That’s the answer. (3)
“…Huh?”
Jo Geol’s gaze turned to one side.
Namgung’s sword energy was rising in dazzling splendor.
This time, his gaze swiftly shifted to the other side. The truly weighty sword of Jongnam, like Mount Tai, was blocking the enemy.
Dominance [패(覇)] and Weight [중(重)].
Though similar, these two clearly distinct swords poured towards the enemy as if to test each other.
“Ooooooooh!”
At that moment, as the two swords opened a path, the nearby members of Cheonumaeng, who had been cowering, suddenly grew bold and began to confront the enemy.
“No, no!”
Jo Geol urgently pointed and suddenly shouted.
“Look at that, look at that! Isn’t that what we were supposed to do? Because Sahyeong hesitated, those guys took the initiative!”
“…”
“Waiting for orders, my ass! Since when have we ever waited for orders! If we’re from Hwasan, we should act like that and charge in like a dog that’s spotted a rabbit! Sahyeong, l’ll overlook your mistake, so even now, hurry… Aaaagh!”
“You foul-mouthed brat, you idiot! You bastard! Is ‘a dog that’s spotted a rabbit’ something you can just attach to our sect’s name? I’ll… I’ll show you!”
Yoon Jong seized the back of Jo Geol’s head and gave his lips a few sharp slaps. Perhaps even Jo Geol realized he’d gone too far with his words, as he offered little resistance and merely jerked his head from side to side before shouting again.
“N-Now… isn’t that not what matters right now! We’ve got to do something too!”
“We are doing something right now, so stay put.”
“Huh? How is staying put considered doing something?”
“Right now, that counts as doing something.”
Jo Geol’s face suddenly twisted. His expression seemed to ask, ‘Has this guy finally lost his mind?’ Infuriated by that blatantly – no, almost perversely – provocative look, Yoon Jong was about to say something when Im Sobyeong nodded and cut in.
“Hmm. Indeed, Yoon Jong Dojang doesn’t seem like a typical person from Hwasan.”
With the tip of his fan, he tapped lightly on his own head.
“No, wait… Maybe it’s because all of those who led Hwasan up until now were all out of their minds, making him look more normal…”
Im Sobyeong mumbled to himself for a moment, then shrugged as if to say he didn’t know either, and offered a short comment.
“It’s not a bad decision.”
“No way. Has this gentleman completely lost it too? What do you mean it’s not bad!”
Jo Geol, clearly agitated, pointed forward almost as if stabbing the air.
“Can’t you see? That’s just a small part! At a time like this, we should charge in and flip the entire tide of the battle! Now is our chance!”
Im Sobyeong looked at Jo Geol with an expression of curious fascination.
“Oh.”
“Oh? ‘Oh’ my foot, you damn Sapa bastard!”
“Hold it! Hold it!”
“Calm down, Sahyeong! We’re at war!”
Those around them desperately tried to restrain the frenzied Jo Geol. Im Sobyeong watched this and snickered.
“You’ve seen it quite clearly. Now is exactly the right time to step up.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying! So why are we just staying put here?”
“Because Jo Geol Dojang said so.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
Jo Geol blinked. Im Sobyeong gave him a gentle smile.
“If it’s something that Jo Geol Dojang understands, do you think others don’t know it as well?”
“Well…”
Jo Geol flinched. Then he turned his gaze elsewhere, scanning his surroundings.
Soon, Im Sobyeong’s voice, almost a sigh, has reached his ears.
“It’s not just the people here who want to run wild regardless of orders or whatever else. Who do you think we have to thank for that?”
❀ ❀ ❀
“That foolish bastard…”
The sound of grinding teeth flowed out clearly.
Jin Geumryong’s gaze was fixed on Lee Songbaek’s back. Even though he must have heard the Sect Leader’s order not to act rashly, that thoughtless guy stood at the very front, facing the enemy.
“Sahyeong!”
“Just give the order, and we’ll drag him back!”
A few Jongnam’s disciples, having noticed Jin Geumryong’s gaze, spoke up quickly.
But Jin Geumryong only continued to glare at Lee Songbaek without giving any instructions. In such a situation, the other disciples of Jongnam had no choice but to remain silent.
Lee Songbaek stood before the enemy.
His style lacked flashiness, but it was firmer than any sword in the world. He was blocking the barrage of attacks like an iron wall. That solidity left even those watching from behind breathless.
“…Impressive.”
Someone murmured as if spellbound. Jin Geumryong subtly furrowed his brow and looked in that direction. Realizing too late that he had misspoken, the speaker flinched and lowered his head.
Once again, Jin Geumryong said nothing. He only cast his gaze, and though it didn’t explicitly convey anger or reproach, it was distinctly uncomfortable.
After a moment, Jin Geumryong turned his attention back to Lee Songbaek.
Thirty-Six Swords Under the Heaven [천하삼십육검(天下三十六劍) – cheonha-samsib-yuggeom]… The sword of Jongnam.
‘When did he become like this…?’
Even Jin Geumryong couldn’t deny it. It was hard to find any flaw in the swordsmanship Lee Songbaek displayed. It was enough to make him wonder if Lee Songbaek might be the one who could break through that iron wall.
But precisely because of that, he could not accept that sword.
‘Even if he becomes so remarkable, what difference does it make?’
If one only retraced the steps of the past, one would forever remain at the feet of their ancestors. Even if he perfectly mastered the Thirty-Six Swords Under the Heaven, the limit was clear.
That must not happen.
A sect must always move forward. And the sect’s sword must also continue to develop.
Even if the sword’s beginnings are nothing more than an imitation of Hwasan, if it can fully take on its own color and erase the hues of Hwasan, wouldn’t that also be considered progress?
“Jong Seohan.”
“Yes, Sahyeong!”
“Follow me from behind.”
“Unders… Yes?”
Jong Seohan, who had reflexively bowed his head, flinched and lifted it again. Doubt filled his eyes.
“I will show them clearly – the sword chosen by the current Jongnam.”
“J-Just a moment, Sahyeong! The Sect Leader…!”
“With that Hwasan’s bastard rampaging out there, are we supposed to stand by quietly and watch? I will take responsibility! Stop whining and follow me!”
Without waiting for an answer, Jin Geumryong charged forward with terrifying speed.
“Huh…”
Jong Seohan stood speechless for a moment, staring blankly at Jin Geumryong’s retreating figure.
Fwoooosh!
Jin Geumryong descended like a swooping hawk, pure-white sword energy swirling around him like raging snow flurries.
“His damned pride, as always.”
It was utterly fatal. One cannot unleash such a fierce, ice-sharp* sword energy merely by refusing to lose.
Surely, the regret he held for Jin Dongryong and the fury aimed at those who had made him this way were poured into that sword. But of course, he would never admit such feelings aloud.
Jong Seohan shouted fiercely.
“What are you doing! Didn’t you hear Sahyeong? Follow him!”
“Yes!”
The few disciples of Jongnam quickly shot forward, chasing after Jin Geumryong towards the frontline.
“Anyway…”
Jong Seohan fixed his gaze on Lee Songbaek, who was firmly holding back the enemy even at this very moment, and on Jin Geumryong, who was pressing the enemy not far away. The two men’s distinctly different swords stood in stark contrast, as if deliberately drawn that way.
Which one is the true sword of Jonagnam?
Who knows. Jong Seohan need not worry about that. Someday, those two will provide the answer. For that to happen…
Jong Seohan gritted his teeth and stomped the ground. A loud shout burst from his mouth, louder than even he himself had expected.
“Jongnam is here too!”
First, they must win here and now. Even if they must stake everything on it.
Boom!
“Whew!”
Mu Jin’s sword vibrated slightly.
‘Is this right?’
He had no certainty in the matter. Therefore, he couldn’t know why he stood here.
Boom!
To make matters worse, his wounds had not fully healed. For him, just standing at the front lines was overwhelming and exhausting.
Given the situation, he couldn’t even dream of rallying those around him.
Crack!
The enemy’s blade grazed his face. A searing pain started to spread.
‘This is dangerous.’
He knew it too. Even if what he was doing might be right, it was not wise. Wudang had lost its Sect Leader, and had lost Heo Gong. If Mu Jin were to lose his life in these circumstances, Wudang might truly have to remove its very signboard.
So it was a right thing to remain in the rear. Staying in the safest place possible would be better than anything else.
‘But if that’s the case, then what am I…’
Boom!
His sword and the enemy’s blade clashed violently.
‘Why am I here?’
Mu Jin could not answer that question. The empty socket of his lost eye throbbed. Each time his inner energy flowed, the scars of past battles cried out in pain.
Was it because of pride? Or was it an inferiority complex?
A cry to avoid ruin? Or the lament of one who has realized his own downfall?
‘What meaning is there in pondering over such things!’
Bang!
His sword, carrying rough vigor uncharacteristic of Wudang’s style, struck the enemy’s blade.
A harsh breath burst from his lips.
Perhaps because he still wasn’t accustomed to seeing with one eye, he kept misjudging the trajectory of the enemy’s blade. On a battlefield where a single error could cost him his life, such a flaw was truly fatal.
But he had no intention of whining about it.
There are things one only comes to understand after losing them.
‘I am Wudang.’
He had often thought that the world didn’t appreciate how those who bear the name of Wudang trained, grinding their bones, to uphold and pass it on. Just as much as that name bestowed, so did one have to lose to preserve it.
But now that he had lost, he couldn’t help but see how spoiled his complaints had been.
There are those who stand here to fight without having mastered even a single proper internal cultivation technique or a single sword technique to protect themselves. Compared to them, the wounds he bore could hardly be called a flaw.
“Haaaaap!”
His sword gently diverted the enemy’s blade.
By nature, Wudang’s sword does not meet force with force. When perfection, allowing not even the slightest error, is attained, the sword of Wudang can subdue even the most dominating path [패도(覇道)].
However.
Clang! Clang!
The delicate precision that formed the foundation of that softness was now absent in Mu Jin.
The blade, not fully diverted, sliced through the empty air and flew straight towards Mu Jin’s neck. It was at that very moment, as his eye widened in alarm.
Kaaaang!
A sword extended from behind and knocked away the blade that had been hurtling towards Mu Jin.
“I will fight alongside you.”
Noticing who had arrived at his side, Mu Jin let out a small chuckle.
“There’s a rogue Taoist here as well.”
“No matter how rogue we may be, we can’t compare to a certain sect.”
Jin Hyeon joked, laughing quietly.
“But, Sasuk.”
“Hmm?”
“If we don’t step forward and fight here, I have a feeling we’ll never be able to regain what we’ve lost.”
“…”
“Now we are not ones who merely protect, but those who must reclaim.”
Jin Hyeon’s gaze drifted into the distance. Even without turning his head, Mu Jin could guess who lay at the end of that gaze.
The image of him from the past surfaced in Mu Jin’s mind.
At first, he had seemed like nothing more than a clueless fool. Back then, he stood before Mu Jin as the representative of Hwasan, who did not even measure up to a third-rate fighter. At that time, Mu Jin had felt anger, sometimes scorn, and at other times jealousy.
But now Mu Jin understood.
‘I must be like that.’
That reckless image had now become an example to follow. Without living as he did, they could never reclaim the glory of Wudang.
“Hoo.”
After letting out a short sigh, Mu Jin spoke.
“If I should ever…”
“Do not worry. I am behind you.”
“…”
“And even if I fail, someone else will take our place, right? Because we are Wudang.”
With a face full of resolve, Mu Jin nodded.
“Yes. We are Wudang.”
Even if they were to lose everything and vanish, they would not cower just to protect a mere handful. That was what those people had taught them, the lesson the Sect Leader and Heo Gong had left behind for everyone.
“Stay sharp!”
“Yes, Sasuk!”
At the same time, both of their swords traced arcs of black and white sword energy.
❀ ❀ ❀
Zhuge Jain could not hide his dismay.
He had clearly given an order. He had told them not to move recklessly, under any circumstances.
And now, that very order should have acted as shackles tightening around their necks.
Yet…
“W-Why are they…?”
All over the field, young warriors of Gupailbang were stepping forward on their own, engaging the enemy at will.
This was blatant disobedience.
But it was undeniable that they had, in an instant, propped up the crumbling pillars of Cheonumaeng.
In this situation, should he be angry or relieved?
Zhuge Jain’s gaze trembled. He quickly reassessed the situation. Empowered by the young warriors’ response, Cheonumaneg’s disciples were pushing back the enemy with renewed vigor. At the same time, more and more people were leaping forward into the front lines.
“Th-There…”
And in the gaps left behind as they moved forward, others from the rear filled the void perfectly.
As if they had heard the thoughts in his mind. No, as if they were moving several steps ahead of them.
“…Nokrim King.”
Zhuge Jain muttered as if in pain. Even from this distance, the sight of that man’s fan stood out clearly.
They were moving. This massive army moved as if it were a single living organism.
How could the instructions he gave and their words differ so much as to produce such vastly different outcomes?
“In the end… it’s all about the people.”
“Pardon?”
At the sudden voice, Zhuge Jain turned his head. Tang Gunak was smiling faintly with an expression that hardly suited him. It was a relaxed smile, unfitting for the situation.
“Let’s stop overreaching.”
“Lord Tang?”
Clang.
Tang Gunak drew a dagger.
“If you can’t fill it no matter how hard you try, then don’t force it. I’ve become a fool as well.”
“Lord Tang? What do you mean…”
“Look after things here, Military Advisor.”
“Yes? Lord Tang, wait! Lord! What on earth…!”
Tang Gunak kicked off the ground before Zhuge Jain could finish. In response, the members of the Tang Clan burst into hearty laughter and followed after him.
“What the…”
Left alone, Zhuge Jain stared blankly at their retreating backs with a bewildered expression.
“Are they all… not in their right minds?”
It was the moment when the fate of the battlefield slipped out neatly from his grasp.
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* 서릿발 – literally means “needle ice,” I recommend googling it, looks very beautiful.
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“Now we are not ones who merely protect, but those who must reclaim.” – I think this is the motive of this mini-pre-main-battle-sequence arc. Chung Myung has shown everyone how things need to be done, how one can raise from the ashes and reclaim their sect’s glory. What is the righteous path and how one can follow it.
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Return of the Mount Hua 
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