Chapter 489 – Noble Clans’ Tree

By the time the shadows hanging beneath the walls of the Mu Family Estate had stretched down extremely long.

Prince Hong Huang was finally released from beneath Jeong Yeon-shin’s foot.

It was thanks to guessing the content of the proclamation that Desolate Day Extinction had issued to the world. Such contemporary feudal kings possessed the perception to discern even the movements of brush strokes.

In the end, Prince Hong Huang pledged unconditional support to Desolate Fortress, and Blue-Eyed Demon Sword Cheong Myeong smiled and opened his mouth.

“Master Jeong’s brushwork is better than that of the Hanlin Academy or great trading companies’ literary men. I wonder how much you earned from this occasion.”

It was extremely timely words.

“…How peculiar.”

It was what made Desolate Day Extinction accept Prince Hong Huang’s apology.

Cheong Myeong had unknowingly looked after Jeong Yeon-shin during his white and blue periods, and had stayed by his side as a close associate even during his black period.

He understood more than enough how his young superior’s mood rose and fell through what mysteries.

“Right now the Administrative Office must be wracking their brains. I can already see it clearly. The sight of that iron tower-like Grand Administrator about to laugh heartily over a few letters.”

“Administrator Lim?”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s counter-question.

Swish.

The hand of Desolate Day Extinction, which had been slightly raised until then, came down completely.

He had always shown speech and conduct that greatly respected scholars. He respected Grand Administrator Lim Jin-myeong, who exercised great influence over the appointment of the main fortress Divine Sword Group Leader, even more than his own maternal grandfather.

That attitude had been consistent from when he first entered Desolate Fortress until now, so the Administrative Office’s evaluation of Jeong Yeon-shin’s character within the main fortress was the most generous.

“There will come a day when you see the effects of chasing Bone and Blood.”

“……”

Desolate Day Extinction quietly offered words of good fortune. While staring at the footprint carved into Prince Hong Huang’s chest.

Haah…

From one side, Shin So-bin, who had been watching that scene, let her tense shoulders slump down.

If Prince Hong Huang’s head had truly flown off, who knows what would have happened to relations with Beijing’s imperial family. Though great disaster wouldn’t have befallen Jeong Yeon-shin, cooperation might have become difficult to seek in the future.

As a result, Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t accumulate the infamy of killing a Zhu clan king. He merely imprinted upon the world the fact that imperial dignity was useless to him.

Thus the incident was concluded for the time being.

“I… failed to possess the virtues of a guest. I deeply apologize to you all.”

Prince Hong Huang straightened the greatly wrinkled feudal king’s ceremonial robes with internal energy and departed.

His martial forces had not been able to thrust spears at Jeong Yeon-shin even until then. It was because Prince Hong Huang had endlessly restrained them through mental transmission.

He considered this wise conduct even until the moment he retraced his path back.

And.

“Please take care of yourself…”

“We are endlessly grateful for Desolate Fortress’s labors.”

“The grace of protecting Zhejiang… we will repay with the character of an incorruptible official.”

“…We will handle the eastern jianghu ourselves. There’s no need to specially send masters from the Divine Sword Squad.”

The Supreme Commander of the Five Military Commissions, the merchant alliance leader, Zhejiang’s Provincial Governor, and the Four Provinces Martial Alliance also turned their steps around.

The proposals each of them had brought changed to unilateral support for Desolate Fortress, and the content was worthy of being called wartime requisitioning.

None among the noble figures wanted to exchange lengthy words with Desolate Day Extinction. Each was only quick in movements urging return.

It didn’t matter either way.

That’s how it was for the masters of Desolate Fortress. They had blocked the financial difficulties whose scale they couldn’t even guess.

Thud!

“It’s finished.”

Behind Jeong Yeon-shin.

Sunlight rippled in a straight line along the silver spear that Yue Shou-lin had struck down.

Her long spear, which served as the flagpole for the ‘Desolate Banner’ during grand ceremonies at the main fortress, was somehow tinged only with silver light, separate from the twilight that had darkly colored the surroundings.

“Lightning Genius.”

“Yes, senior.”

Yue Shou-lin smiled brightly at Jeong Yeon-shin who had turned to look at her. Soon after, her words saying his efforts had been great drifted into the sunset.

* * *

Hangzhou.

There were many entangled affairs.

The number of gathered connections was also tremendous. Jeong Yeon-shin had to properly engage in settling accounts. It was a farewell that would never become familiar.

“Family Head.”

“Benefactor.”

Tang Family Head, Poison King Tang Yun-hwang smiled gently. Though he looked up at Jeong Yeon-shin with his short stature, he was a giant who had traveled from Sichuan to Hangzhou as the head of a great family.

He had also protected Remaining Thunder from the Heaven Conquering Sect’s Five Central Swordsmen, who were famous for using swords like ghosts.

“Don’t be heartbroken. Bewitching Sword Demon will be safe.”

It was comfort from a figure who had experienced loss as the father of the Tang siblings. Jeong Yeon-shin had to nod regardless of his own feelings.

“…Go safely.”

“Wait, may I clasp hands once?”

Tang Yun-hwang suddenly asked. Jeong Yeon-shin silently nodded, then extended his arm downward as he had once when delivering the formula of Myriad Flowers Rain to Tang Yun-hwang.

Swish.

The palm of the short Tang Family Head overlapped with that of the young peerless master.

Tang Yun-hwang’s hand had become even more solid than that day, and in that moment, energy waves like a gentle breeze spread from both their hands.

Among the three blood points gathered at the palm center, the Shaofu Point and Laogong Point emitted meridian waves of suction and emission, scattering dry fallen leaves.

Whoosh!

In that process, Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes slightly widened. The stimulus points that penetrated extremely minutely into his palm were different from before.

It was like when he had once casually conveyed mysteries. Conversely, the Tang Family Head was transmitting something to him.

It was an extremely unfamiliar experience in the jianghu.

“Benefactor, this is my Transcendent Martial Art.”

Contrary to Jeong Yeon-shin, Tang Yun-hwang showed a smile. While calmly releasing shocking words like a fire bomb.

“Though my body doesn’t permit unfolding it in one strike… I too am ultimately a jianghu person, so I ended up melting our sect’s hidden weapon techniques into the Myriad Flowers Rain that benefactor transmitted to me.”

He spoke while circulating energy. It was fitting for one who was originally a peerless master as head of the Eight Great Families.

Transmitting one’s Transcendent Martial Art to another person.

It was impossible.

Life is one. One cannot live the portions of two lives.

It was the same now.

Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t accept all the techniques imbued with the Tang Family Head’s life. However, since Myriad Flowers Rain was the foundation, the amount of information pouring into his palm was more than when viewing any martial art.

‘This is…!’

The words that the blunt-minded Golden Wing Sect Leader who died in Sichuan had uttered flashed through his mind.

—Myriad Flowers Rain is a technique where a Tang Family master unfolds the poison arts and hidden weapon techniques refined over a lifetime like the Milky Way all at once. It’s martial arts of years. A prodigy who does everything easily would find it hard to understand.

At that time, Jeong Yeon-shin had been able to considerably compensate for that weakness thanks to broadening his knowledge with the previous Peng Family Head’s Transcendent Martial Art.

But this time, the pinnacle of the Tang Family martial lineage that the blunt-minded one had mentioned was clasping hands with him. Along with Tang Yun-hwang’s one-sided words.

“Heaven and earth are naturally quiet and do not move…

But their energy never stops or rests.

Though night and day change noisily.

Those flower petals do not change for ten thousand ages.”

From the Cai Gen Tan written by Taoist Huanchu. A passage that Jeong Yeon-shin had once made into a incantation.

That was Tang Yun-hwang’s farewell greeting. Soon after, he departed carrying only a single hammer.

With Hyeon Won-chang accompanying him on his back.

—I think I can be of a little more help. Isn’t the current Tang Family Head the father of the renowned craftsmen who created Remaining Thunder? Since I have good materials, let’s meet when I’ve become stronger. You could say it’s like a solo mission.

Desolate Divine Hero, who had spoken to Jeong Yeon-shin the night before about needing to create his own divine weapon, really just winked once casually and moved his steps without regret.

In an appearance resembling the Slaughter Sect’s successor, Slaughtering Hero, whom he had seen at his main family.

[TL Note- Slaughter Chivalry changed to Slaughtering Hero.]

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had permitted his solo mission, immediately had to exchange greetings with others. The most weighty transcendent masters in Hangzhou.

They were Lady Lu Xian and Divine Monk Beomheo.

“If I had lacked even a little sense of propriety, I would have hugged you here.”

The current Mount Hua Sect Leader had extremely long arms and legs like a renowned swordsman of Han ethnicity.

Standing with one foot slightly on the threshold of the Mu Family Estate’s main gate while meeting eyes with Jeong Yeon-shin, their gazes matched at similar levels. This was also why the title “Sword God” was attached to her epithet.

“I’ll hug you.”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s sense of familiarity toward her was to that degree.

Rustle.

Lady Lu Xian, who lightly pushed away with her long index and middle fingers the chest of him who had literally approached without formality. Her sword finger technique had recovered its original sharpness.

“Consider your position. Wouldn’t the appearance become strange?”

Lady Lu Xian made an ambiguous smile.

Opposing temperaments emanated from her slightly raised lips. The clear mountain air and the ruggedness of Mount Hua of the West Peak. She was still an absolute master who embraced all the jianghu under heaven.

“Seeing your techniques this time, you might be greatly injured again. When you someday climb Luoyan Peak, the highest in our main mountain, you’ll be able to soak in the bath water I mentioned. I’ll personally provide the medicinal ingredients of Purple Dawn Elixir.”

“You may stop speaking now. I have to stop by Zhongnan Sect to look after my niece, so let’s meet again in Shaanxi before long.”

“Yes, that’s sufficient.”

Soon Lady Lu Xian’s form scattered like flower petals. Dark Fragrance Step deployed to the extreme. The time away from the main mountain seemed to have robbed her of leisure.

It was said that the sect leaders had already exchanged greetings among themselves.

“Young Master Jeong.”

Beyond the threshold where she had disappeared.

Divine Monk Beomheo’s clear eyes contained Jeong Yeon-shin.

“The jianghu made of people is no lighter than the world of monsters and demons. Rather, it’s an Asura battlefield of infinite variety. This old monk, as a fighting monk who strikes people, has recommended the Asura battlefield to you.”

“…The late Emperor once discussed Shaolin’s Vajra Indestructibility with me.”

Jeong Yeon-shin quietly parted his lips.

“Thinking about it again, it doesn’t seem to be anything special. If one can protect body and mind in the world’s waves, wouldn’t that be truly a martial artist’s Vajra Indestructibility? I will seek such a thing.”

“Come to think of it, you possessed dharma power. Yes… judging only by speech and conduct, you’re close to being a Buddhist vessel…”

Divine Monk Beomheo slightly tilted his head minutely.

Tap.

Soon he leaned on the staff he had lifted through Void Grasping and turned around.

An old monk whose Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown had completely shattered, leaving only a trace of true energy and vast spirit. But the old orange monk’s robe hem around his feet fluttered fiercely as he set out on the path.

Like Emperor Sakra, said to be a master of battle among Buddhist deities.

Jeong Yeon-shin saw him off with only one hand raised, without trying to fathom why he had trailed off his words.

There were others too. Masters of Qingcheng Sect and Divine Beggar. Particularly, the young Taoist named Jin Mu hesitantly approached Jeong Yeon-shin before being dragged away by his martial uncle’s hand.

“Master Jeong, this fellow was impressed by Master Jeong’s character! Seeing how things are, regardless of the late Emperor’s testament and such, you’ll probably march north someday, so this Jin Mu will go there first and complete our sect’s Azure Cloud Crimson Glow Sword! Please remember me!”

A distant cry remained along with Qing Eun’s eye greeting. The Qingcheng Sect Leader didn’t seem to particularly want to associate with Jeong Yeon-shin.

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly empathized with the loneliness his maternal grandfather must have felt in the jianghu, then inwardly startled and shook his head.

‘The character is different.’

His maternal grandfather wouldn’t have had close friends like Lady Lu Xian and Tang Yun-hwang.

“Look here.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Turning his eyes, an old beggar was staring intently at him. It was Beggar Sect Leader Divine Beggar.

“Convey my regards to that Ma fellow. Of course… there’s no need to specifically mention that I maintain nimbler body movements than you, who are that fellow’s grandson. That would be extremely harsh treatment for an old man with rusty legs. He must have been hit squarely by the years due to domineering Martial Arts.”

“……?”

“Take care. We’ll meet again someday.”

Whoooooosh!

Divine Beggar literally transformed into wind and disappeared. With no particular reverse wind blowing, it was transcendent body technique as if permeating into the air.

It was fitting for one of the extremely few divine movement experts who dared discuss being the world’s fastest.

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly looked back.

The Divine Physician and the Desolate Fortress Lord were gazing at him intently. Among them, only the Divine Physician was moving his mouth.

“Is it all finished? You have uselessly many personal connections, unbefitting of purple. How do you plan to look after all that?”

“Are they people who can be looked after just because one tries?”

At Jeong Yeon-shin’s counter-question, the Divine Physician just shrugged his shoulders once. While surveying the place where the peerless masters had departed with relieved eyes.

“But are we really going to World Tree? The three of us…”

Jeong Yeon-shin trailed off his words. Because he couldn’t believe it.

World Tree.

The tree of noble clans.

During the founding period, it drove away all the evil spirits that had ravaged the world. Simply by taking root in fertile soil. Above all, the fruit borne on its branches was said to be the most divine in all the world.

The goal of a lifetime.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s salvation lay there.

“Don’t expect anything.”

The Divine Physician waved his hands dismissively.

“That place is a completely different world. Distinguished noble clans gather there like a swarm of bees. They don’t even try to come out to the martial jianghu or government offices. They’re just ghosts’ paradise, holed up in caves or the crevices of giant trees, only honing their martial arts. As you know, ordinary people can’t even set foot there, so even so-called dilettantes treat that place as another world. If you think of immortals’ villages or such and get disappointed, who will bear your anger? Moreover, if you happen to quarrel with those crazy ones…”

Jeong Yeon-shin casually cut off his words. While clenching and opening the hand that had earlier clasped with Tang Yun-hwang.

“Master, for what reason are we going? This disciple has not yet accumulated achievements that all the noble clans under heaven would acknowledge.”

“You.”

The Desolate Fortress Lord, who had been standing quietly, slowly moved her lips.

“To see if you can overlap bodies with me.”

It was incomprehensible words. But Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly felt the Luminous Wheel beating greatly in his heart.

* * *

Half a month later.

The three people had arrived before tree bark that stretched endlessly up, down, and to both sides like a fortress wall.

It was World Tree.