"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"
The sound of rage reverberated loudly, as if it were the wail of a vengeful spirit drifting through the heavens.
Jo Gul listened to the sound blankly and muttered,
"Is, is it over? Is this what happens when we fail?"
"Impossible!"
Yoon Jong immediately countered.
"Our opponent is Jang Ilso. It can't be this simple!"
If this were the end, it would mean that it was just a prelude to the real conflict.
Of course, no one wishes for this more than Yoon Jong. If Jang Ilso and Ho Gakmyung were the type to be easily defeated and lenient, who would have willingly undergone this hellish ordeal?
A second, a third attack is bound to come.
And the purpose of those attacks will be one and only one.
Baek Cheon murmured,
"Are they planning to bring down this entire cliff?"
"Probably…"
"…Even the members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance here?"
"If not, there would be no reason for the Thousand-Faced Gentleman to act this way, would there?"
Baek Cheon clenched his teeth for a moment.
Such ruthless behaviour, devoid of any trace of mercy, is impossible to adapt to. It is always shocking and extreme.
"Wh-what should we do?"
"What do you mean, what should we do? We need to get out immediately!"
"Right now?"
"What nonsense are you talking about, Gul! What then?"
Baek Cheon shouted urgently.
They must withdraw from this place immediately. The cliff could collapse at any moment. The recent explosion might have been preparation for a massive blast.
Even if it wasn't, the situation remains the same. It is too clear what they are plotting.
Yet Jo Gul's face was still filled with hesitation.
"Then, what about Wudang?"
Baek Cheon's face hardened instantly. The Wudang Sect, surrounded by dense enemies, could be seen behind Jo Gul.
"Ah…"
They came to save the Wudang Sect.
But even if they manage to escape immediately, there is no guarantee that they will all survive. In such a desperate situation, should they still prioritize saving the Wudang Sect?
A moment of conflict flashed in Baek Cheon's eyes.
If the cost of the decision were his own life, Baek Cheon would have rushed to save the Wudang Sect without hesitation. If saving even one more person was possible, there would be no reason to hesitate.
But now, behind Baek Cheon are nearly a hundred Sahyungs. Can he gamble with their lives?
"Th…"
Baek Cheon's eyes trembled violently.
The dilemma is profound, and the time to decide is too short. How can it be so harsh?
'What should I do?'
At that moment, Baek Cheon clenched his cold hands tightly.
Pah!
"Sahyung!"
"Yoon Jong!"
Yoon Jong leaped towards the Wudang Sect without a second thought.
The members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, stunned by the explosion, reflexively brandished their weapons towards Yoon Jong.
Kang-kang!
Yoon Jong quickly parried their weapons and cut them down.
"Raaah!"
The scream, as if scraping the throat, subsided for a moment and reignited the frozen battlefield.
"Sahyung! Damn it!"
"Yoon Jong!"
Jo Gul and Baek Cheon quickly followed Yoon Jong.
Kwack!
Yoon Jong moved his sword faster than ever, defeating enemies and shouting with all his might.
"We don't have time to hesitate!"
"You…"
"Save the Wudang Sect and move forward! The exit is behind us!"
Baek Cheon bit his pale lower lip tightly.
That is also correct.
They can't go back through the cliff anyway. So, the only way to escape is to open a path to the opposite side of the cliff.
In the end, it means they must clear a path towards where the Wudang Sect is located.
'Damn it!'
Yes, it is a simple problem when you think about it. How did they get so bogged down in hesitation over something so straightforward?
"Mount Hua!"
Baek Cheon shouted fiercely, straining his neck,
"Forget about the back and open the path! Don't hold back your internal energy! If we can't break through here, we'll all die!"
"Ah, no, wait! Sasuk!"
Jo Gul shouted in alarm.
"These bastards must know the situation! If they have any sense, they wouldn't be fighting us right now…"
"It's futile, Gol!"
"They can't be that easy!"
At that moment,
"What are you doing? Kill them!"
As if answering Jo Gul's doubts, frantic shouts were heard from all directions.
"Don't worry about it! It's the sound of dealing with the remaining rabble below! Don't let them escape!"
"Fight!"
Indeed, some of them quickly gathered their energy and charged at Mount Hua with their swords. The previously cold atmosphere of the summit flared up again with intense heat.
Kang!
Jo Gul twisted his face as he blocked the attacking enemy's sword.
"These, these stupid bastards now…"
"Uuuuuuuuu!"
The eyes of the enraged enemy and Jo Gul's met. Jo Gul hesitated for a moment. The enemy's eyes showed not the anger of one who didn't understand the situation, but a desperate resolve.
'What…'
Screech!
Baek Cheon mercilessly cut down the enraged enemy. The hot blood flying into the air served as a signal flare.
"Kill them!"
"Ahhhhh!"
The Evil Tyrant Alliance members clashed fiercely with the warriors of Mount Hua again. Those attacking the Wudang Sect also renewed their assault.
"These idiots! You're all going to die!"
"It's useless!"
Yoon Jong gritted his teeth.
If it were Ho Gakmyung or Jang Ilso, they would likely be holding the lives of a few key figures tightly. It wouldn't have been too difficult. After all, there are many things more frightening than one's own death.
Those who had been floundering would eventually follow the lead of those few figures. Who would trust the enemy's words more than the commands from their own superior?
"Damn it! Haven't you heard the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's rampage? These idiots!"
Inside, Baek Cheon's anger burned fiercely. Yet, Jo Gul's words reached them not at all.
Eventually, Jo Gul also started to swiftly cut down the enemies. The Evil Tyrant Alliance members began to regain their senses one by one and blocked the path. It was indeed a desperate situation, and Jo Gul shouted angrily.
"These madmen, the explosives are going to explode!"
"Kill them all!"
Yes, it's hard to believe. The number of people gathered here and their affiliations will hinder proper judgment.
Even if you consider it from another perspective. Could the higher-ups ever imagine burying all these people here? Just to catch a little over a hundred people?
"Get out of the way, you bastards!"
"You filthy righteous sects! I'll kill you all!"
"Doing this will only lead to everyone's death! Get lost!"
At that moment, Yoon Jong's voice rang out clearly.
"Get out of the way, Gul!"
"What?"
Jo Gul flinched and twisted his body to the side.
"Ooooooooo!"
Just then, Hye Yeon's immense power swept past the spot where Jo Gul had been moments before.
Kwah-ah-ah-ah!
The golden power surged in with overwhelming momentum, sweeping away the Evil Tyrant Alliance members who had not yet properly organized themselves.
Jo Gul clenched his teeth and readied his sword again.
"I will not die here! Get out of the way!"
Kwack!
A spear flew and lodged itself in Jin Hyun's chest. Unable to channel enough strength into his sword, he couldn't even manage to strike effectively with such a simple blow.
"Jin Hyun!"
Kwack!
Jin Hyun immediately cut off the shaft of the spear embedded in his chest and drove his sword into the face of the shivering enemy.
A body with no intact parts left. Yet Jin Hyun continued to fight.
"Ugh…"
The limit had already arrived, taking control of his body.
Somewhere, another cry of despair could be heard. Just like the power used earlier had returned to the source, the Wudang Sect was rapidly collapsing. At the same time, even the defenses they had somehow managed to maintain began to crumble.
If the enemies had not hesitated for a moment due to the earlier explosion, perhaps they would have already fallen.
--
"Strength...!"
Kaaang!
Mu Jin, who had tried desperately to encourage Jin Hyun, could not fully utter his words and barely managed to block the sword coming at him. Even though it was just a simple strike he had blocked, his insides felt as though they had been turned upside down. His swollen and battered wrist no longer felt any pain.
Is this the end?
For a moment, he thought he had seen hope. However, that light was completely crushed by a massive explosion from below the cliff.
He didn't want to admit it, but he had no choice. He knew what was going to happen here. No matter how much he tried to deny it, there was no way to refute it.
"Haa..."
His labored breath came out like laughter, then like crying. In the end, they were thoroughly played with.
Moreover, what tormented Mu Jin even more now was the fact that the Wudang had merely been bait to draw Mount Hua here.
Kaaang!
Mu Jin, who countered the enemy's attack with all his remaining strength, swung his sword with everything he had.
Sseuk!
The sword pierced through flesh with a chilling sound. But he could not sever the opponent's life with a single blow. He lacked the strength.
The enemy, struck in the chest by the sword, retaliated with a fierce attack.
Kwa-dak!
A burning sensation, like a blast of fire, erupted near his elbow. The moment Mu Jin involuntarily staggered back a few steps, a powerful force from somewhere pierced through his body.
Kwaang!
His exhausted body tumbled backward.
The world turned white, and all sound abruptly ceased. In the world now filled with only the deafening silence, Mu Jin, buried in the ground, stared blankly ahead.
Enemies surged into the space he had been driven out of. Like a flood pouring out when a dam breaks, they were wild and chaotic.
The sight of their blades cutting through the bodies of the sahyung brothers seemed to move slowly, as if it were a dream. If this isn't despair, then what else could despair be?
Perhaps this scene is the end of Wudang. No, perhaps it signifies the end of righteous sects and this entire Kangho.
Ah...
At that moment, someone entered Mu Jin's line of sight.
With slow but deliberate steps. In this excruciatingly slow time, it seemed as though he was walking in his own time alone.
Mu Jin's eyes widened as he recognized the familiar back of the person standing in front of him.
'Sa...'
It was Heo Gong.
He was standing there, despite having exhausted himself to the point of losing consciousness. He should surely have had no strength left to even move a finger.
Heo Gong moved his hand. Despite its weight, which felt as heavy as Mount Tai to him now, he lifted the sword.
Mu Jin's remaining eye widened to its fullest.
'No...'
In that instant, Heo Gong's mumbling reached Mu Jin's ears clearly.
"If you leave it to flow... it will eventually return to its place."
Heo Gong's sword traced a slow arc.
From below to the left, from the left upward, from above to the right. It was a perfect circle, something Mu Jin had never seen before.
Then, black and white sword energy whirled. From a sword of someone who had no strength to stand.
"And so..."
Wuuuuung!
A new energy, like a spirit, surged into the sword energy. Transparent at first, but then clear and blue like the pure waters of a mountain stream.
The energy as clear as water, known as the innate spirit, was added to the black and white sword energy, forming the shape of the Three Taiji.
"Taiji."
Kwaaaaaaaaaa!
The energy exploded outward.
The immense sword energy suddenly burst forth, sweeping away the Evil Tyrant Alliance's men without even a hint of resistance.
Kwaaaaaaaaa!
The sword energy, which combined yin, yang, and humanity, crushed human bodies in an instant, even silencing the screams that erupted.
"Ah..."
What remained was only emptiness. The space in front of Heo Gong turned entirely into nothingness. The enemies that had rushed in with malice were nowhere to be seen, no matter how hard one looked.
It was a marvel created by the sword, an unbelievable spectacle for a human body to achieve.
In the midst of it, Heo Gong stood alone, towering.
"Sa...suk..."
Was Mu Jin's voice a signal?
Heo Gong's body, which had stood upright and calmly, began to crumble. It was not as if a person was falling, but rather like sand flowing away.
"Ugh..."
Unconsciously, Mu Jin reached out toward Heo Gong. His blood-soaked fingertips trembled with pity.
What he had let go of, Heo Gong still clung to. Thus, he threw everything he had to protect Wudang until the very end.
Was it worth anything? After all, this place...
"Die, you monster!"
One of the few who had survived without getting caught in the sword strikes suddenly came to his senses and charged at Heo Gong.
It might have been a struggle born not of courage but of fear. Yet, neither Heo Gong nor Mu Jin had the strength to stop this insignificant struggle.
The swinging blade fell toward Heo Gong's neck, as if kneeling in penitence.
"Sasuuuuuuuuuk!"
At that moment, Mu Jin, who had screamed and stretched out his hand with all his might.
Kwa-dak!
From beneath the blade descending upon Heo Gong, a long object suddenly protruded.
Paaang!
The blade that flew from the hand whirled fiercely and struck right next to Mujin.
Kwa-gak!
Mujin's gaze was fixed elsewhere, though his own body might have been split in two.
"Keuk..."
An enemy, frozen in place just in front of Heo Gong, and someone who had stabbed their sword into the enemy's head like an illusion.
The name of that person was surely...
"Yoo Iseol..."
Kwa-gak!
At that moment, someone swiftly arrived, striking down the enemy's neck that was still twitching with a single blow and rushing directly to Heo Gong.
Their intense gaze met Mu Jin's bewildered eyes.
The person, whose face was twisted into a demonic expression stained with blood...
"...Baek Cheon."
"What are you doing!"
Baek Cheon, who had cut down the enemy in one stroke, grabbed Mu Jin's shoulder.
"There's no time to dawdle! We must escape immediately!"
"But... but this place..."
Mu Jin's face turned grim.
The Heavenly Comrade Alliance and the Mount Hua Sect had risked everything to save Wudang. But now, it seemed they were about to lose everything.
In such a situation, what face should he present to these people?
"You know...?"
"And so what!"
"..."
"So, you want to just sit and die? Is that the Wudang Sect's way?"
"I, I..."
"Shut the fuck up and get over here you bastard!"
"O, okay!"
Baek Cheon forcefully lifted Mu Jin and threw him over his shoulder.
"What are you doing!"
"Stay still! I'm also in a complicated situation!"
Mu Jin, left speechless, became quiet. Baek Cheon shouted.
"Carry all the survivors! We escape immediately!"
"Yes!"
The disciples of Mount Hua clenched their teeth and rushed to carry the disciples of Wudang.
Baek Cheon, breathing heavily, looked at the slope leading up to the cliff. The path to the summit of Wudang.
'Survival!'
If there is a way to live, it is only there!
'I will survive. No, I will save everyone!'
Even if it means risking his own life.
(T/N We all know you ain't gonna kill Baek Cheon author. These red herrings ain't fooling no one.)