Return of the Mount Hua Sect

Paaaaang!

It was a perfect cut without even the slightest sense of resistance at the fingertips.

A feeling of dread filled the hearts of the pirates who saw this scene.

Those from the Righteous Sects will never be able to empathize with their feelings upon seeing this sword. It’s something only those who have experienced it could understand.

Those who have killed many people know this. That it is never easy for a person to kill someone.

No matter how accustomed you are to murder, a moment of hesitation, however fleeting, is inevitable when striking a human’s vital points. It’s an instinct intrinsic to humans, something that can’t be overcome by sheer will or determination.

But there is nothing like that in the man’s sword.

Even at the moment of beheading a person, there’s not the slightest hesitation or waver in his blade.

A sword that can be used to kill an innocent person with a sword.

The pirates, who understood from experience what kind of people wielded such swords were, could not help but tremble as their blood froze.

“Ugh….”

So maybe it’s a fortunate thing.

That this killing intent didn’t even give them the time to fully experience that profound terror.

Kwang!

Chung Myung slammed the deck with such force and charged towards the pirates.

“Euaaakkkk!”

Terror-stricken, the pirates screamed, hurling their harpoons in a frantic bid to stop him.

It was not a stab intended to defeat the opponent. It was a movement closer to an instinct to block the opponent’s approach, rather than a will to kill the opponent.

Regardless of intent, the sight of dozens of harpoons hurtling toward one man is undeniably daunting.

However, the young swordsman with icy coldness in his eyes only smiled with one corner of his mouth raised as he watched the dozens of harpoons flying towards him.

Seuseut.

It was almost an illusionary scene.

He could retreat. He could counter.

There are probably dozens of ways to respond to an opponent’s attack. However, what Chung Myung chose was the most reckless yet efficient method.

Seuseut.

Chung Myung burrowed like a ghost into the tiny gap revealed between dozens of harpoons.

Kagagang!

Gently swat away the harpoon that stabs him from the side and twist his shoulder to push away the harpoon that passed by. In this way, he went through the forest of harpoons and twisted them to carve his own space.

The pirates’ eyes bulged in disbelief.

What they faced at that moment was a demon, grinning ghastly amidst the forest of harpoons.

Pat.

The sword, aimed slightly downward to the left, advanced forward.

The sword strike, which started slowly, accelerated explosively and drew a perfect straight line.

In an instant, a red slash severed the pirates’ necks, then swiftly continued to another pirates’ face. The pirate couldn’t even muster the courage to flee, only able to let out a beast-like scream.

Paaaaaat!

No, he attempted to. But before the scream could escape his lips, Chung Myung’s sword struck his neck.

In a single stroke, five bodies were split in half. The upper body, unable to withstand the force behind the sword, soared into the air, spinning like tops.

Blood sprayed like rain from the sky over the Yangtze River.

With just one swing of the sword, more than ten lives were extinguished. Seeing the blood gushing from the lower bodies that had not yet fallen, they began to step back hesitantly.

There are still dozens of comrades on this ship. And there’s only one enemy.

But what does that matter now?

Chung Myung looked away as blood splattered on him.

Black hair stuck to his face, which was red and wet with blood that had not yet cooled down.

His pitch-black eyes stared emotionlessly at the pirates.

“Uh, uh…”

Chwaaaak!

Eventually, Chung Myung shook the blood off his sword and moved as if looking for his next prey.

“Euaaaaaak!”

“Sa- Save meeeeee!”

Collapse had begun.

The pirates turned around, letting out desperate screams. Not knowing that their harpoon was piercing their comrade’s body, they started desperately running at an unprecedented speed, dragging the person running in front of them.

Only one thought occupied their minds.

I want to live.

Being in the same space as that demon meant only death. The pirates, who had come to understand this fact, had only one paramount task: to escape the demon’s grasp and survive.

The prospect of punishment upon their return was no longer a concern. For those who have figured out what true fear is, can they afford to think about anything else?

With their minds emptied, they screamed and hurled themselves off the ship with all their might. If they just jump into the river, that demon won’t be able to chase them anymore.

But unfortunately, once the demon saw blood, there was no mercy.

Paaaaaat!

The sword moved without the slightest hesitation and cut into the backs of pirates. It hit the ankle of the person who jumped off the deck and severed the spine of those who had fallen.

Kwang!

Chung Myung leaped up again and launched sword energies at the backs of those pirates attempting to flee from the ship.

The crescent-shaped sword energies cut them without hesitation as if punishing those who dared to turn their backs on him.

“Aaaarg! Euak!”

“Keuaaaak!”

The pirates’ screams as they were pierced by the sword energies resounded pitifully over the waters of the Yangtze River.

Splash! Splash!

Unfortunately, the pirates who reached the water they so desperately sought, where the demon’s sword could not reach, could not rejoice. Because the dead can neither feel joy nor sorrow.

Tak!

After landing on the deck again, Chung Myung’s eyes turned to the trembling pirate in front of him. He was unable to jump off the deck because his ankle was cut. He stammered, and his face turned pale.

“H- How could you, to those who run away….”

Chung Myung chuckled at that.

“If we fight to kill each other and then turn our backs and run away, do we have to show mercy from then on?”

Chung Myung slowly approached the pirate.

“That….”

“You guys do whatever you want to do, but we should act a certain way? Because we are Righteous Sects?”

As Chung Myung got closer, the pirate’s eyes began to tremble with fear.

“Sure, there might be those who would act like that. But…”

Puuk!

Chung Myug’s sword mercilessly pierced the pirate’s heart.

“I am not.”

The pirate blankly stared at the sword embedded in his left chest.

Paaaat!

As the sword was withdrawn, the pirate’s head drooped lifelessly. Chung Myung raised his head, confirmed that there was no one standing on the deck, and without any regrets, kicked the ship and launched himself into the air.

Kwang!

And he twisted the corners of his mouth as he stepped forward by kicking off the water’s surface.

The place he was heading was not the main force of Mount Hua, but another ship approaching Mount Hua.

“These damn bastards!”

A roar exploded from Black Dragon King’s mouth.

“What the hell are they doing! These idiots!”

His eyes were bloodshot with rage.

Even though those damn Mount Hua were crossing the Yangtze River at will, his proud pirates of water fortress were utterly failing to stop them.

Neither the barrage of arrows nor the harpoon stabbing from below were of any use. Even the white Hundred Thunder Cannons that were deployed were being decimated in an instant.

He couldn’t comprehend how this was happening.

This is the Yangtze River, where even Namgung Family and even Shaolin were afraid of water fortress. So how could Mount Hua dominate the territory of water fortress?

“The platforms!”

Black Dragon King roared at the top of his lungs.

“Break those platforms, you stupid! Don’t fight them, taonovel dot com just destroy the platforms! They are nothing if we just drag them into the water! Aim for the foothold in front of them!”

His judgment was indeed accurate.

Sometimes, a very small factor can make a tremendous difference. It was clear that all this was because of the small wooden plank that Mount Hua was stepping on.

However, any decision is meaningless if not made swiftly.

Plum Blossom Island, which seemed too far away to cross, became so close that they could reach it in an instant if they ran in a flat land. By the time Black Dragon King shouted, the vanguard of Mount Hua had nearly reached the island.

“These rat bastards!”

Black Dragon King raised his Guan Dao, exuding a momentum that seemed as if he would tear apart the Black Dragon Ship.

Gooooooooo!

An ominous energy began to swirl at the tip of his sword. His bloodshot eyes precisely targeted Baek Cheon, leading Mount Hua at the forefront.

“Dieeeeeee!”

Kwaaaaaaa!

His Guan Dao fell viciously from top to bottom!

The energy exploded towards Baek Cheon. The very attack that made Namgung Hwang fell asleep in this flowing water. It was the energy that proved why the name Black Dragon King reigned in terror over this Yangtze River.

Kwaaaaaaa!

The energy that poured out tore through the air, and the airwaves alone drew a long line on the surface of the Yangtze River.

Black Dragon King was confident that this energy could turn the tide. Such a flimsy sword will never be able to block it.

At that moment, Baek Cheon, who was running in a straight line, caught a glimpse of the flying energy. But that was all.

Although Baek Cheon clearly saw the attack, he looked forward again and ran even faster.

It was when Black Dragon King was caught off guard by that absurd situation.

“A—Mi—Ta—Bha!”

A chant was heard.

It is a chant that can be heard anywhere in Jungwon but cannot and should not be heard here, on the Yangtze River.

“What?”

Soon, someone rose up like a beam of light in front of the energy that was flying toward Baek Cheon. A magnificent golden light emanated from him, shining like the sun.

“Sha- Shaolin?”

Black Dragon King opened his eyes wide.

“Taaaaaaaaaap!”

Hye Yeon, who rose up, thrust his fist forward at once, which he had pulled back with all his might.

Uuuuuung!

The Hundred Steps Divine Fist (????(白步神拳)) he unleashed collided with the incoming energy.

The energy, which had been heading straight for Baek Cheon, twisted upward, passed over the disciples of Mount Hua, and struck the pirate ship that was tightening the siege from the other side.

Kwaaaaaaaaaang!

“Aaaaaaaargh!”

“Wa- Water flooding in! Stop it! The ship’s sinking!”

The power of the energy was so great that it split the pirate ship below. The blue water of the Yangtze River swirled into the ship like a whirlpool.

However, the sight of that pirate ship did not even enter Black Dragon King’s eyes.

His gaze was solely fixed on one person, who was bouncing his energy and being pushed by the aftermath.

The person was wearing the same black uniform as Mount Hua’s disciples. But even so, his identity was clear, wasn’t it?

There was only one question.

“Why is Shaolin here! Why!”

But in this place, there was no one to answer his shout.

Meanwhile, Baek Cheon, who trusted Hye Yeon and ignored Black Dragon King’s pottery, spurred himself even faster forward.

Kwang!

Moments later, Baek Cheon, kicked the wooden planks under his feet as if to break them, and leaped into the air. Soaring over the undulating Yangtze River, he turned into a black line cutting across the blue sky.

And finally.

Kuung!

Baek Cheon’s feet landed on the ground instead of the wooden board.

Right here, on Plum Blossom Island.

“…”

The pirates he encountered at the edge of the island looked at him with pale faces.

Baek Cheon, who had bent his body to land, slowly raised his upper body and opened his mouth.

“In adherence to Sect Leader’s orders.”

“…”

“Defeat the pirates and rescue Namgung Family.”

Baek Cheon raised his sword and aimed forward.

“Execute!”

That moment.

Mount Hua’s disciples, who followed Baek Cheon onto Plum Blossom Island, brushed past him and charged toward the pirates.

“Haaaaaap!”

“Defeat them!”

From the edges of their swords, red energy simultaneously burst forth. The sword energy bloomed magnificently, creating a crimson plum blossom on one side of Plum Blossom Island, befitting its name.

Truly beautiful and powerful.