Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1671

The flying oil pouch exploded in the air, scattering oil everywhere.

Instantly, fire arrows shot through the air, igniting the oil and turning it into a blaze. The flames leaped up, trying to grab the swordsmen like a fiery monster.

“Haap!”

But a single sword met the flames.

Instead of a quick, hard strike, the sword moved in a slow, smooth circle. It was as gentle as a hand holding a baby.

The oil, trapped within the circling sword, couldn’t spread and only swirled in the air.

It was as if the sword was containing the flames.

Soon after, the sword moved strongly, and the flames swirling in the air rushed toward the cliff as if following an order. It was an unbelievable sight.

“Stay focused! We cannot afford a single mistake!”

“Yes!”

Fire arrows still flew from below, some from above and some rising from below. The latter was far more dangerous.

However, the Wudang swordsmen deflected all the arrows. Their sword movements showed no panic or hesitation.

They could handle it.

Even if they had never experienced this before, even if they faced an attack they had never imagined.

The method was already within the sword techniques they had learned.

Realizing this, the confused looks disappeared, and determination and confidence returned to the eyes of the Wudang swordsmen.

“Senior Brother! The flames are spreading!”

“Cut down the nearby trees! We must block the flames! Cut down the trees and dig up the ground!”

“Yes!”

As soon as the order was given, sword energy erupted. The trees were cut down, and the ground was torn open.

If they could stop the flames from spreading quickly, they could hold out here. This steep slope was a good place to defend against their attacks.

The enemies below, who were constantly launching oil and arrows, looked frustrated. They must have realized that their numbers weren’t helping anymore.

Seeing their faces made Mu-jin even angrier. He gritted his teeth.

‘Did you think so little of us?’

Did they really think these small tricks would be enough to defeat Wudang?

Since it had come to this, they had to be shown that the enemy they faced was different from any they had encountered before. The name of Wudang, the greatest sword sect in the world, was not just an empty boast.

“Even more…!”

Mu-jin was about to shout again.

Suddenly, the enemies lowered their bows and arms. They opened a path to the left and right, as if they had never attacked the Wudang swordsmen on the slope.

“…Hmm?”

A strange feeling came over Mu-jin. He saw several people walking along the path where the flames had almost died down.

As Mu-jin faced the middle-aged men walking through the path, he felt goosebumps on his skin.

‘Are they elders?’

Each of them had an extraordinary aura. Mu-jin didn’t know much about the Demonic Sect and the Demonic Tyrant Alliance, but they seemed like elders from the orthodox sects.

Mu-jin’s body tensed up.

For people like that to step forward meant they were serious about attacking. They weren’t sending weak fighters or using tricks anymore. Now, they were attacking with real strength.

“They are not easy to deal with!”

“Yes!”

Mu-jin was about to give instructions, warning the Wudang swordsmen, when someone cried out.

“Sasuk! Grand Uncle Master…!”

“Hmm?”

Mu-jin looked above the cliff and was shocked.

He saw Heo-gong fighting someone.

‘When…?’

When did the enemy get up there?

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know… but wait… that style… Thousand Faces! It’s Dam Yeo-hae!”

Someone recognized Dam Yeo-hae, the Thousand-Faced Teacher, even with limited information. It was hard to recognize him by his face alone.

The words ‘Hao Clan Lord’ made the Wudang swordsmen tense. Their confidence suddenly disappeared.

Worried voices came from everywhere.

“The Thousand-Faced Teacher…!”

“Sasuk! We must help Grand Uncle Master! I will go!”

“We must defend the top of the cliff….”

Mu-jin stepped forward, shaking the slope.

Mu-jin stopped his students from speaking. He glared at the enemies coming closer and shouted to all the Wudang swordsmen.

“Do not take your eyes off the enemy in front of you.”

“…”

“Sasuk will not lose. If you want to help Sasuk, stop the enemies here from targeting Sasuk! We are not the only ones in Wudang!”

The swordsmen regained their focus, raised their swords, and watched the enemy.

Mu-jin bit his lip.

‘Can we handle it?’

Despite his words, he was anxious.

Heo-gong was the most promising talent in Wudang, but Mu-jin didn’t know his exact strength. He guessed that he was stronger than a typical elder.

But could he defeat the Thousand-Faced Teacher? Especially with his inner strength already weakened?

He couldn’t help but doubt. But Mu-jin had only one choice.

‘Let’s believe!’

If this place fell, the enemies below would attack the heart of Wudang.

We can’t let them push us back to a wide open space where they have the advantage.

Even if Heo-gong falls, the path will be opened, and even if this place falls, the path will be opened as well. Now, they had to trust each other.

“…So this is their real plan.”

“What is, Senior Brother?”

“Nothing, just be ready.”

Mu-jin nudged Jin-hyun’s shoulder.

“Can you do it?”

“You are asking too obvious a question.”

“How cheeky.”

Mu-jin chuckled and tightened his grip on his sword.

Suddenly, strong power pushed Heogong back. He felt like he was floating because the air gave him no support. The Thousand-Faced Savior jumped from nothing and landed easily on the cliff.

“To think we were troubled by a mere cliff like this.”

The way he spoke and moved was normal and light, but it felt heavy.

He seemed very relaxed in everything he said and did.

People might call it ‘composure.’

Almost no one in this land would act so calm in front of Heogong. But Heogong could not attack quickly. He felt a strange pressure from his enemy, like invisible ropes tightening around him.

‘…Thousand-Faced Savior, Dam Yeohae.’

To be honest, Heogong didn’t think this name was important. He was too worried about Jang Ilso, who seemed like a much bigger threat.

But now, facing him with a sword, Heogong understood how powerful Dam Yeohae really was. Before, Jang Ilso’s name was so famous, it made people forget about Dam Yeohae.

‘So, this is the kind of foe our predecessors fought.’

He started to understand a little why the older leaders had made certain choices. He had often thought those choices were too strict and even silly. When facing enemies like this, his students must have seemed very weak and not good enough.

At that moment, Dam Yeohae spoke.

“What do you think?”

“…What are you talking about?”

The Thousand-Faced Savior grinned.

“No, it’s difficult. Impossible, even. You might manage to hold them off for now, but being mere mortals, you’ll inevitably tire. The path will open, eventually.”

Heogong’s eyes narrowed, and his gaze turned cold, like the winter sky just before a storm.

“And unless you can hurl me off this cliff, that day will come sooner rather than later. Meaning, your end is inevitable, whether you like it or not.”

“What is it you want?”

“I’m saying there’s still a chance, right now.”

“……”

“Those engaging you down there are the Guardians of the Southern Sea Sun Palace. No matter how sharp the swords of Wudang may be, it will be a grueling fight. You might win, but you can’t completely shut them down. Especially because their sword skills are still new and not strong.”

Dam Yeohae’s voice was like a soft, tempting whisper in Heogong’s ear.

“If the end is already decided, wouldn’t it be wiser to retreat now? You could save half of Wudang, at least. Surely, preserving precious lives is a better choice than pointlessly losing them, wouldn’t you agree?”

“…You’re wasting your breath.”

“Wasting my breath? Not at all. It’s a matter of perspective.”

The Thousand-Faced Savior turned his head, gazing down at the cliff below. He showed his back, which seemed weak, but Heogong didn’t move his sword.

“Well, the Sect Leader would gladly sacrifice everything to erase Wudang from existence… but I’m different. I have a position to consider, don’t I? Losing too many disciples in a place like this would make things rather chilly for me after the war.”

“……”

“So, come on. Why not just step back? Retreat now, and I promise, we won’t chase you. You’d save your people, right? Isn’t that the smart thing to do?”

Heogong’s gaze drifted, almost involuntarily, towards the slope where Mu-jin and his group were positioned.

The path guarded by Elder Heosanja and the others would never be breached, but the left slope, defended primarily by the Mu and Jin generations, was undoubtedly engaged in a desperate struggle.

The problem was that even their best efforts might not be enough to hold back all those villains. So, perhaps…

At that moment, Heogong chuckled softly.

“He deserved it.”

“Hmm? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Our Sect Leader, I mean.”

Heogong’s smile was serene. He had looked like a very stressed fighter, but for a moment, he looked calm and peaceful, like a Taoist priest.

“I’ve been wondering why that Hwasan fellow was so angry… It wasn’t that the choice was wrong. It was that he didn’t trust us.”

“……”

“I refuse.”

Heogong, with a decisive refusal, pointed the tip of his sword directly at the Thousand-Faced Savior.

“It would be quite a spectacle if both Senior Brother and I were beaten by the same person.”

Heogong was not Heodo.

Heodo might have seen them as foolish disciples to be protected at all costs, but Heogong saw them as brothers and comrades, fighting alongside him, back-to-back.

To distrust them was no different from distrusting Wudang itself.

And more than anything…

“By the way, Sect Leader, you might want to become a bit more skilled at lying.”

“…What do you mean?”

“That face of yours.”

At Heogong’s gesture, the Thousand-Faced Savior reflexively touched his face.

Heogong spoke coldly.

“No matter how well you conceal your face with an emotionless mask, you can’t hide the look in your eyes. And those eyes are saying, ‘I will end your life here, no matter what.’”

“…Ha.”

A sigh escaped the Thousand-Faced Savior’s lips.

“I can’t hide the look in my eyes? That’s a first. No one’s ever said that to me before.”

“Maybe the people who looked into your eyes before were just like you.”

“You think you’re different?”

“I am a Taoist, before I am a swordsman.”

Heogong’s voice was strong and firm, and it seemed to hit the Thousand-Faced Savior hard.

“To refuse all lies and false ideas, and to see the real truth inside things – that is what it means to be a Taoist. You are far too clumsy to conceal your intentions from me.”

“Heo…”

The Thousand-Faced Savior sighed deeply, as if somewhat deflated, and muttered.

“This is why dealing with the orthodox sects is such a pain.”

His voice changed abruptly. Gone was the youthful vigor, replaced by a raspy, aged tone.

Heogong instinctively knew that this was the Thousand-Faced Savior’s true voice.

The Thousand-Faced Savior, who supposedly never revealed his true self even to his closest subordinates, had revealed his true voice.

This meant he was definitely going to kill Heogong right there.

“Someone once told me,”

The Thousand-Faced Savior slowly opened his hand. Powerful energy started to form in his hand, glowing brightly.

“If someone refuses the wine of invitation and insists on drinking the wine of punishment, then you should shove the entire bottle down their throat.”

“…I have a feeling I know who said that.”

Heogong, too, slowly took a step forward.

‘I will not lose.’

There was a defeat to avenge. There was someone to overcome.

Therefore, he would not die in a place like this.

Not until he faced that damned sword again…!

“Prepare yourself!”

Heogong’s sword crackled with white and black energy.

Heogong’s sword used a special fighting style that combined opposite forces. This style, with his intelligence, worked together with his powerful fire-like energy.

“Senior Brother!”

“Yes, I see it too!”

Jo Gul and Yoon Jong’s eyes shone as they gazed forward.

In the distance, it was beginning to come into view, however faintly.

A majestic mountain range rising from the horizon, and among them, a single, particularly prominent peak.

Jo Gul, with a ragged breath, growled.

“Wudang Mountain!”

At long last, the mountain had entered the sights of the Heavenly Martial Alliance.