Chapter 751 – Ashes (4)

For a moment, Hyeon Won-chang thought he glimpsed familiar sleeve fabric. A dusky purple color. He hastily shouted.

“Lord Jeong!”

The sword path carved into the wooden statue. Visible through the semi-transparent line’s gap. Inside that short and shallow space, Jeong Yeon-shin’s hand seemed to move with Grappling technique.

A feeling of carving out the optimal trajectory despite the strangely thick and suffocating darkness.

It was Radiant Art Bond.

‘That space…!’

Would the cosmos be like that?

Hyeon Won-chang felt distant terror. It was not a place for people to inhabit. Just capturing it in his eyes for an instant caused his upper energy center in his mind to creak with intense pain.

How did Jeong Yeon-shin move in there? Who was he? Was he even breathing right now…?

When he inwardly screamed, from Jeong Yeon-shin’s fingertips, whitish radiance was rolling like a bead. Hyeon Won-chang instinctively perceived. That it was Radiant Art Bond’s release force.

[Take this.]

[Block it!]

Jeong Yeon-shin’s faint intent was buried in Gyo Cheon’s Six Directions Sound Transmission. Like a distant echo mixed into a nearby shout.

A storm of energy waves blew. How many had gathered already, World Tree masters’ release force poured down like thunder.

Kwang! Kwakwakwang!

From behind, pitch-black embers scattered upward above Hyeon Won-chang’s head. In an instant, cold sword wind also cut off the tail of his Heroic Band. Fragments of demonic energy and sword wind.

Baek Mi-ryeo and Cheong-myeong held firm.

‘Not a situation to hesitate! Quickly…!’

Hyeon Won-chang turned his back on them and reached out toward Jeong Yeon-shin. One breath was like an eon. He had to carve through the air with optimal trajectory. Naturally it was Radiant Art Bond.

Kureung!

With Form Shifting Void’s crack as the boundary, Radiant Art Bond’s radiance rolled in. That small cluster of light finally settled at Hyeon Won-chang’s fingertips. For a moment, he thought he heard Jeong Yeon-shin’s rarely encountered laughter.

[When Literary Star arrives.]

That was all.

The crack closed without a trace. It wouldn’t open even with another sword cut. The gap in space that had been forcibly opened seemed to have become more solid like a peerless master’s protective strong energy.

All that remained was the cluster of light placed in Hyeon Won-chang’s grip.

He had passed over the power of upper energy center spirit. It was Radiant Art Bond’s overlapping principle. Masters of acute perception martial meridians like Hyeon Won-chang could maintain this like a candle flame. Naturally a technique premised on detonating at the desired moment.

‘Could it be, primordial spirit…?’

He had intended to extract Jeong Yeon-shin, but it didn’t feel like failure.

Hyeon Won-chang quickly drew Form Shifting Void’s sword path. An immediately semi-transparently distorted trajectory. It was just an instant until he grabbed the napes of Baek Mi-ryeo and Cheong-myeong, who had become blood-soaked, and disappeared while stepping into the crack.

He shouted like a battle cry.

“I’ll come again!”

* * *

“Come again my ass.”

The provocative curse was brief, as Gyo Cheon quickly issued orders. To the noble clan masters who had begun examining the statue.

“Northwest and northeast are dangerous. Yao tribe and Divine Sword Group respectively. You take Leaf Sword Hall and Vast Bow Hall from among the Seventeen Halls and go kill Lazy Flame Dragon in the northwest. We must kill even Great King Vajra and Gao Yao Holy Sword Lord before the Yao tribe martial military forces join.”

It was after Hyeon Won-chang killed the First Elder and command passed to Gyo Cheon. But World Tree’s masters were absorbed in examining the wooden statue.

“……”

“Dazed fools, that statue whether of Desolate Day Extinction or Zhang Sanfeng is intact so stop looking. Only space was cut, wasn’t it? Rather than that, have Heaven-reaching Bow Count constantly report Blood Guardian Leader’s position. From now on, that bastard is the third priority kill target.”

Following Divine Sword Group Leader Yue Shou-lin and Divine Sword Deputy Group Leader Jin Myeong-jo, it was Radiant Demon Wings’ Great Hero Hyeon Won-chang. If they let Hyeon Won-chang rampage more, coordinating the battlefield would become difficult.

“…Just now.”

Only then did an elegantly dressed noble clan man open his mouth. A master of Guard Wood Hall, which protected the village among World Tree’s Seventeen Halls.

“What Blood Guardian Leader received from inside the main trunk…”

Those words were never completed.

It seemed he felt the same thing as Gyo Cheon at this moment. Upper energy center insight that failing to block the former Radiant Demon Wings disciple might turn into a critical misstep.

‘There’s more.’

That Jeong Yeon-shin still hadn’t permeated World Tree’s interior. Though it seemed natural for such an existence, now the last thing to believe in was only World Tree’s fruit.

Gyo Cheon gestured to Guard Wood Hall’s swordsman.

“Wasn’t there something special among Desolate Day Extinction’s belongings?”

“Yes, since it’s a dangerous object, it was stored in a chest. Rather, if the purple long robe remained, it would have been useful…”

“That long robe is a Dharma Treasure connected to its owner through spirituality. Different in caliber from Divine Sword Group Leader Dream Flight’s counterfeit robe. Anyway, take that object out of the chest and deliver it to Northern Darkness Fist Marquis. Her body should be fully recovered by now.”

—Urgent report!

A voice that rippled at Gyo Cheon’s ear. It was Wind King Technique’s voice transmission network that Clan Leader Wei Yeon had spread throughout World Tree.

—Main trunk’s Fifth Wall northeast, Tyrant Sword Sect Leader Dan Seong-eum manifested in Divine Sword Group camp…! He collided with Lord Wei through Sword Flight, then they both left the tree! Should we consider him friendly…?!

—Seventh Wall southeast, Fighting God descent! The Fourth Wall was pulverized with one fist! Because it was sudden, no master could guard… Clan Leader is blocking the front! Main trunk, prepare true energy supply!

—Reporting southwest direction. Southern Zhili’s martial forest aristocrats are swarming in large numbers. At the forefront is Namgung Family’s Elder Council Leader. We need to send out two of the Seventeen Halls to annihilate them without damage. Awaiting permission.

The battlefield was divided into four.

Sequentially in the direction a sundial draws a circle. Starting with Lazy Flame Dragon in the northwest, Divine Sword Group in the northeast, Fighting God in the southeast, and jianghu people in the southwest.

“Even the aristocrats?”

Gyo Cheon muttered. They don’t know their place.

—Blood Guardian Leader Hyeon Won-chang discovered! Northeast Fifth Wall, Divine Sword Group camp…!

—I’ll kill him.

Some woman’s voice transmission flowed down from World Tree’s peak with a dew-like feeling. A voice without highs or lows. It was Heaven-reaching Bow Count.

* * *

“Archery energy waves…! Heaven-reaching Bow Count again!”

Divine Sword Group blue-rank master, Annihilation Team Vice Leader Jin Mu-hwa shouted while explosively dashing across the ground made of vines.

In a state where energy perception expanded by Divine Sword Group’s Jeong Family Dynamic Technique was concentrated only upward. From the start, Heaven-reaching Bow Count’s archery attacks also repeatedly loaded leisurely like cannonballs. The side without leisure was only Divine Sword Group endlessly sprinting while shattering thick tree bark each time.

Among them, masters newly belonging to ‘Divine Sword Second Group’ like Jin Mu-hwa numbered thirty.

Countermeasure for archery martial arts.

To prepare for arrow rain pouring from dizzyingly high tree trunks, masters devoted only to senses were essential. Because World Tree’s strong ones’ archery trajectories poured down drawing not only straight lines but all kinds of curves.

Kung… Kwakwakwakwakwakwang!

Arrows striking into the vanguard’s flank were swept away by a long spear and exploded. Divine Sword Group Leader Yue Shou-lin’s intent followed.

[Burning Abyss Leader Shin So-bin, take Burning Abyss Squad and follow that bastard. Maintain Bright Wind Cave. Take White Qilin Namgung Hwa-shin too.]

“Group Leader? That was Tyrant Sword Sect Leader. We alone won’t be enough.”

[Who worries about the former Lord that much? If we lose any more from here, this side is annihilated. Hurry and go report the position at least.]

Hwaak!

Shin So-bin soared to the rear while fluttering her black robe. The fastest among the seventeen great squad leader, Ten Li Gentle Light. She had attached the coffin containing Namgung Hwa-shin to one hand with suction technique.

Burning Abyss Squad blue-ranks who immediately followed numbered fifteen. As always, those who distanced themselves by stepping on Ten Li Gentle Light’s light clusters remaining like a comet’s tail with agile lightness skill. Brief as it was, acceleration was repeated. A fearsome speed.

There was a man admiring that sight.

“Should call them Jade Onion Group rather than Divine Sword Group. No matter how many layers you peel, something endlessly comes out… Right, no wonder Desolate Fortress Great Battle ended in failure.”

Martial Dragon Alliance Leader Helian Feng-yue. He positioned himself on Divine Sword Group camp’s outskirts with a leisurely appearance of arms clasped behind his back. Yet he didn’t fall behind.

Observing.

Not only Helian Feng-yue but also the faded Monarch and Baek Seo-gun were together standing apart. The ‘Divine Sword Prisoners’ group who followed on their own after seeing Sky Trampling Palace Lord’s gallantry. No one paid attention to them.

Only breaking through the arrow rain before their eyes.

It was according to Jeong Yeon-shin’s decision. Either way, guests who had received and drunk wine from the lord. Whether ‘would even one of them perform gallantry’ was a separate question.

They were floating transcendents.

Among them, the faded Monarch was deploying lightness skill walking backward. An appearance of smiling while sweeping back ash-like silver hair against the headwind.

“You’ve grown this much.”

A gesture measuring World Tree’s height beyond the wall Divine Sword Group had pierced. Baek Seo-gun opened his mouth.

“Feel some sentiment?”

“Of course.”

“For being abandoned by World Tree…?”

“I planted it.”

A plain tone.

A camp full only of masters who could perceive even insects’ footsteps. No one stopped the breakthrough, but the faded Monarch’s words flowed out like wind sweeping silence.

“Before my homeland perished, I planted this tree.”

“……”

“Only World Tree can handle gates freely, so there was no other method. It was to relocate territory as king. To a prosperous land, the Central Plains.”

Slowly.

Baek Seo-gun’s lips moved.

“What…?”

“After moving, I tried to cut it down. Of course, I was driven out after running into the clan’s resistance. Afterward, the epithet ‘faded’ was attached.”

The faded Monarch laughed.

“In the midst of that, the child I had taken as an adopted son became obsessed with Zhang Sanfeng.”

“Adopted son?”

“He pounced saying he would gain enlightenment beyond heaven by killing his father. Profound understanding to drag down the ascended Zhang Sanfeng… When a human who delved into art technique martial arts enters inner demons, it becomes so. After events that befell me reached this point, I had no lingering attachment to life.”

“You speak of Dark Heaven Emperor?”

“He deserved to gain such an alias. He tamed a huge flood dragon and came determined to die, so I had to die. There was no other choice but to close my eyes.”

“……”

Baek Seo-gun fell silent. The atmosphere originally full of roaring and sword wind felt repeatedly permeated with shock.

At this moment, Divine Sword Group breaking through diamond-hard tree bark and noble clan members constantly making surprise attacks would be the same.

“In other words.”

Helian Feng-yue spoke from one side.

“World Tree is the origin of gates opened in the Central Plains?”

“Not Central Plains but all under heaven.”

The faded Monarch didn’t look back at Divine Sword Group masters even as their lightness skill speed increased. Still talking while walking backward showing his back.

“It’s like the principle that when one side of a mirror cracks, cracks eventually spread in all directions. Moreover, isn’t this land full of jianghu people who become formidable through earth energy absorption? Not that I’m trying to evade my responsibility…”

“What is all this talk?”

The old swordsman in black robe tapped the three sword hilts hanging at his waist.

Former Law Enforcement Squad Leader.

“All under heaven’s public enemy was here? The noble clans were all damned things?”

Current Law Enforcement Squad Leader Woon So-yu’s lips drooped sullenly, and Radiant Demon Wing Leader Cheong Myeong just before transforming into a faded noble clan wiped his blood-stained lips.

Suddenly all Divine Sword Group members stopped in place. Merciless headwind tearing up the vine ground in all directions was simultaneous.

Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwak!

Not because of the faded Monarch’s story. It was because of the human shadows that had somehow surrounded the vicinity like forest. Elegant fragrance rode on energy waves and dyed all around thickly. It was World Tree’s martial military forces.

Thud.

Some woman’s shadow walked out.

Long limbs. A feeling that all around instantly became humid with moisture.

It was Northern Darkness Fist Marquis.

She held a sphere the size of a cannonball. Chattering ceaselessly.

“Young lady, no heroine, great hero…! No no, still attaching the hero character is a bit… Anyway, please reconsider once more. True elegance is not making someone sing by force. It must well up from the heart.”

Divine Demon Mad Silence Sect Master Wol-yo’s head… Jeong Yeon-shin’s belonging. With a completely different expression from when occupying Desolate Fortress, wearing difficulty all over his face.

“No melody needed.”

Northern Darkness Fist Marquis barked expressionlessly. Then she flicked Wol-yo’s crown with her finger. A technique stimulating the body interior at will like Pushing Palace Passing Acupoint.

“Confirmed that Divine Sword Group who learned Jeong Family Dynamic Technique are very troublesome existences. Dream Flight’s subordinates should disappear first.”

Duung…

Wol-yo’s mouth opened with eyes rolled back white. The prelude of wide-area sound technique. Power exceeding even Jeong Yeon-shin’s Sword Song had already been confirmed multiple times.

“……!”

Divine Sword Group masters who simultaneously activated Jeong Family Dynamic Technique blocked all the three meridians and blood paths at their ears.

And simultaneously Annihilation Team Vice Leader Jin Mu-hwa abruptly raised his head.

“Heaven-reaching Bow Count, the arrow’s loading is absurdly long…!”

Transcendent Soul Bow Method.

A faint line was carved diagonally in the night sky. Straight to Hyeon Won-chang’s chest. The trajectory of fired archery. That arrowhead had already pierced space faster than sound, torn through Hyeon Won-chang’s protective strong energy and entered his skin.

[Mencius Unwavering.]

The giant’s roar that rang from the south enveloped all around.