Chapter 213 – Blue (7)

“What book… Comprehensive Breaking Guide…?”

Blood Guardian Leader Jin Myeong-jo narrowed his eyes.

A faint red shadow tinged the area beneath his slender eyelashes.

Swish.

His black pupils momentarily turned crimson before reverting to black.

It was a phenomenon distinct from ocular techniques, arising with his emotions. It bore witness to both a unique ability and the realm of three-flowers gathering at crown.

This was a gathering where only those with balanced essence, energy, and spirit sat.

To Desolate Fortress Leaders, it was unremarkable. Yet noble clan-born supreme masters deeply distrusted Jin Myeong-jo’s origins.

Immortal Tree Spirit Leader Cheon So-so and other noble clan Leaders cast sidelong glances at him.

But they had to redirect their attention.

The focus of the black-rank masters seated at the stone table demanded it. Grand Administrator Lin Jin-ming was no frivolous man.

All the Leaders’ gazes fixed entirely on the book he produced.

“To grasp the context.”

Thousand Fists Dragon Vassal Xiahou Wei-zhen stroked his chin with a thick index finger.

“The meaning of ‘Breaking Guide’ aligns with my guess, doesn’t it?”

“Your guess is correct, Leader Xiahou.”

The Grand Administrator slowly ran his hand over the book’s cover. He smiled faintly.

As the words “Comprehensive Breaking Guide” rasped against his calloused palm, his touch remained supremely gentle.

He treated it like a treasure of the martial world. A sense of reverence seemed to seep from him.

“The martial world is descending into chaos. The momentum of factions scattering and uniting differs greatly from before. Alliances of various martial lineages are rising everywhere, and the signs of this turmoil are deeply alarming. Shouldn’t headquarters prepare accordingly?”

He spoke.

Desolate Fortress had managed a martial world where factions were sporadically dispersed.

It was a vast realm. Perhaps enduring it had been a struggle.

The elite masters of Divine Sword Group’s seventeen squads, when gathered, formed an absurdly formidable force.

Yet they fell short of overseeing the entire martial world’s populace evenly.

The growing number of lineages uniting, like the Martial Alliance, posed a significant issue.

Blood Guardian Leader Jin Myeong-jo’s earlier self-mocking remark rang true. Hostile factions plotting slaughter in remote hills had never been rare.

If they grew stronger, more headquarters warriors would perish during missions.

Jin Myeong-jo’s lips twisted slightly. It was less a sneer and more a smile tinged with disillusionment at recent trends.

“Just look at the Radiant Demon Wing under its previous Leader. Didn’t they fall helplessly to the combined assault of Ten Perfections Sect and Pure Demon Alliance? Even Blood Guardian Squad might’ve fared the same. As grand factions, desperate to hoard scarce food, proliferate further, there’s no guarantee such incidents won’t repeat. Solo missions or small-team outings will become riskier too. As the Grand Administrator says, preparation is warranted.”

He continued slowly.

“If preparation is feasible, that is. Comprehensive Breaking Guide… Doesn’t it mean shattering righteous martial arts entirely? Whoever named it is outrageously arrogant. I trust the Grand Administrator didn’t bring it without reason, but the grandiose title dampens my expectations. How is it different from those who scorn humble origins yet flaunt the noble ‘Ming’ character in their clan names?”

Finishing, Jin Myeong-jo promptly lowered his gaze.

It was a gesture to avoid the piercing stares of Immortal Tree Spirit Leader, Law Enforcement Squad Leader, and Forest-Treading Leader.

“What?”

He muttered briefly, head slightly bowed, while gently rubbing his fingertips.

His sharply extended fingernail, protruding the length of a knuckle, symbolized his signature technique.

Blood Guardian Leader Jin Myeong-jo was famed as a master of various fist techniques and Flash Blood Claw Technique.

The Grand Administrator grinned.

“Then Blood Guardian Leader can look later. I guarantee that soon, Leaders will vie for access to this book. Copying is forbidden, you see. It’s a highly dangerous item.”

“Our blood ghost’s discernment is sorely lacking.”

Xiahou Wei-zhen’s lips curled slightly as he interjected.

“This body had my eye on that book. I’ll review it first.”

Forest-Treading Leader Xiahou Wei-zhen had previously accompanied Radiant Demon Wing Leader Jeong Yeon-shin.

It meant he had witnessed the Desolate Fortress Lord’s reaction to the Comprehensive Breaking Guide firsthand. From what he saw, it felt far from ordinary.

‘She praised Jeong Yeon-shin on the spot.’

She hadn’t even opened the book. Reading only the title, she smiled—an unprecedented act in itself.

Was it the insight of the noblest among noble clans, or trust in the new black-rank? Perhaps both.

What could it be?

Xiahou Wei-zhen was intensely curious. He simply restrained it out of loyal duty.

“Here.”

He beckoned toward Grand Administrator Lin Jin-ming. Among the Leaders, noble-born Xiahou Wei-zhen’s age was notably advanced.

Even treating the Grand Administrator like a subordinate drew no objections.

It remained so as the Grand Administrator willingly approached with the book.

“Its symbolic value makes it a treasure that mustn’t tear even slightly. Forest-Treading Leader should handle it with care.”

“Your concern is excessive, Grand Administrator.”

The moment Comprehensive Breaking Guide reached Xiahou Wei-zhen’s grasp.

Swish.

Suddenly, five fingers brimming with formidable energy intervened. A refined wave pulsed from a delicate hand, unmarred by martial training.

They deftly flipped Xiahou Wei-zhen’s middle finger aside and slid past, flowing like water.

Silently infiltrating, they snatched the book with a refined strike. It was a supreme seizing technique.

Yue Shou-lin, now beside him, had taken the Comprehensive Breaking Guide.

“Shall we savor Jeong Yeon-shin’s calligraphy a bit more?”

She flipped to the first page with a smirk.

Xiahou Wei-zhen blinked his large eyes.

“Divine Sword Deputy Leader. You shameless…”

“Big guy, don’t feel cheated. Headquarters ranks us by martial skill, not size. Techniques have an order of execution, so I’ll skim it first.”

Yue Shou-lin didn’t even glance at him. She began reading, bold yet careful with each page.

It was audacious. Much like her black bob swept carelessly behind her ears. Her demeanor was always so.

It wasn’t a one-off occurrence.

Xiahou Wei-zhen didn’t flare up anew.

With a twitching lip, he rose his massive frame from the stone seat and peered over Yue Shou-lin’s head at the Comprehensive Breaking Guide.

“As expected, a dismantling guide. Qingyi Sect? Some trivial faction…”

“Why not hush up? If your breath messes my hair again, I’ll trim those ears of yours blunt. You agree it’s no feat at this range, right?”

Yue Shou-lin spoke without lifting her eyes.

Her casual query carried astonishing spirit.

She claimed close-range strike supremacy despite Forest-Treading Leader’s mastery of internal and external arts standing right beside her. No reply came.

But soon after, Xiahou Wei-zhen openly showed disappointment. He pulled his head back slightly.

“I see Jeong Yeon-shin’s intuition is terrifying. The dismantling guide’s internal energy incantations and sword form links are indeed impressive. The polish is remarkably high. I’d believe it was crafted over years by someone like Qingyi Sect Leader’s master. But… if a dismantling guide for a minor lineage from the Alliance is this detailed, doesn’t it lower expectations for what follows?”

He’d thought it might contain dismantling methods for supreme martial arts.

Noble clan techniques were typically complex and variable, requiring analysis of myriad muscle movements and hundreds of trajectories.

That’s why dismantling guides for prestigious lineages rarely emerged fully-formed. Their arts endured centuries unshaken.

Hence, the title “Breaking Guide” had delivered such a jolt.

Yet before he could fully process his disappointment, he had to take in the next page.

Xiahou Wei-zhen’s mouth slowly closed. It was right after Yue Shou-lin’s finger turned another page.

[Zhuge Clan. Infinite Wind Gathering Fan Technique.]

“…”

A brief silence fell.

“…Infinite Wind Gathering Fan Technique. I faced defeat by Hidden Dragon Reborn with it.”

“Is it genuine?”

By then, Cheon So-so and Woon So-yu had approached too. Their heads aligned with Yue Shou-lin’s in a circle, a sight not out of place.

They got along well enough. Divine Sword Group’s seventeen Leaders each had their own close allies.

Their distinct personalities matched their unparalleled martial skills. Some Leaders clicked, while others were near sworn enemies.

Even the sidelined Blood Guardian Leader Jin Myeong-jo stood with dignity, arms crossed. He too sensed this was no trivial matter.

“So…”

Law Enforcement Squad Leader Woon So-yu spoke again.

She led the squad enforcing Desolate Fortress’s laws.

At headquarters, she inspired both awe and fear, a master of dismantling martial techniques. She had mostly analyzed headquarters warriors’ skills.

“Where is Radiant Demon Wing Leader?”

She asked the Grand Administrator.

***

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Translated by Nine Heavens!

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***

In a nameless garden within Desolate Fortress’s inner castle.

Radiant Demon Wing’s masters didn’t even use grounding steps.

Their Leader remained behind them in the pavilion.

They fought with utmost silence. They excluded all techniques that generated powerful shockwaves.

They feared any adverse effect on their Leader.

A low hum resounded. Dozens of trajectories sliced through the air with the resonance of energy.

Opting for a lighter fighting style without grounding steps, every punch and sword slash masked its presence in the wind.

A refined group battle unfolded. It could be called a fierce clash.

Their foes differed.

They roared sword cries without restraint. They stomped the earth with feet laden with heavy internal energy.

They unhesitatingly unleashed grounding steps for weighty strikes. Violent collisions ensued.

A thunderous clash erupted. Explosive booms followed.

Their cause was clear.

“Radiant Demon Wing Leader must cease this reckless act at once!”

“We fear clumsy healing might harm the former Supreme Head!”

Desolate Ma Family warriors tangled with Radiant Demon Wing’s blue-rank masters.

Hundreds of sword paths and fist trajectories sprang from dozens of hands. Dust swirled everywhere.

Sword and fist energy clashed and scattered colorlessly, energy wave vortices stirring faint winds.

At the center stood Zhu Lianting and Baek Mi-ryeo. Their strikes crossed repeatedly.

Zhu Lianting infused her right arm’s minor meridians with energy. It was the fist technique of Golden Immortal Eight Methods.

The Hand Yang Brightness Large Intestine meridian, running from shoulder to index finger among the twelve primary meridians, glowed gold.

It shimmered faintly from her forearm slicing through the air ahead.

It struck hard against Baek Mi-ryeo’s palm.

Boom!

Golden and black energies fractured. The energy burst’s shockwave was intense. It reverberated through both hands, reaching their feet and kicking up dust.

They’d already exchanged dozens of blows. Tension on both sides had peaked.

Zhu Lianting and Baek Mi-ryeo shared it. Had it worked out? Or had something gone wrong?

It continued thus.

The sunset fully faded, and dusk sharpened beneath the pavilion’s eaves.

They fought and fought again.

Their exchanges, unlike time’s flow, lost no vigor. Each held a desperate reason.

Their techniques unfurled in fierce trajectories for their respective aims.

Until a moment arrived.

When two figures, previously absent, suddenly appeared on the battlefield.

Step.

It was between Zhu Lianting and Baek Mi-ryeo as they caught their breath. A black robe and a soft pink sleeping gown emerged like phantoms, blending in.

Radiant Demon Wing Leader Jeong Yeon-shin and an unknown young man had stepped forth.

With an expressionless face, Jeong Yeon-shin stomped the ground.

A deafening roar shook the earth. Cracks from the grounding step crushed the garden’s foliage, racing out in multiple directions.

A tremendous energy wave erupted, resounding in all directions. A single stomp honored Radiant Demon Wing’s efforts to suppress noise thus far.

“Stop now.”

Jeong Yeon-shin said, hands behind his back.

His voice was clear as moonlight on his refined jawline.

Zhu Lianting’s lips twisted.

“Being a Leader doesn’t grant you authority over me. You should be rushing to bring the former Supreme Head here, yet you dare…!”

Her words abruptly halted.

She had caught sight of the man beside Jeong Yeon-shin.

He looked around thirty.

Roughly cut black hair hung short. Gaunt and unremarkable in face and frame, yet an uncanny strength overflowed from him, as if he bore a fortress.

A transcendent quality defied explanation through energy alone.

His spirit seemed tangible. Transparent wisps surged from his body. It was a torrent of energy like crashing waves.

“I am Ma Yeon-jeok.”

The man spoke.