Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1271

Ho Gamyeong was very shocked.

But the Haenam disciples on the ship were even more shocked.

“Th-that…” Gwak Hwan-so could not speak. His face was white with shock.

The white sand beach was now red. Blood flowed like waves, staining everything. The air smelled thick and iron-like.

“How…?”

Maninbang. The most feared group in Gangnam. And one man was fighting them all. One man against the whole Maninbang army sent to destroy Haenam. Gwak Hwan-so’s mind was a mess of feelings. Fear, disbelief, and a strange kind of awe filled him. He had never seen anything like this.

This was Gwak Hwan-so’s first real battle. He had fought before, but never to kill, and never in such a big war. Before, it was just small fights.

He felt drained from the moment he left the coast, wanting to collapse on the deck.

Yet, the Hwasan Sword Demon was holding them back. He was actually pushing them back.

“He’s not even human…”

Lee Ja-yang muttered beside Gwak Hwan-so. Gwak Hwan-so looked at Lee Ja-yang and saw his face was deathly pale.

Gwak Hwan-so turned back to Chung Myung, who was wielding his sword. A Maninbang member’s head soared into the air.

‘Is he really the same person?’

It was hard to believe that the fiend-like figure slicing off heads was the same person who had shared a drink and chuckled with him a few days ago.

Namgung Dowi’s voice reached him.

“Aren’t we getting too far away?”

His voice was filled with concern.

“I know we need distance, but we’re becoming too isolated, don’t you think?”

“It’s alright for now.”

Baek Cheon’s voice was calm.

“Acting Leader, but…”

“It’s alright.”

Baek Cheon stated firmly. Gwak Hwan-so watched Baek Cheon. His face was stiff, but his eyes showed unwavering trust.

Namgung Dowi looked between Baek Cheon and the coast, then spoke.

“It’s not that I don’t trust Chung Myung. Everyone knows he’s amazing.”

“…”

“But this is a battlefield! Anything can happen. You can lose your life in a moment, right?”

Several people looked uneasy.

The thought of Chung Myung being defeated was unimaginable to those present.

But Chung Myung was still human. Fighting so fiercely could cause him to miss his chance to retreat. If that happened, he would be trapped.

“Sasuk…”

Jo Gul called out to Baek Cheon, worried that Namgung Dowi was right. He wanted to signal Chung Myung to come back.

But Baek Cheon stared silently at Chung Myung. Jo Gul called out again.

“Sasuk.”

“Excitement?”

Baek Cheon spoke to Namgung Dowi.

“I wish he was the type to do something like that.”

“Pardon?”

He watched the battlefield with dark eyes.

“That guy doesn’t get excited. He just pretends to be excited.”

“…”

“Of course, he’s human, so he might get excited sometimes, but not now.”

Yoon Jong and Yoo Iseol nodded.

“You mean he’s not excited?”

Namgung Dowi looked at Chung Myung, who was fighting like a madman, confused. It was a sight that would make anyone’s blood boil. How could he stay calm?

“You’ll find out.”

Baek Cheon didn’t explain further.

Namgung Dowi closed his mouth. Baek Cheon’s words might have seemed unkind, but Namgung Dowi understood.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t explaining; he couldn’t explain it.

It wasn’t something he could explain with words or logic. It was trust built from everything they had been through together. How could he put that feeling into words?

‘It’s sickening, in a way.’

In some ways, it was frightening.

The unwavering belief that Chung Myung would never get excited, never be defeated, and never make a mistake. Wasn’t this blind faith?

The faith these people were showing Chung Myung was similar to the Maninbang’s faith in Jang Il-so, or the Demonic Cult’s faith in the Heavenly Demon.

Chung Myung had earned this trust through his skill and actions, not through authority.

Namgung Dowi saw Chung Myung fighting like a madman.

‘Will I ever be able to become like that?’

He clenched his lips tightly as he looked at Chung Myung’s back.

Fragmented bodies soared and scattered. Blood covered Chung Myung’s face.

Even in the heat, Chung Myung’s eyes were cold.

‘The distance?’

He gauged the distance to Ho Gamyeong.

‘Too far.’

Too many enemies blocked his path. He would have rushed over and cut off Ho Gamyeong’s head if there were fewer.

But right now, he could break through, but not escape safely.

He plunged his sword into the back of someone running away, twisted it, and struck upwards.

He wanted as much blood as possible to scatter, so everyone could see.

‘What should I do?’

He knew Ho Gamyeong was a difficult opponent.

Ho Gamyeong was even more difficult than Jang Il-so, who was always scheming.

Schemes were a way to take risks for an advantage. But Ho Gamyeong didn’t take risks; he steadily carried out his role.

Chung Myung knew the disaster that would occur if someone like that got behind him.

He wanted to eliminate Ho Gamyeong to escape Gangnam and prepare for the battle with the Four Evil Sects, but…

“Ugh, Aargh!”

Realizing they couldn’t escape, the Maninbang members charged at Chung Myung.

A cornered mouse will bite a cat. He had driven them into a corner without an escape.

But.

Chung Myung’s sword trembled and spewed out red plum blossom petals.

The petals spread out and lacerated the charging Maninbang members.

“Aaaaaaargh!”

A scream added terror to the blood-soaked coast.

Those pierced dozens of times collapsed, spewing blood. Chung Myung’s eyes were still cold.

‘It’s too much.’

Chung Myung slowed his attack. He could step over these people and aim for Ho Gamyeong, but the rear was not secure.

Those he was facing were just small fry. The real power was guarding Ho Gamyeong like an iron wall.

He would have to fight those people soon.

‘That’s why I hate it. These heretical bastards.’

Chung Myung didn’t hesitate to save a disciple. But the heretics threw their comrades as bait to deplete the enemy’s stamina.

Chung Myung’s brow furrowed in disgust.

‘The position?’

He gauged the distance between himself and the ships.

It was getting precarious.

‘This is it.’

Chung Myung spun his sword and gripped it in reverse.

“I’m just going this time…”

Chung Myung’s blood-soaked lips parted, revealing a gruesome grin.

“But I still have to say hello.”

Chung Myung kicked off the ground and soared upwards. He twisted his waist back. A red sword aura spread out from his sword.

A red line bloomed in the sky, rushing towards Ho Gamyeong, passing over the Maninbang forces.

“Block it!”

Those guarding Ho Gamyeong soared up.

A huge blade struck down on Chung Myung’s sword aura.

But the sword aura pushed through the heavy blade.

‘N-no…’

The blade screamed and was ground away. The sword aura contained terrifying power.

“Aaaaaaargh!”

Those who had blocked it were thrown back. The sword aura rushed towards Ho Gamyeong.

“Strategist!”

“Get down…”

Sand exploded behind Ho Gamyeong. But Ho Gamyeong stood there, staring at Chung Myung.

A red line appeared from his eye to his cheek. His face was dyed red with blood.

It was a deep wound. But Ho Gamyeong didn’t seem to feel the pain.

“Hmph.”

Chung Myung twisted his lips and sneered.

‘I knew he was a boring guy.’

But he had said hello. Chung Myung shook off the enemies and turned.

A dozen swords soared up from the ground beneath Chung Myung.

But Chung Myung sneered and twisted his body. He wouldn’t be caught by this.

The swords exploded, turning into hundreds of pieces.

‘What?’

Chung Myung’s eyes widened.