Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1794

Ho Gamyeong stared at the battlefield, a storm of indescribable feelings raging within him.

What words could possibly capture this incredible scene?

He knew the answer, but he hesitated to voice it.

“It writhes.”

How could a military man use such a word?

Yet, no other term seemed fitting to describe the scene unfolding before him.

The vast army surged and pulsed like a living muscle, crashing into weakened points with terrifying speed and filling empty spaces in an instant.

“This is…”

Someone who didn’t understand military strategy might focus on the young soldiers at the front, who were raising morale. But Ho Gamyeong was a strategist, and his gaze was drawn to the movements in the rear, where disrupted formations were being restored with astonishing speed.

“How is such a thing even possible?” he wondered.

To be honest, it wasn’t that amazing in itself. Ho Gamyeong could do it himself, given enough determination, subordinates who would obey his every command, and a few months to prepare. He could create movements far grander than this.

But to create such a scene without absolutely obedient subordinates or months of preparation was more than just impressive; it was unbelievable.

“Lord Lianzhu…”

“Why so surprised?” Jang Ilso asked with a smile.

“That’s why I told you, spending too much time fighting those fellows is like tightening a noose around our necks.”

“…”

“We are the ones who made them like that.”

Those words pierced Ho Gamyeong’s heart like a dagger.

“The left flank is open, you idiot!”

“Aargh, this is impossible! I can’t do this! Hey, Martial Uncle! What are you doing? It’s the left flank!”

“You little brat, I’ll deal with you after the war! I’m going to kill you!” Baek Ja-bae cursed at Jo Gul as he sent signals to the left before finally leaping into the air, frustrated.

“Hmm, Jo Gul Dojang. The southeast seems to be getting dangerous as well?”

“Where is the southeast?!”

“Southeast, you simpleton.”

“Then why didn’t you say so from the start! You always act like you know everything! You couldn’t even pass a simple test!”

“I did pass!”

“Yeah right, got any proof?”

“Stop talking nonsense and give orders, you imbecile!”

“Why are you only picking on me! Does Senior Brother not have hands?” Jo Gul screamed, but quickly sent out hand signals.

“Aargh! If I knew it would be like this, I would have brought signal flags!”

“It wasn’t the situation for that. Hand signals work just fine anyway.”

“They’re hard to see! Hey, Martial Uncle! Are you even looking here? Hey!”

“……You really need to spend some time in the repentance cave.”

As Jo Gul sent the hand signals, a disciple of Hwasan who received the signal shouted something to those around him. Then, those nearby began to move at once, filling the empty spaces.

“The direction is wrong!”

“You’re wrong, Senior Brother!”

“……Just kill me, just.” Jo Gul slumped down in despair. Im So-byeong watched him and chuckled softly.

‘They’re actually pulling this off,’ Im So-byeong thought.

To those who didn’t know better, it might not seem like much, but those who understood military strategy would recognize how absurd this scene was.

The first and second most important things for an army are training: to react to orders instantly and correctly.

But the Cheonwu Alliance was a hastily formed group. They were from different places and wanted different things. But now, they moved together like a well-trained army with simple hand signals… No, even better than that.

If this wasn’t a miracle, what was?

‘Only Hwasan could make this possible,’ Im So-byeong mused.

Only Hwasan possessed the two elements that made this miracle possible.

One was a perfect system. They had already proven in Hangzhou that they could move in perfect order through commands. And they kept practicing this method.

And what made Hwasan truly great was the second element. This was something only Hwasan could possess.

“Hey, you crazy bastard! The front is open! Right in front! You idiot! Are you blind?”

“Ah! Do it yourself, then!”

Jo Gul spat out curses and sent another hand signal to the left. Then, following the instructions of the Hwasan swordsman there, the surrounding people rushed forward all at once.

‘That’s it,’ Im So-byeong thought, gripping his fan tightly.

Until recently, they hadn’t even listened properly to the orders of the military, that is, the orders of the Zhuge Family Head. Yet, they didn’t hesitate to rush into the bloody and deadly front lines at the command of an unknown Hwasan swordsman.

Something that Zhuge didn’t have, but Hwasan did. It wasn’t simply power.

‘Absolute trust,’ Im So-byeong realized.

Hwasan would never send them to their deaths alone. They would fight to the end with them. Moreover, they, who had always fought the enemy, knew best how to deal with the Evil Sect Alliance.

Most of the Cheonwu Alliance thought of Hwasan that way. That was what mattered.

Hwasan had proven it through actions and deeds, not words and logic. That proof had now transformed into the absolute trust of the Cheonwu Alliance towards Hwasan.

“No! I’m saying we should go out and fight in front!”

“Hey! Send one more hand signal instead of flapping your gums, Jo Gul Siju,” a monk said.

“Hey, did you say gums, Monk?”

“Ahem! Hands, hands! Your hands are idle!”

“…”

Yoon Jong chuckled.

Was his heart any different from Jo Gul’s? Yoon Jong also wanted to step forward and fight right away. He felt more comfortable shedding his own blood than watching others bleed.

But Yoon Jong also knew that the role given to him and Hwasan was not that.

“Yoon Jong.”

“Yes, Sahyung.”

“Do you see it?”

Yoon Jong nodded.

“Yes, I see it.”

Though she hadn’t said what it was, Yoon Jong answered without hesitation.

He already knew what Yoo Iseol wanted to say. He felt the same emotions she must be feeling.

‘They are fighting,’ he thought.

At the very front, where the enemy’s blades were aimed. The most dangerous place, and therefore the most intense. The place where Hwasan belonged.

Yoon Jong had once questioned it.

Why did Hwasan always have to be there?

Even though he had chosen to stand there himself, he sometimes felt resentment towards others. Why wouldn’t they stand there? Why did they take the blood they shed for granted?

But now, others besides Hwasan were filling that place. They were rushing forward, shouting until their throats were raw.

Kroooooh!

A pack of wild beasts appeared with a thunderous roar from somewhere, tearing the enemies apart mercilessly.

“Let go, let go! How dare a mere dirty beast……!”

“Haha! You heretics, worse than beasts, your mouths are still alive and flapping. Today, I’ll throw you all to the wolves!”

The silent Beast Palace stepped forward. Unlike his booming voice and massive physique, Maeng So’s eyes were colder than ever. He gestured and commanded.

“Don’t miss those who show weakness!”

“Yes, Palace Lord!”

The Ice Palace was not far behind.

White sword energy soared from various places. It was distinctly different from that of Jongnam. The endlessly cold and transparent sword energy seemed to bring the bitter cold of the Northern Sea here, freezing and blistering the enemy’s flesh.

“Smash them to pieces!”

The sight of Han I-myeong and Seol So-baek shouting entered Yoon Jong’s view.

‘Come to think of it…… we’ve been fighting together, but,’ Yoon Jong realized.

Their place was always a little behind Hwasan. But now, they were facing the enemy in front of Hwasan of their own accord.

Without anyone telling them to.

Yoon Jong’s gaze slowly turned to one side.

“You didn’t think this through, did you? Even for him, I didn’t think it would turn out like this……”

“Maybe not,” Yoo Iseol replied in a monotone.

“But I think I know one thing.”

“……What is it?”

“Our backs must have meant something to someone too.”

Yoon Jong bit his lip.

Yoo Iseol, who didn’t talk much, probably meant this.

Just as they had come this far watching Chung Myung’s back, someone else had come this far watching Hwasan’s back.

As Hwasan grew stronger, they also changed.

“Whether it was intentional or not is not important. What matters is that it turned out that way in the end.”

“……”

“When a large tree grows, animals naturally gather around it, and one day it becomes a forest. The forest that is created may not be what the tree intended, but it will eventually be the result of one tree. A tree that can be embraced grows from a tiny sprout. Isn’t that the teaching you serve?” Im So-byeong asked.

Im So-byeong snapped open his fan.

“Even if it sways and breaks, it naturally becomes that way. That must be the way of things.”

Yoon Jong was silent for a moment. Then, he roughly wiped his face and pressed his palms hard against his eyes.

“Stop using fancy words. For a bandit.”

“……This guy, even when I’m being nice.”

“Huh? Sahyung, are you perhaps crying……”

“The side is open! You stupid bastard!”

“……Go to hell, you damned human.”

Yoon Jong, gritting his teeth, stared ahead with reddened eyes.

‘We can win!’ he thought.

There was no way they could lose, not if they fought with one heart like this. There was no reason for them, with their superior strength, to be defeated.

“Today, I will put an end to you, Jang Ilso!”

A hot flame ignited in Yoon Jong’s heart.

The battle situation was clearly tilting unfavorably towards the Evil Sect Alliance.

The situation had changed so drastically in such a short time that it was truly absurd.

If Ho Gamyeong were in a position to issue orders independently, he would have already devised new countermeasures long ago. But Jang Ilso was here now, and he couldn’t dare to issue new instructions.

“Lord Lianzhu,” Ho Gamyeong called out to Jang Ilso, unable to contain his impatience.

“Hmm.”

“They are solidifying their momentum……”

“Is this all there is?”

“……Yes?” Ho Gamyeong flinched and turned to look at Jang Ilso. The side of Jang Ilso’s face, seen from half a step behind, was tinged with a nonchalant light.

“This is too predictable. Isn’t it?”

“Predictable…… did you say?”

“Yes. It shouldn’t be just this much. If our esteemed champions of justice are only capable of this, I’ll be disappointed.”

Jang Ilso’s eyes narrowed like a crescent moon. It was a smile that sent shivers down one’s spine.

“At this rate…… it’s as if they haven’t grown because I’m not a worthy opponent. How insulting.”

“Lord Lianzhu……?”

Even Ho Gamyeong, who understood Jang Ilso’s words best, found this difficult to accept.

What did he think of this situation? How could he make such jokes in a situation where his life, as well as the fate of the Kangho, were all on the line?

“Lord Lianzhu, now is……”

“Ah, ah.” Just as Ho Gamyeong couldn’t bear it any longer and was about to urge him again, Jang Ilso waved his hand dismissively.

“There’s no need to rush, Gamyeong.”

“……Yes?”

“It’s not just them who are desperate. We’re in the same boat, aren’t we?”

Ho Gamyeong was even more bewildered. Shouldn’t they be doing something right now?

Then, Jang Ilso slowly rested his chin on his hand and tapped his fingers.

“So, they’ll have to move. Even those who want to see me fall.”

“Yes? What does that……”

KABOOOOM!

At that moment, a massive explosion erupted from the front lines.

Ho Gamyeong, who reflexively ducked his head from the surging shockwave, looked in that direction with startled eyes.

A middle-aged man in splendid golden robes stood there proudly.

“……The Lord of the Solar Palace.”

“The one with the shortest patience has stepped forward first.”

Jang Ilso smiled faintly.

“Now, let’s see. How many will survive here today.”

Seeing his relaxed and nonchalant smile, Ho Gamyeong felt a chill run down his spine.