Chapter 324 – Heaven Shaking (3)

Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader Beigong Ya.

Her extremely distinct features were snow-white, and her legs, casually stretched out as she leaned against the marble fragments, were remarkably long. Her arms, which she flexed leisurely, were the same.

She was born with a body perfectly suited for combat. Even the leg technique energy waves around her knees burned with a colorless intensity.

Her surname was Beigong.

She came from the north, where most clans were said to be bold. It was said she was of noble royal lineage.

She was openly acknowledged as one of the highest-ranking officials of Desolate Fortress, known as the Three Black Pillars. Famous for not sleeping anywhere but at the Wish for Peace One Sword Training Ground unless necessary, her eccentricities weren’t particularly outstanding.

This was because she had all sorts of obsessions, and her martial prowess and achievements were enormous.

She was far from humble. She possessed self-love and pride as vast as the Great Wall of the north.

She wasn’t the type to examine others’ martial arts. The fact that the Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader was reading the Radiant Demon Wing Leader’s secret manual was truly an anomaly in Desolate Fortress.

It had significant implications. It couldn’t be attributed merely to her whims. The surrounding situation needed to be examined.

Martial lineages rising up across the world due to the famine.

The Thirteen Evil Sects that might unite under the leadership of Yu Ling.

The numerous minor sects of the Sima Evil Path proliferating under the Thirteen Evil Sects.

The Eight Great Clans pursuing their own interests to the extreme.

Hundreds of martial aristocrats creating martial alliances everywhere, regardless of the stance of Desolate Fortress which doesn’t distinguish between orthodox and evil paths.

And… Desolate Fortress White-ranks, Blue-ranks, and some Black-ranks dying with their eyes closed in lands surrounded by enemies.

The longer the chaotic times continued, the more faded the robes of Desolate Fortress’s White, Blue, and Black-ranks became.

Most martial artists would treat them as enemies rather than help them, and those like the Nine Great Sects who focused on relief were extremely few compared to the vast land.

An immense crisis was gradually becoming clear.

Desolate Fortress was clearly being driven into a corner. Squad leaders who achieved continuous victories had become extremely rare.

‘The Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader and Burning Abyss Team Leader are examining Jeong Yeon-shin’s secret manual? Is it because the situation surrounding the main fortress has rapidly deteriorated? To the point where the Black-ranks on standby as reserve forces must contribute strength even by studying a junior’s martial arts…’

Ma Se-in forcibly swallowed again. It was right after resentment had risen to his Adam’s apple.

He was irritated by her words referring to his friend Jeong Yeon-shin as something like a “Heavenly Demon.” Even so, that was too much.

But he had to endure.

Even if the squad leaders of Desolate Fortress greatly stabilized the lives of common people throughout the world, their personalities varied widely.

Some were literally paragons of the orthodox path, while others were like butchers who were only friendly to commoners.

The Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader was closer to the latter.

‘No, is Yeon-shin the same…?’

Ma Se-in deliberately pushed aside the question that naturally followed.

Jeong Yeon-shin was quite friendly even to Desolate Fortress personnel. He was somewhat different from the Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader who was close to a madwoman.

“He was an interesting fellow?”

These were the words of the Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader Beigong Ya after finishing reading the book.

Her face was strange. Her cheeks were extremely slightly flushed, but her furrowed brow remained unchanged.

Ma Se-in respectfully clasped his hands while unable to hide his somewhat blank expression.

Even if his opponent was one of the Three Black Pillars, it was difficult to dilute the bloodline of the Ma family. Beigong Ya, who had tilted her head slightly, raised the corner of her mouth as if finding him ridiculous.

“They say the current Radiant Demon Wing Leader is in Shanxi? I heard that some assassins there occasionally capture targets and have them toss a copper coin, saying they’ll spare them if they guess the front and back correctly. They call it their own form of elegance.”

“…?”

“That fellow Lightning Genius is no different from that coin. He’s completely unpredictable. To those ignorant subordinates, it might appear as the conduct of a master that’s difficult to fathom… but after creating countless paths to advance to the third, fourth, and fifth steps, all he’s given is just the second step. If you recognize that, you can see the full picture of the martial art, and if you’re dull, you’ll just diligently practice those two steps.”

Just as the Burning Abyss Team Leader, who had been standing motionless, flinched.

Tap.

Beigong Ya’s body, which had closed the book, automatically straightened itself.

The marvel of void treading was extremely freely infused in her body movement technique. She almost didn’t look human.

“Does he think everyone is like him? Is he saying to figure out the third step onwards on your own, or is it because he himself couldn’t advance further, or is he not expecting the dullards of the main fortress to even dream of reaching that far? There are also quite a lot of arrogantly omitted martial principles…”

“Isn’t your speech a bit excessive?”

Ma Se-in’s brave words seemed to have been heard only by Ma Woong behind him.

As the Ma family guard warrior fidgeted uncomfortably, the Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader turned her head back to the Burning Abyss Team Leader, her eyes burning with a black light. Her demeanor was close to madness.

“I like his directness. Those with even a speck of talent would immediately benefit. I’ve been irritated by our subordinates getting beaten up and dying all over the place outside, but with this, they should at least be able to fart. Don’t you agree, Uncle Burning Abyss?”

“…Didn’t you say you’d examine the body woven with the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique? That must be why you called the Ma family child.”

The Burning Abyss Team Leader blurted out. An immediate response came back.

“I’ve already seen it. That can’t be imitated.”

The Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader’s face instantly turned serious. Her change in expression was reminiscent of a swift sword.

“That current Radiant Demon Wing Leader fellow has gone mad with martial arts. Just by scanning his energy waves, I can see how insanely meticulously it’s been arranged. He’s dyed his entire body with the dynamic system. I was wondering why the Ma family child suddenly looked like a genius… It’s because he’s transformed his muscles and blood vessels with true energy. There’s nothing to gain just by looking at the body.”

It was sharp rambling. The master and servant of the Ma family froze momentarily.

The Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader flicked her wrist roughly toward Ma Se-in.

She was expressing with her body language that he should leave now, and an air of considering him insignificant emanated from her entire body.

“Radiant Wing Step, what nonsense. With a footwork technique of this caliber, at least five more steps could easily emerge. Let’s create a branch that surpasses the main lineage.”

Rustle.

The Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader, who had interlocked her fingers, raised her arms high. The soft pitch-black sleeve hem brushed against her cheek and cascaded down.

At the same time, Burning Abyss Team Leader Yu Jeong-myeong frowned and put his hands behind his back… “You’re saying something that wasn’t planned. Weren’t you going to examine the Radiant Demon Wing Leader’s martial arts, and if you judged it would immediately help enhance our fighting power, teach it in a simplified form to the main fortress martial artists?”

“That was before I read it. I didn’t know it was such a sensory martial art. It would be a waste to just teach it in a simplified form, so before that fellow Lightning Genius returns, I want to arrange it in my own way. I think I can connect it up to the fifth step of the Radiant Wing Step, albeit precariously.”

It was a nonchalant response.

A cold flash crossed Yu Jeong-myeong’s blue eyes.

“Isn’t that disrespectful? The creator is still alive…”

“Are you opposing this? Has an orthodox elder or something entered here? I plan to cut off one of your fingers for each nameless disciple or White-rank child who dies here, uncle.”

“Even if it’s a martial art that has entered the Heavenly Gold Martial Arsenal, it’s not entirely yours. I’m saying you should show proper respect. Touching that footwork technique without even exchanging words with the master is no different from the Northern Fighting God you so despise…!”

In that moment, the corner of Beigong Ya’s eyes took on an extremely sharp edge.

Jjeojeong—!

It was instantaneous. Suddenly caught in a gale, the Burning Abyss Team Leader’s body was violently flung back.

A roaring sound accompanied the shattering of a wall, raising hazy stone dust. It happened in an instant.

The figure of Burning Abyss Team Leader Yu Jeong-myeong disappeared beyond the wall.

“Damn old man, it’s wartime in military terms. Do you have any idea how far it is from here to Shanxi? What if sword-wielders from the Heaven Conquering Sect cross the fortress walls tomorrow? They say even those Yu Ling nobodies are lurking around Xiangyang.”

The Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader was clenching and unclenching her hand raised to her chest from where he had been standing.

“Anyway, you, me, and the Radiant Demon Wing Leader are all tied together as martial siblings in the same sect. If he likes my martial arts, tell him to take them.”

Her hair, black as ebony, fluttered in the backdraft that came belatedly. Ma Se-in, standing at the entrance to the clearing, had seen nothing.

Only Beigong Ya’s leg, which had distorted space with a whitish hue, was captured in his vision.

The first step was extremely familiar. The foot pointing straight ahead and the energy waves that subtly rippled from her calf were all like that.

‘Radiant Wing Step…!’

After Ma Se-in’s eyes widened to the point of tearing.

A rumor gently spread throughout Desolate Fortress. It was said that the Annihilation Team Squad Leader, Wish-fulfilling Spring Squad Leader, and Burning Abyss Team Leader had begun a competition over some footwork technique.

A battle won by whoever walked four steps first. They said the completeness of the martial art would be evaluated by its creator.

This was the process of a branch lineage being created. It spread like a trend.

It was the second, following the style of short decisive battles.

Desolate Fortress was gradually being dyed by Lightning Genius. To avoid breaking as the sword of the common people.

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

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***

A field of corpses and blood.

The flat ground surrounding the ravine was stained crimson-black. The corpses that had fallen in a large circle numbered close to forty.

Far from them, on one side of the cliff, the sound of Jeong Yeon-shin’s footsteps in his plain black robe crushed the silence of the dead.

“The Great Example Sword pointed this way.”

“Y-Yes, that’s right.”

Hyeon Won-chang, who had tightly retied his hero’s headband behind his head, followed him with dazed steps.

The Desolate Divine Hero’s energy waves were different from when he had unlocked his restriction. The atmosphere had returned to normal. He was the usual Great Tongue Sword.

“Let’s see. I may not be able to solve the formation, but I can send a signal.”

Hyeon Won-chang stood on one side of the wall, stepping over the corpses of the martial scholars.

He displayed merciless conduct with an expression tinged with some sentiment, and that appearance strangely matched the hero’s headband hanging down his back.

Jeong Yeon-shin stepped back and watched Hyeon Won-chang. The Desolate Divine Hero was firmly pressing the cliff in strange positions.

“Sword… sword technique, Yi Sword…”

A heavily hoarse voice flowed from behind. Jeong Yeon-shin guessed the identity without turning around. It was the last one to be cut down among the young Murong family head’s swordsmen.

Was he out of his mind? The amazement and fear in his muttering were more intense than the remaining vitality.

“Lotus, Lotus Nezha. Radiant Demon… must avoid…”

The presence of someone collapsing spread desolately. The last survivor, who had been muttering all sorts of things to himself, had died. Without even leaving his name in the wilderness where the cliff surrounded the fortress.

Jeong Yeon-shin deliberately paid no attention.

The Radiant Demon Wing Leader was a martial artist. It had been a long time since he had decided not to view certain wicked enemies as people after experiencing all sorts of incidents.

Benevolence is a privilege that makes commoners human, but it didn’t suit someone like him who killed people to avoid a short life.

“It’s open! Why is the response so quick?”

Following Hyeon Won-chang’s gaze as he suddenly raised his head, a corner of the cliff opened like a door. It could be called a rare marvel in the martial world.

Along with a sound like the hinges of an iron door—grrrng—darkness descended. A damp wind like that of a cave also blew.

“So you were safe after all. I was very worried about taking care of the old men who don’t act their age and their disciples…”

A slender figure stood at the entrance. He appeared to be the one who had deactivated the concealment formation and opened the door.

“I’ve been waiting, Seon-hwi.”

The figure of the man bowed with exaggeratedly polite gestures. His demeanor was imbued with aristocratic elegance.

Slaughter Chivalry Kim Jon-hwi.

He wore a black hat with a wide brim on his head. The black windbreaker flowing long down his back somewhat resembled the attire of Desolate Fortress squad leaders.

He exuded an energy that seemed like it might disappear at any moment, and in the martial world, he might be called by titles like Mystical Confucian.

His gaze fell on Jeong Yeon-shin.

In that moment, a cheerful smile was etched on Kim Jon-hwi’s lips.

“At last, I meet you like this. Welcome to the true Slaughter Sect. I have long…”

His words trailed off. It was right after his black hat had been slightly raised. Slaughter Chivalry Kim Jon-hwi’s gaze took in the mountain of corpses.

They had all been cut down with a single sword strike. Anyone with even a little expertise in swordsmanship would recognize it immediately.

Those whose upper and lower bodies had been separated in a straight line, those who seemed to have had their necks cut off along with their swords as they extended sword energy waves with half a sword embedded in their abdomen, and groups lying in a row as if their heads had all flown off at once.

‘What kind of sword technique could have done this?’

The Slaughter Chivalry was at a loss for words.

There were easily forty of them. None of the corpses were without a sword in hand. This meant they were all swordsmen who had reached the peak of skill… Something extremely difficult even for Kim Seon-hwi who had unlocked his restriction, yet the young master before him, called the Lotus Nezha, wore a calm expression. There wasn’t even a drop of blood on his sword or the back of his hand.

Supernatural power beyond comprehension.

‘Should I let him in?’

A conflict suddenly arose. This was because he led a sect where the legacy of the Heavenly Demon’s Tomb slept.

The Murong family head and Profound Martial Alliance Leader who had been eyeing this place recently were merely unseen dragons. They couldn’t compare to now, when he was face to face with a serpent about to ascend to heaven.

While his gaze kept returning to the field of corpses and blood spread out beyond the shoulders of the Desolate Fortress young master.

“As a sect that has raised the right arm of the Radiant Demon Wing Leader.”

The Lotus Nezha parted his lips. His tone was articulate, as if persuading.

“It could be seen as a gift.”