Chapter 156 – Chivalrous Hero (3)

[TL Note- Changed the title of the chapter.]

Yu Hyeon’s dry lips moved slightly.

“Yeon… shin…?”

His throat, parched as if wrung dry, struggled to speak. The boy looking down at him had a faint smile on his lips.

The corners of his mouth also curled up slowly, revealing a smile that only appeared in front of those he was close to.

“Isn’t there a shadow in your eyes? Your eye technique achievement hasn’t gone anywhere. Though your energy seems scattered for now.”

“You… that robe… what is it…?”

The corners of Jeong Yeon-shin’s mouth rose slightly more. Yu Hyeon was no ordinary person either.

Asking about the color of the robe first, he was clearly born for the martial world.

He cared about his friend’s martial power and standing above all else. He seemed unconcerned with how Jeong Yeon-shin had arrived here.

“Are all Nine Sects’ disciples like this? So Carefree.”

Jeong Yeon-shin had formed bonds with four of the Nine Great Sects.

Sword Dragon Wei Zi Myo-hwa, Hidden Dragon Yu Hyeon, Little Divine Monk Gak Jeong, Little Sword Queen Qu Su-yu… none were ordinary figures.

They each had different personalities but shared one commonality: their personalities were distinctly unique.

Even now, it showed. Yu Hyeon slightly stumbled over his words.

“Your color changes every time I see you… How do you do that? You’ve become equal to our Fourth Uncle.”

Mount Hua’s Fourth Taoist was more famous by his title than his name—Mount Hua’s Sword Saint.

As the leader of the Plum Blossom Sword Warriors, he had left many tales. It was said that he had even fought Ma Jin to a draw once.

“Don’t carelessly mention the Sword Saint. It’s disrespectful.”

It’s because we live in slightly different times. Jeong Yeon-shin buried his true thoughts while deflecting.

As an outsider to the Sects, knowing about his short life was enough with Zhongnan Sect’s Sword Immortal and Wei Zi Myo-hwa.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Yu Hyeon; he just didn’t want to speak of it.

‘Grandfather didn’t seem to tell Uncle either.’

That’s how Ma Jin’s behavior appeared. He still seemed completely unaware.

Ma Yeon-jeok had not rashly interfered in his grandson’s affairs.

Though it was unclear what thoughts lay in the former Divine Sword Group Leader’s mind, Jeong Yeon-shin rather preferred it that way.

Now Hyeon Won-chang, Cheong Myeong, and Baek Mi-ryeo supported him. He didn’t want to increase the worries of those close to him.

It was burdensome for Jeong Yeon-shin himself too. Unless perhaps after obtaining the World Tree’s fruit and curing his constitution, he might mention it as a joke.

“So how did you come here, Lord Black Rank of Desolate Fortress?”

Though trying to speak casually, Yu Hyeon kept examining Jeong Yeon-shin’s robe.

Yu Hyeon’s bewildered expression was quite amusing. Jeong Yeon-shin glanced around.

Three Chongyang Gang warriors standing guard in the distance were frozen stiff.

He had struck their meridian and pressure points on his way in. They were now mutes who couldn’t move.

‘Is their force concentrated inside?’

Lazy Flame Dragon, Namgung Hwa-shin, and Hyeon Won-chang had gone to search other areas.

The island was large, but it seemed he had found the right place.

Jeong Yeon-shin took out a blue jade from his robe and tossed it upward. At the same time, the beads scattered in all directions, diffracting sunlight.

It was spirit jade received from Ma Se-in.

An item that cracked when containing pure energy. They had long decided to use it as a signal flare for the new Radiant Demon Wing Leader.

“How did you get captured?”

The boy asked lightly. Yu Hyeon, who had been blankly staring at the spirit jade fragments, lowered his gaze.

“There was a survivor in the village. A young boy. We came after hearing his words, but a martial sect and the Yunyang prefectural magistrate were in league. There were hostages too. I was too shocked.”

“Prefectural magistrate?”

Jeong Yeon-shin asked back.

Though the village boy’s existence became suspicious, it couldn’t compare to the presence of a high-ranking official.

“This is the funny part. The prefectural magistrate violated the Great Ming Code, but if martial artists do anything to a prefectural magistrate, it’s treated as treason. The testimony of a few martial artists would never be taken over the magistrate’s claims of false accusation.”

“If you’re a Desolate Fortress warrior close to Fourth Uncle, are you Lightning Genius…?”

One of the Mount Hua disciples tied up with Yu Hyeon asked.

She had raised her head by now, with notably large eyes making an impression.

Jeong Yeon-shin nodded briefly while gripping his sword handle.

Swish!

Light flashed.

The boy combined drawing and sheathing into a single trajectory.

He drew the sword to cut the ropes, then returned it to the scabbard, feeling the improved sword speed from the Luminous Wheel in this series of movements.

The sensation of the blade cutting through rope and returning felt remarkably smooth. The Northern Light sword becoming a divine sword must have helped greatly.

“What a swift sword….”

Yu Hyeon sighed. He was the only one who had somewhat traced the sword path. Jeong Yeon-shin silently fully sheathed his sword.

Clack.

Only after the sheathing sound rang out did the other Mount Hua disciples realize their state.

The disciple who had asked about Jeong Yeon-shin’s identity stammered.

“Th-thank you, great hero.”

“Great hero… Well, calling a Desolate Fortress Black Rank ‘young hero’ would be strange too. Though it feels quite unfamiliar.”

Yu Hyeon, who had risen and dusted himself off, muttered. His face showed disbelief.

However, his martial salute to his friend Jeong Yeon-shin showed proper etiquette.

His dignified conduct demonstrated the spirit of the renowned Mount Hua.

“Thank you. I received the grace of life-saving.”

“Don’t speak of grace.”

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had slightly turned his head, paused his lips. He had sensed people walking out from the opposite pavilion.

Not just one or two. There were quite powerful ones too. The boy’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“We heard a ship had boldly crossed over, so we were waiting for the corpses.”

It was a middle-aged man’s voice. A group walked out.

A man and woman led the front, with the man holding a great blade speaking of corpses. He was the Chongyang Gang leader.

It was just as the village boy had told Jeong Yeon-shin. ut there were also scenes he hadn’t been told about.

‘The government really is involved.’

The appearance of those following behind was quite a sight. Twenty people, with martial artists and government troops mixed.

Those wearing light martial clothes were the martial artists. The government troops wore iron armor over cotton.

“So you’re an amateur imitating Desolate Fortress. A Mount Hua disciple? That ‘Desolate’ character is huge. Quite bold style, but it would suit me better.”

The Chongyang Gang leader said. A sneer formed at his mouth.

The leader’s smile spread to his gang members.

[TL Note- RIP Gang Leader. He lasted too many chapters anyway.]

Several hoping to achieve merit approached Jeong Yeon-shin.

The gang leader didn’t particularly stop them. Because the boy hadn’t even drawn his sword.

“Black Rank at that age. You really don’t know the ways of the world. Not a Mount Hua disciple, probably learned a few moves at some decent martial school…”

“When ignorant, it’s hard to even pretend properly. At your age, even Desolate Fortress White Rank would be too much.”

The Chongyang Gang members approached with mocking words.

They said crude speech was daily life in the demonic path sects.

Apart from their disdain, they took proper combat stances.

Their firm grips on their blades. Seeing their gang members paralyzed in the back seemed to have made them cautious.

It was then.

“Husband. Stay still.”

The prefectural magistrate spoke. Her expression looking at Jeong Yeon-shin was not good.

She stretched out her hand to block the Chongyang Gang leader as if sensing something.

She opened her mouth as if to say something to the gang members approaching the intruder.

The restraint came too late. The boy standing blankly had already thrust out his palm.

A colorless wave rippled once from his straight extended arm.

It was an energy wave explosion occurring instantly without warning. Second form of Eternal Blossom Fist, Advancing Thunder.

BOOM-!

It was as if a storm had descended for a moment. A dull noise rang out amid the swirling dust storm. Blood sprayed in all directions like water drops.

The bodies of three Chongyang Gang members were swept away in one strike, then scraped along the ground with tremendous shockwaves before collapsing.

The remaining spiral energy waves characteristic of the Luminous Wheel carved whirlpool patterns in the ground. As if mocking the deaths of the three corpses.

“…”

Suddenly, everyone’s movements froze. Martial power beyond anyone on the island’s imagination had manifested.

Even the Mount Hua disciples behind gasped for a moment.

Only Yu Hyeon, famous for being eccentric unlike other sword sect disciples, muttered softly about what kind of strike that was.

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

***

‘The commoners.’

Jeong Yeon-shin spread the Luminous Wheel’s energy waves in all directions. It was energy operation scanning a ten zhang radius.

He immediately sensed the weak commoners’ presences. They were in shabby annexes between the pavilions circling this training ground.

Even just scanning with energy sense made it clear. All lacked vitality from insufficient food, with shallow energy cultivated only through the Three Calamities Cultivation Technique distributed by the Ming imperial court.

Were they gathered as hostages to deal with martial heroes?

There were no guards. Those controlling this island seemed unfamiliar with unexpected martial power.

The contrast between the presences retching from hunger and the prefectural magistrate couple’s glossy cheeks was stark.

‘They were particularly weak against the Advancing Thunder energy burst. Neither their protective energy nor their bodies could withstand it.’

The boy glanced at the collapsed Chongyang Gang members’ corpses. They appeared to have cultivated demonic path energy.

He saw no reason to show mercy.

“…Husband, he truly is a Desolate Fortress Leader.”

The prefectural magistrate belatedly spoke. Her lips trembled slightly.

“Lightning Genius Jeong Yeon-shin. They said the new Radiant Demon Wing Leader was extremely young. It must be him.”

The Chongyang Gang leader urgently opened his mouth upon hearing his wife’s words. He sensed there was no hope in direct combat.

He needed to bring the trash they had been using to plow fields instead of cattle.

It was the same as when the Mount Hua disciples came. Hostages were needed.

“Right now…!”

His words were cut off.

WHOOSH!

Energy erupting like an explosion from the boy’s whole body lifted his pitch-black robe hem upward.

The energy flowing out in streams carved traces of whirlwinds in the ground. Silence flowed for a moment.

The energy wave’s presence alone had captured everyone’s attention. Then, the Radiant Demon Wing Leader wrapped in dust like mist moved his lips.

“Kill them.”

BOOM!

Instantly, shockwaves arose from three sides outside the training ground. Gray, white, and blue robe hems leapt in from outside.

It was truly an instant. Heat, killing intent, and sword energy tore through the air.

SPLASH-!

Smoke and blood spurted from eight directions.

Lazy Flame Dragon’s two-handed Yang Palm technique crushed eight people in an instant. Hyeon Won-chang beheaded five with his characteristic killing sword in one move.

Nam-gung Hwa-sin, who unleashed the Sky Soaring Boundless Sword Technique, extended ten energy wave streams in one strike.

It didn’t even take one breath for the scene to be cleared.

The Radiant Demon Wing Leader overwhelmed with dominating energy waves to draw attention, then Desolate Fortress elites struck instantly.

It was a strategy any sect would fall to at least once. The question was how much damage they took in that one move.

That one time was the end for the Chongyang Gang. The same for the government troops.

They took damage amounting to annihilation.

The sound of corpses collapsing rang out everywhere. Mainly on Hyeon Won-chang and Namgung Hwa-shin’s sword strikes.

Lazy Flame Dragon, who had already lowered his hands, slightly furrowed his brow.

“They don’t even grow poppies? Are these really demonic sect riffraff?”

“…”

Only the Chongyang Gang leader and prefectural magistrate remained standing.

The face of the gang leader called husband seemed to have lost his soul, while the prefectural magistrate’s expression was hard to read.

She just calmly stared at Jeong Yeon-shin.

“As expected, Diancang Sect didn’t need to come. It was right to have them look after the child.”

Hyeon Won-chang said while walking among the scattered corpses.

He poked the bodies with his scabbard, checking if any were feigning death with the Turtle Breath Great Technique.

Desolate Fortress was like a military sect.

They didn’t negotiate with those who harmed the common people. They showed no mercy either.

After arriving at their target and completing the mission, they would only leave ruins behind.

Grr.

A strange groan rang out. It was Lazy Flame Dragon stretching with both hands behind his neck.

After a long yawn, he grinned at Jeong Yeon-shin, with something strangely hateful about it.

“Young Leader, didn’t you say something when sparring with me recently? How disappointing. You said you’d create sword techniques, but these guys didn’t even last one and a half moves.”

“I’m not trying to create something else. I want to add new flow to the Radiant Sword Style. So it can’t be countered like by Law Enforcement Leader.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke as if dealing with him perfunctorily. Because he would keep talking if not answered.

He already had enough in the ruined village; it felt like scabs forming on his ears.

Perhaps because he was born with thousand-year talent in the Scorching Yang Divine Meridian? He showed great interest in Jeong Yeon-shin, who possessed even greater martial talent than himself.

‘Though not as much as Seventh Apostle…’

A red smile flashed through his mind.

Along with the prefectural magistrate in view, it gave him something to ponder. What should he do… Then Lazy Flame Dragon’s words continued. A leisurely smile hung at his mouth.

“Anyway, now you can only experience real combat at the Martial Alliance. How about exchanging strikes with the Alliance Leader? They say Sword Star is a peerless swordsman comparable to the Divine Sword Group Leader.”

“That will happen whether I want it or not.”

Jeong Yeon-shin answered. His tone was indifferent.

They said two special privileges were given for winning the Martial Alliance Opening Tournament. The first was the Great Rejuvenation Pill.

The second was instruction from Sword Star, who was recommended as Alliance Leader.

Neither failed to excite the martial artists under heaven, but the Desolate Fortress Administrator’s Office saw a trap in the second reward.

The Martial Alliance was an interest group. They had united using the justification of the Hwangbo family’s massacre and Namgung clan direct line’s extinction.

What would happen if a sect not allied with them won at the opening ceremony?

Especially if the victor was none other than a Desolate Fortress master.

‘They said it would give both the Great Rejuvenation Pill and humiliation.’

Jeong Yeon-shin set aside his thoughts. While lightly gripping the Northern Light divine sword’s handle.

He had to decide how to deal with the prefectural magistrate before him.

At the same time, Lazy Flame Dragon, who had sidled up, whispered. Let’s kill her first to prevent future troubles.

“Get lost.”

He pushed him away with his elbow while responding indifferently.

At the same time, the Northern Light sword’s pure white blade rose upward, and pure white lightning flashed at the neck of the dazed Chongyang Gang leader.

Slash-

It was the sound of crushing all blood vessels and cutting through bone.