Chapter 382 – Under Heaven (6)

Immediately after the Pure Demon Alliance Leader and the Seventh Apostle were flung in opposite directions.

The Qingcheng Sect Leader immediately rushed toward the Pure Demon Alliance Leader, while Venerable Cypress Flame surveyed the surroundings with profound eyes.

She appeared to be using her vast energy sense to watch for something.

Peerless masters who have reached transcendence through martial arts rarely act in unison. This is because each holds their own firmly established mental imagery.

It’s difficult to even guess their thoughts. The absolute beings of the Nine Sects, who are said to penetrate the mysteries of chaotic spirits and immortal fairies, are even more so.

One cannot force their actions through words. Because they are transcendentally powerful.

Jeong Yeon-shin was no different. Despite the unexpected situation, the sect leaders of Qingcheng and Emei conveyed no particular intentions to him.

Jeong Yeon-shin found this natural.

After briefly glancing at the Pure Demon Alliance Leader and Two Walls Sword Lord, he immediately prepared to leap and pursue the Seventh Apostle. If weighing debts of gratitude against grudges, gratitude came first.

He had suffered from impatience and deficiency in relationships since childhood. He had been struggling with urgency and lack until today. He simply didn’t recognize it himself.

—My great and young grandmaster, I have some places to visit briefly.

Until the Seventh Apostle spoke to him as she was rapidly distancing herself.

There was a clear intention in her voice. A distinct refusal was evident in her tone.

—The previous Cult Leader cleverly twisted Buddha’s teachings to expand the cult’s influence. He taught about karmic retribution. The more blood of non-believers you take, the more freedom you’ll enjoy in the next life. He told me not to even taste the blood of mixed breeds, but…

A soft whisper tickled his ear. Jeong Yeon-shin unconsciously halted his Ten Li Gentle Light technique.

—The cult’s karma is blood karma. It’s all mine now. Because I’m the Cult Leader. And blood karma cannot be burned away by ordinary ascetic practices.

Her tone was strange.

—I’m sorry for making you sad, my grandmaster.

She was referring to the Tang siblings.

There was a certain sorrowful madness in her words. While attachment and possessiveness still clung thickly, there was also a sense of transcendence.

The Seventh Apostle departed like that.

At that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin had no choice but to stop completely.

Even now, as he followed Two Walls Sword Lord down the mountain, her words still echoed in his ears. His shadow felt empty.

Occasionally, he would recall the Azure Qilin and Fan Dragon, and the Tang siblings, bringing a moonlit loneliness.

No Tyrant Hero, no fellow squad leaders.

He was alone.

“What are you thinking about? Not striking first.”

A small, crystalline voice dispersed his shallow thoughts.

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly raised his head.

He had already filled his entire body with true energy while gripping the divine sword Remaining Thunder, but the being before him gave him the impression that even an immediate sword strike wouldn’t reach her.

“Calculating.”

He said.

The Golden Wing Sect Leader’s small face tilted to one side.

“Was that a necessary trait?”

“It was always necessary before achieving unity of essence, energy, and spirit. My head would ache just like now.”

“So you mainly faced higher-rank masters.”

She nodded as if understanding. There was no particular force in her voice. An unaffected leisure was evident.

At the center of a village with a massive mountain range behind it and an endless horizon stretching before it.

The silence was heavy.

Jeong Yeon-shin stared intently at Sichuan’s foremost beauty.

Her small stature didn’t diminish her presence. An intangible dignity created a dense aura.

‘There’s no opening.’

He thought.

She was different from the Ten Perfections Sect Leader who had lost his power, or the Pure Demon Alliance Leader whose martial arts were fundamentally incompatible with Jeong Yeon-shin’s.

A complete opponent who must be faced purely through martial arts.

No weaknesses. Her level was unfathomable.

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips.

“Does the Golden Wing Sect know no shame?”

“Shame?”

“There’s a group pursuing the villagers who just fled. I sense your sect’s energy. What do you intend to do with even the children?”

Jeong Yeon-shin had detected them with his energy sense. The people he had encountered at the Golden Wing Sect before.

From the elderly Right Guardian wielding a great blade to all sorts of spirit beast hunters carrying various mechanism weapons, he could sense them pursuing the villagers.

The Golden Wing Sect Leader’s lips twitched slightly. It almost seemed like a smirk.

“It’s because of you. We need to gather dharma treasures and offerings again. We’re going to reopen the rain dragon’s formation here.”

“What?”

“Spirit creatures prefer pure primordial qi. One child is worth more than two adults.”

Primordial qi.

The energy one possesses from birth. The more one lives, the more turbid energy accumulates. This explains why stories of monsters devouring children are common among the people.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes sharpened.

Typical of the Thirteen Evil Sects. Their very thought processes were twisted.

“Not even worth a southern fried chicken leg…”

“Hmm? I like fried chicken legs.”

The Golden Wing Sect Leader’s casual words didn’t register. Facing her while simultaneously protecting the common people? It wasn’t a question of possibility. It was simply absurd.

What should he do?

“I’ll… go…!”

A voice rang out from behind. There was a cough between the two words. Two Walls Sword Lord was supporting himself with his sword as he stood up.

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke without turning around.

“The Golden Wing Sect’s Left Guardian is at the front. Sword Lord, you seem to have suffered serious internal injuries, and I’m concerned about your condition.”

“Be especially… careful of the Dragon-Slaying Heaven-Treading Technique… Our Azure Cloud Sword couldn’t even make a dent.”

The Sword Lord ignored Jeong Yeon-shin’s concerns and offered advice.

Two Walls Sword Lord was a newly appointed sect leader of Qingcheng. Though a Taoist, he possessed vigor.

He shouldn’t struggle against a mere Guardian.

“Power against power… don’t engage directly. If possible, use footwork and technique, or perhaps other energies…”

He suddenly trailed off. It was because he recalled the age difference between the Golden Wing Sect Leader and Radiant Demon Wing Leader.

The gap was like that between a cliff repeatedly battered by storms and a mere pebble.

‘The dharma power is truly astonishing. But if the forms aren’t aligned with that energy…’

Flower Shadow King was famous in many ways. Not only for his appearance reminiscent of noble clans, but also for his unbelievable age.

The time it takes for a martial artist to wield one type of true energy like their limbs is immeasurable. Refinement is endless.

The problem was also containing different types of power in the body without falling into confusion.

Two Walls Sword Lord considered the greater good. Rather than losing the Radiant Demon Wing Leader by maintaining appearances, wouldn’t it be better to attack together without saving face?

It was then.

“Go.”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s long hair half-rose. It came with a whoosh of wind.

Colorless currents spreading from each strand of his hair. It was an extremely eerie yet elegant wave of power.

“That true energy…!”

Two Walls Sword Lord’s eyebrows shot up as he saw Jeong Yeon-shin’s back. The image of the Blood Flame Cult Leader he had glimpsed from afar in his youth flashed across his mind.

Languid yet captivating, emanating an aura as if existing alone in the world…

This made it even harder to take a step. The youth’s talent was astounding, but that was secondary. Had he cultivated blood energy hidden within dharma power?

“How could you…?”

“Senior Blood Extreme Demon was a great inspiration.”

His voice, smooth like that of a Blood Flame Cult noble, carried profound respect.

Blood Extreme Demon Jin Myeong-jo. Even the Qingcheng Sect Leader was well familiar with the name as a martial world figure.

“Desolate Fortress Blood Guardian Leader, I see…!”

Two Walls Sword Lord immediately turned without further questions. After staggering briefly, he pulled his form into the void and struck the air repeatedly.

Qingcheng Movement Technique, Wind Below the Azure Sky. Each time his feet made a drum-like sound, his form rapidly distanced itself.

The Golden Wing Sect Leader seemed unconcerned. Her amber eyes were transparently piercing through Jeong Yeon-shin.

“That’s how geniuses are. They’re never satisfied with just one talent.”

She muttered as if to herself. Jeong Yeon-shin adjusted his grip on Remaining Thunder.

“Let’s begin.”

“Or are you a rain dragon who uses transformation techniques?”

Her voice lacked tension.

The surrounding air was different. It was rapidly crumpling, becoming semi-transparent and undulating violently. A loud humming sound arose.

Ten paces apart.

Jeong Yeon-shin closed the distance with one step. A long gust of wind flowed from his hand gripping the sword energy. He raised Remaining Thunder against the Golden Wing Sect Leader’s face, still holding her wine gourd.

Thunder Annihilation Sword Style, Judgment Qilin.

The ray of light that had been etching itself in the void as if it had always been there was suddenly cut off with a bang. It had been blocked by the Golden Wing Sect Leader’s gourd.

Despite cracks spreading along the surface where the blade met, it didn’t break.

A sweet wine fragrance wafted strongly.

“Want a drink?”

The Golden Wing Sect Leader said softly. In that moment, a thick golden wave spread from her body.

In an instant, it swept over Jeong Yeon-shin’s body and cleared the surroundings. This wasn’t a simple power wave. Jeong Yeon-shin felt all the true energy in his body suddenly freeze.

Simultaneously, the Golden Wing Sect Leader lightly brushed her open hand across his chest. Golden ripples followed her fingers as they seeped into his black robe.

A shockwave erupted. The true energy of the Dragon-Slaying Heaven-Treading Technique, and the Dragon-Piercing Heaven-Treading Form.

Boom!

Jeong Yeon-shin was thrown backward. The first sensation was smashing through the swing that the child had been riding.

Then came the impact of crashing into the cliff on the opposite side of the village with a thud.

Hazy dust rose up. Stone fragments scraped down the wall as they fell.

How many zhang had he been thrown in a single strike?

The feeling came to him.

‘This one is different.’

Unlike any opponent he had faced before.

This couldn’t be ended quickly. Short decisive battles with martial arts typically relied on a perfect, unexpected single move that targeted the opponent’s breathing and mistakes. This wouldn’t work on the Golden Wing Sect Leader.

Sichuan’s foremost beauty, Sichuan’s foremost person.

The title of “foremost” in a major province with six major factions meant she was the most revered throughout Sichuan. Imperial Yellow City would need to send someone of acknowledged purple rank to face her.

“You should have left the formation alone. You would have made a fine spectacle.”

Her delicate features filled his vision.

The Golden Wing Sect Leader.

Her Dragon-Slaying Heaven-Treading Technique was said to be one of the four great divine techniques of the martial world.

Capable of climbing even a rain dragon’s long body with ease. A protective technique that approached the realm beyond human limits.

‘There’s a subtlety in closing mid-range distances. Speed exceeds protective techniques like Wind Body. Slower than Ten Li Gentle Light. If I take a longer trajectory…’

His mind was spinning like a wheel at lightning speed.

He released Remaining Thunder from his hand. The dragon holding a fan in his mental imagery coiled around the sword to support it. Mind-controlling sword. The Golden Wing Sect Leader’s eyes curved slightly.

Jjeoooong—!

The sword energy struck upward into her abdomen and soared. The Golden Wing Sect Leader’s entire body was now engulfed in blue flames.

The protective energy said to block a rain dragon’s breath. Despite taking a direct hit from the Mind-controlling sword, her body remained unpierced as it shot upward like a ball of fire.

She seemed to feel pain. Even as she was being lifted by Remaining Thunder, she frowned her delicate brow while bringing the gourd to her lips.

Like an opium addict soothing pain with flower petals.

A being with transcendent speed in deploying energy, versatility in martial arts, and foot energy imbued in each strike.

Before achieving Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, it would have been difficult to even exchange blows. If his bone transformation hadn’t proceeded according to his own methods.

‘Monstrous divine power, a spirit creature on the level of a rain dragon.’

Jeong Yeon-shin’s chest, which had been caved in, cracked as it expanded. It was the marvel of the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique.

He inflated the meridians in his chest and wrapped his shattered ribs with energy to restore them to their original state. Searing pain shot through his head.

Jeong Yeon-shin flashed blue light in his eyes.

Whatever happened to his mind was irrelevant. A storm of fighting spirit was surging from below his chest.

All the principles he had learned were continuously pouring from his meridians throughout his body, from the Luminous Wheel in his heart, from the Baihui acupoint, constantly being dismantled and reconstructed.

The arc on the lips of the Tang siblings in his memory unraveled into strokes, beginning to sketch applications of the Flower Shadow King’s martial lineage.

He must win. He must kill her.

Bang!

Jeong Yeon-shin extended his leg to stamp the cliff. His eyes looked up at the sky.

The Golden Wing Sect Leader was wrapping her small hand around Remaining Thunder. She seemed about to deploy some form.

[It’s a shame there’s no proper audience. Since you’re crossing the Sanzu River anyway, you deserve to have your true worth recognized by the many masters watching.]

It rang out very faintly from a distance. A voice distorted by internal energy. The power structure resembled that of the Ten Perfections Sect Leader.

Jeong Yeon-shin vowed to cut off the head of every enemy he would meet from now on.

[TL Note- Head Collector?]

Thud.

He stood on the side of the peak with both feet. Faint clusters of light from the Ten Li Gentle Light spread like mist from his feet.

One step, two steps.

He began climbing the vast cliff in reverse… The wind rushing against him gradually strengthened. It took only an instant for his gait to turn into a sprint.

He greatly widened his stride. His speed increased dramatically, turning the scenery in his vision into hundreds of streaks of lines.

Wheeeeee—!

His form rapidly caught up to the Golden Wing Sect Leader who had soared into the sky.

The trees, moss, and large boulders he passed on the cliff wall turned pale and then exploded.

From his widely spread hands, the blood energy and the energy wave of the Brilliant River from Desolate Fortress’ leader swirled in reddish and whitish whirlwinds, following behind him.

“There, there he is!”

“The Golden Wing Sect Leader and the Radiant Demon Wing Leader…?”

Those who had poked their heads out to find the whereabouts of the martial competition participants witnessed this scene.

The forms of two peerless masters merging into one.