Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1387

“Oooooooh!” roared the Maninbangdo leader. His eyes were red and wild, and he swung his heavy blade down at Chung Myung.

*Clang!*

He put all his strength into the strike, but it felt weak when it hit Chung Myung’s thin sword that flashed up to block. It was strange, like hitting a wall of steel. The leader’s eyes widened in surprise.

But there was no time to think. Chung Myung’s sword slid off the heavy blade and stabbed straight into the leader’s neck.

*Thwack!*

“Ggrrrk…” The leader gasped, his eyes full of shock. He tried to grab the sword stuck in his neck, but before he could, it twisted sharply. There was a sickening crunch as his throat was ripped open.

“Haaaargh!”

Seeing blood made the Maninbangdo rush at Chung Myung again, even faster.

Faaaah!

Then, a flash of sword light appeared. It was like a blur of swords. Many sword strikes flew towards the rushing Maninbangdo. This was much more precise and faster than anything Jo Gul could do!

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

The charging men were quickly cut full of holes. Before they could even scream, their bodies fell apart as if they were crumbling.

In a moment, Chung Myung had created a wide space around himself. But that space was quickly filled again by those rushing in. It was like water filling a hole where black water had been removed.

“Do-jang!”

Namgung Dowi saw Chung Myung’s back and shouted loudly. Even now, the Maninbangdo were rushing towards Chung Myung with terrifying speed. It looked like a thousand people were all aiming for Chung Myung, like a swirling storm heading for a hole.

It was a terrifying sight, like nothing else. Just watching it made his heart feel tight with fear.

“N, no…!”

Someone grabbed Namgung Dowi’s shoulder as he tried to run forward. He turned and saw Hae Yeon with a serious face.

“Do not act rashly!”

“But, the Do-jang is…!” Namgung Dowi’s voice cracked with fear, his hands shaking.

“Do not forget your mission, Namgung Siju!” Hae Yeon said firmly, his face tight with worry.

Namgung Dowi stopped. Hae Yeon was right. His mission was not to save Chung Myung, but to slow down the enemy. Chung Myung was probably doing the same thing. Trying to help Chung Myung would be foolish. He had to build a wall here, block the enemy, and quickly rejoin the main group that was moving away.

“Kahaaaa!”

Looking around, it was impossible to help Chung Myung. The remaining enemies were rushing towards Namgung Dowi and Hae Yeon.

“Hap!”

Namgung Dowi swung his sword, releasing a flood of sword energy. The white energy, full of power, turned the rushing enemies into pieces.

But the space he made was quickly filled with even more enemies. Hae Yeon shouted firmly.

“We must retreat!”

“S, Sumin! Now…!”

Before Namgung Dowi could finish, he felt Hae Yeon’s strong grip on his shoulder. He felt dizzy, and then they were ten yards away.

Hae Yeon was using his strongest Shaolin technique. But the enemies didn’t even notice. They just kept chasing, full of hate and wanting to kill.

Oooooong!

Hae Yeon waved his hands. Golden hand shapes appeared in the air. Like the Thousand-Armed Guanyin, these hands blocked the attacks from all directions.

‘Thousand Buddha Hands!’

This was a famous Shaolin technique. The Maninbangdo hesitated, unable to get close to the wall of palms. The power from each hand shadow pushed them back.

“Eek…!”

Then, the enemies who were being pushed back widened their eyes. The hand shadows disappeared with a flash of light, and a strong white sword energy covered them.

Kwaaaaang!

Namgung Dowi’s sword energy surged into the space Hae Yeon had created. It was a perfect combination, as if they had practiced for years! But they still looked worried.

As much as they created space, more enemies rushed in. Over a thousand Maninbangdo were surrounding Chung Myung, trying to never let him go.

And then…

Hwaaaa!

From the middle of the black and red chaos, a beautiful plum blossom bloomed. Like a plum tree growing in mud, it stubbornly showed its beauty. The colors were bright red and soft pink, almost white.

“Do-jang! What on earth…!” Namgung Dowi shouted in shock.

It was beautiful and unbelievably strong. A sword energy that made you admire it. It was amazing that someone could create such a sight with a sword.

But everything has a cost.

That sword energy must have used a lot of inner strength. Chung Myung was not in good condition, so he shouldn’t have used that sword.

“Siju!” Hae Yeon looked at the plum blossom in confusion.

Chung Myung usually used his sword in a very smart and simple way. He never wasted energy. But this sword was different. It was beautiful and powerful, almost too much.

It was like he was trying to get everyone to focus on that sword.

They thought Chung Myung would retreat by now, so they were confused.

“It’s too late! Siju, what on earth are you thinking!” Hae Yeon shouted.

They had spent a lot of time together. Hae Yeon trusted Chung Myung more than Namgung Dowi could imagine.

But Chung Myung’s actions were so strange that they shook even that trust.

Then Namgung Dowi shouted.

“Sumin! Over there!”

A black line shot into the air, pointing to the plum blossom. It was Chung Myung, using his best movement technique. They were relieved to see this.

There was no suicidal attack. Chung Myung would never do something so reckless.

He was just a little late, but he was pulling himself out. Hae Yeon shouted.

“Let us retreat too!”

“If we hold on a little longer, we can join him!”

Hae Yeon closed his mouth. He had a point. If they helped Chung Myung and retreated with him…

But then, Hae Yeon’s eyes moved.

The black line in the air was moving strangely. If he was chasing the main group, he should be coming to them. Even if he wanted to confuse the enemy, he shouldn’t move too far north.

But the black line was clearly moving away from them.

“What!”

Before they could understand or chase him, the Maninbangdo completely blocked Hae Yeon’s view.

“O, oooooh!”

Hae Yeon quickly used his power. But because it was in such chaos, it wasn’t as strong as usual, and he couldn’t defeat the enemies all at once.

“Die!”

The lower body of the man hit by Hae Yeon’s power was crushed. But he didn’t lose consciousness. Even as he fell, he swung his blade.

Clang! Clang!

The enemy’s blades flew at Hae Yeon, who was using all his inner strength. Shaolin martial arts, known for their strong defense, protected Hae Yeon, but his skin was cut and blood splattered.

“Kuk!”

Hae Yeon didn’t fall. He stepped forward and roared.

The Supreme Great Power pushed back the rushing enemies. But it was only for a moment, and soon they rushed in again.

“Back, backwards!”

The situation changed quickly. If they made a mistake, they would be surrounded and killed. Hae Yeon and Namgung Dowi were pushed back, like a small boat in a strong current. They couldn’t stop the enemy.

They saw the Maninbangdo moving quickly, like black water.

“Siju!”

Hae Yeon shouted loudly. The troops pushing them back were turning and rushing to one side. It was clear what they were after.

Chung Myung.

He was drawing the enemies away, in the opposite direction from Hwasan and Hainan.

“Damn it! That damned man!” Hae Yeon cursed.

He tried to change the situation, but it was impossible. It was too hard to not be swept away. It was the limit.

Boom!

Hae Yeon punched, and the barrier in front of him bounced. He saw Chung Myung in a red uniform, leading a group of Maninbang’s elites, running east, away from where they needed to go.

“Sijuuuuuuuuuuuuu!” Hae Yeon cried desperately. But Chung Myung was too far away to hear him.

Ho Gamyeong watched calmly.

“Military Advisor, the enemies have split up! What should we do?”

“We also divide our forces in two.”

“Yes? But our purpose is…?”

“Once the main group is safe, that Plum Blossom Sword Demon will try to escape. But if he thinks the main group is still in danger, he will try to hold on to even one more person. Even if it’s more dangerous for him.”

“…”

“It is what he will do. Do as I say.”

“Yes!”

Ho Gamyeong bit his lip.

‘I should have done this earlier.’

He had made a mistake by thinking of Hwasan and Chung Myung as one. He could have divided them easily.

‘That’s why I trust Lyeonju so much.’

Because Jang Il-so could plan things so well, even from far away.

“People look for a way out when they are trapped. But if there are only two choices, they will choose the one they think is better.”

He had heard those words many times, but…

Ho Gamyeong wondered.

If he could only choose one, would that Plum Blossom Sword Demon choose his own life, or the lives of his remaining disciples?