Chapter 634 – Chaotic Times (4)

Transparent sunlight struck the snowfield and soared up in all directions. A landscape made more prominent by the thick energy waves. All eight directions were snow-white.

Part of the gentle radiance naturally rose even to Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s silver mask, distorting slightly on the mask’s surface that revealed her eyes and lower face. As if it were her face, or perhaps her heart.

The appearance reflected in Jeong Yeon-shin’s jet-black pupils was the same. Perhaps because he had spread the night sky in his mental image and spoken with the Southern Emperor in golden rice fields afterward.

Now Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s mad demonic nature appeared to Jeong Yeon-shin as life’s fetters.

But she remained the same.

[How harmonious and good to see. Have you truly formed a family in the real sense?]

She started with jokes, like when she had once called Seventh Apostle Jeong Yeon-shin’s wife. But it only came across as chilling due to her voice that rang like an echo.

For a practitioner of spell martial arts to speak while causing vibrations in the atmosphere like this was no different from a swordsman drawing his blade.

The Blood King immediately reacted.

“Black Capital’s Western Heaven Dark King?”

He was both a blood demon and a demon realm jianghu person of the semi-divine faction. Naturally he would be sensitive to strongmen who had joined hands with the Southern Emperor.

Moreover, at this moment, the only peerless master at full strength in the base was the Blood King alone.

If a peerless realm combat genius like Little Heavenly Demon Invincible struck and withdrew like a scout, even if this was the heart of the Divine Sword Group’s base, they would inevitably suffer massive damage.

Casualties would inevitably emerge.

Immediately, Desolate Jeok Family Head Blood King’s sound transmission pierced Jeong Yeon-shin’s ear like a ray of light.

—Martial army forces are only absolutely meaningful when occupying territory or when frontal confrontation occurs. But that demon cult’s leader has nothing to protect, so today’s fortune can be said to be very bad.

She was indeed an opponent whose fortune had to be mentioned. Because peerless masters who had woven life-saving ultimate techniques throughout their lives were all natural disasters, whether large or small.

But Jeong Yeon-shin’s words were as peaceful as light mist on the snowfield.

“She’s someone without Transcendent Martial Art.”

Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s lips also curled up crookedly at the same time.

[Come to think of it, I wonder if life-saving ultimate techniques woven from others’ lives can be called Transcendent Martial Art. Do you think I don’t have techniques comparable to your ultimate technique?]

At this moment, Little Heavenly Demon Invincible was looking down at Jeong Yeon-shin from the void filled with white light like an absolute being, but Jeong Yeon-shin met her eyes with only a calm face. As if looking down at starving common people during famine.

“State your business.”

As he had felt recently, famine didn’t only strike the land. People’s hearts could also crack like rice fields.

—The day when you and the Cult Leader meet again will surely come. At that time, please reconsider striking even for a moment.

Separate from the promise made with Ming Cult’s Grand Preceptor, Little Heavenly Demon Invincible seemed pitiful. A peerless master without Transcendent Martial Art. Like Family Head Namgung had once been, it should be seen that there was no self in her own life.

His perspective had changed.

Relationships would also gradually change.

Suddenly her head tilted slightly. For some reason, her manner of speech also became somewhat dry.

[Your gaze is a bit annoying. I’ve never been like this when looking at you.]

“If you want to have a long conversation as if sharing a meal with me, come after training something similar to Transcendent Martial Art.”

He gave sincere advice just before interrogating about Baek Mi-ryeo’s whereabouts. Because he hoped Little Heavenly Demon Invincible would deeply accept others’ lives.

Though strange gazes were felt from around where the Blood King Family’s barracks had been, Jeong Yeon-shin only slightly closed his grip.

Crackle!

Using Taoist Three Pure Powers as joints, dharma power and demonic energy began to clash in colorless hues.

It was the precursor to Starry Night.

‘The time I can continue without strain is…’

About one and a half breaths.

But a peerless master’s breathing could continue as long as eons.

It was even more leisurely considering the joint attack of Seventh Apostle who had somehow stood beside Jeong Yeon-shin like a ghost, one-armed Jin Myeong-jo who blocked the front, and Desolate Jeok Family Head who stood behind Seventh Apostle.

Little Heavenly Demon Invincible would know too.

Perhaps because of that.

She glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin’s grip with eyes where jet-black demonic energy rippled. At the same time, this time she spoke without attempting any particular hand tricks.

[I came to tell you the location of the Heavenly Demon Tomb.]

A certain point in the Central Plains where she had said she sent Baek Mi-ryeo earlier. A place that had now been revealed as the first Heavenly Demon’s tomb rather than some nameless Heavenly Demon.

While some Blood King Family masters faintly inhaled, Jeong Yeon-shin calmly opened his mouth.

“Speak your true intentions.”

[I’ve learned that your perspective has come to roughly match mine. You’ve fast-forwarded through the years. If fortune permits, I’d like to sit facing each other at a drinking table and hear your stories.]

“To share a meal with me…”

[There’s a saying that if upper energy centers close to the greatest of all time put their heads together in one place, all mysteries of jianghu would become commonplace. It’s an adage naturally created in jianghu that experienced our sect’s founding patriarch and Dharma, as well as Zhang Sanfeng and the ‘Gates.’ Since it’s something that has never happened throughout martial history, it could naturally be called a vain imagination.]

Before they knew it, all Divine Sword Group warriors had come out of the base and surrounded Jeong Yeon-shin, but Little Heavenly Demon Invincible paid no heed to their waterfall-like energy waves. She just slowly moved her lips.

[Now it’s not a vain imagination.]

“……”

[You and I are here. We just need one more.]

Those words harbored strange resonance.

Just by being spoken outside the world, the snowfield felt as dry as arid desert sand.

Was it upper energy center foresight? For some reason, Jeong Yeon-shin recalled the appearance of Elder Council Leader Shin Byeok who wore the soul garment of former Divine Sword Group Leader Shin Cheon-hwa.

But Little Heavenly Demon Invincible never spoke of what the other ‘one’ she was thinking of was.

[Well, that’s why I even expended lies in persuading Baek Mi-ryeo.]

Expending lies. Making even human relationships a type of spell martial arts. But Jeong Yeon-shin only asked for confirmation about the most important thing.

“Senior Baek’s safety?”

[Don’t worry. All her limbs are intact, and she’s even achieved Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown. Baek Mi-ryeo now follows my will even knowing you’re alive.]

Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s words and actions still had aspects that shook people’s hearts. Little Heaven. The invincible one who mocked even heaven. But Jeong Yeon-shin was rather looking down at her throughout.

“Then that’s settled. Senior Baek judged that was right.”

[What?]

“Unlike you, she’s a solid person. Just tell me the Heavenly Demon Tomb’s location. It would be good if you also told me your ultimate purpose.”

[……]

Did greater inspiration arise than from being told she had no Transcendent Martial Art? Little Heavenly Demon Invincible, having had some thought, only spoke after staring down at Jeong Yeon-shin for a long time.

[…First, it’s the old Chang’an lands.]

“Shaanxi Province’s Xi’an?”

[That’s right, it’s hidden in mountain slopes that even Mount Hua and Zhongnan ultimately couldn’t find. It seems Zhongnan Grand Elder Yeo Il-shin recently caught the scent… not a chance.]

At the same time, Little Heavenly Demon Invincible kicked off the clouds one step and soared into the void.

[Even if my words are lies, compared to the demon realm it’s no different from being at close range from Xiangyang, so it would be worth the world’s Divine Sword Group Leader moving. Ah, should I call you Northern Emperor now? Personally, I’m mindful of the Ming imperial house’s feelings.]

Lips drawing an arc mysteriously as if the flow of the great era was interesting. At the same time, she began to slowly become transparent in the air. Naturally it was Form Shifting Void.

[Let’s meet in Xi’an. If you want to grab me right now because you have immediate questions, try catching me. Devising countermeasures for martial arts like those Dragon Claw Hands was quite enjoyable too. I’m also curious whether it would work on you in actual combat now… Hmm?]

In her eyes that had become faint as mist, Jeong Yeon-shin standing blankly was reflected.

He did nothing like a snowdrift that had settled on the snowfield. He just calmly looked up at Little Heavenly Demon Invincible.

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly opened his mouth.

“You probably don’t have much life left, so don’t spend your remaining years in hatred. That’s meaningless and sad.”

It was a peaceful tone. Even faint sympathy was dwelling like the north wind.

[You…!]

Little Heavenly Demon Invincible seemed greatly surprised even as she disappeared from her spot. Because Jeong Yeon-shin truly hadn’t grabbed her until the end.

Inside the splendid silver half-mask.

She slowly appeared in the peerless realm.

Lips parting slightly, eyelashes lifting up, the pure white nose tip wrinkling pertly as if angry or bewildered. It was a completely first-seen expression. At this moment, all of her appeared quite amusing to Jeong Yeon-shin.

Whoosh!

With a scene as if Jeong Yeon-shin had seen Little Heavenly Demon Invincible off as the finale, the Ming Cult Leader’s manifestation ended like a lie.

What remained were the Divine Sword Group and Desolate Jeok Family.

* * *

There wasn’t a single Divine Sword Group warrior who hadn’t burned their entire body’s power in the Black Capital great battle. Excluding Desolate Jeok Family who had participated belatedly, all masters needed time.

To treat the major internal and external injuries each had greatly suffered against a nation.

“……”

It was why about five hundred main castle warriors sat cross-legged and even closed their eyes as soon as Little Heavenly Demon Invincible disappeared.

The demonic energy waves of the Ming Cult Leader under heaven were like disaster. If they had been fine originally it would be one thing, but they naturally opened up the internal and external injuries that had already occurred large and small even more.

It was temporarily a lull.

The snow-white sun of the snowfield quickly tilted beyond the clouds for about half a day.

Two old men appeared in the canyon that could look up at such a Divine Sword Group base. Along with peaceful conversation.

“By the way, you drove her away well. If we had clashed with that Ming Cult Leader immediately following the Black Capital great battle…? Dizzying, truly dizzying.”

“It’s just natural. How could a demon who only has her own body oppose the ‘Northern Emperor under heaven’?”

“You also only have a rejuvenated body…”

“Don’t sprawl on the ground uselessly and try pulling out your true energy’s legs again. I don’t have much time left, but your bear tumbling skills have truly become excellent. Though all things are trivial, it’s been a while since I haven’t tired of something.”

“This blue-nosed old man still can’t accept defeat…?”

“I know your meridians have greatly rusted. That’s natural since you don’t have a grandchild to rejuvenate you. I’ll take it into account, so let’s leap for just one more moment.”

“Stop!”

That’s when it happened.

Ma Yeon-jeok’s eyes, which had been looking down at Divine Beggar Zhu Guang, suddenly narrowed.

Soon he turned his head toward the Divine Sword Group base, and suddenly Yong Hye-myeong’s figure was reflected in his pupils. The appearance of elegantly fluttering his faded scholar-style sleeve and descending before Jeong Yeon-shin.

“Why is that guy suddenly?”

“Didn’t you feel it?”

Divine Beggar Zhu Guang, who had been sprawled on the snow like a marketplace beggar, continued with a somewhat hardened face.

“He was leaping around as if he hadn’t suffered fatal injuries, but even the world’s Tyrant Hero seems far from perfect condition. Well, it’s natural if you consider he tore that monster Northern Blade to death without a trace.”

“What?”

“A great energy wave is approaching. Though your maternal grandfather’s eyes would find the name Northern Emperor pleasing, the character Emperor attached to Lightning Genius can no longer be seen as a jianghu warrior’s epithet. Real power and symbolism are different. Even staying still, he’ll inevitably bring storms…”

Divine Beggar Zhu Guang’s words couldn’t continue.

—Divine Sword Group Leader ‘Acting’, your efforts were great.

A voice that pierced heavily as if some pillar was flying from beyond the horizon of white sea of clouds.

—I’m ashamed I couldn’t provide any help. To barely be able to move only now, what a damned situation. My dignity will all be crumpled by today’s events.

The voice rippled vastly as if it had charged in riding cloud streams. It was different from any sound transmission or Six Directions Universal Voice. Fundamentally, energy cultivation harmonized with wind. It was the temperament of lofty noble clans.

“Yang Cheon.”

Wrinkles formed in Ma Yeon-jeok’s eyes like before rejuvenation. Lord Yang Cheon. One of the Ming Dynasty imperial house’s three great masters. Privately, Emperor Qian-ling’s chief disciple, a name referring to the freest of the Zhu clan under heaven.

—In any case, please understand. Given the clan’s position, I’ve also come prepared to lay down my life.

Then it rang out.

[I convey the Ming imperial house’s edict.]

It was the same voice, but the temperament was different. The spirituality of upper energy center spirit had crossed the snow-white sea of clouds without hesitation. Power that surged fiercely like an invisible tsunami. It was the precursor to Transcendent Martial Art.

Like pointing cannon barrels at the Divine Sword Group base while speaking.

[It’s an imperial command on which the Ming Dynasty’s hundred years of state hang. The first. From this moment, no one should move.]

Even as the message was conveyed, Lord Yang Cheon’s voice was growing larger. Meaning he was rapidly approaching.

Whether it was Void Stepping Technique or the wind abilities unique to noble clans, he was crossing the sky with refreshingly fast speed.

It was then that Yong Hye-myeong suddenly thrust some ashen divine sword into the middle of the Divine Sword Group’s base.

Crack!

Right before Jeong Yeon-shin’s face.

“A promise is a promise. Lightning Genius has also awakened.”

The true energy in his voice flowed down to the snowfield like transparent taffy.

A feeling as if some dragon’s energy had encountered a plaything. Immediately, Yong Hye-myeong’s Six Directions Universal Voice followed as if mocking the imperial message.

[The inheritance of Enter The Divine Sword begins.]

The reaction occurred in the canyon below the cliff. In an instant, Ma Yeon-jeok had landed beside him.

Thud!

Sunlight transparently shimmered over the white snow fragments that burst up. A scene of three purples surrounding Enter The Divine Sword.

Yong Hye-myeong glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin’s peaceful face and smiled slightly. Then he slowly opened his mouth.

[Witnesses, rise from your seats.]

Rustle.

It was the sound of Divine Sword Group masters unfolding their cross-legged positions.