Chapter 777 – To My Younger Brother, From The Heavenly Demon (10)

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

‘The Tenth Step is near.’

He had just arrived through the tree roots’ Body Shifting Void. Meaning his master Wei Gun-hye was still holding back the World Tree. After receiving help from so many people, he now faced Zhang Sanfeng without even the formless ‘tree bark.’

He felt Fighting God’s single move.

The World Tree’s supernatural abilities had disappeared. Now only a pure martial arts contest remained.

He quietly gazed at the old Taoist.

The eye wrinkles that had held all manner of emotions were nowhere to be seen. Only vast ennui was condensed like tree rings.

Now it was the World Tree.

Zhang Sanfeng’s martial arts. The World Tree’s personality. That’s why he wasn’t Taoist Sanfeng, the ‘Immortal.’

Taoist Sanfeng, who had been even more absurd because he maintained his humanity even after transcending, had disappeared after buying Jeong Yeon-shin sufficient time. Just as many Taoists are likened to wind.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

‘With just a handful of spirituality, it was an amazing arrangement.’

How had he held onto that body?

“……”

Space was distorting again with the old Taoist at its center. The pale moon halo and leaves stuck together like taffy, and the night air rotated in a massive circle.

‘Taiji Force.’

The realm of constant transformation. Zhang Sanfeng’s basic foundation art. A technique that moved natural earth energy through Wisdom Sword principles to prematurely collapse all moves’ balance.

Unlike the taciturn Zhang Sanfeng before his eyes, Taoist Sanfeng he’d met in the past was a strangely human-like chatterbox.

“During the period when public sparring was popular… probably when I was a wandering Taoist child. When I fixed and returned the pitiful martial arts of quite famous blade wielders, I ended up caught in an inescapable net? It’s a trick I made meaning at least put down your blade while eating.”

Jeong Yeon-shin, who floated Remaining Thunder to the side, spread his index finger. He raised extreme barrier energy that had now broken even the boundary of overlapping, but it suddenly flickered like a candle flame and went out.

As if swept by a typhoon.

‘It collapses the balance of moves.’

A tremendous natural earth energy force field. The closer, the fiercer.

To succeed in striking this close, intent and tyrannical power must cross walls again and again. With willpower close to madness. Wandering Star who came with him had probably distanced himself because he felt this too.

“I’m just a peasant with high martial arts, so my will isn’t firm. Let me watch as you said.”

Wandering Star’s brazen transmission.

The others were the same. Baek Seo-gun, Black Return, Dharma King, and Lazy Flame Dragon were everywhere, but inside the Taiji Force, only hands and feet would become chaotic. Most of them seemed to be silently positioned in preparation for when Jeong Yeon-shin was defeated.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s mouth opened. It was a transmission to Lazy Flame Dragon.

“I saw your child.”

“What?! Already born…? Perhaps the Fortress Lord also came out early with Lightning Art?”

“He will grow more robustly than you. With sister-in-law’s permission, I planted Jeong Family Dynamic Technique in the child in her womb.”

“Brother what?”

He’d misspoken.

Jeong Yeon-shin asked Zhang Sanfeng who was only staring at him intently.

“Didn’t you swallow me once? There’s no need to examine me again.”

World Tree Zhang Sanfeng’s mouth slowly opened.

“I know you’ve changed.”

“……?”

“Eight Steps?”

A thrilling monologue.

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t show surprise. After all, peerless masters were originally beings who could always present shock to each other.

It was now, after experiencing such things countless times.

He merely opened his mouth calmly.

“I’m coming.”

A dark blue shadow fell on the field of lush leaves. Because the Silent Radiance Sword Constellation’s starlight had eroded the distorted space.

At his feet, Southern Splendor Vast Taiji’s bright blue light beams raced in curves, instantly circling the World Tree’s peak in a circle.

To Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes, who had already set foot in the peerless time axis, a scenery completed slowly yet quickly like his jianghu journey so far.

It was the final martial arts stage.

Hwaryeok.

The moment his right hand Starry Night blazed, his vision filled with Zhang Sanfeng. Cloud Ladder Step’s advancing Air Walking. It was fast enough to appear as Form Shifting Void.

In that instant, Remaining Thunder struck Zhang Sanfeng’s arm with a bang and disappeared far away.

It was sword control.

Explosive counter-wind wrapped up Jeong Yeon-shin’s arm. Starry Night erupted even bursting propulsion energy waves toward Zhang Sanfeng’s jaw.

Judgement Qilin.

It was blocked by Zhang Sanfeng’s left hand. Wudang Cotton Palm pressing down Starry Night with wrinkled bare hands. A palm that wrapped semi-transparent internal energy curtain like a wrapping cloth. Jeong Yeon-shin pushed Starry Night up regardless.

Kugugugugugugung…

Palm force and sword force interlocked. Each released subtle pine fragrance and reckless gale wind. Night air rippling like dark lightning strands.

Moves of mutual loss.

Jeong Yeon-shin lacked Azure Qilin to split swords, Zhang Sanfeng lacked Lunar Abundance to strike the back of his head.

Kurureung!

Shockwaves shot up to the heavens. Clouds tore in all directions, and only one blade remained in the empty sky.

It was Remaining Thunder.

As soon as it appeared, it flickered as a pure white vertical line. In an instant, it struck down Zhang Sanfeng’s sword that was crossing toward Jeong Yeon-shin’s neck with a bang, and at that moment was caught in reverse grip in Jeong Yeon-shin’s left hand.

Geugeugeugeugeung!

Pine Pattern Ancient Sword advanced even carrying Remaining Thunder’s blade tip on its blade. Natural sword’s sword force was at an absurd level. Because it didn’t stop even when pressed down with the same force as Literary Star before bone transformation, he had no choice but to execute Nine Verdant River. When he twisted the hilt gripped in reverse once, the energy waves accumulated in Remaining Thunder exploded.

A roar transcending audible range.

Colorful sparks burst out like autumn leaves.

The explosion sound had long left his mind. Because the past he’d walked through flowed in and propelled him forward like propulsion energy waves.

“I hope you stay in autumn for long.”

Jeong Yeon-shin rushed into it as if embracing Sword Star. With both swords raised entirely through sword control. His body exploded with colorless force field through Heavenly Steel Light Armor barrier energy. His right hand struck away Cotton Palm, his left hand that swept away Pine Pattern Ancient Sword with the back of his hand transformed into a straight punch creating hand shadows. As the fist’s afterimages swollen like dark clouds collided and clashed with hands, swords, and night air, everything blurred. Because even space vibrated intensely.

It was formless technique art.

Zzjeojeojeojeojeojeojeojeong! Kurureureung!

Thunder and lightning fist and palm technique.

It started against Fighting God’s martial lineage in Yellow Phoenix Ten Techniques, and was completed after the northern expedition by occasionally pondering Nether Stream Leader Yun So-hyeon’s last words. He hadn’t used it fearing he’d resent Southern Emperor, but now Jeong Yeon-shin blamed no one.

The Jeong Family Dynamic Technique secret formula he realized without knowing it himself the moment he embraced his father.

‘Utmost peace…’

Even before Zhang Sanfeng’s hand shadows that gently burst collarbones, ribs, and rectus abdominis and disappeared. Wudang Ten Section Brocade was so profound it repeatedly shattered even upper dantian concentration, but Jeong Yeon-shin smiled. Because dawn was breaking beyond Zhang Sanfeng’s shoulder.

He suddenly realized. Dawn is thicker than sunset.

“Where are you looking?”

World Tree’s Zhang Sanfeng spoke like a person. His internal energy breathing was at the realm of completion, clear even in exploding and cracking space. Jeong Yeon-shin realized the World Tree had ultimately become like a person. Because some goal was felt distinctly.

Jeong Yeon-shin asked in fierce battle.

“Does your purpose conclude in this land?”

“I go to the next land carrying your traces. Lone immortality is meaningless. Human history is thinking beings’ nourishment… I regard you gratefully.”

“You don’t see me as an enemy.”

“I must know your Tenth Step. Competitive spirit is worthless.”

“Same for me. The world’s enemy isn’t a tree like you. It was completely elsewhere.”

Zhang Sanfeng’s eyebrows twitched in scattering footwork energy feathers. A movement tinged with doubt. Perhaps because he was the being who had seen the most competitive spirit among peerless masters.

Zzjeojeojeojeojeojeong!

Even at that moment, Remaining Thunder constantly tangled with Pine Pattern Ancient Sword in free trajectories. The two blades’ surfaces reflected Jeong Yeon-shin’s memories like mirrors.

Bad harvests birthed famine, and the strong didn’t endure hunger. Next came plunder. The boundary between government offices and martial world collapsed.

The storyteller who had to watch his wife eaten alive, the strategist who buried his starved wife, official roads where emaciated hungry people sat with dead eyes, parents going to offer their children to sects said to have started eating people… land where an ice age had descended.

Swordsmen were those who poured hot sword wind onto that land again and again.

[Dragon Sword Longing for Home.]

It spread from a profoundly low place.

Yong Hye-myeong’s intent, but it wasn’t leisurely like a scholar. Immediately tremendous blade wind’s lingering heat rose. He seemed to have begun pouring it directly into the tree.

As if waiting for that moment, there was a hazily overlapping echo. Never Retreat. Unbelievably, his maternal grandfather’s intent though his energy must be exhausted.

Kwang…

Had he thrown his sword at the World Tree in fury?

The next moment, what carved a furrow in tree bark the size of a large city and rose was light spear strike energy waves. Dream Flight Yue Shou-lin’s Transcendent Martial Art was said to be throwing with all strength. A throwing spear that penetrated space, not wind, transcending providence with orthodox martial arts at its extreme, not heresy.

[Never Abandon.]

Jeong Yeon-shin sensed the indefensible straight-line trajectory. It pierced from the World Tree’s end to end. It would be right in the center of the point where Yong Hye-myeong’s sword wind was pouring.

In that instant.

Kurureung!

Jeong Yeon-shin felt Zhang Sanfeng’s hand that deflected his right fist strike shook extremely minutely.

Though less than a needle hole in a person’s body, the three Divine Sword Group Leaders were the history of one nation itself.

What couldn’t be done?

Kwakwang! Kurureung! Zzjeojeojeojeojeojeong…

An old Taoist and young man crossing like dancing in a crumpled moon viewing painting. The pine patterned sword encompassed the dark blue formless sword and milk-white metal, and within that faint circle, limbs’ movements accelerated repeatedly.

Jeong Yeon-shin gathered the three people’s intent in his upper dantian and opened his mouth. Along with the feeling that he’d somehow begun moving like an incarnation of martial arts itself.

“I will sever the era.”

Starry Night that flew in on its own struck and deflected Wisdom Sword’s curved trajectory directly, and Remaining Thunder shot from his feet along with Jeong Yeon-shin’s leg techniques tore Zhang Sanfeng’s side. In the instant he spread open Cotton Palm’s semi-transparent twenty layers of palm force with both hands like Literary Star.

Kiiiiiing…!

Through that gap, Starry Night and Remaining Thunder were sucked into his stretched hands, and it was one breath until slashing down Zhang Sanfeng’s shoulders. The next moment Zhang Sanfeng’s body fragmented into seven, showing Seven Star Escape Form body technique.

The tag game body technique he used to toy with Yuan dynasty powerful families. Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes simultaneously flashed bright blue light.

‘The two swords and Seven Star Escape Form’s speeds were similar.’

Though overwhelmingly fast enough to mock even Lowly Revelation Eye Technique’s vision, countless leaves were surging up like Myriad Heavens Flower Rain beneath Jeong Yeon-shin’s feet. It seemed he’d wrapped even natural sword’s sword qi in Wisdom Sword’s flow. Taking Sword Tree Hell’s move as a casual counter-move.

[Silent Radiance Sword Constellation, constellation above reed field.]

Crushed starlight broke through Taiji Force’s bent space and entered. Together with sonic boom sounding vaguely like hearty laughter.

Hwak!

……

Leaves descended with refreshing wind. Even the Taiji Force was nowhere. That much power and technique had been used.

Only the old Taoist floated alone in the place where all energies had disappeared. Jeong Yeon-shin grabbed both swords and said.

“There’s something I’m curious about.”

“……”

“Do you have Transcendent Martial Art? You cannot pierce life with a stolen one.”

He knows because he tried. Jeong Yeon-shin concluded. Immediately Zhang Sanfeng’s answer returned in the dry wind.

“Are you one to say that?”

With that answer, Jeong Yeon-shin was certain.

Zhang Sanfeng has no competitive spirit. He only thinks of winning the fight and crossing to the ‘next land.’ He probably even knew. That the longer the battle, the higher Zhang Sanfeng’s odds of victory over Jeong Yeon-shin must rise. ‘The difference between Sanfeng lineage and Lightning Genius lineage, World Tree and human.’

Then.

Tak, tadak.

Some sparks flew to his toes. Because Dragon Sword Longing for Home’s fire energy rising to his feet had become hot to the extreme. Following that, Jeong Yeon-shin heard Literary Star’s roar. Not a lion’s roar suppressing powerful families’ nonsense. A shout of the World’s Great General that shattered even the providence that human strength should naturally reach this far.

[Pangu’s First Stroke.]

Kwaaaaaaaaaaang…!

Vision began tilting. Jeong Yeon-shin’s body wasn’t the problem. Though hard to believe while experiencing it, the World Tree was toppling roots and all, albeit extremely slowly.

Zhang Sanfeng’s gaze turned downward for the first time. The expression in those eye wrinkles. It clearly held intent to slaughter.

Jeong Yeon-shin parted his lips.

[…If predetermined fate is heaven’s law.]

“I will always transcend that law…”

“Stepping on unpermitted time.”

Not Radiance Vast Taiji.

Now Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t need others’ lives. Wasn’t the Eight Steps to confirm that? Thus, at the end of his heart that had been joyful throughout, what slipped through Jeong Yeon-shin’s lips wasn’t an echo but a low voice in the flesh.

“I walk myself.”

When Zhang Sanfeng’s gaze returned to him, Jeong Yeon-shin took his ninth step.

Transcendent Martial Art.

Self Walk.