Chapter 656 – Defying Heaven (4)

In the center of a peak where massive cracks and sword strikes had raced in all eight directions.

The explosive situation had momentarily subsided. Because of the person who had intruded as soon as Jeong Yeon-shin moved his lips.

A nine-foot-tall, one-eyed giant said.

“It seems the conversation will be lengthy.”

It was a thick voice as if using an abyss as a resonating chamber. In contrast, his tone was refined like a scholar rich in learning.

“But I’m fine with it. Please speak comfortably.”

Saaaa—

Whitish mist pouring out from Mount Hua’s Gates. A Yao tribe giant wrapping it around his entire body in streams.

The desolate mist gave off an atmosphere like scholar’s robes. Though he actually wore elegant scholarly robes, the size of the fabric only made him strange and imposing.

“That person is from the demon realm…?”

An old man in faded plum blossom robes groaned.

He was one of the two old Taoists who had come outside the Gates with Dawn Sword Master. He was also the owner of the sword strike light skills that had made Jeong Yeon-shin sense mortal danger.

Riverside Star Master.

An old man who had been a plum blossom swordsman long ago.

He had earlier told Jeong Yeon-shin that he viewed Desolate Fortress as orthodox. It was the same now.

The old man’s mouth moved calmly.

“…He’s certainly someone who was importantly used by the north’s Fighting God. For such a person to suddenly appear like this… There must be something he wants to achieve through the Divine Sword Group Leader?”

It was the insight of an ancient immortal. Though he had held swords in opposition, he showed faith in the Enter The Divine Sword Lord’s character to the end.

Dawn Sword Master was the same.

He spoke in the atmosphere that pressed heavily on skin like mountains.

“Chaotic times are chaotic times indeed. For a northern jianghu person to invade our main mountain with such composure.”

Every syllable contained tremendous power.

Because the giant’s earlier lion’s roar that had burst from his entire body, the lingering echoes of overwhelming resonance, were quietly circling the mountain slopes.

Because of this, it was a space where no emission of energy was permitted. That is, not only long-distance explosive forces like palm winds and sword energy, but even attack techniques like sword strike light skills couldn’t extend outward. It meant they could only fight with bodily movements.

“What are you doing?”

As if unaffected by that heavy oppressive feeling, Six Star Lord Literary Star shrugged his shoulders slightly. It was light conduct like an eloquent scholar.

“Forcibly restraining and competing with someone who has no will to fight is shameful. The old immortals seemed to be enduring shame due to unavoidable reasons, but as a junior, I couldn’t help but save face for you.”

“……”

The gentle voice raised goosebumps on listeners’ skin. At least Taoist Cheon Ju’s forearm, with his hand on his sword hilt at this moment, was clearly like that.

‘Monster…!’

He felt no desire to deploy any swordwork in the giant’s close range. Even the formulas of Twenty-Four Step Plum Blossom Sword faded in his mind like sunset.

It was because he had assessed the opponent’s external art level with sharply honed intuition. His upper energy center spirituality said he would meet meaningless death unless he was a peerless master.

“Why is a Yao tribe absolute being…”

Protecting the Divine Sword Group Leader.

Taoist Cheon Ju started to speak then swallowed his words.

But Central Plains people couldn’t help but wonder.

When the world’s Divine Sword Group Leader’s position and symbolism combined with hostility toward demon realm Yao tribes south of the Great Wall, anything could be created. Various speculations and expectations could even create words like “Central Plains’ enemy.”

Compared to that, even martial forest public enemy would become trivial talk.

“…Cheon Ju, your cultivation is still lacking.”

Dawn Sword Master spoke with an expression hard to read. While taking in the scene unfolding beyond Literary Star’s shoulder.

Step.

Before they knew it, the Heavenly Demon and Jeong Yeon-shin were walking on the variously shattered mountain path. Their backs looked strangely similar.

Dawn Sword Master’s words continued.

“If you could fathom will from the Divine Sword Group Leader’s divine art breathing, it would be hard to doubt his heart. As Riverside Star said, he’s indeed an orthodox person. It’s just the vigor that can seek hope even from demons… that’s merely a great worry.”

The content and tone of his story were different.

Time was embedded in it. Years of extremely guarding against having his mind and body tainted by the demonic nature of monsters and spirits within the Gates.

The old men’s plum blossom swords had bathed in the blood of demons that carried inner demons. Among them were dream demon bodies pretending to be human, and countless monsters versed in innate demonic energy studies.

At the top of that was the Heavenly Demon.

Rustle—

At this moment, a back view moving away while fluttering jet-black hair like the night sky.

The being who was the pinnacle of all demons throughout the long years inside and outside the Gates was walking side by side with none other than the Divine Sword Group Leader. It was a scene that had to be branded like a mark in the eyes of Mount Hua immortals.

“At most, we can’t diminish the Divine Sword Group Leader through demonic energy cultivation, but…”

Riverside Star Master, maintaining unity of energy, spirit, and soul with mirror-like composure, slowly continued.

“That very scene will make Central Plains jianghu people faint with shock. Now it can’t be reversed. The scene of northern Yao tribe assisting the Divine Sword Group Leader also won’t benefit the Divine Sword Group Leader’s reputation.”

He still hadn’t sheathed his sword.

He was different from Taoist Cheon Ju. His bellicose nature transcended age. Dawn Sword Master, with deeper eye wrinkles than Riverside Star Master, was the same.

Wooong!

Fragrant plum blossom scent was flowing from the blade. Because extreme energy manipulation had embodied fragrance with plum blossom swordwork’s will.

He had already accumulated explosive force inside the sword body. He had the momentum to battle Literary Star even within Mencius Steadfast Firm’s domain.

Perhaps because of this, Dawn Sword Master’s following words were like a final ultimatum.

“The Divine Sword Group Leader’s heart is admirable, but the problem is our layered experiences and stubbornness. He tries to embrace too much. Excessive.”

Literary Star smiled broadly.

“If not for that, I wouldn’t have bothered stepping on Central Plains soil with Lord Jeong. Even if I had come down someday, it would have been with Fighting God. I would have killed Lord Jeong by any means.”

“Either way is terrible!”

Along with Riverside Star Master’s cry, huge dust exploded. The earth axis shook greatly once more, and a feast of all kinds of lightness skills unfolded in the space where all long-distance explosive forces were constrained.

Rumble! Crash crash crash bang!

Hazily colored forms repeatedly tangled like mist then bounced apart. The giant’s shadow grasped the old Taoist’s arm and drove him into the ground. Though no explosive force light skills occurred, the peak containing the Gates shook constantly and uneasily.

Blood spurting up in clumps from within thick dust.

Two people weren’t in it.

* * *

“Yao tribe. Something that didn’t exist when I lived. Yes… the world must turn this busily to be interesting.”

“There are more peaceful places. Yao tribe are also people.”

Jeong Yeon-shin answered without even looking at the Heavenly Demon. While stepping on cracks in the variously shattered mountain path.

Step.

At the same time, the Heavenly Demon’s weary laughter settled beneath their feet. As if she hadn’t heard Jeong Yeon-shin’s reply.

“Do you hear it? The nonsense of those clamoring about you.”

“There were no empty words. Only rightful concerns.”

Jeong Yeon-shin said this while glancing sideways.

Above Baek Mi-ryeo’s jawline falling sharp as a blade, the Heavenly Demon’s smile was carved like an ornament. With a feeling that had distantly transcended even the body’s gender.

“Be honest. You’re an arrogant fellow. Don’t you consider their concerns groundless?”

“I’ve experienced inner demons. It’s worth worrying about.”

“Would it be fine even if their groundless fears ultimately kill you?”

“You would kill me?”

Jeong Yeon-shin quietly asked back. Still gripping Enter The Divine Sword downward.

Starry Night had long disappeared from the gray blade. But he was still one of the world’s five swords capable of cutting even providence.

“It could happen.”

The Heavenly Demon continued her steps with an unremarkable gait. And suddenly pointed to one side of a cliff.

“Do you know? That flower is a demon.”

A flower bud was rising from roughly split rock crevices. It was a plum blossom that was hard to see at Mount Hua even when famine wasn’t severe.

Jeong Yeon-shin silently looked at it.

‘…Lady Lu.’

It was when Mount Hua Sect Leader Lady Lu’s image suddenly came to mind.

Rustle.

The flower bud opened by itself at the Heavenly Demon’s casual gesture. Though it seemed like she had learned Living Sword, the white petals had only bloomed early but didn’t grow larger.

There was no fragrance either.

“Those petals are the same. Evil spirits incomparable under heaven.”

The Heavenly Demon spoke incomprehensible words. Though it seemed like she was spouting sophistry, unlike usual times there was no arrogant feeling. Her tone was also gentle, unbelievably pleasant to hear.

‘Demonic nature that bewitches everything and can become anything…’

Jeong Yeon-shin firmly erected walls of his upper energy center spirit while just walking silently.

Because he knew. That the Heavenly Demon was already fathoming his purpose.

“For someone like you to have a listening attitude is difficult, but it’s quite amusing and enjoyable.”

Step.

Occasionally deepening footsteps.

The single plum blossom the Heavenly Demon had pointed to grew closer. The more he looked, the stranger the flower was. A plum blossom on a cliff rather than a tree, and one whose blooming time was somewhat off.

The Heavenly Demon said.

“Look closely.”

“I don’t understand. I thought you had inscribed some demonic art’s true energy structure.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke while slightly tilting his head toward the plum blossom then returning it.

The Heavenly Demon’s laughter deepened.

“You misunderstood me. Demonic arts are nothing to me. One doesn’t become a demon only by learning demonic arts.”

“Demonic arts are nothing…?”

“The reason there are eighty-four thousand dharma gates under heaven is because humans have eighty-four thousand afflictions. Weak and worthless fellows define their afflictions as evil spirits’ whispers, calling them demons and avoiding them from the start. While thinking they could shake off demons with monks’ humming and wooden bell sounds.”

Eighty-four thousand. What foolishness.

She sneered along with the soliloquy.

At the same time, the young plum blossom was automatically drawn to the Heavenly Demon’s palm.

“If you divide the world with such numbers, the entire world is a demon army. Even those petals are no exception. Those horses dancing sword dances behind us inspired by plum blossoms… when they were young, this flower must surely have been an inner demon at least once.”

Swish.

Suddenly the petals shattered and soared into the void. The two had already moved far from Literary Star’s close range.

“Your dharma power is the same. Bald heads probably praised it highly, but it’s merely a byproduct of groundless fears. The worry of unsightly humans who transform even things that are nothing by being wary of them as demons in advance. In reality, one who made that dharma power into a demon could equally repeat breaking it.”

Jeong Yeon-shin now somewhat understood what kind of life the Heavenly Demon had lived and how she had transformed into the ancient and modern greatest demon.

“Do you mean Gates are the same? That we should consider them nothing rather than threatening demon-subduing battles?”

Had Zhongnan Sword Immortal’s will been the same when he cut one Gate? But the Heavenly Demon shook her head mysteriously.

“I’m not interested in such narrow talk. What’s important is life.”

It was a slow story.

“People like you and me can live as we decide, and ultimately don’t fail. It’s only a matter of how to live.”

The perspective was different.

He had intervened in the Heavenly Demon’s manifestation to seek a great answer, but the response came back that Jeong Yeon-shin already had the answer.

Apart from some insight surging within Jeong Yeon-shin’s inner self at this moment, it was absurd. The Heavenly Demon seemed to view herself and Jeong Yeon-shin no differently.

“Those petal fragments.”

The Heavenly Demon looked diagonally up at the void.

“To plum blossom swordsmen, they would be walls and demons, but to ignorant country folk, they’re merely eye candy. It’s even harder to give inner demons to such country people. Because they view the world simply. Amusingly, I was the same.”

Whoosh!

“The land that gets trampled as it’s stepped on wasn’t different from the world.”

Suddenly another plum blossom bloomed in the Heavenly Demon’s grasp. Extremely delicate absorption technique had recovered the petals in the void, creating the living appearance again.

“One Origin.”

The Heavenly Demon said.

“It’s the essence of Heavenly Demon Divine Art. I never recorded it in secret manuals. To you, it might be a lifelong topic or become a demon.”

“It was a Zen dialogue. Now others’ martial arts are meaningless to me…”

Jeong Yeon-shin stopped speaking.

The third luminous wheel in his heart had rotated slightly by itself. The only dark luminous wheel. Though no energy had particularly increased, it spun increasingly fiercely.

With this momentum, he might be able to wield Starry Night several more times.

Satisfaction formed at the corners of the Heavenly Demon’s mouth.

“What you would have realized yourself was just hastened, but you seem upset. But I’m pleased. That’s how caliber matches.”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s brow furrowed.

“The conversation I wanted to have with you was different… problems beyond martial arts like Gates, World Tree, and famine.”

“There’s nothing greater than me in ancient and modern times.”

The Heavenly Demon met Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze, then spoke in clear tones as if she were the most human-like being.

“Yet it’s resolved. Gradually everything becomes worthless.”

“What?”

“I’ll end the amusement now. You should rack your brains figuring out how to live enjoyably.”

It was unpredictable conduct.

Her words and actions were the same. She had chattered based on interest, then ultimately gave no clear answers about how she had overcome lifespan or anything else.

But Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t stop her. It would be correct to say he didn’t stop her.

Saaaa—

Holding a single plum blossom in her hand, fluttering long black hair like the universe. She had already turned her gaze from Jeong Yeon-shin to somewhere on the horizon.

Jeong Yeon-shin had to ask.

“It seemed like you’d wander the earth forever, but what’s the reason? Wasn’t it to thoroughly observe the changed world?”

The Heavenly Demon slowly moved her red lips.

“Didn’t I see you?”

It was a tone saying that was enough. Weariness dripped through.

Jeong Yeon-shin was briefly silent. A feeling as if the ancient and modern greatest’s arrogance was transferring to him. It didn’t feel bad.

The Heavenly Demon said.

“Remember this plum blossom. If you treat the world as demon, it will become demon, and if you consider it treasure, it will become divine.”

“You’re nicely packaging willfulness. That greatly deviates from law.”

“Isn’t that why it’s Surpassing Dharma?”

Suddenly Jeong Yeon-shin saw himself reflected in the Heavenly Demon. One who could do anything. When trembling swept up his spine, for a moment a huge presence scattered like petals from Baek Mi-ryeo’s body.

The Heavenly Demon’s words ended there.