Chapter 699 – Whistle (6)

Rarely was he so thoroughly delighted.

Jeong Yeon-shin gazed quietly at the young Desolate Fortress Lord across from him and thought this. The sight of the girl gulping down tree sap at the stone table, perhaps having grown thirsty from repeated events.

He asked quietly.

“Is it to your taste?”

“It’s just plain water. It would taste better if brewed into alcohol.”

His young master’s voice was peaceful. This was because Jeong Yeon-shin had strongly activated his upper energy center spirit in his words and actions earlier. Originally being a high noble clan member who was said to read hearts even through opponents’ breath, she had not only exchanged swords but even felt his intentions.

That alone had made the girl’s internal energy breathing as calm as a gentle breeze.

‘One born to see through essence.’

It was even said she could discern the grain patterns of trees that hadn’t been cut. That it was no different even if the opponent was human.

Slurp.

The girl had gained composure. Starting with how she drank the cup warmed by Samadhi True Fire like a tea cup.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

What had his young master felt from his current self? Had there perhaps been a thick, dizzying scent of blood? The blood stained from the Central Plains and northern lands was more than just a drop or two.

But that was as far as it went. Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t particularly sink into introspection. He had merely asked what had been weighing on his mind.

“Do you know the taste of alcohol?”

“If cut by a Yuan Martial God’s rusty blade, you must pour alcohol before applying wound medicine. You should always carry some.”

“So you know the taste of alcohol at that age…?”

“You speak like Yue Feng. You haven’t long passed the age of learning either.”

“When you undergo the coming-of-age ceremony, you become an adult. Don’t you learn alcohol etiquette then?”

“When did you undergo it?”

Jeong Yeon-shin silently rose from his seat. It was because it was about time for the noble clan martial forces and Dark Heaven Emperor to tear through the air and arrive.

Especially, he needed to experience as many of the main tree’s noble clans as possible here. The martial forces unified with World Tree were a power where even Fighting God would find it difficult to discuss victory, let alone Jeong Yeon-shin.

‘It was the same at the end of the Yuan Dynasty.’

The era of Taoist Sanfeng.

The Yuan Dynasty’s cavalry martial arts were passed down to the Yao tribe, and the Yuan Martial Gods, who were the mainstream of that martial lineage, led tens of thousands of martial forces that even included the Yao tribe. That power was said to be at a level where even Zhang Sanfeng, the Greatest Sword of All Time, spoke of a nation’s tyranny.

What about the core military forces of the Ming Dynasty that ultimately pushed them back? World Tree that had replaced support forces like the Imperial Army and Nine Sects with ‘unification.’

“When you undergo the coming-of-age ceremony, do you really feel greatly that you’ve become an adult? Does more strength go into your writing techniques too?”

His young master asked as she rose following Jeong Yeon-shin.

Perhaps because this was an era where the studies of the strong were more precious than anything, just like the outside world. She seemed to have gained some interest in the peerless swordsman she was meeting for the first time. Just as Jeong Yeon-shin had sought to uncover everything about her.

“Yes.”

Jeong Yeon-shin smiled slightly.

“There was somewhat such a feeling, so it seems to have helped me survive. If you haven’t undergone it yet due to the war, it would be good to pester your parents for a coming-of-age ceremony.”

“I don’t have any. The Faded King killed them.”

[TL Note- if anyone is still confused about Faded Clan and Faded King, they’re basically dark elves.]

It was a calm statement.

Something new had emerged again. A story he had never heard. The grudges of chaotic times were endless.

After being silent for a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin slowly opened his mouth.

“My parents didn’t perform mine for me either.”

“I thought so.”

“……?”

For a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin felt something strange. Quite a long time had passed to be called a brief tea time, yet nothing had arrived this time.

Nothing.

Neither noble clan martial forces nor Dark Heaven Emperor.

Hiss…

The gentle breeze brushing the thickets made a sound like scattering sand grains. It felt like a desert of time spreading in the untimely silence.

* * *

Won-jeok kicked off the long thickets with grass-skimming lightness technique and rose lightly. While supporting Golden Thunder whose eyes had rolled back from golden lightning, listening to his nonsense.

“I want to eat Five Cloud Mountain herbs. You pick one leaf, the clan leader one, Elder Sanfeng one, and Yue Feng and the young lady one each. Since they’re all masters, the fragrance would be paradise too.”

“Amitabha. Something seems strange.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit like that.”

Golden Thunder rambled incoherently.

“My crown is hot. Am I also going to escape the mundane world and reach the other shore like you? Without the trouble of shaving my head every day like you… this is too embarrassing.”

Won-jeok, who had stopped supporting him, looked around broadly. Though Golden Thunder, sprawled out, laughed emptily as if intoxicated by opium, there were air-breaking sounds mixed sporadically in that sound.

Whoosh!

They were approaching rapidly. Beings that concealed their energy waves not at all, like sunlight vastly swallowing the grasslands. Moreover, there weren’t just one or two.

‘Yuan Martial Gods…!’

The martial forest’s public enemies of this era. The masters of the Yuan Dynasty.

The place Won-jeok had been heading toward was the main tree area, and they were also charging in the same direction.

Originally it hadn’t been like this.

Won-jeok struggles to lead away the unconscious Golden Thunder and young Desolate Fortress Lord. Those who had held the five Yuan Martial Gods in place were Wei Yan and Yue Feng. It was a tremendous battle.

Meanwhile, Zhang Sanfeng still stubbornly headed for World Tree. This was why the main tree noble clans of that time were greatly disappointed in him.

‘No one could know the reason.’

Zhang Sanfeng, who returned afterward, greatly contributed to driving the earth-shaking joint attack of the Yuan Martial Gods, Dark Heaven Emperor, and the Faded King far outside the main tree, but it was already after about one double-hour had passed. Naturally there was great damage.

“It ends here.”

That was the only incomprehensible statement.

There was no chance to ask what he had done.

Because after suddenly striking Won-jeok’s head in the main tree city that was busy recovering corpses, making him an idiot, he disappeared that way and never emerged into the world again.

Leaving the promising talents Golden Thunder and Won-jeok to be tied together under the nickname “Twin Fools.”

‘That damned bastard.’

That was Zhang Sanfeng’s last jianghu journey.

Afterward, the Ming imperial household conducted a massive search of Mount Wudang, but there were no particular results. It was said that Master Guangji, who had suddenly become the sect leader of the Wudang Sect as Zhang Sanfeng’s eldest disciple, only curtly repeated that he knew nothing.

The truth was here.

The series of events had changed because of that too.

Whether due to the being called Zhang Sanfeng, or because World Tree had intervened in the flow.

‘They’re coming…!’

At that moment Won-jeok’s eyes widened. It was right after the rough neighing of war horses tore through the atmosphere. The pure white light web characteristic of blades swallowed up his vision like the sun.

Crack!

Along with the sound of flesh being crushed, consciousness flew away like a shell. It was a thrown spear by a figure who had ridden his horse like light in perfect unity of man and horse. Though he couldn’t recognize it in time, it had probably smashed his face and passed through in one blow.

A feeling of piercing even space and time.

It was fitting for descendants of the group that had ruled the most vast territory of all nations throughout history.

It was literally one of the Yuan Dynasty’s Martial Gods. One who would meet death at the hands of Desolate Fortress Lord only after more than ten years had passed from this point.

“Gasp…!”

The next moment Won-jeok had returned to his original place. To the grassland where he, Golden Thunder, Wei Yan, and Zhang Sanfeng were positioned together.

Was it because of that gasp?

Young Grand Empress Dowager Wei Yan stopped calling Zhang Sanfeng mid-sentence. She looked back at Won-jeok and asked.

“What’s the matter?”

Won-jeok couldn’t speak, and Wei Yan didn’t wait for an answer. Because Jeong Yeon-shin was standing behind Zhang Sanfeng like a lie. It was miraculous lightness technique no matter when you saw it.

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke.

“…Taoist Sanfeng, Master Won-jeok.”

“Who might you be?”

Zhang Sanfeng asked back with a mysterious smile. Without even bothering to turn around.

Seeing that, Won-jeok thought. Could that monster called Sanfeng actually be aware of the cycle of regression? Even if he was merely an existence within past records torn out by World Tree.

Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin’s face was serious.

“I don’t know the way.”

“……!”

Won-jeok felt as if his heart had stopped for a moment.

Because it meant that even Divine Sword Group Leader was trapped in the world created by World Tree. This was a major incident on a different level from one of the Four Great Vajra being devoured by this world and unable to come to his senses.

‘What can be done about this?’

When all under heaven was in its final days.

Then Zhang Sanfeng pursed his wrinkled lips once like a marketplace medicine peddler and said.

“All sorts of things happen. A traveler drifting all the way here.”

“I thought it would work if I emptied my thoughts or used the power of my upper energy center. It didn’t work that way. Meditation and spirit were both useless.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“This won’t do. I must get out of here.”

It was natural. No one knew better than himself the symbolic nature of the position called Divine Sword Group Leader. Especially in chaotic times like now.

At the same time, Jeong Yeon-shin’s mental transmission seeped into Won-jeok’s mind like enlightened wise light.

[The greatest monster of all time seems to be trying to catch two rabbits. Not only investigating Taoist Sanfeng’s deeds, but also intending to hold my consciousness here. Like Master.]

Won-jeok’s lips twitched.

[Such an absurd thing might indeed be possible. It’s all because of this poor monk.]

The intelligence network of the Nine Sects that had noble clans among their disciples couldn’t consist only of secular sects. It was because World Tree’s power was great.

The reason they could look into the world like the palm of their hand without sect disciples having to descend the mountain. Won-jeok had reached this state because of that too. Because he had communicated with the branches of World Tree rooted in Mount Song for a very long time.

[It’s absolutely overwhelming, so it cannot be resisted. How else could spirituality return to its original state like true energy along with regression? This must be proof that the ‘unification’ attempt regarding this poor monk is that fierce. I’m only realizing this now. I’m truly sorry.]

World Tree.

Jianghu’s mystery.

Won-jeok felt somehow out of breath even while transmitting such thoughts. He was on the verge of reaching the point of stopping thought as repeated deaths continued. The feeling of lush thicket shadows gradually blocking his breathing and filling his lungs. In other words, despair.

“With that fabric and the character for emperor, plus the breathing of an internal energy master… did your lord send you?”

Grand Empress Dowager Wei Yan’s rambling words were also growing distant in his ears when Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly spoke aloud.

“There’s a saying about trying to catch two rabbits and losing both.”

The saying about trying to catch two rabbits and missing them all.

By then, Yue Feng in pink robes had approached closely with young Desolate Fortress Lord. Jeong Yeon-shin glanced at the girl who was quietly looking up at him, then turned his head to Zhang Sanfeng.

“Taoist.”

“Mm?”

“May I make a move?”

Many doubted their ears for a moment. Won-jeok felt it. That true energy had filled everyone’s upper energy centers except the parties involved.

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t ask twice.

He merely spoke quietly to Wei Yan.

“His Majesty the Emperor bestowed this robe and I received the kind words of being ‘this nation’s sword.'”

For a moment, her lips that had seemed surrounded by blades rippled faintly, then drew curves like flower petals.

“I feel not a trace of falsehood in those words. It is truly real.”

Won-jeok was bewildered. How were things unfolding?

“I will block Taoist Sanfeng. Let us join forces.”

Jeong Yeon-shin continued slowly.

“…So that no one may witness the Taoist reaching World Tree.”

The next moment, bright blue sword light shot skyward from Divine Sword Group Leader’s scabbard. The sword drawn as if exploding was racing toward Zhang Sanfeng’s neck. Along with thoughts that spread in an instant.

[The greatest secluded training of all time.]