Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1405

“Anyone who tries to stop us dies!”

They shouted loudly, and their swords showed they were serious.

Wham!

Lightning-like sword energy struck the Maninbang warriors. They were scared of how strong it was and ran away.

“Aaargh!”

Red sword energy like flower petals fell on the Maninbang warriors who were running away.

“You sons of bitches!”

“Gwak-Hwi, you bastard! Hold your position!”

“Don’t get excited! Our goal isn’t to defeat them!”

Gwak-Hwi bit his lip, stopping himself from chasing the enemies.

The Mount Hua disciples were angry. But they were also calm. They knew why they had to use their swords.

Every time they used their red sword energy, enemies fell. The red sword energy from Mount Hua showed the other groups where to go.

“Follow Mount Hua!”

The Maninbang warriors were angry because the others were getting away. They had been told to retreat, but they felt embarrassed to let the enemies go so easily.

But they quickly became scared because hidden weapons were flying everywhere.

“Provide cover!”

Whoosh!

Poison needles flew like a storm.

“Ugh⋯⋯!”

“T-This⋯⋯.”

The needles had a terrible poison. Even a small scratch could make skin rot. Only someone crazy would jump into that rain of poison needles.

“Detonate them!”

Boom! Boom!

Thick, black smoke rose up, smelling bitter and stinging the eyes. It twisted and turned like a living thing, hiding everything behind it.

“R-Retreat!”

“Hold your breath! Damn it, fall back!”

The Demonic Sect was used to poison. They also used poison on their weapons and threw poison bombs. But this poison was much worse than what they used.

The Sichuan Tang Clan was the best at making poisons. No one would want to test their poisons.

A wall of poison needles and smoke was created. It wasn’t really a wall, but no one could get close. It blocked the Maninbang warriors.

“Go now! We’ll take care of the rear!”

The others ran past the Tang Clan. The Tang Clan members stood strong, holding their hidden weapons and watching the Maninbang warriors through the poisonous smoke.

“We go last, after everyone else is safe! Hold on until then!”

“Yes.”

The Tang Clan elder smiled strangely.

‘It’s strange that we’re doing this.’

People thought the Sichuan Tang Clan only cared about their own family and had no feelings. The Tang Clan didn’t try to change that idea.

But now, they were helping the other groups without being asked.

‘The Tang Clan has changed a lot.’

It started when the Mount Hua Sword Saint visited Sichuan and removed the Council of Elders. Now, it was changing who the Tang Clan was.

“⋯⋯Not such a bad feeling.”

A small smile touched the Tang Clan elder’s lips. *Not such a bad feeling,* he thought. Helping others… it was strange, but… good. He gripped his throwing knife tighter, a new feeling warming his chest.

“C-Commander! They’re getting away!”

“They are currently retreating!”

Ho Gamyeong wanted to shout, ‘I can see that!’ The enemies were leaving like a wave.

Ho Gamyeong looked at the Mount Hua swordsmen in black, surrounding something like a wall. He looked at the Plum Blossom Sword Demon, who he wanted to catch.

“⋯⋯There’s no other way.”

Ho Gamyeong slowly closed his eyes. *Defeat.* The word tasted bitter in his mouth. He had planned everything so carefully, but it had all fallen apart. He felt a coldness inside, but he pushed it down. He had to think of what to do next.

He had done everything he could. But the Plum Blossom Sword Demon was getting away again.

He had to admit that he couldn’t catch the Plum Blossom Sword Demon, even with his skill, judgment, and amazing luck.

“Pull out the wounded. If we leave them, they’ll die from the poison.”

“C-Commander!”

“We will reorganize our ranks and resume the pursuit.”

The adjutants lowered their heads. Ho Gamyeong knew that their plans had failed. All their sacrifices to capture the Plum Blossom Sword Demon had been for nothing.

They had sacrificed a lot. Hundreds had died. But they had only captured half of the Hainan Sect disciples.

He had lost many times. But this was the worst defeat in the history of the Maninbang.

“I said, get everyone back in order!”

Ho Gamyeong ordered again, and the adjutants nodded sadly. They knew how much they had lost.

The lost soldiers were not the biggest problem. They had made the Plum Blossom Sword Demon a legend.

He had traveled across Gangnam, saved Hainan, escaped the Maninbang, and returned to Gangbuk.

The Plum Blossom Sword Demon’s actions would become a myth. He would face the Four Evil Sects again. The Righteous Sects would be encouraged, and the Maninbang warriors would be afraid.

Those who made strategies knew how scary a legend could be.

They had helped create the Maninbang’s greatest enemy.

Ho Gamyeong looked at the adjutants. He knew what they were thinking.

‘You fools,’ Ho Gamyeong thought and said, “Do you think it’s all over?”

“⋯⋯.”

“Of course, we can’t stop them with our current forces. That’s obvious.”

The adjutants looked even sadder. But Ho Gamyeong continued, “But that doesn’t matter. Have you forgotten that the Sect Leader is coming to where they are heading now?”

The adjutants looked up quickly.

“They are good. But don’t forget. They will face the Tyrant, Jang Ilso. We are just pawns in the Sect Leader’s hand. And a pawn cannot be defeated!”

It might not have been the best way to encourage them. But the adjutants were now full of energy.

It was true.

They had lost. But they were Maninbang, but only following Jang Ilso’s orders, and Four Evil Sects, but without Jang Ilso, they were nothing.

“Move. The Sect Leader will be watching. I will punish those who ruin his plans!”

“Yes, Commander!”

The adjutants moved quickly and began to fix the broken ranks. Ho Gamyeong watched silently, then looked at the Cheonwoo Alliance, who were moving away.

It was a complete failure.

Ho Gamyeong had a strange thought.

‘Did the Sect Leader⋯⋯.’

Did he know this would happen? Did he think he would catch the Plum Blossom Sword Demon? Or did he think he would fail?

Ho Gamyeong shook his head. He didn’t need to think about it. He just had to do his job.

“Hurry. Reorganize and pursue them!”

He was just a pawn.

He didn’t need to guess what the player was thinking. He couldn’t understand Jang Ilso’s plan.

Ho Gamyeong looked coldly at the Tang Clan, who were leaving last.

❀ ❀ ❀

“A-Ack! It hurts!”

“Stop whining!”

Un-geom hit Jo-geol with his sword. Jo-geol screamed.

“I-I’m dying, I tell you!”

“Dying? You say that every time you get a scratch, you big baby!” Un-geom teased.

Un-geom shook his head. He had been worried, but now he was annoyed.

“But how did you know and come here?”

“Huh?”

“You were in Gangbuk.”

The other Five Swords nodded. They were curious too. They were alive because of them, but they didn’t know how the Cheonwoo Alliance had found them.

It was easy to cross the Yangtze River, but finding them after that was hard.

“We were lucky.”

“Yes?”

Un-geom shook his head.

“The Alliance Leader decided to cross the river, but I didn’t know what to do. But then that guy started running like crazy.”

“That guy?”

“That guy.”

Un-geom pointed to Cheong-myeong, who was being held by Tang Gunak. Baek-ah was clinging to Cheong-myeong’s neck.

“Ah, Baek-ah! Baek-ah! Did that guy guide us here?”

“No.”

“⋯⋯Yes? Then what?”

“We met Hainan at the place he guided us to.”

“⋯⋯.”

“They say spirit beasts are amazing, and they really are. To remember the scent of those they only met briefly. Hainan was waiting at the mouth of the Yangtze River. When they saw us, they guided us here.”

“Ah, no, how?”

Gwak Hwan-so answered, “What’s so strange about it? It’s the mark we’ve been using many times.”

“⋯⋯Huh?”

“Didn’t Ja-yang send that guy with you? That guy kept leaving small things along the way – a torn piece of cloth, a dropped leaf. Baek-ah, with his amazing sense of smell, could follow these faint trails.”

“Ah, no, that guy dropped out halfway?”

They couldn’t take care of Lee Ja-yang, who was weak, while running.

“That was enough. If we got close enough, Baek-ah could find you.”

“Ah⋯⋯.”

Jo-geol laughed, feeling surprised.

They hadn’t planned it, but things worked out. They needed each other.

If the Cheonwoo Alliance hadn’t risked their lives, if Hainan hadn’t sent Lee Ja-yang, and if Hainan hadn’t been brave enough to help again, they would be dead.

“That’s⋯⋯.”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, no. Just⋯⋯.”

Jo-geol looked up at the sky.

“⋯⋯Just.”

Everything they had done was right. That’s what he thought. Looking at his friends, tired but alive, Jo-geol felt a wave of gratitude. They had escaped. For now, they were safe. But he knew this was just the beginning. The fight was far from over.