Chapter 712 – Stone Sword Group (2)

The one-armed girl.

Her left sleeve was empty.

It wasn’t just the left side of her body that was covered in blood.

Traces of coughing blood were thick around her lips. Bright red bloodstains that had dried and crusted. Now the name White Cat felt distantly far away. It was also an appearance befitting the alias Blood Radiance Queen.

‘How did that bold young lady from a prestigious family come to this…’

Ming Yu found it distressing to see. Even more so because he had been acquainted with Shin So-bin from before.

“The impermanence of jianghu…”

At the bitter muttering to himself, Shin So-bin’s gaze turned to Ming Yu. Her large eyes were fully revealed.

“Oh? Lord Ming, you’re alive?!”

“Isn’t the Eastern Depot north of Dong’an Gate? The calamities caused by that fellow extended south from the Forbidden City’s main palace.”

It was bold talk pointing at Fighting God’s earth figure while babbling. Because he was using none other than Jeong Yeon-shin’s broad back as a shield.

Fighting God’s primordial spirit avatar did not react.

He simply looked down silently at Martial Star, who had fallen in the shape of the character 大 (great) at Ming Yu’s feet as if taking a nap, that massive corpse.

When Fighting God was added to the northern Six Star Lords, they were called the Big Dipper. The densest constellation under heaven. Because they had once been a family bound by righteousness.

“……”

The primordial spirit’s eyes, molded from earth, reflected nothing. Only faint sandstorms swirled on the dry surface of his eye sockets.

In the suffocating silence, Ming Yu suddenly thought. It’s all loss.

Deep silence flowed.

Thud.

Suddenly, Heaven-Conquering Sect Leader’s Winter Dream Sword lightly tapped Martial Star’s head. Like a blind person groping the floor with a staff. It seemed he couldn’t grasp the atmosphere.

“I say there.”

The blind man spoke.

Soon after, he tapped Martial Star’s crown again with a thud, paying no heed even as Fighting God raised his head. Unorthodox Finest Sword spoke to the corpse’s head.

“Are you there?”

There could be no answer. Heaven Soaring Guest Wan Hui muttered to himself as if finding it strange. There should be a response?

‘This is serious.’

Ming Yu thought.

He was a eunuch who had long moved between the Eastern Depot and the Great Internal Administrative Bureau. Moreover, for someone as threatening as Heaven Soaring Guest, it was the Eastern Depot’s business to know even who his childhood crush had been.

‘That fellow’s long-held grudge has ended. Without being able to do anything.’

Ming Yu felt as if the Heaven Soaring Guest from past to present, passed down through documents, had all flashed by at once. Mad blind man, bizarre heretic, world-reforming swordsman. He also had the intuition that this place had become extremely dangerous.

He naturally had no choice but to lightly touch Jeong Yeon-shin’s back.

Swoosh.

“Th-that, Lord Jeong. The major fighting has concluded, but it seems you should organize the surroundings.”

But Ming Yu soon gave up.

Because Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze lingered on the empty shoulder area of his martial lineage’s chief disciple. In the silent temple, an emotional storm was raging.

[Stop it.]

Fighting God said to Wan Hui.

[He was ultimately someone who deserved to die miserably, but you must not dishonor the dead. Don’t become ugly.]

Wan Hui paid no heed. He simply tapped Martial Star’s head once more with the sword tip from his scabbard, then posed a question to Fighting God.

“Where is that place? In my haste I couldn’t gauge my sword strike properly.”

[You mean my main body? Seeing people in fur hats wandering around in spring, it’s neither the Demon Realm nor the Central Plains. But I’ll return soon.]

Thunk.

Winter Dream Sword’s movement stopped.

Because Fighting God, who had approached like a mirage in an instant, had grasped Wan Hui’s wrist. Yellow-brown sandstorms scattered long along that movement.

[I said stop.]

It was an untimely confrontation.

Ming Yu’s vicinity was filled with human-shaped natural disasters. Fighting God, Wan Hui, Jeong Yeon-shin. The powerless eunuch stopped thinking. And he slipped away unnoticed by mouse or bird and carefully approached Shin So-bin’s group.

‘The bloodline of the Desolate Fortress Shin Family.’

The one-armed girl covered in bloodstains all over her body was chattering to Silent Lord General Shin Hwang.

“It seems the major things are over for now, but why are primordial spirit avatars so common? That monster over there and that old woman.”

It was talk pointing in turn at those about to turn into earth dust and wood fragments respectively – Fighting God and Wei Yeon’s primordial spirit avatars. It was unmistakably the speech pattern of a madman fallen into demonic possession, yet Shin Hwang was calm as if nothing was wrong.

“That’s how deeply you’ve become involved in the jianghu of transcendent ascension. Would the same land be the same world?”

He continued in a low voice.

“More than that, your energy perception in noticing that Grand Empress Dowager was a primordial spirit avatar is remarkable. What level is your Jeong Family Dynamic Technique? You must have deep understanding of Lord Jeong.”

“That’s somewhat…”

A charming smile flickered briefly at Shin So-bin’s lips as if blooming or withering. Whether it was due to achievements she considered insignificant, or conversely private embarrassment, was unclear.

But Ming Yu immediately saw through it. Because he was a eunuch experienced in scheming. By his estimation, it was the latter.

‘The chief disciple… reminds me of Lord Jeong when I first saw him. These are all pure monsters.’

Even if Jeong Yeon-shin truly sacrificed his life to gate severing and disappeared, Desolate Fortress’s lineage would never be severed. He had chosen his side well.

“I don’t know when the Great Administrator will finish cleaning up below and come up. There are many corpses on the mountain slopes.”

The girl casually recounted terrible stories. She too reminded him of Radiant Demon Wing Leader Lightning Genius, whom Ming Yu had always encountered through documents. A human type to avoid.

Ming Yu approached Shin Hwang.

“Master Shin.”

“Lord Ming.”

“You’ve achieved a great feat. Killing a Six Star Lord is truly a momentous thing…”

“It ultimately came down to joint attack. It was thanks to the great power of Shaolin’s rule-breaking monk.”

“What does it matter? Silent Lord’s name has been renowned for long, and this will be merit added when selecting a new Divine Sword Group Leader later.”

A new Divine Sword Group Leader.

“……!”

It was words that would inevitably cause great repercussions. The aftereffects might reach all under heaven.

Not only did Shin Hwang’s eyes stir, but large and small reactions arose everywhere. Including Hyeon Won-chang and Shin So-bin, even the nearby Shaolin monks. It was a very natural scene.

Now that Jeong Yeon-shin would only traverse the realm of jianghu’s peak, the one who would completely take over the role he had been handling under his command. Jeong Yeon-shin’s divine sword. Someone already a peerless master or within one step of the peerless realm.

Who indeed could it be?

‘There must be many strong candidates.’

Then Shin Hwang’s words fell heavily.

“…We too heard the imperial command, but Lord Jeong has not yet said anything about a ‘new Divine Sword Group Leader.’ It’s not a matter for you to comment on first.”

“Oh my.”

Ming Yu immediately admitted his rashness. At the same time, he clasped both hands together.

“This lowly one got too excited unlike a eunuch should… As an apology, there’s something urgent I must tell you. It’s about a Hao Sect member who seems connected to Lord Jeong. Privately, he’s a friend who even risked his life to help deliver the imperial command.”

“Hao Sect member? Hao Sect would be Fighting God’s intelligence network.”

“If you follow me, I’ll tell you. He should be not far from here.”

“Lead the way.”

Everything flowed like water. The reason the eunuch could naturally lead Shin Hwang to Zhang Soon-il with his skillful talk, and simultaneously why Hyeon Won-chang and Shin So-bin could approach Jeong Yeon-shin without any burden, was the same.

Because they were in the center of the One Hundred Eight Arhat Formation.

The feeling of a Buddha as vast as Mount Song looking down on the temple. There was no sense of oppression, yet no one could move rashly. Because the powerful cultivation of the Shaolin monks seemed ready to strike down anywhere at any time like Tathagata’s palm, unified as one.

It was the same when Hyeon Won-chang and Shin So-bin passed by World Tree’s sixteen masters, the Martial Painting Sixteen Trees, and Wei Yeon.

“Lord Jeong, please freeze this.”

Hyeon Won-chang handed Jeong Yeon-shin a long bundle of clothes. Something wrapped up tightly. A fishy smell of blood emanated from it.

“You know, didn’t you study the mysteries of ice techniques? Trying to do something about Poppy Addict’s constitution.”

“…An arm.”

Jeong Yeon-shin muttered as soon as he grasped it once. Because of the familiar elasticity.

“So-bin’s…?”

“You guessed it like a master should. It was about to be crushed by Martial Star’s Great Sliding Hammer, so I, who was close by, cut it off first. It was possible thanks to this fine sword… In any case, Lord Jeong should have seen the fellow who made the wrong move getting smashed by Hundred Step Divine Fist and flying away.”

Hyeon Won-chang grinned. The sight of him stroking the sword hilt at his waist.

Jeong Yeon-shin found it absurd and burst out laughing despite himself. At the same time, he froze the true energy fluctuation in his grasp with his will. The mental image of natural energy’s movement stopping.

Crackle-

Frost formed on the bundle of clothes.

It froze rapidly indeed. It was the same method Jeong Yeon-shin had once tried on Lazy Flame Dragon’s vital points as a test.

“How’s that massage, refreshing? The leader’s touch is quite something.”

That’s how he had earned beatings several times for his cheekiness. There hadn’t been any particular results, but now it was put to good use.

Jeong Yeon-shin glanced at Shin So-bin. Her face was flushed reddish. White steam was rising in streams from the bloodstains all over her body, and without looking, it was clearly the residual heat of Ultimate Thunder.

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“Not really? I’m really excited right now. When will I ever smash a Six Star Lord again? It’s not like Uncle Literary Star will let me hit him.”

“The pain must be considerable.”

“I said it doesn’t hurt…?”

There were those watching that scene intently. Fighting God, Literary Star, Wan Hui, and Wei Yeon. It was difficult to fathom what thoughts each was immersed in.

Wan Hui, who still stood close to Jeong Yeon-shin, was even more so. The feeling that emotion had disappeared to the point where even expressionlessness had fled from his face.

Suddenly Hyeon Won-chang placed his hand on his shoulder, then kicked Martial Star’s temple with a thud. Leg technique like cheerfully bursting a drum. Deep emotion was contained as if he had felt countless threats to his life.

Naturally, it was before Fighting God’s face.

“You seem to have had a grudge against this monster, but don’t be heartbroken. Your hand contributed greatly.”

“……?”

The lower part of Wan Hui’s face under the bamboo hat revealed even the slightest fragment of emotion. It was the movement of someone dealing with a person who had lost their mind.

Even after everything was concluded, it was chaos. The number of people needed to decrease. Jeong Yeon-shin said to Fighting God and Wei Yeon.

“Now get lost.”

He knew why they had become quiet. For Fighting God it was lingering attachment, for Wei Yeon it was exploration that was the problem. Business with Martial Star and the Divine Sword Group respectively.

[I’ll disappear soon anyway. The main body has become too distant.]

To Fighting God’s words, now half-blurred, Jeong Yeon-shin’s question followed.

“You look relaxed, so you fell there alone?”

[Correct. After killing the former Desolate Fortress Lord, that fellow is next. I already thought he was someone whose head needed to be smashed anyway.]

The sight of him gesturing with his chin toward Wan Hui. The person in question showed no particular reaction. Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t mind either. It’s his life.

“A transmission came to the Great Administrator. You captured the main castle’s Immortal Tree Spirit Leader?”

[Only three.]

“What?”

[Bloodlines that can plant and raise saplings in the place where the walking trees were cut. The final fortress that will remain when we die meaninglessly.]

“It would be the Noble clan?”

[That old woman and your master, and the Immortal Tree Spirit Leader. Two of them will die, so the Immortal Tree Spirit Leader must be protected. Therefore I imprisoned her in the depths.]

Fighting God was already making a bored expression. A face never seen before on Fighting God. Was it because of Martial Star’s death?

[When we meet again, do not oppose me.]

Suddenly the earth-formed divine form crumbled down. Fighting God’s figure was nowhere to be seen. Simultaneously Weii Yeon opened her mouth.

“The Four Great Dharma Protectors, Three Direction Generals, the Imperial Three Great Masters, your master Chaotic Heaven Emperor and the unified masters of the clans… These are the groups you will face. Can you handle them?”

A voice like scraping tree bark descended. Jeong Yeon-shin’s head tilted slightly to the side.

“For the first and last time I ask.”

He quietly countered.

“What is the purpose of you and World Tree?”

“Slow death.”

Wei Yeon said.

Before Jeong Yeon-shin could narrow his eyes, her story continued quietly.

“Gates are not opened only in the Central Plains. They exist in remote mountain valleys all over the world. From the beginning, jianghu people busy competing for the front could never be persuaded by you. Think of those who were swayed by fame and grudges and ultimately became the Seven New Enemies of Defeated Desolation.”

“……”

“The world’s destruction is inevitable, and nothing but the main tree can delay it. Such is my humble insight from long tending to state affairs. I recommend again that you too conform to our order. It’s a time when unification under heaven is necessary.”

“What if I’m right and you’re wasting my time?”

“If we should be wrong, we will naturally pay a great price. We’re prepared to fall to the most base existence and put down the dignity of our clan. We will endure any cost.”

“That’s the problem.”

“What?”

“The things that rulers like you do are large enough to encompass all under heaven, but when things go wrong, you just pay personal prices and that’s it. Look even now. You only listen to the mysteries of true gate severing, but don’t actually ask for the oral instructions of that technique.”

“……”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s words continued calmly.

“Your heart is not strong. You’re worse than a mere soldier.”

Wei Yeon’s wrinkled lips no longer moved. She simply began scattering like wood fragments together with the Martial Painting Sixteen Trees masters who carried her palanquin on their shoulders.

“Finally.”

It was then that fierce spirit suddenly dwelt in Jeong Yeon-shin’s expression.

“Since you asked if I could handle you, I’ll answer.”

“Lofty bravado. Dazzling yet pitiful.”

As Wei Yeon disappeared transparently while letting her soliloquy drift away, Jeong Yeon-shin growled out each word as if chewing and spitting them.

“You will suffer the calamity of clan extermination.”

* * *

Pure white flames completely engulfed the Demon Realm’s black path palace, soaring to the heavens. Following the shadows of the fortress flickering with light and darkness, the scent of opium poppies surged violently.

At Blood Flame Sect’s main base, a peerless master of mixed blood was wearing crimson blood robes and having a wedding ceremony with someone. From the originally empty sleeve, the outline up to the wrist was revealed.

And the girl sitting in the darkness of Desolate Fortress’s deepest thunder prison stroked a spear lying across her thighs.