Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1574

*Whoosh!*

Three shiny harpoons flew straight towards Jo Gul. The bandits were known as ‘Eighteen Camps of the Janggang River Bandit’ for a reason. Their harpoons were thrown very fast and dangerously, like snakes striking.

But something white flashed, faster than the dark harpoons.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

A black blade, quick as lightning, dropped from above. It hit all three harpoons at once, knocking them away. Then, it went right into the bandits’ chests.

*Thwack!*

The black blade went through their bodies and hit their hearts. It pulled back quickly to attack again.

“Get out of the way!”

Jo Gul slammed his shoulder into the dead bodies, not even waiting for them to fall.

*Boom!*

The bodies flew into the air. He used the dead bodies to protect himself and quickly sent out many blasts of sword power at the confused bandits.

*Fwoosh!*

His sword was so fast that the bandits didn’t know they were dead until their hearts stopped. It was like he was showing that his name, ‘One Sword, Dividing Light’, was true.

“You baaaaastard!”

But the enemies were strong.

Dozens of long iron ropes flew towards Jo Gul like living snakes. The hooks at the ends looked scary in the sunlight.

These were Iron Hook Ropes. Strange weapons used by the Demonic Sect to catch strong people.

The sight of so many Iron Hook Ropes coming at Jo Gul was like dozens of snakes attacking a tiger in a snake pit.

But Jo Gul didn’t even look at the Iron Hook Ropes. He just ran forward. Instead, Yoon Jong, who knew what to do, jumped over Jo Gul and spread his sword open in the air.

*Whoosh!*

In a moment, the sword split into many pieces, like a fan. It grabbed all the moving iron ropes.

“Haaah!”

At the same time, Yoon Jong’s sword came down hard.

*KABOOM!*

The strike was so strong it shook the ground!

The iron ropes twisted around the sword like a lake hit by a big rock. The bandits couldn’t handle the power and were thrown to the ground, still holding the ropes.

“Ugh!”

The hit was very painful, like all their insides were broken. But before the bandits could even move, Jo Gul’s sword was already there.

“Keep going!”

“Yes!”

Everything was clear.

The lines on the sword felt as deep as valleys. The enemy’s breathing sounded as loud as thunder.

Jo Gul made his senses even sharper, to the highest level.

*Fwoosh!*

He attacked again with his sword. He didn’t worry about defense, only offense.

The harpoons and Jo Gul’s sword power flew at each other.

*Swish!*

It sounded like branches rubbing together in a forest during a storm. Jo Gul’s sword power hit the bandits one after another.

Screams of pain and death cries erupted from everywhere.

It was amazing to see what one sword strike could do. It was a truly scary attack. But because of this attack, Jo Gul didn’t block any of the harpoons coming at him.

But he wasn’t scared at all.

“That…!”

Lee Song-baek, who was behind them, was horrified.

“That damn bastard, again!”

*Clang! Clang!*

Yoon Jong jumped forward and blocked the harpoons coming at Jo Gul in one quick move. Jo Gul didn’t even look at Yoon Jong and kept running forward.

Lee Song-baek felt scared for a moment.

‘How…?’

How could he trust someone else with his life like that? If Yoon Jong had been a little late, Jo Gul would be dead.

It was a trust that seemed crazy. Could someone really believe in another person that much?

The power from that trust was amazing.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Ugh!”

The forest of people and evil was falling apart like it had been hit by a fire.

‘Ugh!’

Lee Song-baek’s face twisted.

The others were defeating the enemy, and he was just running, barely keeping up. It wasn’t because he wasn’t fast enough. He just couldn’t react to their explosive power.

But that’s why he felt hope.

‘With this!’

This time, they could really defeat the Black Dragon King!

At that moment, Lee Song-baek looked ahead with hope.

“Hmph!”

The Black Dragon King saw Jo Gul and his group, sneered, and jumped back.

“Ah….”

Lee Song-baek’s eyes widened.

As they attacked, he retreated. It was an obvious move.

But then, Lee Song-baek realized why retreating was a tactic in so many war plans.

A retreat after pulling the enemy in as much as possible. That move broke Lee Song-baek’s spirit for a moment.

He saw guards where the Black Dragon King had retreated. And more bandits were coming to that spot.

The bandits in blue rushed forward, making yellow dust fly. One word came to Lee Song-baek’s mind.

River. It was like a giant river.

Even though they were on land, the Black Dragon King was using his men to make it like a battle on the river, where he was strongest.

It was overwhelming, and Lee Song-baek almost couldn’t breathe.

“Geol!”

“I know!”

The two jumped into that river. Straight towards the bandits, like a wave.

It was like a small bug trying to stop a fast cart. But unlike Lee Song-baek, who hesitated, the two didn’t hesitate at all.

“Reckless…!”

“A―mi―ta―bul―!”

At that moment, a loud Buddhist chant came from beside Lee Song-baek.

“Oooooooooh!”

Hye-yeon’s clothes started to swell up.

He wasn’t wearing the yellow robe of Shaolin, or a Mount Hua uniform. He was wearing a monk’s robe made from Mount Hua’s black uniform.

Hye-yeon reached out.

Wooooooong!

Soon, golden light stretched out to cover Jo Gul and Yoon Jong.

Supreme Great Power.

It was the strongest palm technique from Shaolin martial arts.

The palm gently pushed away the bandits who were about to overwhelm Yoon Jong and Jo Gul. Like golden light pushing back the muddy river.

“Ugh!”

Jo Gul gasped, “Yoon Jong, I’m falling behind… ugh!” He pushed himself harder, legs burning.

The enemies were surprised. They hadn’t seen the attack coming. They fell backwards as Jo Gul’s sword flashed silver in the dim light.

*Crack!* The sound of bone breaking echoed.

Swords pierced chests. Men screamed and fell, blood spraying onto the dusty ground like red rain.

“Can I do it?” Jo Gul wondered.

No, he decided. There was no room for doubt. He simply had to keep going.

Even if his sword couldn’t reach the Black Dragon King, it didn’t matter. If he fell, exhausted, those who followed would surely carve out the remaining path.

So, he had to give it everything he had!

“Faaaah!”

Jo Gul’s movements grew faster and faster.

Jo Gul moved so fast, his sword seemed like part of his own body. Even Yoon Jong struggled to keep up.

“Faaaah!”

The sword energy split into dozens of fragments in an instant.

This wasn’t just Mount Hua’s sword technique. It was sword energy that scattered like plum blossoms but shot forth with deadly speed. It was the sword of Mount Hua, but it was also Jo Gul’s own unique sword.

The Black Dragon King, who had momentarily hardened his face, was just about to pull his body back.

“Hwaaaah!”

Jo Gul accelerated again, rushing towards the Black Dragon King as fast as his own sword energy.

“Hiss!”

The Black Dragon King, horrified, raised his guandao.

*Crack!*

Jo Gul’s sword pierced the Black Dragon King’s ankle as he floated in the air, like an arrow shot at a soaring eagle!

“Kuk!”

The Black Dragon King flinched and wobbled. He looked like a fish caught by a harpoon.

“You fiend!”

*Thwoom!*

The Black Dragon King raised his guandao diagonally, trying to knock away Jo Gul, who was clinging to his ankle.

Jo Gul’s body flew into the air.

In that moment!

“Taah!”

Yoon Jong, who had been right behind Jo Gul, suddenly jumped up. Grabbing Jo Gul’s ankle with one hand as he was flung away, he shot dozens of plum blossom sword energies towards the Black Dragon King.

The Black Dragon King swung his guandao, trying to block all the incoming sword energies, but Yoon Jong’s plum blossom sword energies slipped through the gaps like rain.

*Slice! Slice! Slice!*

Bits of the giant body were cut away, scattering streaks of blood into the air.

“You rat-like bastard!” the Black Dragon King screamed and pulled back his guandao. Black energy, thick as ink, flowed from the guandao.

“Oooooooooh!”

The Black Dragon King’s guandao, like a drawn bowstring being released, tore through the air towards Yoon Jong and Jo Gul.

“Aaaaargh!”

Lee Song-baek was terrified, but he threw himself forward.

This was his duty. He couldn’t run away, even if it meant he would break.

*Kwaaaaaang!*

Lee Song-baek’s sword crashed into the Black Dragon King’s guandao.

Blood poured from his nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. His vision went black for a moment, and a terrible shock swept through his body.

But even this desperate attack only delayed the Black Dragon King’s blade for a moment.

The monk in black robes, who had been chasing after him, seized that opportunity.

*Kuuuuung!*

The monk’s fist, loaded with all his strength, slammed down on the shaft of the guandao.

*Kwaaaaaa!*

The black ink energy that burst from the end of the blade narrowly missed Jo Gul and Yoon Jong, who were in the air.

“This…!”

*Koong!*

The Black Dragon King’s furious kick landed on Hye-yeon’s side.

Hye-yeon managed to block the kick with his crossed hands, but he was still pushed back several steps.

“You dog-like bastards!”

Intense hatred burned in the Black Dragon King’s eyes.

But he didn’t lose his mind. Instead of attacking, he jumped back. He had to get away from this place.

*Swaeeek!*

A sharp sound tore through the air behind him. The surprised Black Dragon King twisted his body.

*Slice!*

A burning pain spread across his back.

Yoo I-seol’s sword had cut a long, deep wound on the Black Dragon King’s back.

At the same time, Jo Gul and Yoon Jong kicked off the air and shot downwards.

“Oooooooooh!”

The Black Dragon King raised his guandao.

*Clang!*

The more desperate he felt, the faster his body reacted. The guandao blocked Jo Gul’s sword.

But he couldn’t completely block Yoon Jong’s sword.

*Crack!*

Yoon Jong’s plum blossom sword dug into his shoulder. It sounded like breaking a bone with a hammer. The inner force from the sword stirred inside the Black Dragon King’s body, and he coughed up blood.

“Black Dragon Raaah!”

At that moment, Baek Cheon, carrying Namgung Dowook on his back, charged at the Black Dragon King.

The Black Dragon King’s eyes focused.

“Aaaaargh!”

The Black Dragon King’s muscles tensed. He swung the guandao towards Baek Cheon’s head.

It was a blow so powerful that everyone stopped moving.

“You fool!”

*Kaaaaaang!*

Jin Geum-ryong blocked the Black Dragon King’s guandao with his short blade, pouring all his inner force into the block.

Jin Geum-ryong spat out blood and crashed to the ground.

Baek Cheon and the Black Dragon King stared at each other.

*Paaaaaang!*

Baek Cheon gripped his sword tightly, his fingers white.

The blood he had shed, the blood of his enemies, and the blood of his comrades was on his sword.

The sword tore through the air.

*Crack!*

Everyone heard it.

Baek Cheon’s sword stabbed into the Black Dragon King’s chest. It went in deep and twisted.