Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1584

Small feet thumped hard on the ground, again and again.

Baek Ah was as fast as white lightning, a blur of white against the brown earth, tearing across the ground with amazing speed. He sprang over sharp rocks, darting around thick trees, never stopping.

In a flash, several figures followed closely behind.

Yoo Iseol ran silently, Chung Myung’s face was set in a grim line, his eyes dark with worry, and Jin Geum-ryong and Lee Song-baek were clearly struggling.

“Just a moment…” Lee Song-baek said.

Lee Song-baek’s face was covered in sweat. He breathed heavily as he stared at the backs of those running ahead.

His heart hammered against his ribs, feeling like it would burst, and his legs were numb. Even in good condition, this run would be hard. Keeping up that speed with an injured body was impossible.

Chung Myung had said he would leave them behind if they couldn’t keep up, but Lee Song-baek hadn’t expected him to run this fast.

He wondered, ‘Why? What’s the rush?’

He knew the situation was urgent, but from what he understood, the outcome seemed clear. The Nine Sects were the most respected groups of fighters in the land. No matter how strong the Maninbang and Black Ghost Squad were, their opponents were Shaolin, Peng Clan, and Mount Hua. They were strong together, so it seemed impossible for them to lose.

Also, Hubei, a vast plain in the west where they were fighting, offered no advantage to Jang Il-so. Wouldn’t victory be even more certain?

“Then why are we rushing like this?” he thought.

What did Chung Myung think was going to happen?

“Doja… Hey, Doja…” Lee Song-baek started to say.

Jin Geum-ryong roughly pushed his hand away.

“Senior Brother?” Lee Song-baek asked.

Jin Geum-ryong looked just as tired, but his eyes were filled with determination.

“If you’re going to whine, just fall over!” he snapped.

Lee Song-baek bit his lip at the sharp words.

He was right. It wasn’t just Chung Myung; Hye-yeon and Yoo Iseol, who had fought with them, were also running.

Making excuses about his injuries would be shameful.

“I will follow even if I die,” Lee Song-baek said with determination.

“Shut your mouth and run!” Jin Geum-ryong ordered.

“Yes!” Lee Song-baek replied.

Chung Myung, who usually glanced back at them, now stared straight ahead.

Chung Myung bit his lip, cursing to himself.

‘You stupid bastard!’ he thought.

He had expected Beop-jeong to act, but he didn’t think he would rush off so recklessly.

“Siju,” Hye-yeon said, her voice serious.

“I didn’t want to ask, but…” Hye-yeon hesitated. Was she uncomfortable, or afraid of the answer?

“…What will happen in the battle?” she asked, her voice strained. Chung Myung’s face hardened.

“Even so, the Nine Sects are stronger…” Hye-yeon added.

“War isn’t only about strength,” Chung Myung said coldly.

Hye-yeon squeezed his eyes shut.

She knew this already. How could she not? If wars were only about strength, the Cheonwoo Alliance would never have won.

Strength is just one part of victory.

“Then…” Hye-yeon started to say.

“I’m going ahead,” Chung Myung interrupted.

“Yes?” Hye-yeon asked.

In a flash, Chung Myung became a ray of light and shot forward.

“Sajil!” Yoo Iseol and Baek Ah called out in surprise.

But Chung Myung didn’t look back, becoming a black flash, cutting through the air like a sharp knife as he dashed forward.

His teeth dug into his lower lip.

‘The Four Evil Sects are at a disadvantage?’ he thought.

They were weaker. If they fought head-on, they had no chance of winning.

‘Could that crazy bastard not know that?’ he wondered.

People saw him as a mad demon, but Jang Il-so was a cold-blooded hunter who could wait years for the right moment.

Why would he make a move in a place where he was at a disadvantage?

There had to be something that Chung Myung and Beop-jeong didn’t see coming.

‘Damn monk!’ he thought.

Beop-jeong must have known it too, but he was blinded by his desire for fame and walked into a trap.

‘Faster!’ Chung Myung urged himself.

He gathered as much energy as he could and ran towards the west, where dark, scary clouds filled the sky.

His heart felt like it would explode.

Hot blood flew everywhere, and the sounds of people dying filled his ears.

Was he breathing fast because he was losing energy, because his heart was racing, or because his head felt like it would burst?

“Aaargh!” someone screamed.

A blade flashed, cutting another man’s neck.

He had always heard that life was precious and couldn’t be replaced.

But not here. The world they knew didn’t exist here.

The only rule was: kill or be killed.

“Hoo… Hoo…” he panted, searching for his next target.

The more he stained his blade with the blood of his enemies, the more glory he would receive. He had to find sacrifices to add to that glory.

Then, his crazed eyes stopped.

“The… Tyrant?” he said in disbelief.

It was Jang Il-so – a name that made people tremble. The one who had brought despair and become the reason for this battlefield.

The Lord of the Four Evil Sects, the Tyrant Jang Il-so, was running towards them, blue flames rising from his hands as he used his Azure Flame Steel Body martial art.

At first, they didn’t believe it. Then, they doubted it.

But when they knew it was really Jang Il-so, everyone became even more excited and angry.

He was there, the one whose death would bring them glory!

“…Jang Il-so,” someone groaned. The sound was clear even amidst the chaos.

“Jang Il-soooooooo!” someone screamed.

Those filled with hate, resentment, greed, justice, or a sense of superiority all moved towards Jang Il-so, pushing and dragging down anyone in their way, friend or foe.

“W-What are you all doing?” Jongli-hyung asked, surprised.

The battlefield was changing quickly. Even Jongli-hyung, who was at the front, was taken aback as the swordsmen who had been following him suddenly acted like moths drawn to a flame.

“Calm down! Damn it! I said calm down!” he shouted.

Jongli Hyeong cried out urgently, but it was too late. The battlefield was too loud, and no one heard him. He could barely hear his own voice.

“Eek⋯⋯!”

Jongli Hyeong grabbed a disciple who was running forward and pulled him back. But he couldn’t stop everyone. He only had two hands.

He stared at the excited face of the disciple. The disciple looked almost drunk.

Jongli Hyeong’s face turned white. *’This is wrong,’* he thought. *’I am losing control.’

No one was listening to him. His words meant nothing.

“Do not break the formation, raaaah!”

He screamed and looked around.

Then he realized what was happening.

Their group was in a shape like an arrow to attack the enemy. But now, it was chaos. Jongli Hyeong’s orders could not reach everyone. The arrow shape was gone.

When did everything fall apart? Was it when he charged forward? When he stopped paying attention?

He felt a chill and his skin prickled. Then, someone shouted, breaking his thoughts.

“Behead him! He’s just a rogue!”

“Get out of the way! I’ll do it!”

“Aaaargh!”

Jongli Hyeong’s mouth opened slowly.

He had wanted to be the one to defeat Jang Il-so.

But now, everyone else wanted to defeat Jang Il-so too.

Just like Jongli Hyeong had broken the formation, the disciples ignored his orders and ran towards Jang Il-so.

They were all just people, with their own desires.

Martial artists would risk their lives for fame. Could they resist such a big chance?

“D-don’t be tricked!”

Jongli Hyeong shouted at his disciples.

But they couldn’t hear him.

Everyone had seen the Sect Leader break the rules because of his own desire.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. A chance that would never come again.

A chance they should never have had in the first place.

If things were normal, they would have stayed in their place. But now?

Also, they thought Jang Il-so was just a weak enemy.

So, even if they weren’t the Sect Leader, they could still reach Jang Il-so. They could hurt him while he was not paying attention, and maybe even behead him.

The thought of such a great achievement filled their minds.

There was no rule that said only the Sect Leader could take this chance!

The blood-red robes of Jang Il-so flickered in their eyes, like flames.

They were blinded by greed. They only saw the red robes and the others fighting to get to him.

‘I, I too⋯⋯!’

“It’s me! I’ll do it!”

“Get out of the way!”

“Haha! Haha! Haha! Haha!”

Jang Il-so’s loud laughter echoed, cold and cruel. It was not happy laughter, but the sound of someone enjoying the chaos and pain. This made their desire even stronger.

“Jang Il-sooooo!”

This was happening everywhere, not just in the Joint Sect.

“Didn’t I tell you to stop!”

Paeng Yeop also could not control his clan members. They were out of control and filled with madness. They couldn’t control their own desire, so they wouldn’t listen to him.

Their attack shape, like a triangle, became messy. It was supposed to push through the enemy, but now it broke apart into many pieces. It was a tangled mess.

A sword flew towards Jang Il-so.

“I’ll take your head⋯⋯!”

Screeeech!

The sword was very fast. It aimed for Jang Il-so’s neck.

Wham!

But then, the head of the person who threw the sword exploded. Brains and blood flew everywhere.

“Hmm.”

Everything became quiet for a moment.

Everyone saw Jang Il-so kill the person with ease. Jang Il-so was frowning.

He muttered.

“That hurts.”

He showed his palm. There was a small cut from the sword.

Drip.

A drop of blood fell from his finger to the ground.

Jang Il-so slowly raised his hand, looked at the wound, and licked the blood. His eyes were cold and empty, like a snake’s. It was a scary sight.

But everyone only thought one thing:

He can bleed. He can be hurt.

Even a normal sword could hurt him.

That meant their swords could also cut him!

“Hwaaaah!”

A storm of attacks began.

“Calm down! You fools⋯⋯.”

“Sect Leaaaader!”

An elder grabbed Jongli Hyeong’s shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“D-do you not see what’s happening⋯⋯.”

“Don’t be stupid! Calm down? Do you think the Shaolin or Paeng Clan will wait for us to calm down?”

Jongli Hyeong’s eyes shook.

“Go now! The Joint Sect must take his head! We can’t let anyone else get it!”

Jongli Hyeong looked and saw the Paeng Clan and Shaolin members moving towards Jang Il-so.

“N-no. The formation⋯⋯.”

The elder grabbed Jongli Hyeong’s arm, his face red with anger. ‘You frustrating fool!’ he spat out. ‘What does any of that matter now!’

“What does any of that matter! This is a war to take his head! Even if we all die, if we kill him, we win. Even if we all live, if he lives, we lose!”

“I, I⋯⋯.”

“Get out of the way! I’ll go!”

The elder pushed Jongli Hyeong aside and ran forward. Jongli Hyeong stared blankly.

“Aaaargh! Jang Il-so!”

“Die, raaaah!”

Many swords flew towards Jang Il-so. Jang Il-so smiled.

“Oh, dear.”

Then,

Fwoooosh!

Blue flames erupted around Jang Il-so. But these were not normal flames. They were made of hard, blue steel energy, burning with cold fire. The flames swept away everyone.

“Aaaaargh!”

The people were torn apart and thrown away.

“This isn’t enough.”

“Ah⋯⋯.”

Jang Il-so grabbed the face of someone in front of him and squeezed.

Plop!

It was as if a red flower was blooming in his hand.

“Don’t worry.”

Jang Il-so’s eyes glinted.

“I’ll make this head more valuable. Just as you want.”

Jang Il-so leaped forward, his red robes fluttering.

His laughter echoed across the battlefield.

Red flowers of blood bloomed everywhere on the ground. They were like greedy flowers, growing from the blood and the strong desire of the fighters. Each fallen body was like soil for these terrible flowers.