Chapter 718 – Stone Sword Group (8)

The blood that flowed down the spear shaft created a bright red pool. It boiled from the ferocious circulation of martial power, then corrosively ate away at the pure white marble floor.

White smoke rose.

The corpse skewered on a single spear seemed trapped in the dust of the turbulent jianghu. It was a yoke of spear and blade that any jianghu person would find difficult to escape.

“……”

The middle-aged man’s eyes, which had sensed his final moment, seemed like they would forever flash with colorless light like this. It felt like a statue had died rather than a person.

This was visible even from below the martial stage.

Helian Feng-yue looked up at Gun Wi-hu and burst out laughing. Having witnessed such an absurd scene, he could only let out an empty laugh.

“…Though they say jianghu is a mountain forest of blades, I didn’t know Brother Gun would go so vainly. Without even unleashing his famed Transcendent Martial Art.”

The Thirteen Evil Sect Masters present were not without foundation like Divine Mad Silence Sect Leader Wol-yo. They had been absolute masters of the Unorthodox Path since before the great famine arrived.

Profound Martial Alliance Leader Gun Wi-hu was special.

Hadn’t he survived facing numerous northern kings and even earned the alias Military King Martial Emperor? Though it was a name embellished due to the faded monarch’s existence, Gun Wi-hu could no longer even be called a military king, let alone Martial Emperor.

“Well, now they even call the northern Fighting God a Martial Emperor… Brother Gun had everything and lost it all.”

Helian Feng-yue mourned plainly. Then he muttered as if it were completely someone else’s business. How had it come to this?

A voice like an answer rang out from below the martial stage.

“Master, Master…”

Gun Yu-rin, holding Light Blade Venerable Jin Min, repeated choked-up words to herself. She touched foreheads with her master’s corpse rather than her dead father. This was a scene possible because the faded monarch had pulled Jin Min’s corpse over with Void Grasp.

In contrast, Sword Venerable Baek Seo-gun looked straight up at Gun Wi-hu’s corpse, but the Profound Martial Alliance Leader wasn’t in the image formed in her pupils. Only a fence post made of spear and person.

Gun Yu-rin and Baek Seo-gun were outside that fence.

For the ambitious successor of Profound Martial Alliance, her master’s side was her fence; for the mad Sword Venerable, memories with Jeong Pan-yue were hers.

The faded monarch laughed.

“How can one who has become a thorn in his subordinates’ eyes be called a sect leader? This is the result of neglecting his life more than martial arts.”

“But a person died.”

“It’s something that powerful figures in chaotic times inevitably experience. Those who have much lose much.”

Helian Feng-yue tilted his head and asked.

“Didn’t you suffer complete defeat in Desolate Fortress Lord’s era and still survive to come back like this?”

“I lost golden years instead. The only person who knows me well now is Desolate Fortress Lord, which is why I walked here.”

“How does that become a reason to walk to Desolate Fortress? Wasn’t it entirely to bring Divine Physician? Even Grand Empress Dowager, that is, Wind Empress Wei Yeon, would know you best as a living witness to jianghu history… there’s no truth to what you say.”

The faded monarch answered with a faint smile.

“To settle grudges and debts. You know nothing unlike me.”

“If the old senior is so learned, would you also be assessing that spear ghost’s divine arts right now?”

Helian Feng-yue pointed to the center of the martial stage.

The woman exhaling white breath before the Profound Martial Alliance Leader she had killed.

Haaa.

It scattered like a few white flowers of this spring that failed to bloom.

Any master who had properly cultivated their upper energy center spirit would feel chills run down their spine at this internal energy breathing. Because her exhalation contained the ability to calm severe internal injuries.

She couldn’t be in perfect condition after striking down an absolute master like the Profound Martial Alliance Leader. Yet it gave the same feeling as Zhang Fei Yi-de of Changban Slope.

[TL Note- Zhang Fei Yi-de was a legendary Chinese military general who served under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period (died 221 AD). Yi-de (益德) was his courtesy name, which was the formal name given to Chinese men upon reaching adulthood, while Zhang Fei was his personal name.]

Helian Feng-yue slowly shook his head.

“What the Lightning Genius martial lineage is.”

His muttering didn’t reach Dream Flight Yue Shou-lin. She only pulled up the single spear that had followed to her very grasp like sword control from the Profound Martial Alliance Leader’s chest.

Squelch.

Helian Feng-yue stared intently at that horrifyingly enchanting form.

‘It wasn’t sword control.’

He knew because he felt it with his energy perception. It was just a single move no better than Void Grasp. It was simply fast. The operation of basic true energy.

“Basic skills, basic skills…”

Helian Feng-yue, who had been muttering lowly, suddenly became displeased.

Martial Dragon Alliance.

A faction of masters who gathered to create the world’s greatest martial arts. Each was branded as Unorthodox Path because they shared their oral instructions with each other like scholars exploring learning, without their sect’s permission.

The divine martial absolute art that came from violating jianghu taboos was Great Sun Drawing Void Force.

Martial arts that might be degraded by Dream Flight’s existence. Along with the question of whether they needed to go that far.

“…I should search for Divine Physician with energy perception. He seems hidden in the formation, but I still need to save face with Lord Wandering Star.”

Simultaneously, Helian Feng-yue slowly turned his body. Because if he met eyes with Dream Flight, he felt he would climb onto the martial stage himself. That wouldn’t do. Because Great Sun Drawing Void Force wasn’t his martial arts alone.

Since one must survive to the end to see the end of something, Helian Feng-yue said calmly to the faded monarch.

“In any case, I’ll answer my own question. That senior has her ancestral home in Henan but settled in Shandong, a person of the Yue family, with the name Shou-lin and courtesy name Dream Flight. She’s also a monster who served as Divine Sword Vice-Leader for decades with half-baked spear technique… her basic foundational skills are so deep they can’t help but be strange. As you’ve already seen, she can even deploy spear technique mysteries with fists and legs.”

The brushstrokes of an old scholar who practiced writing his whole life are beautiful even if the composition isn’t elegant.

Even if one doesn’t pass the imperial examination, time’s reward returns. That’s what life is, and martial arts were the same.

The peerless realm was even more so.

Because it’s a realm that penetrates life.

“Dream Flight, because she dreams of the greatest spear through all ages, Yue Fei.”

The faded monarch’s smile, who had been sitting casually on the martial stage, deepened like a painting. He calmly met eyes with Dream Flight, who had somehow approached close enough to look down at him.

“It suits you rather well.”

“……”

“You don’t speak. It must be because the formation’s energy has exceeded normal limits.”

Masters of Dynamic Technique who reached their peak were monsters who could converse even during Great Circulation. If she kept her lips closed with an expressionless face throughout like the current Dream Flight, there was a high possibility she was focusing mental effort on internal energy cultivation.

“I know how difficult it is to use various energies as if they were your own. I presume it’s thanks to knowing all those who lived on this Desolate Fortress land. Even that seems to be power difficult to sustain beyond half a day… but you’ve already achieved accomplishments excessive for something done alone.”

The faded monarch spoke as if seeing through everything. Along with questions that hummed gently.

“Moreover, right now, aren’t you recovering your original body’s true energy consumed by bone transformation? With that wondrous Dynamic Technique.”

Still in a tone like a melody.

Dream Flight’s lips rippled hazily as if they might rise or not. If they moved properly, a belligerent smile might be drawn, but her emotional expression was only extremely faint.

The faded monarch smiled and evaluated.

“In front of me, your prudence in prioritizing recovery stands out. You are like a diamond crafted by time. Truly perfect and graceful in all ten ways.”

He endlessly didn’t hide his goodwill.

A demeanor that was leisurely in all matters yet very honest.

Since Dream Flight’s temperament was the same, she suddenly sat down in lotus position right before the faded monarch.

Thump.

The clothing clinging to her lithe body swept the floor. It took only a moment to place the long spear atop both thighs.

Behavior that was unbelievably bold.

In a situation where they sat facing each other in confrontation, the faded monarch let out a hollow laugh.

“Do you think you can kill me before the formation’s effects end? So you plan to circulate energy in my presence to be ready to strike at any time?”

Constraint, restraint, and recovery were a trinity.

It was an idea possible only for one who had seen the ultimate principle of Dynamic Technique. Her trust in Jeong Yeon-shin who would return soon must also have been great. The faded monarch repeated Helian Feng-yue’s words for the first time.

“The Lightning Genius martial lineage.”

Dream Flight, sitting across from him, had already even closed her eyes.

Sharp spirit energy like a fine sword circulated from her dense eyelashes.

The presence of whole-body energy projection emitted by a master of basic skills was truly overwhelming. Though her body in lotus position was thin enough to need much food, it was like a fortress wall.

The faded monarch wore a faint smile.

That was all.

“I was just hearing interesting rumors anyway. You who has Dream Flight as your name and is simultaneously Desolate Fortress Lord’s disciple, a man who may have succeeded in gate severing… anyone who discusses all under heaven should meet him at least once.”

There was no other movement besides the rhythmic story. He had no intention of leaving from the beginning. Naturally, his disciple Baek Seo-gun also stood blankly to one side.

The smell of blood gradually thickened.

* * *

Zhu Lianting was watching that damned sight from a distance. Administrative Office Director Ki Dae-seung’s sound transmission flowed into her ears.

-The faded monarch. Long ago in Xinye County, he alone stopped the natural disasters caused by Dark Heaven Emperor and Flood Dragon.

-I know. Spit out some meaningful information.

-Lord, no… information was known in the past about the technique that struck down the previous lord’s parents. What must be immediately guarded against is that ultra-long-range sword control. Single Thread Cloud-Breaking Sword of the Eight Ring Divine Art, the source of the Sword Venerable’s martial arts. There was information that Dark Night Palace’s Ten Li One Kill was created imitating that sword control technique. By mimicking World Tree’s Soul-Calling Archery mystery in the form of Single Thread Cloud-Breaking Sword that crosses clouds…

-Hit Obeying Heaven Wing Lord’s head once over there to make him look at this sky. Put his hand on the sword hilt.

-Yes.

Following Zhu Lianting’s gesture, Ma family members moved.

The scene of assembling long and short poles and large silk around the martial stage. Suddenly sounds of hammering nails into the ground also rang out.

It was indistinguishable whether they were preparing the new Desolate Fortress Lord’s enthronement ceremony or reinforcing Desolate Fortress’s absolute formation.

The same noise followed like an echo from afar. It was Desolate Fortress Divine Family Head Shin Seol-ha commanding Shin family members, to extend the Nine Palace Star Falling Illumination Formation’s time even a little.

Zhu Lianting tilted her head to the sky.

“…Dusk is falling.”

Soon she looked down with her chin at the man and woman sitting across from each other at the edge of the martial stage. Dream Flight and the faded monarch. Then Zhu Lianting’s bold eyes even contained Gun Yu-rin, Baek Seo-gun, and Helian Feng-yue.

Those who came to steal Divine Physician.

But no one showed signs of interfering with the formation’s reinforcement. Despite surely having felt strange leisure beyond shamelessness.

It was natural.

Step.

Suddenly some black-robed person blocked their retreat path. With one empty sleeve fluttering. It was Desolate Fortress Ma Family Head Ma Jin.

His fierce lips moved.

“Uninvited guests should face the master of the house. Keep waiting obediently like that.”

Helian Feng-yue, who had tilted his head sideways, laughed.

“Harbinger of Death, friend, so the rumor that you had your martial power prosthetic arm torn off by the Sword King was true. Then isn’t that action now too bold? You should now fall under the Three Weak Black Ranks.”

“Don’t speak too strongly. If your spit flies this way, I feel like the spirit of a dog soaked in rain will transfer to me.”

“Hmm, your status as Desolate Day Extinction’s uncle is truly your real protective strong energy. Unlike that Profound Martial Alliance’s Sword Venerable, I’m free in all matters, so don’t show off unnecessarily before me.”

If Desolate Fortress’s remaining masters joined one by one like this, it could truly become troublesome. It would be better to move directly and find Divine Physician.

Helian Feng-yue leaped up lightly.

Simultaneously, a brilliantly shining rope raced through the air and wrapped around his legs. The rebound alone burst the sky with resounding whip sounds.

Hair-raising killing intent.

It even seemed the dry smell of north wind briefly rose. It was the presence of one who had already faced peerless masters in some way.

‘Cotton Rope Lasso…! Dragon Treading Leader Wei Ji-zhi?’

The rope that flew with swiftness surpassing Heavenly Form Divine Stride immediately slammed Helian Feng-yue to the ground like a meteor.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

A cloud of dust explosively surging up while hazily coloring all directions… Helian Feng-yue’s figure had skillfully landed properly within it and stood upright. With body-protecting lightness technique worthy of competing for the world’s best, but he moved no further.

It was already too late.

He had dragged out time too long.

[Your voice.]

It spread from far away.

Though it was the Administrative Office’s characteristic clear Six Harmonies Uniting Heaven Sound, it wasn’t clerk Ki Dae-seung’s. The weight was different from the beginning.

[Lower your voice.]

The voice that those greatly involved with Desolate Fortress couldn’t help but know, Great Administrator Lim Jin-ming’s voice echoed distantly. The assembly’s heads turned to the sky.

Sunset.

Light flashed from the dim north.

As soon as it was observed by the masters’ eye techniques, it began rapidly growing.

The scene of the sky being filled with gentle constellations following that radiance’s long trajectory. The propulsive energy waves of Void Treading. It seemed like pages of a giant painting were turning.

[Bow down to]

It took only an instant for the gentle starlight to gather and take human form. A youth holding some girl in his arms was flying through the sky, and Lim Jin-ming’s Six Harmonies Uniting Heaven Sound performed full rites and propriety from distant Xiangyang’s entrance.

[The new Desolate Fortress Lord.]

It seemed the lord’s enthronement ceremony had already begun. Ma Se-in trembled from the goosebumps that rose like shivers, but soon wondered.

“Huh…?”

It wasn’t the central training ground.

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had crossed the night sky, fell like a comet to an isolated place in the fortress.

The place the faded monarch’s party had originally targeted.

The roof of the guest hall assigned to Divine Physician was being smashed to pieces.

[TL Note- Boot up the broken roof counter again.]