Chapter 658 – Desolate Banner (2)

Aisin-Gioro Black Return.

He was the unified successor of the Southern Emperor.

Even if northern jianghu people called Jeong Yeon-shin the Northern Emperor, it was ultimately respect for the Southern Emperor’s great enemy and nadam (festival). The emperor acknowledged by all demon realm jianghu people could only be Black Return. Because that was the years accumulated by the Southern Emperor and Black Return.

At this moment, Black Return’s eye level was high despite sitting on the imperial throne. High enough to look down diagonally at Lazy Flame Dragon.

“One who is nothing crosses the line.”

Even looking at the divine sword Remaining Thunder, which had become like an imperial seal as evidence of the Black Capital Great Battle, required the emperor’s permission.

Of course, Black Return did not permit it. He had merely overlooked it with amusement.

But Lazy Flame Dragon’s face remained consistently composed. A temperament as if he had become skilled at pretending leisure.

“This young master.”

His speech was arrogant from the start. Though Ice Emperor briefly poked his ribs, Lazy Flame Dragon leisurely continued.

“Is a confidant of Divine Sword Group Leader Lightning Genius.”

“You are?”

Black Return asked back in a toneless manner.

For a moment, the shadows of some blood ghost, assassin, and another blood ghost flickered in Lazy Flame Dragon’s eye-light like shadows reflected in flames. But he smiled languidly.

“When I’m trying to push your back beyond just scratching it, you can’t even say thanks.”

“Husband.”

Ice Emperor stopped him.

Not because her confidence in her own martial prowess was shallow. Because it would be difficult to completely protect Lazy Flame Dragon in none other than the old site of Black Capital Imperial Palace.

Lazy Flame Dragon gently stroked the back of her hand and said.

“Aren’t you in a situation where you were defeated by the Divine Sword Group Leader and ultimately couldn’t escape that position with a humiliating treaty? It must be very frustrating.”

Then he asked leisurely. Am I wrong?

As soon as his words ended, the mockery carved at Black Return’s lips was dry like the ruins surrounding them. At the same time, it was a somehow satisfied smile.

“You’re mistaken.”

“Hmm?”

“Treaties are matters of honor. I don’t know about the Northern Emperor’s request, but the demon realm’s emperor shouldn’t become a person without integrity. So if you want to make us move south…”

Snap!

When Black Return flicked his finger, Remaining Thunder beside the armrest floated up and stopped at the center of the imperial throne. It was the technique of Void Object Manipulation.

“Challenge and defeat me.”

Black Return gripping Remaining Thunder up and down spoke calmly. Lazy Flame Dragon’s eyebrows rose at the same time.

“What?”

“That’s how Yao tribe’s justification is established.”

Shing!

Jeong Yeon-shin’s Remaining Thunder was roughly drawn from the demon realm emperor’s hand, and Lazy Flame Dragon’s eyes spat blazing eye-light.

“Can’t you handle it more carefully? There’s a separate owner.”

Despite his gaze, his tone was gentle. Emperor Black Return’s answer was brief.

“Warm up your body.”

The emperor moved slowly. Coming down from the high seat step by step while gripping Remaining Thunder, with a temperament completely connected to the sword. He had achieved body-sword unity despite it being a weapon not his own. It was the emperor’s versatility in handling all eighteen types of weapons.

One corner of Lazy Flame Dragon’s mouth rose slightly.

“Each thing is irritating.”

“I won’t kill you rashly. I also permit this cold energy domain that cools your blazing heat. If you win even once, I’ll bestow this Remaining Thunder upon you and accept that the Northern Emperor’s call came early.”

And the emperor added.

“Ice Emperor, this isn’t a fight for you to intervene in.”

Rustle.

The world’s Ice Emperor’s black hair flowing down to her ankles swayed a couple of times. Because the owner who had taken steps stood back in place.

She captured Lazy Flame Dragon’s profile with eyes like ice crystals. Conversely, Lazy Flame Dragon’s eyes quietly reflected Ice Emperor’s roundly protruding lower abdomen.

She asked quietly.

“You’re going to fight?”

“I thought only prestigious families raised empty formalities, but Yao tribe aren’t different, so what can be done. Prestigious families, imperial families… anyway, those who prioritize clans are the problem.”

Lazy Flame Dragon spoke while vacantly chewing one side of his mouth.

To make Yao tribe jianghu people into Desolate Fortress’s rear guard, there was no choice but to surpass the peerless master Black Return.

“Don’t worry about the child. It’ll grow well even without a father.”

“Saying not to die so harshly…”

Before Lazy Flame Dragon could finish speaking, Black Return’s single sword was swung, and the ruins were filled with hazy heat and sword wind. Naturally, Black Capital Army masters who rushed in were struck by Vajra’s lightning.

The demon realm imperial palace’s fight was like this.

With the world’s Ice Emperor and Great King Vajra as witnesses, Lazy Flame Dragon and the emperor clashed according to indigenous clan customs.

He was knocked away in thirty seconds and became thoroughly battered by the one hundred twenty second mark. Remaining Thunder was sharp even though it wasn’t held by Jeong Yeon-shin. In the bursting blood, Lazy Flame Dragon’s eye-light had flame-like intensity.

There was no time for the fishy smell to spread. The blood streams were consumed by blazing yang energy and disappeared as soon as they soared into the void.

The genius who had completely quit opium since learning of Jeong Yeon-shin’s lifespan was digging out from the ashes the years he had meaninglessly burned away.

He suffered repeated defeats. He challenged ceaselessly.

In the hazy scene, Great King Vajra’s voice flowed calmly.

“It won’t end day and night. It’ll continue for seven days and nights, for months.”

Because of Lazy Flame Dragon’s infinite yang energy and Black Return’s might. Black Capital’s spring was hot, and eventually the entire city blazed with heat it had never experienced.

The wind was fierce.

* * *

Deep mountain wind is visible to the eyes. Because bare branches sway as if greeting companions. The scene of gentle wind rising to the sky was the same.

Rustle.

Hair particularly black due to containing demonic energy fluttered.

It was Baek Mi-ryeo.

Just moments ago she had seemed to overwhelm the world, but now there was only emptiness. Jeong Yeon-shin felt while supporting her as she collapsed with eyes closed that the first Heavenly Demon had completely ascended.

“Sister.”

He called once knowing Baek Mi-ryeo was unconscious. The pronunciation formed in his mouth wasn’t particularly awkward.

Probably all of the old Radiant Demon First Group would be the same. There would be no sense of discord even calling Cheong Myeong and Hyeon Won-chang older brothers.

Was it thanks to the Heavenly Demon?

Jeong Yeon-shin thought perhaps he might face such a day. If only he could overcome heavenly mandate by some method and retire from the Divine Sword Group Leader’s seat.

Swish.

As he lifted Baek Mi-ryeo, their faces grew close. Her appearance with long eyelids lowered. She seemed to have fallen into deep sleep.

At the same time, upper energy center insight arose.

‘She’ll sleep long.’

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

How great would the backlash from embodying the Heavenly Demon’s movements be? Was she digesting fragments left by Ming Cult founding patriarch’s spirit with her upper energy center?

However it was, Baek Mi-ryeo was safe. For now, that alone was enough.

Step.

Silently returning the way he came, it was again the mountain of thousands of jianghu people, but it had become considerably smaller. It seemed those on the surface or top had escaped.

“Protective energy is severely tangled. Masters should calm your true energy.”

“I don’t want to be crushed to death! You withdraw first!”

“Little Heavenly Demon Invincible, please let us down now…!”

And there were those who had turned their backs on all jianghu people’s outcries. The ones who caught his eye first were naturally Six Star Lord and Mount Hua immortals.

Giant Literary Star, dripping blood from his entire body, asked composedly.

“Have you arrived?”

He had shallow sword marks carved all over his body, which rather befitted the greatest external artist. The combined attack of Nine Sects immortals was like that. Even Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t have withstood it with a body that had already fought one fierce battle.

“You’re overexerting yourself. I felt Profound Martial Alliance Leader’s energy waves from Zhongnan Mountain.”

At the calm words, Literary Star grinned.

“He had become quite strong indeed. If not for having remaining strength because he ultimately didn’t unleash Transcendent Martial Art, I nearly had my head fall to that person’s sword.”

Where he gestured with his chin, Dawn Sword Master stood blankly. While wrapping one sword with semi-transparently rising smoke like plum blossom branches.

—The two old men on both sides are called Riverside Star Master and Riverside Flower Master from the right. Their sword momentum and explosive force were close to Northern Kings, so they could truly be called Mount Hua’s real power.

Pure admiration seeped from Literary Star’s sound transmission, but separately, Riverside Flower Master’s left arm was miserably crushed. That strategist had destroyed any possibility of harmony.

“Finally.”

Dawn Sword Master’s wrinkled lips moved slowly.

“Did you commune with the Heavenly Demon?”

With a voice like winter wind, clear and cool feeling. But Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head nonchalantly.

“I’ve become able to destroy the demon within me.”

“To speak of learning from others’ mistakes, your demonic energy has ascended unprecedentedly. Your demonic art studies advanced after conversing with the Heavenly Demon. How will you explain this?”

It was true.

Originally all wheels of Luminous Wheel That Transcends Law Technique had nearly extinguished their light, but now only one dark wheel was silently turning. That is, a state where he could freely deploy demonic art techniques acquired at Ming Cult’s main altar.

He smiled faintly.

“My demonic energy contains clear star clusters.”

“……”

Dawn Sword Master closed his mouth.

The movement of his wrinkled lips also stopped. He might have felt traces of Sword Star Hyeon So-baek from Jeong Yeon-shin’s energy waves and words. It was possible if he was Mount Hua’s sword immortal who had reached extremity through orthodox martial arts.

Jeong Yeon-shin turned his gaze.

“Jeong-jeong.”

“Yes, Group Leader.”

Dan Jeong-jeong answered immediately with slurred pronunciation.

Not only her previously straight forehead but also one cheek was greatly swollen, and dark red blood traces were thick around her mouth. Her whole body seemed covered in bruises.

“I fought with an armless old man whose energy center was also sealed and lost. Regrettably, I let him escape…”

Jeong Yeon-shin understood this was about Spear King Yue Bi-gang.

Because at this moment Dan Jeong-jeong held a black long spear. Ink Refined Spear, said to have destroyed Desolate Fortress’s main gate in Yue Bi-gang’s hands when Desolate Fortress fell to those called “Seven New Enemies of Defeated Desolation.” She seemed to have prevented Yue Bi-gang from taking it in the end.

“Well done.”

“Wouldn’t it have been better if you had beheaded them in advance, Group Leader?”

There was no story she couldn’t tell before Mount Hua immortals. When Jeong Yeon-shin was briefly at a loss for words, armless old man Kaifeng Qing Family Head interjected.

“That would be far more harmful than beneficial.”

“……?”

“Sooner or later, the Divine Sword Group’s return will now be known throughout the world. Sects and jianghu people who had a hand in Xiangyang Desolate Fortress’s annihilation, as well as… those who stood by will fall into panic. But rumors spread that I massacred them and Spear King as soon as I came down? They’ll unite with Desolate Fortress in the center. Yes, like the old Hanzhou Martial Alliance.”

Seven New Enemies of Defeated Desolation.

World Tree with changed temperament.

Former elders said to be descending mountains.

Central Plains that had no choice but to keep northern Yao tribe at distance.

Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance and Four Province Martial Alliance said to have emerged as new protagonists of the world.

‘There are more.’

Not only Fighting God and Tyrant Sword Sect Leader, but even those who had seen or sensed through energy perception Jeong Yeon-shin walking alongside the first Heavenly Demon.

It was then.

Jeong Yeon-shin stretched his time sense to the extreme in his mind.

Two things happened consecutively, striking an instant.

The scene of a giant dragon’s head rising with mouth open from Gates pooled like whitish mist, and above it Seventh Apostle pierced by one sword falling like a straight line of lightning.

The moment he noticed it was Kongtong Sect Leader’s sword, time returned to normal.

Crash!

Sword light falling vertically connected Seventh Apostle’s abdomen and the dragon’s skull as one. White energy rippled, and all nearby peaks were lowered about one zhang by shock waves pushed out in eight directions.

While roaring covered all directions, a large breath also ceased. The dragon had been pierced to death at overwhelming speed before it could fully surge from the Gates.

Cough!

Seventh Apostle’s coughing blood sound was also clear. The cloud extending from the sword stuck in her abdomen was Kongtong’s Ascending Heaven Demon-Subduing Divine Energy. Taoist-lineage divine art more than enough to crush her Blood Art True Energy, she had endured until Jeong Yeon-shin finished talking with the Heavenly Demon.

The next moment, Jeong Yeon-shin was facing a noble clan elder in the sky. Because there had been signs of launching consecutive attacks.

Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint.

Kongtong Sect Leader with white hair and eyebrows.

The cuffs of his faded robe fluttered like an immortal’s garments, but not even a speck of energy waves spread.

“You may curse that my handling was excessive.”

Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint’s tone was very archaic.

“I was born of poor background and base, so I cultivated my whole life to broaden the vessel of character. But the more I did so, what deepened wasn’t mental cultivation but martial arts… and incompetence unbecoming a Taoist sect leader remained a worry to our sect’s elders to the end.”

Saaaa—

The fiercer and more refreshing wind grew as the old Taoist’s words continued. Though not even holding a sword, it felt like Demon-Subduing Sword Technique’s forms were added to Ascending Heaven Demon-Subduing Divine Energy.

He said.

“Can you stop my incompetence? I don’t particularly wish to cross hands with you.”

Was it natural body’s function?

Somehow Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint seemed able to use swordwork even bare-handed. At this moment, he could be called Jeong Yeon-shin’s new threat along with Mount Hua immortals looking up at them from the ground.

Ascending Heaven Demon-Subduing Divine Energy was said to be tyrannically domineering study unbefitting Taoism. Divine art famous for crushing heretical paths just by displaying momentum, and coincidentally what remained to Jeong Yeon-shin was only demonic energy.

Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint would have seen through it too.

None other than Kongtong Sect Leader was on the verge of dropping the Divine Sword Group Leader from the void just by taking fighting stance.

Several breaths passed like that.

“……”

Yet Jeong Yeon-shin remained treading the void with a peaceful face. While activating one technique.

Following Heaven Secret Technique. Smoke Ember Serene Heart.