That Was Amazingly Splendid. (2)

“Hold the line! Defend with your lives!”

Rough voices swept across the battlefield.

Everyone surged like a torrent, encircling the besieged Five Swords and their party. Mount Hua’s disciples, Tang Family members, and even the swordsmen from the Namgung Family who arrived afterward rushed the enemies and pushed them back.

“Fall back, you dogs of the Evil Sect!”

Into the space created by the Heavenly Friends Alliance throwing their bodies, the remaining Mount Hua disciples plunged.

“Sahyung!”

“Damn it, sasuk!”

The sight of their sahyung-sajaes in shambles stirred fierce hatred in the Mount Hua disciples’ eyes.

Un Am’s thunderous voice stopped those who, unable to contain their rage, were about to turn and charge the enemies.

“Hold your positions!”

“S-Sect leader…”

“Our task is not to hunt the enemy! Protect your sahyung-sajaes. Let none of them breach this place!”

“Yes!”

Mount Hua’s disciples, their eyes filled with killing intent, drove back the Ten Thousand People Clan members who had targeted Chung Myung and his group. The Ten Thousand People Clan, thrown by the flurry of blades, found themselves repeatedly pushed back in confusion.

Mount Hua and the Heavenly Friends Alliance formed a solid wall the enemies could not penetrate.

“Yoon Jong!”

Meanwhile, Hyun Sang, who had rushed like lightning, was momentarily at a loss for words in front of Yoon Jong. As the stunned Hyun Sang barely gathered himself to check Yoon Jong’s pulse, Yoon Jong suddenly shook his head and weakly pointed elsewhere.

“Elder… Chung Myung, take care of Chung Myung…”

“Hey, you fool! Who’s supposed to care for who right now…!”

“Elder, hurry, Chung Myung is…”

Hyun Sang clenched his lips. At that moment Baek Cheon stepped forward and handed over Chung Myung he had been holding.

“Elder…”

“…”

“My qi… Chung Myung…”

Although the words came out haltingly, Hyun Sang immediately understood the meaning.

But he could not bring himself to take Chung Myung. He had no idea where to place his hands—there wasn’t a single uninjured spot; how could he touch him?

“Stand aside.”

“S-Sect leader. Chung Myung…”

“Get a hold of yourself!”

At that moment Hyun Jong shoved Hyun Sang aside and took Chung Myung in his arms. His sleeve instantly soaked with Chung Myung’s blood, yet Hyun Jong showed no flinch as he pushed his mighty internal qi into Chung Myung’s abdomen.

“I-is he alright? Is he going to be okay?”

As Hyun Sang asked urgently, Hyun Jong hardened his face and shouted instead of answering.

“Those who have any remaining strength, tend to the wounded! Now!”

“…Yes?”

“What are you all doing! Is Chung Myung the only injured one here?”

“Yes? Ah, yes! Former Sect leader!”

Those words snapped them to attention.

Of course Chung Myung was the worst off, but the others had suffered injuries that words couldn’t fully describe.

Those with enough internal qi rushed over and began imbuing qi. Hyun Sang likewise seized Yoon Jong and poured qi into his back.

“…S-Sect leader.”

“Don’t speak, Gul!”

Un Am placed his hand on Jo Gul’s back and poured qi into him.

“I—rather than me, the others…”

“Don’t say another word!”

“I’m still fine! Start with the sasuk…”

“I told you to shut your mouth!”

Un Am bit his lip. Even now he had the mind to worry about others—whether that was kindness or stupidity, it was impossible to tell.

‘These foolish bastards…’

How could they neglect their own bodies so? He was proud, yet unbearably resentful.

Among them, there was one who obeyed the least.

“Soso! You can’t do that!”

“Let go!”

“Soso! Your injuries are severe too!”

“I’m not dead, so let go!”

Tang Soso repeatedly refused those trying to treat her and clung to Chung Myung, whom Hyun Jong was holding. Before Hyun Jong could stop her, Tang Soso grabbed Chung Myung’s wrist, checked his pulse, and lifted her head violently.

“Father? Where is the Tang Family Lord?”

“He’s holding back the enemy’s advance. He’ll be here soon.”

“Quick! As fast as possible! Former Sect leader! The sahyung is dying!”

Hyun Jong shouted as if there were no need to think.

“Un Geom! Bring the Tang Family Lord! At once!”

“That’s not necessary.”

At that moment, a streak of green light suddenly landed before them.

“Father!”

“This way.”

Tang Gunak seized Chung Myung as if snatching him away. His face, hard as rock as he checked his condition, went pale in an instant. Seeing his usually unshakeable calm crumble was more chilling than any shout or scream.

“What were you thinking!”

Tang Gunak bit his lip, laid Chung Myung out gently with hands like a carving knife, took a small box from his robe, opened it, and pulled out a dozen large golden needles.

“No one! Let no one approach us, absolutely no one!”

Hyun Jong didn’t need to say anything. The moment those words were heard, the Mount Hua disciples’ momentum shifted. Even those who could barely stand rose to protect Chung Myung, and they had to be restrained.

“Soso! Tang Pae! Help!”

“Yes!”

“Tang Family Lord. Soso also…”

“Do not interfere, step back!”

Baek Sang, who tried to stop the Tang Family Lord, paled and stepped back at the deadly command, realizing how dire the situation was.

“Tang Pae!”

“Yes, Lord!”

Tang Pae shoved aside the one pouring qi into him and leapt forward. As he attached himself to Chung Myung’s opposite side, Tang Gunak channeled qi into the extracted needles.

Wooooooom!

The golden needles in his hand trembled wildly. At the same time, Tang Gunak’s long robe swelled as if about to burst under the strain of the qi. The sheer force made even the Mount Hua disciples turn around for an instant.

As Tang Soso began to be pushed back by the qi wave, Hyun Jong grabbed her shoulder and breathed qi into her.

WOOOOOOOOOOM!

The golden needles on Tang Gunak’s palm thrashed like live carp and then quieted. The faint tremor ceased completely, and Tang Gunak thrust the needles into Chung Myung’s throat like lightning.

Chung Myung’s body convulsed on the spot. Tang Gunak pressed him down and shouted.

“Poisoned dagger, navel point, gui (face intersection) point!”

“Yes!”

Tang Pae and Tang Soso struck the pressure points Tang Gunak named.

“Three mm deeper at the navel point!”

“F-Father. Sahyung’s body…”

“Do as instructed!”

“Yes!”

Tang Soso gritted her teeth and struck the points Tang Gunak ordered. Black, dead blood gushed from Chung Myung’s mouth.

WOOOOOM!

Another large needle plunged into the center of Chung Myung’s chest. A long needle the size of an adult palm sank entirely into his body and disappeared.

“Universal Acupoint, Upper abdomen point, Foot paralysis point!”

“Yes!”

Tang Family Lord Tang Gunak was a warrior who had crossed into the realm of the absolute. Yet his face was soon soaked with sweat. The scene made clear how much spirit and power this needle technique was consuming.

Wooooooom!

Tang Gunak bit his teeth and poured power into the needles again. The sudden drain on his inner strength made his hands begin to tremble.

After a moment, the last of the twelve needles pierced into the very center of Chung Myung’s crown.

“Is it okay to do that to a person’s head?”

When someone finally couldn’t stand it and shouted, Tang Soso answered loudly.

“They’re not needles!”

“…Huh?”

She had no strength left to speak more, so she stopped answering and seized Chung Myung’s wrist, pouring qi into him.

The golden needles Tang Gunak used were not truly needles. They were spiritual items refined from rare ingredients, even the Tang Family rarely possessed them. Each one could not be valued in mere coin.

Within the Tang Family they were called the Rejuvenating Great Golden Needles. They were heirlooms permitted only to the Tang Family Lord.

In other words, Tang Gunak was, without a moment’s hesitation, expending a Tang heirloom that had been preserved for generations on someone who was not even a member of the Tang Family.

But…

“It’s not enough.”

Tang Gunak snapped his head up.

“Ice Palace! Bring the elders of the Ice Palace here! Beast Palace Lord too! Now!”

“Un Am! Hyun Sang!”

“Yes! Sect leader!”

“Open a path! Bring the Ice Palace and the Beast Palace here at once! Hurry!”

Hyun Jong and Un Am ran out with determined faces. Hyun Jong placed his hand on Chung Myung’s dantian and quietly spoke to Tang Gunak, who was channeling qi.

“…Tang Family Lord, Chung Myung…”

“I’ve done everything I can right now.”

“…Can he live?”

Tang Gunak did not answer. But Hyun Jong did not take the silence as a negative. The Tang Family Lord was pouring every ounce of remaining internal qi into tending Chung Myung—that showed his will to save him.

And Tang Gunak was not the only one showing that resolve.

“Stand aside, you vermin!”

Kraaaang!

Beast Palace Lord Meng So struck aside a dozen Ten Thousand People Clan members in one blow and arrived where they were.

“Where is the Mount Hua’s Sword Saint!”

As he bellowed loudly, Ice Palace people charged in behind him.

“Palace Lord!”

“Commander Han, not me! Over there!”

Seol So-Baek shook his head and shouted. Meng So and Han Yi-Myung immediately grasped the situation and rushed to Tang Gunak with all their might.

“Tang Family Lord!”

“Commander!”

Tang Gunak snapped his head to look at Han Yi-Myung.

“We need someone in the Ice Palace skilled the most in Yin techniques!”

“Eh? Th-that is…”

A look of embarrassment flickered across Han Yi-Myung’s face. Naturally, the one capable of the Ice Palace’s strongest Yin techniques was the Ice Palace Lord. The most powerful ice arts were cultivable only by the Ice Palace Lord.

But Seol So-Baek had not yet mastered all those ice techniques.

“It is not me, but the Palace Lord.”

“Then both of you, come!”

“Yes?”

Tang Gunak turned sharply to look at the Beast Palace Lord.

“Palace Lord! Can you use the Yang Heat techniques?”

“Th-that is the specialty of the South Sea Sun Palace, I…”

“Can you do it?”

Meng So’s face hardened.

“Is it necessary? To save Mount Hua’s Sword Saints?”

“Absolutely!”

Meng So nodded as if there were no need to think.

“Then I’ll do it! Even if I burn to death, I’ll pull it all out!”

Tang Gunak nodded and spoke quickly.

“From both sides of Mount Hua’s Sword Saints, push Yin qi and Yang qi into him. With all your strength.”

“W-what, Tang Family Lord? What do you mean?”

Meng So and Han Yi-Myung’s faces went pale in an instant.

The two qi are mutually antagonistic. When such opposing qi collide within a body, the outcome is predictably catastrophic.

They knew how to handle each qi, so they understood how dangerous this was. As the three before him hesitated, Tang Gunak shouted.

“Do as you’re told!”

But they couldn’t move easily. Tang Gunak, his face set, spoke with conviction.

“He will endure it.”

“…”

“If it’s Mount Hua’s Sword Saints, of all people, he will surely hold on!”

Meng So, Seol So-Baek, and Han Yi-Myung’s gazes turned to the fallen Chung Myung.

A wrong move and their hands might end Chung Myung’s life. So no decision came easily.

But in that moment Seol So-Baek knelt beside Chung Myung and grasped his hand.

“P-palace Lord!”

“I’ll do it!”

Seol So-Baek gritted his teeth.

“If it is this Taoist, he’ll endure! None other than Taoist Chung Myung can endure it!”

Firm belief shone in Seol So-Baek’s eyes. Seeing that, Meng So and Han Yi-Myung also nodded and took hold of Chung Myung’s hand.

“No one! Let no one approach…”

Tang Gunak, about to give final instructions, closed his mouth.

All he could see were the backs of the Mount Hua disciples surrounding them. The resolve on those backs was suffocating.

Tang Gunak drew a deep breath.

“I will definitely bring him back.”

He was holding everything of the Heavenly Friends Alliance. The one who showed what they must pursue.

And above all… he was their friend.