Return of the Mount Hua Sect (HTL 1634+)

❀ ❀ ❀

"This cursed...!"

Namgung Dowi rarely cursed, but he couldn't help it this time.

"Amitabha…"

Even Hye Yeon, who had rushed there with him, closed his eyes as if he couldn't bear to witness the horrific scene before them.

They had seen similar sights along the Yangtze River in the past, but this was far more blatant and gruesome.

To think that such a massacre would unfold in the heart of Hubei.

"Where are they?"

"They seem to have already moved on to another location."

"Find out which direction they went! Immediately!"

"Yes! Sojagu... No, Budangju-nim!" [tl note: budangju= deputy faction leader]

The furious Namgung Dowi's command sent the Tang Family members scattering in all directions. Namgung Dowi bit down hard on his lower lip.

Griit.

"....Those bastards."

Having grown up in a prestigious family, harsh words felt foreign to him. But at this moment, even uttering unfamiliar curses seemed like the only way to alleviate the overwhelming anger that threatened to burst from his chest.

"Siju, you are still not fully healed…" [tl note: Siju is an honorable term used by a monk to address a non-monk.]

"This is no time to worry about my injuries."

Namgung Dowi's cold retort made Hye Yeon sigh quietly to himself.

'He's not wrong, but...'

Even as they lingered, innocent lives were being lost. There was no time to hesitate or be cautious.

But still...

Hye Yeon cast a troubled glance around.

The eyes of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance members, who were scouring the area for traces of the enemies that had trampled the village, were bloodshot. It was as if they had lost half of their sanity.

It was only natural. Anyone who could remain indifferent to such a horrific slaughter of innocents would have no right to call themselves righteous.

'But.… their anger is too great.'

Though they should have been accustomed to death by now, it seemed that the deaths of civilians affected them differently. Instead of fear, they were armed with rage and hatred, like starving hunting dogs chasing after the enemy's trail.

"Over here!"

"Are you certain?"

"Yes!"

A member of the Beggars' Union nodded emphatically.

"I'm quite skilled in tracking. There are signs that a large group moved in this direction. Judging by the footprints, they were definitely not civilians."

That was all they needed to hear.

"Pursue them as quickly as possible!"

"Siju."

Namgung Dowi turned at Hye Yeon's call and asked.

"Do you have any other thoughts?"

Though his tone was as polite as usual, there was a subtle anger in his voice.

Hye Yeon, who had been silently staring at Namgung Dowi, shook his head. There was a look of pity in his eyes.

"No, nothing at all."

"Then we will continue the pursuit."

"Yes, Siju."

Namgung Dowi immediately launched himself forward, and the others followed, gritting their teeth as they ran.

Left alone, Hye Yeon's face was shadowed with deep concern.

'I hope this anger doesn't return to harm them.'

But there was no way to quell the anger that was spreading like wildfire all around them.

❀ ❀ ❀

"There!"

"I can see it!"

The disciples of Mount Hua, who had been running at full speed, shouted out loudly. Indeed, the shape of a village was starting to appear faintly in the distance.

'I hope it's not too late!'

That was the only hope they had right now.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know. But for now..."

Jo Geol bit his lip tightly.

It was still unclear whether they were too late or not. However, the fact that there was no smoke rising from the village yet gave them some hope.

"There, over there!"

But at that moment, someone cried out in horror.

Thick black smoke began to billow from the village. The sight caused the faces of the Mount Hua disciples to twist in fury.

"Those bastards have done it again...!"

Of course, those scum wouldn't always follow a systematic order of killing everyone first and then setting fire to the place. So the smoke didn't necessarily mean the entire village was wiped out.

But it was certainly a clear sign that a massacre was taking place there.

"I'm going ahead!"

Whoosh!

Driven by urgency, Jo Geol shot forward like an arrow.

"Stop! You idiot!"

Yoon Jong tried to stop him, but Jo Geol didn't even pretend to listen. Of course, Jo Geol knew that all his fellow sahyungs were doing their best. But if he waited and matched their pace, he might lose the chance to save even one life.

Whether this decision was right or not, he couldn't know for sure...

"Don't hesitate, just run."

At that moment, a calm voice, almost out of place in the situation, came from just behind his shoulder. Though it seemed calm, there was a subtle undercurrent of anger in it, noticeable only to those who had spent a long time with her.

Hearing that voice solidified Jo Geol's resolve.

Crack!

Jo Geol's foot hit the ground so hard it cracked, and he shot forward like a streak of lightning.

"Strategist, it's them."

"Hm."

Ho Gamyeong's eyes darkened slightly.

'I expected them to take half a day longer, but they're unpredictable.'

They are slow, but fast. How can such contradictory terms apply to the same people?

Their response had been anything but quick, yet their pursuit speed was alarmingly fast.

This indicated a dangerous level of mobility, which must be factored into their plans.

Ho Gamyeong surveyed the surroundings.

Bloodied corpses lay scattered everywhere, and the flames were steadily consuming the village, growing in size.

"Retreat."

"What?"

"Leave ten behind to finish off the remaining survivors in the village."

"L-Leave them behind, you say...?"

"Ah, no, wait a moment."

Ho Gamyeong suddenly directed his gaze towards a corner of the village. He spoke coldly.

"There's no need for that, after all."

Those who had long been craving the taste of blood were now slaughtering the villagers without restraint. They had released everything they had been holding back, so even if he gave the order, they wouldn't react immediately.

There was no need to select a few to stay behind, as there would naturally be stragglers who would fall behind.

"That's enough. Gather everyone."

"Yes, sir!"

Ho Gamyeong's orders were promptly relayed.

Those who had been scouring the village turned and gathered around Ho Gamyeong.

As he counted their numbers, Ho Gamyeong narrowed his eyes. The number of people assembled was smaller than expected. It was only a difference of about ten, but it was still a sign that his command—and by extension, the command of Evil Tyrant Alliance—was weaker than he had anticipated.

However, he wasn't going to address that issue now. For now, confirming the situation was enough.

"We retreat at full speed. Don't let them even catch your shadow."

"Yes, sir!"

Without hesitation, Ho Gamyeong turned sharply, ready to push off the ground, but then he suddenly paused and looked back as if something had come to mind.

"Before that… there's something we need to take care of."

"What is it?"

Confusion filled the eyes of his subordinates as they looked at him.

"Aahhhhh!"

Jo Geol charged into the village.

As he dashed between the burning houses, a horrific scene unfolded before his eyes.

People who hadn't even had the chance to close their eyes were lying dead. Their still-warm blood stained the earth a dark red. Mangled corpses lay scattered everywhere. This was different from the malice he had encountered in the previous village.

"Where are they?"

Jo Geol, half-mad, frantically searched for the enemies' tracks. His bloodshot eyes made him look like a maniac.

"Where are they?!"

At that moment, a sharp scream pierced his ears.

Whoosh!

Before his mind could even register the sound, his body reacted first.

The scenery around him blurred as the world elongated, but in the center, where Jo Geol's gaze was fixed, everything became twice as clear.

A man was grabbing a woman by her hair, preparing to slice her throat. What had looked small, like a child's fist, quickly filled Jo Geol's entire field of vision.

"You bastard!"

Just as the man, laughing maniacally as he was about to behead the woman, turned his head in surprise, Jo Geol's sword buried itself in the man's thick neck before he could comprehend what was happening.

Thud!

Jo Geol's sword slashed through the neck in one clean blow. With a loud thud, the man's head was sent flying into the air.

Thud.

The man's body crumpled to the ground like a rotten tree.

"What the…?"

"Who is this guy?"

Even though they were intoxicated by blood, they couldn't fail to notice their comrade's death. All eyes focused on Jo Geol at once.

But Jo Geol had nothing to say to them.

Whoosh!

His sword erupted with explosive speed, splitting into twelve different paths in mid-air.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Each strike, filled with pure, concentrated inner power, pierced through the bodies of the Evil Tyrant Alliance members in an instant. It was a strike so filled with killing intent that no one could deny its brutality, even if it seemed uncharacteristic for someone from a righteous sect.

But no one in the world could criticize Jo Geol's actions right now.

He swiftly moved on to the next person in front of him.

"Urgh…!"

The enemy, even after having his abdomen pierced, instinctively swung his blade.

Slash!

But Jo Geol's sword impaled the man's arm, causing the blade to fall from his grip.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

Jo Geol severed the man's elbow and tore through the muscles of his shoulder. Not satisfied, he delivered dozens more slashes to the man's chest.

Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!

Jo Geol bit down hard on his lip.

'It's not enough.'

Not ten times, not even a hundred times… Even if he slashed a thousand times, it wouldn't be enough to make them pay for their crimes.

It's not enough. Human bodies are too fragile to bear the full weight of their sins. They die far too easily.

Even as they were being cut down, these men still clutched severed heads in their hands. How could one possibly mete out justice for them?

There was a time when Jo Geol thought that Cheong Myeong's methods were too cruel. He had thought, "Death comes only once, and if the result is the same, why go out of your way to inflict even more pain?"

But now, Jo Geol understood.

This sword wasn't just an outlet for his rage. He simply wanted to pay them back for even a fraction of the evil they had committed.

"You… bastard!"

One of the Evil Tyrant Alliance members, seeing Jo Geol turn his comrade into a piece of meat, frantically thrust his sword towards Jo Geol's back.

However…

Slash!

Thud.

The hand holding the sword was neatly severed and fell to the ground.

"What…"

Before he could even fully register the pain, a pair of cold, piercing eyes came into view. Eyes so chilling that they seemed to emanate an actual frost.

Stab!

"Gurgle…"

Something long pierced through his throat and was pulled out.

Before he even realized that it was Mount Hua's famous Plum Blossom Sword, the world went dark, and he saw no more light.

"Not even hell will take you."

The last voice he heard as his consciousness faded was as cold as ice.

Whoosh!

Yoo Iseol, who had swiftly dispatched the enemy, moved her sword as fluidly as water.

Jo Geol shouted, protesting that these men didn't deserve such an easy death.

"Sago!"

"We don't have time to waste."

But Yoo Iseol coldly dismissed Jo Geol's words. She then pointed with the tip of her sword.

"There."

A group was already retreating from the village. The very devils that had turned every place they passed into a living hell.

"What will you do?"

"What do you mean, 'What'?"

Jo Geol gritted his teeth.

"We chase them! Even to the ends of hell."

"Alright."

Yoo Iseol nodded without hesitation. Then the two of them simultaneously launched themselves into the pursuit.