Chapter 257 : Rescuing the Disciples of Mount Hua Sect (2)

Chapter 257: Rescuing the Disciples of Mount Hua Sect (2)

None could refute Poong Imso’s words.

They were disciples of Mount Hua Sect, one of the most esteemed major sects in all the world.

Everywhere they went, they were treated with respect, and so they felt no compelling reason to devote themselves earnestly to their martial training. They trained, yes—because they were disciples of Mount Hua Sect—but not once had they ever staked their lives on their cultivation.

It had merely been a routine steeped in complacency. So, even when they learned advanced martial arts, it was only natural that they gained no meaningful enlightenment from them.

“There’s only one thing I can tell you. Life, like martial arts, always reveals a path to those who are desperate enough. If one is truly desperate, even a sliver of hope, like the eye of a needle, can be found. It is those who possess such desperation who succeed, and it is those who become masters. That’s the way of the world. The world is built like that. If you continue training half-heartedly like this, you may earn the title of a disciple of Mount Hua Sect, but you’ll never gain any title beyond that.”

At Poong Imso’s words, his juniors gazed at their senior blankly.

It was a statement that struck them deeply.

Though his answer had wandered from their initial question about Yong Hwarin’s evaluation, his words forced them to reflect on their own arrogance.

“Ah… Thank you, senior brother.”

As Sa Jeokwoo gave a proper bow toward his senior, Ho Cheongun, Sa Ilhyang, and Ho Maeyok followed suit with respectful greetings.

Seeing this, Poong Imso smiled with satisfaction.

There was nothing more valuable than realizing one’s shortcomings when pointed out.

That was the very beginning of growth.

While Poong Imso, momentarily content, was watching his juniors, someone landed atop the empty cart.

“Stop right there!”

Poong Imso frowned as he looked at the two middle-aged men who had mounted the cart.

“From where do you hail, honored ones?”

“My, such sturdy bones on this young colt.”

Poong Imso spoke as he felt the aura radiating from the two middle-aged men before him.

“Escort warriors, fall back. Juniors, deploy the Five Elements Sword Formation!”

At his command, the escorts withdrew along with the cart drivers.

Though they too had learned martial arts, they were no match even for a single moment against such formidable opponents.

Sa Jeokwoo, Sa Ilhyang, Ho Cheongun, and Ho Maeyok took their positions in four directions and deployed the sword formation.

Poong Imso positioned himself at the forefront.

Just then, two more middle-aged men appeared behind them.

Seeing them, Sa Ilhyang spoke.

“All four have the same face.”

In response to Sa Ilhyang’s words, a woman made her entrance.

“They’re called the Four Demonic Ghosts.”

As Man Inhwa stepped out from the forest, the disciples of Mount Hua Sect scowled.

“Isn’t that the Young Mistress of Ihwa Palace?”

“It’s been a while.”

Man Inhwa even waved her hand as she greeted them warmly.

“What business do you have blocking our path?”

Even in this situation, Poong Imso remained composed.

If he were to show panic, his juniors might lose their calm.

However, even Poong Imso could not hide his unease as he saw two elderly men walking leisurely out from the forest after Man Inhwa.

They were elderly men with half-white hair and long white beards—and the pressure radiating from their presence was on par with that of the elders of Mount Hua Sect.

‘If such figures have been mobilized, then the targets must be Sa Jeokwoo and Sa Ilhyang, descendants of the Sect Leader.’

Poong Imso realized it would be difficult to escape this place today. This was not a well-traveled road.

It was a shortcut they had taken because the disciples had wanted to see the uncles of Mount Hua’s Five Swords as soon as possible.

In a sense, they were fortunate.

Had they been on the main road, the Four Demonic Ghosts would’ve likely slaughtered every civilian witness along with them.

In that regard, it was a relief.

Poong Imso turned to his juniors and spoke.

“We are disciples of Mount Hua Sect. That doesn’t change even in death.”

As their senior brother invoked death while speaking of Mount Hua, the disciples realized Poong Imso was prepared to die.

Ho Cheongun responded.

“In life and in death, we are disciples of Mount Hua Sect.”

As the others all nodded in agreement, Poong Imso made up his mind.

Seeing this, the Four Demonic Ghosts smirked.

“Why are you all taking this so seriously? If the children of Sah Buchung would just quietly come with us, that’s all we want.”

Sah Buchung was the Sect Leader of Mount Hua Sect.

“I’d rather die than bow my head to evil!”

At Sa Jeokwoo’s resolute cry, one of the Four Demonic Ghosts gave a nod.

“If that’s how it is, there’s no choice. We’ll settle this by force.”

Descending from the cart, the Four Demonic Ghosts approached the disciples of Mount Hua Sect, who were deployed in the Five Elements Sword Formation.

“Well now, let’s see just how impressive this famed Five Elements Sword Formation of Mount Hua Sect truly is.”

Speaking with leisure, the Four Demonic Ghosts all charged in at once.

Assaulting from all directions simultaneously, they struck the weakest point in the formation—Ho Maeyok was knocked out of place.

The Five Elements Sword Formation was a formation designed to counter formidable opponents, but the moment there was a weak link among its members, it became immediately apparent.

While Ho Maeyok was knocked away, one of the Four Demonic Ghosts leapt into the formation.

‘Ah, these people are far too strong for us to handle.’

Poong Imso had the skills to hold off one of the Four Demonic Ghosts, but the rest of the disciples couldn’t last even ten seconds against them.

Screech!

Clang!

Ho Cheongun blocked the sword of one of the Four Demonic Ghosts, but due to the overwhelming difference in strength, he was pushed back five steps and fell flat on his rear.

Meanwhile, the second of the Four Demonic Ghosts charged at Sa Jeokwoo and attacked.

Sa Jeokwoo barely managed to hold on for three seconds, but the opponent’s limbs blurred rapidly, and soon his acupoints were struck, sending him collapsing to the ground.

When the third of the Four Demonic Ghosts rushed at Sa Ilhyang, Poong Imso unleashed a flurry of Plum Blossom Sword strikes to knock him away.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

However, the second of the Four Demonic Ghosts came rushing in from behind and slashed a long, bloody gash down Poong Imso’s back.

“Urgh!”

The pain was like being scraped by a hook, making his body stiffen.

“And to think so-called senior martial artists would attack from behind!”

Sa Ilhyang shouted in fury.

“What’s wrong with that?”

The fourth of the Four Demonic Ghosts sneered and thrust his sword toward Poong Imso’s chest. At the same time, another sword flew in from behind. Poong Imso had no way to dodge it.

With no choice, he decided to deflect the sword coming from the front and give up his back.

It was then—

Fwish, fwish, fwish, fwish!

A sharp burst of killing intent suddenly shot toward the first of the Four Demonic Ghosts, who had been aiming for Poong Imso’s back.

He hastily struck the sharp projectile with his sword.

Zzzzing!

His blade rang sharply as it deflected the hidden weapon.

“Who dares fire a hidden weapon so cowardly from behind!”

A figure suddenly emerged from the forest and answered.

“What’s wrong with that?”

As the figure appeared, the faces of the Mount Hua Sect disciples brightened.

“Young Master Yong!”

The one who called out most joyfully was Ho Cheongun.

Man Inhwa flinched in shock at the sudden, completely unexpected appearance of Yong Hwarin.

“You—you! What are you doing here?!”

“That’s what I should be asking. I took a shortcut and here you are doing this.”

If Yong Hwarin hadn’t taken the shortcut, he wouldn’t have encountered them. And if the Mount Hua Sect disciples hadn’t chosen the shortcut instead of the main road, they wouldn’t have run into each other like this.

“It seems our fate is rather persistent.”

Man Inhwa, who had momentarily been startled, realized she had no need to fear.

“Hmph. I was about to come find you anyway.”

“Oh? Was your nose itching or something?”

“Shut it! I’ll sever your limbs!”

“How exactly?”

“Elders, please cut off that bastard’s limbs. I’ll drag him around like a dog for the rest of my life.”

“Oh! So you’re relying on the old men behind you?”

“You really don’t know your place. Do you even know who these men are?”

“Must be someone important, huh?”

“Of course. Though they’re not listed among the Six Demonic Clans, these two elders of our palace possess power equal to any in the Six Demonic Clans.”

Yong Hwarin recognized the face of one of them.

It was the elder who had been with Man Inhwa in Soho.

Man Inhwa had brought Elder Yoro and Elder Jang Goe along with her in order to kill Yong Hwarin.

Yoro looked at Yong Hwarin and murmured to himself.

‘He’s different from when I saw him in Soho. I can’t sense any aura from him at all. He’s reached the level of Complete Reversal of Energy and Spirit. How could he reach such a state at his age? If I were alone, I would’ve been thoroughly humiliated. Thank heavens I brought Senior Jang Goe with me.’

Jang Goe held the title of elder in Ihwa Palace, but he mostly lived in seclusion.

He was a born martial artist and a martial arts maniac who had devoted his entire life to training.

In terms of raw combat strength, he was among the top ten experts of Ihwa Palace.

‘If the two of us join forces, we might be able to capture him. But I wonder if Senior Jang, with his pride, would even agree to a joint attack.’

Yoro never imagined he would find himself worrying about such things.

Meanwhile, standing before them, Yong Hwarin was having unrelated thoughts.

‘Man Inhwa’s actions are suspicious. Elder Masa said they attacked Lee Yung’s manor to obtain the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword, but now they’re trying to abduct the Sa Jeokwoo siblings. This is all over the place. There must be a reason, but I can’t get a read on it.’

He could find no clear connection between the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword and the Sa Jeokwoo siblings.

As Yong Hwarin stepped forward, Man Inhwa quickly hid behind the two elders.

“I’ll ask just one thing.”

“Don’t beg for your life.”

Man Inhwa shouted boldly.

“Why are you after the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword? And why are you trying so hard to abduct the Sa Jeokwoo siblings?”

Infuriated by the question, Man Inhwa screamed.

“It’s because of you! If you hadn’t taken that girl Seok Unjeong, I wouldn’t have had to do all this!”

Losing her temper, she shouted irrationally, and Jang Goe quickly cut in.

“Young Mistress, compose yourself. Do you intend to spill everything?”

At those words, Man Inhwa came to her senses and shut her mouth.

“Ugh… Just seeing that bastard’s face fills me with rage.”

Yong Hwarin picked up on a subtle clue from Man Inhwa’s words.

‘So the plan fell apart because I rescued Mae. That must mean they failed in their Moonlight Divine Art. But then, why go after the Sa Jeokwoo siblings instead of Seok Unjeong? Ever since the Secret Branch, they’ve been targeting them for a reason. There has to be something more to this.’