Chapter 404 – Peerless Realm (4)

“Solar eclipse?”

Namgung Mu-jin’s lips twisted slowly.

“Finding poetry in a place like this? I thought your temperament differed from Group Leader Yong, but now I see that’s not the case.”

His voice was chilling. Soon after, there was another sound like a heartbeat, and the shadow of the great sword that had been engulfing the two men suddenly grew larger.

“Radiant Demon Wing Leader… you tore through the spell formation of this place to save the Divine Sword Group Leader. Thank you. It was becoming cumbersome anyway.”

“……”

Jeong Yeon-shin stood motionless, looking up. Immediately, an invisible wave of energy came down as if clawing at his eyelids.

Woong— Woowoong—

Energy waves continuously emanating from the colorless sword floating in the void.

While heavy gusts of wind repeatedly swept across Jeong Yeon-shin’s face, something invisible pressed down on his shoulders. It seemed to be the subtlety of the Emperor Sword Form.

Truly transcendent harmony.

The formless great sword raised dust from the ground just by existing. With a length close to fifteen zhang, it seemed fit for a celestial god.

“No matter how many times I think about it.”

Jeong Yeon-shin continued slowly.

“The word ‘first’ doesn’t suit you. In terms of literary composition, you’d be struggling to even place second from the bottom, let alone first.”

“Are there two above me in the main family?”

Namgung Mu-jin curled up the corners of his mouth.

“How arrogant. I don’t know what knowledge allows you to repeatedly discuss the swordsmanship of the main family, but we’ll have to see if you can say the same after comparing our sword techniques again here.”

He spoke with a voice like scratching his Adam’s apple. It was a statement with significant meaning.

Namgung Mu-jin had previously estimated the range of Jeong Yeon-shin’s sword strikes at thirty paces.

Not a short distance when facing peerless masters. But at this moment, if one were to walk on the formless sword he had raised, it would take many more steps than that.

Suddenly, his thick eyelids lowered diagonally.

Simultaneously.

Whoong—

The sword energy of the massive formless sword immediately tilted diagonally.

It was aimed obliquely at Jeong Yeon-shin. With just that small movement, the explosive gust of wind strongly swept through Jeong Yeon-shin’s long hair.

It clearly exceeded reasonable limits.

The response speed of the formless sword was disproportionate to its size. It could be considered no different from an ordinary blade.

“Eye-Controlling Sword…!”

So-ha’s terrified voice came from behind.

Jeong Yeon-shin had been thinking the same thing. The realm of controlling a sword with eye movements. In this case, Namgung Mu-jin’s sword skills needed to be reassessed.

‘At least a hundred paces or more…’

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes flashed bright blue.

Why hadn’t he struck immediately? It must be because he was considering counter-strikes.

Having witnessed how swift Jeong Yeon-shin’s mind-controlling sword and lightness skill were. The Dark Night Palace Leader aiming his bow from behind would be the same.

He needed to carefully arrange the order of his forms.

It was a standoff between peerless masters, each possessing lethal ultimate moves. No different from contemplating a game of Go on a board.

He needed to deeply examine the opponent’s internal energy breathing and body balance to insert forms at the right places.

“What is all this? What kind of formless sword is so… what is that eerie light stream? The one connected to Radiant Demon Wing Leader’s back!”

“Life-saving ultimate moves. It means these so-called peerless masters have no other methods to use against a junior so far beneath them.”

The Divine Sword Group Leader’s voice rang out calmly.

He seemed to have no intention of helping Jeong Yeon-shin.

Whether he was firmly treating his internal injuries with the same decisive judgment as when he issued the black summons, or whether he completely trusted his junior, was unclear.

“They say life-saving ultimate moves, but isn’t this Transcendent Martial Art? They’re wielding spell-like techniques with martial arts!”

“Being in such a situation is what makes one truly worthy of the purple. So-ha, I’m actually proud of that friend. Time is on our side anyway.”

“…Why?”

“This land will soon become not a battlefield, but Wish for Peace Sword Hall. Just holding out is enough to win.”

The meeting hall of Desolate Fortress’ Divine Sword Group leaders.

The name widely known throughout the martial world came from the Divine Sword Group Leader’s mouth. It was an act of provoking the opponent’s rash actions with a single word.

Namgung Mu-jin furrowed his brow. He had to be drawn in despite knowing the intention.

Desolate Fortress’ Wish for Peace Sword Hall. The weight carried by those who had handled the entire martial world since the founding of the country was beyond imagination. It was incomparable to any formation.

Yellow lightning flashed in his eyes. It was the eye light characteristic of the Heaven Thunder Emperor Divine Technique.

“Though your rank and status are both inferior to mine, I will shamelessly take the first move.”

“How outrageous? You talk about face while launching a combined attack.”

Yeon So-ha intervened, stretching his neck from behind.

While Yong Hui-myeong was politely restraining him to be quiet, Namgung Mu-jin, who had glanced at the one doing the restraining, suddenly raised formless energy waves.

Simultaneously, Jeong Yeon-shin disappeared from his spot.

Kwaaaaaaang—!

The formless great sword was embedded diagonally at that spot.

Its body, flashing colorlessly like lightning, unleashed a massive vibration, and the storm from the energy waves tore the dust to shreds.

Above it.

Jeong Yeon-shin was running, stepping on the blade of the great sword. His form was distorted by the extremely swift lightness skill sprint.

‘Ten Li Gentle Light.’

His soles didn’t directly touch the formless sword. He couldn’t waste protective energy on the blade that had extremely tyrannical energy concentrated in it.

He was merely treating the energy waves continuously flowing from the blade like leaves, advancing by stepping on the energy waves with the subtlety of the Transcending Dust Technique.

Dwoong—! Dwoowoong—!

A sound like a drum beating.

Circular waves remained with each footstep. This was because he was raising the Myriad Heavens Flower Rain from the Yongquan acupoint in his soles while simultaneously evading.

The fierce emission incantation of divine skill was penetrating through the blade of the formless sword.

“…!”

Fragments of energy falling like hail toward Namgung Mu-jin. They were pieces of the formless great sword swept up by the Myriad Heavens Flower Rain.

The sight of them coming down, each fragmenting the sunlight into rainbow colors, was terrifying.

The realm of unity of attack and defense.

Not just evasion, but even approach was equivalent to an attack form.

Namgung Mu-jin’s eyes sank. The youthful young man engaged in a life-or-death duel with him was truly worthy of Desolate Fortress’ purple.

Namgung Mu-jin greatly swung the Heaven Sword he had stolen from the main family above his head.

Jjeojeojeong—!… The atmosphere split like waves along the blade. The fragments of the formless sword that had been driven down onto it emitted explosive sounds like lightning bombs.

‘His sense… he’s a born fighter.’

Namgung Mu-jin thought. Would the Divine Warrior of the North from years ago have been like this? The thoughts that countless Thirteen Evil Sects martial artists who had seen the Radiant Demon Wing Leader must have had also settled in his mind.

This fellow is definitely a sprout of the world’s throat that must be cut off.

It was then.

Kwaaaaaaang—!

Suddenly, Jeong Yeon-shin’s shadow, which had been flickering on the formless great sword, was flung far away.

At that spot.

A long, faint cluster of light like a thread scattered in the void. It was clearly the Dark Night Palace Leader’s archery strike.

Shooting Moon Single Path.

A Transcendent Martial Art that never misses.

Literally, it doesn’t miss. Even martial artists counted among the top ten spell masters in the martial world would find it difficult to evade a few times.

—Follow him. It’s not enough.

A murky voice rang in Namgung Mu-jin’s ear. It was the Dark Night Palace Leader.

Namgung Mu-jin didn’t express doubt. This was because he had witnessed the light cluster that the Radiant Demon Wing Leader had shown earlier when catching the Ten Li Instant Kill, at the moment the Shooting Moon Single Path arrow hit.

With such protective energy, he could withstand the archery strike of the Shooting Moon Single Path a few times.

—Is it still connected?

—It’s a martial art that will annihilate Desolate Fortress. I can shoot twenty more.

—That’s the same as me.

Namgung Mu-jin, who had responded with sound transmission, widened his eyes.

Kuguung—

The formless great sword that immediately responded stood up with its large body. While emitting streams of dust clinging to the blade like smoke.

Transcendent Martial Art Sword Night Painting Moonlight.

The origin of its name was no different from the Shooting Moon Single Path, which means piercing the moon.

It meant that under the night cast by the sword, moonlight has nowhere to go. It was a technique equally aimed at the Desolate Fortress Lord.

The formless great sword rotated following Namgung Mu-jin’s gaze.

And stopped at one point.

Jeong Yeon-shin was standing five zhang away. He was under the shadow of the edge of the formless great sword. He hadn’t been flung that far after all.

Only the ground where he stood was hollowed out like a large puddle.

“How is he so unscathed?”

Namgung Mu-jin let out an exclamation like phlegm.

Radiant Demon Wing Leader Jeong Yeon-shin.

The appearance of wearing the purple robe on both shoulders, with pitch-black sleeve hems hanging down along with his sword.

The sight of his long black hair fluttering along with his garments was magnificent. It was as if the sunlight was shattering down only toward him.

“……”

Namgung Mu-jin felt a wall that was extremely difficult to penetrate. It was the presence of the junior before him. It wasn’t much different from the historical purples of Desolate Fortress he had seen and heard about.

It was then.

“You said you seek martial extremity.”

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips.

“Yet you fill the weakness of your martial arts with another’s archery.”

His eyes captured the line connecting from the void to his chest. A white line emitting a faint light. A path made of profound spirituality and a minute amount of internal energy.

It was unbroken, as if truly made from extracted moonlight, and the Dark Night Palace Leader had used this white line to deliver an unavoidable strike to Jeong Yeon-shin by loading his arrow onto it. Even the speed was faster than the Ten Li Instant Kill.

‘It’s because the distance has been narrowed to within ten li. The archery energy waves aren’t dissipating.’

Jeong Yeon-shin thought, feeling a rather sharp pain in his side.

This was his first time facing the combined attack of two peerless masters. It was indeed as he had initially thought. It wasn’t easy.

Originally, it was said that being able to kill even one sect leader-level figure from a major faction qualified one for purple rank.

Jeong Yeon-shin was self-aware. His skill still fell short of Divine Sword Group Leader Yong Hui-myeong.

Unless it was when his dharma power achievement had momentarily advanced within the Golden Wing Sect Leader’s Transcendent Martial Art.

Thud.

Suddenly, the ground received a heavy footstep. It was Namgung Mu-jin.

“The weakness of my martial arts?”

“You didn’t properly take any direction. That Emperor Sword Form couldn’t keep up with my unique sword technique.”

Words spoken to someone counted among the best swordsmen in the vast martial world. His tone was calm. Because he believed it to be true.

There weren’t many who could surpass Jeong Yeon-shin with a sword now.

He intended to prove it here. Not to the Namgung Second-Rate Sword before him, but to the deceased Azure Qilin.

It was then.

Suddenly, his vision was dyed white. This was because the white line that had been attached to his chest as a single strand instantly split into dozens of strands, covering his entire body.

Jjeojeojeojeojeong—!

The impact traveling from his head through his chest down to his abdomen. The ground supporting his feet shook violently.

Arrows accompanied by a buzzing sound were continuously being driven down. His ears were deafened by the explosive nature that arose like clouds.

Bang! Kwang! Kwaaaang—!

White fragments scattered and dispersed repeatedly before Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes. They were fragments of the protective energy that had somehow surrounded his entire body.

Sparks continuously flew out along with the unceasing roar.

“How long can you endure?”

It was Namgung Mu-jin’s voice.

The formless great sword came down as it was. With the momentum to cleave in one strike. The shadow that had been darkening the surroundings grew even deeper.

Kugugugugung—!

The atmosphere vibrated violently.

The Transcendent Martial Art originating from the Emperor Sword Form could only be the extreme of heavy sword. If one properly received a single strike, regardless of the rebound elasticity of protective energy, the body might be crushed.

Jeong Yeon-shin raised Remaining Thunder above his head while being bombarded by the light streams. It was a sword stance pointing to the sky with the sword edge.

His lips, wrapped in thin protective energy, moved. Even though the exchange wasn’t yet over.

“My turn.”

In that moment, pressure arose from his entire body. The light streams occupying his entire body all tilted at once and soared into the void.

Whaaak—!

The white lines that had changed direction became embedded in the formless great sword coming down from the void.

In that moment, the Dark Night Palace Leader’s archery ceased. But the light streams of the Shooting Moon Single Path that had already been activated remained as they were.

At that time, Jeong Yeon-shin was recalling the incantations of two sword forms in his mind.

Judgment Qilin. Azure Flame Solar Eclipse.

It was said that the technique that penetrates all martial arts learned over long years at once is the Transcendent Martial Art. He had unified protective energy and Myriad Heavens Flower Rain to form Bright Dawn. Then what about sword forms?

‘Here it comes.’

Meanwhile, he sensed the presence of flags fluttering from all directions in the distance. The speed at which they were surging in was all incredibly fast, which made him feel somewhat at ease.

This battle was originally a place of training, albeit somewhat perilous…. Jeong Yeon-shin thought. They must be seeing this.

Woong—

Remaining Thunder cried out.

A bluish wind clung to the blade, then pierced the dark sword shadow in all directions. The radiance of the clear sky descended to the earth.