Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1403

“Protect him! Don’t let them touch him! With your lives, protect him!” a loud, rough voice shouted across the battlefield.

Everyone rushed forward quickly, like a strong wave, surrounding Oh Geom and his group who were being attacked. The disciples of Mount Hua, the retainers of the Tang family, and even the swordsmen of the Namgung Clan who had rushed to help, all charged at the enemies, pushing them back with fierce energy.

“Fall back, you dogs of the Demonic Sect!”

Some members of the Cheonwoo Alliance bravely stepped forward to hold back the enemy. The remaining disciples of Mount Hua dashed into the space created by this brave act.

“Senior Brother!”

“Blast it, Martial Uncle!”

The sight of their disheveled senior and junior brothers ignited a fierce hatred in the eyes of the Mount Hua disciples.

They were about to turn and charge at the enemies, unable to contain their rage, but Woonam’s booming voice stopped them.

“Hold your ground!”

“B-But Sect Leader…”

“Our task is not to target the enemy! Protect your senior and junior brothers. Don’t let any of them breach this line!”

“Yes!” the Mount Hua disciples roared back, their voices full of fury.

The Mount Hua disciples’ faces were red with anger, their fists clenched tight as they pushed back the Maninbang warriors who were aiming for Chung Myung and his group. The Maninbang warriors, taken aback by the torrent of sword energy, were repeatedly pushed back, helpless.

The Cheonwoo Alliance members, including Mount Hua, created an impenetrable wall that the enemies could not breach.

“Yoon Jong-ah!”

Hyun Sang rushed in like thunder, but stopped suddenly when he saw Yoon Jong. Yoon Jong was covered in blood and barely moving. Hyun Sang was shocked and couldn’t speak for a moment. Stunned, Hyun Sang barely regained his senses and tried to check Yoon Jong’s pulse, but Yoon Jong weakly shook his head and pointed elsewhere with difficulty.

“Elder… More than me, Chung Myung, take care of Chung Myung…”

“Hey, you rascal! Who do you think you are…”

“Elder, please hurry and help Chung Myung…”

Hyun Sang bit his lip tightly. At that moment, Baek Cheon held out Chung Myung, whom he was carrying in his arms.

“Elder…”

“…”

“My energy… for Chung Myung…”

His words were fragmented, but Hyun Sang immediately understood.

But he couldn’t bring himself to take Chung Myung. He didn’t even know where to touch him. There wasn’t a single place that wasn’t wounded, so how could he dare to touch him?

“Step aside.”

“Sect Leader, Chung Myung is…”

“Get a grip!”

Then, Hyun Jong pushed Hyun Sang aside and took Chung Myung. His robes were instantly soaked with Chung Myung’s blood. But Hyun Jong didn’t even flinch as he held Chung Myung and pushed his mighty inner power into his abdomen. He felt like his heart was breaking seeing Chung Myung like this. He had to save him.

“Is… is he going to be okay?” Hyun Sang’s voice trembled as he asked.

Hyun Jong, instead of answering, hardened his face and shouted.

“Those who have the strength, take care of the injured! Quickly!”

“…Yes?”

“What are you doing! Is Chung Myung the only one who’s injured?”

“Yes? Ah, yes! Grand Sect Leader!”

He snapped back to his senses at those words.

Of course, Chung Myung was in the most critical condition, but the others were also severely injured beyond description.

Those who had the strength rushed over and began to inject their life energy. Hyun Sang also held onto Yoon Jong and injected his life energy into his back.

“…Sect Leader.”

“Don’t speak, Geol! Save your strength!”

“R-Rather than me, take care of the others…”

“I said shut your mouth, you fool! Let me heal you!”

“I’m still alright! Start with Martial Uncle…”

Woonam bit his lip tightly. Even in this situation, he had the mind to take care of others? He couldn’t tell if he was kind or just foolish. These boys, always thinking of others before themselves… It made him so proud, and so worried.

‘These foolish fellows…’ How could they not take care of their own bodies like this? He was proud. But at the same time, he was so resentful.

Even among them, there was one who wouldn’t listen the most.

“So So! You can’t do this!”

“Let go!”

“So So! Your injuries are serious too!”

“I won’t die, so let go!”

Dang So So stubbornly shook off those who were trying to heal her and clung to Chung Myung, who was being held by Hyun Jong. Before Hyun Jong could stop her, Dang So So grabbed Chung Myung’s wrist and checked his pulse, then lifted her head sharply.

“Where’s Father? Where is the Tang Clan Lord?”

Hyun Jong said, “He’s fighting, So So, he’s holding them back. He’ll be here soon.”

“Quickly! As soon as possible! Grand Sect Leader! Senior Brother is dying!”

Hyun Jong shouted as if there was nothing to think about.

“Woon Geom! Bring the Tang Clan Lord here! Immediately!”

“There’s no need for that.”

At that moment, a streak of green light landed gracefully before them.

“Father!”

“Over here.”

Tang Gunak took Chung Myung’s body as if snatching it away. Tang Gunak’s face, which had been examining his condition with a hardened expression, turned white in an instant. His cold expression, which seemed like it would never change even if Mount Tai collapsed, was more terrifying than any shout or scream when it crumbled.

“What were you thinking!”

Tang Gunak, biting his lip, laid Chung Myung down swiftly. He took out a small box from his chest and opened it, pulling out a dozen large golden needles.

“No one! Don’t let anyone approach, ever!”

Hyun Jong didn’t even need to say anything. The moment those words were heard, the Mount Hua disciples’ spirit changed. Even those who were struggling to stand rose from their seats to protect Chung Myung, so they had to be stopped instead.

“So So! Pae! Help!”

“Yes!”

“Tang Clan Lord. So So too…”

“Don’t interfere and step back!”

Baek Sang, who was trying to stop the Tang Clan Lord, turned pale and stepped back at the murderous roar. He realized how urgent the situation was.

“Tang Pae!”

“Yes, Clan Lord!”

Tang Pae pushed away the person who was injecting life energy into him and flew forward. The moment he stuck to the opposite side of Chung Myung, Tang Gunak pushed his energy into the needles he had pulled out.

Whirrrrr!

The golden needles in his hand shook madly. At the same time, Tang Gunak’s robe swelled up as if it would burst, unable to withstand the energy. Even the Mount Hua disciples turned around for a moment at the tremendous force.

The moment Dang So So was about to be pushed back by the force, Hyun Jong grabbed her shoulder and injected life energy into her.

Whirrrrr!

The golden needles placed on Tang Gunak’s palm fluttered like live carp, then gradually calmed down. The subtle vibrations finally stopped completely, and Tang Gunak thrust the golden needles into Chung Myung’s neck like lightning.

Chung Myung’s body bounced up from the spot. Tang Gunak pressed down on his body tightly and shouted.

“Special points on his body, Jungwan (中脘), Sugu (水溝)!”

“Yes!”

Tang Pae and Dang So So struck the special points on his body that Tang Gunak had indicated.

“Sugu blood point, three more punts!”

“F-Father. Senior Brother’s body is…”

“Do as I say!”

“Yes!”

Dang So So gritted her teeth and struck the special point on his body that Tang Gunak had indicated. At that moment, black, dead blood gushed out of Chung Myung’s mouth.

Whirrrrr!

Another large needle pierced the center of Chung Myung’s chest. The long needle, as large as an adult’s palm, was completely embedded into his body, disappearing from sight.

“Baekhwe (百会), Geogweol (巨闕), Chungyang (衝陽)!”

“Yes!”

Tang Gunak’s face was covered in sweat. This was his family’s most precious treasure, but it was nothing compared to Chung Myung’s life. He had to work perfectly. The Tang Clan Lord, Tang Gunak, was a martial artist who had stepped into the realm of the absolute. Yet, his face was soon covered in sweat. It was a sight that made them realize how much mental and physical energy he was expending on this acupuncture.

Whirrrrr!

Tang Gunak gritted his teeth once again and injected energy into the needles. His hands began to tremble from the sudden consumption of inner energy.

After a while, the last of the twelve needles pierced the center of Chung Myung’s crown.

“C-Can you really do that to a person’s head?”

Someone finally couldn’t hold back and shouted, and Dang So So answered loudly.

“It’s not a needle!”

“…H-Huh?”

She gave up answering, as she didn’t have the strength to say more, and grabbed Chung Myung’s wrist, injecting life energy.

The golden needles that Tang Gunak used were not actually needles. They were elixirs made by refining rare ingredients that were hard to find even in the Tang family. Each one was priceless.

In the Tang family, they were called special golden needles from the Tang family. It was the Tang family’s treasure, which only the Tang family’s head was allowed to possess.

In other words, Tang Gunak was now consuming the treasure that the Tang family had possessed for generations, without any hesitation, for someone who was not a member of the Tang family.

But…

“It’s not enough.”

Tang Gunak raised his head sharply.

“Bring the Ice Palace! Bring the Ice Palace Elder here! Also the Beast Palace Lord! Immediately!”

“Woonam! Hyun Sang!”

“Yes! Sect Leader!”

“Clear the way! Bring the Ice Palace and the Beast Palace here immediately! Hurry!”

Hyun Sang and Woonam rushed out with determined faces. Hyun Jong placed his hand on Chung Myung’s dantian and said quietly to Tang Gunak, who was guiding the life energy.

“…Tang Clan Lord, Chung Myung is…”

“I’ve done everything I can do now.”

“…Can he live?”

Tang Gunak didn’t answer. But Hyun Jong didn’t take that silence as a negative answer. The Tang Clan Lord was gathering all his remaining strength to take care of Chung Myung. It was a will to save him no matter what.

And it wasn’t just Tang Gunak who was showing that will.

“Get out of the way, you bug-like bastards!”

Wham!

Beast Palace Lord Maeng So knocked down a dozen Maninbang warriors in one blow and arrived where they were.

“Where is the Mount Hua Sword Saint!”

At the same time as he shouted in a booming voice, the people of the Ice Palace rushed in behind him.

“Palace Lord!”

“Chief Han, it’s not me! Over there!”

Seol So-baek shook his head and shouted. Maeng So and Han I-myung immediately grasped the situation and approached Tang Gunak with all their might.

“Tang Clan Lord!”

“Chief!”

Tang Gunak turned his head sharply and looked at Han I-myung.

“I need someone who is proficient in the coldest energy in the Ice Palace!”

“Yes? T-That is…”

A moment of embarrassment crossed Han I-myung’s face. The one who could use the most powerful cold energy in the Ice Palace was naturally the Ice Palace Lord. The most powerful ice skill in the Ice Palace could only be learned by the Ice Palace Lord.

But Seol So-baek had not yet mastered all of those ice skills.

“I-If not me, then the Palace Lord.”

“Then bring both of them!”

“Yes?”

Tang Gunak turned his head sharply and looked at the Beast Palace Lord.

“Palace Lord! You can use the hot energy skill, can’t you?”

“T-That’s a specialty of the Namhae Sun Palace, but I…”

“Can you do it?”

Maeng So’s face hardened.

“Is it something I have to do? To save the Mount Hua Sword Saint?”

“Absolutely!”

Maeng So nodded as if there was nothing to think about.

“Then I have to do it! Even if I burn to death, I’ll pull it out!”

Tang Gunak nodded and said quickly.

“Please inject the cold energy skill and the hot energy skill on either side of the Mount Hua Sword Saint. With all your might.”

“T-Tang Clan Lord? What is that?”

In an instant, Maeng So and Han I-myung’s faces turned pale.

The two energies were mutually exclusive. When those two energies collided inside the body, wasn’t it obvious what would happen?

They knew how dangerous this was because they knew how to handle each energy. Tang Gunak shouted when he saw the three people in front of him hesitating.

“Do as I say!”

But they couldn’t move easily. Tang Gunak said with a firm face, filled with conviction.

“He’ll endure it.”

“…”

“If it’s the Mount Hua Sword Saint, if it’s the Mount Hua Sword Saint, he’ll definitely endure it!”

Maeng So, Seol So-baek, and Han I-myung’s gazes turned to Chung Myung, who was collapsed.

They might end up killing Chung Myung with their own hands. So it wasn’t easy to make a decision.

But at that moment, Seol So-baek knelt next to Chung Myung and grabbed his hand.

“P-Palace Lord!”

“I’ll do it!”

Seol So-baek gritted his teeth.

“If it’s Dojang, he’ll endure it! Because it’s Chung Myung Dojang, not anyone else!”

Seol So-baek’s eyes were filled with firm belief. Maeng So and Han I-myung, who saw those eyes, eventually nodded and grabbed Chung Myung’s hand.

“No one! Don’t let anyone approach…”

Tang Gunak closed his mouth, about to say something.

The only sight he could see was the backs of the Mount Hua disciples surrounding him. The determination in their backs was suffocating.

Tang Gunak took a deep breath.

‘I will save him no matter what.’

What he was holding onto was everything of the Cheonwoo Alliance. The one who showed them what they had to pursue.

And more than anything… he was their friend.