Episode 20: Rising from a Fall (2)
Light Novel: Volume 1 Episode 20
Manhwa: Chapter 17-18
Chapter 7 Episode 20. Rising from a Fall (2)
“Here it is.”
The place where Im Ho-ryeong had led the group was a desolate valley, five days’ journey from Lop Nur. The desolate valley, where not a single blade of grass grew, had an eerie atmosphere looming over the entire area.
Sage Cheon-heo tilted his head slightly.
“Are you certain this is the enemy’s base?”
“I am sure. I’ve confirmed it with my own eyes.”
“Hmm…”
At Im Ho-ryeong’s firm response, Sage Cheon-heo let out a low hum.
A place where people live always carries a certain presence. Yet here, there were no traces—no signs of human habitation.
‘Either Ho-ryeong was mistaken, or the enemy erased their traces so thoroughly.’
Sage Cheon-heo leaned toward the latter.
Im Ho-ryeong was a man brimming with fierce determination. It was difficult to believe that someone like him would have led them astray.
“I clearly saw them bringing the Northern Road Merchant Group’s goods into this place with my own eyes.”
“Then the enemy’s base must be deep inside the valley.”
“I’m certain of it.”
“Understood.”
Sage Cheon-heo turned to the disciples of the Wudang Sect.
“You all heard that, didn’t you? There may still be remnants of the Demon Sect lurking here, so remain vigilant.”
“Yes!”
The Wudang Sect disciples responded in unison.
Yeom Zhong-hwa also addressed the disciples of the Southern Edge Sect.
“We will assist the Wudang Sect. Han-su, take responsibility for protecting the disciples.”
“Understood.”
Moo-gyeong likewise instructed the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect to exercise extreme caution.
Following Wudang’s lead, the disciples of the Southern Edge Sect and Mount Hua Sect advanced into the nameless valley.
The deeper they ventured into the valley, the more ominous the atmosphere became. With almost no light filtering through, it felt as dark as night.
Just then, one of the Wudang Sect disciples pointed to the ground and spoke.
“Over here. There are traces of carriage wheels.”
True to his word, the floor was littered with tracks where the wheels had passed.
This confirmed Im Ho-ryeong’s claim. It was now certain that the ones who had attacked the Northern Road Escort Agency were inside.
Excitement flashed across the faces of several young martial artists. They whispered in hushed tones.
“The Demon Sect, huh? This is exhilarating.”
“If we accomplish something here, our names will spread throughout Jianghu.”
“As for the Demon Sect lackeys, I’ll cut each of them down with a single strike! Haha!”
It wasn’t just the Wudang Sect disciples—those from the Southern Edge Sect and Mount Hua Sect also seemed to be brimming with excitement.
Hearing their whispers, Sage Hyun-so frowned.
Perhaps because they had never experienced the Demon Sect firsthand, they did not seem to feel much fear.
The generations that had experienced the Demon Sect were well aware of how terrifying they were, but those without that experience had no real grasp of their dreadfulness.
‘I just hope they don’t act recklessly.’
With a worried expression, Sage Hyun-so looked for Dam-ho, wondering if he was as excited as the others.
However, the moment he saw Dam-ho’s face, Sage Hyun-so realized his concerns were unfounded.
Dam-ho’s gaze was deeply composed. There wasn’t the slightest trace of excitement on his face.
He moved cautiously with the group but never strayed more than two steps away from Sage Hyun-so.
At that moment, one of the second-generation disciples of the Mount Hua Sect approached Dam-ho and whispered.
“Junior Uncle, wouldn’t it be better if you stayed behind instead of stepping forward?”
“What do you mean?”
“If you get in the way at the front, it might hinder us from dealing with the enemy properly.”
His voice was polite, but the meaning behind his words was anything but.
As Dam-ho’s eyes narrowed, a voice as cold as ice cut through the air.
“Won Ho, do not speak nonsense. Are you daring to insult a senior of our sect?”
The owner of the voice belonged to none other than Un-gyeong.
At that, the second-generation disciple Won Ho flinched and turned pale.
“I-I would never…”
“Fall back.”
“Yes!”
Lowering his head, Won Ho stepped back. Un-gyeong watched him retreat with a cold gaze.
Once Won Ho disappeared into the crowd, Un-gyeong turned to Dam-ho.
“Did you see that? This is your position within the Mount Hua Sect. Stop letting them look down on you.”
“I… will keep that in mind.”
Dam-ho’s voice came out cracked and dry.
Un-gyeong brushed past Dam-ho and stood beside Moo-gyeong, who then clicked his tongue.
“You’re too harsh sometimes.”
He glanced at Dam-ho, as if checking whether he had been hurt by the remark. But Dam-ho’s expression remained as emotionless as ever, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
In truth, Dam-ho hadn’t taken Won Ho’s words to heart. No—he simply didn’t have the luxury to. From the moment they entered the valley, his nerves had been strangely on edge. As if responding to that feeling, his mood sank heavily.
‘This–?’
Just as suspicion flickered across Dam-ho’s face—
Shh-shhh-shhk!
Suddenly, the sharp sound of projectiles tearing through the air rang out.
“Ugh!”
“We’re under attack!”
The area quickly turned into a chaotic scene. Several warriors collapsed, their blood spraying into the air. Hidden weapons were embedded in their bodies.
“Everyone, stay calm!”
Sage Cheon-heo and Yeom Zhong-hwa stepped forward, deflecting the incoming projectiles as they shouted. The commotion and panic subsided a little at their intervention.
“Who goes there?”
Sage Cheon-heo demanded as he shielded his disciples. In response, black figures emerged from all corners of the valley, each of them wearing clothes with a blazing flame symbol on their chests.
Sage Cheon-heo’s expression twisted.
“So it’s really the Demon Sect…?”
“……”
But the attackers remained silent, drawing their weapons in unison.
Im Ho-ryeong pointed at them and shouted.
“It’s them! They are the ones who ambushed the Northern Road Escort Agency and stole the cargo!”
By then, Im Ho-ryeong had already unsheathed his weapon and was charging toward the enemy. Sage Cheon-heo called out.
“Subdue them.”
“Uwaaah!”
The martial artists from the Wudang Sect followed suit, with those of the Mount Hua and Southern Edge Sects moving in at the same time.
Sage Hyun-so closed his eyes.
“Is it truly the Demon Sect? Oh, Primordial Heaven Sovereign…”
Dam-ho observed the battlefield.
Before him, the warriors of the Wudang Sect, Mount Hua Sect, and Southern Edge Sect clashed with the martial artists suspected to be remnants of the Demon Sect.
Sage Cheon-heo’s swordplay was truly extraordinary.
Swish!
Each time his blade sliced through the air, someone collapsed, blood spraying in all directions.
The warriors of the Wudang Sect followed his lead, fighting with fearless determination. Among them, the most striking figure was Yeon Soha.
Her movements were dazzling, her footwork swift as she wielded her Wudang Sword.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sword clashed with sword, sending sparks flying in all directions.
Yeon Soha’s expression became distorted at the intense impact.
Though she had grown steadily under Sage Cheon-heo’s teachings, this was her first time experiencing a real battle.
Slash!
Blood gushed from her opponent’s shoulder.
She had cut down countless trees in training, but this was the first time she ever had to cut down a person. The chilling sensation made her heart sink, but she forced herself to endure it.
Despite looking as if she might burst into tears at any moment, Yeon Soha fought with all her strength. Seeing her determination seemed to ignite the spirits of the Wudang Sect warriors, pushing them to give their all.
“You bastards! Reveal your identities!”
Yeom Zhong-hwa roared as he unleashed the Heavenly River Sword, the signature technique of the Southern Edge Sect, pressuring his opponent. His sword radiated terrifying killing intent.
Slash!
One of the assailants was split in two before he could even scream—his upper and lower body severed cleanly apart.
His sword skill contained such terrible killing intent that even the martial artists of the Wudang Sect and Mount Hua Sect, who were on the same side, held their breath.
‘So this is the sword of the Southern Edge Sect…’
Dam-ho imprinted Yeom Zhong-hwa’s technique into his memory.
Meanwhile, Moo-gyeong and Un-gyeong were leading the Mount Hua Sect warriors into battle.
Moving in groups of seven, they executed the Seven Star Sword Battle Formation with precision.
“Everyone, hold your ground!”
Un-gyeong commanded, his voice steady despite the chaos of battle.
Compared to the other sects, their ranks consisted of younger warriors, making it all the more necessary to stay cautious. If he allowed himself to get carried away, his disciples would follow suit, disrupting the formation. That was why Un-gyeong remained composed, ensuring his judgment remained sharp and calculated.
While Un-gyeong commanded the Seven Star Sword Battle Formation, Moo-gyeong engaged in combat himself.
He was the head disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, and as such, he boasted a formidable martial prowess. The Great Clarity Sword Art, a technique said to require at least an elder-level martial artist to wield freely, shone brilliantly in his hands.
Swish!
Moo-gyeong seized this opportunity to prove that the Mount Hua Sect was still very much alive.
Splatter!
His opponent’s blood sprayed across his face.
Moo-gyeong’s face contorted in anguish. As the head disciple and soon-to-be sect leader of the Mount Hua Sect, he had always known that one day he would have to cut someone down. But he had never imagined that the sensation would be so chilling, so deeply unsettling.
Moo-gyeong gritted his teeth.
“Primordial Heaven Sovereign, please forgive this disciple for taking a life. All of this is for the peace of Jianghu.”
This was all for the sake of Mount Hua.
Once this journey into Jianghu was over, the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect would return stronger than ever.
Amidst the frenzy of battle, where warriors fought like demons possessed, two figures remained untouched—Sage Hyun-so and Dam-ho.
They were not considered combatants but rather individuals who needed protection.
Everyone understood this, which was why the second-generation disciples, including Won Ho, had formed a defensive line around them.
‘I-Is this what a real battle in Jianghu looks like?’
Won Ho and the second-generation disciples trembled as they watched the carnage unfold before them.
The pride they once held as warriors of the Mount Hua Sect, the grueling martial training they had endured—all of it had vanished from their minds. It was as if their thoughts had been wiped blank, leaving behind only a paralyzing dizziness.
“Aaargh!”
“Spare me!”
The screams of the dying pierced their ears, digging into their skulls.
They wanted to cry. They wanted to run.
But what crushed them the most was the realization that they couldn’t.
At that moment, someone approached them.
It was one of the assailants. Yet, unlike the others, there was something different about him.
He was smaller, yet his presence exuded a bone-chilling coldness.
The masked attacker rushed toward the spot where Sage Hyun-so and the Mount Hua disciples stood.
Tap, tap!
With only a few light steps, the attacker closed the distance with the Mount Hua Sect disciples in an instant.
“B-Block him!”
Won Ho shouted in panic.
The Mount Hua disciples attempted to form the Seven Star Sword Battle Formation. But the attacker was faster.
Pababababang!
His hands seemed to multiply, striking out in all directions at once.
“Guehk!”
“Kuhak!”
The Seven Star Sword Battle Formation collapsed in an instant, and the second-generation disciples were sent flying in all directions. And before anyone could react, the attacker was already standing right in front of Won Ho.
Swish!
The attacker’s hand shot toward Won Ho’s throat like a venomous snake. Won Ho should have drawn his sword—he knew that. But instead, his body froze, and he clenched his eyes shut.
Boom!
A deafening impact rang out, and Won Ho’s body jolted. But he didn’t feel any pain.
Trembling, Won Ho slowly opened his eyes. And before him was a sight he could hardly believe.
“Ju, Junior Uncle…?”
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
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