Chapter 179 – Swordsman (2)

The person holding the greatest financial power in the Martial Alliance met with the Lightning Genius of Desolate Fortress.

The encounter between these two figures instantly drew the attention of even those who had been hurriedly stepping aside.

“Lady Ye? Wasn’t she originally red-haired?”

“Your news is late. They say she achieved mastery of her cultivation technique.”

“Achievement in cultivation techniques? That’s a puzzling tale.”

“It’s said that children of the Ye clan who haven’t undergone the marriage ritual don’t make their names known. The reason lies in the manifestation of red-black hair, similar to blood techniques. They say once the inner fire deepens, the black hair returns—and that happened right in the midst of the Opening Ceremony.”

“During the Opening Ceremony, you say…! Were there many witnesses?”

“It was in front of a large crowd. The heads of various families and the Alliance Leader were present. Having proven her lineage, wealth, and now martial prowess, isn’t it only natural she’d take on the role of Internal Grand Strategist?”

“Is this something that can be brushed off as mere similarity? Isn’t it *too* similar…?”

The man in yellow robes, who had been conversing, lowered his voice. The swordsman beside him gave a faint smile.

“They say a master’s enlightenment comes suddenly. One cannot hide the temperament revealed when breaking through a wall. It happened when White Qilin Namgung Hwa-shin faced a crisis during a sparring match. Suddenly, from the spectator seats, her composure shifted. The scene where a clear energy washed her red hair into pitch black… personally, I’d rank it alongside the impression left by the Yan family’s First Fist. If anything, it dispelled even the slightest doubts about her.”

“White Qilin! Right, what happened to White Qilin? I heard he faced off against a mid-tier expert from the Yuan Sect!”

“It wasn’t a mid-tier warrior—it was their sect leader. A seasoned master in his forties…”

Jeong Yeon-shin heard it all.

It began even before Ye Ha-rin approached him closely. The Luminous Wheel was the culmination of the boy’s internal energy cultivation.

If it had stirred on its own even for a moment, it would be hard to dismiss casually at any time.

So he remained still.

When she came within arm’s reach, the Seventh Apostle briefly flashed through his mind. It was due to her cheerful tone, oddly detached from the present world.

Had their voices been similar, his suspicion might have deepened.

Yet Ye Ha-rin’s jawbone was slightly broader at the masseter muscles. Her brow and nose bridge were subtly wider too.

These were areas where the nerves and upper dantian meridians were distributed—places that even face-altering disguise techniques couldn’t touch.

Even so, he needed to be certain.

He didn’t move, even as she reached out. It was the same as when he’d instantly discerned the energy of an unorthodox sect member.

He intended to confirm her true energy through contact. However, the Luminous Wheel, which had pulsed once, showed no further reaction.

Even when her hand fully touched him, it remained so. Unless some extraordinary treasure capable of completely concealing one’s temperament existed in the world, she was likely a legitimate orthodox martial artist.

‘Did the technique react first?’

If she had cultivated pure energy through breathing techniques, it could explain it. Mount Hua’s Yu Hyeon had done the same.

It was because he had mastered the famed Violet Mist Divine Technique from the Taoist tradition. The same might apply to Wi Ji Myo-hwa, who cultivated the Zhongnan martial arts, also rooted in Taoist principles.

The boy was calmly organizing his thoughts when it happened.

“You’re less shy than you look. Despite your calm demeanor, you seem soft inside.”

*Swish.*

Ye Ha-rin raised the corner of her mouth and stepped back. Her hand, which had rested on the boy’s knuckles, lifted off with her index and middle fingers parting last.

Fingers that could form a sword gesture. She was indeed a martial artist who had earnestly trained in the ways of the martial world.

“Since I feel like I’ve lost out, I’ll clarify—this is my childhood name. I have a separate name received after my coming-of-age ceremony. It’s something I can only reveal at important times.”

“Recite Sword Saint’s message properly.”

The boy spoke. Ye Ha-rin’s smile deepened.

“That really is all of it. His opinion was that it doesn’t have to be now—you can decide later. It’s up to you whether to follow it or not. Who here has the authority to force the actions of Desolate Fortress’s black rank?”

“Fine.”

Jeong Yeon-shin replied curtly.

A ticklish sensation crept through his upper dantian’s spiritual sense. It was dense goodwill. It flowed in through his Hundred Meetings acupoint, which had recently opened wider.

It originated from Ye Ha-rin, smiling before him. It felt as if sugar syrup were melting into his mind. She was an exceedingly peculiar figure.

Shaking his head inwardly, the boy slowly stepped forward.

At that moment, Ye Ha-rin tucked her fluttering white sleeves behind her back.

“White Qilin took your place in the Opening Tournament. He’s probably preparing for the next match.”

“…Thanks.”

“We’ll see each other often from now on. Treating you with respect has become my duty. Envoys from major factions not affiliated with the Alliance must be handled with great care, you see.”

She laughed, adding that he shouldn’t turn her away even if she showed up unannounced.

After a brief pause, Jeong Yeon-shin resumed walking.

Lazy Flame Dragon, who had been scanning the Alliance warriors, quickly followed. He tilted his head slightly toward the boy.

“She seems arrogant yet doesn’t cross the line. When she touched you earlier, she deliberately relaxed her forearm muscles. She even drained the energy from her meridians completely. It feels like orthodox martial arts, but her control of internal energy was astonishing.”

“…”

“That famous ‘Lady Ye’ was her, huh? They say very few among the young ones here don’t admire her. Even the righteous faction’s spoiled brats, raised on refined tastes, can’t keep their wits about her.”

Lazy Flame Dragon rambled on, seemingly trying to lighten the mood. He glanced at his leader with sly, narrowed eyes.

He knew what the Shaolin Great Rejuvenation Pill, the reward of the Opening Tournament, meant to Jeong Yeon-shin.

The boy had given the Minor Rejuvenation Pill, a reward from the Sichuan mission, to his grandfather, Ma Yeon-jeok.

It was a spiritual elixir bestowed by the Grand Administrator for settling merits, free for the leader to use as he wished.

Obtained from Shaolin, it had been awaiting a worthy recipient.

He’d left it by the bedside of his unconscious grandfather.

After nearly perishing alongside the Blood Flame Sect Leader, Ma Yeon-jeok—reduced to a skeletal state—frequently lost consciousness.

‘The Minor Rejuvenation Pill isn’t enough.’

But the Great Rejuvenation Pill, renowned across the martial world second only to the fruit of the World Tree, might be different.

He didn’t hope for a full restoration of martial prowess—just the ability to move freely again.

The image of his grandfather standing against the Blood Flame Sect Leader amidst swirling azure flames was vivid in his mind. It was etched as a familial love he’d never experienced in life.

This wasn’t something to abandon due to the Alliance leaders’ schemes. His grip tightened on the sword hilt.

Even after Ye Ha-rin’s hand had touched it, he didn’t let go. Blue veins pulsed on the back of his hand. The boy spoke.

“Focus on the Opening Tournament for now.”

Lazy Flame Dragon chuckled softly, as if pleased.

“I like how our leader pours everything into one thing. It’s thrilling to see what’ll happen. But didn’t they say the Opening Tournament has already started?”

“What does it matter?”

It wasn’t Jeong Yeon-shin who answered. It was Hyeon Won-chang. As they walked toward the Unhyang Courtyard together, his eyes glinted.

A colorless gleam flashed in his pupils—energy radiance. He’d been fuming ever since hearing the Opening Ceremony had begun.

“I’ll teach these fools some shame. All you need to do, Leader, is swing your sword.”

“Convenient for me.”

Lazy Flame Dragon muttered.

The Alliance warriors standing idly by gradually receded behind them. So did the onlookers from outside.

They had witnessed the Internal Grand Strategist of the main faction conversing with the Lightning Genius of Desolate Fortress.

The sight of such exalted figures mingling naturally dampened the spirits of the martial world’s masses.

The only one with even a slight upward curve to her lips was the young lady of the Ye clan.

She alone stared unabashedly at the retreating figure of the young Lightning Genius.

‘Whatever that old Sword Saint blabbers, my Grandmaster’s will comes first. Delivering the message is enough.’

Leaving her smooth smile behind, the Lightning Genius and his group soon entered the Unhyang Courtyard.

It was no longer the tranquil, silent residence it once was. A faint scent of blood lingered.

As the boy and young men burst in, startling the servants, Jeong Yeon-shin spotted Namgung Hwa-shin in the courtyard.

He was bent over a small pond, washing his hands.

The demeanor of the blue-rank master was disheveled. One foot rested on a rock, and he wiped clotted blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

It seemed he’d tried to present himself properly upon sensing their presence. Realizing he was too late, he gave an awkward smile.

“You’re safe. That’s a relief.”

Namgung Hwa-shin said. The boy gazed at him steadily.

“…I heard you took my place in the tournament.”

“Luck was on my side—I didn’t lose. I was satisfied not to face any rising talents. Up to the last warrior I fought, they were all mid-tier experts who provided good lessons. Anyway, most of the younger fighters have been eliminated by now, and it’s mainly seasoned masters left.”

His tone was calm and measured. Was this the face his elder brother, Azure Qilin, often showed Namgung Hwa-shin?

A faint smile played on his lips, like the subtle ripples in the nearby pond. Yet he looked weary.

“…”

The autumn breeze brushed sharply against the boy’s face. Jeong Yeon-shin felt a translucent sensation.

An invisible gust lingered briefly in the silence. Ripples layered across the pond’s surface.

The boy said, “Thank you.”

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

https://discord.gg/XC9DTsTQ9Z

***

The Next Day

The return of the Desolate Fortress entourage didn’t garner much attention.

The Alliance warriors who saw them near the main gate felt shame. They could only hush it up.

The Martial Alliance leadership didn’t bother widely announcing the defeat of the Heart Martial Alliance either.

These were festive days meant to boost the Alliance’s morale and public sentiment. The Martial Alliance’s Opening Tournament was a grand martial celebration unfolding across Shaanxi’s Hanzhong.

“Radiant Zen Sword! Lone Hero of Ruzhou! Let those who will broaden the horizons of the righteous come forth!”

A voice infused with energy boomed resoundingly. A middle-aged man in a dark green martial robe, Zhuge Qian, the Wind Water Mystic Master, stepped forward personally.

It was atop the massive circular sparring stage, symbolizing the righteous legitimacy of the Alliance’s orthodox martial world. Thunderous cheers filled the surroundings.

*Waaaaaaah!*

A crowd numbering perhaps a thousand encircled the area. The heat felt like a return to summer.

Wooden watchtowers rising on all sides were packed with people, somehow holding steady.

A middle-aged man clad in yellow hemp ascended the stage. Ye Yun-zhe, the Radiant Zen Sword, was a native warrior born and raised in Hanzhong.

His thick sword-like brows and unusually sharp gaze attested to his extraordinariness. He was also renowned as the brother-in-law of the Zhuge family head.

The presence of So Jun, the Lone Hero of Ruzhou, approaching from the opposite side, was equally impressive.

The moment he took a step on the stage, those unable to find seats and perched in the spectator towers swayed briefly.

The energy wave in his footwork caused it.

The aura of mid-tier masters was distinct from that of late-generation prodigies.

They were the true contenders for dominance in the Opening Tournament.

“So many dragons and tigers. Was there really no need to rush the schedule?”

“We had to account for contingencies.”

“What about the public’s gaze?”

“Hanzhong is already the Alliance’s domain. If we speak of greater justice, the shame will fade.”

“The strategist is right. To begin with… it’s not as if we lack masters below the elder level to face the Lightning Genius. The leaders of each family’s martial forces alone are middle-aged warriors in their prime. Didn’t even Mount Hua’s Sword Saint descend the mountain?”

“Let’s not bring that up. Sending a boy not yet of age against them was Desolate Fortress’s ploy. For us, defeat would be utter humiliation, and victory wouldn’t be wholly satisfying.”

This was the spectator seating for the Martial Alliance’s leadership. Beneath a lavish canopy, quiet conversations drifted through the expansive shade.

A sense of victory, taken for granted over a lifetime, flowed with dignity.

They were martial aristocrats living their own way in their own world.

In one corner, a middle-aged swordsman in Mount Hua robes narrowed his brow. His arms crossed and eyes closed, his face betrayed discomfort.

The same was true for Little Sword Queen, seated as a representative disciple of the Diem Chang Sect. Her blank expression couldn’t hide a subtle unease.

Yet the Martial Alliance’s Opening Tournament was a torrent heralding the era’s flow. For sects cultivating the Tao in the mountains, it was beyond their control.

“Radiant Zen Sword and Lone Hero of Ruzhou. Where did you place your bets?”

“I’ve already split my remaining fortune between Mount Hua’s Sword Saint and the Yan family’s First Fist… but watching these two spar would be eye-opening enough. I think Radiant Zen Sword’s technique is a bit sharper. He was once called Hanzhong’s greatest prodigy.”

“Folks around Ruzhou might disagree.”

As the crowd exchanged excited remarks, Ye Yun-zhe, the Radiant Zen Sword, and So Jun, the Lone Hero of Ruzhou, faced each other.

The fervor spiked instantly. Cheers rose without end.

The unprecedented festival of the Central Plains, now in its fourth day, was on the verge of another peak.

Then—

*Boom!*

A flag stabbed diagonally into the center of the sparring stage. A fierce shockwave gouged the ground.

Dust swept outward in concentric circles, carrying a torrent of refined energy.

A white robe tied to a steel pole flapped violently.

It displayed the character “Desolate” to all directions.

“The Lightning Genius of Desolate Fortress! Jeong Yeon-shin of Huguang, who pities the common folk of Hanzhong!”

[TL Note- Xiangyang, where Desolate Fortress is located in in Huguang Province.]

A young man’s voice rang out, laced with energy pushed to its peak.

It matched the colorless energy rippling from the flag embedded in the stage, echoing in all directions like a lion’s roar.

“I’ve returned after defeating the Swimming Heaven Sword Ghost and the Heart Martial Alliance’s martial forces—!”

It was a tremendous roar. For a moment, the air seemed to tremble.

An unexpected incident erupted—a method rarely conceived in the righteous martial world.

Despite its brashness, it was a spectacle that stirred the crowd’s spirits. Murmurs spread like a tidal wave.

In the blink of an eye as hundreds of onlookers widened their eyes—

A boy in black robes stood beneath Desolate Fortress’s white flag. His movement technique was astonishing.

The delayed gust of his peerless lightness skill swept through.

Amid his jet-black robe and hair billowing together, the young Lightning Genius slowly parted his lips.

“I agreed to participate as an envoy, but due to my shortcomings, I’m late. Wasn’t your Alliance formed to oppose our Fortress? What meaning is there without me? Or am I mistaken?”

He embodied Desolate Fortress’s black rank entirely. His voice dripped with arrogance.

So did his stance and aura. The youthful supreme master stood boldly between Radiant Zen Sword and Lone Hero of Ruzhou.

With his smooth jaw slightly raised, he looked down at the crowd below the stage.

“Lightning Genius?”

“That movement technique…!”

The boy paid no heed to the two mid-tier masters.

One hand clasped behind his back, the other gripped the flagpole draped in Desolate Fortress’s robe. He pulled it from the ground and spoke.

“Desolate Fortress does not shy from challenges.”

With those words, he drove it back in.

*Thud!*

A heavy vibration resounded. Energy waves rippled outward in a circle from his feet, accompanied by a faint breeze.

The flagpole and stage aligned perfectly vertical. The flag, recoiling, flaunted the bold “Desolate” character as it waved.

“I deeply regret my tardiness. Thus, from now on, I alone will face every match that takes place.”

The Lightning Genius twisted his lips upward.

“You needn’t worry about the shame of consecutive defeat.”

“…”

For a few breaths, time seemed to freeze.