Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1692. That’s Enough (2)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
"D- Damn those bastards!"
"To think they climbed that cliff...!"
"Stop them! No, surround them and kill them all!"
The Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists began to thrash about like wild boars set on fire.
Seeing the Evil Sects' force heaving and surging so violently, Mu Jin felt an unexpected sense of bewilderment unbefitting of the situation.
‘This is…?’
It was a clearly different reaction from before. Even with the world-renowned Wudang before them, these were the guys who had been sneering as if looking at a wounded deer.
But now, the tension and palpable fear on their faces were plain to see.
In terms of numbers, merely around a hundred.
In this place where thousands of martial artists were packed, a hundred was a number that could be described as trivial. Yet facing that one hundred enemies, the mighty Evil Tyrant Alliance was now trembling.
“T- This way! Finish these guys off first!”
“Kill them before they get here!”
But then.
Those who looked ready to charge straight at Mount Hua suddenly turned their heads and began to rush toward Mudang instead.
Kaang!
Mu Jin hurriedly blocked the flying dao. Even at a glance, the enemies were now desperate.
Kagagang!
Mu Jin's eyes shook briefly as he swung his sword to receive the vicious dao again.
'These bastards...?'
The Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists became more anxious than ever.
As if something disastrous would happen if the encircled Wudang and Mount Hua forces that had just climbed the cliff joined forces.
It was completely different from how they had been pressuring and dealing with Wudang with utmost leisure. Not those evil spirits who sneered while watching the dying Wudang swordsmen.
What Mu Jin's eyes see now are small fries completely frozen before a fearsome enemy. The sight was so pitiful it made him wonder whether they could even bring out half of their true strength… mere Evil Sects rabble.
"It seems!"
Paaaaat!
Jin Hyeon deflected the incoming spear with his sword and ended the opponent’s life in a single breath. Cutting down an enemy who had lost all finesse in their panic, he gave a bitter smile.
"While we were cultivating our martial arts here... it seems Mount Hua was building their menace among the enemies."
Mu Jin didn't answer. An indescribable emotion washed over him.
'No. Now’s not the time to indulge in sentiment.'
Mu Jin bit his lip tightly.
Whatever the sentiment, one only earns the right to enjoy it by surviving.
Rescue may have arrived, but they were still not out of the mire. If anything, the enemies' blades had grown more urgent and ferocious.
"Hold on!"
A sharp pain throbbed in his lost eye. His body felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and his dantian, having reached its limit, ached as if on the verge of tearing apart.
But the fact that he could still feel all this pain so vividly was irrefutable proof that he was alive at this very moment.
Swaeaeaeaeaek!
Mu Jin struck away a dao flying loaded with deep blue dao energy.
He had blocked the attack, but his wrist throbbed and his leg buckled unsteadily. His body no longer had enough internal strength left to withstand even the attack of a nameless Evil Sects martial artists.
Kwang!
But if it were Taiji Fist's essence utilizing the enemy's force, he can still fight. Mu Jin, who struck the enemy's jaw with his elbow and immediately released three swords beyond the falling enemy, gritted his teeth.
'I can do it!'
Only a hundred were added, but the result was not merely 'only'. Those hundred had completely overturned the balance atop this cliff.
"Survive somehow until completely joining with Mount Hua!"
Mu Jin shouted until his throat burst.
* * *
A cold gaze swept over the cliff top.
'Is it working?'
A short sigh leaked from Im Sobyeong’s mouth. Fortunately, it seems Mount Hua who climbed the cliff was playing their part well.
‘Even without Chung Myung Dojang, Mount Hua is Mount Hua!’
How many battlefields have they fought through until now, and how many Evil Sects have they faced?
Search the entire world, and you would not find anyone as knowledgeable and experienced against Evil Sects as them. Especially against Evil Tyrant Alliance, there was no sect that could compare to Mount Hua.
'Luckily, it seems Wudang hasn't been completely annihilated yet either.'
Im Sobyeong's eyes sank.
Save Mudang, no matter what.
Even if only a handful remained, it didn't matter. If only that single goal can be achieved, they can break the momentum of Evil Tyrant Alliance, which has soared to the ends of the sky while destroying Shaolin.
"Then next is how to escape from here..."
Im Sobyeong, who was about to turn his gaze without doubting Mount Hua would succeed, momentarily stopped muttering and flinched.
'What?'
A chill shot up his spine. His eyes urgently sought the source of the unease.
The towering cliff that soared skyward from where he stood.
Both ends of this cliff made of white rock called White Face Rock, but have now transformed to be more fittingly named Red Face Rock (적안암(赤顔巖)).
A group of unidentified martial artists revealed themselves on the slope meeting the steep rock face.
"That... is?"
On a cliff still densely covered with clinging Evil Sects rabble, these newly appeared figures kicked off the steep rock and began running sideways across it.
An ominous premonition struck his mind like a lightning bolt. Im Sobyeong's eyes flew wide open.
"N- No... it can't be."
A terrifyingly loud scream burst from his mouth.
"Stooooop!"
In his eyes, unconcealed despair came crashing down.
Yoon Jong flinched and turned around. Then Jo-Gol shouted loudly.
“What are you doing, Sahyung!”
"No, just now..."
“Run instead of looking back!”
"…Right."
Yoon Jong bit his lip slightly at the inexplicable feeling and withdrew his gaze. The nape of his neck felt strangely cold. But as Jo-Gol said, now was not the time to look back.
Even in the moment he briefly hesitated, Wudang's disciples were falling spewing blood.
'Can't hold out anymore!'
He could tell at a glance. They had already exhausted all their strength.
Faced with the terror of an endless tide of enemies too vast to even consider confronting, and the crushing pressure of having to protect their sect, Wudang had likely reached its limit long ago.
They must create an opening for them to catch their breath as soon as possible. If they didn't want to see the name of Wudang truly end here.
“Run!”
Yoon Jong shouted uncharacteristically and swung his sword.
The retreating enemies were ruthlessly pierced by the tip of his sword. Yoon Jong pressed on, enduring the never-familiar sensation of taking someone's life with a cold sword, no matter how many times he repeated it.
'What about Sasuk?'
Even while doing so, he kept his attention focused on Baek Cheon. He simply couldn't cut his concern.
Baek Cheon's energy could be felt not far behind him. Even if not at the very vanguard, it was still the front lines. A position where one must withstand the enemies' offensive with their whole body.
Yoon Jong gritted his teeth without realizing it.
He knew. He understood.
Baek Cheon was someone who had to stand at the front. With Chung Myung absent, all of Mount Hua's swordsmen would naturally follow Baek Cheon's lead.
Though Jo-Gol and Yoon Jong break through the path, whether Baek Cheon stands at the front or not has an absolute effect on morale. But...
"Damn it!"
The sword energy that Yoon Jong unleashed grew rougher.
'I... I should have been stronger.'
If he could have shouldered the role that Baek Cheon was carrying now. Then Baek Cheon wouldn't have had to push himself this hard.
But the current Yoon Jong can't do that. He could push someone’s back, but he couldn’t lead others forward. That was how Mount Hua sees Yoon Jong now, and that was his own self-awareness of his limitations.
"Chaaaaah!"
The sword Yoon Jong thrust forward spewed hundreds of strands of plum blossom sword energy. This wasn't his usual solemn sword. The somewhat roughly scattered plum blossom sword energy pierced through the enemies.
“Sa- Sahyung?”
The startled Jo-Gol turned back toward Yoon Jong. It was too thick with killing intent to be a sword energy unleashed simply out of haste to save Wudang.
Just then, Yoon Jong barked sharply.
"What are you doing! Weren’t you rushing me just now!”
“Eh? Ah, yes!”
Jo-Gol quickly nodded and ran forward.
Right. He could think about it later. Now was all that mattered. They would soon be able to save Wudang.
‘Something this simple!’
Jo-Gol clenched his teeth. Why had they agonized so much over something they could accomplish this easily once they stepped up...
'...Wait. Easily?'
Kwadeuk!
Jo-Gol's sword tip that pierced the enemy's heart flinched.
'Easy?'
His gaze which had been fixed straight ahead wavered faintly.
Jo-Gol blankly watched the distorted face of the enemy who was fumbling to grip the sword embedded in his heart. But that was all. The enemy offered no further resistance and collapsed slowly.
Jo-Gol watched that scene for a moment as if entranced.
"What are you doing! Snap out of it!"
"Ah, yes!"
Jo-Gol regained his focus and stepped forward.
The pale-faced Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists who had been trying to retreat, realizing that they could no longer retreat, rushed towards Jo-Gol with a scream as if in a fit.
Paaaaat!
The three sword energy Jo-Gol unleashed in one breath sliced through the bodies of the charging enemies without resistance. Yet, despite repelling the enemies with remarkable ease, Jo-Gol's hardened face didn't relax.
Rather, he became even more confused.
'Was Evil Tyrant Alliance such an easy opponent?'
That can't be. How many in the world would know better than Jo-Gol how vicious they were?
Of course, if he looked for a reason, he could find one. They likely hadn't expected Mount Hua’s intrusion, and perhaps the proper elites weren't present at the exact moment Mount Hua arrived.
Ever since they faced Jang Ilso, hadn't those damned Red Hounds bastards been nowhere to be seen? But...
Jo-Gol finally couldn't hold it in any longer and asked.
“Sahyung! These guys… aren’t they a lot weaker than we thought?”
“What are you talking about?”
“No, these guys….”
"They've dealt with Wudang just before! They must be exhausted to death!"
Jo-Gol shut his mouth at Yoon Jong's answer.
Certainly, signs of exhaustion were clear on their faces. It couldn't have been easy for them either, advancing through such treacherous terrain and breaking through raging flames to reach this point.
Right, thinking about it, it wasn't strange. It must have been an anxiety born of impatience.
Although a sense of incongruity still lingered, weren't these the same people who had Wudang cornered just moments ago? They couldn't simply be called weak.
"Gyaaaah!"
At that moment, a desperate scream was heard as if to cut off Jo-Gol's thoughts.
A crimson dao was embedded in the chest of a Wudang swordsman who had been fighting desperately while drawing upon every last ounce of his strength.
'That’s...'
“Kuaaaaagh!”
Soon the embedded dao twisted and tore through his chest.
Though the situation was already beyond any hope of avoiding death, that dao didn’t grant the Wudang swordsman a clean end. Each twisting motion of the dao plunged into his body was filled with malice, intent on inflicting as much pain as possible upon the enemy.
The Wudang swordsman's pale face was instantly dyed red by the blood that flowed in reverse.
Jo-Gol's mouth fell open in shock.
"You bastaaaaaards!"
An explosive rage burst forth as a roar.
He didn't hold any particular goodwill toward Wudang. No, Jo-Gol's feelings toward Wudang were far from favor, rather close to awkwardness.
From the more distant past to the Yangtze River incident, Wudang had constantly been in conflict with Mount Hua.
But now, he couldn't help but feel furious at Wudang's suffering.
Regardless of their relationship, those standing over there should not be toyed with and brutally killed like that. As Baek Cheon had said, there was no such thing as a worthless will in this world.
The boiling resentment turned directly into fierce sword energy that swept over the enemy.
Originally, a formation was like a dam.
When woven tightly, it can block the enemy so that not a drop of water leaks out, but if even one spot collapses, it falls into disarray at once and crumbles in an instant.
To Jo-Gol now, Wudang’s formation looked dangerously unstable. If even one point were breached, everything would be swept away at once.
'Faster!'
It was precisely when Jo-Gol gritted his teeth and was about to swing his sword.
"Stop."
“Huh?”
Jo-Gol stopped mid-swing and looked back. Yoo Iseol was standing beside him before he knew it. As always, she showed little expression. Only the slight furrow of her brows suggested she had sensed something ominous.
"…Sago?"
“There’s no order.”
“What do you mean?”
"Chaos. It wasn't like this."
“Well….”
Jo-Gol, who was about to say something, shut his mouth tightly.
He intended to say that since there were so many people in a narrow space, the formation was bound to be disorganized.
But… would Yoo Iseol really have raised a question without knowing that?
“Sago. What do you mean?”
Yoo Iseol looked around without answering. Her expression still showed little change, but to Jo-Gol's eyes now, her face looked unusually grave.
His mind gradually grew frantic with urgency.
Now wasn't the time to pay attention to such things. Even at this moment, Wudang's lives hang by a thread.
Jo-Gol finally turned his body.
"I'm going ahead."
"Wait."
“Sago! Every moment is urgent!”
Despite Jo-Gol's shout, Yoo Iseol settled her gaze even more and quickly scanned the surroundings again.
"A trap... No, here..."
"Trap?"
Jo-Gol couldn't understand at all.
"What are you talking about? How can this place be a trap?"
A trap was something dug to wait for the enemy. Therefore, the word trap cannot be established here. The ones who first chose this place as a battlefield weren't Evil Tyrant Alliance, but Wudang.
Moreover, this place was positioned for holding out. A position suited for annihilating the enemy and a position suited for fighting while holding out were fundamentally different.
That was also why Jo-Gol had stubbornly ignored the sense of unease that had suddenly came over him moments before.
"We already broke through the fire attack, and since Tang Family came together, poison won't work either. What remains now is only people, right? And we're breaking through those people right now."
It meant they had no more tricks to use. But Yoo Iseol remained silent, lost in thought.
"Sago!"
Just as Jo-Gol tried to urge her again, her lips parted.
"Bait…."
"What?"
Yoo Iseol's gaze sharply swept backward. Beyond Mount Hua who had been following them, to the cliff's edge that seemed to touch the sky.
Yoo Iseol, who had been looking at the cliffside scarred and pitted by sword energy cutting through the air, suddenly widened her eyes.
"Not people... Bait."
"What?"
“Bait? Wudang?”
"No, those here. Evil Tyrant Alliance!"
Still unable to grasp it, Jo-Gol could only stare blankly at Yoo Iseol appearing dazed. What in the world…?
"Ah!"
At the voice heard just then, Jo-Gol sharply turned his head.
And he saw. Yoon Jong's face had turned nearly ashen. Unlike him, Yoon Jong seemed to understand Yoo Iseol's words.
"Sahyung?"
“….”
"Sahyung?"
Yoon Jong's hand holding the sword was trembling faintly.
“Sahyung, what on earth are you….”
“Sasuk!”
Yoon Jong shouted toward Baek Cheon as if having no leisure to answer.
"It's a trap! We must escape! Sasuk, right now...!"
It was then.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!
A tremendous explosion that seemed to destroy the world burst from outside the cliff. All those fighting froze in place.
Kurururururururururung!
Before long, the ground they were standing on began to shake. Left and right, up and down. As if it would flip over and crumble at any moment.
"Wh- What's that?!"
“Get down!”
Mount Hua's swordsmen and Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists were terrified and simultaneously lowered their bodies. Feeling the tremendous vibration through his hands on the ground, Jo-Gol's face turned pale.
"What in the..."
He reflexively scanned the enemies.
The Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists were also crouching awkwardly, just like Mount Hua. Their bewildered expressions were unmistakable. That look in their eyes and on their faces couldn't be faked. There was no need for it in the first place.
They too hadn't anticipated this situation at all.
At that moment, one word he couldn't understand moments ago suddenly flashed in Jo-Gol's mind.
Bait.
And only then did the question begin to be solved.
"No way…."
Jo-Gol looked at the edge of the cliff as if possessed.
The cliff that no one climbed anymore, its sharply rising edge unable to withstand the shaking, was beginning to crumble little by little.
'No.'
Deep fear welled in his eyes.
It wasn't just fear of this situation. It was because of the premonition that flashed through his mind. Fear about that terrible malice, terrible enough to make one nauseous just imagining it.
'No, no! That can't be...!'
At this moment, the thoughts of everyone on the cliff converged into one. And this terrible prediction became reality without a shred of deviation and came to them.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!
Another tremendous explosion erupted from below the cliff, and the entire mountain shook violently.
The mountain where animals and birds had all died or fled from the fire attack was momentarily wrapped in silence when the explosion subsided.
A moment later, the ground they were standing on began to crack with a splitting sound.
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