Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 708

Blood exploded from his chest, a dark red fountain in the grey rain. Before the blood even splashed on the muddy ground, the huge attacker smashed into him. The bandit’s body flew backwards like a broken doll. The attacker, now covered in blood, raised its sword again.

Fear froze the faces of the masked bandits. Rain and blood mixed on their masks, but their eyes showed only terror.

Just as he thought he saw a flash of movement, a sharp pain shot through his neck. Instinctively, he grabbed his neck, struggling to hold onto his fading consciousness as he felt something hot gushing out.

In an instant, strength drained from his body, and everything before his eyes turned white. With a grunt of pain, he hit the ground hard, and all he could see was the crimson-soaked earth and the swordsman in black clothes stepping over it.

“Guh… Guhk….”

Even as he started to lose consciousness, he instinctively moved his hand. His hand shook as he pressed hard on the wound in his neck, trying to stop the bleeding.

“Guh-ugh….”

Firmly.

Barely managing to stop the bleeding, he gasped and lay still. If he hadn’t sealed the wound, his life would have slipped away the moment he lost consciousness.

His chin trembled. For a moment, he had touched the edge of death. He wasn’t completely safe yet.

He turned his trembling head. Tears blurred his vision, but he saw the swordsman’s back. The swordsman moved quickly, his sword flashing, and blood flew everywhere.

That was the last sight he saw before he lost consciousness.

Thud!

The sword, thrust upward, pierced his side precisely.

The masked bandit, his eyes wide, stared at the sword. It had pierced through his side.

The blood flowed down the blade, staining the hand holding the sword red.

“You….”

He tried to speak, but his body failed him.

Plop.

As the unconscious man fell, the sword was pulled out. Chung Myung swung the sword, shaking off the blood, and raised his head.

Blood, dripping from his bangs, darkened his face.

“Move.”

“Or you all die. Move.”

As Chung Myung stepped forward, those blocking his path glanced at each other and stepped back. Their terrified eyes searched for a way out.

‘Block that?’

‘That madman?’

They were experienced fighters, but this sword was different.

It wasn’t just strong. It was something else entirely.

They had never seen such a merciless and vicious swordsmanship. The sword, which had been pouring down like a mountain, changed into a viper, biting at the neck, and flowed like water, slicing through the chest.

How could they face such a sword?

Someone stammered, as if groaning.

“N-no way….”

“Dying….”

Just as the fear was about to turn into screams.

“Aaaaargh!”

A terrible scream came from behind.

Those who turned around saw a crimson spearhead piercing the chest of a masked bandit.

“Anyone who retreats dies by my hand anyway.”

Thud!

Beom Song pulled out the spear and glared at everyone with madness in his eyes.

“He’s just one guy! Grab him, stab him, you can catch him! Fight!”

Chung Myung stared at Beom Song, a slight twist in his mouth.

“Just a loudmouth.”

“…What?”

“If you’re so confident, come out yourself. Don’t hide behind your men.”

“And….”

Chung Myung asked with a cold sneer.

“Who said I’m alone?”

At that moment, a light breeze seemed to blow, and a black figure leaped into the air, plunging into the confused bandits.

“Gasp!”

Spears flew, but the figure smoothly changed direction in mid-air, sliding down as if riding the spears.

Simultaneously.

Swoosh.

A pure white sword flashed through the air.

Thwack! Thwack!

The swordsman slashed at the same spots Chung Myung had targeted, a little shallower, but a little more accurately. Then, he lowered his sword.

Plop. Plop. Plop.

The masked bandits fell like rotten straw.

“Hoo.”

Yoo Iseol took a short breath and quietly looked around. She noticed the astonished faces of the masked bandits, and then disappeared. Soon, she reappeared in front of the horrified bandits.

Wham!

The sword pierced shoulders and cut thighs. Screams echoed with each movement, almost as fast as light and without a sound.

“Aaaaargh!”

Cracks appeared in the front lines.

Moreover, she wasn’t the only one.

“Haaah!”

Jo Gul charged in fiercely, scattering plum blossoms in the air. The rapidly multiplying plum blossom sword energy poured down on the densely packed masked bandits.

Yoon Jong’s shout pierced Jo Gul’s ears.

“Don’t swing your sword recklessly! We are not murderers!”

“That’s why I made it weak!”

Yoon Jong rushed in with a distorted face, sweeping away the masked bandits.

‘I have to do it!’

If he left that damned guy alone for a little longer, he might really commit murder. So far, no one had died, but who knew what might happen if the situation escalated!

“Soso!”

“Yes, Sahyung!”

Tang Soso jumped up from behind Yoon Jong and scattered needles in front. Sharp needles pierced the bodies of the masked bandits who were preparing their swords.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Wh-what is this!”

“Guh-ugh!”

Yoon Jong didn’t miss that opportunity and swung his sword. His sword cut through the masked bandits a little more sharply and keenly than usual.

Attacks poured in from all directions, and the masked bandits didn’t know what to do.

Chung Myung grabbed his sword to finish things off.

“Go.”

Chung Myung turned around at the voice he heard nearby.

Baek Cheon stood behind him.

“We’ll take care of things here.”

“……”

“I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re in a hurry. Go. But….”

Baek Cheon stared intently at Chung Myung.

“Try not to cause too much trouble. Don’t be too serious. Just go and mess things up coolly.”

Chung Myung watched Baek Cheon closely, not saying a word. His lips moved a little as he studied him.

“You are really amazing,” Chung Myung said, a hint of surprise in his voice.

“I know,” Baek Cheon replied simply, meeting Chung Myung’s gaze.

Chung Myung sighed and shook his head slightly. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Alright,” Baek Cheon nodded.

“Be careful you don’t get hurt while I’m gone,” Chung Myung said, a small smile playing on his lips. “I don’t want to have to rescue you.”

“I’m not weak like you,” Baek Cheon joked back, a smile in his own voice.

Chung Myung made a small clicking sound with his tongue, showing he disagreed but wasn’t really angry. He rose easily from the ground, ready to go. Baek Cheon, as if expecting it, presented his sword, placing it beneath Chung Myung’s feet.

“Take this!”

Baek Cheon waited for Chung Myung to put his foot out. Then, he pushed the sword up with all his strength.

The force propelled Chung Myung over the heads of those blocking their path, sending him crashing down upon Beon Song.

Chung Myung’s eyes burned with a bright, fierce light, like hot coals. He struck down hard on Beon Song’s head. Beon Song, terrified, raised his spear to block Chung Myung’s sword.

Wham! The hit was so strong, it shook the air around them.

The Ironclad Bandits watched in horror as the figure who had leapt over them collided with their leader. Just then, a low voice echoed in their ears.

“Oi.”

The Ironclad Bandits quickly turned their heads, their eyes widening as they saw Baek Cheon slowly raising his sword.

“Don’t worry. I’m not so easy either.”

Baek Cheon glanced briefly at Chung Myung and took a firm step forward.

“Keeeugh!”

The hand gripping the spear trembled violently. His wrist felt as though it had already been broken, and terrible pain washed over him. The toes digging into the ground to support his weight felt as though they were about to snap. Sweat poured down Beon Song’s face, and his eyes bulged with pain.

In those eyes, he saw Chung Myung’s face relentlessly pressing down on the spear. It was horrible.

There was no other way to describe it. It was the face of a beast hunting its prey. But there was one crucial difference between the monster before him and a mere beast: a beast never smiled while hunting.

“Since you didn’t come……”

Chung Myung opened his mouth and lightly pressed down on his sword. And with that force, he once again lifted himself slightly into the air.

At the same time, Chung Myung’s foot stomped down on the spear twice in quick succession.

“I came, didn’t I?”

Thud! Beon Song’s arm, strained to its limit, was forcibly bent, pulling the spear close to his body.

Whoosh! In that instant, Chung Myung spun his body once in the air, kicking hard at the spear handle pressed against Beon Song’s chest.

Boom! The sound echoed through the hall like thunder. Beon Song’s body was sent flying backwards, crashing into a pillar of the main hall.

Crack! Crunch! The pillar split with a loud snap, and dust exploded outwards. The massive pillar, thicker than a man’s body, snapped instantly, and Beon Song’s body was crushed into the hall.

Rumble. The front of the hall, where the pillar had been, collapsed, and pieces of wood and roof tiles fell down like a waterfall. Chung Myung, landing on the ground, let his sword hang loosely as he headed towards the collapsing hall.

Thud. Thud. Chung Myung’s steps, as he walked towards the cloud of dust, came to a halt.

“……Come out.”

“Keeugh……”

Thud! Beon Song, like a wild boar struck by lightning, kicked away the debris of the collapsed hall and leaped forward. He screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Y-you, you, you bastard! I’ll kill you!”

But Chung Myung’s eyes were not on Beon Song. He looked past him, at the hall that still barely maintained its form, and spoke again.

“I said, come out.”

“Hmm.”

After a moment, a low voice echoed from within the hall.

“I suppose one must say, ‘His reputation precedes him.’ The rumors that the Lord of the Fallen Sky admired him might be true. But… how arrogant.”

Two men walked out of the half-collapsed hall, standing to Beon Song’s left and right, and looked at Chung Myung. Their faces showed no emotion, as if death was something they saw every day, to show how cold they are.

“Maninbang?”

The two men nodded simultaneously at Chung Myung’s words.

“Perfect timing. I had something to say to your gang leader. Sending your heads should be enough to convey it.”

“Haha!”

The man shook his head and smiled faintly.

“It seems… you might die here,”

At that moment, Beon Song suddenly shouted, cutting off the man’s words.

“You two, stand back! I will kill that rat! That… that damn bastard dared to break my wrist?”

“Leader.”

“I’ll tear his mouth apart! That damn son of a bitch!”

“Leader……”

“I’ll skin you and use your hide as my drinking cup! You damned bastard! Aargh!”

Wham! In an instant, Beon Song’s head spun around.

It was a truly bizarre sight. How could a person’s head rotate a full circle and return to its original position? Even more strangely, Beon Song’s head rotated not once, but twice, before finding its place. Beon Song’s head, tongue lolling out, wobbled slightly above his twisted neck before limply tilting to the side.

“Tsk. This is why you can’t trust unreliable people.”

Plop. The man glanced at the collapsing Beon Song and lightly dusted off his hands.

“……If you kill him, who will we get the payment from?”

“The remaining ones will pay up. Besides… the payment isn’t the issue right now.”

“That’s not wrong.”

The two men slowly approached Chung Myung.

“To catch a big fish, you have to give up the smaller enemies.”

“Team up?”

“Let’s make sure we win.”

“Good.”

Seeing the two men approaching him while conversing, Chung Myung raised his hand. Then, he used his finger to force a small smile.

The two men tilted their heads at the strange gesture.

“What does that mean?”

“Ah, it’s nothing much. Someone told me it’s better to be a bit of an annoying person.”

“……”

“So, get ready. I’m going to be quite the trouble now. Especially……”

Chung Myung’s eyes flashed with murderous intent.

“To you Maninbang people, that is.”

There was no need for further words. The three men charged fiercely towards each other.