Chapter 443 – Sunset Flag (5)

In an instant, everything around became chaotic. This was because three figures had approached Jeong Yeon-shin with extreme lightness techniques.

The reverse wind caused by two black robes and one silk garment created a harsh sound that tore through the surroundings. It was a wind sound as if ripping everything apart.

Yue Shou-lin, as well as Xiahou Wei-jin and the Grand Administrator, all moved to protect him.

Only Law Enforcement Squad Leader Yun Xiao-yu remained at a distance, gripping her sword handle with her long hair flowing as she stood silently.

“Do not act rashly.”

Shin Byeok issued a command-like statement to the three people in his aged voice. The old man’s expression was remarkably calm.

The Elder Council Head of Desolate Fortress.

Even if his martial arts had declined, he had worn the purple robe for decades. His knowledge and insight could be said to reach the heavens without exaggeration.

He inevitably knew better than anyone else in the room about what qualities Jeong Yeon-shin possessed and what senses he lived with.

“The newly appointed Purple Rank received the Moon Spirit Harmonization Technique from the Lord. Naturally, nothing that happens should be considered strange, so two of you should go downstairs and comfort the fortress warriors.”

Even as he spoke, the surroundings continued to shake violently.

The chairs and tables that seemed out of place in the office kept trembling, and the continuous vibrations devoured the silent night air with rumbling sounds.

“……”

Yue Shou-lin shed the playfulness with which she had earlier offered exaggerated respectful speech and jests.

By now, the intense black eyes of the Desolate Divine Spear gazed up at Jeong Yeon-shin’s profile with gravity.

The young man with his purple robe and long hair flowing strand by strand had placed his hand on the wooden bed of the Desolate Fortress Lord. A bright white glow shimmered in his eyes.

It was as if a flower made of light was blooming within his eyes.

Yue Shou-lin slowly parted her lips.

“…Elder Shin.”

“What you’re thinking is correct. We’ll finally be able to hear news of the Lord. The newly appointed Purple Rank will eventually accomplish many great things.”

“Isn’t that only natural? Among the current Purple Ranks, he’s the only available force of the main fortress.”

“The big guy should keep quiet. The adults are talking. If an elf clan member has a narrower vision than me…”

“What’s truly narrow is the fist technique depth of the soon-to-be-dismissed Divine Sword Deputy Leader, isn’t it?”

While those who had spent long years in Desolate Fortress suppressed their astonishment with light conversation.

‘What is this?’

Jeong Yeon-shin felt as if his consciousness was being sucked into the Desolate Fortress Lord’s wooden bed.

It was similar to when the Lord had personally handed him a piece of the World Tree fruit.

The sensation of his mind, nestled in his brain, narrowing into a long thread and burrowing into some place.

It was different from what he had anticipated.

He had expected to gain the Desolate Fortress Lord’s view of overlooking Xiangyang from her bed, but instead of extending in eight directions like water flowing through tree roots, his senses raced for a long time toward a place he couldn’t even guess.

It was a wondrous event that could be counted among the many mysteries of the martial world.

And then.

Twoong-

It felt as if he had collided with someone’s body while running without being able to see ahead. It was plump and soft.

In this dreamlike realm of mental imagery, Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly felt someone’s consciousness.

-……You.

A voice whose owner could be recognized the moment it was heard. That deep and crystalline resonance seemed to caress his ears even though it came to his heart, not his ears.

-You have reached me.

Jeong Yeon-shin instantly sensed it.

It was the Desolate Fortress Lord.

The mystery of the supreme World Tree.

How could such a thing happen? The world is full of strange occurrences to this extent.

Though he might compete with his peers in many areas as a gentleman, even now as Purple Rank, his knowledge remained limited.

He tried to speak with his thoughts, as if performing the Wisdom Light Heart Speech technique he had never used before.

With a slightly trembling heart.

-Lord…?

-Well done.

It felt like bathing his entire body in soft moonlight. This dreamlike quality could not be imitated by anyone else.

Yes. It was certain.

Jeong Yeon-shin was unusually excited. How many accumulated stories and words did he have for his savior, his master? This moment felt more valuable than any formal promotion ceremony.

-Have you been well? I’ve missed you greatly.

He spoke with the same heart with which he had thought of the Desolate Fortress Lord in place of his maternal grandfather during his metamorphosis.

A soft laugh tickled his ears.

His heart rejoiced along with it. Then suddenly Jeong Yeon-shin realized it had been a very long time since he had seen his master’s smile.

-I am now wearing the purple robe. The Emperor personally dressed me in it.

-My intention is the same.

Her voice gently kneaded Jeong Yeon-shin’s mind. With a touch like soft cotton balls.

-I fully grant your promotion.

That single sentence.

‘Ah.’

All the weariness that had unknowingly accumulated within him completely melted away. At this moment, he couldn’t even feel the severe injuries he had sustained from the Diancang Sect Leader.

What could be lacking? After receiving recognition from the imperial family and common people, now the Desolate Fortress Lord acknowledged him.

Jeong Yeon-shin responded unconsciously.

-Isn’t this a major matter for the main fortress? Can you make such a decision without seeing me?

-Your hair must have grown quite long.

The Desolate Fortress Lord whispered in a gentle voice.

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had originally intended to ask when she would return, confidently answered that it had indeed grown very long.

He thought he could now present himself as a fairly competent warrior even before his master. Just as she had once said to him.

‘By now, I’ve become something of a master in my own right. Though I’m still far from reaching my master’s level…’

Previously, he had nearly died from Diancang’s Sun-Piercing Sword Art, but somehow Jeong Yeon-shin had managed to sit alongside the leaders of the Nine Great Sects.

He wanted to show the Desolate Fortress Lord his long hair that flowed down the back of his purple robe.

-Actually, I wanted to use the power of the World Tree trunk to survey all of Xiangyang. Since enemies are targeting the main fortress from outside the city…

-Your heart is admirable.

-But it’s not working well. Perhaps because I’m not of the elf clan, I feel as if something is blocking me.

-Lineage is not important in all matters under heaven.

She continued slowly.

-With a little more effort, it will work.

-Is that really true?

-Are you not already conversing with me like this?

He received encouragement. Jeong Yeon-shin maintained his rare feeling of excitement. Though he deliberately didn’t show that emotion, he began to share many words with the Desolate Fortress Lord about both martial arts and trivial matters.

Perhaps because his martial arts had deepened since their last meeting, or because there was no pressure from not facing her directly, all sorts of big and small stories flowed out smoothly.

She answered each one slowly. They even shared trivial stories like the recipe for Five-Cloud Mountain Vegetable Dish.

Jeong Yeon-shin even asked the Desolate Fortress Lord if she had ever ridden a swing during the Dragon Boat Festival.

-I remember hanging on one as a child. The children around me tried to stop me.

-May I ask where you are now? I’ve heard rumors that the term “World Tree” refers to you clearing out lairs of supernatural beings… I might be able to help.

-You will know before long.

The Desolate Fortress Lord answered as if whispering.

That wasn’t the end. Jeong Yeon-shin had many more things he wanted to say. Now, the only close superiors he had were the Divine Sword Group Leader and his maternal grandfather, but both had long departed for some unknown labyrinth.

Now Jeong Yeon-shin was effectively the one leading Desolate Fortress. That’s what his maternal grandfather Ma Yeon-jeok had conveyed in his letter.

-Lord, I…

-You should sleep now. You look weary.

-I still have much more to tell you.

-I know your journey has been very long. Let us speak again later.

Hwook-

In an instant, Jeong Yeon-shin’s consciousness was thrown back to its place. At the same time, his vision became hazy as if covered in fog. He suddenly realized he was lying on the Desolate Fortress Lord’s wooden bed.

The leaders of the main fortress, including the Grand Administrator and Yue Shou-lin, were looking down at him with concerned faces.

“You met her, didn’t you?”

The voice of Elder Council Head Shin Byeok came from a distance. Jeong Yeon-shin nodded from his reclined position.

“…She approved my Purple Rank promotion.”

“That’s not surprising. The truly amazing thing is that you connected with the Lord. What today’s event means… No, you should rest first. What you’ve accomplished is clearly a miracle. The backlash your body must endure will not be small.”

The old man was right.

In addition to the severe injuries from the Sword Empress, extreme fatigue overwhelmed his consciousness.

Many things began to fade dimly. The ceiling covered with tree trunks, the senses he had deliberately kept sharpened, the voices of the fortress leaders reaching his ears…

‘Little Lord…?’

His consciousness sank into the sea of sleep with bewilderment.

* * *

When he awoke, seven days and nights had passed. What he thought was just a moment turned out to be much longer.

This was the price for directly confronting the Sword Empress of Yunnan. The aftereffects of his severely damaged Eight Extraordinary Meridians and various penetrating wounds were beyond imagination.

Due to the immense weight of the energy waves from thousand-year martial arts, it took a long time for the recovery power stemming from the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique to exert its full strength.

‘But I’m fine now.’

Jeong Yeon-shin immediately felt his body lighten. Unlike many of his colleagues, his physical form was like that of a normal person, with an exceptional ability to remember his original body condition and restore that state.

“Master Jeong…? Why are you already up?”

“Grand Administrator, is there anything specific I need to know?”

“I do have some things I’ve been organizing…”

The Grand Administrator, who had entered with an armful of rolled documents tucked at his side, trailed off. He mentioned that several physicians had visited but only advised waiting and watching.

Jeong Yeon-shin nodded casually and began to receive the Grand Administrator’s report.

Seven days and nights.

It was an enormous period.

Because these were chaotic times. After the Yunnan battle, the martial world’s situation was rapidly changing.

Numerous Blood Flame Cult branches had risen up across the world seeking food, and the remnants of the old Ming Cult, which had swallowed the Pure Demon Alliance in Sichuan, had declared a “Demonic Path World.”

Additionally, the Martial Dragon Alliance Leader claimed to have compiled all the martial arts in the world to create the ultimate skill, and was breaking the signboards of all sects, regardless of whether they were righteous or unorthodox.

From the north, there were even rumors that the northern border had been breached, with a very small number of elite Yao tribesmen descended to the martial world.

Along with rumors that Heaven Conquering Sect and Taimo Mountain Castle had taken up arms to claim the title of “World’s Finest.”

“This is the new structure for the Divine Sword Group that the Administrative Office has carefully prepared. It can be changed according to Master Jeong’s opinions.”

The Grand Administrator handed over a document with iron rods attached to both sides. It was a very luxurious document from its appearance.

Jeong Yeon-shin silently received and opened it.

He then quietly exchanged opinions with the Grand Administrator. It took quite a long time.

“Then the new Deputy Leader to assist the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader… Well, I will accept the command for now.”

“I dare not evaluate all your seniors, but above all, character and temperament must be the primary considerations.”

“I suppose so.”

The Grand Administrator nodded heavily. Jeong Yeon-shin was puzzled by the fact that this man, who used to speak frankly, did not add any further words, but soon he glanced at his own purple sleeve and inwardly understood.

“The world is quite chaotic, but now Master Jeong can choose where to deploy himself. However…”

“Please speak.”

“There is someone here from King Qiong-ming’s palace.”

“Who…?”

“King Qiong-ming has personally been here for a long time. He said he must meet either Group Leader Yong or Master Jeong…”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s head tilted slightly to the side.

“Is this an important matter for the main fortress?”

“That depends on Master Jeong’s intentions.”

“Then I will communicate later. I have unfinished conversation with the Lord.”

“You may forget about King Qiong-ming’s matter. Let’s meet him at the banquet.”

As soon as the Grand Administrator withdrew, Jeong Yeon-shin touched the Desolate Fortress Lord’s bed. A thick vibration rose up through the tree bark once more.

A truly incredible thing. He never imagined he would be able to converse with his revered master at any time. It was a privilege granted to no one else.

-Lord.

-You’ve regained your strength. It’s good to hear.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s face brightened slightly.

Just as he opened his mouth again, perhaps sensing his intention through his thought, the Desolate Fortress Lord’s breath mixed with a faint laugh.

Soon after, the realm of heart speech connecting them shattered. It felt like receiving an order to leave. Jeong Yeon-shin’s consciousness had to come out again.

‘She means for me to focus on my work.’

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been holding all sorts of words in his mouth, reluctantly swallowed them. Then, feeling his body grow somewhat weary, he placed his hand back on the World Tree trunk.

Woong-

Even if he were to deploy, he needed to organize this city on behalf of the ruler of Xiangyang.

To detect martial artists who had infiltrated the metropolis, he needed to skillfully use the power of the World Tree. That was the role of the Desolate Fortress Lord.

‘It shouldn’t take long.’

Jeong Yeon-shin thought with his eyes half-open. A strange feeling was rising. The sensation of energy awareness traveling through his fingertips and extending outward through the trunk. It was an incredibly strange experience.

At this moment, the white fortress of Desolate Fortress bathed in sunlight flowed into his mind. Then he lifted his eyelids high.

He felt it.

The presence of someone who shouldn’t be in Desolate Fortress. Very faint yet concealing something intense within. It was impossible to know how long they had been there.

While Jeong Yeon-shin had been asleep, it seemed as if the martial world had come to him since he hadn’t gone to it.

‘Damn…!’

Jeong Yeon-shin became urgent. He had never experienced anything like this.

The intruder in the Radiant Demon Wing hall flinched. As if they sensed Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze, extended through the World Tree trunk.

Bang!

From that spot, Jeong Yeon-shin shattered the ceiling of the Lord’s office and soared into the sky. The soft light cluster of the Ten-Li Gentle Light lightness technique remained in the air like smoke.

[TL Note- One up the counter.]

* * *

Kwakwakwang!

With a thunderous sound, all sorts of stone fragments scattered in all directions. Jeong Yeon-shin, who had collapsed the entire roof as he descended, flashed blue light in his eyes.

The sight that met his eyes at this moment.

Ebony-like hair swayed limply. A swordsman with unusually white skin dressed in blue martial clothes was being subdued by someone.

Swish.

The silver-masked stranger who had been gripping Bewitching Sword Demon Baek Mi-ryeo’s neck and looking into her eyes turned his head.

Below the silver mask, he wore a white, elaborately patterned wind-flowing robe like luxurious ceremonial clothing. Until then, Baek Mi-ryeo had only been able to stare with wide eyes, as if her acupoints had been sealed.

Inside the inner castle of Desolate Fortress.

This happened right in the office of the Radiant Demon Wing Leader.

The stranger’s hands were as white and long as snow. Their color was similar to Baek Mi-ryeo’s neck.

Perhaps this was because both had circulated the power of the Bare Hand Demonic Technique throughout their bodies.

Yes. The two shared the same martial lineage.

“Well, this is awkward.”

The red lips of the Ming Cult Leader Yelu Zhen curved up like a painting. A smile as enchanting as if possessed by demonic nature. Literally, the quality of a devil was evident.

“This is troublesome.”

Jeong Yeon-shin did not open his mouth.

Sreung-

From his waist, Remaining Thunder drew itself upward, revealing a sword body engraved with wave patterns.

Sword control technique close to a divine skill. Then the newly appointed Purple Rank began to operate the energy waves of Brilliant River with his hands behind his back.

The ground shook.