Return of the Mount Hua

I too am someone who couldn’t uphold my principles. (3)

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“How extensive is the damage?”  

“So far, about fifty casualties have been confirmed. Among them, it seems that around twenty have not made it back alive.”  

“Twenty… Out of fifty…”  

Zhuge Jain reported with a calm expression, but Tang Gunak’s face hardened as he listened.  

Although it was a sudden ambush, the actual time spent in combat wasn’t very long. Considering that, the damage wasn’t insignificant.  

“What do you mean by ‘so far confirmed’?”  

“There are still some who haven’t returned yet.”  

“…”  

“They were spread out across the wide mountain, so it couldn’t be helped. While most are presumed dead, we are intensifying the search, as some might be unable to return due to injuries.”  

“…I see.”  

Tang Gunak’s voice faintly wavered.  

The sect that suffered the greatest loss from this ambush was none other than Zhuge family. That meant that most of the missing would likely be from Zhuge family as well.  

“Do not spare any manpower in the search.”  

“Of course. However…”  

“Is there a problem?”  

“It’s not exactly a problem, but to search the mountain, we will need to divide our forces. I’m concerned that the same thing might happen again.”  

Tang Gunak let out a sigh without realizing it.

“Even so, we can’t leave any possible injured behind. If we increase our numbers, the risk should decrease.”  

“I’ll follow your orders. Ah, and there’s something else you should know.”  

“Yes.”  

“Those who faced the Blood Palace are telling strange stories.”  

“Strange stories?”  

“Yes. They say the Blood Palace members healed their wounds right on the spot.”  

At this, Moyong Wigyeong and Pung Yeong Shin Gae, who had been silent until now, spoke up in surprised voices.  

“What do you mean…?”  

“Did you say they healed right then and there?”  

“Yes. Moreover, it seems these testimonies are coming from multiple sources, suggesting that the ones using this strange sorcery aren’t just a few.”  

“And how exactly did they say the healing occurred?”  

“From what I’ve heard, it seems they had something implanted in their bodies. Something strange, like worms, wriggled inside them and instantly mended their wounds.”  

“This is… troubling.”  

Moyong Wigyeong’s face grew more serious than ever before.  

Gangho holds sorcery in contempt and shuns it.  

It’s not because they consider sorcery to be trivial or insignificant.  

Everyone in Gangho who has any wisdom knows how powerful and dangerous sorcery can be, something that cannot be dealt with using ordinary means.  

The reason they disdain sorcery despite this is because sorcery always comes with a price. Those who become obsessed with it often lose their humanity. It’s not uncommon for them to become demons, committing acts beyond the imagination of a normal person with a clear conscience. 

“Isn’t it possible that those who faced them were simply lacking in skill?”  

“…Even the disciples of Hwasan have reported the same thing.”  

“Hwasan as well?”  

“Among them was Jo Geol, the One Sword Splitting Light [일검분광 or Flashing Blade]. He said they couldn’t respond at all.”  

This statement hit like a final nail.  

Jo Geol, known as the One Sword Splitting Light, is one of the most prominent rising stars in Gangho today.  

In truth, his skills have already surpassed what would typically be expected of a rising star. Although martial prowess is difficult to measure precisely, judging by his achievements thus far, it’s not outlandish to compare him to the elders of major sects.  

If even someone like Jo Geol couldn’t handle it, then this is an extremely serious issue.  

At that moment, Pung Yeong Shin Gae spoke with a heavy expression.  

“It’s difficult to comprehend. If there are many like them, then the strength of the Blood Palace is incomparable to what we initially thought. Perhaps…”  

Pung Yeong Shin Gae paused for a moment, scanning the room.  

At this, Maeng So, the Lord of the Beast Palace, chuckled and completed the thought.  

“The other three palaces outside of the Central Plains wouldn’t even compare.”  

Pung Yeong Shin Gae slightly nodded.  

“But why would they have held back such power until now? There’s no reason for them to do so.”  

The others in the room nodded in agreement.

If they possessed such terrifying strength, they could have won the battle in Hubei much more easily. It’s hard to believe that Jang Ilso would have just kept those forces idle.  

“While the reason isn’t of the utmost importance right now, if we were to speculate, we could consider two possibilities.”  

“Two?” 

“Yes. One possibility is that Jang Ilso cannot fully control the Blood Palace. No matter how powerful Sapaeryeon is, the sects from outside the Central Plains don’t follow our laws to begin with.”  

Once again, everyone nodded in agreement. After all, even those present here couldn’t treat sects like the Beast Palace and the Ice Palace, which belong to Cheonumaeng, the same way they would other sects. This isn’t merely a matter of feeling distant from non-Central-Plainers – it’s a fundamentally different issue.  

Moyong Wigyeong pressed his temples, still looking deeply puzzled.  

“But if that’s the case, why now…?”  

“Because of the current situation, I would assume. This leads to the second possible reason.”

“Yes?”  

“Shaolin and Wudang have lost their power.”  

“Ah…”  

Moyong Wigyeong exhaled sharply.  

The power of sorcery is difficult to counter with ordinary martial arts. However, the reason sorcery was pushed out of the Central Plains was incredibly simple. The sects that were the natural enemies of such sorcery held the greatest power in the Central Plains.  

Shaolin and Wudang.  

The Buddhist teachings of Shaolin and the Taoist force of Wudang are the nemeses of all sorcery. No sorcery could maintain its power before them. But now, Shaolin has lost more than half of its strength and has closed its doors, while Wudang’s very existence as a sect has been jeopardized.  

“…So those who have mastered sorcery no longer have any reason to fear the Central Plains.”  

“Exactly.” 

Tang Gunak fell into deep thought. The situation was more severe than he had anticipated.  

The casualties were strangely high despite the short duration of the battle.  

If the losses occurred because they couldn’t deal with sorcery, it made sense.

“This is indeed a grave matter, isn’t it?”  

“…It certainly isn’t something to take lightly.”  

“Hmm…”  

“We can’t do anything about what has already happened. The most pressing concern is that the same thing could happen again in the future.”

A moment of silence settled over the group. A shadow fell across everyone’s face.  

“Then… what about requesting help from Shaolin? Now might not be the time for them to remain in Bongmun.”  

“That would be impossible.”  

“What? But regardless of the heavy losses they’ve suffered…”  

“That’s not what I mean. Just because someone has learned Shaolin’s martial arts doesn’t mean they can all suppress sorcery. To reach the level where they can counter such sorcery requires deep understanding and extensive training. But now, Shaolin…” 

The situation at Shaolin was dire. The elder-level monks, who had undergone such prolonged training and possessed that profound understanding, had been wiped out. The remaining disciples of Shaolin haven’t yet reached that depth in their training.  

Even if they were somehow brought here, they wouldn’t be much different from those already present.  

“…Then Wudang isn’t much better off, I assume.”  

“Indeed.”

“Damn it. That bastard Heo Do, meddling unnecessarily…”  

Moyong Wigyeong cursed openly, an unusual display of frustration for someone of his stature. But no one in the room tried to stop him. Had Heo Do Jinin not mobilized the elders in an ill-fated attempt to capture Jang Ilso, leading to enormous losses, they wouldn’t be in such a frustrating situation now.  

“Then…”

As everyone groaned, unable to find an adequate solution, Jongli Gok, the Sect Leader of Jongnam, spoke up.

“Sorcery is difficult to deal with precisely because it’s sorcery. No matter how much we put our heads together, the answer won’t come easily. But before that, I believe we should first consider why we need to find that answer.”  

“What do you mean by that?”  

“No matter how extraordinary, it’s still just sorcery. It’s not impossible to deal with. If you can’t kill them by cutting them down, you can slit their throats, and if this doesn’t work, you can crush them, can’t you?”  

A long sigh escaped from Zhuge Jain’s lips.  

“In theory, you’re not wrong. In fact, the Young Lord of Namgung clan faced them in just that way, according to what I’ve heard.”  

“Then isn’t that a reason not to worry…?”  

“But how many people can actually manage that?”  

“…”  

“Those of you here might be able to handle them easily. But considering the enemies are numerous, are you planning to personally hunt down every member of the Blood Palace scattered across the battlefield?” 

Jongli Gok, who was briefly at a loss for words, sighed.  

Indeed, that was true. After all, the enemies of Cheonumaeng were not limited to just the Blood Palace. 

Tang Gunak, who had been quietly contemplating the lack of a solution, suddenly turned his gaze to Zhuge Jain.  

“Wait. Then why did they retreat so easily?”  

“That’s exactly the issue I wanted to discuss here. A disciple of Hwasan, Yoon Jong, reportedly defeated the sorcerers with a single strike.”  

“Yoon Jong? Is that true?” 

Tang Gunak blinked in surprise. Not Yu Iseol or Jo Geol, but Yoon Jong?  

Zhuge Jain’s eyes gleamed slightly.  

“It might be best to hear the details directly from him.”  

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“…That’s how it happened.”  

“Hmm. Immortal energy, you say…”  

Yoon Jong, who had rushed over after tending to the wounded, shrank slightly under the heavy stares directed at him from all sides.  

“What do you think?”  

“It’s possible. The reason Wudang was considered the nemesis of those who use sorcery is because they could imbue their swords with immortal energy. There’s no reason Hwasan, being a Taoist sect, couldn’t do the same.”  

Of course, this explanation wasn’t entirely precise.  

Hwasan is a sect with stronger worldly elements compared to Wudang.  

In terms of utilizing immortal energy, it was generally believed that Hwasan was lacking compared to Wudang, which pursued the Tao in a more secluded environment.  

That was the conventional wisdom. 

‘Until now, that is.’

Zhuge Jain watched Yoon Jong closely with sharp eyes.  

Using immortal energy could weaken an opponent’s sorcery.  

But that didn’t mean it would make them easy to defeat.  

However, based on the explanation from Yoon Jong himself and the testimonies of the witnesses, it seemed that Yoon Jong had nearly neutralized the enemy’s sorcery.  

This implied that Yoon Jong’s immortal energy was even more formidable than that of Wudang’s elders.  

‘Logically, this shouldn’t be possible, but…’

Considering that Hwasan has been defying logic for quite some time now, it’s not entirely surprising.

Zhuge Jain exhaled briefly and then spoke.  

“Let me ask you something first. Could you always use immortal energy?”  

“Your question is a bit ambiguous…”  

“Hmm?” 

Yoon Jong looked directly at Zhuge Jain and answered.  

“If you’re asking whether I’ve always had such power, then I would have to say yes. But if you’re asking whether I’ve always been able to use it, then the answer is no.”

Zhuge Jain immediately understood the meaning behind Yoon Jong’s words.  

“You had the power but only became able to utilize it recently.”  

“That’s how it is.”  

“Then are the other disciples of Hwasan the same as you?”  

Yoon Jong hesitated briefly before responding.

“The Tao that each of us pursues is different, so I can’t answer definitively. However, I am confident that anyone who bears the name of Hwasan carries the same energy as I do, though the magnitude may vary.”  

“Then do you think it’s possible to draw out that power?”  

“…Pardon?”  

Zhuge Jain glanced at the others in the room. No one showed any signs of opposition, as if they had already entrusted everything to him.

“This is an extremely important matter. Whether that’s possible or not could determine the fate of the Central Plains.”  

“…”  

“As you’ve likely sensed, the enemy’s sorcery is difficult to counter. The bigger issue is that we don’t even know the full extent of how many sorcerers we’re up against. What if a number of them were deployed that we simply couldn’t handle?” 

It didn’t take much imagination to understand the potential consequences.  

Even Yoon Jong had nearly lost his life, overwhelmed by the enemy’s sorcery. If such monsters were to wreak havoc across the battlefield, the devastation would be inevitable.  

“Do you understand?”  

“…Yes.”  

“We need to increase the number of people who can resist that strange power, even if it’s just by one. This is the most urgent priority.”

Yoon Jong remained silent for a moment. Seeing this, Tang Gunak stepped forward.  

“…Yoon Jong Dojang. I understand that the situation is chaotic right now. But we don’t have the luxury of fully assessing every detail of this calamity. We must prepare ourselves because we don’t know when the enemy will strike again.”  

Tang Gunak paused, looking intently at Yoon Jong.

“And the only one who can take on this responsibility right now, as the de facto senior disciple of Hwasan, is you. So, what do you say? Can you do it?”

There were many implications in his words.  

Though Cheonumaeng is in disarray, Hwasan is even more shaken. The absence of Baek Cheon has destabilized Hwasan more than anyone anticipated.  

The only person who can bring order to this situation is Yoon Jong. All of these unspoken meanings were contained in Tang Gunak’s words. Yoon Jong understood this well.  

Yoon Jong quietly lowered his head.  

As the room fell silent, Tang Gunak and the other leaders of Cheonumaeng looked at him with earnest hope.  

Yoon Jong felt the heavy weight on his shoulders.  

Finally, he spoke slowly.  

“First… please retract the statement that I am the supposed senior disciple of Hwasan. Everyone at Hwasan, including myself, knows who truly holds that position. No one can take his place.”

Tang Gunak’s eyes filled with regret, thinking Yoon Jong was about to refuse. However, Yoon Jong quickly lifted his head and continued speaking.  

“But if it’s a duty that I must bear not as the senior disciple, but just as a disciple of Hwasan, I will do my utmost to fulfill it.”  

“…”  

“Because that is what I must do now.”  

His gaze was calm and resolute. Seeing this, Tang Gunak nodded deeply.  

“I’ll be counting on you.”  

“Yes.” 

For now, they could only rely on Hwasan and Yoon Jong.  

Tang Gunak sighed quietly to himself.  

‘This won’t be easy.’

Yoon Jong would undoubtedly do his best, but there would inevitably be limitations due to his position and circumstances.  

‘At times like this…’

Tang Gunak shook his head as if trying to dispel the thoughts that were starting to form.

Perhaps it wasn’t the disciples of Hwasan who felt Baek Cheon’s absence most acutely, but rather the other leaders of Cheonumaeng.

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