Chapter 465 – Heaven’s Five Swords (3)

Slowly.

The space that had been scattering sunlight in all directions regained its original color, like a sky cleared of clouds.

The formless swords that had been spread out like a sea of clouds had disappeared. Naturally, a yellowish-earth wasteland full of sword marks was revealed.

“……”

Two silhouettes stood there.

There was no wind. The air was extremely dry. Even the transparent moisture of autumn had been swept away by the storm of sword strikes that had raged earlier. Only the two swordsmen were allowed movement.

“Huh, well……”

Soon after, along with a groan of “ugh,” a nonchalant voice continued.

“If you had struck with both hands, both my arms would have disappeared completely.”

“……”

“I told you earlier. Safe Martial Ultimate is my creed. Today, I’m glad I insisted on using just one hand.”

As he said this, the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s right arm was gone from the shoulder down. His upper clothing was in the same state.

Blood gushed constantly from the long wound that crossed his exposed chest.

The sight of a swordsman who had long since become a legend now crippled. His upper body, which had nearly been severed along with the arm that had wielded the sword, was evidence of the fierce battle.

“In the arduous life of this body, this is the most unusual stimulation.”

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, who swayed slightly, smiled.

In contrast, Jeong Yeon-shin, who stood firmly, did not look at him. In his eyes, which were turned slightly to the side, two arms were reflected.

The right hand, which had only the wrist remaining as it had been completely suppressed and destroyed by sword power, and the left arm with a smooth cut surface like glass. They belonged to the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader and Jeong Yeon-shin, respectively.

The remaining parts, and even the texture of the blood vessels where true energy had flowed, differed.

Their situations were also different.

Winter Dream, which the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader had lost, was strewn on the ground, while Jeong Yeon-shin was still gripping Remaining Thunder.

Better than a draw.

It was a result that both the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader and Jeong Yeon-shin knew.

“How does it feel to have become a swordsman who would definitely be counted among the top five in the vast world? There are crowds more numerous than clouds who will eagerly listen to our story. Even monstrous beings of the Yao tribe who only use giant weapons like crescent blades or large axes would respect your sword power. They did with me.”

Though the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader spoke with a smiling face, Jeong Yeon-shin did not respond. The Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword also did not seem to expect an answer.

“I’ve always been curious.”

In that moment, Winter Dream was drawn into the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s grasp as he extended his left arm. It was a swift control of objects in midair, like a quick sword.

Tak.

“How does that divine monk who returned from the north as a cripple maintain such martial prowess? Where does Divine Monk Beomheo’s formidable strength come from? It can’t be just from crudely abundant internal energy.”

Words poured out as if he had returned to being a storyteller in a conical hat. Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips.

“…It seems you have leisure.”

“Shamefully, I’m excited.”

After stopping the bleeding by pressing his blood vessels with true energy without even moving his hand, both of them were in such a state.

Only the two arms at their feet were staining the ground with sticky blood. The earth was deeply crimson.

“I gouged out my own eyes after witnessing a horrific scene and then awakened the Heart Eye and entered the Sima unorthodox path. Similarly, Divine Monk Beomheo lost both arms and one eye and approached the pinnacle of the righteous martial world. In a sense, we both transcended through loss.”

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, swinging Winter Dream in his left hand a few times. He truly appeared quite excited.

“Then what would the Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword look like focusing on left-handed swordsmanship? In fact, my proficiency is already not shallow.”

It was as he said.

The way he gripped the sword with his left hand did not look awkward.

It was fitting for a peerless swordsman said to harbor a thousand swords in his heart. It was only natural that someone who wielded all sorts of subtleties with a single blade would have cultivated left-handed techniques as well.

Wuuung―

Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin was looking at him intently while adjusting the Luminous Wheel Technique within his body. This was to maintain the unity of spirit, energy, and body.

If not now, it would be difficult. He was in a state where the acupoints corresponding to an entire arm had completely disappeared.

There was a need to alter the structure of true energy residing in the twelve meridians, the blood vessels throughout his body, and of course, the fine vessels.

Fortunately, it was no different from restoring the balance of a body that had temporarily tilted.

‘Constantly strengthen the momentum of the Great Circulation. Mitigate the repercussions of losing the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin with the Great Circulation flow of the Luminous Wheel Technique. Concentrate the capability of the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique on the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming, and temporarily establish a new axis of true energy in the left half of the body……’

Once a realization is grasped, it is never let go. The state of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown is the same.

A gentle wind blew out from Jeong Yeon-shin, who had exposed his smooth, muscular upper body, and the blind peerless master, who had been casually swinging his sword as if practicing, burst into hearty laughter.

“I was planning to seclude myself for at least a month.”

You won, I won’t interfere― he added, shaking his head.

“We’re each doing what we need right now. Thanks to you, I’m eager to incorporate the insights of left-handed swordsmanship into my body immediately. And I won’t emerge into the martial world for at least a year. Additionally, even if conflicts with Desolate Fortress arise in the future, I will not touch your martial lineage. I promise this on Winter Dream.”

His voice was filled with unprecedented goodwill. This was a declaration that the Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword would withdraw from Hangzhou.

It was truly strange. Meanwhile, the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, who had been slashing at the air, let out a casual exclamation of admiration.

“Ah, heavenly luck follows me.”

A faint line had been inscribed in the air along the trajectory he had struck. The semi-transparent trajectory of Form Shifting Void. After glancing briefly at the sky, the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader began to walk away, saying:

“It would be best for you to receive divine medical treatment as soon as possible. If you don’t want to lose your left arm forever.”

It was then.

Suddenly, Jeong Yeon-shin’s finger twitched and.

Kung―

A portion of the sword path that had been etched in a straight line in the air was erased as if it were a lie. It was a combination of the capability of the dynamic technique, which could allow movement slightly even while focusing to the extreme on energy circulation, and a technique for breaking down martial arts.

In that moment, the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, who had rarely shown a flustered expression, exclaimed “Oops.”

“My farewell will be brief.”

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, who had stepped into the gap in space with a large stride, was sucked into that vertical line like smoke and.

“I hope your maple leaves will cling to the wind.”

With a faintly smiling well-wish, he disappeared without a trace.

Simultaneously, a massive palm-shaped energy pushed through and passed the spot where the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader had been standing. It was an extremely brilliant golden color.

Whooooooong!!

A fierce wave of thick dust swept through the surroundings.

A strike that seemed to have targeted only the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader. The golden palm energy, reminiscent of Buddha’s palm, dissipated from its spot without any other explosion or collision.

‘That’s an incredibly long distance.’

Jeong Yeon-shin thought while focusing on his energy circulation.

There was a glimpse of an ability to control energy far from the body, as if using a mind-controlled sword. It was truly terrifying. This was especially so because it was something even the current Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t accomplish.

Could it be Buddha Palm? A peerless martial art said to transform into Thousand-Hand Buddha Palm after arduous training and achieving great success.

It was clearly an energy that had arrived from a distance.

But the fact that the energy had reached him also meant that the master of internal energy had managed to close the distance in a brief moment.

In an instant, a monk appeared before Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes as if rising up.

Hwook!

“Amitabha.”

A monk with his left eye neatly bound with hemp cloth.

His appearance with orange sleeves, empty on the inside, hanging long on both sides.

In that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin felt an incredible presence, but that overwhelming energy wave and spirituality disappeared completely the moment the monk saw Jeong Yeon-shin’s empty arm.

Sadness welled up in the single eye of Divine Monk Beomheo. It was an eye color like autumn leaves that had become faded due to dust.

“I am sorry.”

A single phrase was extremely heavy. A voice that was drawn heavily from an incredibly broad chest, perhaps due to Shaolin’s characteristic external strength.

But even the monk’s robe of Divine Monk Beomheo was full of dried bloodstains, and some parts were even torn as if they had been bitten by something.

He did not resemble the divine monk who was like a symbol of perfection despite missing two arms and one eye.

Jeong Yeon-shin raised a palm salute with one hand. That appearance resembled the half-palm of Shaolin monks.

“There is no reason for me to hear the Abbot’s apology.”

No response came from the Shaolin Abbot. Jeong Yeon-shin silently felt the deep gaze of the righteous absolute master as he finished his energy circulation.

Jeobuk.

He stood facing the monk.

The guardian deity of the righteous path who oversaw the ‘gate’ of Henan.

In reality, there are village sacrifices praying for Divine Monk Beomheo’s care. There was one in Xinye County where Jeong Yeon-shin had lived.

Such a being cannot arrive at a specific place with precisely set times and dates. It should be viewed as the entire vast Henan Province moving as one.

“It seems the monk’s journey was not peaceful. You should take care of your precious body……”

Jeong Yeon-shin trailed off. A being for whom he had once conducted rituals with the villagers from a distance in his childhood. His fantasy about monks and Taoists remained despite having experienced the martial world to a considerable extent.

After all, all the practitioners of the Nine Great Sects he had formed connections with were exceptionally pure.

Divine Monk Beomheo, who had been staring intently at him, opened his mouth again. But there was no time for words to emerge.

Sabak.

Without even a hint of presence, suddenly a snow-white sock-covered foot stepped on the ground. It was a woman with an old sword at her waist over a pale pink Taoist robe.

Some of the broken undergrowth instantly regained their green color. It was the realm of Living Sword.

“Yeon-shin.”

A faint purple color was carried on her exhale.

It was the color of divine skill. The internal energy breathing of Brilliant Jade Sword God was shaken. Jeong Yeon-shin deliberately raised the corner of his mouth slightly. Because only now did he suddenly realize.

That his move to push Lady Lu Xian away from the joint attack of Dark Heaven Emperor and the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader could have brought her shame and pain.

“Lady..”

“Your arm, how…!”

The body of Brilliant Jade Sword God, like a divine sword, trembled slightly. Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head.

“We’re both safe, so that’s enough. Fortunately.”

“No, it’s not. I, I should have been a bit faster……”

Dark Fragrance Step of the Mount Hua Sect Leader was already overwhelmingly fast. Even Jeong Yeon-shin’s Ten-Li Gentle Light couldn’t guarantee superiority.

It was just that the land of Hangzhou, which had been formed by the merging of three cities during the chaotic founding period, was absurdly vast.

Jeong Yeon-shin bowed his body.

Swish.

The ends of his hair, which had fallen down to his lower back, were partially scattered. It was due to the sword energy of the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader that had permeated his entire body.

Blood flowed like a net from his exposed abdominal muscles.

“The Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword.”

Jeong Yeon-shin picked up his severed left arm lying on the ground and slung it over his shoulder. As blood splattered with a “tok” sound, Brilliant Jade Sword God’s eyes trembled slightly.

“Is no longer in Hangzhou.”

He calmly concluded. The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader cannot return to this land.

The result of two peerless swordsmen clashing in martial arts. Jeong Yeon-shin’s low declaration announced the victory of a rare confrontation to the world.

Did his words draw attention?

Suddenly, the gazes of the absolute masters of the Nine Great Sects converged on one spot.

Duguen―

A right hand emitting transparent energy like heartbeats. It lay sprawled on the dirt floor like a drunkard who had fallen while dancing, yet it contained a martial prowess that chilled the human heart.

Even martial sorcery practitioners with broad knowledge in all areas would treat it as a dharma treasure.

A sight that even any peerless master would find difficult to calmly observe. It was even more so because what that right hand signified was singular.

“……”

As a deep silence flowed.

Suddenly, something came flying from afar, tearing through the air with a “shwaaaack” sound. It was a long silver object that grew rapidly larger.

In the pupils of Jeong Yeon-shin, who had raised his eyebrows, he saw a girl standing on a long spear.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s lips parted.

“Senior.”

Desolate Divine Spear Yue Shou-lin.

Her slightly forward-leaning posture was combative.

She was crossing the sky at an extremely fast speed, as if she had become impatient with her own movement while racing with lightness technique, thrown her spear, and climbed onto it.

“What happened to your arm! What happened to your arm, I said! Divine Doctor! I know the Divine Doctor is here! Hey, what were you all doing?! You monk and Taoist, step aside!”

In an instant, she was close by. Perhaps because intense energy had been infused, she filled Jeong Yeon-shin’s field of vision before he could even blink.

She embraced Jeong Yeon-shin’s waist with the same swift momentum and then spun around once on the spot with a “hwak” sound.

She looked like someone who had failed to uproot a tree she had tried to take away. Jeong Yeon-shin felt the warm scent of his grandmother buried in his childhood memories but did not show it.

Kung!

The spear shaft fell far away.

Though Jeong Yeon-shin’s body was exhausted due to “Radiant Taiji, Enter the Path and Transcend Together,” his center of gravity and balance remained undisturbed.

It wasn’t to the extent that he would be carried away like luggage by Yue Shou-lin, compromising the dignity of the purple.

“Senior Yue.”

“Are you okay? Are you really okay? Your face is so pale… No, you were always like this, right?”

“King Qiong-ming wouldn’t have sent you.”

“How would I know?”

“……”

Jeong Yeon-shin gently helped her up while thinking about what would come next. The forces gathered here were immense, to say the least.

But what if two absolute masters of martial sorcery and a rain dragon were added?

‘Can humans handle it…?’

But what seemed truly important to Desolate Divine Spear right now was something else.

As Divine Monk Beomheo and Brilliant Jade Sword God watched them with different expressions, Yue Shou-lin pulled on Jeong Yeon-shin’s right arm with her small hand.

“Right now, the Beggar Sect old man is with the Divine Doctor. I don’t know where this Divine Beggar fellow got injured, but if we get delayed in the queue because of that grumpy drunkard, it’s over! Hurry, hur…?”

It was shortly after that she belatedly noticed the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s right hand and parted her lips.

Above their heads.

Saaaaa―

A cool breeze stirred in the ruined forest. Waves of leaves and maple leaves repeatedly swept and turned over. The sunlight striking the yellowish and reddish colors impartially dyed the high-level masters.

Within that transparent breeze were all sorts of thoughts and emotions.

The four people exchanged a few words and then left the place.

Thus, as the dam of time burst open and a faint sunset glow began to spread from the western sky.

The upheaval of the martial world began.