Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1702
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“Crouch!”
Jin Geumryong grabbed the back of Isong Baek’s head and pushed him against the cliff. Almost simultaneously, strong wind pressure and impact enough to shake their entire bodies struck them.
Eudeuk.
Jin Geumryong clenched his teeth and, the instant the explosion subsided, followed with his eyes the direction where Jong Nigok was. His mouth was parched, and his eyes were bloodshot at that moment.
As the billowing dust settled, Jong Nigok's figure was revealed.
"Sect Leader-nim!"
Fortunately, Jong Nigok remained standing with his feet planted on the cliff.
"Sect Leader-nim, are you alright?"
"...No need to fuss."
"However...!"
Isong Baek stopped mid-sentence and bit his lip.
It was fortunate that Jong Nigok hadn't been flung away, but bloodstains were visible through the gaps in his torn and ripped clothes. He hadn't completely blocked the impact.
"...Playing petty tricks."
Jong Nigok muttered with a coldly hardened face.
He had managed to block it somehow this time, but if it continued, it wouldn’t be easy to withstand.
The Sun Palace warriors clinging here each carried a large explosive in their chests. Even more, the fact that they could detonate this with just Scorching Yang Internal Art without any special device meant that this cliff was literally teeming with walking bombs right now.
“Those bastards can detonate the explosives in their chests at will. Be careful.”
"B- But how..."
Bewilderment flashed across Isong Baek's face.
When unleashing sword energy from a distance, they could protect themselves from the explosion. But now they had to exchange blows with the enemy face-to-face. How were they supposed to deal with bombs detonating inside the enemy's bosom in such a situation?
"How?"
Jong Nigok's eyes twitched. Just then, one of Sun Palace's elites watching the situation charged toward Jong Nigok.
“Euaaaaaap!”
Orange palm force soared from his two hands. It was a fierce momentum, as if trying to pour everything toward Jong Nigok without holding back an ounce of strength.
"Sect Leader-nim!"
A loud shout burst from Isong Baek's mouth.
It wasn't out of fear that Jong Nigok might fall to such an opponent. He could felt it clearly. The unmistakable desperate resolve etched on the face of the one charging at Jong Nigok.
However, Jong Nigok welcomed the enemy without the slightest hesitation.
Wooong!
Jong Nigok's sword cried out once and swung forward. It was neither astonishingly fast nor overwhelmingly powerful, yet neither lacking nor insufficient.
Tadadadat!
The sword blade left behind a striking sound as it repeatedly pierced the air. The sword energy preempted the space where palm force would extend, bouncing off the enemy’s palm force like a giant shield.
Thwoooong!
But at that moment, the Sun Palace disciple, who should naturally have retreated, instead opened his eyes wide and thrust his body toward Jong Nigok. Simultaneously, bright red flames erupted from his body.
It was the moment Isong Baek, sensing another explosion, widened his eyes.
Paaaaat!
Jongnigok’s sword rushed with a speed unlike before and instantly pierced the enemy’s chest. And….
Sogeok!
The sword embedded in the chest soon carved a neat circle. Something flew up from the Sun Palace warrior’s chest.
'Ah....'
Both Isong Baek and Jin Geumryong stared at the scene with faces as if they were dreaming.
Paat!
Soon, the severed head of the Sun Palace warrior shot upward. The explosives in the chest and the severed head. The two round objects bounced from the cliff and fell tracing parabolic curves.
Moments later.
Kwaaaaaaaaaang!
The falling explosive triggered a massive explosion. Since it fell far from the cliff and the explosion occurred in mid-air, the cliff remained completely unaffected.
“If something is going to explode, just remove it before it does.”
Jong Nigok muttered as he glanced once at the enemy bodies tumbling down while slamming repeatedly against the cliff. Then, he coldly assessed the enemies still occupying the cliff..
Isong Baek's heart suddenly began to pound wildly.
'This is... the sword of Southern Edge Sect!'
He felt the immense gap with his entire body.
Though embarrassing, he had thought about it. Perhaps caught up a bit? Perhaps he glimpsed a bit the realm of masters that felt like being above clouds?
However, Jong Nigok’s sword unfolding before his eyes now clearly demonstrated just how absurd his thoughts had been.
A realm that someone born with talent not inferior to Jin Geumryong could reach only by whipping himself without settling even a moment for over twice the lifespan Jin Geumryong has lived.
Could such a realm be easily caught up to with just a change in mindset?
“Ooooooh!”
At that moment, a loud roar pierced his ears.
When Jin Geumryong and Isong Baek instinctively looked down, they saw Namgung Myeong surging up the cliff with terrifying momentum.
Namgung Myeong and the elite forces of Heavenly Comrade Alliance he had brought had just reached this place. Those who would be of more help than the current two.
Jong Nigok asked.
"Will you retreat?"
Then resolve dwelt in the two's eyes.
"Southern Edge Sect has no retreat."
"Then stick behind me. Steal everything without missing one!”
“Yes, Sect Leader-nim!”
Paat!
Without a single word to boost morale, Jong Nigok instantly leapt toward the enemies in one breath. Jin Geumryong and Isong Baek desperately followed their sect leader.
'Jin Dongryong.'
While moving like lightning, Jin Geumryong's gaze briefly turned toward the cliff top.
'You said choosing Mount Hua was the right choice. But I still disagree.'
Perhaps until now, Mount Hua was certainly the right choice for Baek Cheon. But will that hold true from now on as well?
Southern Edge Sect has someone. Someone whose very footsteps make a path, someone who can even lead from the front. One can simply trust and follow.
But what about Baek Cheon? He, with that battered body, was in a position where he must fight at the forefront. Can he alone open the thorny path that will unfold from now?
Baek Cheon was already wounded and worn down to the limit. Yet, he still pushes through the middle of that thorny path.
“Sogaju!”
At that moment, Namgung Myung was seen grabbing Namgung Dowi's shoulder and pulling him down.
“Sogaju, I will block this place! Sogaju, please preserve yourself!”
“That won’t do, General Chief-nim! I…”
"Do as you're told, Dowi! Before I drag you down by force! I'm your uncle before being Namgung's General Chief!"
Hearing the intense voice, Jin Geumryong bit his lip firmly and stared piercingly at the Sun Palace warriors.
If the cliff collapses, those above cannot survive. That meant Baek Cheon would die, and his troublesome youngest brother would die too.
'There's still something I haven't shown.'
And still something he hasn't done. Jin Geumryong kicked the cliff face even harder.
"I absolutely won't let it be destroyed!"
A ghostly fire-like glint blazed in his eyes.
* * *
"Sahyung! What's wrong?"
“...No. Nothing.”
Baek Cheon, who had momentarily looked back, immediately turned his gaze forward.
This wasn’t the time to be concerned about strange feelings behind them. Whatever was happening below the cliff, anyway there was nothing he could do here now.
There was only one thing they could do. To open this path and survive along with Wudang.
'Strong.'
He could clearly tell that the enemies blocking them were formidable.
The current enemies might even be the strongest among all they had faced so far. Even Mount Hua had rarely confronted a single sect head-on like this.
Hwaaaaak!
The rising heat continuously assaulted Baek Cheon's entire body. It was a situation where even breathing was burdensome.
Moreover, they were carrying Wudang’s survivors. To move forward to break through them like this would be no different from running barefoot on a thorny path.
“Acting… Sect Leader. Leave us….”
Mu Jin too seemed to be aware of that fact even amidst his hazy consciousness. Baek Cheon cut him off sharply.
“Don’t speak nonsense!”
“This place is… This place will soon….”
“I know!”
Would Baek Cheon not know? This cliff would soon be in danger. Perhaps not a single person would survive. As Mu Jin said, abandoning Wudang and ensuring at least their own survival might be the best course.
But that was an option not even worth considering in the first place. For Baek Cheon it was.
"Acting Sect Leader...!"
"Damn it! Why does a person who values living so much hold a sword?"
“....”
"The moment you hold a sword, you've already offered up your life. What you must protect is not life."
Right. What must be protected wasn’t life.
That was why even the current Baek Cheon can fight. Though what was lost was great and what will be lost was greater, he can’t hesitate.
"And don't look down on Mount Hua."
Baek Cheon's eyes looked firmly ahead.
"Those rascals aren't ordinary, you see."
Even if he was lacking, they weren’t. They'll fill more than what he lost.
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