Chapter 667 – Desolate Banner (11)

Zhongnan Sect’s halls had high thresholds.

It was because they had nearly suffered annihilation at Tyrant Sword Sect’s hands. The halls rebuilt with the imperial court’s help were said to be structured to easily deal with sudden attacks.

Therefore, Jeong Yeon-shin looked down diagonally at Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint. Beyond the old Taoist’s shoulders, the desolate front yard spread out.

“……”

One who had long been Kongtong Sect Leader.

In the noble clan Taoist’s pupils, Jeong Yeon-shin was more like a calamity than a person.

It was instinctively felt. At this moment, Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint was staring at the current Divine Sword Group Leader as if peering into Gates. As if he were a task requiring special countermeasures or responses.

“I hope my disciples don’t face you.”

The old Taoist slowly moved his mouth.

“In these chaotic times, there’s no telling what might happen.”

“I.”

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly descended from the threshold.

“Would like to meet with Sect Leader Taoist whenever main fortress warriors face crises. So they can survive.”

“Desolate Fortress has always been a tool of Ming’s imperial court. At least I’m one of those who think so.”

The more Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint spoke, the more wind stirred around them. His aged voice gradually rumbled. And semi-transparent breeze began striking Jeong Yeon-shin.

“Since I don’t think of you as absolute good or such, it would be no good thing for a Divine Sword Squad master to see me. Like common people encountering tigers.”

“A chivalrous man has met another chivalrous man.”

Rumble—

Energy wave collision.

Hazy boundary lines flashed like whips, and the nearby atmosphere rippled semi-transparently.

It was neither person’s intention.

Kongtong Sect Leader’s Ascending Heaven Demon-Subduing Divine Energy had simply reacted to full-strength ‘Triple Core true energy.’ Whatever their superiority, it was a phenomenon occurring because each could harm the other.

“……”

Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint’s white eyebrows twitched. Faint surprise seeped from his usually expressionless face.

“…Mount Hua was so swept up in storms that even elders within Gates were brought out. Now there’s no chivalry left in the Nine Sects. Only individual survival remains.”

“Then why did you ask about my whereabouts…?”

“Because you are a boulder.”

Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint’s words continued.

“The most powerful World Tree’s unified noble clans, plus Tyrant Sword Sect Leader, Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance, Four Province Martial Alliance and Seven New Enemies of Defeated Desolation’s various sects… added to this are the Nine Sects pursuing individual survival and even northern Fighting God. While your Divine Sword Squad sacrificed yourselves in the north, they became a new jianghu. All sectors of the world are already moving according to that order…”

Then the old Taoist quietly asked.

“What happens when a boulder falls into a lake?”

“Waves would arise.”

“You can’t help but be unwelcome. You too will be desperate to protect your subordinates. If your destination is Xiangyang’s Desolate Fortress main fortress, ripples will begin from there.”

—The old geezer talks too much.

Thin breath swept down Jeong Yeon-shin’s nape. Inhalation and exhalation that very naturally raised his fine hairs. It was Seventh Apostle who had approached behind him without any presence.

—Less stimulating. It’s become harmonious.

A feeling of being somewhat displeased that dharma power had been blurred by demonic art energy waves. Jeong Yeon-shin spoke while descending from the threshold.

“So we’ll be able to cross hands comfortably. It’ll be easy to approach too. Xiangyang has always been the center of jianghu.”

While Seventh Apostle’s internal energy breathing tickled and fluttered briefly, Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint slowly turned around.

“If you set your mind to it, you could reclaim Desolate Fortress without difficulty. The only concern would be the Divine Sword Squad warriors’ deaths beforehand. That might become great heart demons for you.”

Before long, there were many watching him from behind Jeong Yeon-shin. Not only Seventh Apostle had emerged from the hall.

Little Heavenly Demon Invincible sat in the void with an expression of unknown thoughts, while Literary Star was slowly squeezing out sideways, tilting his large frame because the doorway was narrow.

“Desolate Fortress would be a bit larger, right?”

Literary Star smiled awkwardly, and on one side of the front yard, Kaifeng Qing Family Head suddenly muttered quietly.

“Seven, one to nine, eight infinitely close to nine… one to nine? The Ming Cult Leader is strange.”

Perhaps because they had maintained an energy barrier around Yeo Il-shin’s hall until just before. It was hard to fathom why Divine Sword Squad members like Shin So-bin were listening to these incomprehensible words at this moment.

It was then.

“Whatever happens, I hope you don’t stray from the righteous path. Our sect’s disciples might lose their sect leader…”

Kongtong Sect Leader’s words. Meaning he might come to cross swords with Jeong Yeon-shin.

For a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin felt some woody fragrance from Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint’s back. The same temperament as Dark Night Palace Leader, Taoist Qingshui, and Praising Earth Sword Duke. He seemed to be resisting World Tree alone.

“Even without me.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke toward the old Taoist’s back.

“Desolate Fortress will soon be recovered.”

Yet Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint didn’t stop walking. An aged answer flowed from his back simultaneously.

“As much as you trust the Divine Sword Squad, the sense of loss when you lose them will also be great. Rather, it’s words that increase concern about you.”

“Time will tell.”

Rustle.

Jeong Yeon-shin also stepped forward.

Opposite to Acquired Heaven Radiant Saint, steps toward Xiangyang. Worn leather shoes finely crushed dust clouds gathered by spring wind.

Qinling Mountain Range.

Even before rumors that the Divine Sword Group Leader had returned could travel down the mountain ridges. Yeo Il-shin, who had appeared behind Jeong Yeon-shin’s group, saw them off, but instead of wind, conflict was stained in her golden hair.

It was after some conversation had already taken place.

“I too must make a decision…”

She muttered.

* * *

Brushstrokes drew large strokes like Qinling Mountain Range.

Characters carved into the letter with rough texture due to lack of moisture. Thick ink fragrance circled the vicinity.

Rustle.

It was a desolate marketplace.

Many stalls were cracked and split while losing their owners, and the corpse of a shop boy who had been devoted to soliciting customers gazed at the sky with a gaunt face.

He had starved to death. Like the moisture-less stalls.

“Young fellow.”

The scar-covered one-armed man, Desolate Ma Family Head Ma Jin, touched the young shop boy’s eyes. The pupils that had reflected flowing white clouds like mirrors closed as if in peaceful sleep.

“…It might have been better to be murdered by some mad jianghu person somewhere.”

After roughly praying for the departed soul, he turned his gaze to the middle of the marketplace.

A large-framed middle-aged scribe was ceaselessly wielding his brush at some table. An appearance of paying no attention regardless of what happened where. At a glance, he seemed uninterested even in the starved common people.

Grand Administrator Lin Jin-ming spoke without even lifting his head.

“Ma Family Head should start activating Jeong Family Dynamic Technique soon. He’s coming.”

Sitting on a wooden chair that wandering medicine peddlers used to entice people, he completed several letters in succession like a refined scholar. His brush strokes were flowing and unbroken.

Thud.

Finally stamping Desolate Fortress Lord’s official seal and rolling them up for sealing, each letter’s end had different destinations written: Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance, Four Province Martial Alliance, Heaven Extreme Sect, Hebei Peng Family, Zhenzhou Yan Family, World Tree Main Tree….

A middle-aged woman who had glimpsed them spoke up. While smoothing the wrinkles of sleeves stained with her own and others’ blood.

“Those aren’t places worth requesting support from.”

Desolate Shin Family Head Shin Seol-ha. In recent times, she was more famous as Blood Radiance Queen Shin So-bin’s mother than for her alias Swaying Moon Blue Sword.

“Support?”

Lin Jin-ming’s lips rose along with his bushy beard. He spoke composedly.

“Rather, they’re threatening letters. Desolate Fortress is perfectly invincible in jianghu with just the Divine Sword Squad’s seventeen great units, so why would we disgrace ourselves? Lord Jeong will certainly return. Together with the Family Head’s daughter.”

“…Do as you please.”

Shin Seol-ha turned her head. A face accustomed to the Grand Administrator’s eccentricity. But a smile seemed about to form on her tired lips.

Protecting Desolate Fortress’s pride.

Built high so no one could easily look down on people’s livelihoods. Therefore, Desolate Fortress’s prestige crumbling was directly connected to despairing common people becoming part of the chaotic times. Bandits of the green forest would immediately gain power.

That is, Cavalry Green Forest was just the beginning.

“The main fortress can curb chaotic times just by protecting the name ‘Desolate Banner,’ making it the world’s greatest gate. Of course, I haven’t been meaninglessly scribbling characters here.”

Lin Jin-ming addressed his surroundings.

Over a hundred people filled the desolate marketplace.

Not only General Administration’s scribes and warriors, but also Ma and Shin families’ household members capable of fighting at any time were guarding the vicinity. In a shabby carriage on one side lay unconscious Elder Council Leader Shin Byeok-do.

“Just a little.”

Lin Jin-ming muttered quietly.

“Just wait a little longer…”

Then.

“Looking at it, the forces are shabby compared to past reputation. I heard Harbinger of Hell lost his prosthetic hand to Sword King Buddha? Truly a pitiful sight indeed.”

Beside Lin Jin-ming’s table.

A middle-aged man bound with rope and kneeling chuckled. More like a refined gentleman than a warrior. His face was greasy, and his skin texture was very smooth.

Slow Music Master Qin Lun.

Ha Sect Master’s right hand. He had been captured after a very fierce chase while previously scouting Desolate Fortress’s remnants. He was an important figure at least comparable to super masters in lightness skills.

At this moment his face wore a faint smile, and though he might look somewhat servile, he wasn’t the type to be frightened by any threat.

Ha Sect’s Qin Lun said.

“Stop there and accept our Sect Master’s mediation. Your world has ended. Good or bad for bottom-dwellers like us, the world has ultimately released the reins that were around its neck.”

Lin Jin-ming’s head tilted slightly sideways.

“…You mean treating Desolate Fortress as non-existent. Isn’t that rashly assuming danger? At best, only northern Divine Thief or Divine Beggar Zhu Guang could stop our main fortress purple ranks’ lightness skill mobility, but what if Lord Jeong rationally retreats and returns?”

“That would certainly be a great calamity…!”

Qin Lun continued, frowning as if he truly felt so.

“Jianghu can also bring disaster upon him. The world is nauseatingly vast, and now all of the martial forest has begun pursuing survival. Even if they can’t do anything to the Divine Sword Group Leader’s representative… those connected to him aren’t all as strong as Lotus Nezha. Moreover, isn’t Lightning Genius Lord Jeong of an age where his heart might not be fully matured?”

“……”

When Lin Jin-ming closed his mouth, Qin Lun smiled respectfully to suppress the other’s anger.

“To confess one thing here, I’ve been moving while reporting my whereabouts not only to our Sect Master but to others as well.”

“What?”

“By now, Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance Leader, Four Province Martial Alliance Leader, and perhaps one or two of Seven New Enemies of Defeated Desolation may have arrived nearby. I dare speculate they clearly surpass the forces of Namgung noble family in its prime that faced Desolate Fortress’s three purple ranks.”

Ha Sect was a sect that changed character according to the times. In peaceful eras when people were lenient toward lowly riffraff, they pursued moderate profit, and in chaotic times of survival of the fittest, they thoroughly followed the prevailing trend.

It was the same now.

A world where Beggar Sect Leader had disappeared and even Desolate Fortress’s intelligence network had become nominal. An era just before Ha Sect was counted as one seat among the new Thirteen Evil Sects.

“Moreover, isn’t current Desolate Fortress like military forces retreating after defeat? You won’t be able to resist. Of course… at least Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance Leader greatly considers public sentiment, so he has readiness to negotiate with Desolate Fortress…”

Qin Lun’s jet-black pupils.

His eye-light glistened like grease. Like a scoundrel dancing with blades before the uppermost levels of jianghu he couldn’t dare look up at.

Reversal of positions.

That treacherous pleasure was connected to the reason many jianghu people wanted to become strong. Whether they had personal grudges against Desolate Fortress or not.

Lin Jin-ming laughed.

“That’s good news. Quite a gathering indeed.”

“Just nominally, if you put the name Desolate Fortress Divine Sword Squad under Great Righteous Orthodox Alliance… What did you say?”

“I told them to go eat shit, it’s eastern jianghu profanity. Reports say a friend called Great Tongue Sword from the main fortress often used it.”

Qin Lun’s eyes narrowed.

“In what context…?”

Lin Jin-ming didn’t answer. He only uttered what he had to say.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but ancient Shu Han’s Zhuge Military Advisor came to be called the world’s greatest strategist thanks to a certain decisive event. Insight more noble than any of Zhuge family’s sorcery martial arts. Precisely pinpointing the arrival time and movement route of natural disasters. And I…”

“……?”

“Have taken on Desolate Fortress Lord’s proxy with meager skills. At least one thing should rightfully be world’s greatest.”

Thud.

Heard from far away.

Swish—

Footsteps dragging one leg.

Some limping figure’s shadow slowly cast from the distance. In one hand a liquor bottle, in the opposite hand gripping an emperor’s nape.

“Kill jianghu… on the day the main fortress was stolen, I remember Lord Jeong’s words.”

Lin Jin-ming continued slowly.

“Please die.”