Chapter 726 – Time Limit

The fortress interior became bustling.

First came the presences of black-robed figures flying toward Yue Shou-lin. Soon after, the few craftsmen residing at the smithy lit fires, and nameless disciples opened the granary doors in the far north.

Meanwhile, at the various family estates and seventeen pavilions under Desolate Fortress, hundreds of masters were adjusting their attire. Pressing their martial robes of various colors with the Samadhi True Fire at their fingertips, firmly binding and donning their respective unique weapons.

“If it’s such a large-scale expedition… are we going to catch the ear people?”

“I’m also an ear person.”

For those who had opened their energy perception, these presences felt as clamorous as dawn’s sunlight.

It wasn’t merely orderly.

The entirety of Desolate Fortress meshed together like a martial arts technique. Enough that the lips of the faded monarch facing Jeong Yeon-shin twitched with admiration.

“An expedition ceremony is a sacred matter. Since it’s not the occasion for this one to intrude, let’s speak later.”

Whoosh!

Only Literary Star paid attention to him as he suddenly disappeared into the ashen sunlight. Jeong Yeon-shin smiled faintly at Yue Shou-lin becoming the center of the leaders.

‘She always deserved it.’

He had entrusted the stronghold with confidence in Jeong Family Dynamic Technique Dream Flight Chapter and Yue Shou-lin, and she became Divine Sword Group Leader. She was someone who wouldn’t turn her back on her duty from the beginning.

That’s when Literary Star opened his mouth expressionlessly.

“Though the noble clan leaders confirmed with remarkable insight that he has no hostile intentions… he’s still a dangerous existence by nature.”

“I heard the report that he wields seventy-two sword controls.”

“Yu Ling and Divine Investigation obtained records once, and he was recorded not only in Ming Dynasty but even in Yuan Dynasty’s final history books. Not only did he strike at the tribes who crossed the gate together, but he also strongly resisted Yuan Dynasty’s exploitation… He’s an eccentric who doesn’t distinguish friend from foe. Perhaps the lord should withdraw your directive regarding Divine Sword convicts.”

One. If the opponent is formidable.

Two. If the situation allows.

Three. Suppress them alive and well.

I will make them my weapons.

It was a command from someone who had received much help from former enemies. In the first place, Seventh Apostle was also being kept alive under this justification when the emperor’s pardon decree came down.

Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head.

“I can’t withdraw it now.”

The report about Heaven Soaring Guest Wan Hui’s final moments had come up last night. The Unorthodox Finest storyteller had conveyed through his own legend that even broken blades have a beginning and end.

‘Was Winter Dream Sword his first wife?’

The winter dream was planted on a spring mountain.

Sword Star Hyeon So-baek’s last words suddenly came to mind. Jeong Yeon-shin wanted to bloom many spring flowers. So he spoke slowly.

“To cut gates, one’s mind must be sound. After seeing if that fellow remains noble before my questions, then do as you please whether you tear his limbs or not.”

“How far noble…? I’m curious about that too.”

Literary Star’s lips rippled as if about to rise or not. The scars he had once received from the Seven Black ranks also twitched, but they didn’t damage the dignity ingrained in his body.

He seemed to dislike the faded monarch at a glance. To Literary Star who revered the Four Books and Three Classics, how would someone who called himself a monarch without any people to care for appear?

‘It must be an eyesore.’

Jeong Yeon-shin vigorously rotated his shoulder where all the large needles had been removed. The sensation of fine meridians meshing together with cracking sounds.

There wouldn’t be occasions to cripple one of his limbs like Fighting God. He immediately clasped his hands together to Divine Physician.

“Elder Mok, thank you. For attaching So-bin’s arm last night as well…”

“You mentioned expedition preparations, are you planning to drag me along too?”

“It would be most welcome.”

“Give it up, then even I can’t avoid unification. Being sane now is just an expedient.”

Divine Physician shook his head.

“It means there’s a way to care for the ear people rather than you lot. Well, unified ear people have regenerative abilities anyway.”

“That World Tree’s ability.”

Literary Star suddenly interjected.

Divine Physician had to bend his head vertically to meet his eyes, but Literary Star only continued his words despite Divine Physician’s displeased expression.

“You said ascension of Energy, Spirit, Perception, and Life. Accumulated energy volume, upper energy center spirituality, sensory perception, regenerative ability… in short, achieving both innate traits and skills that should be obtained through training.”

“That’s right. The greatest supernatural force of all time, a swindle method that can only be bestowed on those with thick ear people bloodlines.”

The nuance of the word swindle was subtle. Literary Star also seemed to feel it.

“Truly strange. If the earth energy of all under heaven could be used in such a manner, Demon Realm jianghu people would have been defeated at the Great Wall long ago.”

One corner of Divine Physician’s mouth rose.

“Emperor Qian-ling was alive then. World Tree didn’t face any crisis of survival either.”

Literary Star fell silent at words that meant many things. Jeong Yeon-shin felt somewhat what Emperor Qian-ling had meant to the Six Star Lords.

The current Desolate Fortress Lord had to shoulder all under heaven and protect his comrades as much as possible without such a superhuman. Jeong Yeon-shin immediately spoke as if a renewed sense of burden was approaching.

“I understand Literary Star Li Chun-gap’s doubts. For noble clans who accepted such ascension in the short term, there couldn’t be no backlash…”

“Great.”

Suddenly Divine Physician’s both hands began glowing with the heat of Samadhi True Fire. When he stroked the large needles that had pierced Jeong Yeon-shin’s shoulders as if disinfecting them, pale smoke hissed up.

“There will be a very great price.”

“……”

He didn’t elaborate further. As if even Divine Physician himself didn’t know what would happen in the future.

Jeong Yeon-shin silently gazed at the various large needles that had pierced his body and the faint steam rising from their tips.

At a glance.

They seemed like embers of dried kindling.

* * *

The wide horizon rippled like a bonfire.

It was the boundary where dawn sky and earth’s edge met. Originally a direction where the horizon shouldn’t have been visible until last year.

Because it was Beijing.

Golden roof tiles usually sprawled on the sunken ground, and occasionally stone fragments jumped up on their own from those ruins.

Thud, drip.

“The residual energy waves of northern Fighting God. Truly a monster.”

A middle-aged man in green martial robes caught a suddenly erupting stone fragment and muttered. Then he smashed it against his sword hilt with a thud before turning his head over his shoulder.

“They say he was a cripple like you, but I don’t understand how one can become so formidable. Do you have any guesses?”

“Who knows.”

There was a black-robed noble clan giant.

With both hands tied behind his back, being dragged by other green-robed warriors. Because his right ankle was empty below, every moment was a hopping gait.

“How could I fathom such a peerless realm? In a position where I’ve become a spectacle for worthless mongrels like you.”

“How peculiar. Despite clearly having acupoints pressed, you answer questions and even manage to move your feet… Is it indeed Lightning Genius’s unique meridians?”

“Rather disable my limb meridians and energy center. Or else someday I’ll slaughter you lot.”

“That won’t do.”

The green-robed middle-aged man shook his head.

“Emperor Li Chuang commanded. He has questions for Lotus Nezha, so keep you intact.”

“Intact?”

When Xiahou Wei-jin glanced at his missing right ankle, the green-robed middle-aged man smiled broadly.

“A nation called Great Righteous has just been founded. That the treatment of the enemy’s main force ended at just that, I can only say is truly exceptional…”

Xiahou Wei-jin immediately cut off his words.

“You people are truly infuriating.”

Simultaneously he glanced at the wide-open horizon, his expression becoming strange as if seeing something distant. It looked momentarily like he was longing for Desolate Fortress Lord Jeong Yeon-shin, so the middle-aged man who had glimpsed that face changed the subject.

“Let’s return to analyzing Fighting God. In any case, if you’re Forest Treading Leader Heavenly Fist Power Divine Force, wouldn’t your insight be tremendous as one of the main contributors to successfully conquering the north? Among our side, there are only four better masters than you. Emperor Wandering Star Li Chuang and the former Eight Family Heads… They’re not people we mid-level bottom feeders can talk to.”

Even amid that, Xiahou Wei-jin’s lips, who continued being dragged ceaselessly, twisted thickly.

“At least you have the discernment not to place the Seven Treasure Rabble and four idiots above me. As befits those who founded a nation.”

“The Seven Treasure Divine Lords and Four Great Wives’ status is higher than yours, but if we said their martial prowess was too, they would be neglecting eye technique training.”

The green-robed man answered with a chuckle while looking Xiahou Wei-jin up and down.

“…But even that seems about to become an old story. Even the ‘Black of Northern Conquest’ can’t discuss all under heaven with one foot missing. Infiltrating Luoyang was a big mistake from the start. Since you’re not even a skilled Hao Sect member.”

“Just attach one energy prosthetic foot and I’ll regain my martial power.”

A bleak arc formed on Xiahou Wei-jin’s lips.

“Conveniently you’re imprisoning some of the ironclad legs of City Renowned Craftsmen who could make it. Shamelessly.”

“We lack many things. Candy to feed children, Fighting God to serve Emperor Li Chuang like Southern Emperor, Desolate Day Extinction’s Desolate Fortress, lifelines like noble clans, and brave warriors who don’t fear even death like Forest Treading Leader you… Many things are completely absent.”

“Yes, and no sense of shame either.”

Suddenly those escorting him flinched. Because Jeong Family Dynamic Technique’s energy waves had scratched the dirt ground in a large circle.

It was beyond normal.

Not only because acupoints had been pressed.

Three of the Four Great Wives had even placed martial power restriction on Xiahou Wei-jin. For ‘Great Righteous’ masters, every moment he moved was astonishing.

“…There was word that Emperor Li Chuang will arrive soon. We must bring you to him.”

The green-robed middle-aged man hastened his steps.

Xiahou Wei-jin’s giant frame began being dragged in that direction simultaneously. Because the external martial arts of the two men and women gripping his arms from both sides were considerable.

Xiahou Wei-jin looked at them alternately and laughed.

“Compared to Lord Jeong’s arm muscles, you’re no different from melted candy. Let’s hear Emperor Li Chuang’s true intentions. What does he plan to ask Lord Jeong using this body?”

His mouth had turned pale, because blood dripped constantly from his ankle’s severed surface for days on end. A state where the Four Great Wives’ noble martial power restriction blocked even blood coagulation.

If some shabby old man hadn’t constantly bound that ankle with cloth, he might have lost consciousness by now.

Xiahou Wei-jin asked the old man who carefully wiped his ankle with worn fabric.

“These fellows only prattle their own words, but has the elder perhaps heard anything?”

The old man shook his gaunt neck.

“This humble one is also a worthless wretch, so… However.”

“However?”

“After rumors that the current Desolate Fortress Lord’s gate severing severing swept the continent, I heard rumors he fell into deep contemplation.”

“Wandering Star Emperor Li Chuang did?”

“Yes, yes.”

“What contemplation?”

“Well, didn’t they say one gate for one person? Then whether the current Desolate Fortress Lord could also exchange his person for a gate… such thoughts.”

Even the old man’s words that seemed to crawl into a mouse hole ended there. Because the green-robed middle-aged man scolded the kind old man.

“Who told you to converse so long?”

“I, I’m sorry…!”

Whoosh.

It was also then that the heat haze rippling on the horizon suddenly thickened. Sunlight that swelled to a literally surging level began shimmering like a person’s shadow in the distant northern sky.

At a glance, it looked like a black dot. One suddenly drawn on pure white calligraphy.

“……?”

Something needle-like split upward within that pitch-black dot. A form that would have appeared as a sword if the distance had been even slightly closer.

But the moment Great Righteous’ masters captured that scene with eye techniques, it truly became the form of a person holding a blade.

‘What?’

Even Xiahou Wei-jin’s eyes, who had earlier mentioned “infuriating people,” widened. Because the black dot had rushed at a speed he had only seen in Jeong Yeon-shin.

“It really is a person! How can they be so fast…!”

“The one who collapsed Shanhai Pass? Impossible! The distance is so far…!”

An instant stretched out like northern lava.

An arm seemingly made of thick heat haze rose above the figure’s head. An unusually high upper stance. To Xiahou Wei-jin’s eyes, it appeared as Judgement Qilin’s mounting strike form. But what suddenly intervened wasn’t Judgement Qilin’s sword wind.

The moment a familiar sword struck the sky.

Crack… The green-robed middle-aged man and the external martial artists on both sides melted alive like mud.