited eyes.
They knew.
How difficult it was to carve a path in this mountain. How terrifying it was to be the first to step forward and fight when the enemy could attack from behind the flames at any moment.
But this man had walked that treacherous path with dignity and finally arrived here.
What Jo Gul proved here was not just the sharpness of his sword. It was the first step he dared to take. The world calls that courage.
The members of the Tang family standing here realized this. Even if the result they produce here turns into a failure, no one would dare say Jo Gul was not qualified anymore.
Jo Gul ordered.
"What are you doing? Guard the rear! They are targeting those who are joining us! Stop them, now!"
"Yes, Deputy Leader!"
The answering voice had an unprecedented decisiveness. Jo Gul shouted, unable to hide his excitement.
"Don't dawdle and hurry up! What are you doing!"
"We're coming, you bastard!"
Yoon Jong shouted loudly, his voice piercing through the air.
"If you just shut your mouth, your evaluation would go up twice, you damn bastard!"
Yoon Jong clicked his tongue and muttered while still urging his men. It was true they needed to hurry and join up.
"This way!"
At that moment, Baek Cheon raised his sword high. So that everyone could see.
"All squads, form a defensive formation around here, right now!"
"Yes!"
Baek Cheon quickly scanned the surroundings. Reaching the cliff was a good thing, but it also meant that the movements of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance had stopped.
The enemies, not being fools, would obviously surround and attempt to attack.
Baek Cheon's gaze shot towards the narrow paths to the left and right of the cliff behind them.
'Narrow.'
The path connected to the steep cliff. It would take a long time for so many people to climb it.
"Dong Ryong, they're coming!"
"Damn it! Don't call me that!"
Baek Cheon reflexively shouted, looking ahead. The enemies were pushing through the still smouldering flames like enraged bulls.
But then...
"Huh?"
"What?"
"...This is strange."
Baek Cheon, Jo Gul, and Yoon Jong simultaneously tilted their heads, as if they had made a pact.
The enemies were definitely swarming through the blazing fire, yet they weren't easily crossing the flames.
Ironically, the fire started by the Evil Tyrant Alliance was preventing the Heavenly Comrade Alliance from being surrounded at once. It seemed as if the Heavenly Comrade Alliance had set up a great wall of fire against them.
"Is this what they call being hoisted by their own petard?"
(T/N wtf author knows Shakespear. This is a Hamlet reference btw XD)
"Oh? You know such a phrase?"
Jo Gul, feeling slighted, snapped. Yoon Jong ignored him and kept watching ahead. Meanwhile, Namgung Dowi and Hye Yeon, who were slightly behind, also joined with their teams.
"Shiju!"
"Thank you for your efforts, Monk!"
"It's nothing. The real effort was made by Jo Gul here."
"Thank you for noticing..."
"No, that's enough."
"He didn't do much, Monk."
Jo Gul, now dejected, slumped his shoulders. How did he end up with these people...?
"So, what do we do now, Deputy Sect Leader?"
Namgung Dowi asked, and Baek Cheon lightly frowned.
They had secured a position where they could defend their backs against the cliff while fighting the enemy. Moreover, the force that had been attacking the rear had also somewhat diminished.
They had some breathing space for now.
Baek Cheon calmly replied.
"Nothing different. First, we hold this place firmly and break through the narrow paths with an elite few."
"Sasuk."
"Why?"
"...That seems unlikely."
"What do you mean...?"
Baek Cheon, about to question further, sensed something and looked up.
Swish!
Boom!
Something crashed into the cliff and fell.
'A person?'
Baek Cheon's face hardened.
"Gul!"
"Damn it!"
Jo Gul immediately leaped, catching the falling person and landing back.
"Ugh..."
Jo Gul's hand trembled slightly. The person, impaled with several blades and horribly mangled, convulsed in his arms.
Torn and ripped, but what he wore was undoubtedly the martial robe of Wudang.
"Are you...alright...?"
Jo Gul instinctively asked, but then he closed his mouth. No one could survive this condition. Even if Tang Soso were here, she wouldn't be able to do anything.
"Damn it..."
Jo Gul bit his lip in frustration. But then, the fallen person slowly opened his eyes and spoke.
"Mount...Hua...?"
"Yes! Mount Hua!"
Jo Gul nodded fervently.
"This is the Heavenly Comrade Alliance. Are you conscious?"
"Above... the seniors..."
"..."
"Dan...ger... Soon... annihil..."
The man's head drooped to the side, and his convulsing body grew still.
Jo Gul, biting his lip, laid the man down gently. Then he looked at Baek Cheon with a grim expression.
"Do you understand what he wanted to say?"
"...He wanted to convey that they will soon be annihilated."
Grind.
Jo Gul clenched his fist tightly.
Baek Cheon's gaze fixed on the cliff's edge. Like newborn spiders, the enemies were swarming and climbing relentlessly, targeting Wudang sect members.
The situation for the Wudang sect was far worse than expected. While the enemies were climbing the cliff, the Wudang sect was being pushed out and falling.
__
Isn't it enough to imagine the situation on the cliff just by looking at this?
"Let's go, Yoon Jong!"
"Just a moment, Sasuk!"
"We don't have time to hesitate! Do you know why we came here?"
"We have no idea! There must be enemies stationed at the pass."
"We need to break through!"
"It's not about breaking through; it's about how quickly we can get there! With that method, Wudang will not be able to hold out until we reach the cliff."
"Then what…?"
"Let's go up!"
"Huh?"
"What?"
Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong's gazes simultaneously turned to Jo Gul. Jo Gul was pointing to the cliff behind him with his index finger raised.
"The cliff is our specialty, isn't it?"
"Wait a minute, Gul. That is…"
"What are you hesitating about? This is the fastest route!"
"It's too dangerous!"
"No, that's not my concern!"
Jo Gul finally bared his teeth and glared at the two as if he was going to devour them.
"Are you saying you won't do it because it's dangerous?"
"…."
"Can't you see there's only one method? There's no time to deliberate! We need to go up now! This is the easiest method!"
Upon hearing that, Baek Cheon once again surveyed the cliff.
If you ask whether it's possible, of course, it is.
If the Evil Tyrant Alliance can climb the cliff, then so can they. But...
Perhaps having the same thought, Yoon Jong coldly cut off Jo Gul's opinion.
"That's... when we were at Mount Hua. The moment we climb that cliff, the entire system we've established will collapse. On top of the cliff, there's nothing we can do. It will only increase the sacrifices."
"Damn it! Are we just going to watch?"
"If we break through the pass quickly…"
"It's too late! It's too late!"
Bang!
Jo Gul pounded the cliff with his fist and glared fiercely.
"Are we suggesting we try a method that's obviously going to fail? Is it such a waste to have come this far? Just for face-saving?"
"Gul-ah!"
"Choosing a method is not what we do; we create it! Isn't that right?"
Baek Cheon bit his lip tightly. Jo Gul was right. But...
"What are you hesitating for? You fool."
At that moment, a sneering voice brushed his ears. Baek Cheon gritted his teeth.
"Damn it. I don't have time to argue with you..."
"Go up."
"...What?"
Jin Geum Ryong, who had already organized the rear, approached with an arrogant look.
"If you Mount Hua monkeys are here, you should be able to climb up in one breath."
"Right now, I am from Mount Hua..."
"Here, you Mount Hua people."
As soon as Jin Geum Ryong's words fell, familiar figures rushed out from all directions. Clad in black armor, with plum blossoms emblazoned on their chests.
The familiar warriors from Mount Hua.
"Sasuk!"
"We are ready!"
"Just give the order, Sahyung!"
Baek Cheon's eyes shook briefly. Conflict flitted through his heart. But...
"No. Not right now..."
"Stop talking nonsense."
"What?"
Jin Geum Ryong smirked.
"Originally, the intention of forming a faction and splitting the sects was to prevent each faction from only looking after its own interests. Do you really think there's a madman here who would envy Mount Hua climbing that cliff?"
"…."
"So stop talking and get lost. I'll handle it."
Having said his piece, Jin Geum Ryong swung his sword dramatically and turned away without looking back, heading towards the enemy.
"From now on, I'll take command!"
Baek Cheon stood there, dumbfounded, as Namgung Dowi smirked.
"Such a close-knit brotherhood."
"Who?"
"Just as dishonest as ever."
"No, Sogaju-nim!"
Chuckling, Namgung Dowi tapped his sword and nodded grandly.
"Go ahead, Deputy Sect Leader. I'll take care of this."
"But…"
"This is a simple task of holding out until the Taoists save us. If we can't do even that, the Namgung name will be in vain."
Namgung Dowi smiled and then looked at Hye Yeon.
"I'll take care of this, so you go on ahead."
"Shi…shiju?"
"Isn't that what you wanted as well?"
Hye Yeon's face turned slightly red.
"Only you can act so maturely. And… As you know, we're not the only ones here."
"That's right!"
Someone cut in and strode forward with great confidence, vigorously waving a fan.
"Finally, Sogaju-nim, you will see my true worth…"
"All the unit leaders are here. Though they are currently holding back, they will step forward if a crisis arises."
"…No, I too…"
"And each of them is an elite of a prestigious family. Do not underestimate them."
"…You're still ignoring me? Don't you see the Evil Sect scum in the eyes of those esteemed individuals?"
Namgung Dowi finally gave a sidelong glance and muttered.
"If you know that, then you should just leave."
"What?"
As the two began their usual bickering, Baek Cheon let out a deep sigh.
What's going well, huh.
Looking up again, he saw everyone around him clearly.
Jo Gul and Yoon Jong, Yoo Iseol and Hye Yeon, and even the Plum Blossom Sword-wielding warriors standing behind them. Baek Cheon momentarily smiled and shook his head.
"...How tiresome."
"Who's saying what?"
"Is that something Sasuk should say?"
"I thought we'd be apart for a while."
"Shut up, you damned fools! No more words!"
Baek Cheon roared, directing his gaze towards the cliff. His face, instead of seriousness, slowly filled with boiling passion.
Baek Cheon commanded Mount Hua.
"Right now, the Taoists are risking their lives to hold on."
The expressions of the Mount Hua warriors changed.
"Let's go, Mount Hua! We'll climb it in one breath!"
"Yes!"
Boom!
The black-clad warriors leaped up the cliff.
The world visible through their eyes changed. The towering cliff descended like flat ground, and the black sky and countless stars spread out like a vast expanse.
In that changed world, over a hundred swords cut through like shooting stars.