Chapter 810 – Side Story – Where Does the Winter’s Dream Sleep?

Winter Dream Blood Incident name list.

Six wasn’t the end. There were many other names too. Naturally, all of them were famous jianghu people.

However, Jeong Yeon-shin quickly skimmed through rather than reading more carefully. A habit from recently using Coiling Dragon Transformation Arts. The Administrator Office wouldn’t have expected him to read thoroughly either.

Flip.

Reaching the document’s last page in one breath, very solemn penmanship unfolded. Calligraphy that had once bested Literary Star. It was Grand Administrator Im Jin-myeong’s writing, the only one in the fortress who could deflate Desolate Great Scholar Jeong Yeon-shin’s spirit.

[…Even though Wudang Sect stepped forward, it doesn’t settle down. Strangely, there are even signs of the disturbance spreading. The livelihoods of Mount Wudang’s herb gatherers, hunters, and farmers, who have become very prosperous over the past six years, are concerning.

These number easily thousands, and that’s even excluding the farmers around Mount Wudang.

Yet there’s no one to represent the fortress’s position. Therefore, I dispatched Blood Guardian Leader Hyeon Won-chang with Obeying Heaven Squad Leader Namgung Hwa-shin. The Emperor’s mood might become unpleasant, but what can be done? It’s not like we’re starting a rebellion….]

Lazy Flame Dragon and Jeok Yu-ha were assumed to be nonexistent. People with great power but little representation. Jeong Yeon-shin nodded.

‘As expected of the Grand Administrator.’

It was then.

“That sword struggle.”

Martial Dragon Alliance Helian Feng-yue subtly interjected.

“If you join too, it’ll be no different from a demonic realm… Of course, if you insist on climbing the mountain, you’ll surely take the Winter Dream.”

Wudang Sect had already declared they would adjust the main sect’s order themselves. Nevertheless, Martial Dragon Alliance Leader seemed confident that Jeong Yeon-shin wouldn’t care about relations with Wudang Sect either.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

‘Level….’

How could he be angry at monkeys who couldn’t even step over the threshold of civil examinations? Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head and smiled generously.

“Not the Winter Dream. There’s something else.”

“Hmm?”

Martial Dragon Alliance Leader seemed uncomfortable with that smile, but with nothing to point out, he just asked abruptly.

“Something else, you mean the Desolate Jeok Family’s second daughter? Who left your bosom….”

“You shouldn’t blindly trust your sensory perception.”

“No, doesn’t she have the title Red Robe Crazy Blood? Yet in your Administrator Office, you don’t use her title or name… What kind of respect in jianghu is this? There must be something just like the marketplace rumors.”

Jeong Yeon-shin forgave another jianghu monkey. They were already at the mountain path’s entrance. They were in the middle of climbing Mount Wudang. For some reason, his heart was gradually becoming fluffy.

‘I can’t sense any energy waves….’

Jeok Yu-ha’s presence was nowhere.

Not only her, but most of those listed in the report seemed to have hidden their energy waves. Former Leader Profound Void, Lazy Flame Dragon Hwangbo Je-yul, Sword King Buddha….

It was entirely a feast of return to origin. Like playing hide-and-seek over the Winter Dream. They seemed to genuinely covet that artifact.

‘Could they be stealing it from each other…?’

It was when he was pondering whether to tear up Mount Wudang with the technique Breaking Heaven of Eternal Blossom Fist. Hwangbo Geon-ryun, who was holding hands with Jeong Yeon-shin with his arm raised high, asked.

“Is my father here too?”

It was a somehow listless voice. As always, Lazy Flame Dragon had no authority anywhere. Because he found that quite pitiful, Jeong Yeon-shin had no choice but to answer carefully.

“…According to the report, it seems so.”

“It must be because of Mother, the Great Palace Lord of our palace. To visit anytime… Ice Palace isn’t far from Xiangyang.”

“It might be to see you.”

“Huh, how could that be? How could I, a mere Small Palace Lord, compare to the Great Palace Lord?”

Hwangbo Geon-ryun was six years old, but his exhaled breath carried the depth of years. Had he imitated adults and even come to resemble their resignation? Jeong Yeon-shin resolved that if he ever had children, he would play with them well.

‘I should retrieve that Hwangbo bastard too.’

He truly didn’t know why he refused the succession ceremony, but Lazy Flame Dragon couldn’t covet the Winter Dream more than the purple robes.

He was at most a wanderer near being a hero. Perhaps he was guarding the common people who’d come chasing rumors, napping somewhere.

***

–Where does the winter’s dream sleep?

It was a great concern for the curious.

Who would be the Winter Dream Sword’s master? Which hand would hold the demonic sword that contained Heavenly Soaring Guest Wan Hui’s spiritual essence and allowed anyone to use unorthodox blade techniques?

Eyes couldn’t help but focus on the vast Mount Wudang. Such major incidents were very rare. Even though Wudang Sect had already declared they would possess the Winter Dream, all kinds of people flocked.

“I’ll destroy it.”

An old swordsman said.

While leaning against a large old tree. Unconscious warriors were scattered all around.

On one side, a man who’d been holding and oiling a sword like his sword attendant raised his head. Empty eyes were revealed. Along with facial features as free-spirited as Formless Technique.

A mixed blood of Yao Tribe and Han. Very ugly.

The old swordsman didn’t care. Because he knew the man’s identity. The Desolate Fortress invasion that had been called the Great Desolate War long ago, one of its perperators, Overflowing Sea Fist Heaven.

The old swordsman spoke slowly. While looking down at the sword stuck in the ground.

“This blade called Winter Dream is a sword that shouldn’t exist in the world. People who know nothing of decades of refined swordsmanship just lightly swing the blade and cut through all creation…? It’s obvious what kind of tragedy will occur.”

At those words, the man opened his mouth.

“Before destroying it, first send me to my homeland.”

“Stop talking. I’ve heard enough.”

“To my homeland….”

“I said I understand. But I’m asking now, isn’t your homeland the Central Plains? Even if Yao Tribe blood is mixed, it’s only half.”

“The Central Plains.”

The sword attendant man, Overflowing Sea Fist Heaven, shook his head.

“Was never my homeland. Only engaged in contemptuous and unreasonable treatment. Everyone, persistently….”

“So you defected from bandit to the Imperial Army, and eventually even attacked Desolate Fortress which was pressuring your faction? At the time, even in remote mountain villages, you could hear the names of the Thirteen Evil Sects’ Leaders who started the Great Desolate War. Elephant Waterway Stronghold Chief Leader Overflowing Sea Fist Heaven, Military Horse Green Forest Chief Leader King Taibai, Dream Human Moon Lord Unhindered Divine Demon, Martial Dragon Alliance Leader Reverend Martial Rebel Monster… You were the disturbance’s main figures.”

“The main figure was Yu Ling Lord.”

“I heard he was Yao Tribe. The Southern Emperor’s nephew.”

“He revealed his identity only to me. Knowing I longed for the north… Of course, he saw correctly. Because I admired the north’s Northern Blade.”

“How did you escape from Desolate Fortress? I heard Forest Treading Squad Leader Xiaou-hu Wei-jin destroyed your dantian as soon as you were captured.”

“During Desolate Day Extinction’s Northern Expedition. Desolate Fortress was largely empty. Enough that whelps called the Seven New Enemies of Defeat Desolation could scheme. They let me out too. They seemed to want to tarnish Desolate Fortress’s name. Now they’re all killed and gone.”

“Mm.”

The recluse old swordsman, the newly emerged Five Swords Under Heaven Sword King, said while looking down at the Winter Dream.

“It was the last time the jianghu martial world could violate Desolate Fortress.”

“…That’s right.”

“I’m ready now. You?”

“With this.”

Step.

Overflowing Sea Fist Heaven stood before the Winter Dream, baring his chest, and said.

“You owe me no debt.”

“The debt was just a few public secrets… Anyway, the result might not be good. The unorthodox technique is an unknown study even to this old man.”

“That’s fine.”

Overflowing Sea Fist Heaven slammed his own scar-covered lower abdomen. The location of the lower dantian. Sword King nodded.

“Once. I’ll destroy the blade with one sword strike, and you’ll be drawn into that trajectory.”

Sword King gripped the Winter Dream’s hilt with his wrinkled hand. Then after a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke leisurely.

“But you see. Since you’re an evil heretic, such a story suddenly comes to mind.”

“……?”

“To most common people who just pass time chatting in the marketplace, there won’t be much response. The story of bandits’ leaders who finally found peace in the place they wanted….”

The tone was different. A very faint humming-like melody. The pronunciation became clearer too. Enough for anyone to understand well.

It was when Overflowing Sea Fist Heaven flinched. His head was already rolling on the ground.

Thud.

Overflowing Sea Fist Heaven’s face staring intently at his body that fell belatedly. With a very despairing face, he breathed his last in not even a few breaths.

Sword King didn’t mind at all. He just muttered like a storyteller.

“…The blade’s energy covets the Baihui point. How bizarrely greatly distorted is this spiritual essence… Truly a great matter.”

***

“It is a great matter.”

A woman looking down from a dizzyingly high peak said. Pupils flickering like clouds. It was Peak Leader Zhu Se-hwa deploying Wudang’s Profound Gate Eye Technique.

Six Wudang Taoists were listening to her report.

“Sword King is an old man who finally resisted even True Tree’s ‘unification’. Of course, it was possible because he didn’t stay close to True Tree’s branches… Among the independent recluse masters, he’s the only one who rose to Five Swords Under Heaven. With Sword King possessing the Winter Dream, it’s difficult to find him again even with Profound Gate Eye Technique.”

Zhu Se-hwa concluded dryly. Because it was such a great matter, she tried to maintain composure instead.

Only her black hair reaching her heels swayed like her heart. Hair never cut once as the Ming Dynasty’s last imperial family member.

If Desolate Fortress had the Wish for Peace Sword Hall, Mount Wudang was renowned for the name Supreme Harmony Seven Honor Stars. One of the seven supreme masters of Wudang’s Taoist school including her shook his head.

“We were only one step late, yet it’s turned to such a result.”

“It couldn’t be helped. Since whoever grabbed the Winter Dream disappeared on the spot… We repeated that and reached now, didn’t we? More importantly, where is the Sect Leader?”

At another Taoist’s question, Zhu Se-hwa’s mouth immediately opened.

“I only heard he went to greet a distinguished guest. It seems a special presence was detected on the main sect’s Limitless Suffering Formation.”

“But who can be our sect’s distinguished guest now? With High Sword Senior Sa Baek-jo’s soul scattered… In such an unprecedented situation….”

“Even a king should wait at the Sword Disarming Ground. To truly bring someone as a guest, it should be at least the Desolate Fortress Lord who opened the Sect Leader’s Transcendent Martial Art.”

The middle-aged Supreme Harmony Seven Honor Stars Taoist stopped mid-speech. The clear wind ceased. Only silence descended on the mountain.

Zhu Se-hwa continued speaking again.

“There’s a reason it’s a great matter. Famous demonic swords and wicked blades throughout history affected the upper dantian of those who gripped the hilt. Usually by scattering reason.”

“Does Remaining Thunder have such ability too…?”

No one answered a Taoist’s muttering. Only Zhu Se-hwa’s words continued.

“The greater such manipulation, the more the demonic sword and wicked blade owners needed very defensive upper dantian study. Even for something like the Winter Dream, one must perfect outstanding peerless realm upper dantian martial arts to maintain sanity… Our sect’s Taoist masters reached that conclusion.”

“That’s why the current generation’s Sect Leader also managed the Winter Dream with Yang Attribute Mental Technique, didn’t he? Until it disappeared on its own… But?”

“I judge Sword King’s study lacks upper dantian defensive techniques. Wanderers and recluses are usually like that. Mainly middle dantian stamina, internal energy operation finesse, or extraordinary sensory perception….”

Suddenly Zhu Se-hwa’s eyelids twitched.

Sword King’s figure that had been tied as a blurry dot in her pupils had already filled her eyes. Was it like this when the Unorthodox FInest Sword killed Wudang’s High Sword Master?

Right before her face.

“……!”

Rummmble!

The Seven Star Sword Formation of the Supreme Harmony Seven Honor Stars Taoists who rose creating blurry afterimages. In an instant, the vicinity was surrounded by clouds of pure white internal energy, and Sword King spat out irritably.

“Secretly staring intently is truly annoying.”

Simultaneously, Zhu Se-hwa stepped forward.

“Sword King, this poor Taoist is a Wudang’s disciple…!”

“Doing that, I might tear off your earlobe and run away without you knowing. Do you want to die young?”

It differed from Sword King’s speech and behavior famously serene like mountains and streams. The feeling that cutting down Overflowing Sea Fist Heaven like a stubborn hero was very long ago.

Sword King gestured toward some tree.

“Are you planning to eat my flesh using that as spice?”

A man with disheveled hair was roughly sitting on a high tree branch. While biting some fragrant flower petals, not poppies.

Zhu Se-hwa muttered.

“Lazy Flame Dragon, Hwangbo Je-yul…?”

He was clearly on a distant peak. It seemed he followed with lightness skill as soon as Sword King crossed space. If truly so, he could discuss being the world’s fastest.

Lazy Flame Dragon Hwangbo Je-yul waved his hand.

“Old man, donate that to this lord. Yes yes, that blade.”

“Burn the spice first.”

At Sword King’s words, Hwangbo Je-yul lit flames through the flower petal in his teeth. Samadhi True Fire was freely controlled. As if his whole body was made of flame transformation.

“See, now it’s gone.”

“Why do you covet this sword?”

Sword King caressed the Winter Dream’s grip with his thumb. Sunlight was shimmering blue on the worn hilt.

Hwangbo Je-yul answered with a carefree laugh.

“If I can roughly slash with that, wouldn’t it be more than half easier to go see my wife and son living in distant lands? This lord’s status makes it difficult to often leave Xiangyang land.”

Instantly, Sword King’s lips curved in an arc. An extremely warm smile. Enough that the Supreme Harmony Seven Honor Stars who’d been aiming for openings were flustered.

“For such a harmonious reason…? Take it quickly. Look after your wife well.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Lazy Flame Dragon who came down in the blink of an eye, received the Winter Dream, then vanished with a whoosh.

“……?”

Spring wind flickering in the mountain. The bushes rubbed against each other like a married couple.

It wasn’t a sword obtainable through orthodox methods.

Zhu Se-hwa spoke with a very rarely dazed face.

“What kind of unorthodox way is this…?”