Chapter 613 – Three Swords (6)

A smile formed on Literary Star’s large lips. At the same time, his massive foot briefly kicked Namgung Hwa-shin.

Crash…!

Grayish shock waves crumpled from Namgung Hwa-shin’s abdomen, then shot his struck body like a cannonball. Instantly, a yellowish whirlwind cut straight across the plain following the trajectory his form had stretched out.

It was a sight that inevitably drew the gazes of Jin Myeong-jo and other black ranks for a moment.

“Hmm.”

Literary Star shrugged his shoulders once greatly.

That alone caused hazy ripples to burst from his shoulder blades with a bang. In an instant, with the muscles concentrated in both arms and overwhelming internal energy, he filled the parts split by the two sword wounds.

At that moment, a voice like breaking ice flowed from before Literary Star’s face.

“Focus on me.”

It was Jin Myeong-jo. Words spat at the greatest external arts practitioner whose fist and palm techniques were known as signature techniques.

Literary Star smiled broadly.

“I didn’t know your swordwork could reach above the tendons. It’s fortunate I hastily tightened my muscles.”

Just as Literary Star had bought time to shrug his shoulders, Jin Myeong-jo, who had delivered an absurd sword strike earlier, also needed breathing room for his internal energy. It was one exchange they had shared.

Literary Star glanced over Jin Myeong-jo’s shoulder.

Some youth with a hero’s headband was catching Namgung Hwa-shin. He wore blue robes with black robes over them, looking like an incomplete black rank. Only the killing intent crystallized throughout his body was unusual.

But Literary Star’s eyes even assessed the hero’s headband youth’s identity. Desolate Fortress Divine Hero Hyeon Won-chang. If they were enemies of the demon realm, none were insignificant.

“I’m fine.”

Namgung Hwa-shin said while being supported by Hyeon Won-chang. His pupils were rolled back, fully revealing the whites.

He had gone from unconsciousness to nearly dying.

“Sturdy.”

Literary Star’s muttering.

At the same time, Namgung Hwa-shin patted Hyeon Won-chang’s shoulder and stood shakily in place. No one could know. What kind of thoughts filled his mind.

All madmen indeed.

But Literary Star soon returned his gaze. Because a blood demon holding twin swords was standing in the air with void-treading lightness skill.

Literary Star opened his mouth.

“As Mencius spoke of those who exhaust their minds… Since your martial arts improve as much as you put your hearts into it, it’s truly admirable.”

While blood trickled down his thick shoulders like an iron tower. It was the rarely seen blood of the ‘Six Stars.’ Even though the battle had only just begun.

“But this is war. Different from the battles you’ve experienced – do you think you can win?”

“……”

Jin Myeong-jo only darkly restored the twin swords of dark mist that had briefly become hazy. And that was all. Literary Star’s words couldn’t continue.

Before they knew it, Gao Yao Holy Sword Lord’s great sword was perpendicular to the sky, while other black ranks had also finished loading their techniques at close range. Each holding one sword of dark red mist.

They don’t stop. There’s no sign of rest.

Instantly, the nearby atmosphere distorted semi-transparently following their movements.

Whoosh!

The transcendent giant’s vision went completely black.

* * *

It was a tremendous sight.

The sturdiest among the Six Star Lords, the Northern King with a great sword, and the Divine Sword Squad Leader, Annihilation Team Leader, Wish-fulfilling Spring Leader, Forest-Treading Squad Leader, Radiant Sword Squad Leader, and Obeying Heaven Leader became entangled in the yellowish whirlwind.

The masters’ explosive forces had created a waterspout. A vortex of height far surpassing even the fortress walls.

There was even Hyeon Won-chang circling outside the whirlwind with killing eyes. His black robes fluttering like blade edges.

Bang bang bang bang bang bang…!

The dirt ground was endlessly carved out in massive spirals, and beyond that, Black Capital’s fortress walls continuously trembled slightly. Dust flowed down like silk from between the bricks.

How many exchanges they had traded, which strikes had been aimed at whom – it was hard to fathom.

Under the steel-blue sky of late winter.

A realm where no one else could approach.

Kugugung!

This was also true for Shin So-bin, who was currently racing toward the fortress walls while forming Brilliant River. The vortex created by both sides’ leadership clashing was clearly more overwhelming than her palm techniques.

‘Brilliant River should be stronger, but why…!’

She knew the reason. Naturally, it was the practitioner’s problem.

But what could she do? She knew nothing about Jeong Yeon-shin. As someone from a noble prestigious family, as the fortunate chief disciple of the Lightning Genius lineage, she had only been blessed with good fortune.

That’s when it happened.

“Break through as is!”

A middle-aged swordsman with notably high seniority among the blue ranks, Annihilation Squad’s Crimson Day Sword, shouted from the front.

There were no metallic collision sounds. Only the rumbling of lightness skill sprints shaking the earth and the sound of fierce winds.

Desolate Fortress Divine Sword Group.

They flowed past the densely charging crescent blades and axes, horse hooves and aggressive punch strike shock waves in one moment to sprint toward the gates.

The sight of five hundred Divine Sword Group warriors stepping over the blades before them with their hands or rotating like whirlwinds at extreme speed to pass by enemies.

“…?!”

Emotions were revealed for the first time on the distorted faces of the numerous mounted forces. Those who should have been crushed to death had virtually skipped the collision. They couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

Was it because their achievement in neutralizing force endlessly rose as soon as they deeply learned the Divine Sword Group’s Jeong Family Dynamic Technique?

Kugugugugugung!

The blue warriors each flexibly overcame the martial army forces to a degree that surprised even themselves. Enough to prioritize searching for Jeong Yeon-shin.

“Don’t look around! All Northern Kings are the black swords’ share!”

Crimson Day Sword shouted repeatedly. Just then, Shin So-bin, who had been running while staring spellbound at the squad leaders’ whirlwind, suddenly spurred her lightness skill.

Whoosh!

She leaped over the fortress walls in one great bound.

Gentle clusters of Ten Li Gentle Light connected to her heels. Many blue warriors also banged up the fortress walls vertically.

Shin So-bin glanced back while in the air.

Powerful pressure smacked her cheek.

About a thousand martial army forces of Black Capital were turning their horses’ heads around on the slope. With features twisted like wrong masks, Yao tribe jianghu people with frames four or five times larger than Shin So-bin’s.

‘There’s no time…!’

They had all learned Heaven Steel Light Armor without exception. She had already felt its heavy pressure on her skin while passing by once. If they properly collided, her escape route would be blocked and she might be crushed to death.

Even the Yao tribe members who had attempted lightness skill charges had already caught up to the Divine Sword Group’s rear.

Unlike mounted martial arts, direction changes were free. The situation where pursuing footsteps and hoof sounds shook the earth’s axis.

Yeon So-ha, who was said to have insight into escape since none other than Yong Hye-myeong was his superior, whistled from one side.

“If caught, they’ll crush heads first. At that level, they’d trample Beijing too, right? Is this correct?”

“Senior Yeon should focus too.”

Shin So-bin left all of that behind and rustled down from the fortress. Finally, Black Capital. Pavilions built with black bricks like their name filled her vision like another fortress wall.

Even though she had definitely crossed the fortress, it seemed another stronghold was spread out. Even though it was only quiet without any signs of people.

All pavilions were like massive swords.

Unlike the south, since they didn’t strive to block ‘Gates,’ to repel strange birds that occasionally flew from the sky, they had sharply raised even house roofs – that was their way of life.

Heavy air also rushed in with a whoosh. Very humid. Just smelling the blood scent permeating everywhere made her body feel heavy.

Meanwhile, most of the Divine Sword Group’s five hundred blue ranks had landed in the city from the fortress. Not a single vibration occurred.

They absorbed even the slightest shock through the Bubbling Spring acupoints on their soles, making it the propulsive force of lightness skill at this moment.

“Prepare sword formation!”

Crimson Day Sword’s shout climbed up the blade-sharp roofs.

The Divine Sword Group struck the ground in unison.

Crash…!

The moment stone debris burst in all directions, the blue warriors broke through the layered shock waves they had created themselves and rushed to the demon realm capital’s official roads.

An overwhelming military city.

Since it was a path open even to common people, it was truly tremendously wide. Wide enough for seventeen or eighteen four-horse carriages to race simultaneously.

The destination was clear.

Beyond the vast official roads and dozens of pavilion complexes.

At an absurdly distant point, the ruler’s palace rose up.

A form clearly different from the houses that surrounded the Divine Sword Group like a forest of swords. Covered with elegant octagonal roofs like Ming Dynasty architectural style, filled with black darkness inside.

It was called Black Capital Old Palace.

The place where everything of the being who would become the Qing Dynasty’s emperor was located.

Ming Cult Leader Young Heavenly Demon Invincible would be there. Since they said she was preparing formations to manifest the Fighting God. There was even a high possibility that other Northern Kings were standing as her dharma protectors.

Naturally, the Southern Emperor under heaven would also be sitting on the throne.

But there was no other path.

Whether staying still or turning back to retreat, death named Fighting God and Northern Kings would come, and above all, the Divine Sword Group had lost their Acting Group Leader.

They raced with roars attached to their heels.

“Keep circulating energy.”

“The circulation mustn’t stop.”

Words spoken as if to themselves.

Even while running, they prepared techniques with moving cultivation.

Meanwhile, Black Capital’s center was greatly opened with official roads, so advancing wasn’t difficult. Beyond that were the pavilion complexes of high officials.

Houses built in vast rectangular rows. Like fortresses due to their similarly pointed roofs, but they had to cross even that point for Black Capital Old Palace to appear.

A distance of over three thousand zhang.

A width comparable to or even exceeding the old Chang’an City of the Central Plains. Naturally, even with swift lightness skill, they couldn’t cross it in one moment.

They saw many things.

Atmosphere glowing semi-transparently in circles everywhere. Flesh pieces and blood spread before them, organs fallen from unknown body parts. A scene as if common people had fled while obtaining fresh meat through slaughter.

An overwhelming atmosphere.

Bright red muscle masses or fascia sometimes pulsated on their own. They would be parts discarded for being inedible.

What beast’s meat was it?

Naturally, it would be monsters that came from those ‘Gates’ – Shin So-bin thought. At the same time, she gently stroked her bosom.

“You’re doing it again. You can’t come out. Strange birds will catch and eat you.”

The swallow that had been pushing her front lapel with its short beak hesitated. Soon after, there was a sign of a small head tilting in her bosom.

“That’s right, good girl.”

The demon realm jianghu Shin So-bin had learned about was supposed to be like this. One had to act cautiously, always be patient, and simultaneously look after others, yet still inevitably lose someone…

Her grandmaster had been like that.

Even now, it was a situation without Jeong Yeon-shin. Hadn’t the Divine Sword Group reached this place accepting annihilation from the beginning? The reason Shin So-bin had deeply learned Brilliant River was also there.

‘I have to save at least one more person…’

That’s when it happened.

From one side, a youth in blue military uniform worn like rags drowsily opened his eyes. A young blue warrior from Nether Stream Squad origin. Now it was Sambok, drafted as a Divine Sword Squad member.

“…It’s Shame Extreme Army.”

The front shimmered opaquely like midsummer.

The aftermath of tremendous internal energy barriers. In the distorted atmosphere, crowds that completely blocked Black Capital’s central official road. Easily three hundred.

Elite forces under Shame Extreme King, famous for the world’s greatest protective energy.

Monsters of Heaven Steel Light Armor.

Martial army forces said to be able to imprison even Northern Kings.

But the blue masters saw beyond that. Right now, the middle-aged blade master Wu Yue-xiang from Radiant Demon Wing with only one arm was raising her sword hilt toward Black Capital Old Palace.

“There will definitely be more Northern Kings. They seem to be serving as dharma protectors. First, it’s clear Shame Extreme King is there…”

By then, the Divine Sword Group had already approached within ten steps of Shame Extreme Army. Because they hadn’t slowed down at all. They were visible through the semi-transparent air.

Yao tribe jianghu people who had pulled their massive fists to the opposite shoulders and distorted the atmosphere with elbows raised like spear points.

Stillness in motion.

Quiet yet aggressive.

The masters of Heaven Steel Light Armor took an overwhelming offensive just by standing still. There would have been countless who were crushed the moment they collided. Because it was divine art that had even cornered the Divine Sword Group Leader.

Even those were forces who had cultivated the technique called Heaven Steel Light Armor to the demon realm’s peak.

Instantly, Shin So-bin felt it.

Crack…

It was the sound of Sambok grinding his teeth. A Divine Sword Squad scout who had learned Nether Stream Squad martial arts. He couldn’t help but know well what Jeong Yeon-shin had experienced in the north. He would have seen it directly in the Clear Light Plain battle.

Bang!

The five hundred Divine Sword Group members rushed like diving hawks. White light streams faintly flowed from their weapons and bodies simultaneously.

Simultaneous operation of Jeong Family Dynamic Technique and Radiant Art Bond.

Woooooong!

The flow of true energy meshed as if it had been one from the beginning. Each time they stepped, white air currents thickened, and the energy waves of Heaven Steel Light Armor that first collided with Radiant Art Bond’s power waves crumpled.

“…?”

“What is this.”

Cracks appeared in the Shame Extreme Army masters’ expressionless faces.

Desolate Fortress Divine Sword Group.

Absurdly fast. They didn’t hesitate at all. Before they knew it, the lightness skill sprint of blue masters who had bared their teeth created a strange roar near Shame Extreme Army’s noses and transformed into a massive light mass.

It was an instant before one massive light sword enveloped the Divine Sword Group. It flickered like lightning without time to blink once.

Crash!

A pure white shining radiance tsunami pushed past Shame Extreme Army.

Tremendous shock waves burst in all directions like feathers, and groups who were immediately explosively bounced away or had their entire bodies torn apart appeared in succession. At the same time, even the blood scent was torn apart by Radiant Art Bond’s shock waves.

Ruins remained.

The ground belatedly sank down, and fragments of what had been people were swept down through the gaps. The atmosphere that had been compressed to the extreme briefly burst apart with a bang.

“……”

Deathly silence.

The Divine Sword Group had already advanced far ahead. Fragments of white explosive force were fading in their footprints. There were no casualties.

A result no one had thought of.

At this moment.

The absolute ruler’s voice might have slowly descended from distant Black Capital Old Palace.

[…The Divine Sword Group Leader and I are those who have gained supreme human harmony. Aren’t the surroundings abundant with good talent?]

“Southern Emperor…?!”

Separate from Shin So-bin’s reaction, very archaic words continued.

[But since this is Black Capital, geographical advantage lies with me, and since I have long calculated the time here, heavenly timing also follows me.]

“……”

[On the other hand, those like the Divine Sword Group Leader who are heaven-sent swords always have trials accompanying them. Naturally, there’s no way to fight with full strength.

As always, he will arrive just before you reach death or after, to swallow tears of indignation. With a body like rags.]

Heavenly timing, geographical advantage, human harmony.

The Yao tribe being designated as emperor spoke of Mencius’s teachings. Meaning he didn’t take pride in learning. It was hair-raising.

[Now go.]

At the same time, heavy presences rose from various parts of vast Black Capital. There had been forces other than the martial army forces chasing the Divine Sword Group until now.

Natural if natural. This was none other than the demon realm’s capital.

‘Ah…!’

And Shin So-bin realized. That the words the Southern Emperor had spoken until now were a type of true words. By speaking upper energy center will aloud, he had created mystical harmony.

At this moment, it felt like he had encouraged the explosive forces of martial army forces rising throughout Black Capital.

There was even no knowing what other Northern Kings might appear under the pretext of dharma protection. They would have staked everything on manifesting the Fighting God.

Whoooosh!

Terrifying pressures rushed toward the Divine Sword Group from everywhere. There were even mounted forces that had charged up behind them.

Though they had come accepting such a situation earlier, the energies actually touching their skin were literally something of a nation.

Shadows fell on the face of Crimson Day Sword leading the vanguard.

“Just a little more…”

It was when young masters like Shin So-bin, Sambok, and Yeon So-ha quickly looked around in all directions.

Far south of Black Capital.

The distant mountain ranges opposite the great city.

Suddenly, a straight trajectory was carved along the rough northern horizon. At a glance, it looked like a sword path, but somehow gave a suspicious feeling.

“Dark path…?”

Shin So-bin’s eyes widened as she looked back.

[Southern Emperor.]

It rang faintly from afar. A voice that flowed out riding dim starlight. A young man’s voice permeated the plain like an echo.

[You’re conscious of me.]

The vast sky’s feathery clouds began breaking apart strand by strand. It was a transcendent sight. Even untimely twilight poured down.

It rippled from the distant ridge.

Whoosh!

Sharp energy surged from the endlessly spread sea of clouds. Ashen clouds were splitting left and right, forming long shadows.

The sky slowly opened.

Instantly, a pure white swallow soared from Shin So-bin’s bosom. Strength entered its pure white shoulder blades, and the swallow’s wings soon overlapped with the night sky’s horizon like sword hilts.

Peeeeeek…

The white swallow’s cry was clear.