Chapter 509 – Desolate Great War (9)

The sky was cloudy.

It didn’t feel like the harsh winter. Rather, it was a landscape closer to summer days, with even the air heated extremely hot and rippling in the void.

Thud.

Charred stone fragments fell ominously from the already collapsed castle walls.

Those ramparts, leaving only traces of having once spread out vastly, lay lengthily settled on the ground like a sandcastle that the giant Pangu from ancient legends had left half-finished.

Making crackling sounds as if having been exposed to intense blazing sun for a long time.

The western boundary of the Desolate Fortress Annihilation Great War.

Nearly two thousand people were divided into two sides, silently gazing at each other. While rotating the true energy within their bodies through internal energy breathing.

The wandering martial forces were enormous. No one could guess how many merchant groups Yu Ling Leader was operating behind the scenes.

There were even about thirty iron soldiers on one side of the Thirteen Evil Sects camp, who were the ones who had earlier destroyed Desolate Fortress’s formations.

Thus.

It was after battles had already occurred several times.

Dark red bloodstains glistened on the ground that divided them. A somewhat sticky texture. The earth had not yet fully absorbed all the blood that had flowed until now.

The outsiders who had already stormed in were already backing against the traces of the shattered ramparts. The Desolate Fortress side had been pushed back considerably.

Nevertheless, the jianghu martial world masters that Yu Ling had gathered were expressionless. Among them, the energy waves of mental transmissions continuously flowed hazily.

—Where is Yu Ling Leader?

—He’s not visible. It’s somewhat strange. Could it be that he’s abandoned the great plan…

—Nonsense. Even if Desolate Day Extinction appeared unexpectedly, it’s too early to say that just that has completely tilted the tide of war. They said this was something prepared for at least ten-odd years.

—Of course, I also don’t think Desolate Day Extinction could simultaneously kill both the Martial Dragon Alliance Leader and Gang of Demons Green Forest Grand Chief…

That’s when it happened.

“Rather than such meaningless concerns, wouldn’t it be fine if you strike swiftly enough to take only what you want and withdraw?”

At the words of a middle-aged man wearing blue silk clothing, the energy waves of the wandering martial artists who had been moving their lips stopped.

Guan Mo-zun, known as Yu Ling Leader’s confidant, had overheard the mental transmission. Those who momentarily couldn’t hide their chills and showed shock all over their faces.

Swish.

Guan Mo-zun slowly clasped his hands behind his back.

And with thread-thin eyes, he drew a smile and opened his mouth.

“Throughout ancient and modern times, there has been no such battle in this land’s jianghu, so it’s truly a great war that draws the attention of all under heaven. What good would come from lowering morale with needless speculation?”

“……”

“Oh, the imperial court’s watchdogs are coming again. Well, they wouldn’t want to see Sea Overflow Fist Heaven’s Six Harmonies Morning Demon Lightning again either. Everyone move.”

With his words, semi-transparent propulsion energy waves exploded from all directions, and suddenly the masters from both sides who charged at each other while stepping on those energy waves began clashing and bursting with fierce shock waves.

Kugugugu-gung! Zzzing!

The atmosphere violently swayed. The battlefield became tumultuous in an instant as if explosives had gone off.

Soon after, a figure who had been sitting cross-legged at Guan Mo-zun’s feet slowly stood up.

He wasn’t particularly tall.

His build also had no especially notable aspects, yet just by standing up at this moment, the surrounding scenery faintly curved with a whoosh.

This was due to the heat hazily circling along his body lines.

“……”

Wearing somewhat faded red battle robes and covering his face with a mask shaped like a four-eyed demon—his appearance mimicking a great general of a nation like a performer was distinctive.

Guan Mo-zun, who glanced back at him, furrowed his brow.

“You’ve already finished energy circulation and breath control? The elixir you swallowed was ‘Evening Sun,’ our sect’s treasure comparable to a Resurrection Pill. No matter how deep your internal cultivation, you should need at least one time period to dissolve it into your meridian points.”

The masked man answered in a low voice.

“Energy circulation in battle is long even for one meal period.”

His pronunciation was slightly slurred. Imperfect speech and conduct compared to his splendid attire. But Guan Mo-zun only threw out a brief remark and shut his mouth.

“Remember our agreement.”

Thirteen Evil Sect Leader Sea Overflow Fist Heaven didn’t answer.

Step.

He silently took one step forward, and when some Desolate Fortress masters who saw that scene began moving even faster to activate formations.

Suddenly the world became slow.

Sea Overflow Fist Heaven transformed into reddish light in place, leaving a gentle curve on the ground as he passed through the entire battlefield.

Movement swimming through completely different time.

With even the castle walls where formation energy had been dwelling having collapsed earlier, there was nothing to block Sea Overflow Fist Heaven.

Even the roaring sounds from his body technique were fragmented as they echoed.

Kwa— Kwa— Kwa—!

The bodies of those engulfed in the influence range of that trajectory melted away regardless of friend or foe. Most of them were wandering martial artists who couldn’t even turn around in time.

However, Sea Overflow Fist Heaven pushed that scene far behind as he raced deep into the main castle.

Each time he stepped once, the ground sank stickily, and before that ground could even transform into a swamp of heat, his form shot forward even further.

The greedy gazes of wandering martial artists who slowly followed the path he had broken through turned toward the western end.

Radiant Demon Wing Hall. The origin of the Lightning Genius martial lineage where unknown divine skills might still slumber.

“…!”

Whoosh!

But even a corner of that hall complex began collapsing and burning. It was the aftermath of Sea Overflow Fist Heaven’s movement.

Naturally, the wall surfaces of the training grounds where Radiant Demon Wing Lightning Genius’s lightness technique footprints remained were also shattered along with soot.

However, Law Enforcement Squad Leader Yun Xiao-yu and Immortal Tree Spirit Squad Leader Cheon So-so, who had been in energy regulation and breath control there, couldn’t follow the fierce beast in time.

This was due to the strangely different speeds of energy recovery.

Thus Sea Overflow Fist Heaven became the first throughout history to cross straight through Desolate Fortress’s inner castle without hindrance, reaching his destination in an instant.

Thud!

A small castle built of snow-white marble.

It was Desolate Fortress’s Heavenly Gold Martial Arsenal.

“……”

Despite the main castle entering wartime, there were as many as thirty gate guard warriors standing watch.

This was natural. If compared to Shaolin, it was like the Scripture Repository. There was no way they would treat the place where all of Desolate Fortress’s martial arts secret manuals were stored carelessly.

From Sea Overflow Fist Heaven’s demon mask, his voice flowed out inarticularly.

“Move aside.”

“This is the first time receiving an outsider here, but may I ask your business?”

A young man who opened the door of the Heavenly Gold Martial Arsenal asked. The scholars of the Administrative Office, including him, never showed respect to enemies.

Even if the enemy they faced directly was a peerless master who held their life and death in his grasp.

Scholar Oh Il-hwan.

He had friendship with Lord Jeong of the main castle. It was a relationship that continued from when the boy of the Jeong family who carried the secret manuals of the Lightning Genius martial lineage had knocked on the door of the Heavenly Gold Martial Arsenal.

Then Yu Ling’s Guan Mo-zun landed beside Sea Overflow Fist Heaven and opened his mouth.

“No need for long words. We know that your Heavenly Gold Martial Arsenal has formations that set fires when irresistible invaders set foot. Release them here.”

“You’re talking nonsense.”

The moment Scholar Oh spat out expressionlessly, the guard warriors standing as if protecting him all drew their swords and aimed them at the intruders.

Guan Mo-zun turned his gaze to Sea Overflow Fist Heaven and said.

“Strike acupoints first and proceed to bone separation and flesh stripping. I followed along because I was concerned about you, but thinking of Law Enforcement Squad Leader and Immortal Tree Spirit Squad Leader who couldn’t do anything until we reached here, this seems like a perfect opportunity… I intend to definitely kill at least Immortal Tree Spirit Squad Leader Cheon So-so.”

Well, anyway you have much more insight into torture than I do.

When Guan Mo-zun, who had muttered thus, was turning around.

From afar.

Some old man slowly moved his feet toward them. He had just turned from an alley.

Shuffle—

Footsteps that could hardly be seen as having strength.

Rather than a martial artist, it was closer to the gait of a village elder who used his body well, and at a glance only the precious purple sleeve edges fluttered elegantly.

Naturally there should be attendants helping his movements, yet the old man was alone.

But Guan Mo-zun’s face lit up upon seeing him.

“Isn’t this Desolate Fortress’s Elder Council Head? You’ve truly taken precious steps.”

“What about me is precious? I have a body where everything is shabby like you.”

Shin Byeok replied to Guan Mo-zun.

Meanwhile, Sea Overflow Fist Heaven only stared at the main gate of the Heavenly Gold Martial Arsenal. He seemed to have no interest whatsoever in the already fallen old man.

Shin Byeok didn’t pay attention to him and asked.

“You should focus only on the main castle’s annihilation, so what misbehavior is this at an innocent library?”

“There are books we must urgently take before this place burns. For example, precious things like Jeong Family Dynamic Technique, Brilliant River, Dragon Ring Sword, Harmonious Flower Divine Technique, and all martial arts of the Immortal Tree Spirit Squad Leader. You surely didn’t keep things like Jeong Family Dynamic Technique and Brilliant River in Radiant Demon Wing Hall, did you?”

“Ignorant fool. How many of those do you think are stored in this library?”

“If we get even one, that’s enough. But I’m also curious about something. How did someone whose body isn’t even healthy come here so timely?”

“The Heavenly Gold Martial Arsenal is placed beside the Desolate First Family. The main castle’s laws are thus.”

“Ah, the Shin Family was near here. I understand.”

Guan Mo-zun smiled and continued speaking.

“I have one more question. This is curiosity about your courage, but with what confidence exactly…”

Whoosh!

His form that disappeared from place appeared while grasping Shin Byeok’s shoulder.

Wrinkles naturally formed in the purple garment edges. As if showing what Desolate Fortress’s position in the current jianghu was like.

“…Why did you reveal yourself? Now an old man who is only purple in appearance.”

“……”

Before they knew it, the surroundings of the Heavenly Gold Martial Arsenal were filled with the heat that Sea Overflow Fist Heaven emitted.

Dense silence filling the vicinity riding on sunlight. The transparent sky was crumpled like the old man’s garment edges at this moment.

That’s when it happened.

Guan Mo-zun suddenly faintly overheard a strand of mental transmission.

Where had it come down and embedded from? A voice with the distinct pronunciation characteristic of scholars. It was the voice of Desolate Fortress’s Grand Administrator.

[…Permission granted. Formations are prepared, and the range is… up to there. The original spirit of former Divine Sword Group Leader Shin… activating now.]

“Not yet.”

Shin Byeok moved his wrinkled lips with an expressionless face. Not answering the mental transmission, but declaring to Guan Mo-zun.

“My spirit is still purple.”

Before those words could even finish, energy that rose from underground covered the old man’s feet and climbed up his entire body.

Wuung!

Simultaneously, semi-transparent energy waves spread from Shin Byeok’s forehead.

Waves originating from the spirit of the upper dantian refined over a long time. Instantly, strength entered the hand of Guan Mo-zun who gripped the old man’s shoulder.

‘I shouldn’t take him hostage! I must kill him here…!’

It was a moment.

The afterimage of a figure with roughly tied hair fluttering long like a waterfall arising from Shin Byeok’s form was also brief.

Whoosh!

The lips of Desolate Fortress Elder Council Head were painted over with elastic skin, and the somewhat gaunt limbs swelled up with smooth muscle curves.

It was a mystery comparable to complete transformation. As if something extremely mystical had filled his body.

“…!”

Without even time to launch a surprise attack from close range.

The next moment Elder Council Head Shin Byeok disappeared, and a woman with long hair draped behind her purple long robes stood in that place. As if a ghost had taken substance and overlaid onto a person’s body.

This was a state where the original spirit left by one already dead in a supreme realm resonated with an upper dantian of similarly lofty caliber to materialize as the true form from life.

An arrangement that only humans who reached the level of Divine Sword Group Leader could leave behind.

Sorcery martial arts transcending death.

Her red lips moved with a hearty feeling.

[How much time remains?]

—Half a time period.

[More than enough.]

The former Divine Sword Group Leader didn’t care whether Guan Mo-zun removed his hand from her shoulder or not. She simply lightly placed her own palm against her opponent.

Simultaneously.

Kwaaaaaaaaang!

The formless tension that shattered Guan Mo-zun’s body entirely like mud also swept Sea Overflow Fist Heaven’s body to the side, embedding him into one castle wall.

Wuuuung!

Instantly, thunder-like vibrations spread from the cracks that extended centered on that point, gently shaking the entire battlefield.

Shin Cheon-hwa dusted off her hands and muttered.

[I should be able to see my successor’s face before I go.]