Chapter 138 – Return of the Storm (3)

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Translated by Nine Heavens!

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“Hahahaha!”

It was an utterly ridiculous sound.

Lazy Flame Dragon laughed loudly while banging on the war chariot’s roof.

He paid no mind to the fact that Radiant Demon Wing seniors were riding inside.

Even his legs, which were propped up casually, were swinging wildly, making for a comical sight.

He got angry easily, and he enjoyed himself just as intensely.

He was a short-lived talent dealing with life differently than Jeong Yeon-shin.

He was utterly honest with his emotions. He had been fierce when striking down prodigies at the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, and when he was in a good mood, he laughed without restraint.

Everyone present knew about the Scorching Divine Meridian’s lifespan. No one tried to stop him.

Only Baek Mi-ryeo’s irritated voice leaked from inside the carriage, saying “Be quiet, unnamed fool.”

“What’s so funny?”

Hyeon Won-chang asked in confusion. The corners of his mouth turned slightly downward. He seemed somewhat displeased.

The boy’s lips curved into a small arc.

“He’s right. Even if it was a slip of the tongue, it was still inappropriate.”

Jeong Yeon-shin tried to perform an apologetic martial salute while continuing to walk.

Ma Yeon-jeok’s condition wasn’t widely known.

If Little Sword Queen had approached without knowing, then Jeong Yeon-shin had committed rudeness.

Moreover, he had just been warned to be cautious with his energy. He didn’t want to start a fight unnecessarily.

That’s when it happened.

Qu Su-yu’s briefly frozen lips relaxed upward. The corners of her mouth became slightly puffy.

Then meaningless laughter flowed out creating a strange impression. It was a face that looked gentle yet hard to read her true thoughts.

“It seems the former Divine Sword Group Leader’s condition is quite serious.”

She moved her lips with a smiling face.

“Lightning… Young Master Jeong? Is that right? I’ve been rude. I beg your forgiveness.”

“…”

“Ah, I wasn’t trying to probe maliciously. I truly wanted to pay respects to the former leader. Wouldn’t it be the greatest honor for a martial artist to receive words of wisdom from one who killed the peerless Blood Flame Sect Leader?”

“You weren’t probing?”

“If it’s not possible then that can’t be helped… As a righteous path warrior of the murim, I’ll have to find my own role.”

It was a gentle voice. Her voice mixed with the summer wind approached softly.

Little Sword Queen Qu Su-yu raised her clasped hands. Her long flowing hair scattered on both sides of her shoulders.

It was a martial salute toward Jeong Yeon-shin. Rather, she had taken the initiative to apologize first.

‘Little Sword Queen. She seems like an unusual person.’

Jeong Yeon-shin silently returned the martial salute. She was a type of person he hadn’t encountered before.

Her bearing had the freedom that Azure Qilin Namgung Se-jin had spoken of.

She carried herself freely without particularly minding others’ gazes, and when she felt she had crossed a line she apologized sincerely.

Though he heard she was the Diancang Sect’s next sect leader, she was different from other family heirs.

‘Freedom always comes with a price.’

That’s how Azure Qilin had been. He couldn’t easily step down from his position as heir.

Thinking back now, Jeong Yeon-shin thought it was because he was wary of his family taking the wrong path.

It could be seen in his attitude of helping Namgung Hwa-shin leave and coldly treating his tyrannical sister.

As a great hero, he paradoxically couldn’t abandon his authority.

The boy slowly parted his lips.

“What do you mean by your own role?”

“Ah.”

Qu Su-yu’s smile faded slightly.

“Do you perhaps know something of the current murim situation?”

“I don’t.”

Jeong Yeon-shin answered briefly. He had only travelled between Kuizhou and the Tang Clan.

After several battles his mind had been focused on his grandfather’s internal injuries.

He wanted to hear everything she knew. He hadn’t had the chance to catch up on the news from the Central Plains.

“I see.”

Qu Su-yu smiled without pretense.

She looked somewhat dazed, but her attention seemed focused on the three carriages rather than Jeong Yeon-shin.

She seemed quite eager to meet former Divine Sword Group Leader Ma Yeon-jeok.

She opened her mouth very slowly.

“Hmm… But, I think you must have heard about the formation of the Martial Alliance.”

“Yes, I know of it.”

“The Zhuge family of Hanzhong gathered opinions. Seven great prestigious families and dozens of sects claiming to be orthodox paths formed an alliance. I hear invitations were sent even to the Nine Sects including my sect.”

“And?”

“The Thirteen Evil Sects and other demonic paths are reacting sensitively. To them it must look like establishing a second Desolate Fortress. And just then… rumors spread that the battle between Desolate Fortress’s purple-rank and the Blood Flame Sect Leader ended nearly in mutual destruction.”

“…”

“It’s a shocking incident, but isn’t it an opportunity to cut down the major forces of hostile factions? Especially with word that there’s another peerless purple-rank master bedridden…”

Her dreamy eyes scanned each of the three war carriages in turn. As if trying to pierce through to see the Elder Council Leader’s sickbed.

Then meeting Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes, she smiled brightly.

Little Sword Queen was truly a strange person. She clearly carried the righteousness of the Nine Sects throughout her body.

She appeared free-spirited and simple, even a bit scatterbrained, but her final words and gaze always touched on something deadly.

Swoosh!

In that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin sensed Hyeon Won-chang adjusting his grip on his sword.

Namgung Hwa-shin also tried to maintain his composure, but he couldn’t hide the powerful energy rising within him.

As White Qilin and an acquaintance, he still hadn’t let down his guard.

“You’re saying there are definitely those aiming for our return journey.”

The boy didn’t bother hiding his unease. Little Sword Queen Qu Su-yu gently nodded.

That’s when it happened.

The person beside her who considered Little Sword Queen his superior seemed irritated by Jeong Yeon-shin’s attitude.

“I am Xie Dao-ling of the Diancang Sect.”

The man wearing blue martial clothes and carrying one sword performed a brief salute.

Piercing Sun Sword Xie Dao-ling.

He was famous as a swordsman who protected Little Sword Queen like a guard.

They said when he descended the mountain he used his outstanding martial arts to help common people. His fame was widespread.

From Yunnan where Diancang Mountain was located all the way to Sichuan here. All those deeds were done alongside Little Sword Queen.

“Senior Sister. Shall we return now? It seems we’ve given sufficient advice.”

Xie Dao-ling didn’t bother lowering his voice.

He acknowledged they had unintentionally committed rudeness. But his conduct toward his senior sister was separate.

‘Lightning Genius Jeong Yeon-shin?’

The boy’s appearance was quite strange. A black robe with uneven sleeve lengths and careless speech and conduct… Though Desolate Fortress’  Lightning Genius’s fame was spreading throughout the murim, he thought one shouldn’t be so rude to Senior Sister Qu Su-yu who had long since mastered swordsmanship reaching the realm of mastery and traveled performing heroic deeds.

But he couldn’t argue.

Though lacking purple-ranks, their forces were powerful.

There were over ten blue-rank masters guarding the war carriages. It was a lineup comparable to one of the seventeen Divine Sword Squads.

Rumors also spread that Desolate Fortress’s young master had defeated supreme masters from the Ten Perfections Sect and Pure Demon Alliance in succession.

It was hard to dismiss as mere rumors, as countless spectators had witnessed the battle on Kuizhou’s main road.

They were clearly outmatched in martial power.

Having committed rudeness first, they had no justification either.

Xie Dao-ling could only vent his frustration by withdrawing from this place.

“Hmm… Should we?”

Little Sword Queen Qu Su-yu tilted her head slightly.

Her jet black hair shifted to the side, as if demonstrating her free nature.

Jeong Yeon-shin stared blankly at this unusual Diancang swordsman.

“You’re leaving?”

He muttered Xie Dao-ling’s words absentmindedly.

Perhaps taking the boy’s muttering as a question directed at her? Qu Su-yu’s lips drew a bright smile.

“It seems that’s the most comfortable option for both sides.”

“You’ll examine our situation, then return…?”

Sharp intent dwelled in Jeong Yeon-shin’s words and conduct. Simply avoiding making enemies wasn’t everything.

They had already somewhat guessed Ma Yeon-jeok’s condition.

They couldn’t carelessly let this slide just because they were Nine Sects disciples – the matter was far too serious.

Suddenly.

“Capture them.”

The boy in the black robe commanded.

***

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Translated by Nine Heavens!

https://discord.gg/XC9DTsTQ9Z

***

WHOOSH!

In that instant a fireball plunged down from the sky.

A figure surrounded by massive flames charged straight toward Xie Dao-ling’s face.

While the air distorted colorlessly, Lazy Flame Dragon wrapped in the Scorching Divine Meridian’s Heat Yang True Qi smiled while chewing opium.

“Don’t kill them, right? The temporary commander’s subordinates usually…”

“I said capture them.”

CLANG!

Lazy Flame Dragon’s fist fell on Xie Dao-ling’s half-drawn Narrow Peak Sword.

As impact waves burst with heat, the thin blade shattered to pieces.

At the same time, Lazy Flame Dragon who had grabbed Xie Dao-ling’s nape whispered languidly.

“Where do you think you’re going after randomly probing a major faction’s important matters? If we reverse the situation, would you have let us go peacefully if the Diancang Sect Leader was in there?”

“Huk…!”

“How dare a low-rank act up.”

Lazy Flame Dragon smiled faintly and injected Heat Yang True Qi into the acupoint on the back of Xie Dao-ling’s neck.

In that moment the paralyzed Xie Dao-ling stared at him with wide eyes. Lazy Flame Dragon’s smile deepened.

“Lower your eyes, trash.”

It was the conduct of the Hwangbo young master.

On the opposite side stood Namgung Hwa-shin. He had his Desolate sword pointed at the chin of another woman from Little Sword Queen’s group.

It was Diancang’s Sword Dancer, the martial sister of the Diancang group.

White Qilin’s Heaven Crossing Unfettered Sword Technique was so profound that Diancang Sword Dancer couldn’t handle even one move.

It wasn’t just Jeong Yeon-shin who had grown. Lazy Flame Dragon and Namgung Hwa-shin were also becoming endlessly stronger.

Their martial prowess and the refinement of their techniques were evident.

Being able to subdue Nine Sects disciples in an instant meant they were particularly powerful even among blue-ranks.

“How brutal.”

Hyeon Won-chang muttered while turning his gaze to the side.

The temporary commander, Jeong Yeon-shin was facing Little Sword Queen. It was a strange relationship.

They clearly couldn’t be called enemies, but they couldn’t simply let them go either.

In this moment the boy was spinning the luminous wheel in his heart.

He emitted the auspicious energy of the Luminous Wheel That Transcends Law throughout his body, completely blocking the earlier energy fluctuations.

WHOOSH!

Extremely dense waves of energy spread out. They directly pressured Little Sword Queen before him.

To prevent her from attacking Lazy Flame Dragon or Namgung Hwa-shin.

“You are…”

Little Sword Queen Qu Su-yu’s gentle eyes slowly rose.

Her attention that had been focused on the war carriages carrying the purple-rank masters shifted entirely to the boy.

“You can’t leave.”

Jeong Yeon-shin said calmly.

FLUTTER!

He brushed off the black hem of his right sleeve, which had been fluttering in the energy waves.

He thought of his uncle who hadn’t sent any sound transmissions even as the confrontation neared its breaking point.

This return journey was the boy’s test.

It was a practical journey to reach the position of commander in one go.

A journey watched and evaluated by the former Divine Sword Group Leader, Elder Council Leader, and Radiant Demon Wing Leader.

How would he lead the group as commander of a Desolate Fortress military force?

Could he fully display his innate martial arts while carrying such an important mission?

Would he prove capabilities befitting a Desolate Fortress black-rank commander by properly utilizing his subordinates?

‘They said a commander gathering would be held when we return to the main fortress.’

He heard the black rank was different.

Desolate Fortress black.

They even had the authority, in secret collaboration with the royal family, to strip corrupt officials of their positions.

There was much to show. He had to prove that he was capable of fully commanding an elite group of masters.

The corners of Little Sword Queen’s mouth rose gently. It was a smile unsuited to the situation.

“To think such a brilliant and young hero would be so aggressive. My heart flutters.”

She threw out the joke in a soft voice. Jeong Yeon-shin paid no mind.

“For such a young and handsome hero to be so bold in his advances. My heart is fluttering.”

She spoke softly, teasing. Jeong Yeon-shin ignored her.

“This isn’t a matter that can be resolved with kind words. You brought this upon yourself.”

“I admit my mistake. Hmm… but, I hope you won’t misinterpret my goodwill…”

“I appreciate the advice.”

Jeong Yeon-shin readily bowed his head once.

That was all. When he raised his head, white lightning flickered in the boy’s pitch black eyes.

Little Sword Queen’s picture-perfect smile became slightly awkward.

“I swear on this sister’s honor to keep silent.”

She said while tapping the sword handle at her waist.

“Your status doesn’t guarantee trust. Come with us. To the main fortress in Xiangyang.”

The boy gripped the white handle of the Northern Light divine sword. The sensation in his grip was completely new.

The sword handle that had been cool rapidly grew warm.

“Will you resist?”

He asked while placing his hand on the divine sword wearing his black robe.

His voice rang out quietly in the suddenly hushed surroundings.

Along with the luminous wheel’s energy waves gently spinning the dust at his feet, he showed the bearing of a Desolate Fortress commander.

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

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