Chapter 27: Ill Fate and Fated Ties (2)

Cheong-hae’s expression was in constant turmoil, shifting with his shock. So-mu patted his shoulder comfortingly, his eyes filled with sympathy.

“You are worried about your master.”

“He was like a father to me.”

Back when Cheong-hae was despised and criticized by everyone else in the Mount Hua Sect, his master had been the only one to stand by him. He could not control the emotions swelling within him.

As the mood grew solemn, the quick-witted So-so kept her mouth shut and watched them quietly. Il-gwang simply stared out the window, letting out a heavy sigh.

After a brief silence, Cheong-hae spoke up hesitantly.

“Would it be alright if I visit Mount Hua, Commander?”

It was a question So-mu had already anticipated. No one knew what state the sect was in, nor what kind of dangers lay in wait. It was entirely unpredictable.

Yet, So-mu nodded without a moment’s hesitation.

“Your heart is already on Mount Hua, Cheong-hae. How could I stop you?”

It was Cheong-hae’s choice to make. But So-mu had no intention of sending him alone. Il-gwang spoke up first.

“Well, I have nothing better to do for the rest of my leave anyway. Since you’re my martial brother, I might as well tag along.”

Mount Hua could be reached in about four hours using light movement techniques. With two days of leave remaining, they had more than enough time. The only concern was the danger that might await them.

And So-mu was not about to let the two of them go alone either.

“If the two squad leaders of the Wolf Fang Squad were to die in a foreign land while on leave, General Jang-yang would probably pass out. I suppose I have no choice but to tag along as well.”

“Brothers…” Cheong-hae muttered, bowing his head. He was deeply moved, but also felt guilty for dragging them into his personal matters.

“But promise me one thing,” So-mu added. “If the situation is too dangerous, we withdraw immediately. Your master would not want you to throw your life away on Mount Hua.”

“Yes, Commander. Thank you.”

Il-gwang rubbed his chin and asked, “What do we do with So-so? It’s too dangerous to bring her along.”

Everyone turned to look at So-so. Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, her face instantly puckered, and tears welled in her eyes. She was ready to burst into tears the moment they suggested leaving her behind.

So-mu did not need to think twice. No matter where they went, there was no safer place for her than by his side.

“If she is to survive in this harsh world, she will need to gain this kind of experience. We will pull back if it gets too dangerous, so there is no issue.”

So-so’s face lit up instantly. She threw her arms around So-mu’s neck, then turned to glare at Il-gwang with a pout.

“Uncle Il-gwang is bad!”

“Hey! What do you mean? I’m the nicest guy here!” Il-gwang protested.

Having decided on their goal, they wasted no time.

Leaving the tavern, they stopped by a blacksmith and purchased three of the cheapest swords available. They could not carry their military-issued weapons while on leave. As long as they could manifest sword qi, the quality of the steel did not matter much. Still, the swords came with scabbards and were decent enough for temporary use.

Before they set out, So-so faced a dilemma. Although she was learning light movement, her cultivation was still weak and her legs were too short to keep pace. She had to be carried. Since it was a four-hour journey, she naturally wanted the most comfortable ride.

The larger the mount, the smoother the ride. So-so began hovering around Il-gwang, who possessed the broad shoulders of a bull.

Realizing what she wanted, Il-gwang squatted down. “Alright, climb onto your ‘bad’ uncle’s back.”

So-so climbed up, still maintaining her pouting expression. “I’m only riding because you told me to, Uncle!”

Watching them, So-mu let out a worried sigh.

‘Sigh… This is bad. So-so is starting to take after Il-gwang.’

***

At the foot of Yeonhua Peak, on the western side of Mount Hua, about a hundred zhang below the summit.

A man sat beneath a pine tree, gasping for breath.

“Ugh…”

A painful groan slipped through his teeth. His left arm and back burned as if they had been scorched. Though no vital spots had been hit, the numerous shallow cuts across his body made his head spin. His eyes, filled with a mixture of terror and rage, trembled.

Just two days ago, Mount Hua had been covered in fragrant plum blossoms. Now, the scent of fresh blood choked the air, and the severed bodies of Taoist warriors lay scattered across the slopes.

Assassins. That was the only clue to the identity of the attackers. A hundred? Two hundred? He could not even guess their number.

Where had such a massive group of assassins come from? Their martial arts and methods were entirely different from the jianghu’s Shadow Gate. They were far more ruthless and cunning. Elder Mu-sang, the strongest master of Mount Hua, had been assassinated in the dark with a single blow.

Against such overwhelming force, what followed was a one-sided slaughter.

Stanching his wounds by pressing his acupuncture points, the man scanned his surroundings. For the last four hours, the screams that had echoed through the mountains had ceased.

‘Am I… the only one left?’

He remembered the Sect Leader’s final, desperate command before he died—to escape Mount Hua and ensure the survival of their lineage.

While the elders, the Plum Blossom Sword Guards, and the first-generation disciples blocked the assassins, the Sect Leader had handed the second-generation disciples the sect’s martial manuals, ordering them to flee. Each manual was a priceless martial treasure.

Miraculously, about twenty disciples had managed to break through the initial encirclement. But escaping the mountain entirely was impossible. The elite soldiers of the Hui Dynasty had sealed off every exit. The fleeing disciples were hunted down one by one.

The man’s gaze locked onto a spot ten zhang away under a plum tree. There lay the cold body of his junior sister, Baek-hee. Having witnessed similar sights throughout his flight, he was numb to it. Her robe had been torn open, undoubtedly because the assassins had stolen her manual.

He reached into his robe and pulled out the manual he had been given. In his desperate flight, he hadn’t even had the chance to look at it. As a second-generation disciple, he would normally never have had the chance to study such high-level techniques.

One Hundred and Eight Styles of the Gale-Force Sword.

“…Damn it.”

A curse slipped from the Taoist’s lips. It was indeed one of the Mount Hua Sect’s ultimate swift sword techniques, but it was designed specifically for women. He felt a wave of despair that he had risked his life for a manual he could not even use. Still, even if he threw it away, the assassins would never let him leave alive.

Tucking the manual back into his robe, the Taoist gripped his sword, which bore the plum blossom pattern. The assassins were tracking his scent, closing in. To survive, he had to keep moving.

Suddenly, his instincts flared. He threw himself to the right. At that exact moment, a silent blade sliced through the air, splitting the pine tree he had been leaning against.

‘Damn it! One of them has already found me!’

He scrambled to his feet and bolted, not even looking back. If he got bogged down in a fight here, the other assassins would quickly swarm him.

There was no path. He crashed through the dense undergrowth, branches tearing at his robes and scratching his skin. But he had no time to care about minor wounds.

After running for a while, he saw a shallow cliff about ten zhang below. A drop from that height would not kill him. Without hesitation, he leapt over the edge.

As he vanished from sight, an assassin emerged from the shadows, eyes gleaming through his black mask. Without pausing, the assassin leapt after the fleeing Taoist.

But as the assassin began his descent, a figure shot upward from the cliff face.

The assassin’s eyes widened in shock. He had never expected the Taoist to cling to the cliff face instead of falling. Furthermore, a milky-white energy shimmered along the Taoist’s blade. A second-generation disciple was manifesting sword qi!

The Taoist’s blade sliced upward, cutting through the assassin’s defenseless abdomen.

Slash!

A spray of blood painted the Taoist’s robes, but he didn’t check the body. Scrambling back up the cliff, he gasped for breath and surveyed the area.

‘Phew. In the end, the humiliation of that day saved my life.’

The Taoist was none other than Hyeon-jeong, a second-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.

The utter humiliation he had suffered at the hands of Il-gwang at the Hwayang Tavern had changed him completely. Since that day, he had shut himself away, dedicating every waking moment to training. As a result, his martial arts had improved to the point where few even among the first-generation disciples could match him.

‘The others will smell the blood and gather soon.’

A skilled assassin could catch the scent of blood from fifty zhang away. A peak master could detect it from even further. He had no time to waste. Catching his breath, Hyeon-jeong turned to the right and ran.

Though he ran for fifteen minutes, his expression only grew darker. He could feel a presence closing in on him from behind. Just then, another black-clad assassin barred his path ahead.

‘I did not survive all that training just to die here!’

Anger flared in his chest. He refused to die. Gritting his teeth, Hyeon-jeong kicked off the ground and vaulted two zhang into the air, looking down at the assassin blocking him.

Plum Blossom Falling Petal Sword: Sixth Form, Sorrowful Petal Strike.

Hyeon-jeong’s sword drew a circle of plum blossoms as it rained down. The assassin’s blade shot upward to meet it, carrying a cold, murderous aura.

Clang!

They clashed, and though they seemed evenly matched, Hyeon-jeong was forced back, his path of escape cut off.

Landing on the ground, he quickly took a defensive stance as the two assassins closed in from both sides. The three figures clashed, the ring of steel echoing through the forest.

Clash! Clang! Clash!

Facing two opponents at once was too much. As the fight dragged on, his movements slowed. Worse, the sound of the clash was drawing more enemies. He spotted another masked figure sprinting toward him from twenty zhang away.

Against three, escape was impossible. Despair flooded Hyeon-jeong’s eyes.

‘This is the end.’

The incoming masked man leapt from three zhang away. At a glance, he was far stronger than the two he was currently fighting. Hyeon-jeong prepared himself for death.

Suddenly, a streak of light shot through the forest, moving like lightning toward the leaping assassin. A figure appeared out of nowhere and slammed a powerful kick into the masked man’s ribs.

Boom!

The masked assassin was sent flying backward, crashing through the brush. It was the Mount Hua Sect’s Sweeping Leaves Leg Technique.

Startled by the sudden intrusion, the remaining two assassins backed away from Hyeon-jeong, warily assessing the newcomer.

Hyeon-jeong looked at his savior, his eyes widening in disbelief as he recognized the face.

“Senior Brother Hyeon-jeong!” Cheong-hae called out.

It was indeed Cheong-hae, the very disciple he and the others had mocked and ignored.

“Cheong-hae…” Hyeon-jeong’s voice trembled, his eyes welling with tears.

Just then, another figure landed beside them. It was a massive, bald man with a ferocious, bear-like build—the very giant who had humiliated him in the tavern.

Their swords bore fresh blood, indicating they had already cut down several assassins on their way up the mountain.

Yet, neither of them showed the slightest hint of tension. Hyeon-jeong had thought he had become strong, but these two had turned into absolute monsters.

The three of them stood back-to-back, forming a triangle. Il-gwang called out over his shoulder.

“Hey, Priest! You held out pretty well. I guess that beating woke you up, huh?”

Hyeon-jeong’s brow twitched, but he swallowed his pride. This was no time for arrogance.

“Thank you…” he muttered.

Ten zhang away, beneath a plum tree, So-so sat on So-mu’s shoulders, peering through her fingers. She was only pretending to cover her eyes, eagerly cheering for her uncles.

So-mu stood motionless, his expression blank. He wasn’t holding back because he didn’t want to help. Rather, his senses had locked onto a chilling presence approaching from the distance. He was keeping watch.

The newcomer was not someone to be taken lightly. Against an assassin of that caliber, he could not afford to let down his guard. He gently lowered So-so from his shoulders, cradling her in his left arm.

“Cover your eyes and hold on tight, So-so.”