The icy cold cut through the seething lava on the cliff like a blade. No one could immediately accept the scene unfolding before them.
The silence was finally broken by the screams of the warriors from the Sun Palace.
"Lord! Lord Jin Pyeong!"
Seeing Jin Pyeong, who had collapsed to the ground, the protectors snapped out of their daze and rushed to him frantically.
"What are you doing! Protect the Lord!"
The protectors surrounded the Sun Palace Lord with a fierce energy, burning with fire qi, like a pack of enraged beasts.
"Lord, are you alright? Lord!"
"Ugh, ugh..."
The vital signs were weak, but he was still alive. The protectors desperately infused energy into the Sun Palace Lord's body. They had to keep him alive somehow!
Meanwhile, Jo Gul, who had been staring blankly, jerked his head around.
"Sasuk!"
As if his scream was a signal, Baek Cheon, who had been standing tall, collapsed to the ground.
Thud.
Jo Gul could not hide his shock and his eyes widened in disbelief.
His clothes were scorched up to his shoulders, and Baek Cheon's exposed arms had turned into red charcoal.
"Ugh..."
Seeing such a horrific sight, Jo Gul trembled and tried to run, but collapsed on the spot. His heart was already racing, but his legs would not obey.
"Damn it...!"
Jo Gul gritted his teeth and clawed at the ground. He tried to hold himself up with his fingers, but it was too exhausting to even move a little.
"Damn it! Damn it all..."
In his desperate state, he could only weakly mutter curses when a loud shout echoed.
"Protect Sahyung!"
It was Baek Sang.
"The Chung disciples should tend to the wounded, and the Baek disciples should protect the Wudang disciples! Since the enemy's defence has collapsed, we must escape immediately!"
"Yes!"
Before the command had even been issued, someone rushed to Jo Gul. Jo Gul, lying there, muttered:
"...Gwak Hui."
"Damn it! Does Sahyung have three lives? What kind of madness is this!"
Gwak Hui grabbed Jo Gul roughly, almost by the collar. Jo Gul spoke urgently.
"Save... save Sasuk first..."
"Damn it, keep your mouth shut!"
Gwak Hui ignored him and carried Jo Gul on his back. Meanwhile, other Chung disciples had also picked up the exhausted Yoon Jong and Yoo Iseol.
"Sahyung!"
Baek Sang, who had rushed to Baek Cheon first, hesitated as he tried to lift him. He couldn't help but do so.
"Ugh..."
He couldn't even bring himself to touch Baek Cheon.
His burnt arms seemed like they might fall apart at the slightest touch. In fact, they might already be so damaged internally that they would crumble.
And what about the rest of his body? There was hardly a single part that wasn't injured.
It was beyond comprehension how he was still alive in such a state.
Crack.
"Damn human!"
Baek Sang extended his trembling hand and carefully lifted Baek Cheon. With his heart pounding in anxiety, he surveyed the surroundings.
"Baek disciples."
"Yes, Sahyung!"
The Baek disciples, who had gathered and carried the wounded, stood guard around Baek Sang. They were already there before he even called.
"Not a single one, not a single attack... let any of it touch Sahyung."
The solemn command made the Baek disciples' eyes shift to Baek Cheon, who was in Baek Sang's arms. Seeing Baek Cheon in such a pitiful state, the Baek disciples' eyes filled with a cold, murderous intent.
Baek Sang's sharp gaze now focused on the Sun Palace who had been blocking the way.
With the Sun Palace Lord fallen and the protectors crowding around him, the once-impenetrable defence line had huge gaps.
With this situation, further words were pointless.
Crash!
Amidst the sound of the cliff crumbling, Baek Sang's voice rang out.
"Fall back! Now!"
"Yes!"
The disciples of Mount Hua all brandished their Plum Blossom Swords and charged forward.
"Ugh, ugh!"
"Lord! First, protect the Lord!"
"But if we do that, the enemies... Orders...!"
"Damn it! With the Lord in danger, what orders? Who dares give orders to the Sun Palace!"
Once a dam has broken, no amount of effort can stop the flood.
The Sun Palace, with its cornerstone removed in the form of Sun Palace Lord Jin Pyeong, crumbled almost effortlessly.
The Sun Palace defenders were retreating in disarray, unable to even think of facing the bloodthirsty disciples of Mount Hua.
"Get out of the way! Before I kill you all!"
Baek Sang roared and swung his sword. It wasn't a sword meant to kill the enemies, but simply to intimidate them.
It was a threat akin to that of a cornered thug, but even this meagre movement was enough. The Sun Palace disciples were in chaos, having lost their heads.
"Ugh..."
The Sun Palace Lord Jin Pyeong, surrounded by the protectors, weakly raised his trembling hand with blurred vision.
The protectors, horrified, tried to dissuade him.
"Lord!"
"Lord, you mustn't push yourself! Your internal injuries are severe."
"No, the... the enemies... Ugh, cough!"
The Sun Palace Lord, who had tried to give orders, spurted a cascade of blackened blood.
"Infuse more energy! More energy, now!"
"Yes!"
In the blurry vision of the Sun Palace Lord, the image captured was of Baek Cheon, who was being carried by Baek Sang. From the appearance alone, it looked like a corpse, but nevertheless, the author was still alive and making their way out of this place.
Of course, there's a chance that his breath might stop as soon as he exits this place, but the fact that the Sun Palace Lord could not bind them to this cliff remains unchanged.
"Ugh, ugh..."
What the Lord saw was not limited to this.
"These damn foreigners who deserve to be killed!"
"How dare you try to kill us?"
Following the path that had been opened by the Mount Hua Sect, the remnants of the Evil Tyrant Alliance fiercely surged in. They were more enraged than ever, facing a life-threatening danger. They had become a torrent of chaotic and violent water.
"Ahhhhh!"
The swords of the Evil Tyrant Alliance were deeply embedded in the chests of the retreating Sun Palace's warriors. Those who had fought alongside the Wudang Sect moments ago were now tearing each other's throats as if they were mortal enemies.
The body of the Sun Palace Lord, trembling uncontrollably, twisted and then slumped, as if it had no strength left to convulse.
The panicked Ho Beop held onto the Sun Palace Lord.
"Lord, Lord!"
"Get more Ho Beop! We need to save the Lord!"
"Lord!"
Leaving the Sun Palace behind, Baek Sang frantically looked around for a way out.
Where should he go? Where can he save these people?
The mountain was still engulfed in flames. There was no way to know how many enemies would be left to chase them.
And...
Even if he could find a safe place through the fire and enemies, Baek Cheon would be dead by then.
'No...'
At first, he thought there would be a way if only they could get past the Sun Palace Lord. But now the situation had changed. They couldn't just go up blindly.
He needed to find a safe place immediately to treat Baek Cheon. The Five Swords also needed urgent treatment!
In his desperation, it felt like his mind had frozen. Was there even a safe place to receive treatment in this hellish mountain?
Each step he took felt heavy, as if the ground was sinking and ready to swallow them all into an abyss.
'Someone...'
Desperately looking around, there was no one to advise him.
Baek Cheon, Yoo Iseol... Yoon Jong, Jo Gul, and even Hye Yeon were all unconscious and slumped like corpses.
It was up to Baek Sang.
If not him, who else could do it? It wasn't about others helping him; he had to save them.
Even at this moment, Baek Cheon's breath on his back was growing faint, as if it could stop at any moment.
"Sahyung, Sahyung!"
Baek Sang urgently called out to Baek Cheon. He tried to suppress the overwhelming anxiety surging in his chest.
"Don't worry, Sahyung. I will definitely take you to a safe place. So! So please don't die until then! Sahyung, do you understand? Yes?"
There was no response.
"Baek Sang Sahyung! Anywhere, just anywhere..."
"I know! I know, you bastard!"
Baek Sang bit his lip hard.
He needed a physician. In that case, the only option was to rush down the mountain. Whether it was a fiery hell or a demon-filled abyss didn't matter.
If that was the only way to save them, he wouldn't hesitate to go through hell.
"Down the mountain..."
Just as Baek Sang was about to turn in that direction with renewed determination, he heard:
"Down is dangerous!"
"What?"
At the familiar voice, Baek Sang quickly turned his gaze.
Tang Gunak had somehow arrived beside them. The dried blood on his lips and the tattered clothing indicated the severe struggle he had endured.
"Unit Leader!"
"Stop!"
The brief command was clear. Baek Sang nodded frantically. Just having Tang Gunak nearby felt like finding a beacon in a vast sea.
"Unit Leader! Sahyung! Baek Cheon Sahyung..."
Tang Gunak looked at Baek Cheon with a stern expression. His face was reddened and darkened in spots. Even the exposed flesh from the cracks was not bleeding. His once strong arms seemed hopeless. Tang Gunak involuntarily closed his eyes.
Seeing Tang Gunak's grim expression, Baek Sang's face drained of color.
"Unit Leader. Is Sahyung... Is Sahyung going to be okay?"
Tang Gunak cut him off.
"This isn't the time for such talk! Move forward, even if it's just one step more! If you want to save them!"
"Yes, understood!"
Tang Gunak bit his blood-crusted lips.
"But where do we go?"
"A place to save lives."
"Where is that?"
Just as Tang Gunak was urgently thinking of a solution.
"Up... Up..."
A voice whispered in their ears.
"What?"
"Up... the head... up."
Tang Gunak and Baek Sang's gazes sharply turned upward.
Before them was a steep mountain path, and at the summit, old and grandiose buildings overlooked the valley below.
The place where the Wudang Sect's disciples had risked their lives to protect.
"...Wudang."
"..."
"Indeed. There's nowhere else."
Tang Gunak glanced at the person who had given the information.
Heo Gong, still in a daze while being carried by a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, was resolutely pointing upward with his hand.
Was there any safer place for treatment other than the Wudang Sect on this mountain? It was the most suitable place for treatment in these mountains.
"Let's go! Hurry up!"
"Yes, Unit Leader!"
Tang Gunak led the way.
"Follow the Unit Leader!"
"Uwaaaaa!"
Instead of a response, roars erupted from all directions. The volcano's disciples raced up the steep Wudang Mountain like wild beasts.
Faster, putting all their remaining strength into their legs.
Soon after.
Rooooar!
A colossal noise, never heard before in their lives, reverberated behind those running. Even in this situation, everyone flinched and looked back.
Crack! Crack!
On the cliff where remnants of the Evil Tyrant Alliance were still struggling to escape.
Kaaaaaang!
With a terrifying sound like the collapse of the heavens, the entire cliff cracked and began to crumble. It looked as if the spear of a divine being had pierced through the mountain.
Sighs of relief escaped everyone's lips.
"Ah..."
The malice of humanity had literally shattered the terrain of the Wudang Sect, which had preserved its form for thousands of years.