Chapter 1695
"Ahhh!"
The piercing sound of a heart-wrenching scream filled the air, like the wail of a wandering spirit.
Jo Gul murmured, stunned, as he listened to the sound.
"Is this the end? Have we failed?"
"No way!"
Yoon Jong immediately refuted.
"It's Jang Ilso behind this."
If everything ended here, it would only be a false alarm.
Of course, Yoon Jong wished more than anyone that it would end here. But if Jang Ilso and Ho Gakmyung were so soft and compassionate, who would have faced this arduous battle?
They will come. A second and a third attack.
And his target will be just one.
Baek Cheon murmured.
"Do they want to bring down the whole cliff?"
"Probably..."
"Including everyone from the Evil Tyrant Alliance present here?"
"If not, there would be no reason for the Thousand-Faced Gentleman to react that way, don't you think?"
Baek Cheon gritted his teeth for a moment.
He would never get used to this ruthless cruelty. It was always shocking and horrible.
"So, what do we do?"
"What do we do? We must get out of here immediately!"
"Now?"
"What nonsense are you talking about, Gul? What else?"
Baek Cheon shouted vehemently.
They had to evacuate this place as soon as possible. The cliff could collapse at any moment. Perhaps the recent explosion was just preparation for a bigger one.
Even if it wasn't a preparation, it didn't matter. The intentions were too clear.
However, Jo Gul's face still showed hesitation.
"What about the Wudang Sect?"
Baek Cheon's face hardened immediately. The Wudang Sect was still surrounded by enemies.
"Ah..."
They came to rescue the Wudang Sect.
But even if they managed to escape now, there was no guarantee that everyone would survive. Should they continue rescuing the Wudang Sect in this desperate situation?
Baek Cheon's eyes showed a momentary inner conflict.
If the decision only cost him his own life, Baek Cheon would rush without hesitation to rescue the Wudang Sect. There would be no reason to hesitate if he could save at least one more person.
But now, behind Baek Cheon, there were hundreds of brothers and sisters. Could he risk their lives on a gamble?
"I..."
Baek Cheon's eyes trembled violently.
The decision was too deep, and the time to decide was too short. How could it be so cruel?
‘What should I do?’
Baek Cheon clenched his cold fingers tightly.
"Sahyung!"
"Yoon Jong!"
Yoon Jong rushed towards the Wudang Sect without thinking.
The members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, who were stunned after the explosion, instinctively reacted and swung their weapons towards Yoon Jong.
Clang!
Yoon Jong quickly deflected the enemy's weapons and slit their throats.
"Kraaah!"
The scream that tore through their throats awakened the frozen battlefield.
"Sahyung! Damn it!"
"Yoon Jong!"
Jo Gul and Baek Cheon quickly chased after Yoon Jong.
Clang!
Yoon Jong moved his sword faster than ever, defeating the enemies. And he shouted with all his might.
"There’s no time to hesitate!"
"You..."
"Let's move forward and rescue the Wudang Sect! The exit is that way!"
Baek Cheon bit his lower lip hard.
He was right.
In any case, they couldn't return by the cliff. So, the only exit was the opposite side of the cliff.
Ultimately, it meant they had to break through to the Wudang Sect.
‘Damn it!’
Yes, thinking about it, it was a simple problem. How could he have gotten lost in the confusion?
"Mount Hua!"
Baek Cheon shouted so loudly that the cliff seemed to vibrate.
"Don't think about what's left behind and clear the way! Don't spare your internal energy! If we don't break through, we'll all die!"
"Wait, Sahyung!"
Jo Gul shouted in surprise.
"They must also understand the situation! If they have any common sense, they won't try to fight us right now..."
"That's impossible, Gul!"
"They can't be that foolish."
At that moment...
"What are you doing? Kill them!"
The shouts echoed as a response to Jo Gul's doubt.
"Don't pay attention to anything! They are killing the stragglers! Don't let them escape!"
"Fight!"
Indeed, some regained their momentum and brandished their swords, charging towards the members of Mount Hua. The atmosphere, which had cooled, heated up again as if enveloped by fire.
Clang!
Jo Gul blocked the sword of an enemy charging towards him, with a twisted face.
"These idiots...!"
"Ahhh!"
The bloodshot eyes of the enemy met Jo Gul's. He hesitated for a moment. The enemy's eyes did not show the anger of someone who didn't understand the situation but desperation.
‘What...?’
Slash!
Baek Cheon mercilessly cut down the screaming enemy. The hot blood that splashed became the signal.
"Kill them!"
"Ahhh!"
The members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance fiercely charged at the Swordsmen of Mount Hua. Those attacking the Wudang Sect also redoubled their efforts.
"Idiots! If we continue like this, we'll all die!"
"It's useless."
Yoon Jong gritted his teeth.
Ho Gakmyung or Jang Ilso must surely have control over some key leaders. It wouldn't be difficult. There are things people fear more than death.
Those who were confused would follow those leaders in the end. Who would trust the enemy's words more than their superiors'?
"Damn it! Didn't you hear the desperate scream of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman? Idiots!"
Jo Gul was desperate. But his words did not reach the others.
Finally, Jo Gul also began to cut down the enemies. The members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance began to organize and block their way. It was a frustrating situation, and Jo Gul shouted.
"Idiots, the explosives are going to explode!"
"Kill them!"
Yes, they wouldn't believe it. The number of people and their allegiance to the alliance interfered with their judgment.
Even thinking the other way around, they couldn't imagine their superiors burying them all here. Just to catch about a hundred men?
"Get out of the way, idiots!"
"Damn Righteous Faction! I'll kill you all!"
"If we continue like this, we'll all die! Move!"
At that moment, Yoon Jong's voice echoed in their ears.
"You get out, Gul!"
"What?"
Jo Gul quickly moved aside.
"Ooooooh!"
Then, an incredible power from Hye Yeon passed where Jo Gul had been standing.
Boom!
The golden power swept through the members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance who hadn't yet organized.
Jo Gul gripped his sword with determination again.
"I won't die here! Move!"
Clang!
A spear pierced Jin Hyun's chest. Now he couldn't defend himself properly, and he couldn't even block such a simple strike.
"Jin Hyun!"
Clang!
Jin Hyun cut the spear lodged in his chest and stabbed the enemy with his sword.
His body was shattered, but Jin Hyun kept fighting.
"Ugh..."
He was already at his limit.
The limit had already been reached, and his body was overwhelmed by exhaustion.
From somewhere, another death scream was heard. The Wudang Sect was collapsing rapidly, as if the strength they had shown earlier had been their last effort. At the same time, the formation they had managed to maintain also began to crumble.
If it hadn't been for the momentary hesitation of the enemy due to the previous explosion, they probably would have already been defeated.
"Strength..."
Clang!
Mu Jin, who was trying to encourage Jin Hyun, barely blocked a sword coming towards his face. Although he had only blocked a simple strike, his body felt completely shaken inside. His swollen and worn-out wrists no longer felt pain.
‘Is this the end...?'
For a moment, they thought there was hope. But that hope vanished with the great explosion that occurred below the cliff.
Although they didn't want to admit it, they knew what awaited them. There was no way to deny it.
"Ha..."
His heavy breathing sounded both like laughter and crying. They had been completely manipulated.
What hurt Mu Jin the most was that the Wudang Sect had been just bait to lure the Mount Hua Sect to this place.
Clang!
Mu Jin blocked the enemy's attack with all his strength and counterattacked with his sword.
Slash!
With a terrifying sound, his sword pierced flesh. But he couldn't kill the enemy with a single blow; he didn't have enough strength.
The enemy, with the sword lodged in his chest, screamed and counterattacked.
Crack!
A burning pain like fire erupted near his elbow. When Mu Jin stepped back a few steps, a powerful force hit him from somewhere.
Boom!
His exhausted body was thrown back.
The world turned white, and all sound suddenly stopped. In that world filled with deafening silence, Mu Jin lifted his head and looked forward.
The enemies advanced towards the place where he had fallen. It was like a dam breaking and water pouring out, violent and relentless.
The enemies' swords cut through the bodies of his brothers and sisters in slow motion. If this wasn't despair, what was it?
Maybe that scene was the end of the Wudang Sect. Or maybe, the end of the Righteous Faction and Kangho.
‘Ah...’
At that moment, someone appeared in Mu Jin's vision.
Slow but determined steps. In that time when everything seemed to move slowly, he walked alone at his own pace.
Mu Jin's eyes widened as he recognized the familiar figure from behind.
‘Sasuk...’
It was Heo Gong. He, who had been exhausted and without strength, was now standing. Though he barely had the energy to move a finger.
Heo Gong raised his hand. He lifted his sword, which now felt as heavy as a mountain to him.
The one eye Mu Jin had left opened wide in surprise.
‘It can't be...’
At that moment, he clearly heard Heo Gong’s murmur.
"If you let it flow, it will eventually return to its place."
Heo Gong's sword drew a slow circle.
From the bottom left, left to top, top to right. It was a perfect circle that Mu Jin had never seen before.
Then, black and white energy swirled around the sword. It came from the sword of someone who barely had the strength to stand.
"And thus..."
Wooong!
Another energy joined the sword's flow. It was colorless and transparent, yet also clear and pure like the water of a mountain spring.
This energy, pure as the clearest water, was called Seoncheonjigi.
The sword qi, formed by black, white, and blue, rotated on Heo Gong’s sword.
"It is the Taeguk."
Booom!
The energy exploded.
The disciples of the Evil Tyrant Alliance could not withstand the tremendous sword energy and were swept away.
Booom!
The sword qi, formed by Yin and Yang, with the human element added, shattered the bodies of the enemies and drowned their screams.
"Ah..."
What remained was only emptiness. The space in front of Heo Gong was completely deserted. There was no trace of the enemies who had attacked so maliciously.
It was an incredibly astonishing sight, created with a sword by a human being.
There, in the middle of it all, Heo Gong stood alone.
"Sa... Suk..."
Was that voice the signal?
Heo Gong’s stiff, upright body collapsed. It wasn't so much a fall as if he crumbled like sand.
"Ugh..."
Involuntarily, Mu Jin extended his hand towards Heo Gong. His bloody fingers trembled pitifully.
What he had let go of, Heo Gong had held on to until the end. He had given everything to protect the Wudang Sect to the very last moment.
But did it make sense? Anyway, this place...
"Die, monster."
One of the enemies, who had survived the sword’s onslaught, recovered enough to lunge at Heo Gong.
Maybe it wasn't bravery, but a desperate attempt driven by fear. But neither Heo Gong nor Mu Jin had the strength to stop that pathetic attack.
The sword aimed at Heo Gong's nape, who was kneeling with his head bowed.
"Sasuk!"
Mu Jin shouted and extended his hand with all his might.
Crack!
Something long and sharp shot out from the enemy's jaw who wielded the sword.
Whoosh!
The sword flew from his hand and embedded itself in the ground next to Mu Jin.
Crack!
It was a blow that nearly split Mu Jin's body in two, but his gaze was fixed elsewhere.
"Ugh..."
The enemy who had frozen in front of Heo Gong, and the figure who had stabbed his sword like a ghost.
That name was...
"You..."
Slash!
At that moment, someone cut the head of the enemy standing in front of Heo Gong and rushed towards him.
Their eyes met Mu Jin’s, filled with determination.
With his face covered in blood and a fierce expression, that person was...
"Baek Cheon."
"What are you doing?"
Baek Cheon grabbed Mu Jin's shoulder.
"We have no time! We must escape now!"
"But... this place..."
Mu Jin's face darkened.
The Heavenly Comrade Alliance and the Mount Hua Sect had risked everything to save the Wudang Sect. But now, it seemed they would lose everything in return.
In this situation, how could he face them?
"You also know..."
"So what!"
"......"
"So, should we stay and die? Is that the way of the Wudang Sect?"
"I... no..."
"Shut up and come here!"
"Oh, oh!"
Baek Cheon lifted Mu Jin and carried him over his shoulder.
"What are you doing?"
"Shut up! I'm also very confused right now!"
Mu Jin remained silent. Baek Cheon shouted.
"Carry all the survivors! We are escaping now!"
"Yes!"
The disciples of the Mount Hua Sect gritted their teeth and carried the disciples of the Wudang Sect.
Baek Cheon, breathing heavily, looked towards the path at the top of the cliff. It was the path to the top of the Wudang Sect.
‘The path of life!’
If there is a way to survive, it can only be there.
‘I will survive. No, I will save them all.’
Even if he had to risk his life.