Chapter 398 – Carpet (7)

Deep forest.

Gaunt trees stood in a row with a desolate appearance, and bushes that rarely retained green leaves made eerie sounds as they collided with the wind.

In the distant sky above, long streams of smoke rose in succession, and it was unclear whether they flowed from cooking hearths or were the final breaths of villages plundered during the famine.

Even if it was the former, it wasn’t a good situation. It would be part of the dragnet personally overseen by the masters of the Thirteen Evil Sects.

Villages built in remote mountain areas far from official roads were forming the axis of some massive formation, with blade-wielders instead of common people as villagers.

At the center. A small, secret clearing.

Divine Sword Group Leader Yong Hui-myeong slowly opened his eyes.

Rustle.

As he rose from a rock that had been smoothly cut like a bed, the purple robe that had been covering him like a blanket moved on its own to wrap around his shoulders.

The transparent sunlight of early dawn flowed gently down his robe hem.

Though he hadn’t properly bathed for several days, he still appeared noble.

The duty of Desolate Fortress’s Divine Sword Group Leader. To be foremost in both dignity and martial arts throughout the vast martial world. At any time, in any place.

“Aren’t you impervious to cold and heat, Group Leader? If you’re going to use such a precious dharma treasure like that, you might as well lend it to me.”

A youthful young man dangling his legs from a high tree branch spoke. He was the youngest and most promising Blue-rank Martial Artist from the Divine Sword Squad under the Divine Sword Group, Divine Sword Prodigy Yeon So-ha.

A drawn smile formed on Yong Hui-myeong’s lips.

“Not a chance. You’re at least fifty years too early.”

“Fifty years? Will we even be alive then…?”

“Who knows.”

Suddenly a drop of blood fell and soaked into the dirt. It was Yeon So-ha’s blood. It had flowed down while he was tightly binding his arm with a bandage.

His blue martial attire, draped like a rag, was slashed all over with various penetrating wounds and sword marks.

“I knew the Martial Dragon Alliance was crazy, but the Dark Night Palace’s big-eared fellows are also terrible. They put some kind of poison in their arrows and made a fuss.”

Yeon So-ha added awkwardly as he cut off the bandage with his teeth. I almost ended up like Uncle Radiant Demon Wing Leader from previous generation.

Yong Hui-myeong chuckled.

“More loss than gain. Instead of injuring one arm, you could have earned the favor of a capital official.”

“What would I gain from being well-regarded by those gloomy people? I heard that these days, the Ma family head’s pastime is evaluating Black-rank promotions. There’s absolutely no benefit to be had from eunuchs.”

“You mean the Chief Ceremonial Eunuch. With the Eastern Depot and the Inner Palace Service under him… that one’s influence is quite significant. It was the same when I was recognized as purple in Beijing. Since you have long-eared bloodlines, it will be the same in your time.”

“With fifty years, wouldn’t the eunuch change at least three times? Whether noble clan or Han, there are few high officials who don’t get demoted there. They say that recently, only the eunuch Ming Ye has exceptionally risen again…”

“Don’t worry. This eunuch will last quite a while. He’s quite skilled at navigating the world despite having such power.”

“Ah… that makes sense.”

Yeon So-ha recalled the story of the previous Chief Ceremonial Eunuch. One who had advocated for a major reduction in military funds entering Desolate Fortress.

He received Divine Sword Group Leader Ma Yeon-jeok as a guest on the night he submitted his memorial and was crippled, and the Emperor urged the Desolate Fortress Lord to exercise restraint. That was the end of it.

“I just remembered something refreshing. With internal energy flowing like blood, I should be able to move properly now.”

“Judging by your appearance, you seem to have finally relaxed a bit. Hold your sword firmly.”

Yong Hui-myeong suddenly broke off a leaf from the roadside.

Then he folded it into a grass flute with just his index and middle fingers, and slowly brought it to his lips. Like someone who had come to enjoy the scenery of a famous mountain. That’s how he appeared until he began to play the grass flute.

Screech—

A sudden reverberation arose along the mountain path ahead. The bushes violently surged as if hit by a strong wind.

Through the gaps, several men and women carrying swords revealed their faces and collapsed with their eyes closed. Dull thuds irregularly pressed into the soil.

“We’ve been discovered.”

“To think he’d be skilled in sound techniques too…!”

“Wake up! That’s the Divine Sword Group Leader!”

Martial artists revealing themselves behind those who had fainted. Despite the situation clearly calling for retreat, they instead drew their weapons. Short, sharp sounds of metal friction rang out.

“He was definitely sleeping. The mountain poison is starting to work.”

“So he’s human after all.”

“Did Qi-scattering poison work? The Dark Night Palace Leader said he hit him with an arrow coated with Seven Steps Soul-Breaking Powder. Look, his shoulder. Sure enough, there’s a wound.”

“How many of Counter-martial art’s formations have been broken? He must be getting tired by now.”

They were all masters.

The forest began to fill with people. Their numbers gradually increased.

Ten, twenty… thirty… As each revealed themselves, they took different stances, and none appeared amateurish.

Here and there, the intense aura characteristic of the Thirteen Evil Sects’ major factions was mixed in.

Divine Sword Group Leader Yong Hui-myeong smiled.

“Seven Steps Soul-Breaking Powder? The Tang family wouldn’t make such precious things for gray-eared ones. You’ve been deceived by nonsense. Or perhaps the Taimo Mountain Fortress Leader passed on what he stole from the Tang Clan Leader three years ago?”

“What…?”

“In any case, these are truly end times. For those without dignity like you to attempt to take the Divine Sword Group Leader’s head.”

His eyes slowly scanned the surroundings. Though he appeared relaxed, he was visually checking for ambushes due to his dulled energy sense.

Divine Sword Prodigy Yeon So-ha, who had already drawn his sword, supported his time-buying.

“Perhaps he’s no longer the Group Leader?”

“What?”

“The Elder Council of the main fortress might have done it.”

“…At my age, I’m still just the back current of the Yangtze…”

It was then.

Suddenly, a white light extended in a curve from Yong Hui-myeong’s waist and flashed brilliantly. It was an explosive sword draw.

A formless energy wave originating from a single trajectory spread like a bomb, completely bursting the bodies of five masters who had suddenly rushed forward from three zhang away.

Splat—!

Bone fragments mixed with flesh violently rose and scattered. Along with clusters of light from the protective energy of those who had died instantly… The sky was terribly stained with streams of blood, and a tree with a diameter of two zhang immediately collapsed behind them. Its base looked as if it had been chewed by some giant teeth.

All of this happened in an instant.

Belatedly, leaves scattered in all directions. On one side, wild birds soared high into the sky with the sound of flapping wings.

The martial artists lying in ambush were frozen in place, their expressions speaking volumes. Wasn’t he supposed to be dying…?

“We’re breaking through.”

“Yes.”

Just as Yong Hui-myeong and Yeon So-ha exchanged words.

“That won’t be necessary.”

A heavy voice rang out from the side. Yong Hui-myeong’s eyebrow twitched.

As he turned his gaze, he saw figures revealing themselves like ghosts from the forest path. Their numbers easily reached fifty.

All wearing yellow martial attire and carrying precious swords. The primal energy waves emanating from them were masterful in this dry forest path.

Their aura was extraordinary.

It wasn’t the kind that could be described as intense or tyrannical. Unprecedented madness. Something that instinctively evoked a sense of single-mindedness just by feeling it.

It couldn’t be anything other than the Thirteen Evil Sects’ Martial Dragon Alliance.

They are those who, obsessed with martial arts, share their sect’s martial arts with others. The realm of ultimate they pursue differs from any other faction.

At the front stood Namgung First Sword. A peerless swordsman who was said to have formed a sworn brotherhood with the Dragon Alliance Leader.

He was also the master of the dozens of villages created specifically to capture the Divine Sword Group Leader in this vast land.

“You don’t appear to be in good condition. Can you still draw the Dragon Ring Sword?”

Namgung First Sword asked as he let his blue sleeve hem hang long.

Even though he hadn’t even drawn his sword yet, the aura emanating from his scabbard seemed to fill the sky. It was the trace of an imperial sword form that had reached its extreme.

The Divine Sword Group Leader merely smiled without answering.

“About my order to Sichuan. Aren’t you curious how it turned out?”

He spoke to Yeon So-ha. With his gaze still on Namgung First Sword. An immediate answer came from above.

“With how many precious Black-ranks there are, it must have worked out somehow. Even if only half gathered, Sichuan must be a wasteland by now?”

“Half might not be enough. The Golden Wing Sect Leader is no ordinary monster. Though the Pure Demon Alliance Leader might be handled by Lightning Genius and the other squad leaders…”

“Since it’s the Group Leader’s assembly order, more than that must have come. Anyway, a gathering of squad leaders in one place, it’s incredibly intriguing.”

“Is there no way to find out immediately?”

“No. How far is it from here to there?”

Namgung First Sword, who had been silently watching their conversation, slowly opened his mouth.

“Stop your energy regulation. Divine Sword Group Leader Yong, your time is limited.”

“I’ve been discovered.”

Yong Hui-myeong showed an awkward smile. And I was just trying to learn a useful technique.

The Entering Divine Sword in his hand hummed. Unlike its owner’s conduct, it emitted a chilling radiance that illuminated the surrounding leaves.

Soon after, the corpse fragments were reflected in Namgung First Sword’s eyes. The peerless swordsman’s vision was extremely wide.

“Your sword energy has dulled.”

He quietly continued.

“Our sect’s leader has emerged from seclusion. He will come here directly.”

He refers to the Martial Dragon Alliance Leader. As Yeon So-ha drew in a sharp breath, Yong Hui-myeong casually rotated his sword once.

“Only now? He must have found that single sword strike quite painful.”

“I have bad news for you. But out of martial respect, I’ll also share some good news.”

“If the bad news is insignificant, how significant could the good news be?”

“The Black-ranks of Desolate Fortress who gathered in Sichuan have caused trouble. Your friend Radiant Demon Wing Leader Lightning Genius has defeated three of the Thirteen Evil Sects leaders in succession. The Ten Perfections Sect Leader, Pure Demon Alliance Leader, and Golden Wing Sect Leader… The Yu Ling Leader is verifying the truth.”

Suddenly, a single stream of wind silently swept through the forest path. Leaves that had fallen from the void made more noise than the people.

The silence deepened between those facing each other as Namgung First Sword’s words, unconcerned with the morale of his allies, hung in the air.

***

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Translated by Nine Heavens!

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***

Jeong Yeon-shin headed north with his seniors.

It was after telling the two sect leaders of the Nine Sects that he would activate the Mount Hua Agreement. Dark Night Palace had been abandoned in Guizhou, exposed to the world in ruins.

All sorts of characters had gathered, but the Black-ranks paid no attention and departed.

The Young Palace Leader of Dark Night Palace, said to be connected to the Palace Leader through the grotesque bird and spirituality, accompanied Jeong Yeon-shin.

Long time passed.

As day and night alternated many times, the formation changed. The Black-ranks had scattered within the range of their energy sense. Jeong Yeon-shin, who had captured the Young Palace Leader as a prisoner, was at the center.

During this time, Jeong Yeon-shin barely spoke to the Young Palace Leader.

When it was time to eat, he would share jerky, and when in front of a campfire, he would sleep for less than half an incense time before moving with lightness skill.

This was because of the grotesque bird flying ahead. Even with urging, they couldn’t fall behind.

“Radiant Demon Wing Leader, let’s rest a while. A royal descendant of the clan cannot be treated this way.”

“Don’t stop. I’m learning something by watching your conduct.”

Jeong Yeon-shin said.

The world doesn’t consider someone who isn’t a gentleman worthy to be Divine Sword Group Leader, and a gentleman learns from all things in the world.

They say that even a dung beetle appears slow but moves without rest. It was the same with the Young Palace Leader of Dark Night Palace.

‘To keep my Baihui acupoint steady even in a battle between peerless masters, I should engrave such things in my mental imagery.’

Jeong Yeon-shin continuously gained insights. Like other peerless masters whose martial achievement never ceases.

“……”

From then on, the Young Palace Leader closed his mouth.

The noble young peerless master said he was learning from him. The Young Palace Leader was a martial artist. A thrill like a tremor ran down his spine. It was close to admiration.

‘What is this from a mortal enemy…?’

The Young Palace Leader tried hard to suppress his emotions. His neat eyebrows twitched slightly.

By then, Jeong Yeon-shin was looking at the sky. The grotesque bird that was squeaking as if blocked by something and unable to advance. Fairly strong energy waves were felt from the opposite side.

Swish.

Just as he drew the divine sword Remaining Thunder.

The bushes ahead, which had been empty, rustled and a young man with disheveled hair poked his head out.

“Again? This time it’s not an ordinary person…”

He tapped his own nose and looked Jeong Yeon-shin up and down. His attitude was strange. Somewhat intimidated yet strangely carefree.

“So a young noble has come to add a sword. There’s quite a commotion happening far away. Which sect are you from? Martial Dragon Alliance? Dark Night Palace?”

He was speaking nonsense. But it seemed he had found the right place.