Chapter 1315: I Think I Already Know The Answer? (Part 5)

"Ugh...."

The eyes of the person hanging onto the cliffside with tenacity were filled with terror.

"Aaaaaah!"

Piercing screams echoed from all directions.

The person who had jumped down a little while ago was skewered by a soaring sword before even touching the ground.

"Ugh...."

At that moment, a decapitated corpse above was seen plummeting, spraying blood as it fell.

Above, demonic Mount Hua disciples were mercilessly slaughtering their comrades clinging to the cliff face.

Below, the disciples from the Southern Island overcome by malice.

There was nowhere to escape.

The only choices were to be pierced by the sword below, or be cut down by the swords of the demons attacking from above.

Death wasn't frightening.

If death had been feared, one wouldn't have embarked on the path of martial arts in the first place.

But at least, he didn't want to die like this.

When he had leaped off that cliff, he never imagined this outcome.

Suddenly...

Swoosh!

At that moment, a searing pain surged in his hand.

The sword energy unleashed by Chung Myung from above cleanly severed his hand that clung to the cliff.

"Kuaaaaah!"

Screaming, he fell downward.

But before his body could touch the ground, the soaring sword energy swiftly dismembered him.

Thud!

Chung Myung, standing on the cliff, glanced briefly at the falling Black Shade and the disciples of the Southern Island swinging their swords viciously. He laughed bitterly.

The eyes of the disciples from the Southern Island were full of murderous intent.

It was understandable. They had been in the position of prey attacked all along.

However, for the first time, they were in a position to easily slaughter their enemies, and the accumulated resentment exploded.

'How's the situation?'

Still not great.

They managed to overcome one crisis, but they were still stuck in the canyon.

Moreover, their progress was hindered by the powerful individuals from above.

It required several times the effort to restart the halted carriage.

But... Chung Myung's gaze suddenly shifted to the front of the group.

When he saw the three people standing there, the corners of Chung Myung's mouth involuntarily lifted.

"You little chicks."

Now he had to admit it too.

Those little chicks were strong.

Kaaaang!

The flying spear was deflected upward in an instant.

Then, someone who had infiltrated the open space sent a fierce sword attack.

Sweeeeesh!

In an instant, twelve sword shadows.

In the brief interval, not even a skilled swordsman would be able to unleash more than three sword shadows.

Truly an incredible skill.

Since the spear was primarily a weapon for thrusting, it wasn't suitable for blocking attacks.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

Jo Gol's sword instantly pierced the opponent's body, leaving dozens of holes.

Even so, there was nothing to feel unfair about.

Even if it were a spear or a knife in his hand, the result wouldn't have been different.

Jo Gol, as if not wanting to waste time waiting for the opponent to fall, advanced forward, using the hilt of his sword to strike the chin of the crumbling opponent.

Bang!

With a short and powerful impact sound, the opponent's upper body seemed to bend as if about to break. Through the open space, Jo Gol's sword was thrust once again.

"Aaargh!"

The person with a hole in their side screamed in pain and lunged with a spear, but Jo Gol paid no attention and instead moved forward.

Kaaaang!

The flying spear was deflected by a sword that sprung from behind.

Sweeeeesh!

Jo Gol's swordsmanship continued to pour out.

Taking advantage of the opponent's hesitation, Yoon Jong stepped on Jo Gol's shoulder and leaped forward, swiftly slashing his sword horizontally.

The moment he deflected the incoming strikes, and with a fearsome and powerful swing, his heavy sword cut horizontally.

Against the hastily extended spear, Yoon Jong's sword effortlessly cleaved through iron as if were splitting bamboo in one sweeping motion.

"Huk!"

Truly a refined skill.

Even if two individuals learned the same martial art, the size and nature of their skills varied depending on the person.

Yoon Jong's martial arts, marked by patience, lack of urgency, and silent dedication to repeating the necessary tasks, was more refined and robust than anyone else in the Mount Hua Sect.

Paaah!

Caught off guard by the sudden change, the enemies who had lost their moment to react faced another onslaught of Jo Gol's swordsmanship.

Chyaaaah!

From behind the swiftly pierced bodies, hot blood poured out rapidly.

"Don't panic! Retreat and stab! Don't get entangled in their moves!"

Some were quick to calculate.

The synchronization between Yoon Jong and Jo Gol was something they had never experienced before.

Traditional coordination typically involved predetermined moves adjusted according to the situation, making it powerful but rigid.

However, what the two were displaying now was more than just traditional coordination.

It was an attack and defense that intertwined beyond mere coordination, even though they had only synchronized their breaths.

If someone got involved in that, they wouldn't even have a chance to use their hands.

Hearing those words, the others quickly retreated.

Their judgment was not wrong. The only option left for them now was to leverage the effectiveness of their numbers.

Yet, they missed one thing - the person they had distanced themselves from was none other than a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.

As the enemies retreated, Jo Gol and Yoon Jong, as if they had made a tacit agreement, widened the space to their left and right.

In that open space, the Deputy Sect Leader of Mount Hua, Baek Cheon, unleashed his sword.

Hwaaaaaaaaa!

Blooming cherry blossom petals poured out from the sword's tip like a river. Flowing like a turbulent torrent, the petals streamed into the canyon.

Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique (二十四手梅花劍法) Plum Shadow River (梅影造河).

A fierce current made of crimson flower petals surged toward the retreating enemies.

The enemies widened their eyes in disbelief at the absurd scene.

Blocking a river made of sword energy with human strength was impossible.

However, there was no way to escape the narrow canyon.

The spearman at the forefront swung his spear relentlessly.

At the moment he swung the spear, an unsuitable laugh escaped his lips. 

Kwaaaaah!

And before his laughter could subsite, the torrent of plum blossoms covered him.

What would happen if a human were thrown into a river composed of hundreds of famous swords?

The ones blocking were turned into their own meat shields, and Jo Gol rushed into the opened space as if piercing through the enemy like a gust of wind.

A shout erupted from his mouth.

"Wow! Looks like I won't need to go to Shaolin!" [a truly historic day]

"Shut up and swing your sword, you lunatic!"

Jo Gol's sword pierced through the bodies of the stunned spear users.

Even in their resistance and spasmodic swings, they couldn't penetrate Yoon Jong's sturdy defense. Jo Gol's sword continued to ravage the enemies' bodies.

Just when it was becoming difficult to breathe, Baek Cheon's sword energy explosively surged.

This narrow and confined canyon became the battlefield.

Swinging a sword carelessly could harm allies as much as enemies.

Wasn't that why they armed themselves with spears?

However, the swordsmen from the Mount Hua Sect were unfolding their skills with swords in such a confined space.

"Uwaaaah!"

Momentum like splitting bamboo (破竹之勢).

Namgung Dowi's swordplay was grand, and Hye Yeon's fist arts were excellent.

Even so, the speed at which these three were cutting through the enemies surpassed the the two with their sword and fist.

Sweeeeesh!

With a force that seemed capable of splitting the air and tearing through space, Jo Gol effortlessly pierced through the trained bodies like a needle through fabric.

"Back, back!"

As they retreated in the face of Jo Gol's charge like a demon, a black shadow loomed over their faces.

The moment they raised their heads in surprise, an explosive shower of plum blossom petals burst forth above them.

Just as they were about to scream in pain as if being shaved with a sharp razor, before the scream could escape their throats, flying swords struck their necks.

Paaah!

Baek Cheon leaped into the midst of the enemies. His plum blossom sword swiftly and accurately delved into the enemies' vital points.

Even in the urgent situation, the sword unfolded with unwavering accuracy, perfectly embodying the ideal that Mount Hua sought.

"Press on!"

"Yes!"

Into the space created by Baek Cheon, Jo Gol and Yoon Jong once again leaped as if they had made an agreement.

Training is pain itself.

It is a torment of the body and a concentration of the mind.

It is cruel, causing wounds, tormenting with sleeplessness, and at times, making one want to cry out in agony.

Day after day.

Months, then years.

How long has one pushed themselves relentlessly?

No matter how much is piled up, it remains unseen.

The conviction that one has changed doesn't hold even a speck of dust.

Even if one hurdle is overcome, another wall stands in the way, and after scaling a sheer cliff barehanded, there is another higher cliff above.

Therefore, the path of martial arts is like endlessly progressing on an unseen path through a thorny field.

However, the things that have been accumulated over and over again would always remain at his fingertips, at the tip of the sword.

Kwagagak!

A spear made of iron intercepted Jo Gol's sword flying towards him with difficulty. However, even that was temporary; Jo Gol's sword fiercely rotated, gnawing at the spear.

'What?'

Kwagagak!

As if sharpening the spear, the sword pierced through the heart of the person holding the spear.

The opponent, unable to believe what just happened, tried to confirm the one who killed him once again.

However, Jo Gol had already passed him and was moving forward.

No one can stop him.

No one can oppose him. The swift sword itself pierced through the enemies one after another.

"Those who block will die!"

Blood rushed to Jo Gol's face, turning it red as he shouted.

The overwhelming momentum made the entire canyon shake.

'Alright.'

Im Sobyeong, who was observing the situation in front, raised the corners of his mouth.

The enemies were already completely overwhelmed.

If they continued like this, breaking through the canyon wouldn't be very difficult.

The enemies were almost out of tricks, and they had already penetrated more than half of the canyon.

In fact, facing a multitude in the narrow gorge might be even better.

'If only we could break through here!'

It would make breaking through Gangnam much easier.

Then, it happened.

Im Sobyeong, who felt something, flinched.

Looking back at the rear, he saw the rising plumes of poison gas. Beyond that toxic fog, someone unfamiliar but familiar revealed themselves.

Tap, Tap.

Slowly walking, the person in the valley lifted his head to gaze at everyone.

As if he was going to watch all of this.

"…Ho Gakmyung!"

Im So Byeong's face drained of color.

Ho Gakmyung, the military commander of Myriad Man Manor and also a military commander of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, had finally caught up with them.

Ho Gakmyung leisurely looked around.

The blood-soaked canyon and scattered corpses vividly showed how fierce the battle had been.

"A bit late."

But, even so, Southern Island and the Heavenly Comrade Alliance were still tied up in this canyon.

"But… it's not completely too late. That's enough."

Im Sobyeong urgently turned his head. And in front of him, he shouted with the loudest voice of his life towards Baek Cheon.

"Deputy Sect Leader! Hurry!"

As he shouted as if vomiting blood, Ho Gakmyung's gaze turned towards Im Sobyeong.

His eyes were chilling.

"I praise the effort. But it's only up to here, you rat."

Ho Gakmyung raised his hand and pointed forward.

"Don't leave a single one alive."

The moment that order was given.

Climbing the looming cliffs surrounding them, the soldiers from Myriad Man Manor, armed with weapons, rushed forward like hellish demons who had seen fresh meat for the first time in hundreds of years.