Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1699

This sword had a long and difficult past. Now, it was being used to save Mount Hua, a very important place to them.

Taah!

Jin Geum-ryong shouted, swinging his sword with all his strength.

Lee Song-baek watched him, his face serious. He nodded a little.

Deep down, Lee Song-baek knew there was still pain between their groups. Jongnam and Mount Hua had old arguments that were not forgotten. Maybe they would never be truly close friends.

But today, they were fighting together for Mount Hua.

For now, Lee Song-baek thought, this must be enough.

Yes?

I will go up too, Young Sect Leader.

Wait! That’s too dangerous for just one person.

Lee Song-baek smiled slightly at Namgung Dowook’s strong advice.

He had climbed this cliff alone without a plan, yet he was worried when someone else tried to do the same. This man was certainly peculiar.

There is no need to worry, Young Sect Leader.

Yes?

Because we are not alone.

Hearing those words, Namgung Dowook looked down quickly.

A shiver ran down his spine. Dozens of figures were climbing the red cliff in the darkness.

Their eyes shone brightly, even in the darkness.

Ah….

Namgung Dowook’s eyes widened, and he groaned. Lee Song-baek smiled faintly.

They are a little late, but being late does not mean their hearts are lacking.

Young Hero.

Then.

Taat!

With those words, Lee Song-baek left Namgung Dowook behind and shot upwards.

I will help, Senior Brother!

Unnecessary!

Haap!

Lee Song-baek’s powerful sword energy raced up the steep cliff.

The scattered, pure white sword energy and the thick, solid dark sword energy, spreading as if trying to take root in the cliff, blended perfectly.

Namgung Dowook blankly watched the harmony of the two sword energies.

The swordsmanship, the methods, even the moment of action are all different. But… at the same time, they are not different.

Crack!

Namgung Dowook gripped his sword even harder with all his might.

I cannot afford to just stand by.

He could still fight.

Different but not different. At least, the thoughts of those who have climbed here will all be the same.

That is enough for now.

Namgung Dowook chuckled softly. His eyes flared with fierce light once more, and he kicked off the cliff face with both feet, soaring upwards.

The Namgung sword is here as well!

His voice echoed loudly, reaching the top of the high cliff and beyond.

Jongri-gok bit his lip without realizing it.

He consciously avoided looking down, but he knew how dangerous a place he was climbing, even without seeing it for sure.

This is madness.

To do such a thing, he must be out of his mind.

The problem was that Jongri-gok was doing that very thing right now. And no one had even forced or ordered him to do it.

Whoosh!

Beside him, Poongyeong Singae soared upwards with great speed.

It was an incredible feat of lightness that Jongri-gok could not even dream of imitating. The lightness of Poongyeong Singae, once called the Fastest Under Heaven, was truly living up to his reputation.

I cannot lose!

Inspired by that speed, Jongri-gok kicked off the cliff face.

Sect Leader Jongri!

Namgung-myung’s loud shout was heard. But instead of turning around, Jongri-gok chose to kick off the cliff even harder and climb higher.

Why?

He did not know why he was doing this. Why he was bothering to do something that would only bring losses.

He carried many things on his shoulders.

The future of Jongnam, the pillars of Jongnam who would grow up in the future, and perhaps even the future of the world.

Even if the cliff collapsed, someone had to lead the Heavenly Union. That was the logical way to think. And for Jongri-gok, who should be a part of that, to risk his life here was a foolish thing to do.

But….

He raised his head. He could see the harmony of the pure white sword energy scattered and the two sword energies pushing in tenaciously.

Young ones….

Jongri-gok bit his lip.

It is too early for you!

Paat!

He rushed along the cliff face like the wind.

Strategist!

Ho-ga-myung’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The Heavenly Union….

He could see those climbing the cliff. Even at a glance, their speed was unusual. He could guess their martial prowess from that alone.

In the midst of all this, they’ve sent the best from each group to the cliff?

The main force of the Heavenly Union was fighting the Four Evil Sects below the cliff. But in the middle of that, so much of their strength had been diverted, which would inevitably increase their losses.

They were setting out to save Mount Hua, even if it meant their own group lost.

Even to a place where their own lives could be in danger.

No. It’s not ‘could be’.

They would not be so foolish as to not know that they were more likely to fail than to stop the explosion.

So they were literally risking their lives to climb that cliff.

Ho-ga-myung bit his lip tightly.

Was this situation significantly hindering his strategy right now?

No, it was not. Rather, from a different perspective, it might be a good opportunity to send all those key forces climbing the cliff straight to hell.

But even so, Ho-ga-myung was finding it difficult to understand what was happening.

Those bastards….

They had begun to move in a way that was not expected at all.

What kind of people were those righteous bastards?

They were the kind of people who would not care about the destruction of another group if it was for their own benefit. In some ways, the righteous groups were more cunning and vicious than the evil groups, who openly attacked each other.

There was no need to look far; the victory of the Four Evil Sects in the battle of Hubei was helped by the secret power games among the righteous groups.

But those cunning bastards were now risking their lives to climb the cliff. Why on earth?

Strategist, a countermeasure….

Silence.

Strategist.

Didn’t I tell you to be quiet!

Ho-ga-myung suddenly burst into anger. The aides, their faces pale, hurriedly shut their mouths.

Gritting his teeth, Ho-ga-myung glared at the cliff. His usually cool eyes were distorted.

Nothing has changed.

The situation was still in their favor.

There is no way we can lose even without the Mount Hua Sword Saint. No, that must never happen.

Victory was necessary. A big victory, at that.

That was the only thing he could offer Jang Il-so, who had moved according to his plan. If he failed to do this, Ho-ga-myung, as the strategist of the Four Evil Sects, would lose his reason for existence.

What about Mount Hua?

There is no other movement yet!

…But they will realize it soon.

If a major battle broke out on the cliff, there was no way they would not notice, no matter how chaotic things were.

Tell the Sun Palace to set off the explosives.

Strategist! The preparations are not yet….

It does not matter.

Ho-ga-myung’s eyes sank coldly.

It is foolish to wait for all the fish to escape after a hole has been made in the net. Even if we only catch half, it is not a loss. If we are lucky, we might catch them all.

But then the Sun Palace disciples will also….

That is the responsibility of the Sun Palace Lord.

Ho-ga-myung coldly cut off the aide’s words.

Tell them.

Yes, Strategist!

The aides, realizing that Ho-ga-myung’s will was firmly set, used their lightness skills and rushed away without complaint. Ho-ga-myung did not even glance at them, keeping his gaze fixed on the cliff.

Where did it go wrong?

His palms were soaked with cold sweat.

Even the alliance of the Shaolin and the Nine Great Sects had not gone against his and Jang Il-so’s expectations. Originally, wars were not lost because of unforeseen events, but because of the inability to prevent what was known.

The only group that had gone in a different direction than planned was the Heavenly Union.

And the core of that must be the Mount Hua Sword Saint.

But such a thing had happened even in a place without the Mount Hua Sword Saint, so should he accept that the Mount Hua Sword Saint was not the core of the Heavenly Union?

Or…?

Ho-ga-myung shook his head, biting his lip.

That could not be. That was impossible.

Yet, the reason why Ho-ga-myung could not easily accept this situation was because everything that was happening now felt as if the Mount Hua Sword Saint was present there.

What if the Mount Hua Sword Saint was there?

He would probably have climbed that cliff as soon as the first explosion went off. Recklessly, without a plan, like a madman.

Those people were now showing that strange actions. Even not just one, but several at the same time.

Ho-ga-myung’s eyes were slightly bloodshot.

I must kill them all here.

His heart was pounding unpleasantly. He, too, could not accurately explain the reality of the warning feeling he was feeling now. According to his usual theory, a force where the majority thought and acted like the Mount Hua Sword Saint was only a place that should be destroyed immediately.

But the moment he faintly glimpsed another possibility, Ho-ga-myung became more urgent than ever.

The two words he hated most, ‘instinct’ and ‘feeling,’ were now sending him constant warnings.

Ho-ga-myung shouted as if telling himself.

There can be no failure! Bury them all under the cliff!