Chapter 618 – Three Swords (11)

Black Capital Old Palace.

The innermost seat of honor was empty. An empty seat so vacant it was hard to find any tradition.

There was no chair to sit on.

In other words, it was a palace without a dragon throne. There was no couch for ruling as emperor, nor a precious seat for looking down on civil and military officials.

The Southern Emperor under heaven was said to always stand in place to handle state affairs and cultivate divine arts.

A wilderness where the starving and those who devoured each other coexisted. It meant he couldn’t sit on such a miserable land.

One who stands for life.

Whether this was sincere or behavior with the people’s hearts in mind, Black Capital Old Palace’s interior was bound to be desolate. It would have been even more so without the ivory altar at the center and the Northern Kings.

But Jeong Yeon-shin felt differently.

‘Too intense.’

Transcendent presences cut coldly from his skin to his bones. The pressure and individuality possessed by peerless masters were bound to be different, but there were eight such beings. It was dizzying enough.

Moreover, among them were three of the Six Star Lords and even Young Heavenly Demon Invincible.

Even throughout adult Jeong Yeon-shin’s long life, such pressure was bound to be a first. It felt like all creation was being twisted.

“……”

The silence was deep. The masters of the Demon-Subduing Hall looked at Jeong Yeon-shin with strange gazes.

They weren’t forces that any single person could scheme against. There were definitely limits that heaven permitted for all humans.

The same was true for those who invariably appeared when discussing the greatest of all time. Even absolute rulers who carved their names in history wouldn’t be able to demonstrate martial prowess alone in this place.

“I want to open your head to see the Divine Sword Group Leader’s mysterious thoughts. Has your upper energy center donned mourning clothes?”

Some old monk asked in very clumsy Chinese. He was the Northern King with the most prominent attire, draping exotic orange robes down to his feet.

It would be Dharma King.

The master of Tibet’s Potala Palace, whose powerful lamas were known even to the Ming Dynasty. There was no way he’d have a good relationship with Young Heavenly Demon Invincible, but at this moment they were on the same side as Northern Kings.

Perhaps it was the Southern Emperor’s skill. Five-colored waves continuously flowed from Dharma King’s grip.

It was precisely the hand gripping Dragon Sound Sasa King’s head, and she was looking up at Jeong Yeon-shin with strange eyes while all her limbs were broken.

‘Five Thunder Divine Palm. Palm techniques without weaknesses…’

And Dragon Sound Sasa King. A Northern King who had somehow ultimately not turned her back on Jeong Yeon-shin.

Faith had been created.

He had to save her.

That’s when it happened.

“Dharma King, don’t act rashly.”

A Yao tribe member as tall as the Southern Emperor restrained Dharma King. Despite a voice filled with vigor and youth, it was hard to guess his age.

Because of the whiskers flowing down like a dragon’s white eyebrows on both sides of his philtrum.

Though it wasn’t known what divine martial learning he had mastered, at least his status could be identified at a glance.

Aisin-Gioro Black Return. The one considered certain as the Southern Emperor’s successor. Meaning he might become the Qing Dynasty’s second emperor.

—In terms of martial lineage seniority, he’s Spirit Leader’s senior martial brother. That his influence is entirely why we lack information about demon realm jianghu. He’s not only a master of espionage warfare, but we can’t even know what martial arts he’s cultivated.

Those were the words of Grand Commander Quan Yu-li, who had been guarding the Great Wall. But now Jeong Yeon-shin seemed to know. What Aisin-Gioro Black Return’s signature technique was.

Crackle—

Black lightning rippled in several streams from Black Return’s body. Different from Great King Vajra’s destructive martial arts. Only the thunder energy that crossed meridians and nerves was extremely strong.

In other words, it was a sensory path premised on transcendent reaction speed.

Even in an overwhelmingly advantageous situation, he had solidified defenses for the formation. A state combining Body-Crossing Power Transmission to the altar and activation of sensory paths.

He was a genius.

“Divine Sword Group Leader, I don’t respect you. You should have recruited at least five anti-Fighting God faction Northern Kings. Were you planning to make your subordinates’ sacrifices meaningless deaths?”

He posed the question calmly.

He was indeed the Southern Emperor’s son.

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t answer. He simply wondered.

‘The feeling of the former emperor…?’

He took three people into his vision.

Southern Emperor.

Young Heavenly Demon Invincible.

And some giant limping man. Precisely the man heavily imbued with the late Emperor Qian-ling’s spirituality.

His gaze almost moved to Northern Blade too, but if he started that way, his concentration would be dispersed not only to Upright Star among the Six Star Lords but to all Northern Kings.

Because everyone in this place was a peerless master who had pierced through life with one move.

“This friend’s expression has become strange.”

The limping man said while looking at Young Heavenly Demon Invincible. It was a voice tinged with interest.

Jeong Yeon-shin was also paying attention to her. Wearing a ceremonial sword at her waist sash, with jet-black hair flowing down to the back of her purple robes.

It was like seeing a mirror with left and right reversed. If she had grown up at the Desolate Fortress, she would have been another such Jeong Yeon-shin.

He asked quietly.

“Where is Senior Baek?”

Young Heavenly Demon Invincible immediately moved her lips slightly.

“…I sent her back to the Ming Dynasty.”

“Why?”

“Because the Heavenly Demon Tomb is there. I sent her to recover the precious treasure of the first founder. Since moving trees have been going crazy recently, to protect our ancestor’s legacy as well.”

“Did she go of her own will?”

At Jeong Yeon-shin’s words, her lips twisted slightly.

“If I say so, would you believe it?”

It was said that Ming Cult Leader’s words as true words of spell martial arts contained no falsehood. But those with “demon” in their names couldn’t really be unable to lie. That didn’t make sense.

A few times in life.

Only for matters worth accepting the weakening of their upper energy center spirit, successive Ming Cult Leaders had spoken fatal lies. They were all events large enough to leave names in jianghu history.

The most trustworthy yet never-to-be-believed existence. In other words, a heavenly demon.

“I could consider it.”

Jeong Yeon-shin answered calmly. He was now a swordsman who wasn’t swayed by personal grudges and could always wield his sword with a mind like a clear mirror and still water. Sword Star had made him so.

“What your heart is like.”

Jeong Yeon-shin concluded his words toward the broken and reversed mirror.

“…!”

Instantly Young Heavenly Demon Invincible’s eyelashes, dense like a forest of swords, rose greatly.

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly opened his mouth.

“Come.”

A voice that fell like a command.

Woong!

The Divine Sword Group Leader’s armament responded.

A pure white divine sword rose from Young Heavenly Demon Invincible’s waist sash along with its scabbard, and purple sleeves flowed down from her arms in turn. It was a scene that unfolded slowly like a dream.

Rustle.

Young Heavenly Demon Invincible’s long fingers almost grasped the robe’s hem, then fell away. Her lips beneath the silver mask only moved fleetingly small.

Perhaps it was the dignity of kings.

No one interfered as Jeong Yeon-shin arranged his attire. All Northern Kings silently watched as he donned the robes and the ceremonial sword was inserted at his waist. As if gazing into an abyss.

Similarly, Jeong Yeon-shin also felt the palace deeply.

Form-Shifting Void formation.

Massive energy was flowing in streams beneath the altar. There was no telling how many treasures and Body-Crossing Power Transmissions had gone into it.

If Young Heavenly Demon Invincible’s true energy manipulation techniques were added to that, there would be nothing that couldn’t be done.

‘An altar where anything is possible…’

When Jeong Yeon-shin glanced at the ivory altar.

“Southern Emperor, I asked you not to step forward. No… I request this of you all.”

A voice that pierced clearly like something raw. The limping man’s voice was quiet and somewhat friendly, pleasant to hear.

That’s why it was eerie.

‘Fighting God.’

He was mixed very naturally among the Northern Kings. Even though he was a being who shouldn’t be in this place. Moreover, nothing could be read from him. It was the same principle as Jeong Yeon-shin not getting inspiration from pebbles on the ground.

Northern natural body. A peerless realm of different trajectory.

Everything was simply natural.

Step, thump—

This remained true even as he approached with rough gait to look down at Jeong Yeon-shin. Even his limping left leg seemed natural.

“You killed Divine Thief?”

The Fighting God continued in fluent Chinese.

“Your body must be fast.”

“Slower than her.”

Jeong Yeon-shin calmly honored Divine Thief’s death. The Dream Demon Body King who had given up fighting herself to protect something. He had seen many others overlapping in her appearance.

Whoosh—

The northern wind that had been penetrating beneath the palace thickened like smoke. It was right after the Fighting God’s benevolent smile revealed cracked molars. He was a person where it was hard to find intact corners.

“My successor? The Southern Emperor under heaven was wrong.”

“Step aside. I have work to do.”

“Hmm, I also know what I must do.”

The Fighting God’s white breath scattered alone in the void.

Suddenly, Divine Beggar Zhu Guang on his back drew an empty breath. Because the Fighting God had reached close range as soon as he took one step.

The combat range closed like a lie. The limping man had his hand on Jeong Yeon-shin’s solar plexus as if patting a close friend.

Kiiiiing!

At that moment, three luminous wheels were already rotating fiercely in Jeong Yeon-shin’s heart.

As the Tang siblings’ starlight surrounded his entire body, the Fighting God’s internal energy breathing flowed out with a rough voice.

“Come back later.”

Suddenly, the whole world tilted like a sundial, and time slowed endlessly as if stuck.

Crash—!

Extremely restrained palm force burst.

Hundreds of ripples arose from one point, and Jeong Yeon-shin’s body naturally rose and curved slightly.

Literally irresistible force. Unprecedented great strength had struck centered on the impact point.

Explosive force that seemed to push away bones and organs entirely without internal weight techniques.

“The formation isn’t ready yet.”

Jeong Yeon-shin disappeared from his position with quiet muttering. He began bouncing away at a speed that even explosive sounds couldn’t catch up to.

He flew in a grayish straight trajectory, destroying dozens of stone walls and pavilions. A body that crossed distances of over ten li before stone fragments or dust could even scatter.

He had already adapted to the palm force and rotated half a turn in the void. His position had switched with Divine Beggar Zhu Guang on his back.

Kugugugugugugung!

All impacts penetrated into his body before being crushed and disappearing by his protective energy True Radiance Circling Heaven. Even in the midst of this, Jeong Yeon-shin felt the ivory altar rapidly growing distant.

It was a place he would soon have to invade again.

—Are you alright?!

For a brief moment, aged sound transmission rang loudly in his ears. It was Divine Beggar Zhu Guang’s voice, still completely on his back.

Even while growing endlessly distant from Black Capital Old Palace, Jeong Yeon-shin nodded slightly.

—The pain is great, but one strike seems manageable. Please continue, elder.

From the Ming Cult to here.

While being carried by Jeong Yeon-shin, Divine Beggar Zhu Guang had given teachings through minute energy wave movements. The same as when he had once transmitted Ten Li Gentle Light to Shin So-bin. All were advice about running.

The same was true now.

Bang!

Crossing vast Black Capital and even the plains outside the fortress walls like a ray of light, he crashed into some cliff. Since he embedded knee-first, his kneecap throbbed.

Long cracks were carved in streams on the ashen stone wall. Tremendous recoil. Jeong Yeon-shin immediately extracted his knee from the wall surface.

Crack!

He naturally stood vertically on the cliff. Supporting his body with suction force arising from the Bubbling Spring acupoints on his soles. He faced the plains spread from below the cliff to Black Capital like a mirror.

“……”

The ground reflected nothing.

Only countless footprints of the Divine Sword Group that had advanced to Black Capital were stamped there. Traces each imbued with deep weight. At the same time, they were very rough.

The same would be true for the cliff face of this precipitous bluff that Jeong Yeon-shin was now standing on perpendicularly.

Kugugung—

Both feet penetrated deep into the cliff.

It was the secret technique of acceleration he had learned from Divine Beggar Zhu Guang.

As true energy twisted spirally from the Bubbling Spring acupoints and compressed, Jeong Yeon-shin’s legs also pierced the wall surface like a swamp and sank deeply. Past the anklebones to the ankles.

He was now many things.

Divine Sword Group Leader, one of the Five Swords under Heaven, Northern Emperor, Sword of the Night Sky, one who caused naadam, the Southern Emperor’s nemesis.

It wasn’t the end. There was more.

‘A realm where distance is meaningless.’

The eye-light disappeared from Jeong Yeon-shin’s jet-black pupils. The count was finished with being struck once. Now there was no reason to observe strong enemies, nor leisure to hesitate before overturning the divine battlefield.

He was infinitely close to being the fastest under heaven.