Chapter 1676. Isn't This the Situation You Expected? (6)
“Sasuk! The enemies are climbing up!”
Mu Jin, who had reached the top of White Cliff, shouted urgently. The enemies chasing them quickly didn't stop and kept advancing towards White Cliff.
Mu Jin launched a counterattack.
Crack!
Mu Jin's sword brutally pierced the neck of a pursuing enemy. There was not a hint of mercy in his attack, but at this moment, no one could blame him for that coldness.
“Attack! Don't let them climb up!”
“Yes!”
The Wudang swordsmen, who had retreated hastily, reorganized their ranks and fought those climbing up.
'We can stop them! No, we must stop them!'
Mu Jin clenched his lips tightly.
The quick retreat had certainly opened a path for the enemies, but it also had a clear advantage. The blazing fire that looked like hell had not yet reached this place.
Moreover, this was a rocky area. In a place where there were no suitable trees or plants, the fire the enemies had prepared lost its effect.
This meant only individual martial skills remained. In such a fight, Wudang would not lose.
“Go to hell, you bastards from the Evil Faction!”
“Aaaaah!”
As expected, as soon as Wudang changed their tactics, the climbing enemies were pierced by the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword. The swords, filled with rage and desperation, allowed no retaliation.
Even considering that the climbers were only impatient pawns, Wudang's superiority was clear.
“Damn it!”
At that moment, Mu Jin saw a swordsman advancing towards the slope where the enemies were climbing. Mu Jin gritted his teeth and lunged at him, grabbing him by the neck and pulling him.
“Ah! S-Sasuk!”
“Idiot!”
Mu Jin shouted with a face full of rage.
“Don't let your emotions take over! Our goal is not to kill them but to hold out as long as possible. If we lose this place, Wudang is finished!”
Perhaps those words, full of desperation and urgency, reached them.
The faces of the Wudang swordsmen filled with solemn determination. Mu Jin was right. If they lost this place, it wouldn't just be their death.
'Wudang.' The history of the Wudang Sect, which had endured for so long, could end today.
They couldn't be carried away by revenge when they had such a great responsibility on their shoulders.
“Hold the line! Defend this place to the last man!”
“Yes!”
Just as Mu Jin was about to grab his sword again.
“Sasuk! The cliff! White Cliff is...!”
Hearing those words, Mu Jin quickly turned his head.
Forcing himself to ignore the temptation of bright illusions, he fixed his gaze on the cliff and saw a hand rising.
'Ah...'
Mu Jin's eyes trembled.
“Gruu...!”
That rough hand gripped the edge of the cliff tightly. Soon, a man crawled to the top.
“Damn cliff!”
The man from the Evil Tyrant Alliance who had climbed White Cliff gnashed his teeth as he drew his sword from his waist. At the same time, other men from the Evil Tyrant Alliance began to climb up one after another.
'No, it can't be!'
Mu Jin's face filled with despair.
They had to stop them. They couldn't let them climb this cliff.
“Kill them all!”
“Aaaaah!”
The men from the Evil Tyrant Alliance, who had struggled so much to climb, charged with eyes full of hatred and rage.
“Ugh!”
“You can't do it.”
Clang!
Heo Gong's sword, which had been extended hastily, was easily blocked by the white hand of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman. He murmured.
“I thought Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword was the most arrogant among the Righteous Faction, but... you are not far behind. Do you dare to ignore me?”
Heo Gong gritted his teeth.
He didn't have enough strength. He didn't have the power to overcome this moment and save Wudang from the crisis.
'Sect Leader, where are you...?'
Even if they managed to block this slope, there was no way to prevent the enemies from occupying White Cliff. With their superior numbers, the enemies would start overwhelming them.
“Outnumbered.”
The face of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman filled with confidence.
“I acknowledge you. You have done well. But that's all.”
On the other hand, Heo Gong could only grind his teeth.
Is this the end? The result of enduring the painful isolation and imposing his will came down to this?
“Grr...!”
Heo Gong was about to scream in frustration when suddenly...
“What are you doing?”
Whoosh!
Someone passed by Heo Gong like lightning, blocking the men from the Evil Tyrant Alliance climbing the cliff.
Swoosh!
The sword, fast but also elegant, traced a smooth arc against the charging enemies.
Slash! Slash!
In an instant, three heads flew through the air. The swordsman who had broken the enemy line did not stop, sending bursts of energy towards those already at the top.
“Jin Hyun!”
“Aaaaah!”
There were no words of encouragement or shouts of bravery. He just fought with all his might to stop the enemy.
Seeing that scene, Mu Jin clenched his lips tightly.
'That's right.'
That young disciple had not given up at all. Instead of surrendering, he fought. Until the end. That's what they had promised from the beginning.
“Divide. Push everyone who climbs back down the cliff!”
“Yes!”
Just as Mu Jin was about to shout again.
“More are coming, Sasuk!”
“What?”
Mu Jin quickly turned his head.
He couldn't even utter a sound this time. He saw a group of martial artists crossing the mountainside behind the cliff, heading towards them.
He didn't know who they were, but it was clear they were not allies.
'When...?'
If Wudang had blocked them here, they wouldn't have been able to get there. That meant they had sent a separate detachment from the beginning.
Wasn't it strange? From the start. Foreseeing all of Wudang's responses?
Crunch.
Mu Jin's nails dug into his palms until they bled.
'Was this all part of their plan from the beginning?'
“Sasuk!”
Hearing the urgent voice, Mu Jin gritted his teeth.
“Gather! Retreat! Defend the center!”
“What? Sasuk!”
“Quickly!”
“Yes!”
At Mu Jin's command, those defending the slope and the cliff retreated quickly.
“Form the Great Nine Palaces Sword Formation!”
The blood drained from the faces of the Wudang swordsmen.
The Great Nine Palaces Sword Formation is a variation of the Nine Palaces Sword Formation, designed to fight against a greater number of enemies. Especially on a scale as large as now, it was the best option to face so many enemies.
But that depended on the situation.
If they formed the Great Nine Palaces Sword Formation in the center, they would be surrounded by the enemies who had already climbed the cliff. That is, they would cut off their own retreat.
“Sasuk!”
“There's no turning back!”
Mu Jin clenched his lips, silencing the opposition.
“If we have to die, it will be here.”
Those trying to stop Mu Jin also filled with determination.
“Form the Nine Palaces Sword Formation!”
“Secure the space!”
“Yes!”
Everyone knew it. Either way, retreat was not possible. Whether intentionally or not, the enemies had already deployed a trap, and trying to escape would mean becoming prey.
“Mu Jin.”
“Sasuk...”
Heo Gong, who had retreated, approached while keeping an eye on the Thousand-Faced Gentleman.
“I'm sorry. I acted on my own...”
“It doesn't matter.”
Heo Gong shook his head.
“We know this is the best option.”
“......”
“Now, let's show what we couldn't that day.”
“Yes, Sasuk.”
Mu Jin gathered his courage and raised his sword. How long could they hold out? One shichen? Half a shichen? (Note: 1 Shichen= 2 hours)
Probably not long.
“Half a shichen...”
Mu Jin let out a hollow laugh. The fortune of Wudang, which had been so renowned, would only last half a shichen?
But there was no time for sentiments. The enemies didn't care about their determination.
Kaang!
“Aaaaah!”
At White Cliff, which had lost its original white color and turned dark red, a bloody battle began. Swords and sabers flew. Blood and death rained.
“Maintain the distance! Don't retreat!”
“Die! Damn bastards from the Evil Faction!”
“Sahyung!”
Amid the chaos, Mu Jin raised his sword. He saw Jin Hyun and Heo Gong fighting fiercely at the front.
“We don't fight to die.”
Mu Jin gripped his sword, which had always been with him.
“We must survive!”
And then, he launched himself towards the enemies like a ray of light.
-----------------
“Faster! Faster!”
As the distance shortened, the sight of Mount Wudang burning became clearer.
Halfway up the mountain? No, the fire had already advanced beyond that.
It was absurd, but the flames in Wudang were a clear testimony to the current situation, without needing further communication.
The moment those flames reached the top of Wudang, the name of Wudang would disappear from Kangho.
“It's late! Faster, faster...!”
“No, it's not too late yet. Stay calm, Jo Gul.”
“It's late, Sahyung!”
“Everyone is at their limit! If we rush more, we won't be able to fight when we arrive.”
“Damn it!”
Jo Gul gritted his teeth.
'Please, hold out a little longer.'
They could do it. If they managed to arrive on time. Wudang wouldn't fall so easily. Mount Hua had already gone through this.
This time, they would rescue those in the hands of those damn bastards from the Evil Tyrant Alliance. This time, definitely...
“Huh?”
Jo Gul saw something and stopped. There... in front of him...
“What...?”
Jo Gul's face turned pale.
“From above! Form a defense! Quickly!”
With his tunic unfastened and holding it in one hand, Im Sobyeong, covered in sweat, shouted.
“They must have found a good ground to defend! If they are in that situation, they won't be able to hold out much longer!”
“Do you think it's late?”
“Damn it! Wudang won't fall so easily! They will hold out!”
Chung Myung nodded briefly. He thought the same. If they kept going, they could arrive before Wudang was annihilated.
Chung Myung was silent, thinking, when...
“Ugh, how exhausting...! Ahhh!”
Im Sobyeong was flung aside and fell to the ground.
“What the hell?”
He quickly got up and looked ahead. He had collided with someone who had stopped abruptly.
“Why...? Hm?”
Im Sobyeong closed his mouth. Everyone in front of them had stopped.
Im Sobyeong's face hardened.
If everyone stopped, it meant they couldn't advance. Something had happened ahead.
But the strange thing was that there were no screams, no sounds of weapons.
So why did they stop voluntarily?
“What is happening?”
Chung Myung walked to the front. The members of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance quietly moved aside to let him pass.
Silence reigned. Chung Myung walked with firm steps, his previous urgency seeming like a lie.
All eyes focused on him.
And then, Chung Myung felt it. The closer he got to the front, the more he saw the confusion in the eyes of others.
Finally, when he saw the eyes of those he knew best, Chung Myung understood everything.
Their eyes reflected confusion beyond perplexity. Very few things could cause such bewilderment.
Jo Gul, Yoon Jong, Hye Yeon, Baek Cheon, and Namgung Dowi.
Those who looked at him slowly made a way. Finally, Chung Myung saw the reason.
Enemies, the Evil Tyrant Alliance.
But it wasn't a large army. They couldn't stop all those present.
The number of enemies didn't matter. What mattered was the person in front of them.
“How long has it been?”
An elegant tea table, which didn't match the desolate landscape, was set there. A man sitting in front of it slowly lifted a bottle of liquor and tilted it.
Glug, glug, glug!
It was strange.
Although there were thousands of people present, the sound of the liquor filling the cup was clearly heard.
Clink!
The man, after filling the cup, lowered the bottle and smiled as he saw Chung Myung.
“What is the matter?”
That smile became increasingly sinister.
“Isn't this the situation you expected?”
Paegun Jang Ilso. He was the one blocking the path of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.
“I brought a good liquor. For you to be completely satisfied.”
His beautiful and chilling smile penetrated the hearts of all present, accompanied by an indescribable terror.
