Chapter 146 – Black Robe (4)

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Translated by Nine Heavens!

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A few people chuckled at Hyeon Won-chang’s words as he stood guarding Jeong Yeon-shin.

However, most only let out small breaths and stopped there. 

The black-rank supreme masters were like that. None of the six masters standing as guards to their leaders moved their lips.

They just stared blankly at Hyeon Won-chang.

Like how Jeong Yeon-shin had brought him along, the qi of those standing beside their leaders as escort warriors was uniformly heavy.

“HAHAHA!”

Only the girl sitting near the empty head seat laughed without restraint.

She shook her tied-back hair back and forth while gripping the spear propped beside her stone chair’s armrest.

There seemed to be no malice. She just laughed as if finding it amusing.

‘Senior Yue.’

It was a face familiar to Jeong Yeon-shin too.

Divine Spear Yue Shou-lin. Vice leader of the Divine Sword Squad.

She was an old master who had briefly moved together during the duel with the Namgung family.

They said some cultivation technique had reached the realm of pure refinement and reversed her body’s years.

Her appearance looking like Jeong Yeon-shin’s peer proved her mighty martial power. She was a supreme master who had returned to youth.

“He, he’s really funny! Wearing white but so gutsy! Worthy of serving Lightning Genius who challenged Azure Qilin! Hey, Do-woon. When’s the last time you were treated like this?”

She spoke while pointing at his eyes with her slender finger. The world lacked entertainment. She seemed to have even shed tears for a moment.

“That’s enough.”

Obeying Heaven Wing leader Ha Do-woon said.

His expression had only changed briefly. Now it was calm.

Originally a renowned swordsman’s composure was clear and tranquil like a polished mirror.

Given that his sword technique was said to rival Radiant Demon Wing leader’s technique even in rumors, his energy accumulation technique achievement must have been proportional to his cultivation.

Apart from his sharp temperament, his spirit was solid.

‘Obeying Heaven Wing leader… he noticed. An incredibly powerful supreme master.’

The boy thought.

Black rank was truly different. He seemed to have instantly guessed the source of the technique through intuition and sense.

Void strike of the mind. It was a technique that had to be used carefully. It wasn’t good for the technique to become widely known.

Jeong Yeon-shin briefly composed his startled heart. He didn’t show it.

With Hyeon Won-chang beside him, he slowly walked over and sat in the seat next to Ma Jin who was already there.

His uncle attended the gathering as leader. He was still Radiant Demon Wing leader.

―Did you learn that technique from the Fortress Lord?

It was Ma Jin’s sound transmission.

—It seems like a technique that uses energy waves quite easily, but it’s quite sophisticated. You managed to elicit such a reaction from a master. And not just anyone, but the Obeying Heaven Wing leader.

―It’s incomplete.

Jeong Yeon-shin answered briefly.

He had been greatly surprised when the void strike of energy waves succeeded.

It was a technique he had just learned yesterday. And the opponent was a black-rank supreme master.

He hadn’t expected success. It had to be considered luck.

There didn’t seem to be much use for it yet, as Ha Do-woon’s reaction had been very brief.

‘It’s hard to use in real combat.’

Even if he properly applied the technique it was so. It wasn’t a proper void strike as the opponent’s immersion was insufficient.

With the concentration Jeong Yeon-shin put in, he could have used other techniques during combat.

‘I shouldn’t become like the Northern Light Sword from before. It was a vicious cycle. I kept getting pushed back by only using the familiar Desolate sword.’

Just as he was deciding to put time into training.

“Anyway.”

Yue Shou-lin opened her mouth.

A faint smile remained on her lips, and her eyes seemed to sparkle with slight gladness as she looked at the boy.

“Ma Jin’s recommendation of you as next Radiant Demon Wing leader was accepted. If not for you, Blue Eye Demon Sword Cheong Myeong was likely, but that lanky sword-like fellow said he’d yield. He said he wouldn’t even compete.”

Surprising words flowed from her smiling mouth.

Jeong Yeon-shin was silent for a moment.

He hadn’t known such words had been exchanged. Cheong Myeong was Radiant Demon Wing’s foremost swordsman.

He was well qualified to the next leader. In accumulated years and reputation he couldn’t be compared to Jeong Yeon-shin.

There wasn’t much reason to think otherwise.

The boy lowered his head slightly. Cheong Myeong knew about his constitution. Naturally it would weigh on his mind.

‘What can I give to the seniors?’

For a moment, both self-reproach and gratitude mixed in the movement of his lowered eyelids.

The six leaders and their six guard warriors watched the boy like that for a moment.

They had already long lived as Desolate Fortress’s swords at the murim’s center. All of them were like that.

Various emotions showed in their expressions. Curiosity, interest, indifference, boredom…

“Your merits and character have already been evaluated and passed by the Grand Administrator himself. Seems he’s already finished privately questioning those who’ve been on missions with you. Anyway he works fast, that crafty one. All that’s left is proving your martial power before the fortress people.”

Yue Shou-lin said. The boy nodded.

“I understand.”

“Yes. But there’s one more thing. Black rank promotion is different from lower ranks.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not a duel between equals. As a blue-rank you must receive recognition from a leader. For your martial arts realm. A black-rank will face you before everyone.”

“I know.”

“There’s a reason you who aren’t even a leader were invited to the gathering. We were taking volunteers for the duel. Everyone unanimously said they wanted to see you. To see how well your body is trained, what kind of martial arts you’ve created, how much you’ve grown if they knew you before.”

CLANG

Yue Shou-lin flicked her spear shaft once with the finger gripping it.

Her chin gesture sweeping across the meeting hall caught the faces of the six leaders.

“They’re all the type who find it bothersome to lift a hand if not interested. Every one of them.”

The boy’s pupils followed her small chin movement.

The slender swordsman was Azure Sky leader, the skinny middle-aged man with terrifying spirit light was Annihilation Team leader.

Jeong Yeon-shin had already met them several times, but this was the first since the Hwangbo family mission.

Their eyes looking at him were strange. Both were like that. They sensed the young master’s qi waves had greatly advanced.

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

https://discord.gg/XC9DTsTQ9Z

***

“Obeying Heaven Wing leader’s personal feelings aren’t important.”

The Annihilation Team leader opened his mouth.

“I oversaw his blue rank promotion myself. It’s right that I see the results. I’ll take on the effort on behalf of the leaders.”

He was saying he would do it.

Azure Sky leader three seats away parted his lips…

“This junior has something to say. Annihilation Team leader should rest after returning from your mission.”

“Hmm.”

“This junior contributed to Lightning Genius’s achievements. When he first entered the Radiant Demon Wing leader, I passed on a spirit piml, though I didn’t expect such amazing martial arts to be created.”

“Azure Sky leader, speak your true intentions.”

“I wish to lessen senior’s burden. Since this junior personally laid the foundation, I have a duty to verify if Lightning Genius’s martial arts are proper.”

“I’ve heard about this. Wasn’t it because you lost a bet with Ma Jin? That’s all I know of it.”

“…”

They were volunteering their efforts, wanting to duel with the boy.

Azure Sky leader and Annihilation Team leader.

Along with Ma Jin, they were the ones who had annihilated the Hwangbo family.

Their desire packaged in classical speech wasn’t amusing. Rather, Jeong Yeon-shin was just bewildered.

‘What is this?’

Just as the stormy youth was inwardly muttering.

“I hope we can conclude this quickly. This isn’t a matter that needs such prolonged discussion.”

It was a noble woman sitting straight in one corner.

Above her long black hair, sharp ears like precious swords protruded.

A calm expression suited her beautiful features.

Though she had maintained complete disinterest without speaking a word until now, Jeong Yeon-shin knew her identity.

‘Law Enforcement leader.’

She matched exactly the description he had first received upon entering Radiant Demon Wing.

She was head of the martial force that enforced Desolate Fortress’s laws.

They said she wasn’t close with anyone. That she was an object of reverence in the fortress.

‘I heard the number of people she’s arrested in the fortress is hard to count.’

No fortress warrior liked the Law Enforcement Division or its leader.

It was like how righteous path martial artists viewed Desolate Fortress’s masters.

While revering her upright character and profound sword techniques, they were wary of the duties she considered her calling. It was inevitable.

Law Enforcement leader slowly parted her lips.

“If you desire to cross hands, request a private duel. Obeying Heaven Wing leader should also step back from this matter. Once can be excused as a mistake, but drawing your sword again in this Wishing for Peace Sword Hall cannot be allowed. If such behavior is seen again, I’ll have no choice but to arrest you and bring you to my division.”

She said.

Ha Do-woon’s hand that had been touching his sword handle while looking at Jeong Yeon-shin stopped.

As Obeying Heaven Wing leader, he had seemed about to join the argument between Azure Sky leader and Annihilation Team leader.

“That…”

Obeying Heaven Wing leader Ha Do-woon started to speak but closed his mouth.

“Blocking discussion itself isn’t good either.”

“Receiving a junior’s profound martial arts before the fortress warriors is an honorable thing. Be generous.”

As Annihilation Team leader and Azure Sky leader spoke calmly.

THUD

Ok Su-rim raised her index finger and tapped the stone chair’s armrest. It seemed to contain internal energy.

Silence fell at the resonating sound that spread widely as if the armrest were hollow.

As a supreme master closest to becoming the next Divine Sword Squad Leader, she was leading the gathering.

She parted her lips again.

“I hear all three of you have connections with Lightning Genius. In one way or another. Obeying Heaven Wing leader’s is somewhat more of a grudge. Well, even I would covet White Qilin.”

“…”

“All of you step back. Personal feelings shouldn’t intrude a promotion ceremony. That includes me of course, since I’ve been on a mission with him once. Let Law Enforcement leader handle it.”

“I accept.”

Law Enforcement leader answered immediately.

No emotion showed on her beautiful face. She didn’t seem particularly interested in Jeong Yeon-shin.

She appeared to be that kind of person originally.

Though her expression showed no feeling, Yue Shou-lin seemed to consider her suitable for exactly that reason.

It was a decision anyone could see was right.

The leaders didn’t object. Even Obeying Heaven Wing leader Ha Do-woon slowly nodded.

“Let’s resolve any leader’s grudges after you become a leader.”

He said while looking at Jeong Yeon-shin. The boy just nodded once silently and stared at Law Enforcement leader.

She was already standing up first with one sword.

Soon her back view with carelessly swaying jet-black hair disappeared without a single glance back.

“This is bad.”

Ma Jin beside him muttered. Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze moved to him.

Now the words flowing purely as an uncle felt very comfortable.

“Why?”

“The Law Enforcement Division deals with fortress warriors. They have authority to freely enter and exit all floors of the Heavenly Gold Martial Arsenal. To create methods for breaking down and analyzing fortress martial arts.”

“So?”

“I heard your martial arts were recently classified as high level. They’re treated as advanced techniques that low-rank warriors can’t learn. The Demon Roaring Blood Force, Returning Origin Three Yang Technique, Demon Destroying Azure Unyielding Palm, Eternal Blossom Fist, Radiant Sword Style… They’re secret techniques worthy of discussing all of murim. The Law Enforcement Division must have already analyzed them.”

“Ah…”

A small exclamation flowed from the boy’s lips. It was a somewhat dazed voice.

Ma Jin with his face full of scars turned to look at Jeong Yeon-shin with concern and started.

Hyeon Won-chang who had been leaning just his upper body toward the boy’s side while listening to the leader who was still Radiant Demon Wing leader was the same.

“Leader, your nephew is smiling?”

Hyeon Won-chang said.

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

https://discord.gg/XC9DTsTQ9Z

***