Rather than saying it was like a storm, the expression "gust of wind" might be more appropriate.
The atmosphere, once frozen like ice, suddenly turned upside down. Those who had been coldly struggling against the pirate's advance rushed ahead, transforming into blazing flames.
"W-what is that?"
"They are coming this way!"
A scream-like shout burst out from the pirates' mouths.
However, among those who were shouting, almost none of them actively tried to stop the intruders.
It was because they were flustered.
With Plum Blossom Island surrounded and nearly occupied, there seemed to be no need to worry about any attacks from outside. No matter how great the warriors were, it would take time to cross the distance.
During that movement, they would have to endure attacks from the ships stationed on the Yangtze River. Even if they could break through the attack, they would suffer a huge amount of damage, and even if they reached Plum Blossom Island, they would have to fight the troops occupying the island with their exhausted bodies.
Wasn't it because they fully understood that situation that even Shaolin didn't think of throwing themselves into the river?
Namgung Hwang had already proven with his life how disadvantageous this situation was for them. So, even if it was the recently renowned Mount Hua, they thought it would be useless.
But the response of Mount Hua surpassed their expectations entirely.
Baek Cheon's foot kicked the wooden block. The wooden block, which had sunk slightly into the water, quickly rose again.
Paat! Paat!
Baek Cheon's speed, stepping on the wooden blocks floating on the water like stepping stones, was no less than running on flat ground.
The distance from the riverside to Plum Blossom Island was definitely far.
But what if this place was not a river but a piece of land?
To a warrior, this distance would never be considered far.
Paaat!
The disciples of Mount Hua, clad in their black robes, lined up and sprinted after Baek Cheon, who led the way. From a distance, it appeared as if they were running on water.
Among those witnessing this unprecedented sight, someone shouted urgently.
"W-what are you all doing! You morons! Shoot! Shoot an arrow!"
Of course, their moment of inaction was so brief that it could be considered a mere instant. However, by that time, Mount Hua and the Tang family had already crossed a quarter of the river.
"SHOOOOOTTTTTT!"
Terrified, they fired arrows wildly.
They shot in haste, without properly forming a battle formation, but they were still desperate. The story behind the arrows was truly extraordinary.
The arrows soared as if they would pierce the sky and then rained down all at once, aiming for Mount Hua, who was charging ahead like the Black Dragon.
Swish!
It was as if black rain was falling from the sky.
However, Mount Hua's swordsmen, undeterred, raised their swords towards the sky in unison.
Kakakang!
The arrows bounced cleanly off the swords, which swung with precision and without waste.
The reason bows were seldom used in murim warfare was obvious. Long-range weapons with predictable trajectories cannot penetrate martial defenses.
Nevertheless, pirates favored the bow for one reason. Those submerged in water could not block the attacks even if they saw them coming.
Yet, the rain of arrows posed no obstacle to Mount Hua's swordsmen, who ran on the river as if it were flat ground.
"Shoot! Shoot more! Damn it, I'm telling you, slow them down!"
With their attacks ineffective, someone shouted in frustration.
Even if they couldn't be defeated by these arrows, they had to buy time somehow.
That strategy was definitely sound.
But what he missed was that Mount Hua wasn't the only one running on the water to save Namgung.
"Shoot faster… kuak!"
The pirates who had been shouting at the archers suddenly convulsed as if struck by lightning.
"Grrk… grrk."
"L-leader!"
"Leader! What is…"
When the surrounding pirates turned their heads, the leader who had been giving orders was falling backward like a rotten piece of wood.
Thud!
A line of blood flowed from his forehead as he fell to the ground with his eyes rolled back.
"A-assassin dagger!"
A single sword was stuck deep into the forehead of their leader, all the way to the handle. The pirates screamed in fear.
That was the start.
"Ackkk!"
"Acccckkk!"
Those who had been lined up on the railing of the ship and shooting arrows fell down screaming, one after another, falling over the railing.
Splash! Splash!
At that moment, as no one could come to their senses due to the shocking situation, someone shouted in a fit of rage.
"Assassin weapons! Assassin weapons! Lower your body… kuak!"
Swishhh!
The Sichuan Tang family's venom passed over the heads of those who bent down in fear. The backs of those who barely managed to escape were soaked in cold sweat.
That venom must have soaked into the Sichuan Tang family's weapons.
With their level of skills, even just getting brushed by the needle wouldn't guarantee them their lives. And of course, not everyone was lucky enough to avoid that spit.
"Ackkkkk!"
The one who was hit in the face by the needle that flew in fell to the ground, clutching his face.
"Ack! Accckk! Ackkkk!"
He let out a scream that was too horrible to describe and rolled on the ground, spitting up blood. Soon, his eyes rolled back, and his entire body convulsed.
"Grrk… grrrkkk!"
A dark color gradually spread from the contorted face, and soon the entire body began to be covered in red and black spots.
"Uh… ugh…"
Those watching the scene let out a groan of pain. Just looking at it made their bodies tremble.
His body, which had been convulsing as if he had epilepsy, soon collapsed. He had only been hit by a few thin needles the size of a hair, but he died before he could even catch his breath.
Those who felt the power of the poison turned pale.
It was a time of unparalleled peace. That was why everyone had forgotten.
How could the Sichuan Tang family, with its weakness in hand-to-hand combat, reach for the position of the leader of the Five Great Families?
It was because in such a battle where the sects clashed against one another, the Tang family was more dangerous than any other sect in the world.
The poisonous snake, which had been hiding in the distant land of Sichuan for a long time, finally broke its silence and began to swarm over the waters of the Yangtze River.
"Y-You bastard! Don't just keep your heads down! Shoot arrows! Do you want to die by my hand?"
The leaders, their eyes bloodshot, swore. If they hid under the railing and survived like this, they wouldn't be left alive. Wasn't it obvious where the Black Dragon King's wrath would fall?
Whether they raised their heads or lowered them, what awaited them was ultimately death.
Fortunately or unfortunately, they didn't have to worry anymore. That's because something other than the needle flew over their heads, which had been fully lowered.
Swisssh!
The eyes of the pirates, who had been hanging their heads low, reflexively turned up.
'Pouch?'
The eyes of the pirates, who had discovered the small green pouch flying over their heads, quickly filled with fear.
Pung! Boom!
Several pouches that had flown in burst out in an instant, and the black poison and poisonous sand spread, covering the pirates who were crouching down.
"Eukkkkk!"
"Kuak! Ack! Ackkkk!"
Immediately, a scream so desperate that they didn't want to hear it even in their dreams erupted from around them. The poisonous sand dug into their flesh, and the black poison covering the deck surged into their noses and mouths.
"Grrkk…"
"Kuak! Grrk!"
In an instant, the deck transformed into a field of death.
Tang Gunak, who had completely shaken a nearby ship in an instant, ordered them with cold eyes as he watched the scene.
"Save your weapons! This battle will last long!"
"Yes!"
The Tang family warriors, running behind him, answered firmly, though softly.
Meanwhile, Mount Hua continued to advance.
Chung Myung's sharp voice rang out from the center of those running like a moving island.
"Here it comes!"
As soon as those words were spoken, Mount Hua's swordsmen drew their swords from their sheaths. Then, they extended their swords toward the water below their feet.
Paaat!
The sword qi, emitted from the tip of the swords, pierced the water's surface and shot downward. Even though they couldn't clearly see the water below, there was no hesitation in their movements as they released the sword qi.
And.
"One more time!"
With Chung Myung in the sky, the swordsmen of Mount Hua once again unleashed their sword qi into the water simultaneously.
Of course, their running feet didn't stop.
The result of the attack was immediate.
The river turned blood red.
Before the pirates, who had been targeting them from the water, could even approach the feet of Mount Hua's swordsmen, they were pierced by the sword qi and died.
Paat!
Some of Mount Hua's disciples kicked the wooden block and jumped up. At the same time, a long harpoon shot out of the water, piercing the wooden block they were stepping on.
Paat!
A bright blue sword qi flew in, and before the pirates who had stabbed the harpoon could even react, their bodies were slashed.
The pirate clutching the harpoon, unable to even scream properly, trembled and convulsed, while the disciples of Mount Hua charged forward without pausing to check if he was alive or dead.
Paat!
Dozens of pirates rose up in front of Baek Cheon and Yu Yiseol, attempting to block their path.
However, Baek Cheon and Yu Yiseol didn't slow down; instead, they increased their speed.
Tat!
Yu Yiseol lightly kicked off a wooden block and climbed onto Baek Cheon's shoulder. Baek Cheon, anticipating her move, tilted his head slightly to provide a foothold for her.
And!
Taat!
Yu Yiseol, stepping off Baek Cheon's shoulder, soared into the air like a hawk. Before she could touch the water, she began to fall behind the pirates hovering in the air.
Baek Cheon followed suit and pressed ahead.
"Haaaah!"
Baek Cheon's sword unleashed dozens of forms, enveloping the pirates in front of him all at once.
"What?"
The pirates' eyes widened in shock. It was an unbelievable display of sword qi from just one person's sword.
However, their surprise was premature. Before the sword qi could reach their bodies, Yu Yiseol's sword, which had flown behind them, also emitted dozens of sword qi.
A storm of sword qi flew in from both the front and the back simultaneously, achieved by just the two of them against dozens of pirates.
The result was devastating.
'Ackkkk!"
"Acccck!"
The sword qi, vigorous and relentless, pierced the bodies of the pirates who had leaped up.
Swish!
As Baek Cheon's feet pushed against the water surface, his sword slashed horizontally once more.
Paaang!
With a sound like a long whip being swung, the bodies of the pirates, pierced by the sword qi, were slashed horizontally and quickly thrown aside.
"I will make the way!"
Baek Cheon's roar, as if piercing the sky, burst from his mouth.
"Run! Save the Namgung family!"
"Yes!"
The Mount Hua swordsmen ran like lightning over the blood-soaked river. Plum Blossom Island was getting closer and closer.