Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1675. Isn't this what you wanted? (5)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Palm shadows completely cover the world.
It feels like being dropped alone into the vast open sea during a violent storm. The moment the massive tidal wave looming overhead crashes down, life would be severed without even a chance to resist.
A sense of despair so vast it felt boundless.
But Heo Gong stood firm amidst the ghastly scene and steadied his wavering heart.
'It's an illusion.'
Illusion was ultimately meant to deceive and mislead people. No matter how grand, an illusion can never truly harm a person.
What he had to do was find the real poisonous fang targeting him, hidden within this terrible illusion.
In a way, it might not be a difficult task.
Wudang's mental cultivation was Righteous (정종(正宗) /Orthodox) martial arts that break through all wicked things in the world. Martial arts that stand in perfect opposition to Evil Sects.
Taaaang!
In reality, the Pine-Patterned Ancient Sword he extended accurately struck Thousand-Faced Gentleman’s hand hidden within the countless palm shadows.
But no sooner had that hand been knocked back than it once again spewed forth innumerable palm-shadows. Like water quickly filling the space again even if a massive rock falls into a lake.
It was an endless repetition.
His sword can pierce the real move hidden among the enemy's illusions, and his eyes can find the single truth placed amidst countless falsehoods.
However, the problem was that this did not lead to a conclusion in a single exchange.
If he misses the substance even once amidst the countless illusions reaching out, that impact accumulates entirely on Heo Gong’s body.
Puuuuuk!
Just like now.
Eudeudeuk.
Heo Gong bit his lips until they bled.
Out of dozens of attacks, he missed the enemy’s true form only once. That palm he missed struck his chest and pushed in viscous evil energy.
He wondered if searing his chest with a branding iron would be this painful.
But what tormented Heo Gong more than that pain was the weariness of this endless repetition… No, an emotion that should be called 'fear.'
Puuuuk!
Was it a momentary lapse that shook his reason?
The palm shadows he missed in succession struck his shoulder and thigh one after another.
“Keuk!”
Heo Gong staggered back a step unwittingly. Even knowing that the more he retreated, the wider the movement range would become for the enemies about to climb the cliff.
The pain surging from the struck areas was persistent but ‘weak’.
No matter how pure Heo Gong's protective reinforced energy is, he couldn't be this unharmed after being hit head-on by a palm force launched from such a master.
Yet right now, the struck areas weren't fatal as if hit during sparring.
That meant that even the attack that should be called the ‘true strike’ carried very little force. If an attack that was merely a shell with no power is called an illusion, then what should a weak palm force with almost no power be called?
How can we distinguish between truth and fiction?
Heogong was now placed precisely in that gap. In the ambiguous distinction between true (가(假)) and false (실(實)), real (실(實)) and illusory (허(虛)).
"You look frustrated."
At that moment, the raging palm force vanished as if washed away, revealing Thousand-Faced Gentleman standing calmly with his hands clasped behind his back.
Others might have considered it arrogant, but to Heo Gong, it seemed entirely different. That was an action stemming from meticulousness so thorough that it doesn't even show the trace of a small wound sustained on his hand during the exchange.
That thoroughness sent a chill settling in Heo Gong's chest.
“Great swordsmanship. I acknowledge it. Indeed, as expected of Wudang.”
“....”
“But… You have been in the mountains too long.”
Eudeudeuk.
Heo Gong asked while grinding his teeth.
"Do you have no intention of engaging in a fair match?"
“Is there anything fairer than this? I exploit my strengths and strike at the enemy’s weaknesses. Seize victory by any means necessary. That's precisely the fairness I know."
“....”
"You may rejoice. The fact that I’m putting in this much effort also means I acknowledge you."
Heo Gong took a short deep breath.
If this were truly a legitimate one-on-one match, Heo Gong would not need to hurry. But this wasn't that kind of fight. But this was not such a duel. He must knock this man off this place and stop those climbing the cliff as soon as possible.
From the beginning, the axis of the scale was tilted toward that person. Does the current Heo Gong have the ability to tilt that scale back toward himself?
Heo Gong gritted his teeth and gripped his sword.
'No. It's not about whether I can. I must!'
In the past, he would have shaken his head and said it was too difficult. Acting rashly beyond one's ability was a fool's errand. But Heo Gong knows now. That in this world, there are things that must be accomplished even if one lacks the ability.
He only regrets not realizing that fact a little sooner.
Seuseut.
Heo Gong's foot moved forward slowly. Seeing this, Thousand-Faced Gentleman narrowed his eyes.
"Quite impatient, aren't you."
For Thousand-Faced Gentleman, there was nothing wrong with just leisurely conversing like this. Once he joined forces with those who had climbed the cliff, cutting down Heo Gong’s head would require little effort.
But Heo Gong’s position was completely the opposite.
“Do you intend to repeat meaningless acts? It should be time you realized that your swordsmanship cannot pierce my palm force.”
At those words, Heo Gong chuckled.
It wasn’t wrong. Wudang’s techniques were Rigthteous Secst to the core, swordsmanship that does not overreach, that waits with solid and unwavering technique for the opponent’s mistake. Even if one has the ability to grasp the true substance in an instant, if the opponent does not rush, he can only drag out time even if he doesn't lose.
However...
“There was one more thing I realized.”
In that duel he would never forget for his entire life.
Taat!
Heo Gong kicked the ground and rushed towards Thousand-Faced Gentleman.
"That swordsmanship isn't what's important!"
Hwaaaaaaaaaak!
At that instant, palm shadows exploded outward across the entire front of Thousand-Faced Gentleman. A sight that would make one’s vision go dim for an instant. But unlike his responses until now, Heo Gong extended his sword greatly behind his head.
And then strikes down.
Paaaaaaaang!
Severing in Two with One Stroke (일도양단(一刀兩斷)). Black and white energy surged along the blade, spinning like a whirlpool as it was released.
Thousand-Faced Gentleman’s palm force, which had been spreading and dyeing the world white, crumbled as if it were an illusion upon contact with that formidable sword energy.
It does not distinguish between the real and the false. If both real and false were to be shattered, then such a distinction was meaningless from the start.
The Taiji Wisdom Sword (태극혜검(太極慧劍)) said to contain all wisdom and harmony in the world unfolded violently like an Evil Sects’ sword, making its name seem ill-fitting.
“Huh?”
Perhaps flustered by that violent momentum, Thousand-Faced Gentleman momentarily let out a gasp of alarm and leapt backward. Heo Gong, not missing this gap, gritted his teeth and kicked off empty air to follow Thousand-Faced Gentleman.
Puuuuuuk! Puuk!
The residual energy (잔기(殘氣)) of palm force that hadn't fully dispersed struck his body, but it didn't matter. Wasn't it palm force that hadn't been properly put in power from the start?
"I won't let you go."
The sword shot out again like lightning. Instantly, Thousand-Faced Gentleman, his gaze turning coldly calm, vanished from the spot as if extinguished.
He was known as the Greatest Hand of Evil Sects and also the Greatest Body of Evil Sects (사파제일신(邪派第一身)). It seemed his reputation was indeed not unfounded, for no matter how hard Heo Gong tried with his eyes, he couldn't track that movement.
But Heo Gong was still Heo Gong.
Paaaaat!
The sword abruptly changed direction and was thrust upward toward the seemingly empty space above his head.
Sogeok.
There was not even a sensation. However, the sound of the sword cutting something clearly dug into his ears.
Puuk!
At the same time, strong pain surged from his back.
A gap inevitably formed from forcibly twisting his body. Moreover, it was impossible to catch that man without the resolve to be injured in the first place.
“Haaaaaap!”
He poured out even the blood spurting from his mouth along with a battle cry and raised his sword high. Two violently surging forces unified (합일(合一)) at the sword’s tip, and the sword came crashing down.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa!
A tremendous force shattered the rock surface and surged onward. It tore several old pines growing behind the cliff out by their roots before finally burying itself into the mountainside beyond, leaving massive scars all around.
"Huff!"
A ragged breath burst from Heo Gong's mouth.
Moments later, Thousand-Faced Gentleman revealed himself and landed on the ground. His eyes had sunk gloomily.
A quick glance down revealed a small wound near his calf. Though it looked like a scratch on the outside, that wound had split his muscle at least half an inch deep.
The hand clasped behind Thousand-Faced Gentleman’s back twitched slightly.
A wound on the leg was different from one on the hand. If his hands are tools to toy with the enemy, his legs are necessary for survival. They were no different from his lifeline.
And yet, that lifeline was wounded by the attack just now.
"...I didn't know Wudang was such a violent sect?"
As Thousand-Faced Gentleman muttered, Heo Gong took a deep breath.
This wasn’t the application of Wudang martial arts. Straying from Righteous Sects methods consumes more than twice the usual amount of internal strength. Twisting the use of the Wisdom Sword, which already demands enormous internal strength, was nothing short of madness.
Sure enough, after only two swings, his shoulders were already heaving. And this also differs from what Wudang's sword pursues.
But Heo Gong also knew this.
"A sword is just a sword."
"Hm?"
"What's important is that I'm a Wudang Taoist, not how I wield the sword."
Heo Gong's panting face twisted strangely with an expression that seemed like both a smile and annoyance.
“There was someone who, even while using a sword like that of Evil Sects… was more Taoist than anyone.”
“....”
"The sword is merely a tool to carry out my will. If I must use the same sword in every situation, I will only become someone dragged around by that sword.”
“It would be better to preach your sword theory to your disciples. Ah, of course, that's assuming any of your disciples remain after this war."
"It seems you've realized killing me is difficult. Judging by your words."
“...Your mouth’s gotten a bit sharper.”
Thousand-Faced Gentleman chuckled. Heo Gong gripped the sword again.
There was no need to proclaim unfairness. If the opponent won't fight as he wishes, then he just needs to steer the battle as he wishes. If it were that hateful guy, he would definitely say this.
It was funny.
That reaching the pinnacle of the sword's realm was connected to disregarding the sword more than anyone.
“Is this ‘things revert to their opposite when they reach an extreme?’”
Strength entered Heo Gong's big toe.
There was no certainty that this was the right choice. But at the very least, it was clear that continuing to be dragged along like this was the wrong one.
He must try something. Not just powerlessly waiting for approaching defeat!
"Here I..."
Just as Heo Gong was about to kick the ground and shoot forward again, Thousand-Faced Gentleman glanced to the side and spoke.
"From the looks of it... this doesn't seem like a situation you can handle with your strength alone."
"What?"
Before long, it was clearly visible to Heo Gong's eyes too.
His sajils, who had gone to block the slope, were climbing back up to this place.
“Sasuk!”
"We can't block here anymore!"
Heo Gong's eyes widened as much as they could.
The sight of them climbing atop White Face Rock exhausted and injured, trying somehow to form a formation again, felt utterly futile.
Yielding the top of this cliff?
Against that horde of enemies?
Did they abandon the slope knowing what that means?
Countless thoughts swirled through his mind, but there was nothing Heo Gong could do now. The will that had filled his eyes drained away like a receding tide, and a sense of futility washed over him. His gaze returned to Thousand-Faced Gentleman.
Thousand-Faced Gentleman spoke kindly but with a sneering expression.
"This is also part of war."
“....”
"Now it's time to slowly bring this to an end. I won't bother remembering your name or such, so die in resentment."
Undisguisable despair finally settled on Heo Gong's face.
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