Chapter 242 – Eye-Opening (6)

Sunlight dappled through the slowly settling dust.

It was a shocking arrival.

The remnants of the Reverend Remaining Earth Sect faltered and stepped back.

“What… what is this…?”

One of them muttered, his voice a low groan.

They were disciples of an evil faction that dominated the grand city of Xi’an. Not mere street thugs, they possessed a keen eye for danger. They instantly recognized the emergence of a master beyond their ability to handle.

A man in a gray robe with sharp eyes stepped forward.

“Which sect’s esteemed elder might you be…?”

Perhaps it was because this newcomer had struck Jeong Jung-san the moment he appeared.

A faint mix of unease and hope flickered across the man’s face as he asked. This was the back alley, untouched by officials or righteous sects.

It was a realm governed purely by the law of the strong devouring the weak. The same logic they had applied to Jeong Jung-san without restraint.

They didn’t hesitate to call this youthful figure an “elder” upon seeing Jeong Yeon-shin’s face.

In the martial world, an “elder” meant a senior with formidable martial prowess—perhaps someone wearing a human skin mask.

A grand misunderstanding.

There exists a technique called ‘Pushing the Palace and Passing Through the Acupoint’.

It’s a method to clear blocked energy channels caused by internal injuries or stagnant qi. A master with profound inner energy personally manipulates another’s meridians to expel toxic qi.

Typically, it’s performed with great delicacy. One must anticipate the technique’s impact on the body’s entire meridian system to guard against qi deviation.

For Radiant Demon Wing Leader Jeong Yeon-shin, this wasn’t the case.

He was a grandmaster of the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique.

His insight pierced through every energy channel in the human body—a realm of mastery.

A hacking cough erupted.

Far off, his second brother, sprawled on the ground, spat out dark blood.

His complexion improved slightly. The single strike of ‘Pushing the Palace and Passing Through the Acupoint’ had worked perfectly.

Though it was unclear where or how much he had suffered, a single kick sufficed to unblock his clogged meridians.

It was a move woven with leg strength and energy waves, intricate in its structure. His whole body likely felt refreshed. Though the kick carried a hint of emotion.

“I am a disciple of the Reverend Remaining Earth Sect…”

The man who stepped forward began to introduce himself, adjusting his gray collar.

“Come here, you idiot!”

“Crazy… could it be…?”

The two behind him—a man and a woman—called out. Their scarred faces twisted oddly.

They gripped the sword hilts at their waists tightly, yet their heels pointed backward.

Their subtle leg movements suggested they were moments from retreating. Ready to shift into movement techniques at any second.

They had survived in the evil faction’s world. Their instincts were razor-sharp. They could at least guess the intruder’s identity.

His youthful appearance belied his power, his demeanor exuded arrogance, and his brief words to Jeong Jung-san sealed it.

“Radiant Demon Wing Leader… it’s the Radiant Demon Wing Leader…”

“What?”

“You lunatic… that Lightning Genius! The squad leader of the Divine Sword Group…!”

The Divine Sword Group of Desolate Fortress, composed of seventeen squad leaders.

Each wielded authority under the Divine Sword Leader, galloping through the martial world.

They judged the world with human hands—the pinnacle of the martial realm.

There’s a jest among some evil faction members. Those who face a Desolate Fortress black-robed squad leader feel two things: “So this is the pinnacle of my world,” and “Damn it all.”

A madman’s martial world. Pride and desperation intertwined.

That was for those targeted by their missions. For those who stumbled upon them by chance, it was closer to calamity.

“What?”

The man who had stepped forward twitched, his face contorting. He had casually mocked the Radiant Demon Wing Leader while kicking Jeong Jung-san. His comrades’ words didn’t immediately sink in as reality.

Before he could fully retreat, his toes merely trembled.

“I’ll take only your right arms. I don’t know the full extent of your crimes.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke calmly.

They hadn’t joined the Great Moon Gorge battle or come to kill him. Beating Jeong Jung-san to near death wasn’t a grave offense in light of old memories.

Yet the Radiant Demon Wing Leader’s words were undeniably a verdict.

“…”

The proud disciples of the Reverend Remaining Earth Sect couldn’t resist. Despair shadowed their faces like a dark veil.

Sudden screams pierced the air.

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

https://discord.gg/XC9DTsTQ9Z

***

Leaving the alley, they entered the main road. People of all kinds passed along the wide, paved path.

Some recognized Jeong Yeon-shin, whispering “Leader” with caution.

A path cleared around him.

They avoided him but stole glances at this mysterious rising star. As if trying to memorize his every move.

The typically indifferent grand city was no longer so. Jeong Yeon-shin’s mere presence drew all the street’s attention.

“They say he took down six sect leaders single-handedly…”

“What? Is that true?”

“It’ll be sorted out once the Tyrant Sword Sect’s elder overseer shows up, won’t it? Who can stop Ghost White Divine Sword Yeo So-hyang? A demon riding a blade through the air…”

“Lower your voice…! You’ll offend him.”

“Then who do we pay protection fees to now…?”

“Don’t hesitate—take it to the Radiant Arts Squad first! Been in business a day or two? They call him Leader!”

Whispers brushed past. They laid bare Xi’an’s raw reality.

“…”

Until then, the brothers hadn’t exchanged a word.

Jeong Yeon-shin walked silently, slightly ahead.

Jeong Jung-san gauged his younger brother’s mood. His tattered clothes were paired with a gray cloth scrap crudely tied as a mask over his lower face.

At Jeong Yeon-shin’s instruction. No one recognized Zhongnan disciple Jeong Jung-san.

They arrived at the inn where Jeong Yeon-shin stayed.

Still devoid of guests. He often thought of the reward he’d give the innkeeper once his mission ended.

“Go rest inside. Somewhere quiet.”

“Yeon-shin, Hye-ah…”

“There’s Cloud Sword Dragon waiting in the annex. She’ll have much to tell you. Shao Bai Sect Leader Jang Gi-il said you’ve been roaming and investigating, but it seems you found little.”

Unlike other evil factions, Jang Gi-il’s Shao Bai Sect among Xi’an’s seven greats sheltered a few Zhongnan survivors in secret.

Branded a Zhongnan disciple who betrayed the main sect, he pursued practical gain. Jeong Jung-san had been under his aid.

As he lingered awkwardly, Jeong Yeon-shin spoke quietly.

“Does Zhongnan disciple Jeong Jung-san have information worth reporting to the Radiant Demon Wing Leader?”

Back at Jeong Family Manor.

Under Patriarch Jeong Dae-myung’s protection, despite being direct kin, the brothers’ statuses starkly differed. Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t casually look up to his elders.

Their positions were worlds apart. First brother Jeong Nam-san and Jeong Jung-san treated their youngest sibling as lesser—closer to disdain.

Now, the tables had turned. The gap was beyond comparison.

“…”

Jeong Jung-san fell silent.

“Well, well! The Leader’s brother has arrived!”

A loud thud.

A tall youth leapt from the upper stairs, his hero’s headband fluttering behind his forehead.

It was Hyeon Won-chang, the “True Brother” of the Radiant Arts Squad. He strode toward the entrance, arms spread wide in an exaggerated gesture.

Jeong Jung-san and Hyeon Won-chang had met before. When Jeong Yeon-shin was still White-rank, they climbed Zhongnan Mountain together.

Back when he devised Radiant Sword Style and fought Tyrant Sword Sect. Jeong Jung-san and Desolate Divine Hero of Radiant Demon Wing were distant then.

While the Jeong brothers’ bond was lukewarm, Hyeon Won-chang hadn’t yet learned of Jeong Family Manor’s secrets.

Cheong Myeong, Baek Mi-ryeo, and the Radiant Demon Team only heard Jeong Yeon-shin’s tale much later.

Desolate Divine Hero of Radiant Demon Wing approached with a bright smile.

“Delighted to see you! I’ve missed you terribly!”

“Me…?”

“Didn’t know that guy I met was a beggar back then! Couldn’t stand not giving that face a punch! Been waiting a long time!”

The other Radiant Demon Wing masters had dispersed to oversee Xi’an’s security.

The inn housed the Radiant Demon Team, Lazy Flame Dragon, and Zhuge Qing-ya. They gradually approached from around the room.

Lazy Flame Dragon looked puzzled.

“What’s he doing? What’s this about?”

Except for Hyeon Won-chang, none had met the Leader’s kin.

To them, it was a notable event.

“They don’t look alike. Thank heavens.”

Baek Mi-ryeo brushed back her jet-black bangs. Her striking face tilted slightly upward.

She typically enforced discipline among the often-rowdy Radiant Demon Wing, but now she flexed her pale fingers as if eager to join in.

A hand refined by Heavenly Demon Divine Technique’s Lesser Demon Art. Beautiful enough to be called a jade hand.

“So it’s him?”

Cheong Myeong watched with a faint smile.

An odd chill emanated from her as she gazed at Jeong Jung-san being struck by Hyeon Won-chang’s rough fist. Enough to make Zhuge Qing-ya step back slightly.

She looked up at Jeong Yeon-shin, who had approached.

“Shouldn’t you stop them?”

“The Great Hero Sword Dragon is waiting in the annex.”

“Yes, she just arrived and startled me.”

“Let’s go.”

They won’t kill him. Jeong Yeon-shin headed slowly to the annex. Something warm was unraveling the knot in his chest.

***

In the cozy annex room, he faced Wei Ji Myo-hwa.

She remained beautiful. Her refined features and clear eyes shone.

Though the feather ornament atop her ebony hair was slightly worn, her aura felt stronger than before.

A swordsman renowned as one of Shaanxi’s top talents, ever-growing.

Jeong Yeon-shin accepted her bow first.

A soft rustle.

Her sky-blue robes brushed the floor. A courteous gesture.

“Young Master Jeong’s niece, my junior aunt, I lost her. Entirely my failing.”

“Junior aunt” referred to a female elder of the same generation as one’s master. Literally a sect aunt.

Since Zhongnan Sword Immortal took Jeong Hye as a disciple in his later years, to Wei Ji Myo-hwa, Jeong Yeon-shin’s niece was her junior aunt.

“…She’s likely alive.”

Jeong Yeon-shin gently lifted her by the shoulders.

Perhaps because her orthodox qi, refined with mystic and Taoist inner energy, was pure. Her touch felt soft and warm.

“Hye-ah inherited Master Sword Immortal’s martial lineage. She’s my kin too. Valuable for information and exploitable status. The Thirteen Evil Sects are meticulous—they wouldn’t discard a piece that could shake Desolate Fortress’s black robes. No matter what I do, they’ll hold onto her.”

“I agree.”

A clear voice interjected. Zhuge Xian sat at a table corner, smiling faintly while nodding to his sister Zhuge Qing-ya.

Fan Dragon Zhuge Xian had filled the internal strategist role at the alliance, left vacant by Lady Ye. A position of great authority.

He’d expressed a wish to train temporarily with Radiant Demon Wing in Xi’an, which Jeong Yeon-shin had approved.

“We should sit.”

The Radiant Demon Wing Leader seated both Zhuge siblings as strategists. Wei Ji Myo-hwa joined them. Desolate Fortress aligning with the orthodox felt natural here.

“In Go’s Ten Crisis Decisions, it’s said, ‘Beware of haste.’ Let’s carefully assess our foes.”

Zhuge Xuan spoke.

“The abduction is regrettable, but narrowing the culprits to Tyrant Sword Sect or Yu Ling is fortunate. Tyrant Sword Sect ranks among the boldest in the Thirteen Evil Sects yet avoids killing outside battlefields. Yu Ling’s patience rivals Wudang and Shaolin—though their schemes run deep…”

He unfurled his fan fully. A white crane pattern adorned its slats.

“No need to worry about this Jeong Hye. Not while Leader Jeong lives. Tyrant Sword Sect and Yu Ling’s patterns suggest as much. As deep-rooted evil factions, they exploit what’s useful thoroughly. My family has piles of records on their behavior.”

Jeong Yeon-shin glanced briefly at Zhuge Xian’s fan. He’d just brought his brother Jeong Jung-san.

Facing family matters, the fan—reminiscent of Jeong Family Manor’s swing—struck him oddly.

The mission’s ultimate target, Tyrant Sword Sect’s elder overseer, had played a key role in Jeong Family Manor’s destruction.

Ghost White Divine Sword Yeo So-hyang. Still soaring through the skies like an immortal, everything Jeong Yeon-shin recalled here tied back to Jeong Family Manor.

He parted his lips slowly.

“…Then we focus on the next move. An elder overseer of the Thirteen Evil Sects would know everything. Killing her would settle Shaanxi’s martial world too.”

He matched Fan Dragon’s phrasing.

Zhuge Hyun’s smile deepened slightly.

“First, scatter the Radiant Arts Squad across Xi’an. The two great factions are slow to act, so there’s calm for now… but if it escalates to a faction war, retreat is the only option. Prevent that, then drag it into personal duels. Two keys: Can you handle Ghost White Divine Sword, Leader? Can you force a one-on-one?”

Tyrant Sword Sect’s elder overseer acted as the sect leader’s nursemaid in the secular world.

A supreme master indifferent to all unless ordered by the sect leader. Renowned for unparalleled aloofness.

A noble of the fallen Dali Kingdom, destroyed by Desolate Fortress Leader’s sword, rumors claimed she wielded immortal-level swordsmanship.

Her sword-riding flight was the epitome of mystique. Some Shaanxi locals built shrines to honor her, heedless of martial affiliations.

They didn’t treat her as human. Mentioning her casually was near blasphemy.

Wei Ji Myo-hwa, seated beside Jeong Yeon-shin, spoke.

“I’d advise retreat. You’ve done enough, Young Master. Conquering Xi’an’s seven great sects is a grand feat already.”

Worry gleamed clearly in her eyes.

“Ghost White Divine Sword Yeo So-hyang has three ultimate techniques, each unrivaled under heaven. She nearly clashed with Desolate Fortress’s Divine Sword Leader once.”

“Another issue too. One-on-one duels aren’t easily arranged in the martial world. Especially with a great faction behind her. Elder Overseer Yeo So-hyang is notoriously detached from lesser matters… Unless you reveal your identity, Leader, she’s unlikely to engage. Drawing her out is the challenge.”

Zhuge Hyun added lightly.

The Radiant Demon Wing Leader didn’t respond.

He merely glanced toward the main inn building. Where Desolate Hero of Radiance was.

***

The next day.

Identical posters lined Xi’an’s streets.

[Those versed in the Four Books and Three Classics must tend to the people with filial piety.

Though famine brings lamentable events across the land, chivalrous souls still pity the lacking, blooming with noble intent.

This stems from the teachings of sect and parents etched in their hearts—why I pity that distant Tyrant Sword Sect Leader.

What learning resides in one obsessed with flaunting lofty martial arts?

Surely, they lack parents.

Truly lamentable. Is anything more futile than wielding power without purpose? Had their upbringing been proper, that strength could’ve aided the people.

These are indisputable facts, but if any wish to enlighten me otherwise, I’ll gladly accept a sword debate. I’ll wait nine days, enjoying Great Moon Gorge’s scenery.

—Radiant Arts Squad Leader’s Proxy, True Brother]

Two sunsets passed.

As dawn cast a faint veil of light.

A piercing wail tore through the air.

It descended gradually. A roar from above grew deafeningly loud.