Chapter 659 – Desolate Banner (3)

Jeong Yeon-shin breathed calmly while facing Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint.

It didn’t take long for a look of insight to cross the old Taoist’s wrinkled face.

“I’ve become ridiculous.”

Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint spoke with an indifferent face.

He had cleverly changed the true energy structure of demonic arts from its roots, which should naturally oppose Buddhist-immortal internal cultivation. A mystery that constantly flowed auspicious energy as if under eternal transformation mirror.

It was a technique Little Heavenly Demon Invincible had once shown against Jeong Yeon-shin’s dharma power, now automatically carved into his upper energy center hundred acupoints.

‘It was that impressive.’

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly opened his mouth.

“The Heavenly Demon is gone.”

“I felt it too.”

Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint glanced at Baek Mi-ryeo in Jeong Yeon-shin’s arms.

With the demonic energy that had been cultivated scattered along with the Heavenly Demon, it was a body that no longer needed Smoke Ember Serene Heart. Even as an incomplete soul garment, the first Heavenly Demon had been such an existence.

“But you have made Yao tribe and blood ghosts your companions, aided Ming Cult Leader Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s schemes, cut down West Peak Mount Hua’s vital energy with one sword… gained recognition from the first Heavenly Demon without even a life-and-death battle to a conclusion, and ultimately sent her to heaven.”

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t answer. According to the story that merely listed facts, it seemed like the tale of a very sinister person.

“And afterward even your own demonic energy grew stronger, so there must have been communion of minds with the Heavenly Demon. I cannot help but examine the Divine Sword Group Leader’s surroundings.”

At the same time, Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint’s gaze slowly descended. Toward Seventh Apostle who was stuck sword and all in the dead dragon’s crown. Her faint breathing could be felt.

Jeong Yeon-shin immediately said.

“Though a blood ghost, she repented and became a prisoner of the Divine Sword Group.”

“Repented? Are you sincere?”

Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint asked back earnestly. For a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin inadvertently lost confidence, but ultimately didn’t show it.

“…Even without chivalry in one’s heart, one can perform chivalrous deeds. By what I recently realized, I am leading her that way.”

“Because my mind was disturbed, I helped you converse with the Heavenly Demon. If not for that child, such a thing would never have happened.”

“Then.”

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly moved his lips.

“The world owes her a debt.”

He elevated the matter of conversing with the Heavenly Demon before the former elders of orthodox sects. Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint’s expression couldn’t help but become strange.

“You say such things here…?”

“It’s the truth. Now I must look after my sword prisoner, so Taoist, please do as you wish.”

Excluding the mountain of thousands of jianghu people and Dan Jeong-jeong, it was a place with only transcendent beings who fathomed true hearts with upper energy center spirits.

Jeong Yeon-shin turned in the air and slowly fell down. Now the fairly natural Void Treading Step. Still holding Baek Mi-ryeo.

He had completely turned his back on Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint.

“……”

The mountain air tightened as if to cut off even the breathing of dried grass blades. Terrifying tension filled the vicinity. Until Jeong Yeon-shin tread the void before Seventh Apostle.

In the end.

Kongtong’s Ascending Heaven Demon-Subduing Divine Energy’s sword wind never slashed Jeong Yeon-shin’s back. It was also the moment when all conflicts in Qinling Mountain Range concluded.

Jeong Yeon-shin shifted Baek Mi-ryeo to his left shoulder. And grasped Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint’s sword handle.

‘Her physical condition is…’

The sword point had penetrated through to Seventh Apostle’s back, and her robe around her beautiful abdominal muscles was practically shredded. The fact that she opened her single red eye properly suggested she was at least conscious.

Seventh Apostle’s bloodied lips moved.

“What about that woman?”

Her voice was choppy, probably due to severe internal injuries. Jeong Yeon-shin answered calmly.

“Sister.”

“Ah…?”

“I’m pulling it out.”

“Yeah.”

As soon as Seventh Apostle’s answer fell, he pulled out the sword in one breath. She was so accustomed to pain that there wasn’t even a groan.

Jeong Yeon-shin asked quietly.

“Your regeneration ability seems intact, right?”

“Well…?”

“What?”

“My right shoulder is empty. Should I climb up too?”

“You, your abdominal muscles recovered well. Cover them with your robe front.”

Meanwhile, Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint’s sword that had come up mixed with blood suddenly trembled and soared to the sky. It was a trajectory returning to its master through sword control mysteries.

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t watch it to the end and descended to the ground. With the mountain jianghu people’s attention focused on the dragon that had only its head above ground and was dead. He gestured to Literary Star and Dan Jeong-jeong while slowly taking steps.

“Let’s go.”

“Indeed.”

The first to follow him was the armless Kaifeng Qing Family Head. Befitting the greatest person in a major city’s commercial world? The old man’s expression was hard to fathom.

Despite his energy center being sealed, he had one of his right arms floating in the air. A state of achieving Void Object Manipulation with only spiritual power, though it seemed to rot very slowly, inferior to Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s arm.

The old man’s atmosphere was as peaceful as wildflowers. Perhaps because of this, he also seemed somewhat like a calculating madman.

“Though nothing compared to Eternal Candle Divine Doctor, I have considerable knowledge in energy cultivation medicine. Your left arm torn without trace by that strange strong sword… seems cheap as a life’s price.”

“It’s the price for rebuilding the main fortress.”

Snap!

Jeong Yeon-shin flicked his finger.

It was finger wind that released Kaifeng Qing Family Head’s acupoint sealing. The old man laughed heartily as soon as the wind struck his lower abdomen’s Sea of Energy acupoint and scattered.

“That would be expensive.”

Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin cupped his fists toward Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint and Mount Hua seniors, then slowly turned and began moving away. Naturally Kaifeng Qing Family Head followed him.

Dawn Sword Master’s mouth opened.

“Take care.”

It was a word that contained many meanings.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s situation of perhaps turning Central Plains into an enemy, the circumstances where various orthodox martial lineages and the Divine Sword Group couldn’t readily become close starting from his conversation with the Heavenly Demon, yet he wouldn’t doubt the Divine Sword Group Leader’s righteous heart… complex feelings like tangled plum branches.

Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint, Riverside Star Master, Riverside Flower Master, and naturally Sword Saint Taoist Cheon Ju would be the same. Jeong Yeon-shin calmly received their gazes on his back.

Thud.

“At this pace, it would be a very long way to Zhongnan Mountain.”

“A-are these people also from the main castle…?”

The blood-covered giant and Dan Jeong-jeong holding Ink Refined Spear followed behind Jeong Yeon-shin. Seventh Apostle fluttering her sleeves like a bat landed beside Jeong Yeon-shin simultaneously.

“…Even if the Divine Sword Group Leader leads such people, it’s merely a different path, walking the same righteous way as our sect…”

It was when the middle-aged Taoist who had long wavered between sect elders and Jeong Yeon-shin, Mount Hua Sword Saint Taoist Cheon Ju, was defending Jeong Yeon-shin with a heavy voice.

Rustle.

The edge of a scarf marked with soot here and there fluttered teasingly. A woman whose beautiful features had transcendent quality like Jeong Yeon-shin. Appearing in an instant, she met eyes with Taoist Cheon Ju.

Similarly backing away toward Jeong Yeon-shin.

Little Heavenly Demon Invincible held up her snow-white index finger to her own lips making a shushing sound, then disappeared from her spot before the Nine Sects immortals could even react.

“……”

Taoist Cheon Ju slowly closed his mouth.

Mount Hua Cloud Platform Peak.

Near the Gates.

The dead dragon’s silence mixed with the suppressed groans of mountain jianghu people. Then finally settled over the footprints Jeong Yeon-shin had left.

* * *

Zhongnan Sect.

The appearance that remained in Jeong Yeon-shin’s memory was nowhere to be found.

Unfamiliar halls filled the mountain slopes, and the glossy feeling unique to new buildings flowed from roofs and tiles. It wasn’t just the scenery. The spirited shouts and cries of young disciples frequently rang out.

Was it thanks to the martial arts tournament that the imperial court had greatly held at Zhongnan Mountain when the Divine Sword Group went north?

It seemed they had received large and small support until Beijing fell to Fighting God. The presence of all kinds of children would be evidence.

Not one was severely starving.

Before suffering damage from annihilation crisis by Tyrant Sword Sect, it was indeed the Zhongnan of the Nine Great Sects that had been reflected in white-rank Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes.

“Ah, an old man called Invincible One asked me to tell the Group Leader. If you ever reclaim Desolate Fortress main castle in the future, please visit Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance.”

“Yi Beom?”

“Yes, Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance’s general administrator. He’s already famous in Central Plains, but when he saw Literary Star Hero…? he descended the mountain with military forces. Those strange people holding azure dragon banners went together too…”

Dan Jeong-jeong trailed off her words.

Though Jeong Yeon-shin found the term “Literary Star Hero” very awkward, he didn’t show it since Literary Star himself had grinned.

“So this is the famous Zhongnan.”

The giant said.

“At an appropriate height to block enemies, and a fairyland different from the entrance.”

Though his tone was very calm, it somehow felt like surveying occupied territory in advance. Anyone who had experienced northern jianghu would have to think so.

Jeong Yeon-shin inadvertently said.

“Exercise restraint.”

“Hmm?”

Literary Star smiled again.

“I’m always not rash.”

Looking back, that was true. The one who had been purely the greatest pressure as an enemy. For Jeong Yeon-shin who had decided to embrace him, he had to be wary that Literary Star might turn his back on him at any time.

Just like now.

“Big uncle!”

A small shadow ran sliding and hugged Literary Star’s shin. The scene of the dirt ground swirling and being gouged behind tiny heels.

It was Jeong Hye.

Zhongnan lightness skill Cloud Chasing Method’s propulsive force mixed with Brilliant River. To the child, it seemed like Jeong Yeon-shin’s Jeong Family Dynamic Technique.

Separately, the Divine Sword Squad members who had been following stiffened like famine-stricken trees. Until Literary Star’s large hand slowly descended to stroke Jeong-hye’s head.

The instant Hyeon Won-chang, who had been carrying Baek Mi-ryeo, placed his hand on his sword hilt like a ghost.

The child laughed.

“Why are you doing that?”

Literary Star met eyes with Jeong Yeon-shin who was looking at him clearly. Jeong Yeon-shin slowly shook his head.

“Hye-ah…!”

When Jeong Jung-san and several Zhongnan disciples who had come to receive guests were shocked, and Demon Contempt Blade who had been observing Literary Star’s appearance also approached Jeong-hye slightly.

“Lord Jeong, that person behind…”

It was Wei Zhi Myo-hwa who had returned to Zhongnan Mountain.

It was hard to fathom whom she was referring to. Was it Seventh Apostle who had smoothly arranged her black robe, or Little Heavenly Demon Invincible who had suddenly appeared?

Or perhaps she meant Literary Star who had somehow approached behind Little Heavenly Demon Invincible and stood blankly.

“……”

A thick, dark shadow fell over her, and a voice scraped from the abyss fell politely.

“Western Heaven Dark King, what business…?”

“Younger brother has prosperous surroundings. I’m thinking of moving our cult south too.”

Little Heavenly Demon Invincible shrugged.

“With Xiangyang’s Desolate Fortress completely ruined, and Central Plains becoming like the demon realm… there’s nothing to stop Ming Cult either. They’re busy fighting among themselves whether Fighting God or World’s Greatest Sword. You’ll have to find and take revenge on those ‘Seven New Enemies of Defeated Desolation’ first.”

Was it because the first Heavenly Demon had disappeared?

Her atmosphere was the same as always. A demon who could mock anything and cherish nothing.

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t ask what business she had followed here to pick a fight. He just slowly turned around and opened his mouth.

“Good timing. I was about to come get it.”

“What?”

It was then.

‘Remaining Demon Following Extreme Thunder.’

The dark luminous wheel vomited thunder from his heart, and the scenery in his vision became hazily tinted. Around his body, dark sparks fell point by point like flower petals, but only briefly.

In the stretched time where body and light seemed unified, Jeong Yeon-shin was naturally slipping his hand into Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s bosom like a dream. While enduring her reflexive palm technique struck at his solar plexus, Dark Heaven Hand Wall Momentum.

[Ha.]

Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s will penetrated faster than sound.

[This thief…?]

She had immediately reacted to Divine Beggar Zhu Guang’s infinitely segmented spacetime. But Jeong Yeon-shin had already withdrawn his hand from inside her robe front.

Rustle.

When the soft silk texture swept up his finger joints, gripped in that hand was half of the torn Zhongnan Sword Immortal’s secret manual. It was the instant of completely gaining advantage in the contest between Seizing Hand and lightness skills.

As soon as he passed Little Heavenly Demon Invincible with the inertia of propulsive force, the ground sank.

Crash! Rumble!

Dark shock waves burst from his solar plexus in dozens of layers, and his whole body slowly sank while trailing dark lightning like thread. Naturally, the aftermath of jet-black explosive force settled like black clouds.

Immediately Literary Star and Seventh Apostle indifferently blocked behind Jeong Yeon-shin.

Saaaa—

He silently closed the book in the middle of the dark mist. It was the moment of completing the secret manual as an ally of Zhongnan Sect rather than the Divine Sword Group Leader.

At the same time, Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly felt the preface’s contents flowing into his mind. Even though he hadn’t opened the book.

[You must certainly protect it.

Until a swordsman who can speak with the dead comes.

Until someone who cherishes worldly connections and can exchange questions and answers with history appears.

He is this era’s Greatest Sword Under Heaven.]