Chapter 1702
I’ve just realized. (2)
“Duck!”
Jin Geumryong grabbed the back of Lee Songbaek’s head and shoved it toward the cliff. Almost simultaneously, a powerful gust and impact that shook their entire bodies engulfed them.
Grit.
Jin Geumryong gritted his teeth and immediately turned his eyes towards the direction where Jongli Gok stood as soon as the explosion subsided. His mouth was dry, and his eyes were bloodshot.
As the dust settled, Jongli Gok’s figure emerged.
“Sect Leader!”
Fortunately, Jongli Gok was still standing, his feet planted on the cliff.
“Sect Leader, are you all right?”
“No need to fuss.”
“But…!”
Lee Songbaek started to say something but bit his lip.
It was fortunate that Jongli Gok hadn’t been blown away, but blood was visible through the torn and tattered parts of his clothing. He hadn’t completely deflected the impact.
“They’re pulling some tricks.”
Jongli Gok muttered with a cold expression on his face.
He had managed to withstand this time, but if such incidents continued, it wouldn’t be easy to handle.
The Sun Palace warriors clinging to the cliff each had a large explosive strapped to their chests. The fact that they could detonate it using only their hot yang energy, without any special device, meant that the cliff was filled with walking bombs.
“They can detonate the explosives on their chests at will. Be careful.”
“But how…?”
A look of bewilderment crossed Lee Songbaek’s face.
When fighting from a distance, he could protect himself from explosions. But now he was in a situation where he had to exchange swords with the enemy right in front of him. How could he deal with a bomb exploding from within the enemy’s grasp?
“How?”
Jongli Gok’s eyes twitched. Just then, one of the elites of the Sun Palace charged at him.
“Aaaah!”
Orange energy surged from the man’s hands, and with fierce momentum, he seemed intent on unleashing everything at Jongli Gok without leaving a trace of strength behind.
“Sect Leader!”
Lee Songbaek let out a loud shout.
He wasn’t worried that Jongli Gok would be defeated by such an opponent. It was because he could clearly sense the determination and desperation on the face of the one charging at Jongli Gok.
However, Jongli Gok faced the oncoming attacker without the slightest hint of wavering.
Woong!
His sword let out a hum as it extended forward. It wasn’t an incredibly fast or powerful sword strike, but it was neither lacking nor insufficient.
Tadadadak!
The blade left a series of sharp sounds in the air as it continuously pierced through the void. The sword preemptively occupied the space from which the energy would emerge, repelling the enemy’s energy like a massive shield.
Tuwoooong!
But at that moment, instead of retreating as expected, the Sun Palace warrior widened his eyes and lunged towards Jongli Gok. At the same time, bright red flames burst from his body.
In the instant Lee Songbaek sensed another explosion, he widened his eyes.
Swoosh!
Jongli Gok’s sword surged forward with a different speed than before, piercing the enemy’s chest in an instant. And then…
Slice!
The sword embedded in the chest swiftly carved a clean circle. Something flew out from the Sun Palace warrior’s chest.
‘Ah..!’
Lee Songbaek and Jin Geumryong both watched the scene with a dazed expression.
Swish!
Soon, the severed head of the Sun Palace warrior soared into the air. The explosives from his chest and the severed head, two round objects, flew away from the cliff and fell down.
A moment later.
Boom!
The fallen explosives caused a large explosion. Since it occurred far from the cliff and exploded in the air, the cliff remained unaffected.
“If something is going to explode, just eliminate it before it does.”
Jongli Gok muttered as he glanced at the enemy’s body tumbling down the cliff. He then calmly assessed the remaining enemies still occupying the cliff.
Lee Songbaek’s heart suddenly began to pound.
‘This is… Jongnam’s sword!’
He felt the overwhelming gap with his entire body.
Embarrassingly, he had once thought that maybe he had caught up a little. Perhaps he had even slightly glimpsed the realm of his masters, which had always seemed to be above the clouds.
But now, the display of Jongli Gok’s swordsmanship before him vividly demonstrated just how absurd his thoughts had been.
It was a realm that could only be reached by someone with a talent comparable to Jin Geumryong’s, who had spent more than twice the lifetime of Jin Geumryong without ever resting and continuously pushing themselves.
Could such a realm be easily accessible with just determination?
“Oooooh!”
At that moment, a loud shout pierced his ears.
When Jin Geumryong and Lee Songbaek instinctively looked down, they saw Namgung Myeong ascending the cliff with terrifying momentum.
Namgung Myeong, accompanied by the elite members of Cheonumaeng, had just arrived at the scene. They would be of even greater help than those present now.
Jongli Gok asked.
“Will you retreat?”
The determination was evident in the eyes of his two disciples.
“There is no retreat in Jongnam.”
“Then stay behind me. Don’t miss a single thing!”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
Swoosh!
Without a word to boost their morale, Jongli Gok leaped swiftly towards the enemies. Jin Geumryong and Lee Songbaek followed desperately behind their Sect Leader.
‘Jin Dongryong.’
As he moved like lightning, Jin Geumryong’s gaze briefly turned to the top of the cliff.
‘You once said choosing Hwasan was the right decision. But I still don’t agree with you.’
Perhaps, up until now, for Baek Cheon, Hwasan was indeed the right choice. But will it continue to be so from now on?
In Jongnam, there are those whose mere footsteps create a path, and those who lead from the front. Thus, one can trust and follow them.
But what about Baek Cheon? With his ravaged body, he is in a position where he must stand at the forefront and fight. Can he truly forge a path through the thorny road ahead on his own?
Baek Cheon is already wounded and battered. Yet he continues to push through the center of the thorny path.
“Young Lord!”
At that moment, Namgung Myeong was seen grabbing Namgung Dowi by the shoulder and pulling him down below.
“Young Lord, I’ll hold them off here! You must take cover!”
“No, Commander! I…”
“Do as you’re told, Dowi! Before I have to drag you down by force! I am your uncle before I am the Commander of Namgung!”
Hearing the intense voice, Jin Geumryong bit his lip and glared fiercely at the Sun Palace warriors.
If the cliff collapses, those above cannot survive. That means Baek Cheon, his troublesome younger brother will die too.
‘There is still something I haven’t shown you yet.’
And there are still things he hasn’t done. Jin Geumryong kicked the cliff face harder.
“I won’t let it be destroyed!”
In his eyes a fierce determination burned.
❀ ❀ ❀
“Sahyeong! What’s wrong?”
“…Nothing. It’s nothing.”
Baek Cheon, who had glanced back for a moment, quickly turned his gaze forward.
There was no time to worry about the strange feeling behind him. Whatever was happening below, there was nothing he could do about it from where he was.
There was only one thing they could do. Open this path and survive alongside Wudang.
‘Strong.’
It was clear that the opponents they faced were formidable.
They might be the strongest they had ever faced. Even Hwasan had rarely directly confronted an entire sect in such a manner.
Fwoosh!
The searing heat continuously washed over Baek Cheon’s entire body. Breathing was becoming difficult.
Moreover, he was carrying the survivors of Wudang. Moving forward to break through them was no different than running barefoot through a thorny path.
“V-Vice… Sect Leader. Leave us…”
Mu Jin seemed to understand this fact even in his half-conscious state. Baek Cheon firmly cut him off.
“Don’t say unnecessary things!”
“This place… this place will soon…”
“I know!”
Baek Cheon understood well enough. The cliff would soon be in danger. It was possible that none of them might survive. As Mu Jin suggested, abandoning Wudang and escaping alive might be the best option for them.
But for Baek Cheon, that was a choice not even worth considering.
“Vice Sect Leader…!”
“Damn it! If living was so important to you, why did you pick up a sword?”
“…”
“From the moment you hold a sword, your life is already forfeit. What you need to protect is not your life.”
Yes. What needs to be protected is not his life.
That is why Baek Cheon can fight even now. Despite having lost much and standing to lose even more, he does not hesitate.
“And don’t underestimate Hwasan.”
Baek Cheon’s eyes looked firmly ahead.
“Those bastards aren’t ordinary people.”
Even if he is lacking, they are not. They will make up for what he has lost.
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