Chapter 245
Chapter 245
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 245
Chapter Title: Wudang's Battle
A radiant glow rising from the ground toward the sky.
The cluster of light blooming from the edge of the Wudang Sect's main hall dyed Heavenly Pillar Peak in golden hues.
"Ah...!"
Cheong's face brightened at the sight.
The third grand spell she had requested from Hong just moments ago had finally activated.
And the spell's effect manifested immediately.
-Kieeeek!?
The monstrous birds plummeted to the ground all at once, as if crushed by some invisible force.
Even as their descent accelerated, they could barely flap their wings, and in the end,
-Thud!
A sound like something bursting echoed as they crashed into the earth.
The ominous reverberation suggested they had all perished.
Thanks to this, Cheong caught her breath and surveyed her surroundings.
-Kiii...
-Krgh...
Just as with the monstrous birds in the sky, the ground beasts staggered, unable to muster their strength.
The smaller ones had their heads smashed into the dirt, motionless, while even the larger ones struggled to exert any power.
"What is this...?"
The Wudang Taoists were bewildered by the monsters' utter helplessness for only a moment.
Realizing this was a golden opportunity, they raised their swords and charged at the monsters.
"Eyaap!"
"Hah!"
With resounding kiais, Song Moon-go-geum's blade shredded the monsters' bodies.
The monsters fell one by one.
Victory surged through every heart in the Wudang Sect as the tide turned in an instant.
But that certainty shattered soon after.
-Kraaaang-!
A roar that shook the Wudang Sect to its core, freezing bodies in instinctive dread.
Hyeonjin, who had just yanked his sword from a deer monster's neck, recognized the source immediately and hardened his face.
A massive form sauntered in over the ruined mountain gate of Wudang.
Seeing the enormous horn protruding from its forehead, Hyeonjin gritted his teeth.
"You bastard...!"
The monster tiger, Mountain King, who had invaded the Wudang Sect to slay the sect leader—and worse, had killed his senior brother Hyeon-un and desecrated his corpse.
Flames erupted in Hyeonjin's eyes at the sight of it.
Perhaps sensing the murderous glare, Mountain King turned its head and stared straight at Hyeonjin.
One corner of its mouth curled upward.
Hyeonjin's face twisted in demonic fury at that mocking, contemptuous sneer.
Unable to hold back, he gripped his sword hilt tightly and lunged toward Mountain King—only for a figure to block his path.
It was the Wudang sect leader, Muheo-ja.
"Sect Leader...!"
"Do not act rashly. That is no foe you can face alone."
"...Understood."
Hyeonjin's face contorted mercilessly at Muheo-ja's stern words.
His sword hand trembled, but he eventually subsided his aura in submission.
'...They said he had fallen into heart demon, but thankfully, he seems to have overcome it well.'
Muheo-ja inwardly nodded as he watched Hyeonjin steady his breathing and compose himself. He turned to face the enemy before them.
-Krrrng...
Mountain King growled lowly, scanning the Wudang disciples aiming swords at it.
Despite its seemingly relaxed posture, its eyes darted busily.
Its nostrils flared repeatedly as well.
It was as if searching for something.
Muheo-ja realized Mountain King was looking for Ja-seong.
No doubt, it planned to flee the moment the one it couldn't handle appeared.
But Ja-seong was not currently within the Wudang Sect.
To shatter the demonic cult's vile scheme, he had headed deep into Wudang Mountain with the others.
-Kraaang!
As if confirming Ja-seong's absence, Mountain King roared thunderously once more.
The triumphant glee on its black-striped face was no illusion.
"It's coming! Everyone, stay alert!"
No sooner had Muheo-ja warned his disciples than Mountain King pounced with agile speed.
The grand spell that had crippled the other monsters seemed ineffective against it.
"You fiend!"
One first-generation disciple bravely stepped forward to block its path.
Mountain King bared its fangs in disdain and swung its forepaw.
Facing the tiger's forepaw hurtling with a heavy whoosh, the first-generation disciple moved his sword.
Like the others, he too had imprinted Ja-seong's senses into his body over the past three days.
His sword traced a slow circle, deflecting the paw's trajectory.
-Krrng!?
Mountain King's eyes widened as its paw smashed the flooring instead of the disciple's upper body.
It couldn't help but panic at another human wielding the spell of that terrifying man.
Seizing its momentary confusion, a nearby second-generation disciple's sword deeply slashed the forepaw.
-Kraaang!
Mountain King bellowed in agony and lunged its gaping maw at the insolent second-generation disciple who had dared wound it, fangs gleaming.
It aimed to rip his head off in one bite.
But the attempt failed.
Before its fangs could reach, the first-generation disciple's sword had circled once more.
The sword's flat gently pushed aside the snapping jaws flashing with sharp teeth, leaving Mountain King to chomp empty air.
And another sword strike followed.
-Skreeek!
-Kraaang!
Blood poured from a deep gash in its flank.
Enraged to the point of frenzy, Mountain King thrashed wildly, but the same sequence repeated several times.
A central Wudang Taoist deflected Mountain King's attack, while those behind exploited the opening to strike.
Mountain King realized dozens of Wudang disciples had surrounded it.
At the vanguard, groups centered on one disciple pressured it from five directions.
No matter the angle, its attacks were deflected, met with immediate counterstrikes.
Flailing at empty air only to have its body lacerated by swords drove Mountain King to the brink of madness with fury.
-Kuwaaak-!
Muheo-ja nodded in satisfaction at the sight.
'Good, the sword formation is functioning perfectly...!'
The formation the Wudang disciples wielded was none other than the Five Elements Sword Formation.
However, it differed greatly from the traditional version, enhanced by the newly trained Taiji Sword Technique.
-But what of that red tiger? Without Young Master Goon, we have no proper way to deal with it, do we?
Around the time Taiji Sword Technique training began, Mujin-ja had raised the question.
Everyone swallowed hard at the oversight.
As he said, if Ja-seong left the sect to destroy the Bloodwood sapling, no one would remain to face Mountain King.
Even with Taiji Sword Technique training, the Wudang disciples—who couldn't even wield sword aura—would struggle against it.
They needed another method.
Then Muyup-ja made a proposal.
-I will create a sword formation capable of facing it. That way, we can take down that damned tiger.
-Create a sword formation? Do you think that's so easily done?
They had only two days left.
And even that time was needed for Taiji Sword Technique practice—when would they develop a formation?
Muyup-ja smiled confidently at Mujin-ja's incredulity.
-It won't take long. We just need to tweak the Five Elements Sword Formation slightly.
-So my junior brother has a good idea. Very well, give it a try.
Tasked with refining the Five Elements Sword Formation, Muyup-ja truly completed it in just two days.
Moreover, since it hadn't changed drastically from the original, the disciples adapted quickly.
Muyup-ja named it the Taiji Five Elements Sword Formation.
Past and present martial arts united against Wudang's foe.
'Of course, there are some points...'
As offense and defense flowed seamlessly, Muheo-ja patted his chest when a second-generation disciple lagged by a breath, nearly dooming them—
"Hey, you bastard! Get your head in the game!?"
A thunderous bellow rang in Muheo-ja's ears.
Turning, he saw Muyup-ja from the west and Musong-ja had somehow arrived beside him.
"I've told you a hundred times: only the five in the center execute the Taiji Sword! The rest maintain the Five Elements Sword Formation as usual! You brainless idiots, snap out of it!?"
Muheo-ja inwardly swallowed at the crude speech unbecoming a Taoist.
'Under the pretext of being Wudang's guardian, I neglected to polish Junior Brother Muyup-ja's character.'
Exchanging awkward glances with the sheepish Musong-ja, Muheo-ja vowed to make Muyup-ja study scriptures after this. Mujin-ja from the east had also arrived.
"Are you alright, Eldest Senior Brother?"
"I'm fine. It seems you've finished up over there as well."
The three elders, who had handled west and east, converged on the south.
This meant they had cleared all the monsters invading from that side.
Looking around again, the south here was also cleared of all other monsters.
Only Mountain King remained.
"Now, if we just take that one down, it's over."
Mujin-ja glared at it, face grim, perhaps recalling the Wudang disciples lost to Mountain King.
Muheo-ja shared the sentiment.
"Finish it. With our hands."
"...Yes."
Mujin-ja gravely nodded at Muheo-ja's resolute words.
Yet why were they—the sect's eldest and strongest—standing back, leaving Mountain King to the other disciples?
The answer came with the arrival of the final figure.
"It seems I'm the last to arrive."
Muheo-ja turned at the voice from behind.
In his view appeared a woman in a blue veil: Cheong.