Return of the Mount Hua

I wanted to meet you. (1)

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Jin Geumryong gripped his sword. Fixing his gaze on the two people who had darted towards Lee Songbaek even faster than him. He bit his lip lightly.

Under normal circumstances, his insides would have burned black. His torn pride would have pierced his very lungs. Yet, strangely, Jin Geumryong was maintaining composure now, which even he found surprising.

‘Meaningless.’

In the past, he would have never been able to accept the mere fact that someone could stand before him. He would not have been able to endure even the mere feeling of lagging behind.

But now he could accept it.

Such things have become trivial. Because he had come to know that there are plenty of far more valuable things in the world.

Right now, to him, there is something more important than another’s recognition, more important than fame. Perhaps more important than ‘Jongnam.’

“I’m just leaving it in your hands for a moment.”

Jin Geumryong, spitting these words through clenched teeth, turned his gaze towards the enemies other than the Sun Palace Lord.

The crowd of chaos, packed tightly together. He scanned each and every face.

“How is it?”

“…My wrist hurts a bit.”

“And compared to the Black Dragon King?”

“It’s difficult even to compare their internal strength.”

Hye Yeon nodded with a heavy expression.

If the Black Dragon King was the incarnation of Dominance [패(覇)], the Sun Palace Lord should be called the ruler of Heaviness [중(重)]. It’s hard to say which is superior, but one thing is certain.

The Sun Palace Lord’s martial arts are rather closer to Just Sects’ techniques [정공(正功)/or orthodox techniques].

“Siju, it’s just my thought, but…”

“Yes, Monk.”

Before Hye Yeon could even finish speaking, Namgung Dowi nodded. He seemed to already know what Hye Yeon meant to say.

“Should I say they have the same essence?”

“I think so as well.”

Amidst a profound, heavy internal strength that overwhelmed opponents, the martial arts bore a resemblance to those of Shaolin, once the foremost sect of Gupailbang, and Namgung, once the leading family among the Five Great Families.

If one were to point out a difference, it would be that Shaolin pushes away, Namgung shatters, while his martial art burns and melts.

In other words, there is only a difference in the phenomenon created by the internal strength; at the core, all three share a great similarity.

That’s why it was deemed orthodox technique.

From the start, a person with overwhelming strength has no need for elaborate skills. After all, technique is ultimately just a means to compensate for a lack of power.

Even as the history of Gangho flowed on and everything turned upside down, Shaolin and Namgung could endure in their positions for precisely this reason.

Considering this, the current situation was not particularly favorable.

When martial arts of the same nature clash, it is only logical that the weaker side should break.

“I feel inclined to apologize.”

“Huh? To whom?”

“To Jo Geol Dojang.”

“…What?”

Even amid the tense standoff, Namgung Dowi looked puzzled as he turned to Hye Yeon. In response, Hye Yeon wore an awkward smile.

“When Jo Geol Dojang spoke crudely of me, I thought it was just him whining.”

“Ah… you mean when he complained about some ‘cheating nonsense’?”

“Yes. But seeing that Siju in person now… it seems it wasn’t much of an exaggeration.”

Namgung Dowi chuckled softly.

“If Jo Geol Dojang had heard that, he would have been delighted, saying, ‘see, I told you so.’”

He raised his sword upright.

“In that case, please say it to his face yourself.”

“After we’ve knocked that Siju down, of course.”

“That’s right.”

Hye Yeon lowered both hands slowly. A stance for the imminent battle. Even if the enemy was stronger, he had no intention of stepping back.

From the Sun Palace Lord’s perspective, it was almost laughable.

It’s not up to the standard.

From the start, he had never considered some brat from Jongnam worthy of being his opponent. He assumed it wouldn’t take long to sweep away such lowly riffraff. After all, since the Sun Palace Lord himself had stepped forward, naturally someone of equal stature should have emerged.

Even if the Just Sects had been cut in half, there should still be Sect Leaders of Gupailbang or some Elders remaining.

Beat the grass to startle the snake [타초경사(打草驚蛇)]. He planned to seize the initiative in this battlefield all at once by slaughtering the old ones who came out late, right in front of everyone’s eyes.

But to think that “the masters” called forth by beating the dogs turned out to be nothing more than these petty little nobodies.

“It seems coming to the Central Plains wasn’t such a bad experience. Who would have thought so many people who infuriate me would be crawling all over the place?”

“Hmm.”

“Ah…”

At the Sun Palace Lord’s cold mockery, the two standing before him showed a rather strange reaction. Their faces looked sour, as if they suddenly had a great deal they wanted to say…

“I don’t even know what to call this…”

“Hahahahaha! Can you explain this, Monk?”

Hye Yeon looked troubled, while Namgung Dowi burst out laughing. The unexpected reaction left the Sun Palace Lord quite perplexed.

Namgung Dowi shook his head and said.

“If you’re this angry, you should actually count yourself lucky. Had you met that man, you would have vomited blood and fallen into a state of qi deviation.”

“That’s entirely possible. Amitabha.”

Namgung Dowi chuckled again.

“No, actually, wait… before you even fell into qi deviation, you might have lost your head first.”

“That’s also possible. In fact, it might be the more likely scenario.”

Any expression gradually disappeared from the face of the Sun Palace Lord.

When fury surges too high, emotions can vanish entirely – so they say, and it seemed to be true. In place of that fury, his anger immediately manifested in action.

Whiiiiiiiiing!

With a sound like thousands of swarming bees taking flight at once, the Sun Palace Lord’s internal energy shot towards the two men. Like pulling down the blazing sun onto the earth, a scorching power slashed through the empty air with frightening speed.

Yet, instead of stepping back, Namgung Dowi and Hye Yeon took a step forward.

“Monk!”

“Yes!”

Two would suffice. Alone, it might be impossible, but if two joined forces, it could be done.

Paaaaaat.

Hye Yeon’s monk’s robe fluttered. He placed a clenched fist at his waist, and with his left hand he assumed the half-palm stance.

“Amitabha.”

Murmuring a low Buddhist invocation, he slowly extended his fist forward.

Arhat Divine Fist [아라한신권(阿羅漢神拳)].

Among Shaolin’s countless martial arts, it was one of only two fist techniques to bear the name ‘Divine Fist,’ alongside the Hundred Steps Divine Fist [백보신권(百步神拳)].

Its power was enough to suppress the might of the onrushing sun.

And then.

“Haaahhhhh!”

Almost simultaneously, Namgung Dowi’s immense, white sword energy exploded forth.

A powerful Emperor’s Sword Strike, as if carrying Mount Tai within it, collided with the Sun Palace Lord’s force.

They had no doubt. They believed wholeheartedly that their combined might would, by rights, hold back his power.

But at that moment, both men’s eyes widened.

Uwoooong!

Even after Namgung’s sword energy struck it head-on, the internal strength was not shattered and continued to push forward. Of course, it wouldn’t remain intact indefinitely. But what if that mass of force, still bearing its momentum, were to collapse?

Kwaaaaaaaang!

Before long, a massive storm of energy poured down upon Hye Yeon and Namgung Dowi like a fierce torrent.

Kwaaaaaaa!

It was a turbid flow of raw energy. The kind that no mere being of flesh and bone could possibly withstand. For a long while, it relentlessly swept over them.

And at last, when that force subsided.

“…”

“…”

Hye Yeon and Namgung Dowi stared ahead in astonishment.

They had poured their power into that single fist and sword strike without thought for what followed, prepared to bear the consequences. The battle might have been decided by just that one exchange. Under normal circumstances, a disaster would have occurred.

But that disaster was prevented by a single swordsman.

“Not just two….”

Lee Songbaek.

With the sword wall he formed using a single iron sword, he protected Hye Yeon and Namgung Dowi. Without even turning his head, the swordsman of Jongnam who had silently shielded them roared.

“…there are three of us!”

For a moment, Hye Yeon and Namgung Dowi looked at each other. Then they nodded slightly.

They moved their steps and stood naturally at Lee Songbaek’s left and right.

“That internal strength is fearsome. It wouldn’t be wise to fight from a distance.”

“I agree, Siju.”

Even these two warriors, who prided themselves on their overwhelming internal strength, concluded that facing the Sun Palace Lord’s force head-on was reckless.

Namgung Dowi shook his head in disbelief.

“So the answer… is to approach that man.”

“Amitabha. A single misstep and our internal organs will melt away.”

“Are you not confident, Monk?”

Hye Yeon’s eyes, that resembled those of a young calf, narrowed slightly. Disapproval flickered in his gaze.

“It seems Namgung Siju needs to learn a bit of humility.”

“I’ve learned humility until I was sick of it. Thanks to someone.”

“…That’s true. But still, perhaps you could learn a bit more.”

Each one here was a sprout once trampled upon. The promising talents, broken and bent, unable to grow upright as they were originally meant to.

But now, where do they stand?

“I’m going, Monk.”

“Songbaek Siju, don’t fall behind.”

“I’ll follow with the resolve to die.”

The outcome would be told by this battle.

Paaaaat!

All three kicked off the ground at once. Transformed into a single streak of light, they charged straight towards the Sun Palace Lord.

“You wretches!”

Faced with boundless audacity, the Sun Palace Lord cursed quietly, spreading both hands. A terrifying heat burst forth.

“I’ll turn you into a handful of ashes, you rat-like scum!”

Intense fury transformed into scorching heat that spread in all directions.

❀ ❀ ❀

Tang Gunak desperately avoided looking towards the Sun Palace Lord. He had to focus every ounce of his strength.

‘Namgung Dowi, Hye Yeon, Lee Songbaek.’

One by one, they were all illustrious names. In the future… no, perhaps even from this very moment on, these might be the names that will lead Gangho.

However, even those three appeared lacking before the Sun Palace Lord’s might. Adding the three together still left something missing.

But Tang Gunak could not help them.

‘I must find him.’

In this situation, someone perhaps twice as dangerous as the Sun Palace Lord had yet to show himself.

He was Cheon Myeon Susa, Dam Yeohae. A being who could bring about cracks anywhere, anytime.

It might be that Dam Yeohae, more than Jang Ilso or Ho Gamyeong, was a threat to Cheonumaeng. If someone had to stop him, that would be Tang Gunak. Therefore, Tang Gunak could not afford any distraction.

‘Where are you?’

As the head of the Tang Clan, there are two things one must have: eyes and hands.

But to go further and become a truly great family head, one needed something more: a sense – a keen, instinctive perception.

You cannot find Cheon Myeon Susa with your eyes. Without finding the enemy, your hands are useless.

So Tang Gunak pursued the enemy solely with his senses. He had to find that man who was surely hiding somewhere here.

‘He’s here. Not far away.’

He must…

Just then, as Tang Gunak sharpened his senses fiercely, he froze.

Something subtle pricked at his nerves. Because he had focused his senses to their utmost in searching for Cheon Myeon Susa, he could feel it.

Something extremely subtle, violent, and genuinely chilling.

Tang Gunak immediately twisted his body with all his might. Almost at the same moment, a blast swept right past his face.

“Aaaaargh!”

Far off, a single scream rang out. But the sound of flesh being cleaved came at least four times. Likely three of them had been split in half before they could even cry out.

Tang Gunak gritted his teeth. His forehead was soaked in cold sweat.

‘What is this sword energy?’

He was the Poison King. In matters of poison and hidden weapons, none under heaven dared claim to stand equal with him. Was there anyone in the world who could deceive his senses and deliver a devastating blow? And with a massive blade, no less?

From the direction whence the attack had come, a man was slowly approaching Tang Gunak.

Tang Gunak instinctively thought that perhaps he was now facing the most formidable foe of his entire life.

Keen eyes and tightly pressed lips. A short beard bristled on his rugged jaw, making his first impression even more ferocious. At a glance, he looked like someone with a fiercely savage temper.

He was like a blade. Literally, like a piece of iron forged into steel.

“Poison King Tang Gunak.”

“…Who are you?”

“Jeok Ho [적호(赤虎)].”

“Jeok Ho?”

He had never heard the name before. But that hardly mattered now.

“By the order of Ryeonju.”

Jeok Ho slowly slid his blade back into its scabbard. Not drawing it, but instead pushing it back.

“Today, you die here.”

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For anyone who possibly forgot who Jeok Ho is. He was with us since Haenam arc, first telling Jang Ilso about Ho Gamyeong’s doings. He was also in the vanguard attacking the fleeing Tang Clan with his massive black blade. And, I think, he was the one who chopped off Beop Gye’s arm. He IS very strong.

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