Chapter 664 – Desolate Banner (8)

Divine Demon Mad Silence Sect with laughing melodies.

It was an emerging strongman of southern Zhili. Also an overlord who had naturally occupied one seat among the thirteen great sects of heretical paths during the Divine Sword Squad’s absence while they were far in the north.

No one laughed at the Divine Demon Mad Silence Sect disciples’ dramatic singing.

Their sect master was a Thirteen Evil Sects leader who had earned a name among Seven New Enemies of Defeated Desolation. Their strange leisure and eeriness were also well known.

Annihilation Squad Leader Silent Dawn Master. Obeying Heaven Wing Leader White Qilin.

Simultaneously, Six Directions Sound Transmission announcing the southern advance of five martial force squads among the Divine Sword Group’s seventeen great squads.

“……”

Silence spread throughout the castle.

It was when the song’s lingering echoes slowly settled into the rusted fortifications here and there.

Annihilation Squad Leader Shin Hwang, who had been crossing the wilderness from afar, suddenly stopped on a hill overlooking the half-destroyed fortress gate.

Flash!

Dust clouds splitting like waves from leather shoes.

It was a small headwind compared to the momentum of lightness skill running.

For a moment, Shin Hwang glanced indifferently at that dust. And inwardly clicked his tongue. This won’t do.

At the same time.

“Squad Leader.”

Some woman’s strong voice followed behind.

Desolate Fortress guest warrior Jin Mu-hwa. A blue rank of Annihilation Squad, whose achievement in Divine Sword Squad’s Jeong Family Dynamic Technique was as deep as her serious impression. Her lightness skill that caught up to Shin Hwang, though late, was proof of that.

Soon fourteen Annihilation Squad members lined up behind them.

Crash!

Though lightness skill’s headwind violently stirred yellowish dust-colored wind, Shin Hwang didn’t take his gaze from the main fortress.

Not only the fortifications but even the watchtowers were empty.

There were no banners of the seventeen great units that should have been hanging high and fluttering here and there. Spring wind carrying fishy scent had replaced the cloth.

Not only that.

The flags of the General Administration, King Qiong Ming, and Crown Prince Zhou Yun-ming had disappeared, as well as the banner that had symbolized Desolate Fortress Lord with a single sword. All had been broken.

Shin Hwang slowly opened his mouth.

“…Report.”

Jin Mu-hwa’s answer immediately followed.

“Nether Stream Squad reported that southern Zhili’s Namgung noble family was annihilated by Divine Demon Mad Silence Sect’s sound techniques. A place where branch lineages had continued even after being defeated by the main fortress and Cavalry Green Forest.”

“Divine Demon Mad Silence. A name I never heard until the Divine Sword Squad went north.”

“Sect Master Wol-yo’s ten-year closed-door training ended last year at the beginning of winter. Until then, it was a sect that had disguised itself as a school for singers…”

“Kill one and another fills its place. It’s indeed a heretical path insect.”

“Wol-yo is one who became a Thirteen Evil Sects leader through sound technique secret arts. There were reports that he bewitched a thousand imperial troops with a single whistle to drown them, then crossed the Yangtze River using their corpses. Not only southern Zhili’s imperial generals but even indigenous noble families all knelt… they say not a drop of blood flowed.”

“It must be upper energy center martial learning. We’ll need to guard our heads.”

“If it’s Sect Master Wol-yo’s disciples’ sound techniques rather than his own, the chapter on Jeong Family Dynamic Technique’s Hundred Acupoints Protection should suffice.”

Jin Mu-hwa tapped her head with her fingertips. Soon a soft blue light filled her eyes and disappeared.

Shin Hwang slowly raised his left hand.

“That Wol-yo fellow, I should gauge him here first.”

Annihilation Squad members withdrew familiarly.

Divine Flame Twin Hands

One Encompassing Wind

Flash!

When he struck the void with his left palm like opening a door, blazing wind began extending from that trajectory.

Palm force connected to Shin Hwang’s energy perception. Since achieving great success, he had succeeded in all missions, and until it scattered on its own, it had functions like Spirit Connecting Sword. Meaning he could feel everything the wind touched.

The palm wind rushed relentlessly.

Crash crash crash crash—

In an instant it pierced through Xiangyang’s marketplace, climbed over even Desolate Fortress’s outer walls, and finally reached the highest watchtower inside the inner castle.

The handsome youth who had been standing with arms crossed atop the watchtower slightly lowered his eyebrows. Divine Demon Mad Silence Sect Master Wol-yo. His bright red silk robes fluttered in the palm wind, and he felt with closed eyes the wind that had surged up to his chest.

The sight of him touching his earring with one hand while raising his lips in a smile was picturesque.

“Annihilation Squad Leader Hero Shin. First look at that over there. We can’t figure out what this side is at all…”

Wol-yo leisurely trailed off his words.

As soon as his fingertips that had swept his earring emitted a spiritual resonance with a ring, Shin Hwang’s palm wind twisted toward the lower left. The wind whose direction had been forcibly changed rushed toward the innocent Heavenly Martial Arsenal and scattered with all its strength.

Outside the castle.

Shin Hwang clenched and opened one hand while speaking.

“…Unless it’s great achievement-level Jeong Family Dynamic Technique, one might reach instant death the moment they face that fellow. Jin Mu-hwa, maintain long distance while I block.”

“You said instant death?”

“Consider that he cultivated techniques similar to the Group Leader’s sword song his entire life. Since he seems to have become a Thirteen Evil Sects leader with that alone, he must be a monster.”

“Damn crazy…?”

Even while saying so, Annihilation Squad advanced again.

There was no hesitation in their movement.

No jianghu person would spare their body before their sect’s annihilation crisis. Desolate Fortress warriors were becoming infinitely closer to martial people based on Jeong Family Dynamic Technique.

“The Group Leader is probably still in Shaanxi, right?”

“Even if the main fortress is in that state, I hope he stayed longer in Zhongnan. Too many things happened in the north. If it’s the older brother and nephew of Jeong Family Manor, they might be able to give what we can’t offer…”

“It’s rather comforting.”

“Right. I hope he rested his eyes for a long time.”

When speaking of Jeong Family Dynamic Technique’s essence, even breathing became softly relaxed. Even without mentioning the three characters of his name, Jeong Yeon-shin, their whole body’s meridians naturally warmed to reach perfect condition.

Jin Mu-hwa said.

“Anyway, Burning Abyss Squad, Nether Stream Squad, and Resonance Spirit Squad currently have no squad leaders. Though Desolate Divine Spear has joined, she hasn’t yet learned Divine Sword Squad’s Jeong Family Dynamic Technique, so we are the command unit. Therefore, we should sweep from outside the main fortress, assess the current state of Thirteen Evil Sects leaders like Wol-yo and enemy super masters, then carefully…”

It was then.

Rustle.

One slender shadow lightly passed the Annihilation Squad. A youth with messy bandages wrapped around his whole body. He was drawing a soft circle with one faded sword.

A monster.

Shin Hwang didn’t even try to stop him anymore.

The blood-covered youth swaying and dancing sword dances while advancing faster than decent lightness skill running. Annihilation Squad masters immediately noticed. That extreme swift sword was being applied to movement technique training.

Speed increased even in that brief moment.

A state where Thunder Annihilation Sword Style’s Judgement Qilin Technique had been poured into Jeong Family Dynamic Technique, breaking down the boundary between Jeong Family Dynamic Technique’s training footwork and lightness skill.

Even saying there was no one in Desolate Fortress who wasn’t exceptional, it was an absurd sight. Because he became a dot and moved away in an instant.

“Squad Leader! Stop! Stop!”

Leaving behind some young woman’s cry.

White Qilin Namgung Hwa-shin disappeared as if sucked into Desolate Fortress’s collapsed main gate. Obeying Heaven Wing masters who had been matching pace with Namgung Hwa-shin from behind also overtook Annihilation Squad simultaneously.

“Aaaah!”

White martial robe-wearing young swordsman, Obeying Heaven Wing’s Shin Bin-bin, screamed unprecedentedly while moving away. Other Obeying Heaven Wing masters had resigned faces.

Jin Mu-hwa said.

“Protecting Embankment Swift Sword Shin Bin-bin. That friend could now be called blue rank, but Obeying Heaven Wing also has no squad leader…”

That was as far as it went.

The main unit Annihilation Squad and Obeying Heaven Wing without their wing leader entered through the main gate, while the remaining three martial force units rushed straight west toward the Heavenly Martial Arsenal.

Even until then, the interception that should rightfully have come didn’t arrive. There weren’t even those defending the fortifications to begin with.

As if something big had happened inside the castle.

Desolate Fortress masters throughout Xiangyang only now began to harbor doubts. Meanwhile, a sudden explosion burst from the inner castle’s Heavenly Martial Arsenal direction.

Whoosh!

There were streams of blood shooting high.

* * *

Blood poured down like spring rain, and sunlight flowed over it.

The ground was dark red.

Because bloodstains had been overlaid several times.

But Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t feel any particular moisture. All senses were blurred. Even wind brushing his skin was dull.

A feeling of being wrapped in cloth that wouldn’t tear skin. Still in a state of forcibly stretching space to emerge.

Perhaps because of this, the appearance reflected in the blood puddle was also a body made of colorless radiance, sometimes looking like it was wrapped in dragon scales. Except for one wrist that existed in Shaanxi’s Zhongnan Sect and thus wasn’t visible here.

‘Right now, am I…’

A monster spirit that had emerged from Gates?

Drip.

Judging by the last blood drops that had shot up overlaying on the dark red dirt ground, the result was similar.

“……”

There was no intact body nearby.

Only flesh pieces used as hidden weapons for Myriad Heavens Flower Rain. It was impossible to know how many had been torn apart.

At this moment, World Tree’s pressure was crushing his mind more strongly than any other force, but Jeong Yeon-shin narrowed his eyes again.

There were those who had succeeded in escaping through luck.

Most seemed to have gone to nearby Divine Sword Squad halls to seek support. Of course, what came out from there wouldn’t be Desolate Fortress warriors.

It was then.

“So you are human.”

Some man’s voice fell like sunset.

“Then the owner has truly returned. As a bandit who stole your home, I’m extremely ashamed.”

The man who had been looking down at Jeong Yeon-shin from beside the watchtower all along.

Not the noble youth with earrings still standing proudly on the watchtower, but the one who had been examining Jeong Yeon-shin in detail through void treading beside him. Those who had died to Jeong Yeon-shin earlier had also desperately called for him.

First seat of Seven New Enemies of Defeated Desolation.

Thirteen Evil Sects Sky-Trampling Palace Master.

Thud.

He descended directly before Jeong Yeon-shin without hesitation. Somehow like a Black Path ruffian casually jumping down from a wall.

Jeong Yeon-shin gazed at him quietly. Five steps apart. For them, it was already a distance like crossing swords.

So he couldn’t help but be clearly visible even under World Tree’s pressure. A cheerful man-type face that would suit blue heroic scarves like Hyeon Won-chang, shabby sleeveless horse clothing, both arms carved with deep scars as if he’d undergone terrible torture multiple times, and even a gaunt body as if he’d starved for long.

He was a fist technique practitioner.

The heroic scarf’s tail was fluttering like feathers. Even though Jeong Yeon-shin was cutting through all wind with Judgement Qilin Technique’s energy waves.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

‘It’s will.’

A realm where will was embodied as power. His energy accumulation wasn’t great, but the spirituality that boosted internal energy was tremendously thick.

Even Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t understand it. How he had maintained Three Flowers Gathering at Crown.

“Anyway.”

The man, Sky-Trampling Palace Master, smiled purely. His two eyes flashed with deep insight.

“I’ve been waiting quite a while for you to come.”

Grrroan—

Jeong Yeon-shin silently began taking steps.

Though it was hard to move with lightness skill because space was wrapped like taffy, fighting wasn’t impossible.

What he was certain of at this point.

The Heavenly Martial Arsenal contained not only scribes but various Desolate Fortress household members. They might ultimately face some fate.

Instantly.

Thud!

Sky-Trampling Palace Master’s palm force struck his instep, fixing his movement. Palm technique like nailing foot to ground. Somehow he seemed to regard Jeong Yeon-shin not as a person but as a monster spirit to be dealt with through special methods.

“I don’t want to compete with you.”

Sky-Trampling Palace Master continued.

“Even if I die, it would only be meaningful to cross hands with you at full strength. Please come with a complete body.”

—Lightning Genius, you really must stop now! Will you become World Tree’s nourishment?!

Yeo Il-shin’s voice echoed.

—Even if I commit discourtesy to you… this is…!

He could also feel movement trying to release the clasped hands in Zhongnan Sect’s intimate room. Of course, Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t unclasp their fingers.

And he repeated inwardly.

Surpassing Dharma. One Origin.

He crushed the palm force upward with his instep.

Crash!

The scene of transparent light skill fragments scattering like glass. Sky-Trampling Palace Master shook his head with a troubled expression.

“Finally…”

“If that’s truly Desolate Day Extinction, it would make sense. It’s also a well-known story that the Divine Sword Group Leader’s representative occasionally deployed techniques like form-shifting void.”

When Divine Demon Mad Silence Sect Master Wol-yo laughed at his own words from the distant watchtower.

Suddenly the movements of three people stopped.

Crash!

As soon as someone landed beside Jeong Yeon-shin, earthquake-like resonance shook the air. Black robes full of dust fluttered violently, toying with Jeong Yeon-shin’s vision.

A black-robed girl gripping a long spear behind her back.

The ends of originally short hair were ceaselessly striking her shoulder blades. On cheeks where sunlight transparently seeped, even her nose bridge carved like polished ivory was mixed in the gale.

Two characters stood out on the banner wrapped around the spear.

Burial Road.

The path up and down graves.

Meanwhile, the colorless gale the girl had familiarly wrapped showed no signs of subsiding.

Wooooooong—

Vibrating sound like a swarm of bees.

It wasn’t pure wind to begin with.

Jeong Yeon-shin understood as soon as he saw it. That it was Resonance Spirit Squad’s supply martial art that had existed since before entering Radiant Art, Shared Sect Sutra.

“Who are you?”

It was Yue Shou-lin’s first words after glancing at Jeong Yeon-shin.