Chapter 817 – Side Story – Put Everything on The Table 

“Are they foolish?”

Jeong Yeon-shin muttered quietly. He was having a conversation with Emperor Black Return. Suddenly, Jeong Yeon-shin tilted his head and asked,

“I don’t understand the reason for this situation. Isn’t there nothing in the world you can’t sense?”

Black Return’s Thunder Technique. Jeong Yeon-shin knew it because he’d experienced it.

Three strengths were created with lightning as inspiration: reaction speed, short-term agility, and sensory perception.

In terms of keenness, Black Return would be counted among all absolute masters, because his senses must flicker like lightning.

It would be difficult not to know.

The group examining them with strange techniques at this moment…

“Literary Star’s stubbornness is…”

Black Return continued slowly.

“Something one can know even without learning sensory perception.”

—I intended to show them. By observing directly, one can learn many things, and it would be easier to prepare for their jianghu in the future, wouldn’t it?

Black Return’s voice and mental transmission sounded simultaneously. He had known about the spies after all. Jeong Yeon-shin quietly asked back,

“Aren’t you the Emperor? Why go this far?”

“Even Bright Wind Cave has limits. To fathom transcendent beings, sometimes mental strength must be used. Because the Son of Heaven is a pillar that keeps the mind so the heavens don’t collapse.”

Though it seemed at a glance he was discussing Literary Star, in reality he was talking about the world across the sea literally, jianghu throughout the entire world.

Jeong Yeon-shin wasn’t surprised.

He already knew, like the First Heavenly Demon, that the world was round and endlessly vast, yet there was no one in the current era who surpassed him.

‘Immensely vast, yet still narrow.’

An impression about the world. Even now, it was an upper dantian insight penetrating all creation.

But Jeong Yeon-shin also knew this was merely talk when walking alone in jianghu.

First, he couldn’t beat his niece Jeong Hye; if he was treated like a child by the three previous and current Divine Sword Group Leaders, it would be difficult to maintain face. And as for Literary Star, who would someday face the failure list, it would be hard to claim himself as Desolate Grand Administrator.

Ways to stop the world’s number one.

There were this many even in the Central Plains. Going out into the world, there would be even more. Besides, defensive fighting was also different.

‘Even lands on the opposite side of the world have long dealt with gates…’

Now those countless gazes had turned to the Central Plains where the World Tree had been. Black Return would need to examine world affairs thoroughly in case of a joint attack, and also to show underlying strength. It went without saying that Desolate Fortress would be included in that power.

It must have been a meeting to request cooperation from the Desolate Fortress Lord in the first place.

“Mm.”

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been nodding, spoke comparing Literary Star to the entire world’s jianghu.

“Looking at history books, big fights break out even over absurdly trivial matters. Rather than causing conflict with our failed scholar, it would be better in many ways to remain peaceful. Because big fights take many lives.”

It seemed to approach Black Return as meaning he would make things go well. A lightning-fast answer returned from the throne.

“There won’t be no way. Since you are law itself.”

“Something to see and decide.”

Mind Sword.

Jeong Yeon-shin opened wide the Baihui point in his head. He had long since figured out the spies’ location. The destination was clear. It was but an instant until the energy sense that rose like a sword dashed like light.

Whoosh!

Over the roof of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, rushing northeast before even crossing an elegant stone bridge. It was over water sparkling silver in the sunlight. A place bustling with foreign envoys and merchants.

It was Beijing’s Jade River Bridge.

—What is this?

Black Return’s thought sounded, because his mind had been pulled out like a spirit along with Jeong Yeon-shin. Jeong Yeon-shin asked back through mental transmission.

—You’re not resisting? I pulled out one strand of your energy sense and wove it into my Mind Sword… think of a needle and thread. The deeper your internal energy, the longer the thread is pulled.

—Can upper dantian study even reach this extent?

—Why study it?

The place they were looking down at was envoy accommodation near Jade River Bridge.

A spacious government office. A mansion where gray tiles and red pillars harmonized. As soon as they passed through the roof, some boy and man were visible. Both wore hooded cloaks.

Black Return’s thought flowed in.

—They’re jianghu people from an island nation that must face the sea even further beyond the Silk Road. They came from a sect called Tower. They said it’s one of the martial lineages representing the nation. Since they’re envoys, they’re also proficient in Chinese.

Jeong Yeon-shin was quite interested.

‘They resemble the Noble Clan, but their ears are roundish…’

The sight of them looking down at Jeong Yeon-shin and Black Return reflected in the large crystal jade.

The boy muttered to himself.

“Why are they so wary of a mere failed scholar? I wonder if we’d know by asking other people. We’re just scribes in side rooms, so we only hand over these records.”

Jeong Yeon-shin thought their speech was too fluent. Were they planning to completely investigate or absorb the studies of this land like cast-down gods? There was even a feeling they deliberately insisted on Chinese.

“Tree-Severing Giant.”

The cloaked man muttered like an answer. A giant who pulls out trees. He knew about Literary Star.

The boy let out an exclamation.

“Wow, did something like that really exist?”

“I heard he was one of the two monsters who broke Zhengyang Gate recently. Because the pressure of the energy waves was so intense we couldn’t even examine…”

“Where is he now?”

“Around Beijing, probably. Don’t think about examining rashly. How many dharma treasures have we already consumed on this crystal jade? If you shift the viewpoint, the Tower Master will severely scold us.”

“Aw, I know.”

Black Return’s thought followed.

—The Tower Master is the sect leader. They said the absolute who enthroned the first Sword Master of the Sacred Sword Dharma Treasure as king was Tower’s founding master. Those are the Tower Master’s disciples, not as good as Desolate Fortress Blacks. Their techniques are only worth two Blacks in war. Of course, even that alone can represent a nation, and in fact they’re very popular with Beijing’s powerful families. Because they have great promise as well as much authority. From the Sword Master and Tower Master.

—Sword Master and Tower Master.

Jeong Yeon-shin quietly continued.

—They’re engraved in all creation. Powerful force flows in names passed down through generations. It must be because of the two martial lineages’ founding masters… they were worth finding me.

That was when it happened.

Far away in the Hall of Mental Cultivation’s imperial audience, Jeok Yu-ha suddenly made her presence known. At this moment Jeong Yeon-shin was devoting all his senses to envoy accommodation, so her voice was heard only faintly.

“Is peace important?”

Jeong Yeon-shin moved his lips.

“It’s not that we couldn’t fight if we fought, but it shouldn’t lead to large scale. Because it’s truly common people who bear war.”

“Why are you assuming a fight?”

“There are no more Noble Clan now, but countless people harbor grudges against them. Even the Central Plains is like this, so how much more so Literary Star?”

This too only referred to the world as Literary Star. The failed scholar Yi Chun-gap didn’t hate people. Rather, his literary talent that couldn’t change the world would be regrettable.

But the world wasn’t like that.

When great chaos ended, they were bound to look for someone to resent. They said even Radiant Demon Wing Leader Cheong Myeong experienced stone throwing in marketplaces when not wearing Desolate Fortress martial robes, because of hair that appeared ashen even wrapped in a headscarf.

Jeok Yu-ha’s laughter continued.

“Similar to me?”

“Not quite.”

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had shaken his head, added quietly,

“You’re not wronged. You’re just stacking heroic deeds on top of blood demons’ karma.”

But absolute masters with whom conversation was established were as rare as Wish for Peace Sword Hall’s peace, and Jeok Yu-ha had rarely been included in that. She pressed her shoulder against Jeong Yeon-shin like a strategist and smiled broadly.

“Still similar though.”

“True words.”

Jeong Yeon-shin was convinced. Not only because Jeok Yu-ha’s skin brushed with soft touch and body scent.

The Noble Clan who had originally been heroes were stacking heroic deeds regardless of their old clan’s karma: Cheong Myeong who harvested evil practitioners and heretics, aged Taoist Qongshu, Cheon So-so who often ruined fields, Xiahou Wei-jin whose hair color was useless, Woon So-yu who cut waists well…

Suddenly words he’d said to Emperor Qian-ling came to mind.

—If you’re faithful to life, death will prove it.

Surely Emperor Qian-ling at that time had worn a satisfied expression. It was also a face that led to Jeong Yeon-shin’s enlightenment at this moment.

He must protect all people like a fortress wall.

‘So people can be faithful to life…’

When their lives wane, so that the twilight worth at least a glance reaches them rather than dusk. So that whatever clothes they wear, they themselves feel reddish light.

Jeong Yeon-shin smiled. That’s what those who tread the sky with martial arts should do.

“Whoever comes, we should send them back well.”

At his casual mutter, Black Return nodded.

“Now I can finally discuss the world with you.”

Around that time in envoy accommodation, the cloaked boy was making a big fuss while peering into the crystal jade.

“I wanted to keep talking, but she’s a blood demon beautiful enough to truly captivate people. She seems to resemble the World Tree Slaughterer beside her… how thick must her noble blood be?”

“Pay great attention to that woman too. She has the same atmosphere as our side’s True Blood’s ancestor.”

When the golden-haired man sitting with him cautioned with a serious face, the boy questioned in a much lower voice.

“Which side inherited the true ancestor’s blood more thickly? Actually, Central Plains’s blood demons are just foreigners who crossed over from gates, and our side is native.”

“That’s for the parties themselves to gauge.”

“Try sending communication to Fish Pattern Cross Sect? Their Martial Monks would go crazy… of course, in a bad way for them.”

“Stop it.”

The cloaked man shook his head.

“Because that way, sect wars could break out. First, clearly gauging this land’s military strength comes first. What is our Tower’s first rule?”

“…Dare to know.”

“Right, everything must be done afterward to have no failure. Soon the Tower Master will activate the crystal jade’s function…”

“He went to examine the land where the Tree-Severing Giant and Blue Flame Great Ominous One fought. With traces of such monsters buried, wouldn’t our Tower Master sit for even years?”

“He’s coming!”

The man shouted.

Woooong!

The crystal jade’s smooth surface rippled like waves. In an instant, many facial features passed by: Jeong Yeon-shin, Literary Star, Ma Yeon-jeok, Black Return, Great King Vajra, Taoist Jade Cliff, Yue Shou-lin, Lady Lu Xian, Helian Feng-yue, Yelu Zhen, Monk Beom Heo…

The Central Plains’s famous strong people. It was vividness incomparable to physiognomy techniques. But Jeong Yeon-shin’s attention remained on Reverend Beom Heo’s face that had just passed.

‘A more wrinkled face. It’s his recent appearance.’

Conversely, silver-masked Yelu Zhen’s lower face had youthful lips. It would be her appearance when she was at most around seventeen.

The time point captured in the crystal jade.

Except for Yelu Zhen, most were recent. Then they might be able to find Monk Beom Heo’s whereabouts.

“Let’s start with these two?”

Meanwhile, the boy rubbed his hands with an excited face, then flicked his fingers twice. There was immediately a reaction in the bluish crystal jade. The jade’s surface showed only Ma Yeon-jeok and Literary Star’s faces floating side by side.

“Who will win?!”

Shouting like when self-proclaimed scholars drew lots in marketplaces.

Whoosh!

Both people’s faces scattered simultaneously.

The boy nodded seriously as if he’d seen a truth no one knew.

“Must have been a tie.”

At those words, the man chuckled.

“Foolish… this means terrain, that day’s fortune, as well as even small exchanges of moves are greatly related. Since superiority is unclear, one can’t know who won.”

Their crystal jade.

An artifact worthy of being called a national treasure. It seemed from lands where dharma treasures were terrifyingly developed. Black Return added,

—If the Ming Cult Leader brings that without any trace, I’ll build Ming Cult’s temple in Nanjing.

—I don’t even know where it is.

That was when it happened.

Ma Yeon-jeok floated up in the crystal jade again.

The face beside him was quite unfamiliar to Jeong Yeon-shin: a curved nose and strong-looking eyes. Black Return smiled.

—A strong person famous for mounted martial arts. They call him Regiment Leader, and his position would be equivalent to Divine Sword Group Leader.

Whoosh!

The next moment, only the Regiment Leader scattered. Ma Yeon-jeok’s face remained intact in the crystal jade. The boy, who had been watching with very tense eyes, opened his mouth.

“Really?”

“…A convincing result. Though the Far Peace Cavalry under the Sword Master inquired about the Blue Flame Great Fierce One to Beijing’s nobles, no one directly spoke his name. I heard merchants were the same.”

“Let’s continue?”

Many faces began passing beside Ma Yeon-jeok. Successive air-breaking sounds. All the faces were smashed and scattered, of course. After about ten repetitions, even blue ash rose from the broken faces.

“……!”

The boy’s face turned white. The man beside him also looked horrified. Only Black Return muttered with regretful thought,

—The limit is visible. What can be gauged at once with that dharma treasure is only two.

“The Sword Master and Tower Master…”

Just before the boy urgently flicked his fingers, the man stopped him.

“It’s not permitted to us. Let’s allocate five Far Peace Cavalry to the Blue Flame Great Ominous One. The Tree-Severing Giant should be processed the same way.”

And the man’s words continued,

“Anyway, the Blue Flame Great Ominous One isn’t in Beijing, and the Tree-Severing Giant is also secluded with serious injuries. If the Tower Master and Sword Master plus the Far Peace Cavalry and Fish Pattern Cross Sect, and even the great desert’s owners join forces, it’s sufficient to pressure the Emperor…”

Suddenly the two people closed their mouths.

Woooong!

Because the crystal jade had lit up with a soft glow on its own.

Ma Yeon-jeok was scattering like sand, leaving beside him Jeong Yeon-shin’s face that had floated up at some point.

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had flicked his fingers in the Hall of Mental Cultivation’s imperial audience, raised Sword Song with Mind Sword while creating voice through vibration of energy.

[A remarkable jianghu.]

“…….”

[You can become peaceful without shedding blood.]

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke gently.

[Put everything in the table.]