Chapter 96 – Divine Sword Squad (2)

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Translated by Nine Heavens!

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***

“Sword Heaven Group Leader.”

The one who spoke was the Namgung Family Head. After glancing at Namgung Se-jin and Namgung Mi’s corpses, he said:

“I will bear the shame of the wheel.”

“…As you command.”

The Azure Sky Sword Heaven Group Leader who turned around raised both hands in respect.

The Family Head’s words were clear. The Wheel refers to a cart’s wheel.

In the murim, it meant the strategy of multiple people taking turns facing a few enemies.

He meant he would accept the disgrace, so risk death to drain the Divine Sword Group Leader’s strength.

“Magnificent.”

The Divine Sword Group Leader smiled.

Light flashed in the eyes of the Azure Sky Sword Heaven Group Leader who turned around again.

“If you want to mock me, do so with your sword.”

“No. This is how it should be. In a fight with the Namgung Family Head’s head at stake, who could blame you for choosing such a method.”

The Divine Sword Group Leader nodded to himself in satisfaction.

The bearing of this absolute being called Desolate Fortress’ foremost purple-rank master was certainly unique.

It was a temperament Jeong Yeon-shin had never seen. Would a strategist who creates tactics feel like this?

From his appearance, it seems he truly doesn’t mind the dishonorable strategy.

That’s when his eyes met the Divine Sword Group Leader’s eyes. His scholar-like gentle eyes drew an arc.

“Go take a break. I don’t know how many wrinkles the previous leader has gained, but when you crossed swords with Azure Qilin, he seemed worried.”

“…Then, I pray for your martial fortune.”

At Jeong Yeon-shin’s words with clasped hands greeting, the Divine Sword Group Leader’s face became bewildered.

“To think there’s someone wishing me martial fortune. I’ve lived long to see this.”

Then he laughed pleasantly and jerked his chin briefly.

“Radiant Demon Wing’s Lightning Genius. Good job.”

Jeong Yeon-shin conveyed thanks and turned toward the Desolate Fortress camp. His steps were heavy.

It felt like Azure Qilin Namgung Se-jin’s shadow weighed heavily on him. As he left the stage, the people and scenery didn’t enter his eyes.

“Hey, hey. Aren’t you a bit interesting?”

“Grandmother Evil, have some dignity please.”

It was the moment several Divine Sword Squad masters including Yue Shou-lin stepped forward, an old man approached with large strides.

“Yeon-shin!”

It was the first time that voice called out so intimately.

Jeong Yeon-shin raised his head.

Ma Yeon-jeok had approached within a few steps. He examined him with wrinkled eyes.

Previous Divine Sword Group Leader and Desolate Fortress Elder Council Lord were distant titles. To him, he was just grandfather.

“No major injuries… no internal injuries either? Very good, very admirable”

“Yes. Let’s talk later.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke while slowly nodding. He couldn’t give Ma Yeon-jeok his attention as he was focused on something else.

It was because the Divine Sword Group Leader was facing the Azure Sky Sword Heaven Group Leader.

They were leaders of military forces standing at the forefront of Desolate Fortress and Namgung respectively. It was a martial match rare under the heavens.

The boy thought of enlightenment. With supreme masters of that level fighting, he might gain some inspiration.

He only worried about movements being hard to see with his eye technique achievement.

‘Don’t think about following with my eyes. I won’t be able to do that. Instead, capture in the field of vision.’

Along with resolve he raised true qi.

Formless flames bloomed from the Hundred Meetings point at his crown. For a moment sky-colored radiance lay in his two eyes. It was an upper dantian’s flash.

‘Divine Sword Group Leader. How strong is he?’

That was the question he was curious about. A peerless master who had first climbed the hierarchy that became his life’s purpose.

Even if he gained nothing right now, he hoped to be able to draw it out someday.

While Jeong Yeon-shin steadily gazed forward.

Ma Yeon-jeok showed a rare smile.

“He said to talk later. To me.”

Joy seeped from his voice, as his face seemed about to melt into satisfaction.

His grandson who always maintained a sword-like honed attitude toward Desolate Fortress Elder Council and himself.

A promise to talk again? Even these insincere words are enough for him.

The faces of Divine Sword Squad masters watching from one side distorted.

They looked like they saw something they shouldn’t have seen. Divine Spear of the Wild Yue Shou-lin even wrinkled her lips as if about to vomit.

“Why is he acting so weird?”

“I have no idea.”

“Soha, Yeon So-ha. Where is Lightning Genius’ main family from?”

“Why would we care about that? We’re busy enough roaming the Central Plains.”

“That nasty Ma family grandpa acts like that. Aren’t you upset? Ah, our Soha wasn’t even a white nobody then. When that grandpa was Group Leader, you don’t know how much I suffered. They call him the Lightning Genius Jeong Yeon-shin, but what is he? The more I think about it. It seems like he has the Ma family’s weakness…”

“Grandmother Evil, they can all hear over there.”

While Desolate Fortress’ black-robed girl and the youthful young man called Yeon So-ha were talking, Desolate Fortress and Namgung’s third martial match began.

Anyone could guess because the wind blowing from the front suddenly stopped.

The Divine Sword Squad masters closed their mouths. This was different from rising disciples’ fights.

Divine Sword Group Leader and Azure Sky Sword Heaven Group Leader.

While valley winds blew ceaselessly, not even dust rose in the space where the two masters faced each other.

It was a realm where energy waves were dense enough to form a screen. Not allowing outside variables to intrude.

Swoosh.

Different from the first move. The moment their sleeve hems shook, sword light flashed.

Azure Sky Sword Heaven Group Leader Namgung Ryeok had trained in the heavy sword instead of the Emperor Sword Form.

A swordsman, who mastered Namgung family’s Azure Sky Unhindered Sword to the extreme, could be called the greatest in the murim.

They say he freely mixed destructive sword force into unrestrained sword paths.

The Divine Sword Group Leader was bare-handed. He met the opponent’s heavy sword with empty hands.

BOOM–!

At that moment the valley shook. Tremendous vibrations extended in all directions.

The hand blade deflected the heavy sword by releasing a force that surpassed Namgung Ryeok’s power.

It meant clashing with sword force carrying the same ferocity.

BOOM!

Amid that the Divine Sword Group Leader’s purple scholar’s robe didn’t even twitch. Robe hems quietly sinking in rushing storms.

Protective energy. It was an appearance hard to exist without peerless internal energy barriers wrapping his whole body.

“The sword is quite solid. No ordinary material either. Was it made by the Dwarf Clan?”

The Divine Sword Group Leader asked calmly. He was like a scholar taking a walk.

“Hup!”

Namgung Ryeok’s feet scraped the ground as he was pushed back a distance of one zhang. The explosive true energy from his bubbling well point halted his body’s movement.

***

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Translated by Nine Heavens!

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***

In the instant his body momentarily halted, he rushed again stepping the two furrows he himself made.

It was an explosive movement. The ground shook once more with the step of supreme footwork.

SWISH!

The precious sword carrying white light split the air. It was a lightning-like sword strike.

Swift sword.

The main strength of Azure Sky Unhindered Sword lies in its random sword paths. Complete unrestrained in the vast sky.

Swift sword and heavy sword displayed their might within the same verse.

There wasn’t even the sound of splitting air. The sword strike instantly rushed to meet the Divine Sword Group Leader’s face.

Simultaneously sharp energy surrounded the Divine Sword Group Leader’s hand blade. It seemed to carry an invisible sword core.

At the moment when Namgung Ryeok’s sword approached near the shoulder, the Divine Sword Sect Leader seemed to move on a different flow of time.

A single step taken with a slight twist came first.

Along with his right arm’s hand blade, his sleeve hem hazily distorted.

STEP.

Namgung Ryeok’s form wearing deep blue martial robes brushed past the Divine Sword Group Leader. His body, which seemed about to fly up, sprawled.

He couldn’t put the brakes on his rapid body movement. His balance crumbled as he rolled. It was a sight of a supreme master’s dignity scattering without a trace.

Like that.

He stopped moving. Instant death.

“……”

The crowd’s movements stopped once more.

The commotion of sending messenger birds and exchanging opinions, displaying lightness techniques in all directions one by one stopped.

What even was the purpose of that fight? The sword that the great martial sect Namgung family wielded at the forefront had crumbled. They didn’t even take long.

Namgung Mi and Namgung Se-jin, and now Namgung Ryeok.

The results were shocking.

“Sword Heaven Group Leader. You forgot how a junior should fight.”

The Divine Sword Group Leader adjusted his collar. His purple scholar’s robe disheveled by quite large hand movements became neat. Not even blood stains were on it.

“You should have known how many moves below you were. If you had been careful, you could have lasted even a few more seconds.”

He spoke in a relaxed voice towards the corpse.

It was a provocation flowing naturally like breathing. But no one could answer.

The Divine Sword Group Leader who turned his head continued his gaze toward the Namgung family side.

“It seems you all shamelessly harbor discontent about the order of seniority.. Then, is the next one, as originally planned, the Elder Council Head?”

“No. This will do.”

STEP.

The one who answered with footsteps was not the Namgung family Elder Council Head.

Finally.

The Namgung Family Head slowly stepped forward. He wrapped his whole body in Emperor Sword Form’s heavy momentum.

His bearing pressing the surroundings approached like castle walls.

He was an Eight Great Families’ Family Head complete as a warrior. His bearing was different from his son Azure Qilin from the start.

“Come to think of it…”

The Divine Sword Group Leader’s head tilted slightly.

Unlike what one would expect from a world-renowned supreme master, he showed a playful attitude, but that demeanor was somehow even more terrifying.

“Where is he? That old one doesn’t act his age.”

“Divine Sword Group Leader. Show some dignity.”

The Namgung Family Head spoke in a low voice.

It was a voice containing internal energy force that anyone would feel hell from, but the Divine Sword Group Leader rather furrowed his brow as if annoyed.

“Family Head, stop with these useless words. Where did he go? Namgung Elder Council Head.”

“I saw Desolate Fortress’ Elder Council Head leave his seat long ago. I just matched our main family’s numbers with your lot. Do you have the shame to raise objections?”

Jeong Yeon-shin who was listening to the conversation suddenly recalled. He had heard from Ma Yeon-jeok before.

That the main fortress’ Elder Council Head was in the midst of pursuing the Seventh Apostle.

‘How many days have it been, still?’

Since the Elder Council Head was owner of one of only three purple robes in Desolate Fortress, the Seventh Apostle’s lightness technique skill shouldn’t be enough to shake him off.

Perhaps she was focusing on enduring by cultivating the blood technique’s regeneration powers to the extreme?

That’s when it happened.

“Isn’t that cute. Trying to save enough strength to command the main family?”

The Divine Sword Group Leader’s voice rang out. His tone had become languid.

“Truly excellent judgment. Well, it can’t be helped, I’ll deal with the immediate problem first.”

Then.

Jeong Yeon-shin took in the unbelievable sight.

It was the moment the Divine Sword Group Leader facing the Namgung Family Head raised his right hand.

CRACK.

A stream of light arose in his grip, and space cracked lengthily.

There was a sword taking form instantly along with waves of true qi suddenly arising.

WUUNG!

It seemed like rainbow colors were lumped together and forged into one. A precious sword made of seven-colored light nets was gripped in the Divine Sword Group Leader’s right hand.

It was literally a brilliant sword of light. Tremendous energy waves extended like a tidal wave.

‘It’s a different class from my Radiant Sword Style. So that’s a light sword.’

It felt like a strike that would be impossible to resist. Just holding it gave off that feeling.

‘True qi… sword.’

Jeong Yeon-shin was deep in thought.

It was a realm of forging swords with internal energy. Though it was secret arts he was seeing for the first time, he knew immediately.

It was because he felt such thick and dense materialized true qi.

“…As flashy as your nature.”

Even before arts close to divine skills, the Namgung Family Head seemed unshaken.

His face was solemn from the start. Perhaps because anything could exist in the realm of major sect leaders?

“Come.”

The Namgung Family Head’s words after drawing his sword were last.

BOOM!

The two peerless masters’ bodies disappeared. Only the light trails left by the Divine Sword Group Leader’s flashing sword slowly scattered.

Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t see the movements that rushed in an instant. Just how many exchanges was it?

――――!

Pressure came before sound. The aftermath of the collisions transcended even the realm of explosions.

He had to struggle not to be swept away flying.

Jeong Yeon-shin raised the Jeong family dynamic technique to the extreme, but even that wasn’t enough.

He released Eternal Blossom Fist’s paths toward the air. He had to tear through energy waves rushing like waves.

BANG! BANG!

His hands became cold. He didn’t even know how many techniques he struck out.

‘How much longer…’

One breath felt like an eon.

Then suddenly when he closed and opened his eyes once, only then did he see the Divine Sword Group Leader and Namgung Family Head’s forms.

The true qi sword in the Divine Sword Group Leader’s hand had scattered away. But he stood alone completely while looking down.

The opponent was different.

The head of the Namgung family was one of the Eight Great Masters acknowledged by the entire murim.

A giant of the era lay fallen with eyes wide. His upper body had completely flown away.

He didn’t consider family name, blood relations, or even his children in his view. But he met his end like his son Namgung Se-jin. 

Without even turning his head he glared fixedly where the Divine Sword Group Leader stood. The fighting spirit and resentment forming on his face were starkly revealed.

“……”

The one who broke the terrible silence was the Divine Sword Group Leader.

He glanced at the Namgung family side. All the family’s masters couldn’t move as if they were frozen.

Not just them. Everyone in the vast Clear Night Valley was such.

An Eight Great Families’ Family Head had died. No one knew what impact this would cause henceforth.

“Well, collect the corpse.”

The Divine Sword Group Leader clicked his tongue and spoke.

Then he moved his feet, moving straight towards the Desolate Fortress camp.

“Group Leader, you took quite a few sword hits, didn’t you? I counted up to five.”

Yue Shou-lin said.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes examined the Divine Sword Group Leader’s purple scholar’s robe that had become rags.

Though it must be made of thousand silkworm thread, it seemed unable to endure the Namgung Family Head’s sword strikes.

“Mm. He was quite strong.”

“You’re putting up a false front… I can sense your trembling breath. Why don’t you compose yourself first with your martial techniques?”

To this, the Divine Sword Group Leader nodded halfheartedly. Yeon So-ha cut in with an innocent face.

“The matter is settled for now. More than that, I’m curious about the reward Group Leader promised Lightning Genius. Murim friendship was it? Since when did that exist?”

“……”

The Divine Sword Group Leader suddenly looked back at Jeong Yeon-shin. Their eyes met immediately.

The purple-rank peerless master’s lips drew an arc, but it was quite an awkward-looking smile.

***

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Translated by Nine Heavens!

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Edited by Mgt