Return of the Mount Hua Sect

White energy swirled at the tip of the sword. Such a compressed energy was released in an instant, sweeping through the front.

Kwaaaaang!

With a single strike, Namgung Hwang swept away the pirates charging towards him and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Black Dragon King!”

A voice like a lion roaring.

His voice immediately dampened the pirate’s spirit and raised the morale of the allies.

“Where are you, Black Dragon King! Have you run away in fear? Come out now! I will finish our unfinished battle!”

Kwaang!

The ground shook under Namgung Hwang’s step.

‘That monster!’

At that terrifying force, the face of Nine Abyss Old Monster (????(九幽老怪)) Yeo Dal (??(餘獺)), the Yangtze River Water Fortress’s protector, turned pale.

It is famous that the Namgung Family pursues Domination Dao (?(覇)) which is not typical of a sword sect, but the sword of the Namgung Hwang was so special that it was at a bizarre level even in the Namgung Family.

It was as if he was firing a cannon with his sword.

‘The dao of the Peng Family seems gentler in comparison!’

Although he had already seen this sword with his own eyes once, it felt completely different from then.

Whether the change was due to the phenomenal increase in Namgung Hwang’s martial arts over the past three years, or because he himself was not the Black Dragon King, Yeo Dal couldn’t tell. He hadn’t reached the level to understand that.

“Black Dragon Kiiiiiiiiing!”

Kwaaaaang!

“Da- Damn it!”

Yeo Dal cried out urgently as he saw the shattered building flying away.

“Retreat! Retreat immediately!”

“Ho- Hobop-nim! The Black Dragon King ordered us to defend this place at all costs!”

“You fools! We can’t defend it anyway! And who is going to face Namgung Hwang? The Black Dragon King isn’t even here!”

“Tha- That’s…!”

“Shut up and order a retreat! Before all the kids get killed!”

If the entire force of water fortresses had been gathered here, Yeo Dal would not have chosen to retreat. No matter how great the Namgung Family is, isn’t the Yangtze River Water Fortress also one of the Five Great Sects?

In a small-scale conflict between martial masters, water fortresses might struggle against the Namgung Family, but in a full-scale war, they could even overpower them.

But now, there is a shortage of manpower.

The Black Dragon King was attacking merchant ships on the Yangtze River at every opportunity to increase the volume of logistics to and from Plum Blossom Island. In other words, this means that there are currently more ships crossing the Yangtze River than usual.

Naturally, the number of pirates guarding this place is bound to be small.

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

Yeo Dal ground his teeth in frustration.

“These damn Namgung Family bastards!”

Perhaps, if he gave up the dock and retreated to Plum Blossom Island, the Black Dragon King would not leave him alone. It is a fact that he failed to fulfill his orders.

‘Still, it’s better than dying.’

The sword of Namgung Hwang in front of him was scarier than the distant rage of the Black Dragon King.

Kwaaaaang!

Even now, Namgung Hwang’s sword strikes sent several bandits flying, turning them into bloody messes.

“Retreat! Nowwww!”

t his command, the pirates turned pale and scrambled backward.

No, in fact, even before he gave the command, all of them were thinking about running away.

Namgung Hwang’s martial prowess was truly overwhelming. It was not at a level that the idiots gathered here could deal with in the first place.

How could those incompetent Righteous Sects fools move so quickly?’

The reason Black Dragon King had left this place undermanned was because he thought that it would take more than ten days for the Righteous Sects, who could barely move after discussing for a long time, to respond properly.

But who could have imagined that the Namgung Family would suddenly storm in at such a time?

“Hobop-nim!”

“I know!”

Yeo Dal nodded vehemently. He couldn’t delay any longer. Any more hesitation and his head might be the next to fly.

“Launch the ships! Board immediately…”

However, Yeo Dal’s eyes as he was giving the command were greatly shaken at that moment.

White-clothed martial artists were coming along the main road between the large pavilions, that is, through a different path from that of Namgung Hwang. It was Azure Sky Sword Squad.

At the forefront, a young martial artist was swinging his sword like lightning. Even at a glance, it didn’t seem like he had enough strength to fight that young man.

“A- Abandon the ship! Damn it, leave the ships behind! Just jump off! Swim to the island!”

There was no time to leisurely launch the ship. Those who had wisely launched the ship in advance were somehow able to board, but only two of the ships anchored at the dock made it to the water.

Intuitively aware that there was no time to board the ship, the pirates rushed into the Yangtze River.

“O- Out of the way!”

“Don’t grab me, you bastard! Get off!”

“You sons of…!”

Utter chaos.

Whether martial artist or soldier, it’s the same. When there’s a command in mind and something to protect, they spare no life.

But once that control is lost, all that’s left are hundreds of cowards for whom survival is the top priority.

The pirates jumped into the Yangtze River, pulling and pushing their comrades. There were many people who tried to get ahead of each other but got tangled up and fell, and some swung their weapons reflexively at those next to them.

“Aaaaah!”

“This, this bastard stabbed me?”

Those who would have already escaped if they had retreated in an orderly manner delayed the situation even further by trying to escape even a little earlier. And the sword of Namgung Family pierced the backs of such people.

“Aaaaah!”

“Run! The Namgung Family is coming!”

Splash! Splash!

The pirates who jumped into the water swam skillfully toward Plum Blossom Island. It was a quick move without even looking back. But those who couldn’t reach the water in time were struck down by the Namgung Family’s swords, screaming and collapsing lifelessly on the spot.

Eventually.

“Hmph!”

When Namgung Hwang’s foot touched the water’s edge, the bandits were divided into two groups: those who jumped into the water, fleeing swiftly, and those who didn’t make it, now lifeless bodies.

Namgung Hwang’s eyes seethed with rage.

“To these nobodies!”

A crushing victory.

It was a landslide victory that cannot even be described as one-sided. However, the fact did not give Namgung Hwang any pleasure. Only the hatred for himself, who agreed to a peace out of fear of these clumsy bastards.

“This…!”

Namgoong Hwang’s eyes turn to the two ships with their bows turned.

“Move!”

Pushing aside Azure Sky Sword Squad members beside him, Namgung Hwang lifted his sword powerfully above his head.

His sword once again swirled with a dense white sword energy.

The sword energy, rising about a zhang above his head, concentrated around the sword.

“N- No!”

“Jump off! Nowwwww!”

The pirates on the ship, seeing what was about to happen, turned pale and screamed as they leaped off the ship. They had seen enough to know what would happen when the white energy gathered around that sword.

Kwang!

With a powerful stomp, Namgung Hwang brought his sword down vertically. The released energy was fired like a cannonball and flew in a straight line toward the ship.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

The Reinforced Sword Energy that struck the ship literally pulverized the wooden structure. The wood directly hit by the Reinforced Sword Energy disintegrated into dust, and even parts not directly hit were shattered by its force.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

In an instant, a ship exploded, scattering across the surface of the Yangtze River. The spectacular sight was astonished not only by the pirates but also by the Azure Sky Sword Squad.

Namgung Hwang’s gaze then turned to the remaining ship. But the quick-witted pirates had already desperately escaped the ship and jumped into the river.

“Tch!”

Judging that destroying the other ship was pointless, Namgung Hwang withdrew his sword.

The sight of the bandits filling the vast Yangtze River, desperately swimming towards Plum Blossom Island, was utterly disgusting.

“…..Damn it. Black Dragon King!”

At this point, Namgung Hwang had no choice but to know. The fact that Black Dragon King wasn’t here. The Black Dragon King was cunning but not a coward in battle. Had he been here, he would have already confronted Namgung Hwang.

“Gaju-nim. It’s a complete victory!”

“…Complete victory?”

Namgung Hwang turned around.

Merchants, who had been hiding inside the pavilions on his order, had now gathered and were cheering from behind. This means that all the pirates who dared to step on the land of Gangbuk were killed or driven out.

“Hmph!”

However, Namgung Hwang could not be satisfied with this.

“What complete victory!”

“Yes?”

“Since when is reclaiming what should be ours considered a victory! Victory is when you take what belongs to someone else and make it yours! You don’t call it a victory just because you beat a thief in your own house!”

Namgung Myung lowered his head at those words.

“I’ve been keeping my head down for three years because I was afraid of those pirates who we could take care of whenever I wanted to….”

Namgung Hwang gritted his teeth and lit his eyes.

Such a victory cannot compensate them for their lost time. Neither the Black Dragon King nor the elite Black Dragon Water Fortress of Seventy-Two Water Fortress of the Yangtze River were here. Killing a thousand of these people wouldn’t be enough to quell their anger.

“Get the ship ready!”

“Ga- Gaju-nim?”

“Over there!”

Namgung Hwang’s chin pointed towards an island in the middle of the Yangtze River.

“Is that place Gangbuk? Is it Gangnam?”

“…Tha- That is…”

When Namgung Myung could not answer, Namgung Dowi, who was standing beside, opened his mouth instead.

“That place is neither Gangbuk nor Gangnam. It’s literally an island.”

“Exactly!”

Namgoong Hwang roared with a booming voice.

“Even if it was a pact made in error, a pact is a pact. Until its term expires, Namgung will not step foot on the land of Gangnam. It means that Namgung will keep our word!”

“Yes, Gaju-nim.”

“But that place isn’t Gangnam!”

Fire seemed to blaze in Namgung Hwang’s eyes.

“Prepare the ships. I can no longer stand to watch those filthy pirates encamp there and threaten Gangbuk. I will personally land on that island and tear apart all those pirates!”

“Ga- Gaju-nim. It’s too dangerous. Please reconsider.”

Namgung Myung said urgently.

“As you can see, that place is an island. To approach it, we must go through the river.”

“So?”

“In other words, if we enter the island, we risk being isolated. Support from our allies will be difficult, and it’s an easy target for the pirate’s attacks.”

“Who doesn’t know that?”

“Yes?”

Namgung Hwang turned to Namgung Myung with blazing eyes.

“Mount Hua has protected that land for as long as three years. That island, always open to attack since it’s not covered by the pact!”

“Tha- That’s….”

“What Mount Hua could have done, no…. Are you going to say that Namgung Family can’t do what Nokrim, not even Mount Hua, has done?”

“I, I don’t mean that at all. But…!”

“Then prepare.”

“Ga- Gaju-nim. I’m telling you, just once…..”

When Namgung Myung tried to dissuade him again, Namgung Hwang briefly clicked his tongue with a dissatisfied face.

“I’m not so foolish as to not understand what you’re thinking. I haven’t lost my reason to the point of blindly charging in without thought.”

“….”

“Don’t you see? The Black Dragon King isn’t there now. Nor is the Black Dragon Water Fortress. It means ownerless mountain. If not now, seizing that island will be ten times harder later.”

“That may be true, but…”

“If we can’t move when the opportunity arises, we’ll have to put in much more effort later. Now is the time to move!”

Namgung Myung bit his lip and nodded. It was because Namgung Hwang’s words weren’t entirely wrong.

“Understood, Gaju-nim!”

“Prepare the ships! We will take that island!”

“Yes!”

Namgung Hwang’s fierce eyes turned towards Plum Blossom Island.

‘Black Dragon King. I will take hold of your neck. Me, Namgung Hwang!’

His face was filled with a triumphant smile.