Chapter 771 – To My Younger Brother, From The Heavenly Demon (4)

“You don’t have much time left either.”

The old Taoist spoke with a simple smile like a country elder. It was the first thing Jeong Yeon-shin heard upon rising. Goosebumps ran down the inside of his purple sleeves.

It was because Sword Star Hyeon So-baek’s sensory paths rose to extremes on their own. Strangely, it felt like facing an enemy.

Jeong Yeon-shin glanced downward.

The ground that had briefly split shut as soon as he stepped on the soil. Even for a peerless master, it had been a moment close to humiliation. The crack hadn’t even been that large.

‘Barely able to ascend with World’s Fastest.’

He had no choice but to ask the old Taoist before him.

“In your current state, Taoist, you cannot extract the others from below, can you?”

Taoist Sanfeng smiled ambiguously.

“That’s a task for the living, not a dead Taoist.”

“Natural Sword wielders are rare.”

“If you shake out your connections like a sieve, won’t at least one remain?”

“…I see.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke only after hesitating briefly. The wind flowing from that aged voice had swept across his throat like a blade. It almost clashed with his protective strong energy for a moment. Even though Taoist Sanfeng bore no killing intent.

“Primordial Beginning Pacifying and Suppressing, Lord Jeong.”

Wudang’s Immortal Jade Cliff called out to Jeong Yeon-shin, then asked with a doubtful tone.

“What is the meaning of this? For several days, that World Tree’s fruit has been blasphemously impersonating our sect’s founding ancestor… yet suddenly extracting Lord Jeong from the tree and conversing like a person, I simply cannot…”

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly opened his mouth.

“When upper dantian spirituality dwells in mind and body, it becomes divine arts; when it resides in a blade, it becomes a divine sword that breathes on its own. But when it…”

While habitually reaching for his waist, he realized Remaining Thunder was still absent and quietly asked.

“What if it’s engraved upon the world itself…?”

The greatest sword of all time, one with history itself.

“…You mean to say.”

As Immortal Jade Cliff’s eyes widened in shock before he could finish speaking, Jeong Yeon-shin kept only Taoist Sanfeng in his field of vision, not turning his head. He had a premonition that even the slightest carelessness would unleash a catastrophe.

Once.

He had heard a mad intent from the deceased Murong Family Head’s Heavenly Demon Divine Armor.

On Song Mountain and Wudang Mountain, an old monk and a Taoist had looked down upon precipitous peaks.

‘Then.’

What would dwell in a body identical to one’s living form, constructed with the martial arts from one’s lifetime?

This was a situation where Taoist Sanfeng’s spirituality, engraved in all creation, had poured forth and manifested like a soul. Perhaps it was inevitable. It would only be possible because the body was completely formed.

“… Taoist, the genuine one.”

Immortal Jade Cliff continued like a murmur.

“Immortal in all creation…”

The realm of the greatest throughout history.

* * *

“……”

The assembly of only absolute masters fell silent.

One could not fathom what thoughts each harbored. Their lived experiences were that diverse. In contrast, Jeong Yeon-shin’s thoughts were clear.

‘It will be decided this moonlit night.’

The world’s fate.

Honestly, he didn’t understand how Taoist Sanfeng had seized control of the body’s ego. Whatever principle accomplished it, it could not have been part of the World Tree’s plan.

They must have intended to mold the body even more powerfully with Taoist Sanfeng’s spirituality.

By now, wasn’t the tree pouring out tremendous divinity to reclaim that body? With power far exceeding human limits.

Jeong Yeon-shin asked calmly.

“Can you maintain that state?”

Taoist Sanfeng still did not lower his ambiguously raised mouth corners.

He said.

“Enjoy it to your heart’s content.”

On ground where no one rashly opened their mouths, Jeong Yeon-shin spoke calmly.

“…Though I do not doubt the Taoist, I must now grasp control of all matters. I intend to allow no ambiguity in what comes next.”

Moonlight pouring softly, space distorted like tangled threads, earthen ground massively rotating the night forest scenery.

Saaaa—

A translucent breeze wrapped around Taoist Sanfeng’s body. Wind blowing in cursive script, like the grass writing of an old scholar gone to the far side of an era.

In contrast, around Jeong Yeon-shin only the residual energy waves of World’s Fastest scattered like starlight. They also resembled the emphasis marks of powerful brushstrokes.

Taoist Sanfeng smiled broadly and opened his mouth.

“This marvelous body was operating Dual Principle Mind Arts. When I promptly pushed the tree’s consciousness to one corner of the head, it turned out to be imprisonable?”

This too was inevitable.

Because the fruit’s body was incomplete.

In other words, no different from extremely delicate bone transformation. Having to coordinate the dantian, acupoints, and even the flow of Major Heavenly Circulation inside the body.

‘At the same time, to deflect even the peerless masters’ ultimate strikes, there would have been no other way. Except by splitting consciousness into pieces with Wudang’s Dual Principle Mind Arts.’

He knew for certain.

Jeong Yeon-shin immediately asked.

“How much time do I have left?”

“Without needing to act, your unification has broken, so it’s as I just said. Even my meager spirituality can hold it quite sufficiently.”

Taoist Sanfeng’s gaze.

It drew a calm circle like Taiji itself. Naturally, the peerless masters of this generation passed through that gaze one by one. Those now watching the two people with various expressions and appearances.

Taoist Sanfeng nodded with a pleased face.

“Settling old grudges and precious connections in one place… this is true Taiji. Treasure this day.”

Cultivate Transcendent Martial Art.

Before the mental prison of Dual Principle Mind Arts breaks, and before he himself turns into an enemy.

That was the meaning conveyed to Jeong Yeon-shin.

* * *

Turning around, Jeong Yeon-shin recalled the day he met young Wei Gun-hye. Together with the conversation he’d had with Taoist Sanfeng that day.

—About the World Tree. May it be cut down?

—Why bother asking this old Taoist about that? You already seem full of intent to fell the tree.

—Did the Taoist not leave the World Tree intact?

—I couldn’t cut it down.

Taoist Sanfeng on that day asserted with a smiling face.

—The tree roots are certainly suppressing the gates opened to the world. To handle that without any repercussions would require two people like me in the same era.

—Two…?

—A genius for the ages who would gather all the world’s gates into the tree. An eternal swordsman whose sword path has reached the level of clear-cutting.

The old Taoist spoke the word “clear-cutting” like a joke, but if the target was the World Tree, it was a distant matter.

—What do you mean by an eternal swordsman?

—Only someone with a lifespan matching the World Tree’s could have their blade shave the tree bark. Since I’ve chosen you as the genius, work hard to find the swordsman.

—…Why could you not live until now?

—Noble Clan Leader Wei Yeon, Dark Heaven Emperor Cho Yeol, Blood Flame Cult Leader Baek Rak, the World Tree’s First Elder… what did you feel seeing them so twisted?

On that day, the past Taoist Sanfeng smiled with a face as if meeting eyes with the future. Somehow it also felt like looking in a mirror.

—Those I identified with my own life died to Yuan Dynasty war gods long ago. I realized naturally. The secret arts of immortality on the immortal path are nothing but spring dreams for those who haven’t awakened to life… Primordial Beginning Pacifying and Suppressing.

Jeong Yeon-shin folded away his contemplation.

Without needing confirmation, Taoist Sanfeng remembered Jeong Yeon-shin. Just his words and actions discussing life made it evident.

‘The eye technique that looks down upon time… is it Taoist Sanfeng’s Three Flowers Gathering at Crown ability?’

What of the swordsman Zhang Sanfeng?

If such a Taoist eye technique anticipated paths and distances beforehand.

Just then, a discussion among masters was in full swing.

“Look at that earthen dragon fellow who’s aged twenty years over there. The wrinkles on his face are drawing release force. Just how many layers is it?”

Ma Yeon-jeok gestured with his chin toward Martial Dragon Alliance Leader Helian Feng-yue, now a middle-aged man. His grandfather’s added words were also harsh mockery. Rather than kill him here, let him live like that…

Grand Administrator Lim Jin-ming was more constructive.

“It’s fundamentally the World Tree. It sucks in innate qi like earth energy. It’s as if he wrapped the absorption ability of Blood Flame Cult Leader Baek Rak’s caliber around his entire body like an internal energy barrier. Moreover, stealing not true energy but innate qi… direct strikes are like suicide.”

At Lim Jin-ming’s conclusion, Literary Star nodded and said.

“Since the greatest sword of all time wraps such a thing, in a different sense from Fighting God, combined attacks are meaningless. We cannot seek solutions through conventional life-and-death duels between warriors.”

The reason all the world’s jianghu gathered yet couldn’t slay “Fruit Zhang Sanfeng.”

However, their faces were so peaceful it was hard to think they faced annihilation. Only Ma Yeon-jeok’s expression looked strangely uncomfortable.

He said.

“We need to bring that Yong fellow.”

Words uttered as if sharing the secret formula of Transcendent Martial Art like ordinary sect brothers.

Jeong Yeon-shin also recalled Yong Hye-myeong’s ultimate strike.

Throughout his experience, only Dragon Sword Longing for Home concentrated such tyrannical sword wind at a single point for so long. Without any interference, the resulting release force would ultimately surpass even Literary Star’s.

Then Taoist Sanfeng’s amused voice spread as upper dantian intent.

[Your head is full of schemes. I swear this is the first time I’ve felt such killing intent… at this level, you’re no different from a normal person.]

Immediately after, Literary Star asked with courteous bearing.

“By chance, could you not become a Corpse Liberation Immortal? As a type of ascending to immortality, I believe it would be the fastest throughout history.”

The rumor that becoming an immortal after dying by having one’s soul clear away the corpse. It meant committing suicide.

[That would not be the bearing of a true Taoist.]

An answer that came because it was impossible. Jeong Yeon-shin’s sensory paths still bristled at Taoist Sanfeng’s killing intent. He would never permit even threatening his own body’s survival.

Therefore, there was only one conclusion.

The world’s time was limited.

From the start of famine and chaos until now, history had been racing toward this conclusion. At least the old monsters who had watched the World Tree would have guessed long ago.

“I’ve decided not to worry about the Fortress Lord anymore. How many times have I thought him dead?”

“The Fruit Lord is right before us.”

Approaching Yue Shou-lin and Jin Myeong-jo who greeted him, Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

‘Two things. Combined attacks must consist of personnel who don’t entangle each other’s combat paths yet can each deliver effective strikes.’

The moment requiring peerless master elites in units like the Radiant Demon First Group.

Some were seen having time for gathering and parting.

In the distance, the Faded King was speaking to Baek Seo-gun. As master and disciple counted among jianghu’s best in sword control techniques, they were suitable for facing “Zhang Sanfeng” besides Yong Hye-myeong.

The Faded King said.

“Fated One.”

Fated one, a person with whom fate is bound. In jianghu, it’s an address used for someone difficult to call a disciple, yet whose spirit or techniques continue. Baek Seo-gun narrowed her brow.

“…Ask.”

“You stood by your alliance leader’s death. You showed that as a figure of unorthodox paths, you’re not bound by righteousness. Therefore, you need not regard me as a master.”

“Ridiculous to bring up now. So? What do you want to say?”

“Transcendent Martial Art is not a technique deepened through learning from the start. Like finding meaning in one’s life, one must awaken to it oneself.”

Words that somehow sounded like a will.

For a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin felt the same sensation as from Taoist Sanfeng with activated Dual Principle Mind Arts. The only difference was that the Faded King was moving his mouth while completely suppressing the World Tree’s mental seizure with pure mental power alone.

“One more thing.”

The Faded King continued.

“Looking back, this body was certainly killed by Cho Yeol. I only felt strangeness just now. As soon as the Desolate Fortress folks discussed methods to break ‘Fruit Zhang Sanfeng,’ I wanted to kill you. Do you understand what this means?”

“……”

Not just the Yao Tribe and Divine Sword Group martial forces, but even the peerless assembly distant from master and disciple closed their mouths one by one.

Crack, snap.

The paulownia tree’s branches broke on their own one by one. In an instant, they transformed into seventy-two wooden swords total.

Sword control by qi on a scale far beyond common sense.

An untimely mass of sword hilts occupied all directions, receiving the moonlit night’s lunar light point by point, replacing the faint constellation.

The Faded King’s earlier words.

He revealed himself to be a World Tree branch like Pure Affection King or Divine Physician. That was also why he wasn’t on the Northern Blade’s Life Register.

If the Transcendent Martial Art of a sword control master like Baek Seo-gun, whatever form it took, it could only help in the fight with “Zhang Sanfeng.”

Even if she couldn’t kill him, it was fine. There were seventy-two sword controls. All were instant death strikes, so anyone could be killed to prevent Jeong Yeon-shin’s life from being settled… in other words, the World Tree’s hidden swords.

Understanding everything, Jeong Yeon-shin’s head tilted minutely to the side. His voice echoed outward simultaneously.

[I have never withdrawn Silent Radiance Sword Constellation.]

Zzzejejejejejejejeong!

The wooden swords that had been tilting downward one by one were suddenly blocked by starlight pouring like stars, erupting in violent sparks.

The mass of release forces already floating in the sky. Each emitted various qualities without form. Ma Yeon-jeok’s tyrannical force, Yong Hye-myeong’s tenacity, Wan Hui’s finesse, Azure Qilin’s righteousness with centered foundation, Sword Star’s sword curtain, Southern Emperor’s reed field…

He does not permit variables.

It cannot be so. The wounded jianghu had been engraved in the heavens in the form of a night sky.

[Honored guests, please converse.]

Walking toward another group, Jeong Yeon-shin said.

[As the host of this gathering, I will request stories from each person one by one.]

Time for gathering and parting.

The World Tree was caught by Taoist Sanfeng. Perhaps “the tree trunk’s Form Shifting Void” might be possible. Therefore, Jeong Yeon-shin pondered. To whom, in what order should he walk, and how should he tie up their lives?