Return of the Mount Hua

There’s a crazy bastard after all. (4)

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Whoooooosh!

White energy swirled violently at the tip of the sword. Compressed to its utmost, it burst forth in an instant, sweeping everything before it.

Booooooom!

Having cleared away the enemies charging at him with a single strike, Namgung Hwang roared until his voice was raw.

“Black Dragon King!”

A voice like a lion’s fierce roar.

That single shout crushed the enemy’s fighting spirit and bolstered the morale of his allies.

“Where are you, Black Dragon King?! Have you fled in terror? Come out now! Let’s finish our unsettled duel!”

Boom!

Namgung Hwang’s fierce stomp shook the surroundings violently.

‘That monstrous bastard!’

At the terrifying presence, Yeo Dal [여달(餘獺)], the Old Monster of the Nine Netherworlds [구유노괴(九幽老怪)], Guardian of the Tenth Stronghold of the Yangtze River, turned pale.

Namgung clan was notorious for pursuing dominance unlike other sword sects, but Namgung Hwang’s swordsmanship transcended even that reputation, rising to a bizarre level.

Wasn’t this as though he fired cannons with his sword?

‘Even Paeng family’s heavy blade is gentler than this!’

Though he had witnessed this swordsmanship once before, the sensation this time was entirely different.

Yeo Dal couldn’t discern whether it was because Namgung Hwang’s martial arts had drastically improved over the past three years, or simply because he himself was not the Black Dragon King. Yeo Dal had not yet reached a realm capable of distinguishing such nuances.

“Black Dragon Kiiiiinnnggggg!”

Kwahhhhhh!

“D-Damn it!”

Watching the pavilion shatter into pieces and fly apart, Yeo Dal finally shouted in desperation.

“Retreat! Fall back immediately!”

“G-Guardian! The Black Dragon King ordered us to hold this place no matter what!”

“You idiotic bastards! What’s the point of holding it if we can’t defend it anyway? And who’s going to stop Namgung Hwang? The Black Dragon King isn’t even here right now!”

“T-That’s…”

“Shut up and fall back right now! Before everyone gets killed!”

If the full strength of Surochae had been stationed here, Yeo Dal wouldn’t have chosen to retreat. No matter how formidable Namgung Clan was, Surochae had once been one of Shinjuopae*.

In a small-scale skirmish among experts, they might not be able to overpower Namgung Clan, but in a full-scale war, Surochae could actually overwhelm them.

But right now, they were short on manpower.

The Black Dragon King had been attacking every merchant ship that appeared on the Yangtze River to increase the trade volume through Maehwado. In other words, there were more pirate ships sailing the Yangtze than usual.

Naturally, that meant fewer pirates were left behind to guard this place.

“Retreat! Fall back now! Get on the ships! We’re retreating to the island!”

Yeo Dal gnashed his teeth.

“Damn those Namgung Clan bastards!”

If he surrendered the docks and retreated to Maehwado, the Black Dragon King surely wouldn’t let him off. After all, it was undeniable that he had failed to carry out his orders.

‘Still better than dying here.’

The wrath of the distant Black Dragon King was far less terrifying than Namgung Hwang’s sword right before his eyes.

Booooooom!

Even now, several pirates flew away as mangled bodies each time Namgung Hwang swung his sword.

“Retreat! Hurry!”

At his command, the pirates turned pale and ran desperately.

In fact, even before he’d shouted the order, every one of them had already been thinking only of escape.

Namgung Hwang’s martial prowess was truly overwhelming. It was never something these riffraff gathered here could handle in the first place.

‘How did those useless Just Sects’ bastards move so swiftly?’

The reason the Black Dragon King had chosen to leave despite knowing they had insufficient troops here was precisely because he believed the sluggish Just Sects would spend at least ten days endlessly debating before finally acting.

Who would have imagined that Namgung clan would strike so swiftly, and at such a precise moment?

“Guardian!”

“I know!”

Yeo Dal nodded sharply. There was no more time to waste. Any further hesitation and his own head would roll off next.

“Set sail! Board the ships immedia-”

But suddenly, Yeo Dal’s eyes widened, shaken deeply by what he saw.

Down the main road that ran between the large pavilions – different from the path Namgung Hwang had taken – white-clad warriors surged forward. It was the Azure Sky Sword Unit.

And at the very front, a young martial artist swung his sword like a flash of lightning. Just one glance made it clear – this was not someone they could possibly face.

“Abandon the ships! Damn it, leave the ships behind! Just jump in! Swim to the island!”

There was no time to leisurely launch the boats. Those who had been sharp enough to set sail early had managed to board somehow, but out of the ships still docked at the pier, only two had actually moved towards open water.

Sensing they no longer had time to board, the pirates began hurling themselves into the Yangtze River.

“Out of the way!”

“Don’t grab me, you bastard! Let go!”

“You sons of bitches!”

Utter chaos.

Whether martial artists or soldiers, they’re the same. As long as they carry orders in their heads and have something they believe they must protect, they won’t hesitate to risk their lives.

But the moment that control is lost, all that remains are hundreds of cowards who believe survival is all that matters.

The pirates shoved and pulled at each other, diving into the Yangtze. Struggling to get ahead, they tangled together and fell. Many swung their weapons reflexively at those beside them.

“Aaaargh!”

“Y-You bastard, you stabbed me?!”

Had they retreated in an orderly manner, they would’ve escaped long ago. But trying to be even a moment faster only delayed everything. And the blades of Namgung Clan coldly pierced the backs of those fleeing in such disarray.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Run! Namgung Clan is coming!”

Splash! Splash!

The pirates who had leapt into the water swam swiftly towards Maehwado, slicing through the river with practiced strokes. They didn’t even glance back. But those who hadn’t managed to jump in before Namgung Clan’s swords reached them let out screams and collapsed helplessly on the spot.

And then.

“Hmph!”

As Namgung Hwang’s foot touched the riverbank, the pirates had already split into two categories: those darting through the water, and those lying lifeless on land, never having made it that far.

Namgung Hwang’s eyes blazed with fury.

“To think, just these nobodies!”

A crushing victory.

Even calling it one-sided wouldn’t begin to cover it. But that fact brought Namgung Hwang no joy at all. If anything, his disgust for himself only deepened – for once having feared such pitiful, pathetic scum enough to make peace with them.

“You…!”

Namgung Hwang’s gaze locked onto the two ships that were turning their bows away.

“Out of the way!”

Pushing aside the Azure Sky Sword Unit members at his side, Namgung Hwang raised his sword high above his head.

Goooooooh!

Once again, a dense white energy spiraled around his sword.

The sword energy surged nearly a jang high, concentrating around the blade like a storm.

“No, no!”

“Jump off! Nowwwwwwwww!”

From atop the ship, the pirates who saw the scene turned pale and screamed, flinging themselves overboard. They had already seen all too well what happened when that white energy gathered on his sword.

Boom!

With a powerful stomp, Namgung Hwang slashed his sword straight downward. The energy burst forth like cannon fire, shooting in a direct line towards the ship.

Kwaaaang!

The sword energy slammed into the ship, utterly pulverizing the wooden structure. The timber that directly met the sword energy was reduced to powder, and even the untouched parts couldn’t withstand the force – splintering apart into fragments.

Kwaaaaaang!

In an instant, the entire ship exploded and scattered across the surface of the river. The devastating sight left not only the pirates but even the Azure Sky Sword Unit utterly shocked.

Namgung Hwang’s gaze shifted to the remaining ship. But the pirates on it, sensing what was coming, had already leapt into the river in a desperate bid to escape.

“Tch!”

Judging that there was no point in destroying an empty ship, Namgung Hwang lowered his sword.

The sight of the pirates, swarming like insects, frantically swimming towards Maehwado across the wide river, was revolting.

“…Damn it. That bastard, the Black Dragon King!”

By now, even Namgung Hwang could no longer deny it – the Black Dragon King wasn’t here. The man was cunning, yes, but not someone who would ever run from a fight. If he’d been here, he would’ve already stood in Namgung Hwang’s path.

“My Lord. A complete victory!”

“…A complete victory?”

Namgung Hwang turned around.

Following his orders, the merchants who had taken shelter inside the pavilions had now gathered behind him, cheering with raised arms. It meant the pirates who had dared to step foot on the northern bank of the Yangtze had all been killed or driven away.

“Hmph!”

But Namgung Hwang couldn’t feel satisfied with just this.

“What do you mean, ‘complete victory’?!”

“Pardon?”

“Since when did reclaiming what was already ours count as a victory?! A victory is when you take what belongs to someone else and make it your own! No one calls it a victory just because they drove out a thief from their own house!”

At those words, Namgung Myeong lowered his head.

“To think we buried our heads for three whole years, afraid of some pirates we could’ve crushed at any time…”

Namgung Hwang ground his teeth, his eyes blazing.

No so-called victory like this could make up for the years they had lost. The Black Dragon King wasn’t even here, nor was the elite force of Surochae, the Black Dragon Stronghold. Killing a thousand of these worthless bottom-feeders wouldn’t be enough to satisfy his rage.

“Prepare the boats!”

“M-My Lord?!”

“There!”

Namgung Hwang’s chin pointed towards the island at the center of the river.

“Is that place Gangbuk? Or Gangnam?”

“Th-That’s…”

Unable to answer, Namgung Myeong hesitated, so Namgung Dowi, standing beside him, spoke up instead.

“It’s not Gangbuk, but it’s not Gangnam either. It’s just an island in the middle of the river.”

“Exactly!”

Namgung Hwang shouted in a booming voice.

“Even if it was a treaty born out of mistake, a treaty is still a treaty. Until its term ends, Namgung Clan will not step foot in Gangnam. That means Namgung always honors their word!”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“But that place isn’t Gangnam, is it?!”

Namgung Hwang’s eyes blazed with fire.

“Prepare the boats. I can no longer stand watching those filthy pirate bastards fortify that island and aim for Gangbuk. I will land on that island myself and tear every last one of those vermin to pieces!”

“M-My Lord, it’s too dangerous. Please reconsider.”

Namgung Myeong pleaded urgently.

“As you can see, it’s an island. To approach it, we must go by water.”

“And?”

“In other words, if we enter that island, we may be cut off. It’s a location where our reinforcements would struggle to reach, but the pirates could easily attack.”

“Do you think I don’t know that?”

“Pardon?”

Namgung Hwang turned to Namgung Myeong, eyes still boiling with fury.

“Hwasan held that land for three whole years. That island – completely outside the bounds of the treaty and open to attack at any time!”

“T-That’s…”

“Are you trying to say that what Hwasan managed to do… no, what even Nokrim bandits accomplished… our Namgung Clan cannot?”

“T-That’s absolutely not what I meant. But still…!”

“Then get ready.”

“M-My Lord, please, just listen to me one more time-”

As Namgung Myeong tried once more to dissuade him, Namgung Hwang clicked his tongue in displeasure.

“I’m not so dull that I can’t understand what you’re thinking. It’s not as if I’ve lost my senses and am charging in blindly.”

“…”

“Don’t you see? The Black Dragon King isn’t there right now. And the Black Dragon Stronghold isn’t either. That island is unoccupied. If we don’t strike now, it’ll be ten times harder to take it later.”

“That may be true, but…”

“If you can’t act when the opportunity comes, you’ll have to spend twice the effort afterwards. Now is the time to move!”

Namgung Myeong bit his lip, then nodded. Namgung Hwang’s words weren’t wrong.

“Understood, My Lord!”

“Set sail! We’ll take that island!”

“Yes!”

Namgung Hwang’s fierce gaze locked onto Maehwado.

‘Black Dragon King. I’ll seize you by your throat myself – I, Namgung Hwang!’

A triumphant smile spread across his face.

Next chapter >>>

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*Shinjuopae – Five Overlords/Tyrants of the Divine Land [신주오패(神州五覇)]. You can find the names of the sects/organizations in the Glossary. 

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