Chapter 600

As a sacred site for Taoism, Mount Wudang was always bustling with people.

Even during the periods of seclusion, people’s footsteps never ceased. Even if they didn’t climb Mount Wudang directly, it was believed that merely being nearby would allow them to experience the spiritual energy of the mountain.

Thus, even when the Wudang Sect was in seclusion, the town below, Gyunhyeon, was always full of visitors.

When the Wudang Sect ended their seclusion, the number of visitors increased even more.

Thanks to that, Gyunhyeon was always brimming with life. But today was different.

The always noisy Gyunhyeon, filled with people’s voices, was unusually quiet.

It was as if someone had forcibly imposed silence.

People on the streets went home and locked their doors, and visitors stayed in their guesthouses and did not come out.

Even the wild dogs that roamed the streets seemed to be hiding somewhere, and an eerie silence enveloped Gyunhyeon.

The only people walking the streets of Gyunhyeon were robed Taoist monks.

Hundreds of monks were walking down Gyunhyeon’s main road.

They were, indeed, the monks of the Wudang Sect.

At their head was Cheongjin, the leader of the sect.

Senior members such as Unjin, Jeongjin, and Sangjin walked beside him.

Following them were hundreds of secondary disciples.

Their expressions were profoundly serious.

Even when not in seclusion, it was rare for so many disciples of the Wudang Sect to come down to Gyunhyeon all at once.

Except for those with duties in Kangho, they were committed to cultivating their martial arts and minds on Mount Wudang, following the Wudang Sect’s doctrine.

Thus, it was extremely rare for the sect’s dignitaries to descend the mountain together like this.

Moreover, the people who appeared in Gyunhyeon now were all elite members of the Wudang Sect.

Excluding the three great disciples and younger monks, virtually all the real forces had appeared.

Cheongjin, the sect leader, had left only a minimal force to protect the Wudang sect.

He entrusted this responsibility to Gongjin. He was his most talented disciple and the strongest member of the sect.

He thought that if Gongjin remained intact, even if all other monks perished, the sect could somehow be rebuilt.

So today, he descended the Wudang Mountain with great determination.

The senior members and secondary disciples were no different.

Cheongjin spoke to the seniors,

“Prepare your minds. By now, the warriors of Dragon Mountain Manor must have almost arrived in Gyunhyeon.”

“Do not worry, Leader!”

“We are fully prepared.”

“Even if it is the Dragon Mountain Manor, we will never lose.”

The elders were ablaze with fighting spirit.

Among them, the aura of Sangjin, the First Sword of Wudang, was especially extraordinary.

He was the one who had been most enraged upon hearing the news that Il Geom , known as “One Sword Master,” had been killed.

Il Geom was the person he respected the most.

The fact that the Wudang Sect had remained strong until now was largely due to Il Geom.

He had been the spiritual pillar of the Wudang Sect’s disciples.

He had single-handedly blocked the advance of Dragon Mountain Manor and had been killed. So Sangjin could not forgive them for daring to kill Il Geom .

After killing Il Geom through deception, the Dragon Mountain Manor shamelessly claimed that they were the victims. Furthermore, they labeled the Wudang sect as monsters and began their attack.

Even though Dragon Mountain Manor was part of the Three Great Sects, their history was only two hundred years old, yet they dared to attack the Wudang Sect, which had reigned at the top of the martial world for over a thousand years.

Sangjin could never forgive them.

Then, at that moment.

“Over there….”

“It’s the warriors of Dragon Mountain Manor.”

An uproar broke out amongst the disciples.

Raising his head, Sangjin saw a large army approaching, waving countless flags. It was the warriors of Dragon Mountain Manor.

They were wearing expressions as grim and resolute as the Taoists of Wudang Sect.

At their lead were men carrying a large coffin.

They were Dragon Mountain Manor’s elites, carrying the coffin containing the body of Yong Geom-sang.

Yong Geom-sang, who was severely wounded by Il Geom, lost his life while returning to Dragon Mountain Manor after being ambushed by the Wudang Sect’s Taoists.

When the warriors of Dragon Mountain Manor saw this spectacle, their fury pierced the heavens. They vowed revenge and, after obtaining a stone coffin from the area, buried Yong Geom-sang’s body and brought it here.

Now, nothing else mattered to them.

Their ruler, Yong Geom-sang, and their young master, Yong Ha-sang, had both lost their lives.

All that remained in them was hatred and vengeance.

Stomp! Stomp!

A middle-aged man emerged from among the ranks of Dragon Mountain Manor.

The man emanating an extraordinary aura was none other than the deputy leader of Dragon Mountain Manor, Go Young-hwan.

Go Young-hwan, emanating a deadly aura, strode up to the Wudang sect’s Taoists.

“I am Go Young-hwan, the deputy leader of Dragon Mountain Manor. I am here today to avenge our leader.”

His voice thundered across the field.

From the Wudang Sect, Cheongjin stepped forward.

“I am Cheongjin, the leader of the Wudang Sect. It is regrettable to meet you in such circumstances.”

“Humph! Spare me your insincere words. Had you any true regret, you would not have sent Il Geom  to wound our leader.”

“Do not speak thoughtlessly. Wudang Sect has lost our most respected elder, the One-Sword Master.”

“Humph! What importance is the death of such an old man? We of Dragon Mountain Manor have lost our leader.”

“You dare to play victims after treacherously ambushing and killing the One Sword Master?”

“Watch your loose tongue. We from Dragon Mountain Manor are not as cowardly as you Taoists from the Wudang Sect.”

Go Young-Hwan’s harsh denunciation enraged the Taoist martial artists of the Wudang sect.

“How dare you! Not only killing the One Sword Master, but slandering our main sect.”

“You truly are shameless curs.”

In response to the harsh criticism from the Wudang sect, the martial artists of Dragon Mountain Manor responded fervently.

“Our Master admitted defeat. Yet you Wudang Sect sorcerers stealthily killed him.”

“Aren’t you Wudang Sect dogs too ashamed to even look at the sky?”

The tensions escalated among both sides, the warriors bristling with hostility.

Cheongjin, who was at the front, furrowed his brow.

The conversation was getting nowhere, with both sides only stating their points. The atmosphere grew more and more hostile, making a meaningful dialogue impossible.

There must be a hidden conspiracy. On the day One Sword Master died, not a single Taoist left the main sect. Yet the disciple of the main sect reported that the master of Dragon Mountain Manor lost his life? Someone must be impersonating.

If they continued the conversation, the truth would surely emerge.

Tensions were high and both parties exuded killing intent, but through their conversation, the true mastermind behind this would soon be unveiled.

Cheongjin shouted at his disciples.

“Everyone, be quiet…”

It was at that moment.

Zing!

Suddenly, a sharp breaking sound resonated.

“Danger, Master Jin!”

Sangjin, reacting first to the threat, shielded Cheongjin.

Clash!

Something collided with his sword and fell to the ground.

It was a hidden weapon.

Sangjin’s eyes widened.

“You treacherous bastards!”

The hidden weapon had unmistakably come from Dragon Mountain Manor’s side.

Had Sangjin not reacted in time, Cheongjin would have been gravely injured.

The status of the Wudang Sect was largely due to Cheongjin’s contribution. Had he died, the fate of the sect would be sealed.

“The bastards of Dragon Mountain Manor sent the hidden weapon.”

“How dare they target Master Jin.”

Cheongjin’s near assassination caused the Wudang Sect’s warriors to seethe.

They, along with Dragon Mountain Manor’s warriors, attacked each other without further thought.

“It’s their staged act.”

“The Taoists are scheming.”

“Sweep them away!”

The two sides, already harboring animosity, clashed without restraint.

“Die!”

“Aaargh!”

“Ugh!”

Cries, screams, and shouts mixed together chaotically.

Especially Sangjin, who exhibited a fierce martial prowess.

Known as the first sword of the Wudang Sect since the One Sword Master, his swordplay was considered one of the top five in the world.

He was now wielding his full might, unleashing his sword qi.

Dragon Mountain Manor’s chief deputy leader Go Young-Hwan also fought with all his strength.

Though overshadowed by the absolute martial artist known as Yong Geom-sang, his martial prowess made him a worthy second-in-command of the Three Great Sects, Dragon Mountain Manor.

Ding! Clang! Clang!

In mid-air, swords and blades ferociously collided.

The fight was so brutal that nearby warriors dared not intervene.

“Divine Ancestor…”

Cheongjin, the gate of wisdom, looked up at the sky.

He resented the heavens for letting this happen in his lifetime.

The time for dialogue had long passed.

The gate of the Wudang sect was slowly being stained with the blood of its warriors.

Wind Saint looked at the man sitting across from him. His eyes were deep in thought.

Unlike himself, the young man who retained his youth was Jang Cheon-hwa, his younger brother.

The two of them were dining at the highest table in Gyunhyeon.

They were seated by the window on the fourth floor of the Guest house.

It was the most popular seat in the house, with a panoramic view of the entire area.

But now, Jang Cheon-hwa and Wind Saint were the only guests in the room.

Jang Cheon-hwa was eating a bowl of beef noodles in front of him.

Slurp!

In a flash, he devoured all the noodles and even drained the soup.

Jang Cheon-hwa set down his empty bowl, looking at Wind Saint.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

Before Wind Saint was an identical bowl of beef noodles, untouched.

“I have no appetite.”

“As we age, we should eat more, especially if we wish to live long.”

“What’s the point in living any longer? I just want to live freely, as I have been.”

“You still dream in vain. If you’re not eating, give it to me.”

“Please have it.”

Wind saint slid his beef noodles towards Jang Cheon-hwa.

Jang Cheon-hwa swirled the noodles with his chopsticks and brought them to his mouth.

Slurp!

Listening to the sound of the noodles being swallowed, Wind Saint gazed out the window.

Clash! Clash! Clash!

“Aargh!”

“Kraaah!”

The distant clashing of weapons and screams reached him.

The sounds were from the warriors of Wudang Sect and Dragon Mountain Manor fighting.

Focusing his internal energy, Wind Saint could see the distant spectacle of both sides fighting.

“Hmm!”

He wanted to intervene in their battle right away.

Both the Dragon Mountain Manor and the Wudang Sect were great pillars of Kangho.

Their forces were evenly matched, making the battle inevitably prolonged, and the casualties inevitably high.

The fight escalated with time.

The damage to both the Wudang Sect and Dragon Mountain Manor grew exponentially.

Surely Jang Cheon-hwa could see the bloody scene, but he acted as if he saw nothing, continuing to eat his noodles.

Slurp!

Only the sound of him eating filled the quiet inn.

Then, suddenly and without warning, a red shadow appeared and knelt before Jang Cheon-hwa.

“I, Jeok-hon, the ‘Blood Soul,’ have returned, having accomplished the lord’s command.”

“Hmm!”

Jang Cheon-hwa responded by savoring the last of the soup.

Jeok-hon was one of Jang Cheon-hwa’s close warriors.

He was a martial artist specialized in infiltration, stealth, sowing discord amongst the enemy, and manipulating information.

He had mixed with the warriors of Dragon Mountain Manor, killed one of them, and disguised himself as that warrior. He spread false information and incited enmity against the Wudang sect, even attacking Cheongjin with a hidden weapon to provoke them into attacking Dragon Mountain Manor.

The result was the battle between Dragon Mountain Manor and the Wudang Sect.

Slurp!

Jang Cheon-hwa drank every last drop of the broth and put the bowl down.

A satisfied smile played on his lips.

“Excellent!”