Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1683

“They’ll aim for the flanks! Don’t let your guard down for a moment!”

Baek Cheon glanced at the left side, where flames roared like hungry beasts. He could feel the heat even from where he stood. Then, he looked at the opposite side. Yoon Jong was leading his faction, guarding the flanks as they were told.

‘Right now……’

Just as Baek Cheon was about to give another order, after quickly looking around, Jin Geum-ryong came to his side. Baek Cheon hadn’t even noticed him coming.

“Why did you pull me back?” Jin Geum-ryong asked. His usual arrogance was gone, replaced by anger.

“Do you even understand what’s happening? We’re in Mount Heom. We can’t move as fast. If the front is slow, we’ll be surrounded by enemies coming from every direction.”

“I know.”

“Then why did you pull back? Do you even know what your job is? You should be at the front, clearing the way!”

“…….”

“Or are you, by any chance……?”

“Enough with the nonsense, Jin Geum-ryong.”

“……What?”

Baek Cheon kept looking forward. He saw Jo Gul charging ahead, with the disciples of his faction following him.

“I just gave the job to the best person for it. As far as I know, no one is better than Jo Gul at breaking through the front lines.”

“You…….”

Jin Geum-ryong stopped, about to say something. Baek Cheon calmly said the words Jin Geum-ryong didn’t want to hear.

“No. It would be the same even if I wasn’t weak. Even if I was twice as strong. The right to be at the front isn’t just about being strong.”

“…….”

“You’ll understand when you see it. You’ll see why I put Jo Gul at the front. And why I didn’t give the job to you.”

Jin Geum-ryong frowned, staring silently at the front lines. He didn’t see anything special about Jo Gul.

‘That reckless fool?’

Jin Geum-ryong didn’t argue because Yoo Iseol was silent. He didn’t want to admit it, but that female swordsman was as good as him, maybe even better. And she wasn’t complaining.

She seemed indifferent, making it hard to know what she thought. If she was just following Baek Cheon’s orders, she would have complained a little. But she was silent, as if it was normal for Jo Gul to be at the front.

Jin Geum-ryong sighed. “I really can’t understand those Huashan guys.”

He watched Jo Gul’s back closely.

“Let’s see how great *he* really is.”

“Get out of the way!”

Jo Gul’s sword flashed like lightning.

Whoosh!

The Evil Sect disciples couldn’t even react. Jo Gul’s sword pierced them, and they fell like broken dolls.

The burning scenery of Mount Wudang appeared where they fell.

The trees were black, like burnt skeletons, and red flames still burned fiercely. It looked like a gate to hell.

Just climbing the mountain through those flames was hard enough. And even where the flames were weaker, enemies were waiting for the Heavenly Union, ready to attack from a better position.

But Jo Gul didn’t stop for a moment.

“Vice Sect Leader! The flames are too strong! We have to go around!”

“No!”

“Vice Sect Leader!”

“Euraaaah!”

Jo Gul didn’t listen to the words behind him. He charged forward and swung his sword.

Clang! Clang!

The trees that were burning where the sword hit were cut down. People exclaimed in surprise.

“Ah……?”

Thud! Thud!

Large spaces appeared where the trees fell. Small flames remained, but the intense flames that had been burning the trees were gone.

“Let’s cut them down!” Jo Gul shouted so everyone could hear.

“They’re already burnt! Just cut them down! Let’s make a path!”

“Ah…….”

Those who had been staring blankly flinched and nodded quickly.

“Th, that’s right! What are you doing? Let’s help the Vice Sect Leader!”

“Yes!”

Cutting down trees on the mountain while climbing? Normally, that would be crazy. The pine trees on mountains like Wudang are very strong and big. Even for martial arts masters, it’s hard to cut them down and clear a path.

But now, the trees were burnt to their core. They were just shapes. Cutting and breaking them wouldn’t be too hard, even for people who didn’t know martial arts.

“Cut them down wider!”

“Yes!”

“Let’s go! All our strength!”

“Yes!”

Jo Gul jumped forward and swung his sword again. The bases of the black, burnt trees were cut off.

Many people were amazed by Jo Gul’s actions.

‘How?’

Cutting down the burnt trees to make a path. Instead of going around the flames, he was getting rid of them to save time.

At first, it seemed like anyone could think of that. But it’s hard to come up with the best idea right away. How can you stay calm when the flames and smoke are choking you? Most people would just want to avoid the flames.

But that young swordsman quickly found a way that no one else had thought of.

‘I didn’t know One Sword Splits the Light was good for this.’

‘Are all the Huashan Five Swords like this?’

Jo Gul didn’t know people were watching him. He just jumped forward.

‘Light!’

His body felt strangely light. It wasn’t just the excitement of being in a battle. It wasn’t that he had more energy. His body really felt light.

He felt like he could run to the top of the mountain in one breath. A strange lightness filled Jo Gul. It wasn’t just excitement. It was like all his doubts and worries had burned away in the flames, leaving only pure focus and purpose. He felt like he could run forever.

“You basstaaard!”

Three red-hot spears flashed through the flames. Before Jo Gul could even see them, his sword moved. The sharp blade knocked the spears away.

Claaang!

The three spears hit at almost the same time. Then, a sword shot out like a viper towards where the spears had come from.

“Cough!”

Jo Gul pulled back his sword and swung it, cutting down a tree in his way. The old pine tree, black but still showing signs of its age, fell with a loud crash.

Kuuuuuung!

Jo Gul straightened his body and looked ahead.

“Hmm…….”

Beyond the flames, he saw more than a hundred Evil Sect disciples waiting for him.

Flames and enemies.

Jo Gul took a deep breath, twirled his sword, and lowered his stance.

“Vice Sect Leader!”

“Keep going!”

Jo Gul jumped forward, as if he didn’t need to think anymore.

He was at the front, and he had to keep going until he reached the top of the mountain!

“Try to stop me! If you can!”

Jo Gul rushed towards the enemy like a ray of light.

Silence filled the air.

Chung Myung picked up the wine cup in front of him. He looked straight at Jang Il-so and drank it all.

Thud.

He put the cup on the table and wiped his lips with his sleeve.

“Not really.”

“Hmm?”

“Aren’t you curious what would have happened if we switched places?”

Chung Myung smirked. It was a bitter, mocking smile, even more bitter than Jang Il-so’s.

“I don’t have time to wonder about things that can’t happen.”

“…….”

“I’ve never even thought about it. That I could become a wretch like you from the Evil Sect.”

“Oh, my. You have no imagination.” Jang Il-so shook his head.

“Have you really never thought about it?”

“Not once.”

“Really?”

Jang Il-so chuckled and stared at Chung Myung, trying to see into his soul.

“The Evil Sect isn’t anything special. Anyone who doesn’t follow the rules set by the world is called a member of the Evil Sect. So…….”

Chung Myung looked at him with an indifferent expression.

“Among these righteous nobodies, aren’t you the one who is most like the Evil Sect?”

“…….”

“Have you really never thought about it? Wanting to cut off the heads of those babbling fools, or wanting to destroy everything they stand for. Or even…….”

Jang Il-so’s eyes burned as he spoke.

“Wanting to break everything those bastards have set up and call the laws of the world.”

“…….”

Chung Myung didn’t answer.

“Have you really never thought that way? Really?”

“……Stop talking nonsense. You’re ruining the taste of the wine.” Chung Myung looked at Jang Il-so coldly.

“I don’t know what you want me to say, but I’ll tell you this. I won’t become like you. You stupid Evil Sect wretch.”

Jang Il-so’s eyes narrowed.

“You say that because you haven’t been through it.”

“It doesn’t matter what I go through.”

“…….”

“You act like you know me, but you don’t. You’ll never understand me.”

“Why?”

“Because you only care about yourself.”

Jang Il-so’s face didn’t change. He just looked at Chung Myung.

“But I’m not like that. I don’t care about myself.”

“……Disgusting hypocrisy.”

“Yeah, maybe. But I’m a person who lives with that hypocrisy. Just like you live with that hatred you call desire.”

“…….”

Chung Myung spoke without hesitation.

“And even if we switched places, the result would be the same. At least now.”

“……What does that mean?”

“You’ll lose, Jang Il-so.”

“…….”

“It’s the same even if I was in your place. I would lose. This war isn’t about you and me. That time is over.”

Jang Il-so looked back at the burning Mount Wudang. Then he looked back at Chung Myung and smiled.

“Ah, you’re talking about faith again? That they’ll win?”

“…….”

“Hoping that their hard work will reach the heavens? Huh?”

“There’s no such thing as heaven. And I’m not dumb enough to hope for anything from it.”

“Hoo? Then what is it?”

“You don’t understand. You’re wrong, you idiot.”

Jang Il-so tilted his head. Chung Myung smiled, showing his teeth.

“You think you’ve trapped me here.”

“……You’re saying that’s not true?”

“I’m not here. This is just my shell.”

Chung Myung looked past Jang Il-so, towards the burning Wudang below.

“I’m already there.”

“…….”

“I’m fighting there. The real me.”

“What nonsense…….”

“You’ll never understand. That’s why you’re going to lose.”

Chung Myung looked back at Jang Il-so. His cold, black eyes pierced through Jang Il-so.

“Your arrogance, your belief that you know everything, will make you lose.”

Jang Il-so’s eyes shook. For the first time since he had sat there.