Chapter 377 – Under Heaven

Thud—

The Ten Perfections Sect Leaders surround Jeong Yeon-shin before stopping in place.

Twelve identical forms. The white armor symbolizing Ten Thousand Weapons Heavenly Lord, Ten Thousand Weapons Emperor, silently bathed in sunlight pouring down.

“……”

What Jeong Yeon-shin had grabbed was a small axe.

The small axe that had been deflected earlier by the Brilliant River’s force. Though several cracks were etched on the axe blade, it still seemed usable.

Perhaps due to receiving the Brilliant River deployed in haste rather than at full power.

Jeong Yeon-shin recalled the Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s axe technique.

‘There was no fixed form.’

A strike that seemed to chop at random, a loosely wrapped internal energy barrier, a move that lightly deflected the energy wave.

Yet it had properly blocked the Brillianter River. He didn’t seem to have cultivated any particularly profound technique.

‘Come to think of it…’

The first martial art Jeong Yeon-shin encountered at Desolate Fortress was the Radiant Demon Technique.

The proper way to use one’s body. Famous for incantations that didn’t discriminate between any strange formations or weapons, yet the means he had mainly used to kill enemies were just fists and swords.

Jeong Yeon-shin lowered the small axe slightly. If he deeply explored other weapons, could he also step into the realm of Ten Thousand Forms?

It was then.

[Your sword technique and footwork are clearly extraordinary, but.]

All twelve surrounding Jeong Yeon-shin opened their mouths. It felt overwhelming rather than strange, even though identical smiles were fixed on their faces.

[What do you intend to do with that? Traditionally, axe techniques only yield profound principles when trained on the battlefield.]

“Isn’t this a battlefield too?”

Jeong Yeon-shin answered calmly. The small axe in his left hand spun in place.

He had created a faint energy wave with his mind to rotate it, and it followed his intention better than expected.

The light reflected from the axe blade illuminated the face of one Ten Perfections Sect Leader.

A satisfied smile stood out in the dim backlight. He didn’t look like someone who had just lost his disciples to Jeong Yeon-shin.

[Since there are twelve of me, you’re right. It would be quite difficult to find such a battlefield anywhere else in the world.]

“The Sect Leader has a broad mind. I appreciate your kindness.”

[…Kindness?]

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t answer.

He had long since activated the Lowly Revelation Technique in his eyes. The eye light that had first turned sky-blue before deepening to a rich blue swept over his enemies.

‘How strange.’

From an internal energy perspective, they were all identical to the single Ten Perfections Sect Leader he had crossed hands with earlier.

The energy waves emanating from all twelve bodies were the same. Their forms were just slightly blurry, like smoke given shape.

‘Form Transposition.’

The shape, intervals, and density of the energy waves sweeping in all directions were identical.

This meant that at least the first strike from each would be equal to the original Ten Perfections Sect Leader.

Jeong Yeon-shin wondered: What kind of enlightenment is this?

[Your eyes are chilling. What are you thinking?]

The Ten Perfections Sect Leader who had stepped forward last to grab the axe spoke.

A face that had witnessed something extremely disturbing. At this moment, he was closest to Jeong Yeon-shin, and unlike the other Ten Perfections Sect Leaders, his body outline was distinct.

‘I won’t know unless I experience it directly.’

Jeong Yeon-shin set aside his thoughts about the mysteries of the Ten Thousand Forms.

Right after that.

The Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s form suddenly filled his vision. With bare hands, empty-handed, he rushed forward.

The sight of the air burning colorlessly from his widely spread hands was magnificent.

[Among the eighteen types of weapons, there is one counted despite not being a weapon.]

[Bare hands, one hundred strikes.]

Other Ten Perfections Sect Leaders. In a single step, they took positions on Jeong Yeon-shin’s left and right.

[I have no interest in your impudent attitude.]

[If I don’t avenge my comrades and disciples here, who would want to join our sect?]

They spoke with mental imagery faster than oral technique. Each pointing a halberd at Jeong Yeon-shin’s flank, bringing down a crescent blade toward his crown.

Front and both sides.

There were three striking points. The air rippled semi-transparently.

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had slightly twisted his waist, firmly gripped the hilt of Remaining Thunder. The Luminous Wheel Energy began racing through his meridians like lightning.

Lowering his posture slightly, he stepped forward and rotated with his sword.

Swoosh—!

He passed right by the side of the Ten Perfections Sect Leader who had extended his fist from the front. Wind Body Technique. For a brief moment, the sensation of the blade scraping against armor penetrated his grip.

Dust swirled from beneath his feet.

The recoil of his movement technique and sword strike. The vortex of energy waves that rapidly spread wrapped around his trouser hem and rose, then swept up the halberd and crescent blade that had pursued him from behind.

He had turned even the aftermath of his strike into an attack trajectory.

Whoosh!

The trajectories of the two weapons were distorted.

For an instant, it felt as if the sky behind Jeong Yeon-shin had opened wide. This meant that the space occupied by the two Ten Perfections Sect Leaders had been filled with such formidable energy waves.

Jeong Yeon-shin turned around in place.

With just that, he had properly escaped the three-move chain attack. It was a complete disruption.

Swish.

Sunlight descended along the blade of Remaining Thunder gripped by the Radiant Demon Wing Leader.

The black long robe with dirt on its hem looked somewhat ancient yet created an unapproachable atmosphere. His long flowing hair deepened this quality.

The form of a martial artist approaching perfection.

A robust beauty. Exclamations flowed from among the crowd who had been entranced by the Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s Form Transposition.

[Truly extraordinary protective technique. Movement technique plus Wind Body Technique.]

The bare-handed Ten Perfections Sect Leader touched his rib area. A straight sword mark on his armor. It proved that the Radiant Demon Wing Leader’s sword strike had momentarily cut through his protective energy.

[You have the temperament of a noble clan, yet you’re much more straightforward and swift. This must be a martial lineage of your own creation.]

“……”

Jeong Yeon-shin slightly lowered his eyelids.

Feeling the sensation remaining on his sword. Cutting through protective energy wasn’t the end. True energy was imbued in the Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s armor.

This would make it difficult to inflict fatal wounds. It was hard to fully concentrate on a single sword strike in this situation.

He also recalled the movements of the halberd and crescent blade that had been captured in his energy sense earlier. Though brief, the forms contained the essence of weapon techniques.

It was then.

Thud, thud.

The Ten Perfections Sect Leaders approached.

[They say the current Radiant Demon Wing Leader’s martial arts are one of two types.]

[Short decisive battles. Either ending the fight briefly and cleanly, or overwhelming with extreme brilliance.]

[Yet now you’re doing neither.]

[Do you wish to die?]… They spread out while leisurely uttering one line each. Their attitude of looking down on Jeong Yeon-shin seemed natural.

Whoosh!

The sky rippled hazily.

A tremendous pressure began to fill the space. As if it wouldn’t end with just one combined attack from the three, they formed an encircling formation and closed in.

Jeong Yeon-shin shook the axe in his left hand once.

Bang—

The feeling wrapping around his grip was good. Though far inferior to the divine sword Remaining Thunder, the balance from blade to handle wasn’t bad either.

‘I need to conserve strength.’

He intended to defeat all three leaders of the Thirteen Evil Sects at this place today.

He couldn’t retreat here. The blood debt of Sichuan should rightfully be repaid by a Desolate Fortress martial artist, and the Emei Sect Leader monk should not die at the hands of the Golden Wing Sect Leader.

[I thank you for creating such a grand stage.]

[Our sect will flourish even without the rain dragon’s inner pill.]

[You may now cross the Sanzu River.]

The Ten Perfections Sect Leaders forming the encirclement spoke. Was it the leisure characteristic of absolute beings? Their roughly resonating voices came across with a somewhat lofty feeling.

Soon after.

The bodies of the Ten Perfections Sect Leaders all disappeared at once.

It was lightness skill.

A sharp hook first blocked the sky. A long sickle called a hook sickle. From behind came a heavy crushing sound.

It was a Ten Perfections Sect Leader with a shield powerfully colliding with him.

Jeong Yeon-shin firmly gripped the axe and made a fist.

A semi-transparent air current flowed down from his shoulder to his fist. The dense energy waves characteristic of powerful fist techniques. Jeong Yeon-shin, who had spun in place with dazzling speed, struck the shield directly.

Eternal Blossom Fist Fist, Second Form: Advancing Thunder.

Kwaaaang!

Multiple ripples burst from the impact point. This was due to the energy of peerless masters intertwining.

The Ten Perfections Sect Leader bounced away to the opposite side along with his shield covered in cracks.

The ground, caught in the shockwave, rose like a tidal wave and engulfed the surroundings. Immediately, he felt the hook sickle’s blade penetrating between his hair that had shot upward.

Slash!

A hot sensation stung his shoulder. It had been grazed by the widely spread sword energy.

Though his blood tinted one side of his vision red, Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t activate the newly created protective energy.

He had no intention of showing it prematurely to the Golden Wing Sect Leader who must be watching the duel.

Without even looking back, he raised Remaining Thunder behind him and struck.

A fierce resonance immediately came down from the sword blade to his elbow with a clang— sound. The body of the sickle blocked by Remaining Thunder bent limply in place.

‘This is also a divine weapon.’

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

The dragon in his mind holding a fan coiled around Remaining Thunder.

Then, the moment he opened his hand, Remaining Thunder, which had wrapped around the sickle, mercilessly cut through the neck of the Ten Perfections Sect Leader below and embedded itself in the ground.

The opponent had no chance to launch another spear attack.

Bang!

As the ground violently shook upon receiving Remaining Thunder.

[The energy layered in that fist strike must be about ten layers deep? I can’t handle it.]

The Ten Perfections Sect Leader who had landed far away with his shield raised his blurred body.

[Not just your energy accumulation, but your internal energy operation is truly monstrous.]

The one whose neck had been severed while holding a halberd was reappearing with his head. As if possessing some regenerative ability.

‘I understand roughly now.’

Jeong Yeon-shin felt the true energy piercing like streams toward the opponents.

It was an invisible channel of internal energy. It was flowing from the body of a distant Ten Perfections Sect Leader who stood with his arms folded.

It seemed as if spirituality had united with energy to create split bodies.

There is a term in Taoist cultivation for such a phenomenon. Jeong Yeon-shin slowly opened his mouth.

“I thought Primal Spirit was a technique used by the Ancient Sword of Wudang.”

[You’ve noticed?]

The Ten Perfections Sect Leaders laughed.

[That Taoist was a great inspiration. Though he uses it differently than I do.]

“Are you acquainted?”

[The Nine Sects are Buddhist temples and Taoist monasteries. If the imperial court doesn’t turn a blind eye, they cannot expand their influence, so they must follow the Emperor’s will in many matters.

Such as hunting mystical creatures and evil demons, or being drafted as martial forces for the northern front.]

The Ten Perfections Sect Leaders didn’t stop walking.

Thud.

The undergrowth that had been raising their heads green as if welcoming spring crushed themselves and returned beneath the soil. As the intervals narrowed with each step, the pressure intensified.

It wasn’t due to energy. In terms of energy accumulation, Jeong Yeon-shin had the advantage.

It was just that the Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s mental imagery, bearing tremendous spirituality, was creating some form at this moment.

Something that penetrated the essence of the eighteen types of weapons and affected this land with power beyond true energy.

Saaaa—

[The martial brothers of the world were curious.]

They surrounded him from all directions, each holding different weapons from the eighteen types. It was like a wheel formation encirclement.

[How could I, who dug many wells, become a peerless master with mastery of the eighteen types of weapons when one cannot dig deeply by spreading oneself thin?]

It was like the body-splitting technique of the Ancient Sword True Person depicted in paintings. Each taking stances befitting their various weapons.

[It’s because I handle the principles of weapons.]

The space seemed blocked by an invisible hemispherical something. There was no ventilation.

As if some formation had been deployed. It was a harmony beginning to transcend the realm of martial arts.

Thirteen Evil Sects leader. The pinnacle of the Sima Evil Path.

Woong!

It suddenly began. The first strike was a meteor hammer. A rope with a massive metal ball attached tore through the air as it flew.

A strike targeting his shoulder. A technique that would inevitably dislocate it upon direct hit. A roar like hundreds of ordinary fist technique masters simultaneously throwing punches rang out.

Overwhelming energy had been properly imbued. Jeong Yeon-shin concentrated the Luminous Wheel Energy from his arm holding the axe up to the Shoulder Acupoint.

Clang!

As soon as he struck upward at the meteor hammer with the axe, the ground sank with a thud. In that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin felt true energy invading all the way to his wrist bone. It was a first strike imbued with internal weight technique.

The Ten Perfections Sect Leader holding the meteor hammer retreated. He had lost energy and become blurry after launching his strike.

As he was becoming clear again, Ten Perfections Sect Leaders holding a nine-section whip, a halberd, a crescent blade, and a sword flew in while forging chilling radiance.

Swoosh!

Streams of light were etched across the necks of two opponents. The fierce backwind of the Mind-controlling sword unraveled the dust in a circle…. While two figures were bounced away still holding the nine-section whip and halberd, the divine sword Remaining Thunder began to swing widely in all directions.

Five from the outer encirclement clung to Remaining Thunder with swift movement technique.

Jeong Yeon-shin was trapped by seven opponents. He had to raise the incantation of the Eternal Blossom Fist with his bare hands. His paired hands contained the explosive power of the Brilliant River.

Clang! Kwaaaang!

He deflected a spear attack with the back of his hand and crushed sword energy with his grip. Each time, the wide peak shook entirely.

There were nothing but blades everywhere. It was like being surrounded by the Blade Mountain Hell of the netherworld.

The hazy dust repeatedly distorted violently in a spiral pattern, and shockwaves that burst out at intervals created ten or twenty layers of ripples.

They gradually accelerated.

They were peerless masters. The time it took for their strike speed to reach its extreme was terrifyingly short. As soon as the confrontation was established, all forms instantly became blurry.

Only occasionally would the Ten Perfections Sect Leaders, who had to receive true energy at intervals, become distinct. Even amid this, hundreds of rays of light continuously trapped Jeong Yeon-shin.

While trajectories formed by all sorts of weapons ceaselessly emitted roars.

The radiance in Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes flowed here and there like blue streams. It followed his movements and nods.

[A movement that could form a school of its own. Your cultivation is higher than any of the Eight Great Clans’ leaders!]

[If the God of Combat had seen this, he would have taken you as a disciple without killing you. You must never go to the North.]

[What a pity about the years!]

[With just ten years, the martial world might have seen the world’s greatest…]

Slash! Puhwak!

The nine-section whip struck his flank, and one shoulder was split by the Ten Perfections Sect Leader’s energy wave, but it didn’t hurt. Only the exhilaration pushing up in his mind intensified.

He had never gained such rich inspiration from an enemy. Hundreds of trajectories ceaselessly filling his vision.

Saber, sword, spear, shield, great axe, nine-section whip, club… The countless light streams breaking and entering from the void in innumerable variations were etched in his mind like hot brands.

From the ancient Song Dynasty to the present day.

The eighteen types of weapons are a weapon system established over generations. They contain hundreds of years. It was a thickness Jeong Yeon-shin dared not aspire to.

How could a life that could barely fill nineteen years approach that?

Thud!

It was a sound that rang inside his crown. Lightning of ecstasy struck in his mind. Along with his inferiority complex about life.

Innate talent merely helps. From deep within, a greed and resentment for time blazed like a wildfire.

I want to see. I must see.

He let his body move on its own. Following the flow of dodging, turning, and extending his hand was possible without thought.

He raised his energy sense greatly. He captured all the Ten Perfections Sect Leaders in his consciousness.

Jeong Yeon-shin densely traced with his senses the trajectories, grip techniques, and principles of energy waves they emitted. Like the gaze of the Seventh Apostle he had once encountered.

‘Ah.’

Something like a wave flowed in.

It was the same sensation he had experienced from Ghost Cry Hegemon King’s Form Transposition.

It was years.

Overwhelming time wrapped around his upper dantian like clouds. The fluffy feeling was satisfying. All the images of the weapons at this place were bound into a single volume in his mind.

A book of mental imagery. The roughly written pages turned with a flutter. Though there were many blank spaces, Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t mind. Too narrow for annotations.

[You don’t consider the follow-up. Short decisive battle is your specialty, they said.]

[It’s over.]

It rang above his head. Two Ten Perfections Sect Leaders were bringing down a halberd and a club on his head.

As if they had already made several variations, white and black lightning-like energy waves burst forth with loud vibrations.

Jeong Yeon-shin flicked his finger.

White finger energy struck their arms with a bang-bang. As their arms became blurry like wrinkles forming in clothing, the energy waves of their strikes rapidly weakened.

Simultaneously, Jeong Yeon-shin activated the grappling technique while throwing the axe above his head. He spread both hands wide to wrap around the two opponents’ weapons.

Spat!

[……!]

In the next moment, Jeong Yeon-shin was holding the stolen halberd and club. His black sleeves fluttered violently on both sides.

‘Ten seconds.’

He thought.