Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1710. That’s it (5)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
A streak of icy coldness flowed across the cliff top that had been seething like lava. No one was able to immediately accept the sight unfolding before their eyes.
It was the screams of the Sun Palace protectors that finally broke the silence.
"Palace Maaasteeeeer-niiiiiiiiiiiim!"
The protectors who had been staring blankly at Jin Pyeong, who had collapsed as if driven into the ground, suddenly came to their senses and rushed desperately toward him.
"Wh- What are you all doing! Protect Palace Master-nim!"
The protectors surrounded the Sun Palace Master, blazing with Scorching Yang Internal Art like venomous wildcats.
“Palace Master-nim, are you alright? Palace Master-nim!”
“U- Ugh....”
Though his breathing was faint, his life hadn't been cut off yet. The protectors desperately channeled energy into the Sun Palace Master's body. They had to keep him alive somehow!
Meanwhile, Jo-Gol, who had been staring at this in a daze, flinched and sharply turned his head.
“Sasuk!”
As if his scream were a signal, Baek Cheon, who had been standing tall, crumbled on the spot.
Thud.
Jo-Gol couldn't hide his shock, and his eyes flew open.
His clothes were burnt all the way to the shoulders, and Baek Cheon’s fully exposed arms had literally turned like dark red charcoal.
“Ugh....”
At the incredibly wretched appearance, Jo-Gol trembled and tried to run but ended up falling flat on his face right there. His heart had already run far ahead, but his legs simply wouldn't obey.
"This...!"
Jo-Gol gritted his teeth and clawed at the ground. He tried to support himself by digging his fingers into it, but now he found it difficult to even move, let alone exert strength.
"Th- This damn! Shit..."
Just as he was powerlessly muttering curses in his urgency, someone’s loud shout rang out.
“Protect Sahyung!”
It was Baek Sang.
"Third-class disciples collect the wounded, second-class disciples protect Wudang's disciples! The enemy’s line has collapsed, so we will escape this place immediately!”
"Yes!"
No sooner had the order been given than someone came running toward Jo-Gol. Lying on the ground and watching them approach, Jo-Gol murmured,
“...Gwak Hwe.”
“Damn it! Does Sahyung have three lives or something? What the hell were you thinking!”
Gwak Hwe grabbed Jo-Gol by the collar and dragged him away. Jo-Gol spoke urgently.
"M- Me, before me, Sasuk first..."
“Ah, your mouth’s lively to the very end!”
Gwak Hwe ignored him completely and slung Jo-Gol onto his back. The other third-class disciples who had rushed over carried Yoon Jong and Yoo Isoel collapsed in exhaustion.
"Sahyung!"
Baek Sang, who had run toward Baek Cheon first, flinched and stopped while trying to hoist Baek Cheon up. He couldn’t help it.
“Ugh….”
He couldn’t bring himself to lay a hand on him.
The charred arms seemed like they might peel off just from being touched. No, perhaps the inside was already burned to ashes and would crumble.
Does that mean anywhere other than his arms was fine? Honestly, it seemed there wasn't a single spot left intact.
It was hard to understand how he was still alive in such a state.
Eudeuk.
'Damn bastard!'
Baek Sang reached out with trembling hands and carefully lifted Baek Cheon. Amidst the overwhelming feeling that his insides might burst, he gritted his teeth and looked around.
“Second-class disciples.”
“Yes, Sahyung!”
The second-class disciples of Mount Hua, who had collected the Wudang disciples and hoisted them on their shoulders, were already standing guard on Baek Sang's left and right. Even before he called them.
"Let not a single bastard, any attack... touch Sahyung's body."
At the solemn order, the gazes of the Mount Hua second-class disciples converged on Baek Cheon in Baek Sang’s arms. The moment they saw Baek Cheon, who had become so wretchedly disfigured to save everyone, a ghastly blue aura filled the eyes of Mount Hua swordsmen.
Baek Sang’s sharp gaze was now fixed on the Sun Palace warriors blocking the path.
With the Sun Palace Master fallen and the protectors flocking toward him, the defensive line that had been like an iron wall was now riddled with holes.
In this situation, further words were meaningless.
Kwareureureung!
Amidst the sound of the collapsing cliff, Baek Sang's voice burst forth.
"We're breaking out! Right now!"
"Yes!"
The Mount Hua disciples all raised their plum blossom swords at once and charged forward.
"U- Ugh!"
“Pa- Palace Master-nim! Protect Palace Master-nim first!”
"But then those bastards will... the orders...!"
"Damn it! Palace Master-nim is in danger, what order! Who dares give orders to the Sun Palace-nim!"
A dam that has burst once cannot be blocked again by any means.
The Sun Palace, having lost its cornerstone called Sun Palace Master Jin Pyeong, crumbled ridiculously easily.
The Sun Palace warriors retreated gradually backward in disarray. They couldn't even muster the courage to face Mount Hua swordsmen brimming with such killing intent.
"Move! Before I kill every last one of you!”
Baek Sang swung his sword desperately. Not a sword meant to kill the enemy, but merely to threaten.
It was nothing more than a threat like a back-alley thug swinging in a fit of rage, but right now, even that trivial movement was sufficient. For the Sun Palace warriors had also lost their heads and were in chaos.
“Keugh....”
Surrounded by the protectors, Sun Palace Master Jin Pyeong saw the scene through his blurred vision and laboriously raised his trembling hand.
The protectors were aghast and tried to stop him.
“Palace Master-nim!”
“Palace Master-nim, you mustn't strain yourself! Your internal injuries are severe."
“Th- Those bastards…. Co- Cough!”
The Sun Palace Master, trying to issue some command, vomited a cascade of pitch-black blood.
"Internal strength! Pour more internal strength into him! Right now!"
"Yes!"
What caught the Sun Palace Master's hazy vision was Baek Cheon carried on Baek Sang's back. Judging by his appearance alone, he was no different from a corpse, but regardless, that man was alive right now and escaping this place.
Of course, his breath might be severed the moment they leave this area. Still, the fact remained that the Sun Palace Master had failed to bind them to this cliff.
"U- Ugh..."
Moreover, the scenes that entered his eyes were not limited to this.
"You damned outer palaces, even beating you to death wouldn’t even be enough!”
"You dare try to kill us?"
How could only Mount Hua flood through the burst dam?
Following the path Mount Hua opened, the remnants of Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists attacked with ferocity. Having been pushed to the brink of death, they were furious than ever. Becoming a turbulent current roughened by a typhoon.
"Aaaaah!"
The dao of Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artist plunged deep into the chests of the Sun Palace warrirors who had been trying to retreat. Those who had just been fighting together against Wudang were now tearing at each other's throats as if they were mortal enemies.
The Sun Palace Master's trembling body twisted. Then, as if even lacking the strength to convulse, it gave one large jerk before going completely limp.
The terrified protectors seized the Sun Palace Master.
"P- Palace Master-nim!"
"Call more protectors! We must save Palace Master-nim!"
“Palace Master-nim!”
Leaving that scene of the Sun Palace behind, Baek Sang, who had broken through the enemy's defense line, urgently scanned his surroundings.
Where should he go? Where could he go to save them?
Tongues of fire were still darting across this mountain. He didn't even know how many enemies might survive to give chase.
And....
Even if he could find a safe place by penetrating both the flames and the enemies, Baek Cheon would die in the meantime.
'No...'
At first, he thought there would be a path to survival if they just got past the Sun Palace Master. But the situation had changed now. They couldn't just blindly climb up.
He had to find a safe place immediately to treat Baek Cheon. Treatment for the other Five Swords was also urgent!
The desperation made his thoughts feel as if they had frozen solid. Where in this hellish mountain could there be a safe place to receive treatment?
Even as he moved without any clear direction, every step felt as if it were sinking heavily. No, it felt as if the entire ground would collapse and swallow everyone into the bottomless pit.
'Someone...'
He looked around desperately, but there was no one to advise him.
Baek Cheon, Yoo Iseol…. Not only Yoon Jong and Jo-Gol, but even Hye Yeon had already lost consciousness and hung limp like corpses.
Baek Sang had to do it.
If not him, no one could. It wasn't they helping him, but he who had to save them.
Even at this moment, Baek Cheon’s breath touching his back gradually became fainter as if it would stop at any moment.
“Sahyung, Sahyung!”
Baek Sang urgently called to Baek Cheon on his back. Suppressing the anxiety that endlessly welled up in his chest.
"Don't worry, Sahyung. I'll definitely get you to a safe place. So! So don't you dare die until then! Sahyung, do you hear me? Huh?"
No answer came back.
“Baek Sang Sahyung! Just go anywhere for now….”
"I know! I know, you punk!"
Baek Sang bit his lips tightly.
They needed a physician. Then there was no choice but to rush down that mountain now. Even if it was a fiery hell or a hell teeming with demons, it didn't matter.
If that was the only way to save them, he wouldn't hesitate to go even into hell.
"Down the mountain..."
It was just as Baek Sang, having hardened his resolve, was about to turn direction while gripping Baek Cheon tighter.
“It’s dangerous down there!”
“Huh?”
At the familiar voice, Baek Sang quickly turned his gaze.
Tang Gun-ak had come to his side at some point. Just from the dried blood on his lips and his torn clothes in places, one could guess the fierce battle he had gone through.
“Gaju-nim!”
"As you are!"
It was a short phrase, but he understood it exactly. Baek Sang nodded frantically. Just having Tang Gun-ak by his side felt like finding a lighthouse in the vast ocean.
“Ga- Gaju-nim! Sahyung! Ba- Baek Cheon Sahyung...!”
Tang Gun-ak examined Baek Cheon with a heavily hardened face. He was charred red, with patches turned pitch black and hardened. Even the split-open flesh exposed beneath couldn’t bleed. His always sturdy arms... looked hopeless. Tang Gun-ak unconsciously closed his eyes tightly.
The color drained from Baek Sang's face at that ominous expression.
“Gaju-nim. Sahyung… Sahyung will be fine….”
Tang Gun-ak cut him off sharply.
"This is no time for such words! Use this time to take even one more step! If you want to save them!"
“Yes, understood!”
Tang Gun-ak bit his blood-dried lips.
“B- But where do we go?”
“A place to save lives.”
“Where’s that?”
It was when Tang Gun-ak was busy racking his brain.
"Up... ward..."
Someone's voice came to his ear.
"What?"
"Up... the peak... above."
Tang Gun-ak and Baek Sang's gazes sharply turned upward.
The steep mountain path unfolding in front, and amidst the peak at its end, old and antique pavilions were looking down below.
The place Wudang disciples had risked their lives to protect.
"...Wudang."
“....”
“I see. There's nowhere else."
Tang Gun-ak shifted his gaze to the one who had told them this.
Heo Gong, still carried on a Mount Hua disciple's back and still with hazy consciousness, was firmly pointing upward with just his hand.
Was there any safe place on Mount Wudang other than Wudang Sect? It was the most suitable place in this mountain for treatment.
“Let’s go! Hurry!”
“Yes, Gaju-nim!”
Tang Gun-ak took the lead.
“Follow Gaju-nim!”
“Euaaaaaaap!”
Instead of answers, roars erupted from all around. Mount Hua disciples dashed up the steep Mount Wudang like wild beasts.
Faster, they put all their remaining strength into their legs.
Soon after.
Jjoooong!
A massive noise they had never heard once in their lives rang out behind the backs of those running away. It was enough to make everyone flinch and look back even in this situation.
Jjojok! Jjojojok!
The cliff where Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists were still struggling to escape.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
With a terrible earth-shattering roar, the entire cliff split and crumbled, then began to collapse. It looked as if a heavenly god's spear had pierced through the mountain.
Sighs leaked from everyone’s mouths.
"Ah...."
Human malice had literally crushed the Wudang terrain that had maintained its appearance for thousands of years.
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