Chapter 752 – Ashes (5)

That roar.

It was an overwhelming Lion’s Roar.

Hwaak!

The water energy that Northern Darkness Fist Marquis’s Mist Melancholy Martial Scripture true energy had cast over the vicinity was swept away. A feeling like the sudden northern wind scattering the clammy moisture entirely.

Her intent spread.

[Literary Star…!]

That wasn’t all.

It was the instant Heaven-reaching Bow Count’s arrow penetrated halfway through Hyeon Won-chang’s chest. The propulsion energy waves and release force wrapping the arrow shaft flickered like lightning and disappeared.

Kwarrrrrrreung!

From Divine Sword Group Leader Dream Flight’s grip that had somehow seized the arrow shaft’s center, a thunderous roar leaked out.

The remaining penetration force was tremendous.

Orange embers flew far through the gaps in her hands. The surroundings naturally brightened. Dream Flight, Yue Shou-lin’s lips twisted faintly.

“Haaa…!”

Belatedly Hyeon Won-chang’s head snapped sharply upward. Because of her lightness skill that seemed to have opened space-time and approached. A reverse wind explosively burst out.

Puhwak!

Yue Shou-lin muttered.

“This is serious. You’re also a target. How much have you been rampaging around…”

“My, haaa…! My s-seniors…!”

She shook her head at Hyeon Won-chang’s gasping scream. He had already extracted the arrow with an assassin’s dexterity and even finished stopping the bleeding. He would be sealing the wound with Jeong Family Dynamic Technique true energy.

“Fall back. You shame Jeong Family Dynamic Technique.”

Though she said that, just now was chilling. Without Mencius Unwavering, his body would have burst and he’d have died instantly. She had no choice but to immediately give orders to her subordinates.

“Protect Blood Guardian Leader.”

Even though the northern monster had unleashed Transcendent Martial Art, Hyeon Won-chang was out of combat power. Moreover, the unified Heaven-reaching Bow Count could endlessly shoot such archery attacks.

The blood-soaked Hyeon Won-chang staggered backward. The sight of being surrounded by Blood Guardian Squad masters with blood-red eye radiance.

Yue Shou-lin glanced at the radiance gathered in his hand. Release force layered with Radiant Art Bond. Feeling Jeong Yeon-shin’s spirit, he seemed to have experienced great trials in that short time.

“This… giant, Lord’s orders…”

Hyeon Won-chang’s voice. Yue Shou-lin understood.

“Grand Administrator.”

“Yes, Group Leader.”

Grand Administrator Lim Jin-ming approached Hyeon Won-chang and smoothly swept his hand. Like fire transferring from candlestick to candlestick, the whitish light cluster shimmered in Lim Jin-ming’s bare hand. A wondrous sight.

Same school, same teachings.

There was no other way to explain it.

It seemed directly manifested. The united martial lineage from Bodhidharma or Zhang Sanfeng’s lifetime.

Therefore Martial Dragon Alliance Master Helian Feng-yue clicked his tongue from a corner of the camp. Because it was a scene that diminished Martial Dragon Alliance’s founding.

“Will later generations be different? My disciple, Bi-a…”

“Think the world will be intact even for later generations? You’re quite optimistic.”

The faded Monarch spoke. In his eyes, Northern Darkness Fist Marquis who had hazily approached right before Yue Shou-lin was already reflected. Along with the sight of Wol-yo’s head, which had originally been Jeong Yeon-shin’s weapon, dangling at her waist.

Hwaak!

Yue Shou-lin deliberately allowed the approach.

She drew Northern Darkness Fist Marquis into close-range exchange, and before her hand could even extend, was driving in a whip-like hazy kick. The erected toes were like spear points.

Zzzzzzeeeeeeeng!

Northern Darkness Fist Marquis’s abdomen where the leg technique struck. The hazy green protective strong energy rippled violently. The martial robe was even compressed and crushed to the abdominal muscles by the tremendous leg force.

[This strike, Nature Body…?]

“Nothing like that.”

Only after one breath did the vine ground surge like waves, and intense shockwaves explode in concentric circles with a kureung. It was simultaneous that Yue Shou-lin, who flew up from the rebound force, threw her long spear at close range.

Kwang!

As soon as Enter The Divine Spear was deflected sideways by Northern Darkness Fist Marquis’s hand blade, Yue Shou-lin landed while stepping on the spear shaft’s end so it bent all the way to the ground. A technique of deploying Energy Filling Sword with her soles.

Instantly the spear point that pushed through the ground shot toward Northern Darkness Fist Marquis at explosive speed.

Kung…Kwakwakwakwakwakwang!

Yue Shou-lin, who caught the spear stuck among Northern Darkness Fist Marquis’s hand shadows as is, began dancing in the space she had moved through. An exchange consisting of kicks and spear strikes.

Northern Darkness Fist Marquis’s Mist Melancholy Martial Scripture’s profound meaning was the emission of water energy. It dulled the opponent’s energy sensation and boosted her own movements. Territory martial arts that gained superiority regardless of opponent.

At this moment, she was helplessly pushed back by Yue Shou-lin.

It was because of Mencius Unwavering.

The afterglow remaining from the giant’s shout. Literary Star’s Transcendent Martial Art was suppressing the land of madmen made of vines.

“Beautiful.”

The faded Monarch smiled.

“Dream Flight’s strikes are accompanied by psychological warfare. Yes… How could one scheme against a master of Basic Skills whose entire body is a weapon? In space that has become this barren. The inheritor of Mist Melancholy Martial Scripture probably has a complicated mind.”

“You’re quite smitten.”

Helian Feng-yue, who chuckled emptily, asked.

“That World Tree’s peerless fist martial artist seems likely to soon die to Divine Sword Group Leader, but you don’t care? Most of the long-ears who expelled you in Yuan Dynasty times would have died of old age?”

“I’m deliberating.”

The faded Monarch’s words.

Every moment was explosive. Noble clan masters’ archery attacks were even falling on him. A story that continued calmly even amidst fortress defense battle-scale fierce combat that had somehow begun.

“The tribes obtained dignity through falsehoods like the Great Ming Code. But there was no need to fabricate even World Tree’s necessity… This tree became inseparable from all under heaven the moment I was expelled.”

“Protecting them?”

“The tree created the initial cracks, and only the tree can suppress the already-formed gates. If it had been cut down at the start perhaps, but now the gates and tree have grown too large. People’s power can’t handle it.”

“The current long-ears are innocent?”

“Those who made the decision were those who expelled me. What I desired was all under heaven stained with human warmth like dew… If grudges extend by association, how barren would jianghu be?”

“It’s a famine.”

Helian Feng-yue spoke. Honestly.

“The current long-ears are causing a famine now. Following your logic, the tribes who decided the tree’s preservation, their energy is, I estimate, few. Those whose martial power waves are prominent are at most Wei Yeon and the First Elder… The First Elder has closed her eyes. In any case, that child is also pitiable.”

* * *

Where the faded Monarch’s gaze headed.

Northern Darkness Fist Marquis coughed blood amidst semi-transparent energy wave fragments. Her figure with a huge hole pierced through one shoulder, yet with one kwang upward punch, Enter The Divine Spear was sent flying.

A peerless realm where one reaches death if footwork twists even by a fingernail. Yue Shou-lin leaped up first and was stomping down with her long leg. Her sole, which had somehow become bare, naturally touched the spear’s base.

Kwang!

Tremendous release force was applied.

In an instant the pants hem tore up to the calves. The blood-soaked instep raised whitish steam with Jeong Family Dynamic Technique true energy, and the atmosphere shattered like glass following the trajectory of the explosively driven spear.

Puhwak!

Enter The Divine Spear pierced through Northern Darkness Fist Marquis’s abdomen like a harpoon. It stuck into the vine ground as is, scenery pouring out rough vibrations with a kureung.

It was overwhelming momentum.

A surprisingly quick conclusion.

In contrast, Yue Shou-lin’s expression was calm.

“Not dead.”

[Without Literary Star, the fight wouldn’t have been this shabby.]

Northern Darkness Fist Marquis’s intent stuck on the spear.

Yue Shou-lin turned her head to the surroundings. Easily over several hundred shadows were sweeping the vicinity like wind. All so fast they flickered endlessly hazily.

Not even a crowd.

Rather than waves of people, the term storm of masters was correct. World Tree’s martial military forces and Desolate Fortress martial people’s fortress defense battle was like this.

The identities of those occasionally flung out didn’t distinguish between World Tree and Desolate Fortress. Even the sight of immediately returning to the wall of wind in cases of minor injuries was similar.

Unity ability.

And Jeong Family Dynamic Technique.

Yue Shou-lin slowly moved her lips.

“That strategist imitator.”

Somehow Literary Star had no presence after the transcendent Lion’s Roar. From the start it was Transcendent Martial Art that burst from a distant place, and last time he had been exchanging hands with Gold Thunder.

‘Anyway.’

He was difficult to rely on for Desolate Fortress in various ways. How many Divine Sword Group martial people had died to him in the north? There was also no staking a great sect’s fate on a guest.

“This is the fifth barrier ahead?”

[What good is knowing? Blood Guardian Leader was the last to enter the village center. Even that, if he rampages again, will lead to instant death.]

Even now, archery attacks driving down from World Tree’s peak.

Not only Heaven-reaching Bow Count’s, but all kinds of arrows after losing release force. But with pure strength alone matching any super-master’s archery attack was Heaven-reaching Bow Count’s techniques. Only the blacks could deflect those arrows.

In large-scale fortress defense battles, there would be no monster like that.

The unity regeneration ability was also problematic. Interlocking with archery attacks, it truly provided suffocating pressure.

Trudge.

Yue Shou-lin calmly gripped the spear stuck in Northern Darkness Fist Marquis.

“World Tree’s structure is nothing special.”

[What?]

“What you call barriers are a kind of growth ring. Growth rings the size of major cities.”

There were seven layers.

Break one, and another space appears. Break seven like that to reach the center. Since the shortcut formation was also dismantled, there was no choice but to break through.

Northern Darkness Fist Marquis’s lips rose faintly like ripples.

[The main trunk’s Seventeen Halls overwhelm Divine Sword Group’s seventeen great squad leaders in scale from the start. Yet not even half have arrived. Same for Nine Complete Guests. Is there truly a chance of victory? While unable to even annihilate the immediately encountered martial military forces.]

The reason she smiled.

Because some middle-aged man had entered through the wall made of shadows. A swordsman ceaselessly fluttering faded maple-colored long robes. His garments billowed as if about to permeate the dark dust.

Yue Shou-lin’s gaze descended to the sword he gripped.

“…Enter The Divine Sword.”

Instantly Praising Earth Sword Duke’s Enter The Divine Sword was faintly obscured in the night air. An unnaturally transcendent scene, yet it seemed to feel embarrassment. The free deployment of Nature Sword’s ability was secondary.

“I know Jeong Yeon-shin’s life.”

His mouth moved slowly.

“The tribe’s leadership confirmed it with Wind King’s ability. It was to prepare for him.”

Yue Shou-lin shrugged her shoulders.

“That’s just like you.”

What reflected in her pitch-black eyes was only the sight of Northern Darkness Fist Marquis gradually filling the penetration wound in her shoulder.

Praising Earth Sword Duke didn’t care.

“Azure Qilin, Radiant Demon Wing, Fan Dragon, Taoist High Sword, Sword Star… He experienced many sudden deaths. In those long yet short years until the boy from a remote village wore purple long robes.”

“…This is getting annoying. Our side can’t afford more deaths.”

“Yet his spirit doesn’t break. Amazingly, he resists the main trunk’s unity. As if he’ll be immortal even after death.”

“Immortal?”

Tung…

Yue Shou-lin’s lips rose slightly as she flicked Enter The Divine Spear with her finger.

“Of course, since Desolate Fortress is the Lord himself.”

“Then Desolate Fortress’s annihilation would be Jeong Yeon-shin’s true death.”

Praising Earth Sword Duke murmured lowly.

“He may feel once more. The ephemerality of jianghu affairs.”

Why was it? A tone tinged faintly with regret.

Yue Shou-lin, who tilted her head briefly once, slowly gripped the spear with force. Still the spear shaft of Enter The Divine Spear with Northern Darkness Fist Marquis stuck on it.

Divine Sword Group Leader Dream Flight said.

“Want to die ephemerally?”

[Silent Night.]

An ominous echo descended. Intent that spread within the fortress defense battle’s storm.

[Punishment Prison.]

Blood-red mist wrapped around the spear shaft in the form of a long blade. The moment Northern Darkness Fist Marquis’s eyes widened as if tearing, Enter The Divine Spear stuck in her abdomen shot up with a kwadeuduk.

The sound of ribs hard as black iron breaking together with lungs, splitting vertically up to the Adam’s apple and even opening the skull. It was an instant until a massive amount of blood gushed.

Hudududuk—

Northern Darkness Fist Marquis’s corpse, split in half from the upper body, sprawled out. And didn’t move. Only blood repeatedly surged with not yet fully consumed martial power.

In dreadful silence, Yue Shou-lin passed her and faced Praising Earth Sword Duke.

* * *

—Mm, is this the right place?

[…Little Heavenly Demon Invincible?]

—Oh, it is my brother. I came to receive the tea and snacks as promised before.

[To save me…?]

—Let’s eat outside. This place is too musty… Anyway, how do we get out? I can’t sense internal energy.

[Incompetent.]