Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1748

At that moment.

Hye-yeon groaned, saying a Buddhist prayer, “Ah, Amitabha……”

‘What on earth is that?’ he wondered.

The sight of slender tentacles spewing from the Blood Cultist’s wound and thrashing about was unbelievable, even as he watched. Was it a beast? No, it felt more like an insect.

But how could something like that come out of a human body?

‘No, more than that…….’

The tentacles emerged from the spot where his staff had struck. The flesh, which had turned black, was regaining its color as those earthworm-like tentacles wriggled.

What kind of magic is this?

He thought, ‘The world is wide, and there are many strange magics I don’t know. But this is beyond anything I understand about fighting.’

“Amitabha. Amitabha!”

He repeated the prayer, hoping it would calm his racing heart, but fear still squeezed his chest.

“Kheu…….”

Meanwhile, the Blood Cultist slowly wiped the blood trickling from his lips and strode towards Hye-yeon. Hye-yeon involuntarily took a step back.

“Keu-haaaaa!”

The Blood Cultist’s low groan turned into a shriek. Exuding bloodlust, the Blood Cultist charged forward.

Hye-yeon bit his lower lip tightly.

* * *

“What, what is that?”

The situation wasn’t much different on the other side.

Jo Gul’s eyes were wide with shock. It was inevitable, as the arm he had personally severed was reattaching itself.

“Ugh……. Damn it.”

Jo Gul covered his mouth with his left hand.

The sight of tentacles attaching the arm back together was so grotesque that even Jo Gul, who was usually very brave, groaned. A wave of visceral disgust washed over him.

‘The severed parts are sticking back together?’

It wasn’t just the arm. Those hideous tentacles were wriggling from the long gash in his side as well. If they reattached every time they were cut, how on earth were they supposed to fight such creatures?

“No…….”

“Stay calm.”

At that moment, Yu Yiseol’s cool voice cut through the air.

“But, ha, but…….”

“Magic is really big, you know? We can’t know everything.”

There was no way to disagree with that. He had never even heard of such a thing, let alone seen it.

“But it’s simple. The solution.”

“Yes?”

Yu Yiseol smoothly raised her sword. Yu Yiseol watched the tentacles carefully, her mind working quickly to find a weakness.

“No one can use sorcery after their head is cut off.”

“……Wouldn’t they block their necks if they weren’t idiots?”

“You block their limbs. I’ll cut off their heads.”

Jo Gul shook his head. Jo Gul shook his head. If you just heard her talk about cutting off heads so easily, you might think she was evil!

“……I don’t know if I’m stupid or if you’re just smart.”

A chuckle escaped Jo Gul’s lips.

Frankly, the method wasn’t important. What was amazing was that she wasn’t shaken at all, even in the face of such a sight. At times like this, Yu Yiseol was more reliable than anyone else in Mount Hua.

“We’re okay because there are two of us…… what about those who went alone? It seems dangerous.”

“Obvious words.”

Jo Gul nodded in agreement this time as well.

Right, what other way was there? The only option was to clear this place as quickly as possible and go support them.

“Then, let’s begin.”

“Go.”

“Eurachacha!”

Jo Gul kicked off the ground with all his might and charged forward. Jo Gul charged, his face still showing disgust, but his sword ready and fast.

* * *

Sweat dripped from Yoon Jong’s face.

‘His head was cut off.’

And yet, he was getting up. The severed head was reattaching itself.

What should this be called? Recovery? Or regeneration?

Whatever it was, it shouldn’t be happening to a human. That much was certain.

Of course, martial arts itself made the human body stronger and allowed it to generate power that it normally couldn’t. From the perspective of an ordinary person, it was impossible to say which would seem more bizarre: a body reattaching itself or someone destroying a mountain with a single sword.

But even knowing this, Yoon Jong felt fear creeping in. It was probably because the common sense he had always known was collapsing. People tended to feel vague fear towards things they didn’t understand.

Yoon Jong struggled to suppress his fear. But before he could fully calm his mind, they moved first.

“Looks like you’re scared.”

The Blood Cultist spat blood from his mouth and approached triumphantly.

“How utterly foolish. You should be overwhelmed with gratitude at the grace, yet you feel fear instead.”

Yoon Jong quickly looked behind him. The Blood Cultist who had risen like a puppet was still not fully recovered. The one behind him had his neck almost completely severed. It seemed that the speed of recovery varied depending on the extent of the injury.

But the problem was that he couldn’t completely ignore the one behind him. He couldn’t accurately gauge when he would recover.

‘Damn it.’

Yoon Jong suddenly felt Jo Gul’s absence keenly. If that guy had been here, there wouldn’t have been any encirclement…….

“Waiting for support? I don’t think anyone’s coming, though?”

“…….”

“Lost your friends? Now you’re just weak!”

Yoon Jong’s tightly closed lips tightened further.

It was a blatant provocation. He wasn’t one to fall for such things. Nevertheless, those words pierced him deeply.

‘Geol wouldn’t have been scared.’

Cheong Myeong would have already figured out a plan. Soso would be looking for clues. What am I doing?

But what did Yoon Jong have?

He had been feeling it for some time. The fact that he was lagging behind the others. He felt like he was just helping Jo Gul, not as strong or important as the others.

That was why those words hurt.

‘But……!’

The Blood Cultist charged towards him.

“Die!”

Yoon Jong reflexively tried to step back, but realizing his mistake, he gritted his teeth. There was an enemy behind him. He mustn’t forget.

‘Stay calm!’

It was just that the cut had healed. It wasn’t that he couldn’t cut them. The opponent’s skill itself wasn’t that great. If it healed, he just had to cut it again.

Yoon Jong extended his sword towards the enemy who was rushing in wildly and swinging his arms. Yoon Jong’s sword flashed like lightning, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle, aimed straight for the cultist’s neck.

A textbook move. But because it was textbook, it was all the more threatening.

But the moment he fully extended his sword, Yoon Jong’s eyes widened. He belatedly realized the mistake he had made.

Wham!

Yoon Jong’s body was thrown sideways.

“Kkeureureureuk.”

A phlegm-filled sound of blood gurgled out.

Yoon Jong’s sword went straight through the masked man’s neck. Normally, someone stabbed like that would die instantly, unable to even fight back.

But the Blood Demon Cultist didn’t even seem to notice the huge hole in his neck. He hit Yoon Jong hard in the side.

“Ugh!” Yoon Jong fell to the ground, rolling over and over. He coughed hard. Terrible pain shot through him, like all his ribs were broken. His mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood.

‘Damn it…’ It wasn’t that Yoon Jong was stupid. This is how martial arts worked. In a fight where life or death happens in a blink, thinking doesn’t matter. Martial arts is about training your body to move without thinking, by doing the same moves again and again.

Hitting the enemy’s neck as soon as he attacked was like a reflex for Yoon Jong. He had trained himself to do this. This habit had saved him many times before, but now, it was causing him trouble.

“Hah…” Yoon Jong struggled to breathe, his teeth clenched. From the hole in the Blood Demon Cultist’s neck, strange, ugly tentacles twisted and moved again. The hole was slowly getting smaller.

The new flesh growing back was not normal. It wasn’t light red, but a dark, muddy color, like tree bark. But the wound was still closing up.

‘This is bad…’ Yoon Jong felt sick to his stomach and stopped moving for a second. His eyes became very serious.

*It’s impossible, Martial Uncle!* He remembered shouting that day. But Baek Cheon didn’t turn around.

Yoon Jong took a deep breath and thought. What would Baek Cheon do?

First, Baek Cheon would stand firm, making sure his legs didn’t shake even if he felt scared. He always acted like his strong shoulders could handle anything, even when he was unsure inside.

‘There must be a way to beat them.’ If there wasn’t, the Blood Palace people wouldn’t have stayed hidden away for so long.

Also, Yoon Jong had seen them run away before. If they could heal perfectly every time, they wouldn’t have retreated like that…

‘Wait.’ Yoon Jong paused once more. He recalled the time when the Blood Palace and Chung Myung had clashed.

‘What did that bastard say as he retreated back then?’ Surely, it was about Chung Myung’s sword…

“Haah!” Before his thoughts could fully form, the enemies rolled their eyes back and charged. Yoon Jong instinctively kicked off the ground, launching himself backwards.

‘Celestial Energy?’ He was sure that’s what he had said.

Clang!

The grotesque sword collided with his. At that moment, the Blood Demon Cultist stretched out his other arm, wrapping it around Yoon Jong’s sword. An act no sane person would even imagine.

But these creatures were capable of it. Whether their arms were cut off or pierced, if they could restrain their opponent’s sword even for a moment, it was a worthwhile trade.

Yoon Jong recoiled in horror, yanking his sword back. In that fleeting gap, the Blood Demon Cultist’s misshapen blade grazed Yoon Jong’s neck. A neck that, unlike theirs, could never reattach itself.

‘Celestial Energy!’ Yoon Jong’s breathing grew ragged.

Celestial Energy, the energy of the immortals. Something those who wielded the swords of the Taoists yearned for even in their dreams. Yet, no one truly knew its true essence.

‘No.’ On reflection, it wasn’t that their weakness was Celestial Energy. It was merely that Celestial Energy was the natural enemy of all evil arts.

Why had Chung Myung said that?

“Kahahaha!” At that very moment, a roar erupted from behind him. Simultaneously, he felt a fierce energy piercing through from behind.

Yoon Jong instinctively rolled away.

Wham!

Almost at the same instant, the ground where he had been standing exploded, sending dirt and stones flying.

“Hoo…” Ragged breaths continued to escape his lips.

‘Then why didn’t he tell us?’ If Celestial Energy was the answer to dealing with these creatures, and if he knew that Mount Hua might clash with them again someday… why hadn’t Chung Myung taught everyone how to harness Celestial Energy?

Why?

“That donkey-like bastard has no shame.”

“And he’s been acting so high and mighty all this time.” The Blood Demon Cultists sneered at Yoon Jong as he rolled on the ground to evade their attacks. But their taunts did not shake Yoon Jong in the slightest.

“…I’m sorry, but.” When Yoon Jong finally spoke, the Blood Demon Cultists’ eyes gleamed with interest as they stared intently at him.

“I’ve never acted high and mighty. I’m not a particularly great man to begin with.”

“Haha!” A scathing laugh returned.

This time, Yoon Jong contained a cool, calm breath instead of anger.

There was no reason to be angry, as he had simply stated his honest feelings.

Compared to his monstrous martial brothers, his martial uncle, who always seemed to be climbing higher and higher, and Sa Go, Yoon Jong possessed no extraordinary talent. He knew that better than anyone.

What, then, did he possess?

His eyes calmly sank.

“We’ve wasted too much time. It’s best to finish this and leave…”

“I know.” The Blood Demon Cultists glanced subtly upwards as they spoke. If they lingered here any longer, reinforcements from Mount Wudang might arrive. If that happened, they would be in danger.

“Finish it.”

“Yes.” The Blood Demon Cultists encircled Yoon Jong widely.

Yoon Jong looked at them, his eyes steady. He could feel their hunger to finish the fight *now*. A cold feeling went through him. He knew this attack would be different. They were ready to throw themselves at him, not caring if they got hurt. It would be brutal, worse than anything he had faced before.

But instead of panicking, he took a deep breath. His sword emitted a weighty hum.

‘Why didn’t Chung Myung tell us?’ And why hadn’t Baek Cheon spoken of what he was trying to do, what he had intended to do?

“Kahahaha!” One Blood Demon Cultist charged straight towards Yoon Jong, and as if in response, the others lunged, brandishing their gruesome blades.

Yoon Jong’s eyes flashed with fierce light for a moment. But just as quickly, that light calmed, becoming as serene as a lake.

‘It’s because there was no need to tell.’ Nothing in the world, nothing at all, changes suddenly. Nothing can be gained in an instant.

If it seems that way, it’s only because one fails to appreciate the long hours hidden behind it.

Sharp blades flew in from all directions, aiming to tear Yoon Jong’s flesh.

Yoon Jong, who had been watching as if observing someone else, slowly moved his sword.

‘It’s not that he didn’t tell us.’ It was simply that there was no need to tell.

Even if he wasn’t special, even if he wasn’t great, it would surely be there.

If the time he had spent accumulating was not a lie, then his answer would be within him. That was martial prowess, and that was the Tao!

“Believe.” Following Yoon Jong’s murmur, the sharp tip of his sword moved gently. Red petals began to bloom gracefully.