Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1669. There Will Be a Future (4)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
"Dodgeeee!"
Wudang's disciples flew backwards in a flurry.
Thump! Thump!
The oil pouches that flew into the spots they had vacated burst as soon as they landed, and fire arrows poured down right on top of them immediately.
Hwareureureuk!
The flames spread instantly. Flames so red they even momentarily tinged blue soared to a height exceeding that of a grown man's head.
If they hadn't managed to dodge in time and had been there? If they had been engulfed in those flames?
An unimaginably terrible tragedy would have occurred.
“Sasuk, they are coming again!”
“R- Retreat! Fall back for now! Now!”
No matter how much martial arts they've learned, they too are human. Resisting such vicious flames wasn't easy. What they had learned was originally to cut, deflect, and stab, not how to face flames.
"B- But if we retreat from here...!"
“They’re human too! They can’t keep advancing through that fire!”
Mu Jin shouted loudly and emphasized once again.
"Don't engage, fall back! Our task is not to annihilate the enemy, but to prevent them from climbing this place! Don't forget that duty!"
"Yes!"
The Wudang disciples who had been in confusion came to their senses one by one at Mu Jin's shout.
It was certainly correct. Fire does not discriminate between enemy and ally. If the flames were such that Wudang had to retreat, then the others would not be able to enter easily either.
This meant that if the flames subsided enough for them to enter, Wudang could also fight back again. Therefore, it is right to retreat for now.
“They are coming again!”
“Fall back!”
Wudang's disciples surged backward in unison, or more precisely, up the slope. Wudang's Cloud Treading Step, said to be like ascending riding clouds, unfolded riding not clouds but acridly rising smoke.
And the moment their feet touched the ground again, the breath they had unwittingly held was exhaled.
‘Casualties?’
There were injured, but the dead numbered at most two or three. Though hearts ached, looking at it coldly, it wasn't great damage. If they just calmly retreated and reorganized once...
“Don’t let your guard down!”
Though he shouted this aloud, Mu Jin also thought they could catch their breath at this point.
They will, of course, continue to throw oil pouches and shoot arrows, but the nature of thrown weapons was such that their power drops off sharply as the distance increases.
Moreover, shooting upward from below would reduce their force by more than twice compared to simply throwing them.
So, as long as they didn't let their guard down, they could prevent further losses. First, catch their breath and wait for those flames to subside...
But then.
"S- Sasuk! There! Please look there!"
Hwareureureureuk!
The flames that had been fiercely burning as if to melt the slope surged violently for a moment as if swaying, then clearly split left and right.
"Wha- What?"
It was an unbelievable sight. Fire wasn't alive or possessed will, so how could it move on its own like that?
“Sasuk!”
A voice like a scream rang out. Soon, a group revealed itself through the parted flames.
"Uh... Uhhh!"
Mu Jin's mouth opened involuntarily.
It was the people he had seen earlier.
The martial artists of the Southern Sea Sun Palace, who had been ruthlessly hurling oil pouches and shooting fire arrows, were calmly cutting through the center of the fiercely blazing flames and climbing the slope.
"How?"
With every step they took, the flames were pushed aside. But being pushed aside did not mean disappearing. The fire merely subsided a little but was still burning, and the heat was terrible enough to melt rocks.
But how can they walk with their bare bodies in a place like a hellish pit of fire?
Mu Jin, unable to believe the sight before his eyes, stood dazed. At that moment, one of the Sun Palace martial artists standing in the center of the flames let out a clear sneer.
"Foolish Jungwon bastards."
Then he shouted.
“Fire! Push straight up to the top of the slope in one go!”
* * *
Meanwhile, deep dissatisfaction rippled in the eyes of Jin Pyeong, the master of the Southern Sea Sun Palace. He twisted his lips with a face full of obvious displeasure.
"For a place like this?"
He glared at the back of a man standing ahead with hands clasped behind, surveying the war situation (전세(戰勢)).
An insignificant neck.
A neck that Jin Pyeong could snap at any moment if he wished, yet its owner dared to ignore his words entirely and instead stared only at the newly spreading flames on the steep slope.
The Sun Palace Master’s face twisted slightly.
He could tolerate the tyranny of Ryeonju Jang Ilso. Though he absolutely didn't want to say it out loud, frankly, even Jin Pyeong had to admit it. That was the kind of man Jang Ilso was.
But it was hard to endure a mere strategist who hadn't even reached the peak level also disregarding him.
Especially for Jin Pyeong, who had believed his whole life that to command people, one must possess the qualifications befitting it.
“Can you not hear my words?”
Only after a strange anger was mixed in the voice did Ho Gamyeong, who had been staring only ahead, glance back at Jin Pyeong. The moment he saw Ho Gamyeong's indifferent gaze, Jin Pyeong's eyebrow twitched uncomfortably.
Evil Tyrant Alliances’ Strategist Ho Gamyeong. As Jang Ilso's confidant (복심(腹心)), one who receives greater favor than anyone.
Jin Pyeong had heard countless evaluations of Ho Gamyeong, but honestly, it was difficult to accept them as they were.
No matter how high he flies or crawls, he was just a strategist.
Fundamentally, a strategist was no different from a book the lord consults before making a judgment. How could it look good for such a bastard to dare possess authority and reign as Evil Tyrant Alliance's second-in-command?
“Do you have something you wish to say?”
It was even worse that this mere strategist dared to look the master of the Southern Sea Sun Palace straight in the eye and speak so impertinently.
"Did you demand the Sacred Fire (성화(聖火) to be used in a place like this?"
‘Sacred Fire’ was originally a term that could be a symbol in itself in sects with strong religious tendencies. However, the ‘Sacred Fire’ referred to by the Southern Sea Sun Palace is simply oil.
The Southern Sea Sun Palace members pursuing the extreme of Scorching Yang Art naturally had to be interested in the utilization of fire. What was created that way was precisely the Sacred Fire (성화(聖火)).
Thus, in the Southern Sea Sun Palace, Sacred Fire refers to both the special oil that produces the flames and the fire that burns from that oil.
Flames that, once lit, can't easily be extinguished by internal strength or even water. Among the treasures (귀보(貴寶)) that only Sun Palace possesses, a treasure among treasures.
However....
“Do you have any idea how much capital and manpower are consumed to produce a single drop of Sacred Fire?”
“....”
“And do you know how valuable the forces that handle that Sacred Fire are within the palace?”
The heat emitted by Sacred Fire far surpasses that of ordinary flames. Therefore, those who handle the Holy Fire inevitably become the elite of the elites even within the Southern Sea Sun Palace, which contends for the world's greatest in the Scorching Yang Art.
Meaning they're the core of the core of Sun Palace that the Sun Palace Master won't provide for just any matter.
"Yet you brought such people and use them for such a trivial task."
“It is not particularly a trivial task.”
"...What?"
Ho Gamyeong answered while looking at the Sun Palace Master with calm eyes.
“Rather, it is an absolutely necessary task.”
"To open a mere slope like that? If the Sacred Fire is used properly, it could burn down several sects all at once."
"...It seems the Sun Palace Master may be overconfident in what he holds."
What provoked anger at Ho Gamyeong's remark wasn't the Sun Palace Master but the Palace members guarding behind him.
"What is this bastard babbling...!"
“Stop.”
Before the commotion could escalate, Jin Pyeong raised his hand to silence them. And he glared at Ho Gamyeong with eyes shining coldly.
“What do you mean by that?”
"Sacred Fire is at most just oil that burns well. And the opponent is Wudang. They're not people who can be handled with such tricks."
"...You dare to belittle the Palace's Sacred Fire?"
"Well."
Ho Gamyeong's eyes stared sharply at the steep slope.
“It appears it is already happening.”
The Sun Palace Master's gaze reflexively turned to the same place.
* * *
Swaeaeaeaek!
Fire arrows flying in again turned the oil flowing on the ground into flames. The pale-faced disciples of Wudang retreated further and further back.
Voices tinged with anxiety were heard from here and there.
“Sasuk!”
“....”
"What do we do! At this rate...!"
The color drained from Mu Jin's face. He wanted to ask instead.
They were advancing through the fire they themselves had created. Using what method, leisurely parting flames that would more than burn people black.
'Sun Palace!'
The Scorching Yang Art of the Southern Sea Sun Palace was said to be peerless under heaven, but even so, freely moving through flames of that magnitude was beyond reason.
Seeing their bodies glisten momentarily amidst the flickering fire shadows, he could only guess that they were using some special means in addition to their Scorching Yang Arts, but Mu Jin had no way to figure out a countermeasure.
"R- Retreat..."
"The slope is almost ended, Sasuk! Above this is..."
The summit of White Face Rock. In other words, it was no different from being pushed back step by step and ultimately surrendering the high ground. There was a wide-open space at the summit of White Face Rock. In that place, their numbers will exert even greater power.
What should he do? Considering this, should they retreat even that far? Or...
If so, the Mu generation might be able to face that oil and arrows. But ordering the Jin generation to engage them on such a steep slope would be tantamount to asking them to die.
Then...
"They're coming again!"
Swaeaeaeaek!
Without even a moment to continue his thoughts, oil pouches and fire arrows cut through the air again. Mu Jin was about to shout another warning.
Paaaat!
“Heut!”
“What are you doing!”
Someone flew forward swiftly and unfolded their sword toward the pouring oil pouches and arrows.
The sword, drawing spiraling circles, gathered the oil balls and arrows into the center of the sword strike and then blew them away off the cliff in a single stroke.
Hwareureureureuk!
The burning oil in midair poured down upon the heads of Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists climbing the cliff.
"Wh- What!"
"It's fiiire!"
The Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists who were suddenly hit by the rain of fire from far below screamed desperately.
Mu Jin stared blankly at the one who had stepped forward.
"Whether it's fire, oil, or arrows..."
"Jin Hyeon?"
“There’s no way the sword of Wudang, which can even confine flowing water, cannot deal with them.”
Jin Hyeon held his sword straight. And aimed it at the Sun Palace martial artists climbing the slope, treading on flames as if they were dirt.
"Isn't that right?"
Mu Jin bit his pale lips tightly.
It was true. An obvious logic. Yet he had momentarily forgotten that obvious fact.
“Jin Hyeon....”
“I fully understand your concern for us, Sasuk. But before that, please trust us a little more.”
Mu Jin closed his eyes tightly for a moment with an anguished heart.
The very choice of the previous generation he had so resented, he too was now inflicting upon them.
“…I’m sorry.”
"No."
Mu Jin, who had made up his mind, held his sword and stepped forward to stand beside Jin Hyeon.
Right. Things like generation don't matter. At this moment, everyone was merely a swordsman staking their life. What needs to be done now was to trust those who wield the same sword.
"We defend this place! Whether fire, or oil, or anything else! There's nothing Wudang's sword cannot face!"
Deep resolve began to return to the eyes of the Wudang swordsmen, who had been busy dodging all this time.
“Heo Gong Sasuk is atop the cliff. Defend the place where he is with your lives!”
"Yes!"
Once again, a barrage of fire arrows rained down. The swords of Wudang moved in unison.
* * *
"...'Tricks' are ineffective?"
A look of extreme displeasure appeared on the face of the Sun Palace Master.
“And yet it was you who asked for those ‘tricks’ in the first place.”
"Tricks have their uses as tricks. It's enough to make the enemy retreat appropriately."
"...So what can you gain from that? Doesn't it mean you still can't break through that place?"
“In exchange, we reduce the single greatest expenditure.”
"What is it?"
“Time.”
The Sun Palace Master gritted his teeth. He still couldn't accept any of it. Just then, Ho Gamyeong's monologue-like words brushed past his ears.
"Casualties don't matter at all, but... if we completely detour around that slope and set an advance route behind the mountain, we'd have to waste at least ten hours of time. And those ten hours will more than make the difference between victory and defeat."
“....”
"If we can reduce those ten hours with that fire, Palace Master, you'll accomplish the greatest merit in this battle without doing anything."
At the words that sounded like a calm recitation, the Sun Palace Master narrowed his eyes.
“…Presumptuous.”
But the Sun Palace Master did not voice any further complaints. He only added,
"I don't know if you're looking down on the Sacred Fire or overestimating those Wudang bastards, but if they're Sun Palace's martial artists, they'll conquer not just that slope but even the mountain peak in one go."
“If that happens, there would be nothing more to wish for.”
Ho Gamyeong murmured expressionlessly. The Sun Palace Master, who had been glaring at him piercingly, sharply turned his body. His footsteps were rough as if he didn't want to stay in the same place.
Ho Gamyeong glanced at this and sneered faintly.
‘Arrogant.’
Oil that burns easily? If they were a place that could be broken by merely something like that, the name Wudang could not have remained aloof under the heavens for such a long time.
However....
Ho Gamyeong's eyes, calm all along, momentarily shone with a cold light.
In any case, thanks to that fire, they have almost ascended the slope. Now, only breaking through remains.
'We must hurry.'
He shifted his gaze westward, beyond the fierce battlefield unfolding there. A strange anxiety crossed his eyes that had been continuously emotionless.
'Before he... before the one who will change this board arrives.'
The reason time was more important than anything. It was the source of anxiety he couldn't tell anyone.
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