Chapter 646 – Big Dipper Hundred Stars (9)

Silent Radiant Sword Mirror was different from Enter The Dao Transcend Together.

It was a technique like a short-lived swordsman’s jianghu chronicles, requiring time because it overwhelmingly enhanced combat completeness rather than quick resolution. Like the Transcendent Martial Arts of many peerless masters.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought beneath the darkness spreading like ebony to distant mountain slopes.

‘The number of jianghu people is one thing, but since they’re scattered everywhere, sword song is impossible. I wish those who flocked to the mountain range would retreat in fear…’

Mount Hua was a sacred mountain harboring Gates. It must not become the center of battle.

If he engaged in fierce combat with Gates nearby, even the current Jeong Yeon-shin might face variables difficult to control.

Meanwhile, faint radiances of explosive force were shooting up like comets from his grasp and striking the sky. While painting over Qinling Mountain Range’s slightly cool spring with the north’s dark winter.

Kiiiiiiing!

It was a space where he could completely unfold the mysteries of swords he had experienced regardless of time, but it had to be woven with peaceful will like a poet carefully brushing.

Like some young Taoist and old wanderer discussing tedious life matters.

The Divine Sword Group Leader’s Central Plains blade drawing had entered countdown.

The sword domain he created was a space that couldn’t help but be conspicuous. At this moment, it was naturally beginning to be seen by countless warriors in Qinling Mountain Range.

‘Hmm?’

Suddenly Jeong Yeon-shin tilted his head downward. Because Seventh Apostle, who had been swimming through the air like a ghost, had headed toward the peak where Little Heavenly Demon Invincible sat diagonally. It was quite a distance.

—Where are you going?

—I need to handle that thing. Who knows when it might stab into your heart like a dagger.

—What?

—Yeon-shin, do your work. I’ll do mine.

—Are you crazy?

There was no answer.

Seventh Apostle’s presence disappeared from the sky in an instant, and Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly felt himself weaker than before.

Was it due to repeated losses?

Her absence, which had always circled nearby, approached more deeply. A feeling like the gentle scent of new shoots disappearing on its own. Meanwhile, Silent Radiant Sword Mirror’s pitch-black domain was painting over space like ink.

* * *

Jianghu where Desolate Fortress had disappeared.

It had been no different from the free night sky until now. It was also like the sky that was being dyed pitch-black as if time had been quickly turned at this moment.

Wooooooong—

Jianghu people climbing mountains while stepping on grass tips like flat ground paused.

Though it was only a portion compared to Qinling Mountain Range’s vast size, a corner of the sky had rippled dark with deep resonant sounds.

It was even gradually growing larger. While sparkling with faint light clusters like constellations.

“Night comes early to Qinling Mountain Range…?”

“How could that be? Winter has already passed.”

“It’s probably Ming Cult’s magical techniques or martial arts of the Outer Three Layers. Or it could be Mount Hua’s Taoist studies… Anyway, hold tight to your upper energy center! So your soul doesn’t slip away without knowing…”

Rumble—!

Cracks of various thicknesses spread down like spider webs from steep mountain ridges. Because strongmen climbing the mountain had unleashed energy waves.

These were people who had long roamed the ‘Great Freedom winter’ without the Divine Sword Group.

“They’ve come properly!”

“Family members, prepare sword formations!”

“Avalokitesvara…”

Jianghu overflowing with starving extraordinary people.

For those acting as strongmen in such a world, familiarity with all sorts of fantastical martial learning was natural.

There weren’t many in Qinling Mountain Range who would be frightened by such strange events.

It was a situation where former masters who had secluded themselves to establish complete orthodoxy for future generations or to complete themselves were descending like lies all at once.

The Central Plains’ order had long been greatly reorganized, and Desolate Fortress wasn’t there. There were virtually no martial people who would retreat because night had come early like in the north.

The same was true for Profound Martial Alliance’s side.

“Alliance Leader, it seems there really was a Heavenly Demon Tomb!”

A man in scholar’s robes shouted in the relentless gale beating his ears.

Meanwhile, one sleeve fluttered violently while empty, because he was being carried across the void by a middle-aged man with only one arm like himself.

Evil Demon Scholar Jeon Baek.

A person who had assisted Profound Martial Alliance’s successor Gun Yu-rin from close range. He looked at the distant sky then hurriedly turned his head.

Crash!

“Oh my!”

He broke through and emerged from a rocky mountain of only cliffs entirely.

It was something that had already happened dozens of times.

While gray-white stone powder poured down loosely overhead, Jeon Baek was inwardly shocked while being held in large hands.

‘Continuing such explosive force endlessly…! Young Alliance Leader, the Alliance Leader has become a monster!’

He had no intention of reaching Gun Yu-rin.

The one carrying him was none other than Profound Martial Alliance Leader Gun Wi-hu, known to have greatly shed his shell and broken seclusion recently.

Just emerging from seclusion had reorganized the power structure of major sect Profound Martial Alliance encompassing thousands of martial army forces.

From Young Alliance Leader Gun Yu-rin back to Alliance Leader Gun Wi-hu.

He had originally thought him the greatest variable in the Heavenly Demon Tomb competition, but experiencing it, he possessed divine might encompassing all of Qinling Mountain Range. He would remain even if he became a great order alone.

‘If the Alliance Leader even gets the Heavenly Demon’s legacy, everything will end! The former creator of Eight Illusions Divine Art who contacted the Young Alliance Leader should be stronger than the Alliance Leader…!’

Jeon Baek shouted with a defeated face.

“Alliance Leader! The direction you’re heading now isn’t Mount Hua but toward Zhongnan Mountain! Why…?!”

“Did you feel nothing? A lowly upper energy center.”

Is all you have useful only writing talent and quick wit? A deep voice continued as if scraped from underground.

“Pardon?”

“Entering enemy territory that has already formed formations is foolish. Even more so if cannon muzzles are pointed this way.”

One with martial arts reaching invincibility suddenly spoke of military strategy. Doubt had to form on Jeon Baek’s face.

“Alliance Leader, is that dark sky such a problem? Even Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance’s dharma protector rabble could handle such trickery…”

“You may not know literature, but you’re like an earthworm with martial arts. Just shut up.”

The true invincible one said.

And.

Thud!

Gun Wi-hu’s body crossed the mountains hazily and headed west. It was truly the direction where Zhongnan Mountain was located.

‘He said he’d break in from Mount Hua’s base path, but with what upper energy center insight…?!’

When Jeon Baek looked at the mountain range again while hanging behind him, Gun Wi-hu wasn’t the only one who had changed direction at this moment.

Many of the jianghu people who had been about to enter under the darkening sky had suddenly broken their lightness skill rushes.

It was as if the mountain range had rippled like a dragon.

“What is this?”

“Sect Leader, why suddenly…”

“The premonition is very bad! Anyway, there are other sacred mountains where the first Heavenly Demon would have hidden his legacy!”

“There are many cowards! Would the Heavenly Demon’s tomb be as trivial as your ancestors’ graves? You should have expected this much ominousness!”

“The Explosive Army goes up like this! Former elders are with us!”

“Azure Dragon Hall doesn’t fall behind either!”

While countless strongmen all didn’t know what was happening, Qinling Mountain Range’s martial world split itself partially.

Toward Zhongnan Mountain.

Toward the Nine Sects’ sacred mountain with missing teeth.

* * *

Qinling Mountain Range was a mountain ridge with great meaning. Because it had served as the boundary line of the world’s martial learning, culture, and power.

Naturally, it was absurdly vast and long. Even Zhongnan Mountain and Mount Hua were connected to Qinling Mountain Range.

“…Therefore, Zhongnan Mountain’s Southern Five Platforms’ mountain paths can’t help but be chaotic. Especially for jianghu people who learned lightness skills, the paths leading up to Zhongnan Sect would be like variable sword paths.”

It was Literary Star’s story.

Mountain paths overgrown with bare branches.

Hyeon Won-chang and Yeon So-ha watched the scene of Six Star Lord discussing Central Plains mountain paths intently, but didn’t bother expressing any impressions. Their eloquence came from places where one could lie down.

“I newly think Divine Blood Extreme Demon was remarkable. How did he manage in front of that presence…”

Literary Star immediately reacted to Hyeon Won-chang’s muttering.

“You mean Divine Sword Vice Leader Lord Jin? Of course he was remarkable. Though there were problems with regenerative abilities since he was a mixed-blood demon… When he returns with his arm intact, Divine Sword Squad will be able to employ many more tactics. Right now, among the Thirty-Six Stratagems, between Enemy Combat Stratagems and Chaotic Combat Stratagems…”

The Divine Sword Squad members listening to his words were a few like Oh Wol-hyang and Wi Ye-ryeong.

The remaining dozen or so were looking far from steep rocks, or quietly sensing nearby presences with eyes closed. Each somewhat detached from Literary Star.

Though they would follow Jeong Yeon-shin’s decision to include Literary Star, they couldn’t bring back Desolate Fortress warriors who had perished in the demon realm. It was why most of Divine Sword Squad needed time despite being more accustomed to loss than Jeong Yeon-shin.

Hyeon Won-chang thought.

‘How could a monster’s long speeches sound like human words?’

Meanwhile.

It was a time when the edge of the sky very far to the east had darkly colored. Since spring rain hadn’t fallen yet, it seemed like untimely dark clouds were gathering.

Bare branches that had fallen during winter crunched underfoot. Conversely, there were no new shoots anywhere, so only cold, moist earth shed skin in the spring breeze.

Whisper.

It was the sound of youngest Shin So-bin stepping to the right. She made a hand shadow on her straight forehead and asked.

“Are those dark clouds?”

She stared intently at the distant eastern sky.

Her blue robe fluttered futilely in the empty spring wind, but her eyes looking toward the direction Jeong Yeon-shin had disappeared were unwavering.

“Suddenly only over there, night sky descended. It’s exactly like what we saw in Black Capital… Hyeon senior even entered the Black Capital palace. Is this Lightning Genius martial lineage?”

Hyeon Won-chang felt fierce storm and stress. It was somehow a familiar feeling.

“After Lord Jeong, is it White Cat? Next resupply, we should prepare plenty of sleeping bags…”

“What?”

“Never mind. So you’re saying that’s Lord Jeong’s life-saving ultimate technique that manifested in Black Capital?”

It was a leisurely question. Those from Radiant Demon Wing were accustomed to Jeong Yeon-shin deploying great techniques like flag formations.

Shing.

Shin So-bin drew her sword and said.

“It doesn’t feel like Lord Jeong is in danger like life-saving ultimate technique suggests, but now a big fight will begin. We need to prepare too.”

“I do feel military energy from the surroundings. It’s not disciplined momentum like famous armies, but… many. Just many.”

Hyeon Won-chang’s gaze swept in all directions with a tone suggesting he was fed up. It was to assess terrain features.

At the same time, when he stopped speaking, all eight directions became quiet.

“……”

The sound of withered bushes rubbing against themselves, wind rumbling in the distance like some monster’s roar, Divine Sword Squad warriors’ long internal energy breathing…

And presences beginning to surround the vicinity with silent Grass Skimming lightness skill.

Countless like a swarm of bees.

Even though battles to protect something were the most difficult under heaven.

One-armed middle-aged blade master, Divine Sword Squad’s Oh Wol-hyang, drew her blade from her back and smiled with difficulty.

“Rumors about the Heavenly Demon Tomb have spread from Shanxi for decades… An unnamed Heavenly Demon’s grave was revealed to be the first Heavenly Demon’s, and the sacred places mysterious enough to hide such overwhelming spirituality are only Mount Hua and Zhongnan Mountain’s deep valleys? So demons actually sleep in places like the orthodox jianghu’s headquarters?”

Her blue robe was faded from long jianghu travels, but therefore harmonized with the gently clear spring sky.

“In normal jianghu, it would be unthinkable. Unless an order stronger than the Nine Sects had emerged in the Central Plains.”

It was April Bow Ghost Wi Ye-ryeong’s answer.

“The major sects that came here would be the biggest problem, right?”

Yeon So-ha also added a word. A young man from Beijing noble family background who was quick-witted in everything. He continued speaking leisurely while stomping the ground with Radiant Wing Step’s true step.

“It’s like shamelessly trying to break down Zhongnan Sect’s main gate, so their preparations couldn’t be ordinary. They’ll clash with justification too… They’ll bring someone as good at arguments as sword fighting. To justify armed force with sophistry.”

It was when each was accumulating light skills.

Suddenly all Divine Sword Squad members’ gazes snapped backward. A girl who seemed at most seven or eight years old was peeking her head out from a tree trunk.

Zhong Heaven Child Jeong Hye.

The child spoke clearly.

“You can’t leave sect affairs only to outsiders. That’s the same as being completely carried by strangers.”

“……!”

Suddenly, hair stood up like lies on Hyeon Won-chang and Yeon So-ha’s arms. Due to their innate reaction speed, but by then a thick beam of light was already rising from below the mountain path and passing the two.

With a trajectory that seemed to soar straight to Zhongnan Mountain.

Rumble!

The mountain path belatedly flipped deeply like a valley. Literally a landslide. The uninvited guest’s movement alone was creating furrows and completely changing even the terrain.

‘Hye-ah is in the middle…!’

Hyeon Won-chang’s eyes, who had identified the light beam in an instant, convulsed as if tearing. It was a natural disaster with Profound Martial Alliance Leader’s features. It could only be irresistible to anyone.

It was then that a huge shadow blocked Jeong Hye. The internal energy flames of Heaven Steel Light Armor, which had always been like nightmares, blazed dark red.

Crash—!

Profound Martial Alliance Leader Military King Martial Emperor burst out while unleashing hazy shock waves in succession.