Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1697

“Master Uncle!” Jo Gul shouted. He watched Baek Cheon, who was carrying Mu Jin on his back, and the Hwasan disciples, who were quickly carrying the Mount Wudang disciples on their shoulders, following behind.

‘Are we really taking them?’ Jo Gul wondered, his eyes wavering. He knew this choice was ‘right,’ but he doubted if they could handle it. With the cliff about to collapse, could they escape while carrying the injured? What if the cliff gave way before they could escape? Wouldn’t they all be doomed?

“Master Uncle! Is this really….”

“Instead of blathering, hurry up and take care of the injured, you imbecile!” Baek Cheon snapped.

“Augh! Damn it!” Jo Gul cursed.

As expected, Baek Cheon wouldn’t listen. Jo Gul cursed loudly, then quickly lifted the nearest injured person onto his back. It was Jin Hyun.

“Jo, Jo Gul….” Jin Hyun groaned.

“Shut up! You’re making me frustrated!” Jo Gul gritted his teeth. He saw the slope leading to the summit beyond the enemies. It looked steep, but it wouldn’t collapse.

‘If we can just reach there….’ He thought, steeling himself.

“Huh?” His eyes wavered again.

“M, Master Uncle, over there!”

“Hm?”

“There! The enemies are being reinforced!”

“What?” Baek Cheon, about to move forward with Mu Jin, stopped and looked up. A group of figures appeared on the slope. Their momentum was clearly dangerous.

Hae Yeon said heavily, “It seems the Four Seas Alliance wants to trap us here at all costs, Acting Sect Leader.”

“What should we do, Master Uncle?” Yoon Jong asked.

Baek Cheon stared ahead, silent. His eyes, which had wavered, quickly calmed.

“What are you asking?” Baek Cheon’s sword began to glow faintly.

“If that’s the path, then we must open it,” Baek Cheon declared.

“B, but the time….” This time, even Yoon Jong hesitated. Baek Cheon wasn’t wrong. If that was the only way out, they had to open it. But what if the cliff collapsed before they could?

“Let’s go!” Baek Cheon charged towards the enemies before Yoon Jong could speak.

“Damn it, follow Master Uncle!” Yoon Jong shouted, watching Baek Cheon. He saw Jo Gul rushing ahead of Baek Cheon. That fool always rushed to the front.

Yoon Jong caught up to Baek Cheon and asked, “Master Uncle! Are you really alright? Shouldn’t we look for another way, even now….”

“I believe!” Baek Cheon said.

“Yes?” Doubt crossed Yoon Jong’s face. The answer didn’t fit the situation.

Baek Cheon glanced at Mu Jin, then at the distant edge of the cliff. *We have to believe in something*, he thought.

“Hwasan isn’t special.”

“……”

“So there’s nothing only we can do. Anyone can do it. I believe. There will definitely be someone to help us!”

“What does that mean…”

Just then, a massive explosion echoed from the cliff.

“Another explosion?!”

“Aargh!”

“N, no! It’s much weaker than before?”

Screams erupted, but everyone realized this explosion was different. It wasn’t as powerful, and it felt strangely familiar.

A chill ran down Yoon Jong’s spine. He knew what the explosion was.

“Namgoong Dowi?” Yoon Jong stared blankly at the cliff edge, eyes wide.

Meanwhile, below the cliff…

“Haa… haa!” Large beads of sweat poured down Namgoong Dowi’s forehead.

He had leaped up the cliff and unleashed his sword aura to stop the enemies. His body screamed from using so much internal energy.

“That brat!” He had no time to rest.

Namgoong Dowi saw the dark holes the enemies had drilled into the cliff. He knew what would happen if explosives went off inside!

‘I absolutely won’t let that happen.’ He turned his sword and gripped it in reverse. He didn’t have the energy for another sword aura, but he could still fight.

The enemies from the South Sea Divine Palace, surrounded by blazing red energy like living flames, came towards him.

Whoosh! Namgoong Dowi put strength into his legs and kicked off.

“Come!”

Wham! He swung his sword with all his might.

Boom! His sword clashed with the South Sea Divine Palace disciple’s palm. A terrible heat enveloped him, burning his lungs. His hair burned, and his skin felt like it was melting. The tip of his sword turned bright red.

But Namgoong Dowi fiercely drew up his strength.

‘It’s nothing.’ This isn’t even pain. Compared to the despair he felt on Plum Blossom Island, it was nothing.

Zzzzzing! Namgoong Dowi’s sword, emitting a white aura, pushed back the orange power of the South Sea Divine Palace disciple’s palm.

Soon, power poured down on him from all directions.

Namgoong’s sword was large, but it was still just a sword. He couldn’t block all that power.

He should retreat backward, downward. But he had to stop those setting up the explosives.

“Aaaaargh!” Instead of retreating, Namgoong Dowi lowered his head and kicked off the cliff face.

Thud! Thud! Power grazed his back, and attacks struck his body.

Blood burst from his mouth and nose, and heat swept through him.

“Aaaaargh!” Namgoong Dowi didn’t retreat. He moved further upward, swinging his sword.

The South Sea Divine Palace disciples were bewildered as they died by his sword.

Whoosh! An enemy’s head flew from the cliff. Namgoong Dowi cut down those blocking his path and grabbed the cliff to pull himself up.

Thud! His body bounced upward.

He saw the South Sea Divine Palace disciples clinging to the cliff. He had to stop them.

‘I have to stop them.’ If this cliff collapsed, all the Hwasan Sect people would die. He couldn’t bear it. He would stop it, even if it cost him his life.

“Haaaaaaah! Stop it!” Namgoong Dowi roared like a lion, and the air vibrated.

Cold sweat formed on the foreheads of the South Sea Divine Palace disciples.

“That bastard….”

It wasn’t hard to stop him alone. He was strong, but just one person. There were dozens of South Sea Divine Palace disciples here.

But if too many disciples fought him, they might not be able to detonate the cliff in time.

What if they delayed and the plan failed?

‘I can’t bear the Palace Lord’s wrath.’ The South Sea Divine Palace Lord’s wrath was worse than death. Just thinking about it made them tremble.

“Damn it, that bastard!”

Then, a calm voice said, “There’s no need to be agitated.”

“Protector?”

A white-haired old man, watching from above, smiled bitterly.

“He’s full of vigor, but he’s still just a brat.” He took out a sphere from his sleeve and gripped it. He watched Namgoong Dowi climb the cliff like an angry beast.

“If you want to die that badly, I suppose we should grant your wish.” The old man opened his hand. The sphere fell downward.

Whoosh! Down, and further down. It fell towards Namgoong Dowi.

Whoosh! Namgoong Dowi, glaring at the enemies, saw it.

‘What is that?’ A small object, the size of a fist, was falling.

Namgoong Dowi’s eyes widened. A red object was falling towards him.

The sphere was wrapped in something dark and had a fire burning at the end!

Namgoong Dowi crossed his arms and sword and thrust them towards the cliff.

KABOOM! The explosive detonated, striking the cliff.

Rumble!

“Aaaaaaargh!” The Four Seas Alliance disciples were flung into the air.

Red flames soared, and smoke billowed.

As the smoke cleared, the old man was surprised. Namgoong Dowi was still clinging to the cliff.

The old man looked at Namgoong Dowi’s hand jammed into the cliff.

“He stopped himself by jamming his hand into the cliff?” He admired his enemy.

“Go and end his life.”

“Yes!” A South Sea Divine Palace disciple descended towards Namgoong Dowi.

Namgoong Dowi struggled to blink and frowned. He felt danger.

He swung his sword, but it was weak and easily blocked by the red hand.

“Die!” The orange hand flew towards Namgoong Dowi’s eyes.

‘I am…….’

Clang! Something blocked the hand. A sword, thinner and lighter than his, but reliable.

‘Who…….’

“Are you alright?”

Namgoong Dowi turned his head and opened his mouth, recognizing the person.

“Lee Song…….”

Before he could finish, a cold voice was heard.

“I told you to stop showing off. You really can’t understand what I’m saying.”

Clang! Jin Geum-ryong’s sword slashed through the air and pierced the South Sea Divine Palace disciple’s neck. A silver flash cut through the air, blocking the red hand. A figure landed beside Namgoong Dowi, sword drawn, eyes like ice.

“Guh….” The South Sea Divine Palace disciple’s body fell.

Namgoong Dowi stared blankly at Jin Geum-ryong.

“The great Namgoong can rest there. I’ll take care of the enemies.”

Wham! Jin Geum-ryong, with cold killing intent, soared like a ray of light, closing the distance with the enemies.