Chapter 666 – Desolate Banner (10)

“You can’t use Form-shifting Void.”

Those were Following Heaven Relic Yelu Zhen’s first words.

It was right after Jeong Yeon-shin had briefly told Zhongnan Grand Elder Yeo Il-shin, Literary Star, Seventh Apostle, and Hyeon Won-chang about Desolate Fortress’s current situation.

Sitting around the tea table where Jeong Yeon-shin and Yeo Il-shin had clasped hands earlier, the current Ming Cult Leader had naturally inserted herself.

“You overused it too much in recent years. Especially when silencing those fierce Tibet fellows.”

Sitting cross-legged in the void.

Above Jeong Yeon-shin’s head. The ends of her hair gently tickled his crown, but Jeong Yeon-shin deliberately didn’t react. It was the same regardless of what she babbled.

“Moreover, heretical path divine arts involve great backlash, and it’s now hard to predict whether your body will be torn by space or die naturally. This is why you shouldn’t try to live life easily.”

Saaaa—

The modest room held gentle breeze. Subtle whirlwinds of energy centered on the seated Jeong Yeon-shin.

This kind of energy circulation breathing was a first.

Energy accumulation was returning at tremendous speed.

‘More than ever before.’

Was it because he had grown accustomed to dark luminous wheels?

Just moving minute muscles generated Jeong Family Dynamic Technique throughout his body, and with internal energy breathing he quickly restored the three luminous wheels of his heart to their original state.

Making the light wheels dense was first. Only then could he explosively expand the energy center’s energy accumulation with their respective rotations.

Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s laughing words continued.

“Ah, speaking of strange Form-shifting Void reminds me. The return of the Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword is approaching. Judging by his mad behavior in Hangzhou, he seemed worse than me.”

“……”

“Anyway.”

She too was accumulating energy like Jeong Yeon-shin. She casually operated both Movement Art Bright Phoenix Divine Form and Heavenly Demon Divine Formula simultaneously. Her voice, after briefly drawing in breath, fell like smooth frost.

“There’s no reason to risk danger for miscellaneous things other than you. Even if I die soon, not now.”

She was still the very incarnation of solitary self-supremacy. Her posture sitting above Jeong Yeon-shin’s crown at this moment was the same. Noble enough to play go in the void, with hair fluttering like ebony in the aftermath of energy circulation breathing.

Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head.

In his current physical state, he would only be a burden to Yue Shou-lin and others. He had already experienced it in Hangzhou. The aftermath of excessive lightness skill running.

And now Central Plains had to face the Divine Sword Group Leader at full strength.

He spoke slowly.

“I never intended to anyway. I’m not asking anything of you.”

He could feel through energy perception Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s lips rising crookedly.

She asked mockingly.

“You? In this situation?”

“Live as you please. If you don’t want to die meaninglessly.”

“You’re being presumptuous again.”

“You’re doing well.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke calmly.

While feeling the luminous wheels beginning to return to their proper colors in his heart. Separate from Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s breath silently cutting off like thread, he concluded calmly.

“Just stay by my side like now. You don’t need to help us, but I won’t permit wandering off.”

Little Heavenly Demon Invincible Yelu Zhen. If her restrictions were lifted, she was someone who could commit any deed. If she could be a vessel, she naturally had to be kept close.

“……”

Suddenly Little Heavenly Demon Invincible’s breathing became thin and long, revealing her concentration on internal energy breathing. Since Jeong Yeon-shin had grown accustomed to her unpredictable moods, he immediately turned his head.

Literary Star was looking at him. His seated height was also very tall, so he seemed to be looking down, but for some reason his face was satisfied.

Literary Star asked quietly.

“Conversing to this degree shouldn’t particularly affect energy circulation and absorption, right? I need to know as a strategist.”

“Just avoid major movements.”

At the same time, Jeong Yeon-shin recalled the final stage of Jeong Family Dynamic Technique. There was a threshold to cross along with completion-level dharma power.

‘Someday…’

A realm where all movements accompanied energy accumulation, so power rose even during combat. True to the name Dynamic Art. It was what he had set for himself as the founding patriarch who created the martial art.

Then Literary Star nodded lightly.

“There are two problems.”

“Speak.”

“First is recovery, as expected. I too need some energy circulation after consecutively facing Profound Martial Alliance Leader and Mount Hua immortals. Of course, Divine Sword Squad members and True Blood Constitution are still reliable forces, but… there are great shortcomings in facing the world without Sword Heaven and me.”

The Ming Cult Leader was excluded from the discussion.

It was behavior not expecting Following Heaven Relic’s assistance. Just seeing her as an observer seemed to be Literary Star’s tendency to prepare thoroughly for everything.

“I’ll recover soon. What else?”

There was immediate reaction to Jeong Yeon-shin’s answer.

Sighs from Yeo Il-shin and Hyeon Won-chang who had heard about his deeds at Mount Hua. But Literary Star didn’t immediately give them room to interject.

“Second is the black ranks. Desolate Divine Spear, Silent Dawn, White Qilin… they’ve come to face two Thirteen Evil Sects leaders. Right now Sword Heaven is strangely peaceful, but will they truly be safe? With World Tree’s influence, even a handful of forces has become precious.”

“It’s a situation where Thirteen Evil Sects leaders have come to face Desolate Fortress. No need to discuss further. In the end, there are no problems for now.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke calmly.

The return of three black ranks to the main fortress meant just that. They weren’t beings to be cared for by others. So there was no need to worry.

“Is that so?”

Literary Star smiled.

Only then did Yeo Il-shin interject.

“I know about Divine Demon Mad Silence Sect. It’s not something to pass over so simply.”

Her front robe was soaked with sweat. The scene of golden molten-like hair sticking strand by strand. It was an appearance unbefitting someone whose internal cultivation was close to immunity to heat and cold.

Thud—

Formless energy waves from her whole body repeatedly tried to burst threateningly then subside.

She seemed to be having difficulty maintaining her right mind. Her opening a path for Jeong Yeon-shin as part of World Tree would have contributed.

“I didn’t know they had so absurdly established a branch in Desolate Fortress, but their base is Dongting Lake. Originally it was known not as a martial sect but as a school for artists who enjoyed music… but with famine deepened this much, it was a hermitage for masters. Sect Master Wol-yo is a monster who commits wide-area massacres with sound techniques.”

Jeong Yeon-shin gazed at her quietly then asked.

“Are you alright?”

“Don’t worry about me. Zhongnan has always been geographically well-informed. Naturally we didn’t frequently contact World Tree branches. Even more so after Zhongnan Mountain’s Gates were cut…”

Then Yeo Il-shin’s lips drew a faint curve.

“Yes… excluding this incident, that was the last time. Jeong Family Manor’s… bloodbath. I didn’t know Tyrant Sword Sect Leader would come as rear guard. The sect leader should have gone together… I’m sorry. Always sorry.”

Western Heaven Sword Duke Ou Yang-shin. The previous Zhongnan sect leader killed by Tyrant Sword Sect Leader, and privately Yeo Il-shin’s son.

What could he say to her?

Jeong Yeon-shin looked down at the teacup where even the subtle tea fragrance had scattered. And like Little Heavenly Demon Invincible, he kept his mouth shut.

“……”

He silently immersed himself in energy accumulation.

Beside him, Seventh Apostle sat dozing drowsily while Hyeon Won-chang raised his fist vertically toward Little Heavenly Demon Invincible.

* * *

A wrinkled fist drew a large circle.

So slow that the clear mountain air didn’t even stir. It was also very careful movement. As if his arm would fly off if he moved carelessly.

“This upward journey brings as much loss as gain.”

An old man with nobility flowing through his whole body.

Kaifeng Qing Family Head.

After reattaching at least one arm. With mastery of power medicine arts, he was muttering composedly like an old idler at this moment.

“It would be hard to deploy martial arts with this hand. Three Flowers Gathering at Crown will soon break too.”

The front yard of Zhongnan Grand Elder’s hall.

Colorful flowers were nowhere to be found. Instead of green vegetation, only Divine Sword Squad members silently watched him. Kaifeng Qing Family Head smiled brightly at them.

“It would be good if Divine Doctor touched me, but I heard he’s someone difficult to connect with even for ten thousand gold. Hmm? Come to think of it, hasn’t the Divine Sword Group Leader contacted the Divine Doctor before?”

“……”

“I’ve been curious ever since hearing that rumor. What did the Divine Doctor receive from the Divine Sword Group Leader, that monster who won’t practice medicine unless for common people, to examine his pulse at martial jianghu’s peak?”

The answer came from Shin So-bin who was leaning against a hall pillar.

“The world.”

It was a toneless voice.

Kaifeng Qing Family Head laughed heartily.

“The safety of this vast Central Plains? He was a great merchant, not a physician.”

Then he changed his expression like a lie and brightened. Because the girl known as Lightning Genius lineage’s top disciple had opened her mouth. The old man immediately had many things to ask Blood Radiance Queen Shin So-bin.

“Young lady, have you heard of Rapid Qi Eye?”

“No.”

“You readily converse. I thought you wouldn’t engage with me.”

“Old men who like chatter like you don’t cause trouble while you’re being conversation partners.”

“Sharp at calculation.”

Kaifeng Qing Family Head grinned broadly.

“Rapid Qi Eye is merchants’ calculation method for gauging jianghu people’s martial prowess. Of course, only a very few trading companies proficient in eye techniques use it. Since commercial flows are inevitably affected by jianghu political situations.”

“So?”

“Rapid is lightness skill mobility, Qi is energy accumulation, Eye is skill at observing enemies. Thus Rapid Qi Eye is a measure for gauging ‘how long will that warrior survive and influence the political situation.'”

Only then, as if interested, Shin So-bin’s slender chin lifted toward Kaifeng Qing Family Head. The old man smiled delightedly.

“We mainly gauge when fights break out in marketplaces, or when warriors we’ve made security escorts fight during business travels. So we send gifts like spirit pills or golden wound medicine to those with high Rapid Qi Eye scores. It’s a kind of investment. Because lives are at stake.”

Rumble—

Thunder suddenly spread from far away. Something was coming.

But Kaifeng Qing Family Head leisurely continued.

“Generally, the stronger one is, the more Rapid Qi Eye equals martial prowess. Isn’t jianghu a place where survivors are strong? Of course, Rapid Qi Eye’s standards and limits vary…”

“I didn’t need a conversation partner.”

“From one to ten. Some youngster rated a Desolate Fortress blue rank who protected his trading company as ten, while another friend boasted of witnessing a rarely seen Nine Sects elder and rating him as ‘ten.'”

After speaking so composedly, a smile of self-pride suddenly carved Kaifeng Qing Family Head’s face.

“Of course, my ten is the late Emperor Qian Ling. The information this old man will convey to the Divine Sword Group Leader will also be based on that standard. And…”

As if his whole body’s acupoints and meridians still didn’t properly align, the old man pointed at one side of the sky with a trembling hand.

“That old Taoist is a nine. I saw and gauged directly. Isn’t he nothing but a monster?”

Rustle.

Worn straw shoes stepped on the ground.

A noble clan Taoist with faded sleeves hanging down like an immortal, yet despite being visible to people, no presence was revealed. His body seemed to cross between reality and unreality’s boundaries.

“Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint… the same as Kongtong Sect Leader’s appearance destruction.”

One-armed guest warrior Oh Wol-hyang’s words, but all Divine Sword Squad members had already risen from their seats and drawn weapons.

Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint produced voice without moving throat or mouth.

“Since no Zhongnan disciples are visible, there’s no need to apologize for rudeness. I must hear about the Divine Sword Group Leader’s future whereabouts, so announce it.”

Wooong—

Whitish energy began connecting tail-to-tail like mist among Divine Sword Squad members. A scene quickly becoming thick. It was Radiant Art light skill that no one knew who had initiated first.

At the same time, Shin So-bin asked Kaifeng Qing Family Head.

“What about me?”

“Hmm?”

“Rapid Qi Eye. Where am I roughly?”

“I’m no immortal. To gauge Rapid Qi Eye just from energy waves, I’d need to see fighting at least. Still, if I had to look, it would be hard to exceed three. Truly remarkable achievement.”

At the same time, the hall door Shin So-bin had been leaning against slid open.

It was Divine Sword Group Leader Lightning Genius.

An indifferent face. He stood alone without any support personnel.

Kaifeng Qing Family Head brightened.

“I can gauge that friend. This has become interesting. Let’s see, right now about five… truly remarkable internal energy recovery… hmm?”

Keeeeeing—

It was a sound that reached the old merchant’s ears. Friction sound like wheel rotation. At this moment, the number floating in the old man’s mind through divine art formulas began changing rapidly.

From five with one fifth… soon six… simultaneously surpassing seven, the character he’d conjured passed eight and became distorted like lightning to reach nine. And in an instant changing form once more, it was straight to ten.

“……!”

“Would my destination be anywhere else?”

The Divine Sword Group Leader who had finished energy circulation spoke.