Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“AHHHHHH!”

“….”

Yo Sa-Heon stared up in astonishment.

‘What is happening?’

He couldn’t make any sense of it.

Ever since the disciples of Mount Hua scaled the wall, the screams had been incessant. Although battles usually brought forth such cries, there was something unique about this one.

So…

“Ahhhhhh!”

… he should just observe.

A brilliant golden glow erupted from the wall, propelling three or four individuals off it simultaneously.

Hmm?

Could that light be sending people off?

That seemed quite evident.

“Save me!”

“Ack!”

The warriors of the Ice Palace screamed and fell to the ground.

Thud! Thud!

Yo Sa-Heon closed his eyes and glanced down. The fallen warriors in the snowfield were all shivering.

“It’s better if they don’t die.”

They said that lying in bed was always better than death, but was there life-saving snow beneath them?

“Elder!”

“Y-yes!”

Yo Sa-Heon swiftly shifted his body and ascended the wall.

‘This is not the time to be thinking like this.’

This was their battle. And weren’t the disciples of Mount Hua just like-minded individuals assisting them? It would be shameful for warriors like them to let their guests fight while they observed from behind.

“Ahhhhhh!”

His climbing speed on the wall intensified even further.

As long as the arrows ceased to rain down, climbing the wall would not be daunting. Reaching the top in a blink, he propelled himself off the wall and soared upward.

“You people! My… ahhhh!”

But the man who floated up encountered a guard from the Ice Palace.

“Ahh!”

He didn’t have time to shout and fell flat on the ground. The man who passed above him quickly flew away.

‘If I had crashed into that…?’

He must have fallen, just like his comrades before him.

Even in this frigid weather, cold sweat flowed down his body. He managed to calm himself down, raised his head, and noticed what was happening on the castle wall.

Thud!

Their advance caused the castle wall to tremble and vibrate.

It wasn’t that intense, but he couldn’t comprehend the source of such power.

“Amitabhaaaaaaa!”

Whenever Hae Yeon’s fist thrust forward, a radiant light would envelop the sky, and those obstructing the way would be sent flying.

“ACKKKKK!”

“Ahhhhhhhh!”

Monks were known to be humble, but Hae Yeon displayed strong disdain without any mercy. What would Buddha say if he witnessed him shouting and sending people flying over the wall?

However, Hae Yeon seemed unconcerned and continued pushing back the Ice Palace soldiers with his powerful golden fist.

“Stop it!”

Everyone hurriedly reacted to this unforeseen force, not realizing the true strength of Hae Yeon.

Woong!

The Arhat Fist began with a palm strike.

Taking the form that symbolized Shaolin, Hae Yeon unleashed a powerful punch at those who charged toward him. The sword wielded by the Ice Palace warriors collided with Hae Yeon’s fist.

Kakakang!

In that instant, the sword shattered under the monk’s intense qi.

“Huk!”

The onlookers widened their eyes in disbelief.

And…

Tuung!

The rhythmic sound of a drum reverberated through the air as they collapsed, blood splattering everywhere.

The battle took on a form that surpassed all extremes.

It was no exaggeration to say that Shaolin’s Arhat Fist was the foundation of all martial arts in the Central Plains. This powerful style was now being demonstrated in the North Sea Ice Palace.

This formidable martial arts style was so dominant that nobody would dare to challenge it, especially after witnessing the monk’s skills.

This was why Hae Yeon was considered a formidable warrior within Shaolin, an individual born once in a hundred years.

“Amitabha!”

Filled with displeasure, Hae Yeon rushed towards the one who retreated and stepped on his thigh.

Crack!

The sound of bones being crushed echoed through the air. The man with his thigh trapped let out a scream of agony.

The monks of Shaolin received teachings on mercy, but mercy seemed to be absent in this Shaolin monk’s domain. Hae Yeon’s fist showed no forgiveness, mirroring the Buddha’s rage.

“…. I can’t get used to this.”

Jo Gul stuck out his tongue.

Since the tournament had concluded, they had been training diligently. The disciples of Mount Hua had become exceptionally powerful, far surpassing their previous abilities. However, despite their progress, it still seemed like the gap between them and Hae Yeon had not significantly narrowed. While they had grown stronger, Hae Yeon had also become even stronger than before.

“I refuse to be defeated! Uhhhhh!”

A sword sliced through the air.

The distinct sound of the blade cutting could be heard through its swift motion.

“Lower! Lower yourself further!”

“Yes!”

Paaaat!

Jo Gul exerted pressure on the ground with his toes and pressed down on the shoulders that trembled beneath him.

His body, supported by a strong core, felt firm, yet the sword he swung from his fingertips seemed remarkably light.

“We cannot be defeated by Shaolin!”

Jo Gul declared this with determination.

As Jo Gul skillfully dispatched his enemies, he moved with the agility of a leopard.

There were countless paths to choose from in the world of martial arts.

But in the blink of an eye, one wrong move could send a person plummeting from a great height. And in perilous situations like these, the disciples of Mount Hua had to face adversaries ten times their number.

No matter how often they experienced this, his heart wouldn’t stop pounding and his feet shaking.

But there was not even a slight indication of his spirit dropping on his face.

“Ahhhhhh!”

“Do not get too excited, bastard!”

Yoon Jong pushed Jo Gul on the shoulder and sprinted ahead. Anger flashed across the faces of the Ice Palace people who were being pushed back.

“T-These people!”

Who wouldn’t be angry at the young swordsmen who were rushing at them?

“DIEEEEE!”

An angry sword fell towards Yoon Jong.

Yet Yoon Jong remained composed, his eyes half-closed as he observed the approaching swords and executed his own swing.

Kang!

Gently

Kang.

And once more.

His movements lacked the flair of Jo Gul, but his sword, adhering to the fundamentals, effectively parried the opponent’s assault, even though it wasn’t precise.

The opponent’s sword rebounded from the flawless defense, leaving the upper bodies of the Ice Palace warriors vulnerable.

Swish!

And Jo Gul swiftly charged forward.

“Ahhhh!”

Naturally, it was Jo Gul who exploited the opening made by Yoon Jong.

“Ahhhh!”

The fighter who had been impaled in the shoulder cried out and retreated.

“These Central Plains folks are fearless!”

He attempted to retaliate, but he instantly flung his body to the ground in terror.

A blade unexpectedly pierced through the minuscule space between Yoon Jong and Jo Gul.

“There’s an opening!”

“….”

“….”

Tang Soso’s face turned rigid.

Her sword resembled a dagger rather than a typical sword, and every time it penetrated a gap, it felt as sharp as a dagger.

It was a flawless connection.

By observing her sword movements, one could easily discern the intensity of her training.

But it was her sword in particular that caught the attention of those who watched.

Swish!

“Euk!”

Instantly, the person who was stabbed in the shoulder groaned and took a step back.

Pat!

The sword was withdrawn from its sheath as if the act of piercing didn’t have any impact.

Precise.

It was a sword that might not appear swift, but nobody could block it. Her sword, with a perfect path and no wasted movements, was both faster and stronger.

Yu Yiseol’s sword was just like that.

Her sword, resembling an illusion, closed the gap with a mere movement of her feet.

“Ah!”

In an instant, her sword slashed through the shoulder and ankle of a warrior simultaneously. The one who hesitated had to confront the sword aimed at their stomach.

Puak!

“Kuak….”

It happened so quickly that one couldn’t comprehend what had occurred. Her sword, piercing deeper into the opponent’s stomach, left the onlooker in disbelief.

Looking at Yu Yiseol with astonishment, the warrior grabbed the sword and fell to the side.

Thud.

Retrieving her sword, she lifted her head slightly and observed her adversaries. Just as she was about to act, she heard a voice.

“Save your strength, samae.”

Yu Yiseol turned her gaze towards Baek Cheon.

Shaking the blood off his sword, he advanced with confidence.

“There is no need to overdo it.”

Yu Yiseol nodded silently. Yo Sa-Heon observed the events with blank eyes.

He, too, had raised disciples as an elder of Ice Palace until the day he was dismissed from his position. However, he couldn’t comprehend what he was witnessing.

What kind of sect trained their young disciples in this manner?

Truly, this was…

“NOOOOOOO!”

He flinched.

He stared at the scene in shock and was suddenly startled by the sound.

“A knife? Huh? Like that? Huh. Ohhhh? It’s true. I’m actually good!”

“….”

“There’s a fly sitting on the sword! You people! Are you here to play around?!”

While everything felt uncertain, there was one thing he was certain of.

This guy had a bad personality.

“Uhhhhh! Come up!”

Only then did the warriors of the North Sea begin to climb up the wall. Finally, realizing that the time had come, Yo Sa-Heon raised his voice.

“Don’t let the Central Plains people take the lead! We are proud warriors of the North Sea!”

“Yes, elder!”

“Let’s go!”

Yo Sa-Heon dashed out and effortlessly leaped over the heads of the disciples from Mount Hua.

“Oh?”

“The old man is still full of energy.”

Though it sounded like someone was trying to provoke him, Yo Sa-Heon paid no attention. Having distractions on the battlefield was more hazardous than being vulnerable to the enemy.

Woooong!

Yin energy started to gather in both of his hands.

Even though the seal on his dantian was only just lifted, he was a skilled person who could deal with something like this. And now that his body had recovered somewhat, ordinary Ice Palace warriors would not be a threat.

“AHHHHH!”

Ice qi started to rise from his hands towards the Ice Palace warriors.

Kwaaaang!

An explosion of coldness was created, and those who were swept away fell off the wall, splashing blood.

“A… amazing!”

“It’s not like he has the position of elder for no reason.”

“Ohhh! It’s so cold! Damn!”

Something bothered him, but he chose not to engage with the disciples of Mount Hua at the moment.

“Those who closed their eyes while witnessing the defeat of traitors are no longer honorable warriors of the Ice Palace! I condemn you today and establish the true heavens’ wish over the North Sea!”

“This traitor sure knows how to talk! What are you waiting for! Get him!”

The leader of the troops shouted, but the situation didn’t unfold as he had hoped.

The courageous warriors of the North Sea, who knew of Yo Sa-Heon’s skills, advanced. It was clear that if they, who were mainly skilled in archery, were to face highly motivated warriors at such a close range, the outcome would be predictable.

“Damn it, this isn’t right.”

Where did they go wrong?

The walls of the Ice Palace were renowned for their height.

On the contrary, it would be impossible to gather enough soldiers to scale it, even if all of the people from the Ice Palace were to attempt it.

Therefore, it was necessary to have a limited number of people guarding the walls. However, they underestimated the situation because of the arrows that could be showered from above and the treacherous terrain.

Unfortunately, this battle did not unfold as planned, not even for a single moment.

‘This is entirely his fault!’

That young rascal must be lurking somewhere among the warriors of the North Sea!

This traitor group wouldn’t have gotten this far if it hadn’t been for him!

“Eik!”

But it was too late to regret now. They had to focus on the current situation.

“Keep your distance! Support is on the way! Focus on the defense and make sure to secure the stairs….”

At that moment.

‘Uh?’

The leader of the Ice Palace warriors shut his mouth at the sudden odd feeling.

Uh?

What was this feeling?

Nothing much had changed, but a strange, nauseating feeling swept through him.

‘Did something change?’

However, no matter how hard he tried to sense it, he couldn’t perceive any changes. Just…

‘Uh?’

None.

The young man who had been smirking and escalating his anger was nowhere to be found.

‘Where did he go….’

That was when he heard a voice that appeared to belong to Yo Sa-Heon.

“You lose sight of the situation on the battlefield. You don’t get to regret your death.”

The enemy leader turned his head in shock, and what he saw was not the person’s face but a pure white sword blade right next to his nose.

Slash!

And the sound of flesh being sliced.