Gu Yu Geomgaek’s face twisted in pain.
A sword energy, as fast as lightning, grazed his face. The skin on his jaw split open, leaving a long, red cut from his chin to below his cheek.
‘Damn it!’
This was not just anyone with a sword. Only someone who trained their whole life, swinging a sword thousands of times, could make such a fast and strong attack.
He couldn’t believe it. How could this young woman have sword skills better than his?
“This…!”
As wounds kept appearing on his body, Gu Yu Geomgaek felt more and more frustrated.
No matter who that woman was, she was pushing him back, leaving cuts all over his body.
He roared and swung his sword. His sword energy rushed forward, like a flood of water breaking through a dam.
“Eat this…!”
But then, Gu Yu Geomgaek’s eyes widened.
Suddenly, red petals appeared like a cloud in front of him. They covered the path of his sword attack. The sword energy couldn’t go forward, hit the petals, and was pushed back.
“Cough!”
His attack was stopped, and the energy came back at him, making him feel sick inside. He coughed, and blood came up.
‘Damn it!’
This couldn’t be happening.
He was Gu Yu Geomgaek. He had been famous for a very long time, even before this young woman was born. How could he be pushed back and cough up blood in a sword fight?
This was impossible. Absolutely impossible.
“You son of a…!”
Gu Yu Geomgaek pulled his sword back a little. Then, seven streaks of black light appeared.
This was his special, deadly sword move. It was so fast, people died before they even knew what happened.
This was his special sword move, called Talmyeong Sibilroe, which made him famous as Gu Yu Geomgaek.
But then…
Tang Soso quickly pushed off the ground and jumped back. Gu Yu Geomgaek’s sword, moving very fast, stopped just before touching her neck.
‘What…?’
Gu Yu Geomgaek’s eyes widened.
Was it luck? Or…?
‘Impossible.’
There was no way she had seen his sword move before. Did she know exactly how far his sword would reach and move back just enough?
Could someone do that in a fight like this?
Even if it was possible, wouldn’t her neck be cut with the smallest mistake? Why did she stop so close?
‘Is she crazy?’
At that moment.
As Gu Yu Geomgaek pulled back his sword, he looked into Tang Soso’s eyes.
He felt a chill.
He felt goosebumps all over his body.
Her eyes had no feeling. They watched him like a snake watching its prey, ready to attack if he moved even a little.
“Th-Th-This…!”
Gu Yu Geomgaek gritted his teeth and yelled.
He couldn’t admit he felt scared looking into her eyes. And he couldn’t accept that she was calmly watching him during the fight.
“Die, raaaah!”
He screamed in anger, and twelve black sword attacks shot out from his sword.
Stronger, faster.
The sword attack, using all his power, became twelve thunderbolts and rushed towards Tang Soso.
‘She can’t move back.’
He wouldn’t be tricked again. If she tried the same thing, he would cut her neck…
That’s when it happened.
Tang Soso spun around and jumped into the air. The sword energy hit her sword for a moment.
Then, using that force, Tang Soso jumped even higher.
‘Foolish!’
It’s hard to move freely in the air.
‘I will stab you!’
He felt happy and tried to use the Talmyeong Sibilroe again on Tang Soso, who was in the air.
But then…
With a quick, sharp sound, red sword energy burst from Tang Soso’s sword.
One flower, then another, then many flowers.
Gu Yu Geomgaek forgot about his sword attack and just stared.
The many red flowers that appeared hid Tang Soso completely. The sky was full of red flowers.
And then…
The flowers scattered and fell like rain.
A rain of red flowers.
“Uh…”
Then, one word came to Gu Yu Geomgaek’s mind.
“Mancheon…”
This was the Mancheon Hwawoo, the most powerful move of the Sichuan Tang Family.
It was a famous technique passed down in their family, said to make it look like a rain of flowers falling from the sky.
“Mancheon… Hwawoo (萬千花雨).”
In the rain of flowers, Tang Soso’s green sword tassel was visible for a moment. Gu Yu Geomgaek groaned.
“Tang….”
This rain of flowers, like an illusion but very real and deadly, covered his whole body. The sky was covered with flower petals.
“…Damn it.”
Those were Gu Yu Geomgaek’s last words.
“Aaaargh!”
A scream echoed.
“That…”
Wi Rip-san’s mouth was open.
The Mount Hua swordsmen were pushing back enemies who seemed three times as many. The enemies were getting tangled up, clearly trapped.
“…Good heavens.”
This was a one-sided fight.
This made Wi Rip-san more confused than happy.
He knew their skills well.
Could those who were so scary before really be pushed back so easily?
Wi Rip-san looked around.
The other leaders from Xi’an were also watching, shocked and confused by what they were seeing.
“Mount Hua is…”
“So strong…”
Of course.
Even Wi Rip-san was confused, so the others must be even more so.
The red sword energy from the Mount Hua swordsmen went into the sky.
“Over there…”
Someone spoke awkwardly.
“Should we help, too…?”
Then, people started laughing.
“Help?”
“…Ah, no, never mind…”
“If we tried to help, we would just get in the way. You need to be very skilled to help here.”
“…That’s true.”
Again, everyone watched the Mount Hua swordsmen. Some people swallowed hard. They were amazed by the swords in the sky.
‘I thought it would be hard to compare to Jongnam.’
He thought Mount Hua had some basic weaknesses.
The students were still young and didn’t have much experience.
So, he believed that even in the future, Mount Hua might not be as strong as Jongnam, who had older, more experienced fighters.
But what he was seeing now changed his mind.
And…
“Aaaaargh!”
The leaders of Xi’an clenched their fists when they saw Gu Yu Geomgaek scream while covered in red flower petals.
‘It’s pointless to talk about the future. They can fight Jongnam now.’
‘I didn’t think Mount Hua would become this strong….’
They felt proud. The group they once thought was weak had become so amazing.
Then, Wi Rip-san walked forward.
“Sect Leader…”
Hyun Jong, who was watching, turned to Wi Rip-san.
“Sect Leader Wi, are you okay?”
“…Yes. I am okay, Sect Leader.”
“We were too late. Sorry.”
“How can you say that? I am thankful you came.”
Hyun Jong patted Wi Rip-san’s shoulder gently.
“You have suffered.”
Wi Rip-san felt emotional, but then he looked at the fight. He felt strange talking about normal things in the middle of this fight.
But it wasn’t his fault. Hyun Jong was relaxed, so he felt less worried too.
Wi Rip-san hesitated and asked.
“Will it be okay?”
“What?”
“They are winning, but the enemies are strong. Can we help?”
“It’s alright.”
“But…”
“It’s alright.”
Hyun Jong shook his head and smiled.
“These students can handle it. Just trust them and watch.”
“Ah…”
Wi Rip-san nodded at Hyun Jong’s calm face.
He could feel Hyun Jong’s trust in his students.
In the past, Hyun Jong was always worried when his students fought. But now, he wasn’t worried even though the enemies were very strong.
Had Hyun Jong changed? Or…
“Is it strange?”
“Ah…”
Hyun Jong smiled and asked, as if he knew what Wi Rip-san was thinking. Wi Rip-san quickly looked down.
“I am sorry. I don’t understand your deep thoughts, Sect Leader…”
“It just happened that way.”
“…Yes?”
Hyun Jong looked at the fight.
The plum blossom sword energy looked beautiful, but it was a dangerous place where people could die.
But…
“Anyone who has seen how hard these students have worked would feel the same. If I worried now, it would be like I don’t believe in them, and don’t respect all the hard work they have done.”
Hearing that, Wi Rip-san looked at the fight.
‘What…?’
Hyun Jong’s words were full of belief. So, he wondered what kind of training they had done.
“There is no need to worry.”
Then, Hyun Jong’s calm voice spoke.
“Because Mount Hua is strong.”
Wi Rip-san couldn’t speak. He felt emotional.
How long had he waited to hear those words?
The words he thought he would never hear finally came from Hyun Jong’s mouth.
“Sect Leader…”
The Mount Hua students were very strong.
And the Sect Leader of Mount Hua seemed very sincere.
Anyone who used the name of Mount Hua would feel the same way.
“And.”
“…Yes?”
Then, Hyun Jong pointed to someone.
“See that guy holding back? He would be worried about everything. If he’s not worried, it means it’s not dangerous yet.”
He pointed to the back of someone with his arms crossed.
It was easy to know who it was.
‘Chung Myung Dojang.’
Seeing his strong back, so calm and steady, Wi Rip-san bit his lip without thinking.