They faced each other at a distance where their astonished and half-closed eyes almost seemed to touch.
"Gah…"
The Sun Palace Lord clutched the wound on his chest where the sword had struck. The blood that flowed from the wound ran down the sword and steadily oozed from his hand.
It was only a couple of inches. This strike had not pierced his body completely. It was not fatal enough to end his life.
However, it was an unexpected blow that no one could have anticipated. This sword should not be lodged here.
Only the searing pain in his chest proved that this situation was real.
"Th…"
He groaned!
As the Sun Palace Lord exerted force, the Plum Blossom Sword in his hand screamed. The blood flowing from the wound on his chest could not withstand the heat radiating from the Sun Palace Lord's hand and turned into red steam.
Eventually.
KAAAAAAA!
The Sun Palace Lord's left arm, filled with fearsome power, shot towards Jo Gul's side. Jo Gul, still in a trance-like state, had no idea to evade the blow.
But at that moment, Yoon Jong unfolded his sword with all his might. Hundreds of swords seemed to bloom in the air. The sword light, not yet fully blooming like a plum blossom, barely managed to block the Sun Palace Lord's power that was aimed straight at Jo Gul.
KABOOM!
Suddenly!
As the sword light clashed with the force, blood erupted from Yoon Jong's mouth. It felt as though his internal organs were being crushed and burst from just a single strike. The shock was immense.
Yet, Yoon Jong's sword tip did not waver even for a moment. If he faltered, Jo Gul would die. Therefore, Yoon Jong could not afford to waver.
"UAAAAAH!"
Instead, he shouted with the force of expelling blood. The once blunt sword light began to transform into a blooming flower. It was a sword technique pouring all its might into a single strike.
Amidst the storm of tremendous heat, the steel flowers that bloomed pushed back the Sun Palace Lord's fiery power, even if just for a moment.
"OOOOOOO!"
And as if it had been waiting, a brilliant golden light of the Buddhas surged towards the Sun Palace Lord's left arm.
KUUUUUUUNG!
The sound of a massive bronze bell being struck echoed. This formidable power did not end with just one blow.
KUUUUUUUNG! KUUUUUUUNG!
The strikes unleashed with all their power repeatedly slammed into the Sun Palace Lord.
Hye Yeon. The talented individual cultivated with Shaolin's utmost care poured all his strength into this moment. For only one purpose!
"A—MI—!"
Before he could even finish his roar like a lion's cry, Hye Yeon's attacks poured down incessantly.
The once immense fiery power began to shrink, unable to withstand the combination of plum blossom and golden light, eventually curling up like a completely burned-out flame.
"How dare these…"
The Sun Palace Lord roared in rage.
The wounds on his body, the sight of his own weakness, and the reality of being overpowered by these lowly and insignificant beings shattered his sanity.
"AHHHHHHH!"
A sound that was either a scream or a crazed yell reverberated. The cry, unbefitting of his noble status, resembled that of a beast.
Golden light surged from both hands of the Sun Palace Lord. It was a radiant glare as if all the world's wealth had been gathered to crush everything beneath it.
Even if it meant expending all his remaining strength, the malevolent intent to utterly annihilate these foes in front of him was palpable.
KAAAAAA!
The sword still embedded in the Sun Palace Lord's chest, Jo Gul clutching the sword, Yoon Jong blocking with all his might, and Hye Yeon desperately hammering at the unyielding door…
All seemed likely to be swept away by the swelling golden light that appeared ready to burst at any moment. As despair surged into everyone's eyes.
PAAAANG!
Just before the explosion, someone leaped into the storm of energy, which was simultaneously swirling with sword qi, power, and heat from the Sun Palace Lord.
WOOOOO!
The sword tip, stained red, advanced slowly yet persistently towards the Sun Palace Lord's neck.
Yoon Jong's eyes widened in disbelief at the scene. He realized clearly who was stretching out the sword to absorb that energy with their whole body.
'Sasuk?'
He's going to die.
His heart sank. He could not guarantee survival even with a healthy body against that energy. To face it with a weakened body? It would be better to drop the sword and fall forward; it might have a higher chance of survival.
But Yoon Jong could do nothing. The moment he hesitated, not only Baek Cheon but also Jo Gul, Hye Yeon, and even Yoon Jong himself would be turned to black charcoal in an instant.
No, ultimately, everyone here would die.
Amidst the clash of energies and their screams, the sound of Baek Cheon dragging his feet was chillingly clear.
SIZZLE!
The flesh burned and melted away. Baek Cheon's hand gripping the sword began to burn until his skin started to flow away.
"Ah, no…"
SIZZLE!
But even in that moment, Baek Cheon continued to advance, albeit slowly and weakly, with his sharp sword tip precisely aimed at the Sun Palace Lord's neck.
That sword would not stop. Yoon Jong could only sense it.
Even if the body burned completely and was reduced to nothing but ashes, that sword would not cease until it was lodged in the Sun Palace Lord's neck.
And Yoon Jong was not the only one who felt this. In fact, the one who felt it most acutely was the Sun Palace Lord Jin Pyeong, watching the sword tip approach.
'Why?'
Why go to such extremes?
The author's death was already determined. In that case, wouldn't it be better to die gracefully than to endure suffering?
Facing the full brunt of the fiery power with a bare body would bring a pain far greater than death itself. No, the imminent death would be marked by unparalleled agony.
Then why continue with such madness?
Seeing Baek Cheon, who approached without hesitation despite being in a state resembling a sinner suffering in the hottest part of the Hell of Burning Heat, the Sun Palace Lord felt a new emotion within his chest that he had never experienced before.
SIZZLE!
Just before the imminent explosion, a distorted face emerged through the energy.
Though burned and scarred, Baek Cheon's eyes were unwavering, like those of an enlightened monk.
The Sun Palace Lord felt as though his soul was slipping away. His might might overwhelm these individuals, but he could not endure their 'strength.'
As his heart shrank, so did his power. It became increasingly difficult to unleash his energy as freely as before.
Baek Cheon's eyes were gradually closing.
There was no more pain now. All that remained was the will to move forward. His physical body had surpassed its limits, and his mind had stepped into a place it had never reached before.
As the feeble yet great advance continued with difficulty, a flame ignited in the chest of the cornered beast.
"Ugh, Uuuuuuuuu!"
Sun Palace Lord Jin Pyeong, in a desperate struggle, extended both hands with all his might.
It is said that even a rat will bite a cat when cornered, let alone the Sun Palace Lord, who was an immensely powerful beast.
Paaah!
The Sun Palace Lord's force, which had been waning, suddenly flared up like a wildfire, stretching out towards Baek Cheon, who was leading the charge.
Yoon Jong and Jo Gul screamed without realizing it.
At that moment, an arrow shot through the path that Baek Cheon had opened with his life.
Saaaaaaaak!
With a sound like silk being cut by a sharp sword, Yoo Iseol's Plum Blossom Sword pierced through the blazing flame and shot towards the Sun Palace Lord's forehead.
All of Yoo Iseol's strength was poured into that sword. Every ounce of power, leaving nothing behind, was concentrated into that one strike.
Yoo Iseol's usually expressionless face now bore a fierce resolve, and an earnestness that surpassed even that resolve.
'Please!'
The tip of the sword soon reached the Sun Palace Lord's forehead, just as everyone had wished.
But at that moment.
Snap.
The Sun Palace Lord's hand grabbed Yoo Iseol's sword. Given that the sword was filled with all of Yoo Iseol's power, the Sun Palace Lord's hand also suffered. The blade dug into his palm, slicing through the flesh and bone.
Yet, despite the pain, the Sun Palace Lord gripped the sword with a tenacity that would not let go.
'Ah…'
Yoo Iseol's eyes, which seemed unshakeable forever, now shook greatly.
It had not reached.
The decisive blow, which had everything riding on it, failed due to a mere fraction of an inch.
Instinctively, Yoo Iseol understood. There would never be another strike like this one.
In the moment when Yoo Iseol's eyes met the tragic end, sheer despair flickered in them.
"Uuuuuuuuu!"
But then, an enormous battle cry erupted from behind them.
It was an unfamiliar voice. However, it was clear how desperate it was. The shout was already there the moment it was recognized and had already passed by the moment it was realized.
The unfamiliar figure's back came into everyone's view. Even at a glance, it was a back exuding tremendous desperation and a deadly aura.
Soon after, everyone saw the Sun Palace Lord's eyes, filled with horror, and his mouth wide open in shock.
'Thousand-Faced Gentleman…?'
Before long, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's long sword, which had appeared in front of them, was mercilessly thrust into the Sun Palace Lord's chest.
Fwoooosh!
As the white-clad hand struck the chest, the Sun Palace Lord was blasted back, spewing blood like a fountain.
All the disciples of Mount Hua were frozen in place. The scene they had never imagined had brought everything to a halt.
"Huff, huff…"
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman, who had landed heavily on the ground, exhaled ragged breaths. His face, covered in wounds, was twisted like a demon.
"What… is this…"
Boom!
As Jo Gul tried to say something in response to the bizarre sight, the Sun Palace Lord, who had been knocked down, struggled to rise. His eyes, filled with intense rage, seemed ready to devour the Thousand-Faced Gentleman.
"T-this… what… this… this vile… Hrk!"
"Lord, Sun Palace!"
From the mouth of the Sun Palace Lord Jin Pyeong, who was about to unleash his rage, blood spurted out again.
"T-this…"
He covered his mouth with one hand and glared at the Thousand-Faced Gentleman with burning eyes. It was the moment when hatred for someone who should have been an ally reached its peak.
"D-damn…"
His body stiffened like a dead tree, and he collapsed forward.
Boom!
The sound of a giant's body crashing to the ground followed by the sizzle of burning earth.
Everyone was left speechless.
A brief silence followed.
In that quiet, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman looked down at his trembling hands for a moment before clenching his lips tightly.
"…Damn it."
Then, he leapt over the Sun Palace Lord, shooting forward like the wind.
It was the moment when the final gatekeeper fell before an unexpected blade.
(T/N Brother, Thousand Faced was like if you can't go over it and you can't go under it, you got to go through it. Bitch, go round you dumb fuck)