Chapter 180 – Swordsman (3)

It was a terrifyingly bold spirit of valor.

He had declared a duel against the Martial Alliance. It meant he would shoulder the Alliance’s assembly single-handedly.

Jeong Yeon-shin deliberately flashed a smile. He had taken Hyeon Won-chang’s advice to heart.

Hyeon Won-chang had said that even a small smirk would become an unavoidable provocation.

It was a statement Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t quite comprehend, but the ways of the Divine Hero of Desolate Fortress had proven their effectiveness time and again.

He had stormed in to disrupt the structure of this grand event. It was hard to believe his intentions would be easily realized.

Hyeon Won-chang had told him to press forward relentlessly with words.

“…”

A formidable silence descended.

The flag fluttered fiercely, deflecting the pouring sunlight, while the boy looked down upon the Alliance warriors.

In the Martial Alliance’s Opening Tournament, he had revealed the might of Desolate Fortress. He had returned after performing heroic deeds as the Lightning Genius.

“Is that young noble really the Lightning Genius?”

“They say he drove out the Heart Martial Alliance…?”

Some spoke cautiously. They appeared to be people less closely tied to the martial world.

Their temples showed no pronounced Sun acupoints, either concave or flat, and they wore hemp clothing instead of martial robes.

If the words of the heroic young man who had first thrown the flag were true—

If the martial forces of the Heart Martial Alliance had truly retreated—

For the common folk living across the vast lands of Hanzhong, this was no ordinary blessing.

Lately, they couldn’t even trust the armed escorts of merchant caravans, causing many trade routes to halt. It was a matter directly tied to their livelihoods.

“There have been more people safely entering the city recently.”

“A master from Desolate Fortress brought us grace…!”

“Confirm it! Now!”

Dust rose thickly from one corner. All directions buzzed with activity.

Commoners and monks, who had struggled to exchange news with the outside, along with small merchants indirectly affected by Hanzhong’s logistics, and even figures from large caravans and escort agencies—

Different expressions flickered across the faces of the crowd.

Confusion mingled with admiration.

Some ran off without looking back. Such was the influence of the Thirteen Evil Sect of the Unorthodox Path.

It was a massive faction that most martial sects couldn’t even resist.

Jeong Yeon-shin of Huguang had earned the moniker “Flower Shadow King” for his actions against the Thirteen Evil Sects in Sichuan.

Defeating the martial forces of a major faction was a near-legendary event anywhere.

“…”

The Alliance warriors remained silent. Sitting or standing blankly, they stared at the faint smirk of the young Lightning Genius.

Then it happened.

From a corner of the spectator stands, a young man with a heroic air spoke in a clear, resolute voice.

[TL Note- it’s Hyeon Won-chang speaking.]

“The Leader of Desolate Fortress does not speak falsely. Nor does he barter with chivalry. Revered by the honorable Lord of Desolate Fortress, he walks the path of martial virtue uprightly and performs acts of righteousness in silence. Thus, the deeds of the Lightning Genius spoken of today are true. His vow to uphold the Opening Tournament alone is no different. Not a single word is hollow.”

With a gallant demeanor, he extolled his leader.

It was a declaration of war. A warrior of Desolate Fortress had issued a challenge.

The flag of another faction had been planted in the midst of an orthodox alliance, yet the scene and its flow were neither crude nor reckless. It was an exceedingly righteous provocation.

Some in the crowd gasped in awe.

“His words flow like a clear stream. Isn’t his tongue as sharp as a sword?”

“If you’re from Xuzhou, you’d know him. Hyeon Won-chang, the Divine Hero of Desolate Fortress. A chivalrous warrior who protected the people from blood demons. I never thought I’d see him here again… so he’s a subordinate of the Lightning Genius.”

This was a stage where a newly established faction invited the masses to declare its will through martial prowess.

Only by fully facing the swords of martial artists bound by grudges and debts could it become a meaningful event. That was the essence of the Alliance Opening Tournament.

The justification Hyeon Won-chang presented was overwhelming.

It matched the significance of the Opening Tournament. This wasn’t something to end with mere intrusion.

“Truly audacious. No, magnanimous.”

“A duel between the Martial Alliance and Desolate Fortress…”

The crowd’s gazes split into three main directions: the young Lightning Genius, the spectator stands of the Alliance leadership, and Zhuge Qian, still unable to step down from the sparring stage.

An unspoken urging lingered in people’s eyes—a sense that accepting this was only proper.

Even if they dared not voice it aloud, the atmosphere carried a palpable pressure.

“…”

Zhuge Qian, acting leader and Wind Water Mystic Master, pressed his lips firmly shut. Speaking rashly might reveal his discomfort.

That wouldn’t do. Here stood the Lightning Genius, an invited guest turned unbidden intruder.

As one representing the face of the Martial Alliance, he couldn’t afford to be underestimated.

‘A dilemma indeed.’

This was a grave matter. He couldn’t accept it lightly. Yet rejecting the Lightning Genius’s proposal would deeply wound the Alliance’s pride.

Zhuge Qian glanced at the canopy where the leadership sat. He needed the family head’s response. This wasn’t a decision for an acting strategist to make.

At that moment—

Ye Yun-zhe, the Radiant Zen Sword, who had been silent until now, spoke. He was a seasoned mid-tier master who had stepped forward with the Lone Hero of Ruzhou to begin the fourth day of the Opening Tournament’s duels.

Beneath his refined brows, a glint of energy radiance flashed as he shot a glance at Jeong Yeon-shin of Huguang.

“Has the foremost virtue of Desolate Fortress changed? Is it no longer martial prowess and righteousness, but a three-inch tongue that’s become their chief skill?”

“Isn’t it your orthodox sects who revel in verbal sparring?”

The boy leader clad in black robes replied.

He stood beside the pure white flag.

Hands clasped behind his back, he withstood hundreds of gazes. His movement technique had refined his entire presence.

From his jet-black leather boots to the robes covering his body, not a speck of dust could be seen.

He had brushed it all away with the wind he summoned himself. Such was the demeanor of the leader of Desolate Fortress’s martial forces.

The young supreme master didn’t even glance sideways. Without sparing a look at the Radiant Zen Sword or the Lone Hero of Ruzhou beside him, he parted his lips.

“Stop wasting words and draw your sword.”

It was an attitude rarely encountered in the orthodox martial world. Some in the crowd gasped.

Only the hem of the boy’s pitch-black robes swayed calmly.

His speech was unbelievably arrogant, yet his refined features lent him an air of nobility.

Whoooosh—

A gentle breeze blew in. It brushed transparently across the collar of Desolate Fortress’s leader. The wind seemed unusually clear.

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

https://discord.gg/XC9DTsTQ9Z

***

Entertainment was scarce in this world. People often walked a hundred li to witness a breathtaking sight.

Exceptional appearance shone especially bright in such settings.

A strikingly handsome warrior, even if somewhat haughty, could easily become an object of admiration. He was a rare spectacle indeed.

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

“Truly gallant…”

“Are all the high warriors of Desolate Fortress like this? He’s like someone from a utopian realm.”

“Now I understand ‘filling a cart with fruit’… I’d have thrown an armful myself.”

“Filling a cart with fruit” was an ancient tale from centuries past.

It stemmed from the Three Kingdoms era, when admirers, captivated by Ban Yue’s beauty, filled his cart with fruit.

Noble sons like Gong Sun-min and maidens from prestigious families openly expressed their favor, heedless of the Alliance’s scrutiny.

The Lightning Genius had swayed public opinion with his achievements, appearance, and righteous cause.

Rejection would be the ultimate disgrace.

‘This is trouble…! How strong is the Lightning Genius’s martial prowess? It’s said more than half of the Heart Martial Alliance’s martial forces, including the Swimming Heaven Sword Ghost, retreated unscathed. There must be masters capable of matching him, but for a youth not yet of age… the Alliance’s renowned warriors mustn’t be seen struggling.’

As Zhuge Qian, growing anxious, exchanged voice transmissions with the leadership’s spectator tent—

The expression vanished from Ye Yun-zhe’s face.

He hailed from a prestigious family that had long made its martial name known in Hanzhong.

Today’s Opening Tournament was a day promised to the Ye Family of Hanzhong by the Zhuge family head—a chance to display their martial might to all.

He was the brother-in-law of Hanzhong’s foremost noble, the head of the Zhuge family—his wife’s elder brother.

The matchups had been adjusted. The Yan family’s First Fist and Mount Hua’s Sword Saint were pushed to the following days.

Ye Yun-zhe, a master from a native prestigious lineage, hungered for fame. Most martial artists lived off the honor gained through martial prowess.

The Martial Alliance’s Opening Tournament was his opportunity. So many outsiders had gathered.

He had awaited the moment to bask in the admiration of martial peers and the masses.

He couldn’t let a fledgling ruin it.

In this situation—

Retreat wasn’t an option. For the sake of pride, he had to face this, even if it meant defeat.

Desolate Fortress had forced his hand. It was a cunningly meticulous ploy. A cold gleam flashed in Ye Yun-zhe’s eyes.

“Let’s see it then.”

He spoke.

The pride of mid-tier masters often disregarded differences in reputation. It was no different now.

The accumulated skill honed over long years wasn’t mere martial study—it had become life itself. It was a master’s dignity, the legacy of his existence.

Even if his opponent was a black-rank supreme master of Desolate Fortress, it made no difference.

No seasoned martial artist of middle age would deny their life’s work without testing it firsthand.

“Come.”

The young Lightning Genius said.

Ye Yun-zhe didn’t reply. Silently, he raised his left hand to grip his sword hilt.

“Wait a moment!”

A middle-aged man opposite Ye Yun-zhe stomped his foot once. The sparring stage trembled briefly with a heavy vibration.

It was a weighty stomp. So Jun, the Lone Hero of Ruzhou—originally Ye Yun-zhe’s duel opponent.

“To hastily change the form of the Opening Tournament like this? This So Jun cannot agree!”

“Please step aside, Hero So. This Ye Yun-zhe will uphold the Alliance’s honor.”

“It’s not something to decide so rashly! This is a grave matter!”

Shouting in reprimand, So Jun turned to Jeong Yeon-shin.

“The Alliance’s Opening Tournament has four days left. As far as I know, there are over forty masters set to display their supreme martial arts across those days. They’re renowned supreme masters, each worth a hundred men, all possessing exceptional skill.”

“…”

“Even conservatively, at twenty exchanges per match, that’s six hundred clashes. Six hundred breaths in the realm of peak mastery. You’d do well to think carefully, Leader. No matter how deep your internal energy’s refinement, no one could endure that without suffocating. Even if you retract your words, no one would dare blame you.”

So Jun spoke calmly. Unlike his steady tone, his narrow lips trembled slightly.

The unexpected appearance of the Lightning Genius inevitably stole the crowd’s attention.

That wouldn’t do. He needed to awaken him to reality and send him off the stage.

‘He might triumph a few times before collapsing…’

But if it started now, they’d only be swept away by the Lightning Genius.

Zhuge Qian, hesitating on the other side, along with numerous warriors and the crowd, fixed their gazes on Jeong Yeon-shin.

“This Leader—”

The boy spoke, running his hand along his sword hilt.

“—is one of the seventeen ramparts of Desolate Fortress. A fortress your kind, who oppose my sect, must overcome.”

[TL Note- Ramparts means defensive walls of a fortress.]

“…”

“As an envoy of Desolate Fortress, I show courtesy to your Alliance. Tomorrow, the day after, until the Opening Tournament ends, I’ll exchange blows beneath this flag. You may use me as your whetstone. Test how sharp, how sturdy you are—broaden your horizons with the Lightning Genius’s martial arts. This body is my gift to your Alliance’s opening ceremony.”

With that, he released the flag and sword hilt, slowly clasping his hands behind his back. His black robes and jet-black hair swayed together.

It was arrogance. A call to battle.

Boom!

Unable to bear it any longer, Ye Yun-zhe stomped the ground. No warrior could endure such provocation.

The Lightning Genius had unmistakably challenged the entire Martial Alliance. He’d pried open a gap in the Opening Tournament’s structure and forced his way in.

Now, he was fully a participant.

“Is your sword as sturdy as your three-inch tongue?!”

Ye Yun-zhe charged, drawing his sword. It was a left-handed grip. Before the sword strike fully extended, a sharp burst of energy erupted.

The dust beneath his feet shredded apart as it rose.

It had begun at last.

The crowd held its breath. The framework of the Opening Tournament shifted in an instant. It was now a battle between the Martial Alliance and Desolate Fortress.

How far could this young Lightning Genius go? The Radiant Zen Sword was Hanzhong’s foremost swordmaster.

Even if he narrowly won, what would he do next, and after that?

‘A left-handed sword.’

Jeong Yeon-shin turned his body. He faced Ye Yun-zhe, who lunged with a lightness technique thrust.

Radiant Zen Sword. His moniker bore the character for radiance—a tribute to his swordsmanship’s artistry. His extended stance was upright.

It was the unity of sword and spirit. The wind surging from the sword tip swept in all directions. Its momentum alone seemed to slice skin.

The world was vast, but facing a left-handed swordsman was rare. Left-handed swordmasters often exploited that advantage.

They honed dazzling variations. Ye Yun-zhe appeared to be such a swordsman.

Though the sword tip trembled incessantly, it somehow carried force.

‘I see it from his opening stance. The Ye family of Hanzhong. Worthy of including in the Comprehensive Guide.’

The boy, who had been gazing at him steadily, gripped the sword sheath below his waist with his left hand.

His right hand wrapped around the hilt. Vital energy surged from his heart, gathering explosive force in his palm.

The Luminous Wheel Technique swirled faintly in his grip. It had a warm texture.

“Hup!”

Ye Yun-zhe inhaled sharply. Five paces away, he lowered his torso. His sword tip aimed for Jeong Yeon-shin’s side.

Vital energy erupted from the Gushing Spring acupoint in the sole of his foot, stretched back against the ground.

[TL Note- Gushing Spring is the same as Bubbling Well.]

The sparring stage vibrated fiercely as stone fragments surged upward in all directions.

Boom! Whoosh!

Amid the roar, the boy drew his sword.

The blade of the Northern Light Divine Sword rose brilliantly. Sunlight seemed to chase and envelop the sword body.

Light streamed from the blade. It lasted only a moment. The Northern Light Sword in Jeong Yeon-shin’s grasp soon vanished into the air.

Wooong!

A faint streak of light rippled. Before the boy’s extended hand, a glow like feathered clouds etched itself.

It precisely deflected the charging sword tip of Ye Yun-zhe, shattering the burst of energy from the blade into fragments.

It was a fearsome technique. The Lightning Genius’s sword force then surged like a tempest.

“…!”

As Ye Yun-zhe’s eyes widened and he hastily leaned back, the glossy hair framing his neck was sliced off on both sides.

A chilling gust swept past his nape and soared upward.

Kuwoooong!

A thunderous noise erupted in the air. It was the aftermath of the sword strike’s explosive force.

A single slash filled the surrounding silence with shock.

Before anyone knew it—

The boy stood with the Northern Light Sword pointed forward.

His left hand remained clasped behind his back, while the tip of the pristine divine sword touched Ye Yun-zhe’s brow.

It was the posture of a master imparting a lesson to a novice.

Jeong Yeon-shin glanced at So Jun, the Lone Hero of Ruzhou standing to the side, and calmly parted his lips.

“You said forty, didn’t you?”

He didn’t lower his voice. Veins stretched along the boy’s arm, his sleeve rolled up.

Jeong Yeon-shin lowered the sword he’d been aiming and gave it a short shake.

A white light faintly distorted along the blade. It was the residual energy of the sword strike.

The boy moved the Northern Light Sword.

The blade traced a radiant arc as it returned.

With a scattering of silver light, the sword slid into its sheath. A small sound rang out, unusually clear.

Thud.

“Forty exchanges will suffice.”

The young Lightning Genius murmured.