That will be enough. (2)

It felt as though the entire world was trembling.

When the ground beneath your feet, which is supposed to be solid and dependable, begins to shake, it instills an indescribable terror in a person. 

And if you know that this tremor is not just an ordinary earthquake, but the prelude to a far greater catastrophe, how could that fear possibly be put into words?

“Ah…”

Yoon Jong’s eyes began to tremble, like leaves quivering in the wind.

And at that very moment. 

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

The ground beneath them shook even more violently with the sound of the earth collapsing.

Yoon Jong saw it.

‘That… that can’t be…’

At the edge of the ground where they stood, the line where earth met sky, irregular cracks began to spread out in all directions. It was as if black lightning was splitting the earth instead of the sky.

“Wha… what…?”

“This… this can’t be…!”

The members of Sapaeryeon, who were crowding the top of the cliff, turned as pale as death itself.

Boom! Boom!

The edge of the cliff began to crumble slowly. No, it wasn’t just crumbling – it was being pulverized.

Crash! Crash!

The fractured, shattered ground began to plummet into the abyss below. What started as a slow collapse rapidly gained momentum as the earth shattered and fell away into the void.

The collapse moved faster than Sapaeryeon’s members at the edge of the cliff could even comprehend. Before they had time to react, the ground beneath them gave way, crumbling into the abyss, and those who witnessed it let out desperate screams.

“It’s collapsing!”

“Ahhhhh!”

The cries of terror weren’t directed up but down, as bodies were swallowed by the gaping black maw of the cliff, which now resembled the entrance to the darkest hell.

“Nooooo!”

One by one… and then another… and another.

The collapsing cliff devoured Sapaeryeon’s members like a ravenous beast, leaving no one behind. 

Even those who had survived countless dangers, those who had steeled themselves with unwavering resolve, and those whose entire being was fortified by their beliefs – everyone was paralyzed with fear.

In this moment, they were forced to confront the terrifying truth: they were nothing more than specks of dust, insignificant beings destined to be crushed by this colossal collapse.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

“No, no, nooooo!”

With these agonized screams, the exhausted members of Sapaeryeon began to plummet. 

No matter how desperately they reached out to grasp a stable spot, or how they tried with all their strength to find footing, it was all in vain. The cliff offered no sanctuary, no safe place for them to cling to.

“The cliff is collapsing!”

In a frantic effort to escape the inevitable, the members of Sapaeryeon scrambled backwards, retreating in utter panic.

But where on this cliff could they possibly escape to?

“Get out of the way!”

The warriors who had been pressing Hwasan from both sides of the slope now desperately tried to flee in that direction. Or at least, they tried.

“Move, you bastard!”

“Get out of the way! Now! Before I kill you!”

Yet, the slope had been narrow, advantageous for blocking the enemies. It was impossible for the many who had climbed the cliff to now escape safely through such a confined space all at once.

“Let me through!”

“Aaaah!”

In their frantic desperation, swords were swung recklessly, cutting into the bodies of their own allies. Faces, wide-eyed with disbelief at their fate, were shoved roughly aside by those who had given in to sheer panic.

Words held no meaning in this chaos. The only thing that mattered now was survival.

Staying alive was all that counted.

Swords were swung wildly, hands wrapped in raw, brutal energy tore at anyone in their way, ripping them apart while still alive. Those who fell were trampled underfoot. Those in front were used as stepping stones as everyone fought to escape.

“Get out of the way! Move, you bastards!”

“Gah!”

Sapaeryeon’s member, stabbed and trampled repeatedly, felt his vision blur with pain. The last thing he saw before everything went dark was the wave of the collapsing cliff rushing towards him.

Rumble!

“No, it can’t…”

Those who had already fallen and those who couldn’t break through the wall of bodies were ultimately swallowed by the relentless avalanche of the collapsing cliff. It wasn’t fast, but it wasn’t slow either – it was a death that moved steadily, inevitably tightening its grip on everyone.

If only Ho Gamyeong’s plan had succeeded perfectly and the cliff had collapsed all at once, they might have died without even having time to feel despair or pain. But now, they were being slowly herded into the clutches of death, like rabbits being hunted by a predator.

“From the start! You planned this from the start, you bastard of a Commander!”

“Jang Ilso! You demon! You cursed wretch!”

Only now realizing the truth, those trapped on the cliff hurled curses and hatred towards Ho Gamyeong and Jang Ilso, but it was all in vain. Their words were lost, dissipating into the void of the collapsing cliff.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

Overcome with fear, some gave up on escaping through the slope and threw themselves off the edge of the cliff.

While it might have seemed a better choice than being helplessly crushed by the falling cliff, it did not save them.

Thud! Thud!

The sickening sound of bodies shattering on the rocks below echoed up from the abyss, sending shivers down the spines of those still standing atop the cliff. The constant groaning, as if from hell itself, only added to the insanity gripping those on the edge.

In the midst of that chaos, anyone who saw even a sliver of a chance for survival reacted the same way.

Faced with the impossible choice between fleeing down the slope or leaping into the void, some members of Sapaeryeon, abandoning both options, screamed in desperation and charged towards the spot where Hwasan and Sun Palace had clashed. It was the only path left to them, however slim the hope of survival might be.

Sapaeryeon’s members were no longer charging to defeat Hwasan. Their only goal was to trample over the Sun Palace and break through the barricade blocking their path to escape.

“They’re coming!”

The first to spot and confront them were Wudang’s disciples. Wudang swordsmen, who had been left in the back while Hwasan confronted the Sun Palace, now raised their swords with difficulty, bracing themselves against the oncoming horde of Sapaeryeon’s members charging like madmen.

But Sapaeryeon, utterly drained and desperate, didn’t even glance at Wudang’s disciples, who now appeared as little more than weak prey. Instead, they bypassed them entirely.

“Move! Open the way, damn it!”

Clang!

Their cries were directed not at Wudang but at the Sun Palace. At the very end of the cliff, where it merged with the mountain’s soil and trees – where the only escape route remained blocked by the sun warriors who stood their ground resolutely.

Whoosh!

But the sun warriors, as if fully anticipating this desperate rush, unleashed their hot yang energy without the slightest hesitation. They burned Sapaeryeon’s members alive.

“Aaaaaah!”

Dozens of Sapaeryeon’s members were engulfed in scorching flames, their screams piercing the air. 

The agony was so intense that their frantic, writhing bodies appeared almost as if they were dancing in a grotesque performance. 

And then they rolled on the ground, still screaming. The flames consuming their bodies rose into the air, forming another wall that blocked the path for those who still clung to the hope of survival.

“Aaaah! You bastards!”

Desperate attacks were now being unleashed upon those who had been allies mere moments before. And it wasn’t just weapons – fists enveloped in scorching heat were also being swung at those who had just fought alongside them.

A scene of utter chaos and madness.

In this battle between life and death, the lines between enemy and ally, between sects, and even between the Just and the Evil, had all been obliterated.

All that remained were those who were fighting to survive, and those who were determined to deny them that survival.

“Do something! Damn it, you’re Hwasan!”

“If this keeps up, we’re all going to die! Please!”

The members of Sapaeryeon, realizing they couldn’t break through the Sun Palace on their own, cried out desperately to Hwasan for help.

Baek Cheon clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

He had anticipated that they would resort to such a tactic. He knew they would sacrifice even their own men without hesitation.

But witnessing it unfold was another matter. The scene before him was too horrifying, too wretched. Anger boiled within him, threatening to overturn his very being.

Yet, there was no time to dwell on pity. No time to feel sympathy. The cliff, vast as it was, would not hold much longer at this rate. It was only a matter of time before the ground beneath their feet gave way.

Baek Cheon glared at the Sun Palace Lord. The sight of that face, drenched in a sickening satisfaction, filled him with nothing but revulsion.

From that face, he sensed it. 

The spot where the Sun Palace Lord stood was connected to the mountain’s peak, a terrain that would remain unscathed even amidst the collapse. Just a few steps made the difference – those on the slope stood in life, while those left behind were ensnared in death. In this crucial moment, there could be no greater power than the control over who survives and who perishes.

This was why Baek Cheon could never forgive the Sun Palace Lord.

The man who stood there was ruthlessly blocking the path of those desperate to survive, forcing them into the abyss of death. He was a vile and despicable figure, deriving pleasure from asserting his dominance through such cruel acts.

“This…!”

As his heart pounded with fury, Baek Cheon prepared to charge forward. But Jo Geol’s and Yoon Jong’s swords were already flying towards the Sun Palace Lord, moving just a heartbeat faster.

“Get out of the way, you damn bastaaaaaard!”

Jo Geol’s sword split into dozens of blades, all converging on the Sun Palace Lord’s body. But the Palace Lord, as if anticipating this move, retaliated instantly with a burst of hot yang energy that surged like a volcanic eruption.

The sudden pressure and heat crushed the sword energy into nothing.

“Ugh!”

A rough groan escaped Jo Geol’s lips.

‘Damn it!’

But there was no retreat. Behind them, only death awaited.

“Raaahhh!”

Without a second thought, Jo Geol charged forward, ready to throw himself at the enemy with his bare body. But as he did, the seemingly impenetrable Hot Yang Qigong exploded and scattered, engulfing him in its fiery blast.

“Aaaargh!”

“Geol-ah!”

Yoon Jong desperately swung his sword, barely managing to create a protective sword barrier in front of Jo Geol. However, he couldn’t fully absorb the impact. Both Yoon Jong and Jo Geol were thrown back, entangled together by the force.

At that moment, Hye Yeon, clad in his black monk’s robe, charged in without hesitation.

“Ooooooh!”

With a sharp burst of energy, Hye Yeon’s fists traced dozens of arcs through the air. This was the Arhat Fist at its peak, a technique focused on speed and destructive power, far from the heavy, deliberate strikes he usually employed. It was an attack born out of urgency.

“Hmph!”

The Sun Palace Lord sneered, meeting Hye Yeon’s assault with his own punch. His fist created a dozen shockwaves in the air, each one infused with immense internal energy.

The Sun Palace Lord’s strikes shattered Hye Yeon’s offensive, and one of the powerful shockwaves struck Hye Yeon directly.

Boom!

“Ugh!” 

Hye Yeon spewed blood as he was sent flying back.

If it hadn’t been for Yu Iseol’s sword, which flew like an arrow towards the Palace Lord’s throat at the perfect moment, Hye Yeon might have suffered even more severe injuries from a follow-up attack.

Clang!

However, even Yu Iseol’s swift and precise sword couldn’t bring the Palace Lord down. Her blade, though it left a deep gash on his prized hand, was not enough to force him to retreat with mere superficial wounds.

Boom!

Yu Iseol, having absorbed the brunt of the Sun Palace Lord’s energy, was finally flung back, unable to withstand the force.

“Dieeeeeee!”

The remaining members of Sapaeryeon, who had been desperately waiting for an opening, launched themselves at the Palace Lord in a last-ditch effort.

Their mindset was simple: if they couldn’t take him down, they were as good as dead anyway.

“How dare you!”

But with a single punch, the Sun Palace Lord unleashed a massive vortex of flames that engulfed them all. Their desperate screams filled the air as dozens of them were instantly reduced to ashes, their bodies crumbling.

Crackle!

The charred remains disintegrated and dispersed into the wind.

The Sun Palace Lord let out a thunderous roar,

“Did you think I would be so easily defeated, you worthless insects!”

His eyes, bloodshot with fury and malice, glared down at those who stood before him in despair.