Chapter 635 – Chaotic Times (5)

The friction of silk robes was spreading gently like a breeze.

A group of seventeen people revealed externally. Among them, sixteen all had young faces and elegant appearances, and refined discipline seeped from their every step.

Thud.

Even stepping on the tips of withered grass blades wouldn’t crush the undergrowth. All were masters of Grass-Treading Flight.

In the center of that crowd, sixteen people wearing blue official robes shouldered the legs of a massive palanquin. Four people each for a total of four legs.

Occasionally, some famous figures in jianghu would ride four-person palanquins and such when trying to show off their position in the martial world.

But the palanquin carried by sixteen men and women at this moment appeared to have been made from the start with luxurious ceremonies in mind.

Starting with how four people had to attach to properly fill one leg like now.

The founding ancestor’s means of transportation.

“It must have begun.”

Some woman’s voice rumbled from inside the palanquin. It was also like wind that had entered the cracks of a very deep old tree.

“……”

None of those shouldering the palanquin answered. Because only one person had been permitted to speak from the beginning.

An old man standing apart to the side of the group as if he weren’t part of the procession. Between his white sleeves folded behind his back and the belt at his waist, a sword hilt protruded.

Pine Pattern. It was literally a sword with pine tree patterns carved on it.

The surrounding vegetation leaned slightly toward the old man. As if he were the center of nature.

Conversely, the grass blades the palanquin had passed actually bowed their heads.

The Pine Pattern Ancient Sword’s old man who had glanced at that sight only moved his white beard much later.

“…What has begun?”

“There’s no court figure who doesn’t know that Wudang Sect Leader’s demonic possession is still severe. Since the Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword is alive, Heart Demon would be the same. But even thinking time is precious to me. From now on, hurry your answers.”

But Immortal Profound Void only silently continued walking. Even until the Ming Dynasty Grand Empress Dowager’s voice continued from the palanquin a moment later.

“I moved Sublime Courtesy Heaven Heavy Bow.”

“Lord Yang Cheon…”

“I intend to withdraw Lightning Genius’s acting position and bestow the noble national sword office.”

“Unnecessarily.”

“Divine Sword Group Leader and Divine Sword Group Acting Leader. In lands full only of starving types like the demon realm, there’s no difference, but the Ming Dynasty is different. How would you know the complex political currents?”

Along with archaic speech patterns, Lightning Genius Jeong Yeon-shin came up as a topic. Naturally, Profound Void’s words also became rarely long.

“Can Lord Yang Cheon handle the Divine Sword Group alone? I heard rumors that the Lightning Family elites’ purge might truly happen.”

“Of course, the Divine Sword Group cannot be suppressed by force unless heavenly environments and reinforcements are prepared. Heaven Heavy Bow Yang Cheon is merely a witness to the imperial command. Just a person of high status and martial prowess who can move freely conveying the Ming imperial house’s position is enough to trap Desolate Fortress at a crossroads of choice.”

The Grand Empress Dowager’s story was slow like butterfly larvae climbing tree bark, and what seeped from her voice was only indifference.

Profound Void asked.

“Isn’t it a situation where even joining forces wouldn’t be enough…?”

“The Ming Empire. A nation where popular support and justification are as important as military force, a world of higher caliber different from the barbarous north. The possibility of opening a new imperial lineage is inevitably more dangerous than monsters and demons. The danger that has arrived on this land can be sufficiently suppressed by the power of the imperial house, noble clans positioned throughout jianghu, the World Tree’s Four Great Dharma Protectors, and the Desolate Fortress Lord.”

“Obsessive martial disorder has struck severely.”

Profound Void muttered, but only the sixteen men and women shouldering the palanquin glared at him. The Grand Empress Dowager only continued her story.

“Enter The Divine. The sword that has shouldered the people’s livelihood under heaven for generations has the hearts of all Ming Dynasty people following it. It’s symbolism the Northern Emperor must not obtain. Lightning Genius must remain as acting leader. Thus he should stay only in the north with incomplete symbolism and military force limited to the Divine Sword Group.”

“Then give that to me. That Yong family bastard’s Enter The Divine Sword.”

A voice that suddenly interjected from above.

The procession stopped.

Some middle-aged man was crouching on bare tree branches. While leisurely looking down at the Grand Empress Dowager’s procession.

“I hear Enter The Divine Sword would be better given to worthless small soldiers like me. With the current Ming imperial house, shouldn’t that Yong family bastard also be wary?”

Suddenly, as if they had known all along, a reaction came from the palanquin.

“So the rumor that the Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance volunteered as scouts for a mere rebel sect was true. I was already sensing you and being suspicious.”

At the Grand Empress Dowager’s words, Martial Dragon Alliance Leader Helian Feng-yue laughed round and round.

“Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance isn’t a rebel sect. It’s jianghu’s only great sect trying to realize the martial world’s long-cherished wish of ‘non-interference between officials and martial artists’ by distancing itself from the Ming Dynasty that has somehow perished.”

“Come down. If you join my procession, I’ll pardon your past crimes and give you the office you desire.”

“I don’t need office, but I could consider it if you give two things. A one-on-one martial arts match with Divine Sword Group Leader Yong Hye-myeong, and Enter The Divine Sword under heaven. I came here today to ask about Yong Hye-myeong’s whereabouts. Which Gate is that bastard in exactly?”

“You cross the line. Not knowing your life is precious.”

Helian Feng-yue’s laughter deepened.

“You don’t know there’s no existence as free as peerless masters who don’t cling to dignity. Setting aside Wudang Sect Leader who’s a crazy old man anyway, can you with that aged body dare run as fast as Beggar Sect Leader? Do you really think I’ll be caught…?”

“This procession’s destination is the Great Gate under heaven, so you should naturally know. If you continue following like this, you’ll see not Enter The Divine Sword but Enter the Extinction Sword now.”

“You mean Desolate Fortress Lord? That old world’s greatest person’s time of decline has also approached. Though the Alliance hasn’t properly revealed the reason yet, you can tell from her recent actions.”

“You dare discuss her fate with your status?”

“Meaningless arguments aren’t necessary. Continue going. Even if we don’t find Yong Hye-myeong, grasping Desolate Fortress Lord’s location is great benefit to our Alliance. I don’t know if you know, but one of the things Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance currently prioritizes is revealing the ‘world’s secret’ you’re hiding.”

“Drive him away.”

As soon as the Grand Empress Dowager’s command fell, the bodies of sixteen men and women who had been shouldering her palanquin became hazy.

Martial Painting Sixteen Trees, known to have properly inherited noble clan divine art secrets.

Whoosh!

Grayish green wind wrapped around them and spread in all directions. They activated a type of sword formation from their position, mixing explosive force into the nearby breeze.

So that even the air entering their nostrils when breathing became like sword energy.

Suddenly, the semi-transparent currents of protective energy Mysterious Jade Lonely Desolate Robe flowed around Profound Void’s body like clothing, and Helian Feng-yue leaped up to tree branches above his head and roughly crouched down.

“Natural Sword with combined formation…?”

Helian Feng-yue muttered with a hollow laugh.

The reason the Ming Dynasty’s Zhu clan could overlay imperial system over the powerful martial world and even block the demon realm to the north. The reason they could strive in political struggles and plan for the future even amid chaotic times like today arriving. The fundamental military power that made the nation a nation.

There were no excluded forces. Even the weak were strong.

“Wind cultivation is the world’s greatest, this nation’s foundation. If you don’t want to clash, you must flee far away.”

The Grand Empress Dowager’s voice was dry and tasteless. Enough to contrast with Martial Dragon Alliance Leader’s smile that had split left and right with vitality.

“Noble clans still seem to deny the era’s great flow. However much you struggle to deny it, there is no nation on this land.”

“Die.”

“It’s the era of jianghu now. And…”

Suddenly, a strand of green wind crumbled with a whoosh sound from Helian Feng-yue’s grip that had grasped the void.

“We are the jianghu martial world.”

* * *

Under heaven.

A scene where the Divine Sword Group’s five hundred warriors surrounded the snow-white snowfield, Desolate Jeok Family’s peerless blood demons stood in various postures within that circle, and three Divine Sword Group Leaders each fluttered their faded purple robes before Enter The Divine Sword.

It had transcended a mere jianghu force.

Too few numbers to plan nation-founding. But more than enough power to topple an already founded nation.

Several breaths flowed in the white silence.

The time it took for all Divine Sword Group masters to stably stop their energy circulation and breathing regulation.

Though everyone should serve as witnesses, no one hurried other colleagues. As if knowing Jeong Yeon-shin wouldn’t want it.

Enter The Divine Sword’s symbolism would inevitably be accepted in Desolate Fortress before the Ming imperial house. The Divine Sword Group masters’ feelings and witnessing were more important than anything.

“Hmm…”

Even if one of the imperial house’s three great masters had already crossed the sky and was standing blankly at the cliff’s edge, the inheritance ceremony of Enter The Divine Sword under heaven wasn’t something that could be interfered with.

Evidence of how far Sublime Courtesy Heaven Heavy Bow Lord Yang Cheon had spoken from.

Saaaa—

Strong wind swept up from the ground. Following its texture, snow-white snowflakes also scattered here and there. A scene adding tranquil atmosphere to the north wind.

“Though I haven’t delivered the second imperial command yet, you’re also quite leisurely.”

The middle-aged man standing at the pale cliff’s edge spoke.

Sublime Courtesy Heaven Heavy Bow Lord Yang Cheon.

A status who learned Emperor Qian-ling’s divine arts, a peerless master known to form a pair with King Qiong Ming.

He had once safely withdrawn thousands of Ming Dynasty martial army forces even while trapped in Literary Star and Upright Star’s Transcendent Martial Art, became disabled because of it, then recovered and manifested here.

“Where did friend Lord Yu Xiong go? I also have my position, so it’s hard to stand around blankly any longer…”

An impression that suited a leisurely smile. A face where you could tell he was at least forty years old, yet had no wrinkles.

He wore rough fur clothes like demon realm common people and had an old fishing rod roughly slung over his shoulder.

[Here.]

Yong Hye-myeong, who had been looking around at the Divine Sword Group masters with eyes soaked in strange sentiment until then, finally slowly opened his mouth.

[I invoke the Divine Sword Group Leader’s authority. The target is the main fortress’ greatest event, Enter The Divine Sword inheritance ceremony.]

“……”

[I promised the Divine Sword Group Acting Leader this on condition of victory in the Black Capital great battle. All procedures of Enter The Divine Sword inheritance will be substituted with this one promise.]

“Yong fellow, you were originally a gentle scoundrel. Thinking your promise more important than imperial command… you still haven’t changed at all. Looking at you, it seems you went to death’s threshold.”

Soon Lord Yang Cheon pulled down the fishing rod he’d been carrying on his shoulder to his feet.

“Since many eyes are watching, I must now deliver the second imperial command. ‘Ming Dynasty court personnel present here should naturally strive for imperial commands to be completely delivered’… So Lord Yu Xiong, I mean you.”

[…Heaven Heart Flood Single Feather.]

Suddenly a young boy’s will rumbled and pierced down to earth.

Wooooooooong!

Transparent sunlight gathered like pillars from the air, then wrapped the snowfield vastly with circular shock waves. The snow-covered earth simultaneously flipped over like waves.

A technique using broad daylight’s radiance as explosive force.

Vast sunlight trapped the Divine Sword Group base in cylindrical form. Transparently rippling waves of light. Earth-shaking explosive force waves.

If the radiance narrowed like this, it would look like one massive spear.

Suddenly Lord Yang Cheon’s lips rose slightly with a bitter feeling.

“Were you serving as these friends’ dharma protector? Anyway, well done. My Transcendent Martial Art isn’t suitable for this land.”

[The next imperial command?]

Lord Yu Xiong voice rang within the radiance, but Lord Yang Cheon only stared at Jeong Yeon-shin for a while. And muttered.

“Nation, clan, order, great cause… what should be prioritized in this chaotic world…?”

That’s when it happened.

Having received some whisper from Yong Hye-myeong, Jeong Yeon-shin placed his hand on Enter The Divine Sword’s hilt in the middle of the snowfield.

Immediately, the space of snow-white radiance rippled at vibrations flowing from Yong Hye-myeong’s Six Directions Universal Voice. It was a short question and answer.

[The sword’s master protects the people under heaven.]

“Yes.”

[Though the divine sword is sharp, it is dust of the wasteland under heaven.]

“Yes.”

[Your heart’s beating will breathe with the common people, so when you step into that sacred realm [Enter The Divine], you will finally be unable to live as human.]

“Yes.”

[I convey to Lightning Family’s Lightning Genius.]

“Please give it.”

[You are now solely the Divine Sword Group Leader and Enter Divine Sword Master, Huguang Province’s military lord Desolate Fortress Lord Wei Gun-hye’s representative, and simultaneously the most noble person in jianghu under heaven.]

Rustle.

An ashen sword hilt was placed upside down in Jeong Yeon-shin’s hand.

Was it because all eight directions undulated with sunlight? At this moment, Enter The Divine Sword was devouring all radiance and flashing sharply. As if forcing various expressions on its new master.

“……”

But Jeong Yeon-shin’s face was calm. An expression where it was hard to know what he was thinking. Seventh Apostle, who had somehow quietly gotten up from her bed, leaned slightly to examine him.

Around that time.

The wall of radiance Lord Yu Xiong had manifested was already narrowing in while crushing the Divine Sword Group’s barracks one by one, and Lord Yang Cheon shook his fishing rod.

“Let’s begin slowly. This inheritance ceremony’s end is beating us down. That way I also have justification…”

Then.

“……!”

Whoosh—!

Suddenly an unrealistically massive fist broke through the light cluster and grabbed Lord Yang Cheon whole. It was literally a technique accompanied by overwhelming power in an instant.

“This humble one is first. Uninvited guests should withdraw.”

A voice that rang thickly though he hadn’t activated Transcendent Martial Art. As if it had echoed from the abyss then risen to the snowfield.

“This humble one requests audience with the Northern Emperor under heaven.”

Along with those words, like a lie.

Giant Literary Star tore through the radiance wall and entered.