Chapter 769 – To My Younger Brother, From The Heavenly Demon (2)

Hyeon Won-chang appeared on the wall of Myriad View Place, shouting loudly.

—Lord Jeong’s name has returned to the Life Register!

Jeong Yeon-shin thought to himself.

‘Dark Night Brilliant Blood Demon Sword… As expected, it’s such a renowned supreme technique that creating multiple copies is difficult.’

Only one had properly taken the form of a formless sword, the one bestowed upon the Literary Star.

To the Divine Sword Group and the Demon Realm martial forces, he had only granted the ability of non-regeneration, channeling the demon sword’s release power into sword energy and Heavenly Steel Light Armor respectively.

The only one capable of completing multiple Dark Night Brilliant Blood Demon Swords was Job Myeong-jo. In other words, it was the domain of a Transcendent Martial Art, something rarely permitted to those with half-complete lives.

“You succeeded properly, didn’t you?”

The smaller, half-complete one approached his side. If she had been taller than Jeong Yeon-shin, she looked ready to sling an arm around his shoulders.

“If it weren’t for this elder sister’s sword debates, making Heavenly Steel Light Armor part of the Lightning Genius martial lineage would’ve been far-fetched for my younger brother, no matter how wearisome that martial art was.”

She finished speaking.

The domain of the Silent Radiance Sword Constellation could only benefit practitioners of the Lightning Genius lineage. The release forces falling like stars from the void were Jeong Yeon-shin’s. Yet now, even the Demon Realm bathed in the energy waves of the Dark Night Brilliant Blood Demon Sword that he had manifested.

“It would have been achieved even without you, elder sister. I received the secret formula from the Literary Star.”

Jeong Yeon-shin replied quietly, brushing the dust from his hands once.

Perhaps because he had reached the verge of unification, his whole body felt dull, as if waking from a deep sleep.

Had more time passed, he might have truly unified. But Jeong Yeon-shin had Taoist Sanfeng’s “arrangement.” Since that arrangement hadn’t been used, thanks to King Qiong-ming and Tang Yun-hwang’s help, the situation was even better.

Meanwhile, Invincible seemed to have grown accustomed to being called “elder sister.” Her face, one corner of her mouth raised, looked cocky. Her words carried the same unhurried tone, as if she now had leisure.

“After losing over and over in sword debates and feeling your blood boil, didn’t you replace the random ability of the Heavenly Steel Light Armor with release force? A full-body release-force internal barrier, I wonder if such a thing is even possible with your upper energy center.”

She had only acknowledged defeat in the very last of dozens of sword debates. Since there was no reason to listen to a loser’s words to the end, Jeong Yeon-shin silently stepped forward.

Step.

He walked past Iron Demon Spring Leader Ji Gang-hyeon, who looked at Tang Yun-hwang with admiration, and approached the seated Tang Yun-hwang, who was cross-legged.

Poison King Tang Yun-hwang, the smith who had shattered unification with the Myriad Heavens Flower Rain, the only one under heaven to do so. Naturally, a great backlash had followed.

Jeong Yeon-shin gently placed a trace of dharma power on Tang Yun-hwang’s back, so the Major Heavenly Circulation would flow smoothly around the Mingmen acupoint.

‘You’ve fulfilled your role. The rest is mine.’

He turned his gaze toward the wall of Myriad View Place.

The scenery was divided in two, the World Tree’s bark to the northwest and the vine-covered ground to the northeast. World Tree masters were facing the Demon Realm and the Divine Sword Group respectively.

The unified nobles’ expressionless faces remained unchanged, but their movements and words were different.

—The Main Tree awaits King Pure Affection. Where are Resonance Spirit Leader and King Pure Affection?

—Could Lord Lightning Genius of Desolate Fortress come outside? With his temperament, he cannot cultivate a Natural Sword…

—Successors of the Profound Mist Martial Scripture, step forward. After binding the enemies with water energy, confront them properly.

Some distanced themselves using transcendent lightness skill, others thickened their protective energy barriers. Those who had pressed forward with overwhelming offense now prioritized defense.

They could no longer experience their opponents’ techniques with their bodies, regenerate with the power of unification, or immediately counterattack.

Their arrogance inevitably faded.

Perhaps they had foreseen death through their upper energy center’s insight. The nobles retreated not only from the Divine Sword Group charging into the central village but also from the Demon Realm forces scaling the bark vertically.

Some even clasped their hands behind their backs. Their pupils left glowing afterimages as they analyzed enemies with extreme eye techniques. Their lips moved without sound, too busy for voice transmissions.

—I’ve read their constitutions. They’re masters of Council Elder Shin Byeok’s Peerless Limitless Hand. If Verdant Fortune Hall, who mainly cultivated the transformation realm, steps forward, they could overwhelm them easily.

—The Demon Realm’s Heavenly Steel Light Armor seems vulnerable to single-point precision strikes. Request the Law Enforcement Department to rain down long-range archery attacks, similar to Diancang Sect’s Sun Piercing Sword Technique.

—There’s no response. It’s been the same continuously.

—What?

—It seems we allowed close engagement by Ominous Dream and Dream Flight. Still, the Law Enforcement Department, Heaven-reaching Bow Count and Gyo Cheon should have been able to respond…

—We can’t change formation! They’re too fast…!

The Divine Sword Group and Demon Realm stayed on them until the end. Dark blue sword strikes and Heavenly Steel Light Armor charges overwhelmed and crushed the nobles in an instant.

—Zzzejejejejejejeong! Puhwak! Peobeobeobeok!

The unified nobles’ cries mixed into the roar. The names of the dead burst out one after another.

From the walls of Myriad View Place, they sounded only like howls. Jeong Yeon-shin ignored them.

[Since you presuppose the world’s end, I thought you were prepared to die.]

His calm voice spread outward through the Six Directions Voice Transmission, extending even beyond the World Tree.

[Was I wrong?]

Outside, the world was filled with roars, yet it seemed covered in serene stillness. Even though the World Tree’s Law Enforcement Department should still have held bloodlines equal to Master Wei Gun-hye and Immortal Tree Spirit Leader Cheon So-so.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

‘The Great Famine… The land where everything began, yet its dignity has fallen this low.’

The Lazy Flame Dragon’s words had been right.

Southern Splendor was the last, his final equal, the one who had contended with him as a true rival. That was why Jeong Yeon-shin’s bearing remained indifferent even now.

Only worry lingered.

How long would this battle continue? Was it right to lose people of Desolate Fortress in such a degraded land? What meaning would their deaths hold?

When he turned, King Qiong-ming and Immortal Profound Void came into view, both looking at him with different expressions. King Qiong-ming seemed to hope Jeong Yeon-shin wouldn’t reveal himself inside the World Tree, while Immortal Profound Void looked like he had something to say.

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke first to King Qiong-ming.

“Do you have something to say?”

“It really is you.”

King Qiong-ming said no more. He had already fulfilled his duty by bringing the Tang Family Head from war-torn Sichuan.

Jeong Yeon-shin turned to Immortal Profound Void.

The old Taoist stared blankly with clouded eyes, then slowly moved his wrinkled lips.

“Regarding the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword you brought from Hangzhou, a gathering was held at Mount Wudang. Countless retired elders from both Tao Gate and Sword Gate gathered there, those same old men who once danced just to hold on to the fading unification of the Zhengqi Deity.”

Jeong Yeon-shin tilted his head slightly.

“You speak as if the Sect Leader Immortal wasn’t present.”

“I wasn’t at Mount Wudang. I was pondering how to return the Imperial Family’s old dead tree to nature. Of course, she knew that too, and by holding the peace of Huguang territory hostage, she left no openings… Primal Peace and True Stability.”

It was about Clan Leader Wei Yeon,how she had tried to use even the Wudang Sect Leader, who could turn murderous at any moment, as military strength.

“She was quite a person,” Jeong Yeon-shin said calmly.

“Anyone who is human can choose from which waterfall of years to wear down their mind and body.”

Was he implying there was no need to sympathize with Wei Yeon?

Immortal Profound Void’s words carried an ambiguity both un-Taoist and deeply Taoist, just like his current self, continuing to speak clearly despite his clouded eyes.

“In any case, a good conclusion seems to have been reached. Jade Cliff’s messenger hawk flew to me. So now, this unworthy elder can no longer treat Your Excellency as a junior of jianghu.”

His tone bent softly, like the Taiji Sword itself.

From the old Taoist’s respectful manner, Jeong Yeon-shin realized that the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword’s authenticity had been confirmed.

It was officially recognized.

That he had discovered and grasped Wudang Sect’s first Pine Pattern Ancient Sword, met Taoist Sanfeng’s primordial spirit avatar, and that the inspiration for Southern Splendor Vast Taiji originated from it.

It also meant Wudang now had justification to rush here, turning their backs on the safety of countless secular sects.

“Many disciples were already guarding Desolate Fortress’s main stronghold,” said Immortal Profound Void quietly. “By now, Mount Wudang must be empty.”

Invincible playfully traced her fingers down Jeong Yeon-shin’s back. She seemed to want recognition for her role, but he brushed her arm away with his elbow.

Then he looked up at the wall of Myriad View Place.

A barren land scarred by craters hundreds of zhang wide, the same place where the Literary Star had once faced ten thousand martial troops.

Fishing lines bound Grand Administrator Lim Jin-ming and former Minor Lotus Squad Leader Un Yoo-jeong. It was the technique of the Imperial Three Masters’ Yang Cheon, and a brilliant spear of light raced toward them in an instant. Even without looking, he knew it was Lord Yu Xiong’s Transcendent Martial Art.

—Grand Administrator!

—Sword formation…!

The masters of the Law Enforcement Department arrived late, standing in their path.

—My apologies.

The indistinguishable voices of Yang Cheon or Yu Xiong spoke. In that brief moment, Jeong Yeon-shin frowned.

‘Tiresome.’

The World Tree seemed unwilling to end the battle. Perhaps it sensed time differently from humans, intending to wait eternally for Resonance Spirit Leader while commanding the unified nobles.

Jeong Yeon-shin stomped his foot.

—Thud!

A deep resonance echoed from the wall of Myriad View Place. The shockwave of Radiant Wing Eight Steps, using the technique of Striking the Ox Across the Mountain, spread through space.

—Zzzeoeoeoeoeoeoeong!

The light spear’s trajectory bent slightly with a bang, and Blue Rank Master Kang Woon-chan, who had been about to take the hit, was thrown backward by the counterwind.

It was the beginning.

Thud.

The scenery on the wall changed. To the World Tree’s northwest, a veteran Unified General descended on Gao Yao Holy Sword’s massive blade, spear aimed downward. Before he could strike, his spear shaft exploded completely.

Thud.

Amidst the transformed scenery, a shockwave erupted once more. The old master Holy Sword descended upon the ground where Wei Yan’s corpse lay tangled like vines. Seizing the moment, Wandering Star stepped toward the eyes-closed Lazy Flame Dragon, only to voluntarily withdraw a step.

Thud.

Next was Ma Yeon-jeok’s back. Ominous Dream, who had been pressing Gyo Cheon’s kneeling head under his heel, pretended to be proper and withdrew, though disappointment hung on his lion-like mouth.

Four points.

Jeong Yeon-shin clasped his hands behind his back.

Even without seeing Myriad View Place’s scenes, he could feel it. The spots where his true steps landed were now filled with other presences.

It was the martial world, jianghu.

He had drawn them in, even without intent. If he counted their faces one by one, the World Tree’s leaders should already be reacting.

They must have been watching the entire battlefield through the World Tree’s roots.

Jeong Yeon-shin glanced at the wall.

—We request… an end to the war…!

The World Tree’s Grand Administrator was speaking at the feet of the Literary Star, holding up a one-zhang-long Dark Night Brilliant Blood Greatsword in both hands.