Chapter 662 – Desolate Banner (6)

One. Zhongnan Grand Elder Yeo Il-shin unified with World Tree’s main body. Ascension reaching peerless realm. Mental state being invaded.

Two. Current Dark Night Palace Leader’s contact with Peng Family. Lightning Genius lineage in danger.

Three. World Tree’s movement observed but destination unknown. Praising Earth Sword Duke’s unification with World Tree. Prayer like Natural Sword.

Four. Confirmed World Tree’s invasion of Four Great Vajras Master Won Jok. Also manifested defrocked monk deploying Vajra Immovable Divine Method at peerless level. Shaolin Abbot’s disciple, ‘Hell Deviation Beom-ryeol’.

Five. Nine Sects sect leaders related urgent matter. Qingcheng’s Taoist Qingshui unified with World Tree. Observed Clear Cloud Red Sunset Sword Energy reaching World’s Five Swordsmasters level.

Six. Tyrant Sword Sect Leader repelling invasion. Whether the factor lies in overwhelming martial prowess or mixed blood cannot be confirmed.

Seven. Fighting God and imperial army clash. According to Six Star Lord Literary Star, the origin of the Heaven Steel Light Armor Annihilation he cultivated was Fighting God’s protective energy Northern Power Primal Origin Desolation. There was also testimony that crippled Fighting God’s vitality was no less than the world’s Northern jiangh. From now on, proceed with jianghu activities on the premise that Ming Dynasty’s military has become nominal…

Content organized like lightning in Jeong Yeon-shin’s mind. He thought. Wouldn’t the General Administration’s scribes have submitted such reports?

‘The main fortress’s roots.’

Now he felt he could crudely imitate their writing style. But it would have little meaning. Because at this moment, the General Administration scribes’ appearance was nowhere to be found.

Whoosh.

Spring wind overlapping with Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze was settling through the gaping ceiling.

There were no spiritual creatures that should have been grooming themselves in the lukewarm spring breeze. The letters they should have carried, as well as the ink fragrance of the four treasures of the study, seemed to have scattered long ago.

The desks filling the General Administration were the same.

A burnt smell seemed to rise from several sheets of stuck paper. Traces of explosive forces greatly colliding.

‘The main fortress scribes had considerable insight into martial arts too…’

Jeong Yeon-shin overlaid those few sheets of paper with the report he had conjured up. Documents that might now be difficult to receive.

He wanted to cleanly peel off the papers that had stuck darkly to the desks.

Not now.

A state where he had barely stolen World Tree’s eyes for a moment. Beyond seeing was impossible. That was providence.

Meanwhile, no particular presence was felt from the General Administration’s annex with a roof. Though it was a place that also served as Grand Administrator Lin Jin-ming’s residence, at this moment it would be the same as the main building.

Come to think of it, the General Administration hall’s plaques were scattered in pieces. The invaders had deliberately left them that way. Considering the main fortress General Administration’s role and symbolism, it was understandable.

“……”

There had been a time when he vowed not to lose anything.

That had long since changed into courage to take advancing steps even if lost. The sword the Sword Star had last gripped was forged that way.

But he had never vowed not to get angry.

Jeong Yeon-shin felt fire rising in his mind like Lazy Flame Dragon’s blazing yang energy. When he turned his heated gaze to the right of the General Administration, it was the Divine Sword Squad’s Burning Abyss Squad hall.

Lodgings for lightness skill masters.

“Which side is on guard today?”

“The noble families.”

“There should be many night watchmen. Today’s martial world noble families are only untrustworthy people.”

In a place surrounded by particularly low walls, there were strangers. Old and young wearing tattered horse clothing as proudly as a general’s battle robe. Naturally, they weren’t the Burning Abyss Squad 

The plaque hanging at the main gate was different.

Where the phrase ‘Divine Sword Burning Abyss’ had been carved since before Jeong Yeon-shin wore white martial robes:

< Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance Xiangyang Branch. >

Below that.

A middle-aged man and woman of very ordinary appearance stood with hands behind their backs. Like others, fluttering long horse clothing sleeves.

The woman asked as if it were routine.

“Today’s Heavenly Martial Arsenal?”

As routine. Meaning no different from usual.

The man’s answer was also calm.

“It would still be the same. How many sects have pierced Desolate Fortress’s halls now? If anything had happened to the Heavenly Martial Arsenal, they would have all swarmed like ants. How many watching eyes are there?”

The woman nodded.

“True.”

“As you know, our Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance is a place that values justification and face-saving. But we’ve already taken on considerable burden by lending a hand to Desolate Fortress’s occupation.”

“So it’s better not to rashly interfere in such scrambles?”

“At least until former elders who recently joined arrive.”

“Mm.”

The woman seemed to agree with the man’s words, but appeared more meticulous than him. Because of her following words.

“Still, there are many martial arts that should never fall to noble families. Immortal Wood Spirit Squad’s Earth King Wood Family Art, Lightning Genius’s Jeong Family Dynamic Technique, Nether Stream Squad’s Earth King Crossing Speech Method or Resonance Spirit Squad’s Shared Sect Sutra, even Iron Demon Spring’s Commanding Puppet Brewing Steel Method…”

“Whoever gets their hands on it, we can just take it back. Well… if you’re truly worried, let’s go look once more. There’s no particular pastime anyway.”

They conversed peacefully in the Divine Sword Squad’s Ultimate Martial hall. Appearing to have completely made Desolate Fortress main fortress their home. They all looked accustomed to such daily life.

Even at this moment when the man and woman simultaneously kicked the ground.

Flash!

They advanced stepping boldly on the roof tiles of the main fortress halls. Movements that couldn’t emerge without thoroughly knowing Desolate Fortress’s inner castle geography, and as their lightness skill sprint was followed, other plaques flashed by.

Law Enforcement Hall was Four Province Martial Alliance Xiangyang Branch.

Wish-Fullfilling Spring Hall was Divine Demon Mad Silence Sect.

Azure Sky Squad Hall was Martial Forest Inspection Alliance.

Forest Treading Squad Hall was Sky-Trampling Palace…

Among them, several halls had noticeably thick energy waves flowing out. With the Forbidden City gone, Central Plains’ largest fortress was like this.

Unlike orthodox sects, heretical paths had many masters who suddenly emerged, and union-dissolution and rise-fall occurred rapidly.

Therefore, even if the thirteen overlords of heretical paths constantly changed, the term ‘Thirteen Evil Sects’ had solidified for a long time.

Thus, throughout ancient and modern times, the term vested interests never disappeared. When one died, another would rise.

It was the same now.

In front of the roof where Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance’s man and woman had descended, there were those surrounding a small castle built of pure white marble.

The headcount was in the hundreds.

Appearance and energy waves, age and gender, weapons worn and standing postures were all different. Literally jianghu people who had flocked from the entire nation.

“Oh Il-hwan! Are you determined to make Sky-Trampling Palace Master step forward!”

Words spat out by a warrior in yellow silk clothes before the Heavenly Martial Arsenal.

Whoosh—

Cloud-like pressure spread from the name Sky-Trampling Palace Master. Naturally, dust rose slightly from the dirt ground. Like incantations chanted by sorcerers, there was an emerging strongman who had carved his upper energy center spirituality into the world.

Sky-Trampling. Trampling castles.

It would be a name obtained like war loot after conquering Desolate Fortress.

He might be a jianghu elder who had been secluding in deep mountains and valleys. Or a figure who had newly achieved greatness in the process of Thirteen Evil Sects’ annihilation and gained followers.

“Seven New Enemies of Defeated Desolation or Sky-Trampling Palace, they’re always grating names to hear. Tell them to stop it.”

It rang from inside the small castle walls. The voice of scribe Oh Il-hwan, the man who had long managed the Heavenly Martial Arsenal.

Sky-Trampling Palace’s warrior smiled slightly. As if satisfied just by Oh Il-hwan responding to his words.

He said.

“Defeated Desolation because we destroyed Desolate Fortress, Sky-Trampling because we finally occupied it. The surroundings are only stating facts. Even if a scribe like you throws a tantrum, nothing changes. Just how long do you plan to hold out?”

“Having rummaged through various places in the main fortress with nothing more to covet, it seems you have nowhere to spend energy now. If you’re bored waiting, try collapsing this wall with that great martial art of yours.”

It was Oh Il-hwan’s answer.

But none of the masters surrounding the Heavenly Martial Arsenal was drawn into the provocation. They just gazed quietly at the wall surface. Like birds of prey waiting for their prey to starve to death.

They seemed already accustomed to such confrontational situations.

Among them, another middle-aged man stepped forward to the Heavenly Martial Arsenal’s iron gate. As he cupped his fists, his hand brushed the yellow thread of a sword hilt, and the friction sound that rang with a rustle felt like scratching inside the head like sound technique.

“I am called Deok-yang from Deyang, a nameless soldier from Martial Forest Inspection Alliance. I’ve always admired Desolate Fortress’s scholars.”

“Lost Sound Elegant Scholar Deok-yang? Aren’t you a disciple of Divine Demon Mad Silence Sect?”

“That’s not important.”

Lost Sound Elegant Scholar Deok-yang was a middle-aged man with an excessively powdered white face, and his bloodless skin matched his expressionless face. At this moment, among the masters forming the siege together, those from Murim Inspection Alliance denounced him as shameless, but Deok-yang only spoke to Oh Il-hwan.

“I’m just regretful. To think that hundreds of years of Desolate Fortress martial learning could turn to ashes over one measly formation. Are you truly planning to destroy your sect’s history yourself?”

His words spread carried on semi-transparent ripples and struck against the Heavenly Martial Arsenal’s marble walls here and there marked with burns. A method of thrusting spiritual energy waves through cracks between straight bricks.

Sound transmissions came and went among the gathering.

—Lost Sound Elegant Scholar deployed Divine Demon Mad Silence Gate’s Weeping Demon Sacred Sound. It seems he’s pierced the formation’s internal energy barrier somewhat.

—To that degree, even if the Divine Sword Squad had been there throughout winter, they would have occupied Thirteen Evil Sects’ first seat like now.

Lost Sound Elegant Scholar Deok-yang spoke gently.

“I heard Desolate Fortress’s scribes see the situation broadly with eye technique study called Moon Nature Formation Method. You should do the same. The Divine Sword Squad perished in the north long ago, and Desolate Fortress’s fate was also swept by the times. Then shouldn’t you at least leave traces that you existed in Central Plains?”

Wooong—

The scene of whitish waves constantly seeping into the fortress. Sound technique energy waves more than enough to shake inside people’s heads.

At the same time, there was an answer.

“Desolate Fortress’s history is not martial arts.”

The Heavenly Martial Arsenal said.

“Central Plains maintained the appearance of a nation even though the murim ran rampant… that proves Desolate Fortress’s existence. It will naturally remain in history too. And.”

Dignified words continued slowly.

“Any secret manual is nothing compared to historical records.”

He was saying that no matter what Desolate Fortress martial arts they obtained, they would ultimately be evaluated as bandits. Words no jianghu person with a sword could avoid.

Deok-yang closed his mouth, and the surroundings became tumultuous for the first time. Energy waves exploded in various places simultaneously.

“That fellow’s nonsense is a sight to behold!”

“Is that something to say when you’ve taken your own sect’s martial arts hostage?”

“In the end, having been defeated and driven to this state, you have no shame!”

“Shame?”

A counter-question flowed from the Heavenly Martial Arsenal.

“You never crossed hands with the Divine Sword Squad or Annihilation Squad, nor even Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad, never felt Resonance Spirit Squad’s energy waves, nor attacked the castle by breaking through Ultimate Martial Hall. You didn’t need to first block Radiant Demon Wing and Obeying Heaven Wing’s first strike. Yet those who weren’t even trapped in Nether Stream Squad’s eyes, Azure Sky Squad’s swords, and Burning Abyss Squad’s lightness skill siege network speak of shame…?”

With a feeling of tilting his head, farewell-like words followed.

“I hope one of the Yao tribe jianghu people blocked by the Divine Sword Squad falls on your heads. I’ll go to bed now. Scribe Gi will relieve your boredom.”

“Greetings everyone. I am Gi Dae-seung from Desolate Fortress General Administration.”

Another scribe’s voice. This time a much older middle-aged man’s voice.

He seemed to be wary that if they didn’t respond to jianghu people, it would be regarded as having no one inside to react, and they would immediately invade.

“Empty boasting.”

Then several jianghu people were shaking their swords or hands once greatly. There seemed to be many former elders whose leisure had become habit.

“Certainly the sound technique worked. It must be because the formation’s internal energy barrier thinned.”

“They said Desolate Ma Family Head Harbinger of Hell was inside there, but it seems it was just a false rumor after all.”

“Even if he’s there, it doesn’t matter. Sky-Trampling Palace Master and Divine Demon Mad Silence Sect Master. Isn’t this a place where two of the Seven New Seats of Defeated Desolation are stationed?”

Some master called the enemy character of Seven New Enemies of Defeated Desolation by the elevated ‘seat’ character. Most of those who had occupied the Divine Sword Squad’s seventeen halls would be the same.

But now there was no particular answer from inside the Heavenly Martial Arsenal. As if preparing some handover.

‘……’

The main fortress people stood night watch in the main fortress’s intimate places. A scene with the feeling of dry firewood seeping through. For a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin sensed eyes that stung and became bloodshot like flint.

Crack, crackle—

Transparent cracks were carved in the void, then began fragmenting like glass.