Chapter 378 – Under Heaven (2)

Jeong Yeon-shin expanded his sharply heightened energy sense in all directions.

The lines created by various weapons touched his skin with a chilling sensation, and the techniques that reversed their operation formed images of light in his mind.

The Ten Perfections Sect Leaders’ eyes widened.

Whoosh!

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had rotated the shaft of the crescent-bladed spear widely with one hand, smoothly twisted his waist.

The considerably long spear naturally drew a long trajectory as it extended backward.

Splat!

A powerful shockwave arose. The abdomen of one Ten Perfections Sect Leader rushing from behind had been pierced.

A furrow roughly racing along the ground below, tearing up the soil. Semi-transparent wind scattered from the spear that had penetrated through his back. Anyone could see it was spear energy waves.

Jeong Yeon-shin slightly furrowed his brow and thought: Grandmother’s was more sharply honed.

[That spear technique, my…!]

[What’s happening?]

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had released his hand from the spear shaft, immediately grabbed the axe falling from the sky and threw it forward.

Colorless flames burst like fireworks from his palm that had released the axe handle, and the head of the Ten Perfections Sect Leader holding a shield exploded on the spot.

Boom—!

The ground was torn apart in all directions by the fierce shockwave. Rock fragments shattered into pieces and shot up like shells.

[What…?!]

As the mental imagery of the remaining ones converged in astonishment.

Jeong Yeon-shin concentrated the Luminous Wheel Energy toward the Yongquan acupoint at his feet. With his whole body, he spun in place while riding the wind.

The encirclement formed by the Ten Perfections Sect Leaders was already broken. Even for a Thirteen Evil Sects leader of the Sima Evil Path.

Form Transposition.

It meant it was his final measure. In fact, since experiencing bone transformation, this was the first time Jeong Yeon-shin had been pushed so hard.

If he breaks through this formation here, he wins. It would be like countering the Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s years of experience.

Kwaaaang!

He struck one’s nine-section whip with his palm’s Brilliant River. Simultaneously, Jeong Yeon-shin activated the internal weight technique.

He drove the force dwelling in the Brilliant River into the nine-section whip, transmitting it all the way to the opponent’s grip.

The dust around split like waves to the left and right with a whoosh—, and the grip of the one holding the nine-section whip twitched.

Again, the Grappling Hand. As soon as he seized and unwrapped the iron whip in reverse, he threw it at the Ten Perfections Sect Leader holding a sword, strongly binding him.

The club in his opposite hand was elegantly rotated in reverse and stamped into another one’s solar plexus.

Clang!

A short vibration rose up to his elbow. It was extremely intense. He had properly deployed the staff technique’s energy release. The form of the one who was hit undulated like waves.

[Kuk!]

The Ten Perfections Sect Leader of bare-handed close combat. The one who could be called the fundamental body staggered back and groaned.

It seemed the layered strike with Primal Spirit had reached the main body. It must be due to the connection through spirituality.

[How dare a youngster…!]

Jeong Yeon-shin faced those who were rushing in, regenerating their bodies again.

Thud—

He grabbed the long spear that had been thrust in just as it was. It wasn’t difficult.

This was because he had created the exact same grip technique and the same form of energy waves with his hand. There was no resistance.

He deflected the spear shaft to the side. The neck of the one who had been swinging a hook from behind was pierced by it. Immediately, the air violently exploded.

[This can’t be… this can’t be!]

The bare-handed Ten Perfections Sect Leader burst out energy waves. It was a stream of internal energy connecting to the Form Transposition’s split bodies.

The face distorted with bewilderment now entered Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes.

He moved his foot toward him again. An afterimage of his form remained behind his body.

This was because he had moved at a speed far faster than the colorless energy waves that had become incredibly dense around his body.

It was the Shifting Positions.

[…!]

In the space that had become dull and slow like being in a swamp, yet moving in a different time axis from the outside due to being in the realm of super acceleration.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s pupils, flashing with blue light, rotated nimbly.

All the weapons approaching as if to cut and shatter his body further fanned the inspiration that had arisen like sparks.

Splat! Clang! Kwaaaaaaang—!

Hundreds of lines became entangled.

Jeong Yeon-shin made all the weapons held by the Ten Perfections Sect Leaders his own.

He seemed completely possessed. There were no intervals that should rightfully exist between forms and forms.

He caught the flying spear just as it was and brought it down, deflected a strike to make another one get stabbed, and then embedded the sword, axe, or long staff he had caught into another one with complex trajectories.

Each time, the ground of the peak sank with a thud-thud.

Afterimages of his body were scattered in all directions. Following the trajectories of dozens of fighting techniques he unleashed, a massive thread of light was engraved in the void.

And finally.

It was right in front of the Ten Perfections Sect Leader with substance.

The afterimages of Jeong Yeon-shin that had been scattered in all directions gathered in one place, and his hand touched the Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s abdomen.

The hurricane of the Brilliant River was swirling in double layers from his heart. The ground made a cracking sound as it was violently scraped.

“That’s enough now.”

[What…?!]

“There’s nothing more to see in a hundred strikes.”

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaang—!

A roar as if lightning had struck the ground. The soil rose like a tsunami to a height of dozens of zhang and engulfed the surroundings.

Immediately after, the Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s form was bounced away like an arrow, and fragments of protective energy scattered from his entire body mixed with the dust.

Like a cluster of stars faintly filling a hazy cloud.

“……”

The silence of the crowd, who had been keeping their mouths shut as if frozen for some time, deepened.

Among those densely lined up on the mountain paths near and on the distant peaks, no one moved.

Masters who stood with folded arms on high tree branches became rigid in place, and those who sat in palanquins with silk awnings spread as if at a banquet stopped fanning themselves.

Even if the movements of peerless masters were like rays of light, the flow of the duel could be guessed.

This was thanks to the Ten Perfections Sect Leader, who had increasingly shown hesitant movements toward the end of the fight.

Saaaa—

The smoke that thickly enveloped the hill.

It was as if a cloud had been overlaid on the peak. Voices began to open up here and there.

Just as cries demanding to see the result since nothing was visible struck the mountain air.

Boom!… The massive dust whirled and unraveled like a tornado. It was the rebound of the white divine sword flying through the sky and embedding itself in the Radiant Demon Wing Leader’s scabbard.

The dust was pushed away and disappeared in all directions like ripples spreading on a lake surface.

A stark scene was revealed.

The Radiant Demon Wing Leader, with one hand on the sword energy of the divine sword, was staring straight ahead. Despite blood dripping from various parts of his body, he didn’t look miserable.

It was because his appearance with long black hair flowing down resembled a noble of the Blood Flame Cult.

Across from him lay the Ten Perfections Sect Leader with his limbs widely spread.

The appearance of his armor, which had been close to symbolic, stripped away. Fragments of armor scattered around reflected the sunlight brilliantly.

The divine weaponry that had never lost its luster even when covered in dirt had been shattered to pieces.

It was just one person.

No more split bodies were visible.

Kuhek!

The Ten Thousand Weapons Ten Perfections Sect Leader coughed up blood while lying down. A sight that silenced those who witnessed it.

“Is it over? I thought the heavenly gods were fighting…”

“Hey! What exactly happened?”

“…The Radiant Demon Wing Leader is… standing alone.”

“The Flower Shadow King has won!”

“Could it be that the Ten Thousand Weapons Heavenly Lord…!”

While the audience lined up relatively at the front became deathly quiet, the rear, which had difficulty properly identifying the scene of the battle, gradually became chaotic.

Rather, the high-status individuals at the front regained their senses amid this commotion.

“Messenger bird, bring a messenger bird! Are all three still there?!”

“How could the Radiant Demon Wing Leader, not even the Annihilation Team Leader, have…”

“Prepare to send a hawk to the Luoyang Imperial Palace. The second… no, this wouldn’t be the first or last time. The first child would be better.”

“Pull yourself together. As the heir, you shouldn’t lose your mind here. Tell me what kind of currents the Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s defeat will bring to Sichuan’s upper echelons.”

A massive uproar spread like wildfire.

Nevertheless, hardly anyone dared to take a step.

Even if the impact of the duel’s result would be enormous, the ceremony had just finished one match.

The enormous crowd kept their feet planted in place and spoke all sorts of words.

Peep—

In various places, messenger pigeons or birds close to spirit beasts fluttered and flew up.

The leader of the Thirteen Evil Sects of the Sima Evil Path had been defeated by the leader of the imperial capital. It was a matter that would shake the martial world.

“A mere Black-rank has finally come this far.”

The Ten Perfections Sect Leader who had been lying down slowly opened his mouth. He was gazing at the distant sun, not at Jeong Yeon-shin. The Thirteen Evil Sects leader is a transcendent being.

Even at this moment, the black energy waves flickering in his pupils allowed him to look directly at the sunlight.

“It’s truly astounding.”

He said.

The peerless master Ten Thousand Weapons.

Even as the energy waves from his entire body were gradually fading, his internal energy breathing was still deep.

So much so that his voice wouldn’t easily break despite coming through a throat that must be filled with blood.

Jeong Yeon-shin stared at him blankly before parting his lips.

“You should have expected it.”

“…What?”

“Rice worms that devour the common people have even harmed the martial artists of the main fortress. This isn’t a martial competition.”

“Then what is it?”

“The country’s punishment.”

“Ha…! I should have expected punishment?”

The Ten Perfections Sect Leader burst into hearty laughter.

“That’s nonsensical from the start. No matter how powerful the Divine Sword Group is, it’s divided into seventeen parts.

If the martial sects of the world join forces just a little, they can easily avoid the danger of annihilation and even pose a threat, so sects with peerless masters can only take you lightly.”

“A corpse’s tongue is long.”

Jeong Yeon-shin dismissed his protest with the result. His voice was calm. The Ten Perfections Sect Leader couldn’t open his mouth again.

“……”

“Now die.”

Did those words reach him like an incantation?

Slowly.

The Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s breath ceased. The formless energy waves that had been densely spreading from his entire body also subsided as if it were a lie.

A corpse remained.

“Sect Leader!”

“General, Great General!”

The Ten Perfections Sect disciples who had been below rushed up, making clanking sounds with their armor. Jeong Yeon-shin paid no attention.

Killing the remaining Thirteen Evil Sects leaders came first. It was a situation where he needed to conserve strength.

It was then.

“Radiant Demon Wing Leader!”

One of those examining the Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s corpse shouted. The face that had raised its head was filled with resentment. Malice could be felt from his eyes.

“We are not the main force of our sect!”

“…?”

“Aren’t you curious? Where the countless subordinate sects under our sect, the Pure Demon Alliance, and the Golden Wing Sect have gone. Where the forces of Yu Ling and the Tyrant Sword Sect that joined hands with our sect are lurking, why no one is showing themselves…!”

The one who had been spewing words as if possessed by anger was struck on the nape and collapsed. It was the strike of someone beside him, who appeared to be a fellow disciple.

“I apologize to the Radiant Demon Wing Leader. You are the rightful winner of this duel.”

He performed a fist-palm salute.

“We will now take the Sect Leader’s body and go down.”

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been staring at him blankly, turned his body. They were from the Thirteen Evil Sects. Even if interrogated, they wouldn’t reveal more.

But inwardly, he was counting the time. If the Pure Demon Alliance Leader or Golden Wing Sect Leader still didn’t appear, he would descend immediately.

He opened his mouth, infusing the Luminous Wheel Energy into his Adam’s apple.

[Let the next traitor step forward.]

Whoosh—

A gust of wind that had been continuously ascending and descending the hill rose up, carrying leaves. The hem of the blood-faded black long robe fluttered roughly.

* * *

The masters of Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect were hiding in a cave on a nearby cliff.

This was because the disciples who had escorted the Ten Perfections Sect Leader were far from being elite masters, and in the case of the Pure Demon Alliance and Golden Wing Sect, they hadn’t shown themselves at all. They couldn’t be caught off guard.

Boom—

But even the masters of the Nine Great Sects, called immortals and bodhisattvas, couldn’t avoid the aftermath of the martial competition ceremony.

They had to be covered with small stone fragments due to the crowd above stamping their feet and making a commotion.

It was madness.

“The Radiant Demon Wing Leader really won. I can’t believe it.”

“It’s strange. Such achievement at that age, it can only be called the incarnation of Bodhidharma…”

“It’s definitely not the same as what we saw at the Hangzhou Martial Alliance. We should consider that another purple has appeared in the Desolate Fortress.”

Shock and disbelief were evident in each word.

It was the conversation of young rising talents. Crimson Cloud Dragon of Qingcheng, Golden Staff Divine Woman of Emei, and Little Sword Queen of Diancang were together.

“……”

The sect leaders of Qingcheng and Emei remained silent, sitting cross-legged at the cave entrance.

Only the air that quietly brushed against the stone face caressed the hems of their shoulders.

It was then.

“Venerable.”… The young man with sharp ears like blades in a white Taoist robe, the Qingcheng Sect Leader called out Venerable Cypress Flame. The Emei Sect Leader turned her head.

“Speak.”

“I will step forward for the next duel.”

“The young benefactor wouldn’t allow it. That benefactor has an extremely gentle heart, yet he’s like a knife when it comes to decisions.”

“A child should follow an adult’s words. That’s the order and law of the world.”

“A child, you say. Is there anyone who looks more mature than him?”

The Qingcheng Sect Leader didn’t answer.

He had sent the Ten Perfections Sect Leader to the netherworld. The Radiant Demon Wing Leader of the imperial capital had more than fulfilled his role.

If he were to defeat the Thirteen Evil Sects leaders one after another from here, he would gain truly overwhelming fame, but they couldn’t risk losing his life based on a slim possibility.

It was then.

Whoosh—!

A chilling energy that made one’s spine cold entered the cave. For a moment, it seemed as if all directions had darkened. It was tremendously powerful demonic energy.

It had appeared suddenly.

“It’s the Pure Demon Alliance Leader! Disciples, prepare your energy!”

“Don’t open your mouths at all!”

The martial competition ceremonial ground. The hill of Mount Emei’s Yunhui Peak visible in the distance.

An old man in a pitch-black long robe was climbing up, striding through the mist.

Dark footprints remained on the soil, and despite being at a distance of easily over a hundred zhang, an ominous energy was spreading. It was almost suffocating.

Boom.

Black energy waves occasionally blocked the sunlight. The sky flickered darkly.

The teacher of the previous Pure Demon Alliance Leader.

He appeared to be the incarnation of the Yama King of the netherworld. His very existence was imposing silence on the crowd.

The Qingcheng Sect Leader rose like a painting. Blue and red energy alternately rippled from the hem of his Taoist robe.

“Venerable, I’ll be going now.”

“Hmm…”

The Radiant Demon Wing Leader, who was now facing the Pure Demon Alliance Leader, looked extremely precarious.

Unlike the old man’s demonic energy that was raging like a natural disaster, the young man was just standing there, looking around.

[I heard you dared to call me a rice worm. So you’re standing there so irreverently.]

“Old man, you’ve come at a good time.”

[Your judgment is laughable. Did you think I was on the same level as that fallen imperial dog?]

The demonic energy imbued in the Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s voice undulated in all directions.

The word “magnificent” was fitting. There was no obstruction to his powerful energy waves.

“I have something to ask you.”

The moment the Radiant Demon Wing Leader finished speaking.

Woong!

The eighteen types of weapons scattered on the hill all rose into the air at once.

A familiar sight to the crowd. All the weapons rotated on their own and slowly surrounded the Radiant Demon Wing Leader and the Pure Demon Alliance Leader.

It was a strange harmony.

It was difficult to distinguish whether it was the Ten Thousand Forms or the Mind-controlling sword’s mystery.

Crack— Crackle—

Auspicious white light flickered between the bladed weapons that had formed a large circle. Streams of light that jumped here and there before disappearing, repeatedly, looked like lightning.

As some Emei monks watching the scene from the cliff chanted “Amitabha—”, the Pure Demon Alliance Leader moved his lips.

“…I’ll consider myself defeated.”

Rustle.

The Qingcheng Sect Leader, who had been about to stamp the ground and leap, hesitated.