Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1664

White Face Rock. A strikingly white cliff on the mountainside of Wudang Mountain. Taoist priests were gathering upon it.

“Elder!”

The Wudang swordsmen arrived, having received the message. They cried out as they looked at Emptiness above White Face Rock. Soot smeared their uniforms, telling of the hardships they had endured.

The swordsmen were about to speak to Emptiness, but they stopped. They reached White Face Rock and saw Wudang Mountain burning below.

What need had they of a separate hell?

Blackened trees were visible within the red flames. The trees swayed in the fiery gale, resembling those burning in hell, writhing in agony.

How had Wudang Mountain, the sacred mountain of Taoism, become such a sight?

Crack.

The Wudang swordsmen clenched their fists until they turned white.

This was more than just losing their homes. Wudang Mountain was the heart of their lives. Watching it burn was a pain too deep for words.

Perhaps Wudang would not regain its former appearance for many years after this war… Nay, for decades at least. The scars of this war would remain vividly, tormenting them, never to be forgotten.

“Pull yourselves together and form ranks.”

“…Yes, Martial Uncle!”

Those who had been grinding their teeth and burning with indignation nodded, gritting their teeth at the words of Emptiness.

Emptiness was right. This was not the time for anger, but for a cold, hard plan to defeat their enemies.

“Them?”

“They are advancing with the flames.”

Emptiness’s gaze darkened.

Even though the fire would weaken in the areas it had already swept through, there was no way there wouldn’t be casualties following such heat.

At first glance, it seemed as though the heretical demons were thoroughly ravaging Wudang, but in reality, it meant that only the heretical demons were suffering casualties.

‘And they’re alright with that?’

His eyebrows twitched uncomfortably. What on earth did they think human lives were?

But he soon took a short, deep breath to calm his seething insides. He didn’t have the luxury to worry about the lives of the heretical faction.

“Then they will arrive soon. What about those who have not yet gathered here?”

“I-It seems some were delayed in their retreat and have been surrounded. There are casualties…”

“Then we must save them! What are you doing?”

“If we go to save them in this situation, even the rescue team is in danger of being surrounded. Then the battle will escalate.”

In other words, their strategy of occupying the upper part of White Face Rock could become useless. Emptiness, understanding immediately, bit his lip slightly.

“They are also disciples of Wudang. I understand your heart, but…”

“I understand.”

It was at that very moment that Emptiness was about to nod slightly.

“Emptiness!”

A loud voice came from behind. Reacting to the familiar voice, Emptiness turned respectfully. Heo Sanja, who was serving as the temporary sect leader of Wudang, was flying in quickly with a hardened face.

“Greetings, Sect Leader.”

Emptiness paid his respects politely, but Heo San shouted without accepting the greeting.

“Are you truly setting up camp here? Why!”

“…I thought it was a suitable place to face the enemy.”

“Because it’s a cliff?”

“Yes.”

“This…! This place is a cliff, but isn’t there a way to return to the rear? Haven’t you considered that if we are careless, our rear could be captured, and we could be attacked with the cliff at our backs?”

…”

“Withdraw the camp immediately, immediately! It can’t be here!”

But even at Heo Sanja’s cry, Emptiness only calmly asked back.

“Wouldn’t it be alright?”

“…What?”

Heo Sanja stared blankly at Emptiness, as if he had been struck.

“Isn’t it better to have a cliff than flames rising from behind? At least the cliff won’t come at us.”

At that moment, Heo Sanja’s beard trembled.

“A-Are you in your right mind…”

“Sect Leader.”

Emptiness still gazed at the burning Wudang Mountain with a calm face.

“There is no common sense here now.”

…”

“If we follow the usual rule of keeping an escape route open, we will be easily defeated. Even if three sides are covered with enemies and flames, we can fight if we can protect at least one side behind us.”

Heo Sanja couldn’t bring himself to refute.

He also knew that it would be difficult to find a better strategic point even if he retreated from here.

“…Emptiness.”

“Please don’t even mention retreat. If you know what the meaning of a battle with one’s back to the river is, I believe you will not tarnish the determination of the disciples with such words.”

An unerasable pity lingered in Heo Sanja’s eyes.

Discussing a battle with their backs to the river and even discussing death.

The proper battle hadn’t even begun, yet they were already accepting their deaths as a foregone conclusion. Nevertheless, they were seething with a desire for revenge against the Four Evil Alliances rather than fear.

‘How great was the wound received in the Yangtze River?’

This was clearly Heo Sanja’s fault, and Heo Dojin’s fault.

He only thought about the weight he had to bear as the decision-maker, but he didn’t consider the wounds his disciples would have received as a result of that choice. He simply thought it was fortunate that they had saved their lives with their bold decision, didn’t he?

Now, thinking that the mistake that was too late to correct had led to this situation, his heart felt like it was tearing apart.

“You’re saying it’s okay here?”

“The path to White Face Rock is steep, even if you don’t climb the cliff.”

Emptiness looked down the cliff with cold eyes.

“Because it is so steep, the flames cannot easily invade. Then, at least, we can face the enemies without worrying about anything else.”

“Emptiness.”

“And that alone is enough for Wudang’s swordsmen.”

Emptiness lightly gripped the sword hanging from his waist.

One of the things that tormented him the most was that he couldn’t even properly demonstrate the swordsmanship he had honed all his life on that cliff of the Yangtze River.

Defeat due to lack of skill can be accepted as much as possible. Death due to lack of strength can be understood.

But it was difficult to accept having to be defeated or die without even fighting. Perhaps the other Wudang swordsmen standing shoulder to shoulder here felt the same way.

“Emptiness, I…”

“I know. Sect Leader… Heo Dojin also did not say those words because he was ignoring us. Rather, it is because he cares about us that he is saying those words.”

Emptiness said calmly.

“But, Sect Leader, everyone in Wudang is a Taoist of Wudang and a swordsman before they are your disciples. I don’t want to find the value of my life as a chess piece to carry out someone’s strategy. Please, trust us to know what we need to do.”

Heo Sanja couldn’t stop him after all these words.

He couldn’t even bring himself to say the words he had prepared to persuade Emptiness one last time before it was really too late, as he instinctively knew that any words would only be an insult to Emptiness now.

“I don’t think you’re wrong, Emptiness. That’s why… that’s why my heart is burning even more.”

At the voice filled with sincerity, Emptiness simply shook his head.

There were many things he wanted to say, but now was not the time to exchange leisurely conversations. Even while they were doing this, the flames burning the mountain were approaching White Face Rock, surging.

“Martial Uncle! Preparation is complete.”

At the voice he heard, Emptiness nodded.

Although Heo Sanja was here, the person reporting naturally sought out Emptiness, and Emptiness naturally accepted it. All of these scenes were intuitively showing the flow of the current Wudang.

“Prepare. They will be here soon.”

“Yes!”

A chilling tension flowed over the cliff.

The situation they were in was completely reversed. But that was why the disciples of Wudang had to feel it so desperately. The fact that being in a position to prepare and wait for the enemy was not so comfortable.

The feeling of being scratched in the stomach with a needle made his whole body flinch.

“Senior Brother…”

“Shhh.”

When someone couldn’t overcome their anxiety and tried to open their mouth, a voice immediately stopped them. It was because they were afraid that even the wavering voice would shake the determination of others.

Emptiness, noticing a subtle and strange movement, opened his mouth in a low voice.

“The Jianghu remembers the Yangtze River.”

The unexpected words pierced everyone’s ears.

“Even if we all die, the names of the Four Evil Alliances and Jang Il-so will not completely disappear from the world… No, perhaps it will not disappear until the name of Wudang disappears. Once something has happened, it cannot be undone, so we can never erase that record.”

It was a history of humiliation. It would tarnish the shining name of Wudang, and plunge all of its disciples into the abyss of eternal disgrace.

“But the Jianghu will also remember today.”

Emptiness’s voice spread wider and wider, carrying internal energy.

“Just as they remember the Yangtze River of the past, they will also remember the burning Wudang of today. A swordsman proves his worth not by his life, but by his death. I ask you, what kind of death do you desire?”

The eyes that had been shaking with agitation became calm and serene again.

And among them were Mu-jin and Jin-hyun. Their hearts were not so different from Emptiness’s heart now.

Clang.

Emptiness drew his sword.

“I am not fighting today. I will leave a memory. A memory that Wudang was not cowardly. A memory that I was not cowardly. With that memory, I will prove that the mistakes we made were not evidence of cowardice and weakness!”

Clang!

The swords of Wudang’s swordsmen were drawn all at once.

At that very moment.

As if in response, the flames that had been burning as if to swallow Wudang finally reached White Face Rock.

Whoosh.

The surging flames writhed without being able to cross the high White Face Rock. It was as if a ferocious beast was roaring in hunger as it looked at the prey that had climbed to a place where its claws could not reach.

Even the Wudang swordsmen who had steeled their hearts were momentarily startled by the sight.

But what they really had to fear was something else.

Oooooooo!

The sound of the mountain burning echoed like the roar of a demon. Another sound began to overlap with the magnificent and eerie sound.

Something that was like a scream, and on the other hand, like a howl, and also like a cry at first glance.

The surging flames eventually failed to cross the cliff and subsided. And from the place where the red light flickered and faded, something else revealed its appearance.

What had seemed like soot or shadows left by the flames at first gradually took shape.

Those black shadows… were climbing up the white cliff face, moving incessantly.

“They’re coming!”

Shockingly, the identity of the huge black wave climbing the cliff was people clinging to the cliff like a swarm of ants.

“Aaaargh!”

The warriors of the Four Evil Alliances, wearing half-scorched martial uniforms, screamed and climbed the cliff. Their eyes were gleaming white with fear and madness.

“Just climb up! Catch and kill all the guys above!”

The venomous warriors surged up, leaving the soaring flames below.

The fierce battle that would stain Wudang with blood raised its curtain against the backdrop of the white cliff.