Chapter 759 – Three Radiances Demon (5)

[Come here…!]

—Junior, did you hear that?

—Focus. It’s difficult enough to maintain my primordial spirit while debating sword principles with you.

—Hmm.

—I’ve landed and deployed the Southern Splendor Vast Taiji. Now my chain strikes link together more than half a breath faster. I can even activate Enter The Dao Transcend Together twice within a Starry Night. How will you receive it?

—…I’ll seize that Southern Splendor Vast Taiji for myself. It’s the Three Pure Forces technique of the Dying Embers Melancholy.

—What?

—This unreasonable Taiji cultivation is mine now.

—Don’t just talk. Name a move you can actually execute. Do you even understand the essence of Taiji?

—Ah, it’s not particularly difficult for the current me… If I resolve to die and have a supply of true energy to back it up, I might even be able to impose Taiji upon the entire world. Of course, it would still be difficult with your current upper energy center.

—Get your hands off my head. The Baihui acupoint is sensitive.

[Come here!]

—Immortal Profound Void…?

***

Under the slightly brightened night.

The dust settled.

The giant who had struck the air with the back of his hand slowly emerged from the dust.

The atmosphere was strange.

Was it his height, approaching ten feet?

An overwhelmingly large frame, yet his entire body was as pale as a corpse. This naturally made his eerie disposition even more pronounced.

“……”

It was Literary Star, one of the Six Star Lords.

His appearance was so gaunt he’d be hard to recognize from any portrait. Though his height and even his skin had changed, it was undoubtedly him.

Because he stood before the assembly with his hands clasped.

It was a respectful bow, his manners ingrained. This remained true even though the figures clutched in his hands were somewhat crushed from being pressed against each other.

A renewed greeting.

Thus, it signified a new meeting. His salute was directed toward those he had just called the collateral lines.

“The orthodox successor…?”

Cheong Myeong questioned.

At this, Literary Star’s mouth twitched, and the deathly pale skin on both sides of it dented slightly. It resembled a smile made by a corpse.

“It is the same with literary studies. Many famous teachers under heaven have left numerous texts, but it is difficult for any reader to claim themselves a disciple of those esteemed scholars.”

“……”

“From hand to hand, from head to head… Passed down directly with immense sincerity, is that not what defines orthodox transmission?”

Cheong Myeong silently flicked his sword once. He did not grant Literary Star his gaze, focusing his bright blue eyes solely on Wei Yeon.

Only Lazy Flame Dragon muttered.

“I was mistaken for a moment.”

“You mean Lord Jeong and I? That explains it. I was wondering about your earlier words about paying respects.”

A tone of quiet laughter laced Literary Star’s voice. His addition, “Come to think of it, our physical auras might be similar”, carried the same quality. Lazy Flame Dragon paid it no mind.

“That’s the problem right now.”

He indicated the spot with his chin.

It was now just ten paces in front of Lazy Flame Dragon.

A woman in the prime of her youth was staring intently up at Literary Star.

She had approached with chillingly swift footwork. The sight of her long green hair flowing ethereally was unsettling.

Literary Star nodded. As he did, he flung away the three Nine Complete Guests he had been holding in his hands and biting in his mouth with a single spinning motion.

Swaaaaaaek! Kwa-reu-reung…!

Dozens of shockwaves followed their trajectory, chasing them beyond the clouds.

From the beginning, the half without the Transcendent Martial Art were merely peerless swordsmen, inferior to the super-masters of the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique’s collateral line. Literary Star spoke calmly, as if nothing had happened.

“I trust you will handle this well.”

“Well… If I can go stop the ‘Unified Desolate Day Extinction,’ I should. Still, it seems we should exchange at least one move first.”

At Lazy Flame Dragon’s words, spoken while rubbing his own head, Literary Star flicked his finger. Aimed at the rejuvenated Wei Yeon.

Instantly, space warped and twisted.

Zzzzeeeeeeeeeong!

The sword Wei Yeon raised to meet the attack exploded into splinters like sawdust. The force soaring skyward along that ascending sword path tore the clouds apart like feathers.

Had Lazy Flame Dragon not anchored his feet to the ground using the gravitational pull of the Thousand-Pound Weight, he might have been dragged up as well. The same went for Cheong Myeong, standing firm right beside him.

‘He has the right to claim the orthodox succession.’

Lazy Flame Dragon had that brief thought. Wei Yeon was shaking her arm within the peerless realm that had slowed to a crawl. Another wooden sword had already pierced up through the soil at her feet.

“……!”

Her dislocated wrist snapped back into place as her hand brushed the hilt. She was poised to counter any chain strike with a lightning-fast draw.

“The Ming Dynasty’s specter, who not only forgot the golden rule of respecting one’s roots but now covets immortality itself…”

Literary Star shrugged his shoulders and continued.

“She might commit the discourtesy of reaching the Sanzu River several times over. But a good strategist memorizes the entire Book of Songs, and never forgets the passage about ‘learning from others’ mistakes’ within it.”

His gaze shifted to a point past Wei Yeon’s shoulder.

The Fighting God was smiling there. Reclining against a tree stump, he slowly moved his lips.

“Old friend.”

“…You conserved your ultimate techniques even after greatly depleting the tree’s energy three times. The world is indebted to you for a significant span of time.”

Having said that much, Literary Star hesitated briefly before adding.

“You will always be the North Star.”

“Meaningless. I lost you to Lightning Genius.”

The Six Star Lords plus the Fighting God once formed the Big Dipper’s seven stars, but no longer. Now, only the Fighting God of the North Star remained in his place.

“This long night…”

Literary Star spoke as he turned his body.

“…I dreamed good dreams, thanks to the Southern Emperor and you. The Southern Emperor was the parent who built a hut upon the perilous mountain called the Demon Realm. You were the elder brother who taught me how to navigate the night mountains. On that barren land, we were rather good companions.”

“Those words please me.”

“Now it is time to walk the next stretch of time. I pray you take care.”

“……”

The Fighting God gestured with an ambiguous expression toward a point past Literary Star’s shoulder. The direction where all barriers had collapsed, leaving only expansive vines.

Rustle.

Green silhouettes were descending like dandelion seeds, each taking the place of a collapsed barrier.

They were all the masters of the World Tree.

It seemed even the reclusive experts from deep within the main trunk had mobilized. From somewhere, the slow, heavy beat of Gyo Cheon’s war drums could be felt, distant and ponderous.

Thump… Thump…

Battlefield martial arts that boosted the accumulation of allied energy waves and lightness skill. For a long time, they had repeatedly instilled a sense of futility in the Six Star Lords. Lazy Flame Dragon, who had mended his cracked skull under Literary Star’s protection, knew this fact well.

“…It will be arduous.”

At the Fighting God’s words, Literary Star smiled faintly.

“Can any mountain path be free of hardships?”

***

Upon the bright blue vine-covered earth.

Literary Star moved his steps slowly, as if hiking a mountain. He was priming the propulsion energy waves of the Nine Emperor Demonic Power Step into his Yongquan acupoints.

Trudge.

The ground was slightly damp and sticky with water vapor. Occasionally, even lightning crackled and was drawn upward by his steps.

‘If it’s energy that benefits the World Tree, it seems they’ve gathered it indiscriminately, regardless of the Five Elements. The accumulated energy is immeasurable…’

The will of the Southern and Northern Emperors resided here. The diameter was as vast and difficult to gauge as a major imperial capital.

All from a single tree.

“……”

Thus, it was the greatest martial forest in all history.

Beneath the great cosmos, a world where celestial power flourished as never before.

Naturally, the enemies before him were also denizens of this formidable martial world. That was why Literary Star’s expression grew more solemn with each step.

—Deputy Grand Administrator.

The title suddenly pierced through via voice transmission. Literary Star’s lips curved upward fluidly, like strokes of cursive calligraphy.

“Yes, Grand Administrator Lim.”

—What of Wei Yeon?

“She insisted on blocking me, so I broke her neck once on my way here. In return, my lung organ was slashed. The Wooden Blade Sword in its prime was truly worthy of its reputation.”

—That old monster achieved rejuvenation, yet she still managed to injure you…?

“It was an injury until a few breaths ago, but not anymore. Of course, the same likely holds for Madam Wei. I left the rest to the black-rankers and proceeded inward.”

—Good judgment. The real challenge begins there. According to the General Administration’s assessment, if Lord Jeong achieves unification and emerges… that day will mark the death of next year’s world.

“Frankly, the Seat Masters of the Wish for Peace Sword Hall might be slain by Madam Wei.”

—How many black-rankers remain there?

“Three.”

—Then it is settled.

Literary Star felt as if he were conversing with the Southern Emperor from a bygone era.

That temperament… possessing boundless pride yet being accustomed to the deaths of those around him, was identical.

“…And the Lord’s primordial spirit?”

—He headed towards the Divine Sword Group. That side also possesses considerable martial forces. Roughly five or six of the ‘Seventeen Halls of the World Tree’… We are fortunate enough that a one-on-one life-and-death duel between Group Leader Dream Flight and the Praising Earth Sword Duke has been arranged.

Meanwhile, Lim Jin-myeong remained on the southern battlefield with the former leader of the Burning Abyss Squad, Woon Yu-jeong. Their purpose was to repeatedly slay the noble clan experts Literary Star had killed before they could rise again.

A battlefield demands thoroughness in all things.

Literary Star pressed onward.

If these were the masters guarding the World Tree’s interior, their resilience would be extraordinary.

[Heaven’s Heart, a Single Feather Adrift.]

From the outset, it was Yun Xiong’s Transcendent Martial Art. There was no warning.

A radiant light source shone brilliantly ahead.

Woooooong!

It instantly elongated into a spear fit for a giant to wield. It was held in the hands of a familiar young general. Though not even as tall as the spear’s tip, he radiated immense pressure.

Below, archery masters had drawn their bows. They numbered in the hundreds, having assembled with absurd speed considering the width of the main trunk’s rings.

‘Among the Seventeen Halls, those proficient in archery… At the very least, experts from the Pierce Prison Hall and Eternal Arrow Hall must be among them. Archers who have done nothing but draw bowstrings their whole lives.’

A large formation clearly designed to counter the Divine Sword Group’s breakthrough capability. The intent was plain: to deny approach not only to the Radiant Demon Wing but even the Divine Sword Squad.

A terrifying military force.

Thus, the moment Literary Star caught the light-spear Yun Xiong threw, he landed amidst them with a single leap. He muttered involuntarily at the searing pain.

“Such a painful sensation.”

“……!”

A single sweep of the light-spear caused over a hundred figures to explode in a line.

It was truly the Transcendent Martial Art infamous for slaughtering the Yao tribe.

‘If I’ve come this deep into the World Tree, Lord Jeong must have experienced this too. It’s truly horrific.’

A technique that freely shifted between a form focused on a single point and a wide-area attack strike.

Its length matched Literary Star’s stature, yet it violently hummed as if on the verge of losing cohesion. Seizing the moment, he swept the light-spear twice more, turning all directions into a storm of blood.

Puh-bubububububuk…!

After over three hundred bodies burst.

The encirclement collapsed. Fragments of flesh and gore soared, forming a vast, concentric circle. Literary Star flew upward as if merging into this maelstrom and grabbed Yun Xiong by both shoulders.

“Hup…!”

He sensed seven layers of internal energy barriers. A flow of energy that simultaneously released explosive force and boosted lightness skill. It was the World Tree’s secret protective energy, ‘Pale Dew Dividing Light.’

Zzzejejejejeok…

Literary Star landed, holding Yun Xiong’s left and right halves separately.

‘The sturdiness of this protective energy is like the Seamless Heavenly Garment. It’s not an energy barrier focused on rebound, yet I can’t think of a suitable way to break it…’

He pondered while advancing.

A critical problem for a strategist. He had a responsibility to provide martial insights to the Divine Sword Group heading northeast.

Thus, he had two missions.

To prevent Jeong Yeon-shin’s unification, and to minimize the Desolate Fortress’s losses using his broad experience and keen insight.

The latter was as crucial as the former. Because Jeong Yeon-shin would wish for it.

Hwaaaaaaaak!

Had he advanced five hundred zhang in a single step?

Before his thoughts could fully form, another martial force filled his vision.

Several hundred more swordsmen, formidable experts who seemed to have rushed to join the terrifying masters of the Pierce Prison and Eternal Arrow Halls.

An immense sword wind assaulted him first.

It felt capable of flaying flesh.

Though they assumed high, middle, and low stances respectively, their long swords were blurred and hard to see clearly.

‘The Wood-Beneath Linked Divine Sword…!’

They were swordsmen of profound cultivation.

The leader was painfully familiar even to Literary Star. A middle-aged man with elegantly pointed ears. The foremost of the Imperial Three Great Masters had an old fishing rod casually slung over his shoulder.

“I lack the confidence to contend with the current you over matters of principle.”

It was Yang Cheon.

His self-proclaimed title was ‘Empty Boat,’ signifying he caught nothing.

“My will was never here to begin with. It was the same when I sought to bind Lord Lightning Genius Jeong with my fishing line, and it’s the same facing you now. I am merely ashamed of my wavering resolve… What is that you hold in your hands?”

Saaaaaaaaaa…

The swordsmen of the Wood-Beneath Linked Divine Sword were weathering the Yang Cheon’s energy waves like a typhoon. Pushed back by the force, they were on the verge of unleashing a heaven-shaking combination strike.

‘Even their stances are imposing.’

Without concern for decorum, Literary Star hurled the Yun Xiong’s right half toward the distant path he’d come from, aiming to delay its regeneration as much as possible.

Coincidentally, it seemed to strike Wei Yeon, who had been in the process of severing half of Lazy Flame Dragon’s arm far away. The physique of an Imperial Three Great Master was truly transcendent, withstanding even speeds far surpassing sound.

Literary Star comforted Lazy Flame Dragon via the Bright Wind Cave technique.

—The Classic of Filial Piety states, ‘Our bodies, from hair to skin, are received from our parents.’ This applies to both the orthodox line and the collateral branches.

—You bastard…?

Ku-gu-gung…

For an instant, the World Tree tilted slightly to one side.

Literary Star then threw Yun Xiong’s left half at Yang Cheon as well. In his mind, he visualized ‘Myriad Heavens Flower Rain,’ the most imperial of the Northern Emperor’s seasonal techniques.

Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwang!

The fragments of the left half struck Yang Cheon and exploded, scattering violently.

“Gwaaaaaaaaah!”

“Huek…!”

Shockwaves bordering on divine power crushed and pulverized the Wood-Beneath Linked Divine Sword swordsmen. The strike was fleeting, but the trajectories of bone shards and blood matched Literary Star’s calculations precisely.

Naturally, he used a forward step to position himself at Yang Cheon’s flank.

He had already grabbed the end of the fishing line and wrapped it around Yang Cheon’s chest.

“You, how did you…?”

As he subtly bent the finger joints entangled in the line, Yang Cheon’s upper body split diagonally with a sickening crunch.

Without waiting to hear the gruesome sound of rending flesh, he took another step. It was the Nine Emperor Demonic Power Step, infused with the orthodox Jeong Family Dynamic Technique.

It seemed to move beyond his own will, unstoppable.

Kwang!

He found himself in a plaza where all manner of rare flora had been trimmed low.

Colorful petals swirled up from the deep footprints he left. Noble clan masters stood positioned all around, assuming various stances and emitting diverse energy waves.

By this time, Literary Star was preoccupied with making his report.

—My apologies, but I failed to discern anything particularly noteworthy. The martial arts of the enemies I encountered were simply too formidable… I am ashamed to hold the title of Deputy Grand Administrator.

It was a mission failure.