Chapter 780 – Yeon-shin

When he opened his eyes, there was nothing. Everything was purely white, like pages of an empty book. The one Jeong Yeon-shin had been weaving in his mental image.

A space of nothingness.

A feeling of being completely removed from the battlefield.

‘Just like when I entered Southern Emperor’s mental space.’

Only his bodily sensations remained intact. That precision was amazingly identical to his physical body in reality. If there was a great method that trapped minds in this kind of space, it must have been made for torture. So this must be the inside of Dan Family Time Transcendence Method.

He could see some flagpole in the distance.

There was no wind.

Yet the flag spread wide open. However, he couldn’t discern what picture it showed. Only his intuition existed that it was very far away. Together with the insight that time would flow as he drew closer to that place.

“A milestone?”

Step.

Jeong Yeon-shin began walking.

A colorless space. The muscles throughout his body were tensely strained. His steps were also fast.

Only after walking for quite a while did his body realize on its own. That tension was meaningless, and unbearable time had been given. It was right after moving for exactly two shichen and one ke.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s senses didn’t miss time. Even after sound sleep. It was because Jeong Family Dynamic Technique operated constantly.

‘This actually worked out well.’

First, he separated mind and body. It was a technique of Radiant Taiji.

The body walks, and the mind thinks.

Jeong Yeon-shin began envisioning all possible sword control trajectories that the World Tree’s Fan Dragon Flower Treading Formula could create. A technique that was no more than slinging stones by molding gates into beads and throwing them. But if the opponent drew Wisdom Sword’s sword paths with all those beads, the story changed.

The place where he and Dan Sung-eum stood. The gates arranged in radiance forms around them. The width and length of the World Tree’s cliff-like slope. The primary movements of Fan Dragon Flower Treading Formula’s sword control.

All manner of paths carved strokes in his head.

‘The number of variations is tremendous. Ordinary time won’t suffice.’

…After the calculations ended, one shichen had passed.

Despite thinking he could spend at least a day. With this much time given, he had no choice but to be omnipotent at least in martial arts. Therefore, Jeong Yeon-shin realized.

That he had set foot in hell.

After focusing on footwork for three days, Radiant Wing Steps was corrected. The acceleration principle of Radiant Wing Five Steps came to be loaded into all footwork at all times.

He thought he could block the World Tree’s sword control even with the mind sword his master Wei Gun-hye had transmitted. A method of handling energy waves like puppet strings. He trained in the technique of stabbing each barrier energy flying at sword control speed. It took five days to master.

The space of Dan Family Time Transcendence Method.

Eating was useless, but when he conjured it with his intent, Five Cloud Mountain Vegetable Dish appeared at his feet. The first moment sitting in place. But there was no one to pick the five leaves together with him.

He ate roughly.

Fortunately, he devoted himself to Thunder Annihilation Sword Style for a long time. Starting with the method of loading the Third Move Azure Flame Solar Eclipse’s sword force as basic foundation into every sword stroke. Because he’d already experienced it through Self Walk, it wasn’t difficult.

Whoosh!

While walking, until blue-green flames scattered from the blade he swung, it took six days.

He pondered again.

Could he not swing Judgement Qilin sharply like Namgung Hwa-sin’s Judgement Overcoming? No matter how much he deployed ordinary sword moves, it couldn’t match Self Walk where essence-energy-spirit power burst out in one move. It would require deep study.

There were ten days of contemplation.

‘Impossible.’

Jeong Yeon-shin acknowledged it. He felt the limits permitted to humans. Not every move could be equal to many masters’ lives.

Nevertheless, it had been quite good time.

Because he spent time.

Step.

“……?”

Around then, Jeong Yeon-shin became aware. His walking posture had collapsed. Radiant Wing Steps, Wind Body, Ten Li Gentle Light’s principles ingrained like thorns had so easily released battle readiness.

A desert of solitary time.

People were nothing but sand castles.

‘I’ll go mad like this. My mind can die.’

Training wasn’t a countermeasure. It was already at human limits in all respects.

His talent seemed to have turned from heavenly fortune to heavenly punishment, at least in this place. Making his realizations so far meaningless.

Suddenly a mutter flowed out.

“That can’t be.”

He learned one thing from the World Tree’s noble clans. Everything depends on how you think. Just like how they disguised base selfishness as righteousness.

A life prolonged by talent and fortune.

A book-like life.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought. That he should receive talent’s blessing until the end of life.

“Was the world joyful?”

To the right.

A young man who suddenly began walking side by side. With calm eyes and a prominent nose bridge like a divine sword. It was truly the Beautiful Young Master who looked like a person.

Jeong Yeon-shin nodded.

“Yes, I passed through shining rivers and lakes. It was truly dazzling.”

“The martial jianghu. Where blades flash…”

Azure Qilin Namgung Se-jin smiled.

“Fleeting but beautiful. It was so for me too.”

His words and manner, his breathing.

The same as in life.

His proudly straight back and unwavering spirit, fair thoughts and vision.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s senses could fully manifest everything. This too was heavenly fortune. A feeling like solid cornerstones embedded in the desert of time.

“Seizing first strike.”

It was a cool fan breeze and voice that came. A scholarly young man who joined on the left leisurely waved a crane feather fan.

“It’s the principle of always seizing the initiative, but there should still be moderation. You seem to have lived too recklessly.”

Fan Dragon Zhuge Xian said. Jeong Yeon-shin nodded again.

“Only after observing my surroundings did I truly become strong. I learned late.”

“Why do you speak respectfully to me? That’s not like the Radiant Demon Wing  Lord.”

Jeong Yeon-shin merely raised the corners of his mouth faintly.

He brought out the dead.

He could miss them and speak to them freely. He could even quarrel with them. Having reached this point, Jeong Yeon-shin’s upper dantian was as precise as a celestial deity, truly seeming to have pulled up the departed from the River of Three Crossings.

Only the dead.

Because thinking of the living would dim his current connections. The departed would understand this much selfishness.

“What if you don’t understand? What can you do here?”

Jeong Yeon-shin asked the Zhuge Family Head standing like a pillar in the distance. Crouching Dragon Reborn Zhuge Tian-shang merely replied coldly.

“So you ultimately raise your blade to the World Tree. Our prestigious families were right. You merely took a roundabout path.”

“Even if time reversed, I’d never join hands with you lot. This is the stance of Desolate Fortress Lord Lightning Genius.”

“Arrogant bastard…!”

That was as far as it went. Jeong Yeon-shin shattered Zhuge Tian-shang’s stiff expression with just a sideways glance. A sleeveless woman stepped on a whirlwind. It was Fist Fist Lord Yan Hua-lian.

She said.

“Thanks to you I died as a warrior, but did you pass the Yan Family Fist Manual to the main family?”

“……”

“How harsh.”

“I’ll make time.”

Step.

The group accompanying him grew larger.

The Radiant Demon Wing seniors who died at Sichuan’s City of Renowned Craftsmen also followed him. Together with the embarrassingly boisterous excitement and praise like in the White and Blue rank days.

“The youngest is Desolate Fortress Lord?”

“I was right. The Fortress’ future was there.”

Thanks to them, he understood affection. Radiant Wing. The wings of the Divine Sword Group vanguard always shone.

In the distance stood a middle-aged man with a stern impression making a deflated expression. Star Radiant Great Sword Lord Murong Jang-rak, the Murong Family Head wore a face completely disgusted by Jeong Yeon-shin. Even contempt was visible.

“Lightning Genius, do you survive to the end with talent?”

“Unlike you, I have many conversation partners. Right now the Murong clan is in chaos over the Family Head position. You should have properly looked after those around you. You lived very wrongly.”

“……”

“Fighting God told me to convey his regards. Invincible said if you had begged naked, she would have given you the Heavenly Demon Divine Armor.”

Treading the future with the past. Nothing special about it. Many people must live like this.

Loneliness disappeared.

The departed conversed among themselves too. Some even fought. He could see Dark Heaven Emperor Cho Yeol who met Taoist Sanfeng.

[Void Annihilation Realm!]

“Sit down.”

He didn’t know how time flowed anymore. The moment they formed a group, it became like this. Friend and foe alike, everyone was a pillar of life.

A house called Jeong Yeon-shin was built in the desert of time in his heart. Whether dragon fist winds or sandstorms, they couldn’t grind down his spirit.

Years later, until the cherished ones manifested.

“Lightning Genius.”

He wore dragon robes with sun and moon carved on both shoulders. Deep green eyes like condensing a lush forest in one place held Jeong Yeon-shin.

It was Emperor Qian-ling.

How deep a spirituality did he plant in Ming land?

Somehow it was strange.

The hem fluttering in wind and transparent brilliant light. He truly seemed like Emperor Qian-ling himself in life. One who could exist in all spaces. His presence was distinctly vivid.

“The clans’ tyranny has gone too far. My son, Long-zheng, will ultimately announce the Ming dynasty’s end. And he will enjoy a golden age with the imperial grandson.”

“Your Majesty.”

“What matters is land and people. I now strip from you the title of the nation’s sword.”

“……”

“Being a hero is enough.”

Emperor Qian-ling’s lips slowly drew an arc.

“…May you never break throughout the ages.”

That was it.

Passing Emperor Qian-ling’s mirage, he met a familiar young man. A white-robed warrior with bold eyes. It was Desolate Ma Family member Ma Woong, said to have heralded the start of the great Desolate battle. He was pounding his heart with a clenched fist.

Thud, thud…

He walked matching that rhythm.

[One.]

Passing the giant Northern Blade, glancing at the taciturn Southern Emperor. Thus advancing into years never experienced.

Life after twenty years old.

It was a desolate path. There was nothing.

Traces of Dan Sung-eum’s solitary walk weren’t visible. On the ground he had walked, only the footprints of the group Jeong Yeon-shin led were carved like rice fields.

Occasionally when distant years pressed on his head, the Radiant Demon Wing seniors slapped his back of the head. It was as effective as Taoist Sanfeng’s slap that struck the first Divine Sword Group Leader Yue Feng.

Each time, Taoist Sanfeng with clasped hands behind his back smiled gently.

He was the true Zhang Sanfeng. He manifested just by Jeong Yeon-shin recalling him, and shared drinks with Dark Heaven Emperor back and forth. A transcendent who could enjoy everything under heaven.

“There was a time when the World Tree tried to unite with your master as a test. Yue Feng at that time raged like fire. Stopping Wei Yeon, he poured out all the Divine Sword Group’s martial arts, nearly making him a cripple.”

“I want to hear more stories about Master. As I know, the faded monarch had her parents…”

“Your master’s, that is Hye-ah’s parents… presented Hye-ah directly to the World Tree. Seeing her extraordinary nature. From that day, Hye-ah lived as a body reserved for the World Tree. In the so-called ‘fruit’ status.”

“Ah.”

“The monarch, who was already exiled at the time, seems to have raged no less than the later Yue Feng. I would have returned to sever the neck too.”

“I see.”

Though it was a space of nothingness, sound wasn’t empty. It filled with countless stories.

Thus what deepened in his heart was past jianghu journeys. Though only about four years, only that time shone like stars. Because everyone spoke of those days.

At some moment, Jeong Yeon-shin felt it. The last light wheel shattered on its own. His entire body taking on a certain sacredness was simultaneous. The sensation of all meridians becoming hard as diamond.

‘Bodhidharma Scripture’s dharma power…?’

Was it because Dan Family Time Transcendence Method corresponded with wall-gazing?

But Jeong Yeon-shin wasn’t lonely like Bodhidharma. Occasionally it was agonizing as if he’d be sucked into distant years, but each step was boisterous so it was fine. Once he even summoned the First Heavenly Demon and had him face Taoist Sanfeng.

There was no time to be bored.

Only longing for the outside deepened. That alone was the intense pain.