Chapter 440 – Sunset Flag (2)

Xiangyang in Huguang Province is a place frequently visited by the seventeen Black Ranks of the Divine Sword Group. Naturally, it can only be an enormous metropolis.

To say that its scale, public security, and even the prosperity of its people are among the finest in the world would be no exaggeration.

The purple lanterns emitting a mysterious light, made of materials extremely difficult to obtain, were nothing extraordinary in this context.

The purple hue was vivid.

It wasn’t a color that could be produced with ordinary paper or cloth. A rare shade. It was clearly made by wrapping very thinly drawn silk fabric around the lantern.

At first, there was only one.

Flickering like a firefly from within the massive fortress-surrounded Xiangyang city, there wasn’t a single person among the Desolate Fortress party observing from the hill who couldn’t see it.

Furthermore, there were no warriors of sufficient age who had encountered Desolate Fortress’s Purple Rank promotion ceremony frequently enough to be familiar with it.

Most spent their days recovering from internal injuries after returning from missions, only to depart again for various regions of the world.

“This feels different from war or a factional battle……”

“That’s not the character of it. There’s no military aura, and no smoke rising either.”

The masters of Radiant Demon Wing muttered.

A party with no ordinary members. Everyone’s energy sense was acute.

Soon after, with a clatter, the carriage wheels began to roll again. But as they descended the well-maintained mountain path, no one relaxed their vigilance.

Most drew their weapons without even making the sound of metal. They were escorting the newly appointed Purple Rank who had suffered severe injuries from fighting and defeating the Diancang Sect Leader.

Faced with an anomaly, they couldn’t possibly refrain from preparing their weapons.

Swish-

They descended slowly, revealing sharp tension, while Jeong Yeon-shin, seated properly inside the carriage, said nothing.

He merely listened to the voices that gradually began to penetrate his ears more prominently. There were both unfamiliar voices and those he had heard before. Most were unfamiliar.

[He has arrived!]

[He has graced us with his presence!]

[He’s visible.]

[They say he has just arrived!]

Like an army facing battle, the voices continued in succession. Voices spreading widely like echoes in an endless valley. Most were voice transmissions.

Only a few whispers were intermixed.

In reality, all of Xiangyang was eerily quiet, and only Jeong Yeon-shin’s ears, capable of eavesdropping on voice transmissions, were extremely clamorous.

Until the party entered through the wide-open city gate.

Those urgent voices, without sound, filled the city faster than the party’s footsteps.

Despite the broad main road that stretched beyond the inside of the gate, and even the marketplace on either side being sparsely populated.

Jeong Yeon-shin deliberately said nothing. This was because he remembered the previous palanquin victory ceremony. Even Radiant Demon Wing had to be surprised.

“Oh……”

Shin So-bin let out a strange exclamation.

She had already opened the carriage window and was poking her head out slightly. Her back was turned to Jeong Yeon-shin.

The dark night that had settled on the back of Shin So-bin’s head began to be tinged with a soft sunset glow.

The sun had set long ago.

It was a night where even traces of sunset were hard to find.

What began to dye the surroundings with a soft purple radiance, as if it had grabbed the darkened edge of the western sky and turned it back, were the countless purple lanterns that were now rising in all directions.

There were too many to count. It was as if the entire world had been immersed in the western sky.

Srrng-

The smooth sound of swords being sheathed followed. The party escorting Jeong Yeon-shin had each put away their weapons.

At the same time, the front of the carriage fell off entirely with a crack. It was Shin So-bin’s strike with the edge of her hand.

The carriage had transformed into something similar to a palanquin. The only difference was that it was being pulled by fine horses instead of people.

Shin So-bin even kicked away the chair she had been sitting on with a thud, and leaped out of the carriage.

The interior was fully exposed.

Jeong Yeon-shin sat alone, looking around.

The scene reflected in his black pupils. Once, after the Jeong Family had suffered extermination, a boy with only a sword at his waist had recklessly come to Xiangyang and looked around.

Soon after, the young swordsman had united with a youth wearing a heroic headband and headed for Desolate Fortress, and now that road, layered with the passage of time, was overlaid with a whitish purple glow.

Step.

Along with the appearance of commoners who began hesitantly stepping into his field of view.

The subjects who had lived for a long time in the land where Desolate Fortress had established itself. They all carried lanterns wrapped in purple silk.

“……”

It was truly a surreal scene. As if standing at some boundary between dream and reality, no one opened their mouth.

The crowd, wrapped in complete silence, consisted of men and women of all ages and statuses, but they merely held their lanterns and stared at Jeong Yeon-shin without saying a word.

Not even words of congratulation for the joyous occasion.

Only the cries of newborn babies occasionally echoed from distant homes. Along with the sound of water flowing from a drainage ditch on one side of the city.

‘Ah.’

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly realized.

His elevation to Purple Rank was not something for him to be congratulated on. The birth of Desolate Fortress’s highest rank was a significant event that reduced even the emotions of the individual to something trivial.

In a world where monstrous beings trained in martial arts trampled on principle and law with their lightness techniques.

He was newly reminded of his grandfather’s letter.

The meaning, role, and symbolism of Purple Rank. The images of Yong Hye-myeong and Ma Yeon-jeok, who had raced across the martial world as if order belonged to them, became clear in his mind.

The path he had taken to preserve his own life was now unfolding toward the world.

‘Those people……’

Clatter, clatter.

Commoners extending lanterns instead of hands as the carriage passed by them.

They were proceeding across the main road toward the inner castle of Desolate Fortress.

The same scene unfolded wherever Jeong Yeon-shin’s party went.

From the mansions of high officials staying in Xiangyang, to the residences of wealthy merchants who had built not just mansions but entire complexes of pavilions, to escort agencies that never lost their cargo even in chaotic times thanks to lessons learned from Desolate Fortress’s Blue Ranks, and to the large and small houses of commoners lined up together.

No words of praise were heard.

Only purple lanterns were raised. It was reverence that deliberately avoided verbal expression.

The safest land in the world was paying homage to him.

* * *

Inner castle of Desolate Fortress.

Two people stood atop a high-built spire.

A middle-aged man with a bushy beard like a mountain bandit, appearing scholarly, and a robust old man in a purple robe. They were the Grand Administrator of Desolate Fortress and the Elder Council Head, respectively.

Lim Jin-ming, the Grand Administrator, who had been gazing down at the sunset colors covering the city, slowly opened his mouth.

“I didn’t expect to see such a spectacle again so quickly. I thought a few more wrinkles would have to appear around my eyes first……”

“It’s been I don’t know how many years since the Yong fellow’s time.”

“Did the Elder Council Head receive the same honor?”

“It’s been over forty years already. It wasn’t as densely packed, nor as quiet as this. Those were better times. Above all, wasn’t the famine less severe? It wasn’t a chaotic era.”

“I wonder what emotions the newly appointed Purple Rank is feeling right now.”

“You’ve grown accustomed to formal speech.”

“I didn’t address him disrespectfully even when he was White Rank. Isn’t he the Lord’s first disciple?”

“That’s a story worth praising. What about the imperial clan members?”

“She seemed to reluctantly provide guidance to the Zhu family. Of course, I cannot presume to fully understand her intentions, but it’s quite different even at a glance. Didn’t you receive daily reports on the actions of the fifteen-year-old boy until he reached seventeen? I believe the original copy of the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique is still in the Lord’s possession. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her, but……”

“Didn’t I say I don’t want to hear about those supreme divine techniques? Just because he’s been rejuvenated thanks to having a good grandson, he’s quick to taunt me when he comes to the main fortress.”

Elder Council Head Shin Byeok concluded calmly.

Grand Administrator Lim Jin-ming laughed softly. His eyes were following the procession that was gradually approaching the inner castle along the main road.

As he drooped the corners of his stern eyes.

“People’s conduct is certainly different. These are indeed chaotic times.”

“There are some concerns.”

“What do you mean?”

“The rulers. Since ancient times, those who became Purple Rank of the main fortress have often been followed by highly political movements. Those who try to curry favor, those who hide their status and use all sorts of schemes to undermine the dignity of the Purple Rank……”

“Hasn’t the latter group been exterminated? After the previous Emei Sect Leader met that fate.”

“That was already several decades ago, and the world still doesn’t know about the rejuvenation of that burning madman. It’s also something the northern Yao tribes shouldn’t notice and prepare for.”

“Hmm.”

“To receive such respect in such chaotic times? The Emperor may not mind, but the surrounding vassal kings might see this differently. I hope the efficacy of this spontaneous ceremony exceeds that.”

“How can you measure the efficacy of a ritual? Surely you’re not suggesting it’s excessive?”

“Think about it. How many vassal kings… that is, the imperial princes and commandery kings combined, have received such honor? This is clearly a spectacle that far exceeds the prestige of the Zhu family’s collateral branches.”

“But the main fortress cannot restrain them on its own. Isn’t the prestige of a great faction that sustains the world’s livelihood as important as their face?”

“Your words are right. But I’m worried about King Qiong-ming. He shouldn’t do anything unnecessary.”

“It’s an auspicious day. I’ll worry about gloomy matters alone at the Administrative Office.”

As Lim Jin-ming deliberately jested in his deep voice, the corners of Shin Byeok’s wrinkled mouth turned up slightly.

“How is the reorganization proceeding?”

“It just needs the newly appointed Purple Rank to stamp his official seal. Of course, since we’ve only prepared the framework first, much content will change. According to Master Jeong’s wishes……”

Master Jeong.

It’s a term referring to Jeong Yeon-shin. Now the young grandmaster is no longer addressed with titles like young master, young hero, or great hero. Within the main fortress, that has already happened.

While a new epithet for the newly appointed Purple Rank emerged at Green Jade Sword Manor where the Mount Hua Agreement sparring took place, it has long since transformed into a name that many people within Desolate Fortress hushed up as soon as it flowed in.

“I hear you’re reorganizing the Divine Sword Group?”

“There are many who are in recovery, aren’t there? That’s unavoidable, and above all, the intentions of the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader are important.”

“The newly appointed Purple Rank leading the Divine Sword Group and the Divine Sword Squad… we need to quickly find appropriate achievements to dismiss that Yong fellow. I’m curious who’s likely to be the new Divine Sword Deputy Leader. Doesn’t he need someone good to assist him by his side?”

“The current Divine Sword Deputy Leader is trying hard to keep his position. She has already visited the Administrative Office several times. I heard she is learning to cook a dish called Five-Cloud Mountain Vegetable Dish. Apparently, it’s Master Jeong’s favorite delicacy.”

Shin Byeok briefly uttered “failure.”

“Are there any special circumstances?”

“A letter came from the Blood Guardian Leader earlier about the new Deputy Leader position, but the content was so long that I couldn’t read it all.”

It was then.

Just as Jeong Yeon-shin’s party was approaching the main gate of Desolate Fortress’s outer castle.

Flutter-

A figure in white clothes fluttered across, blocking their path.

It was a woman. She descended with an extremely unusual protective energy technique, and her appearance was peculiar.

Holding some gourd bottle in one hand, she was wearing a white Taoist robe with embroidered pine trees characteristic of the Wudang Sect, draped like a palace curtain. Long, snow-white clothes flowed down.

Her face was covered with a translucent veil, but her eyes were unusually black and intense.

The sight was visible even from the spire where only their profiles could be discerned. She was extremely extraordinary.

“Who is that?”

“Wudang Pheonix Palm… an imperial clan member. I don’t know her business.”

Bewilderment tinged the voices of Shin Byeok and Lim Jin-ming.

That was all.

There was no other concern. This was because three people approached from behind the Pheonix Palm who was facing Jeong Yeon-shin’s party.

Figures walking out from the inner castle of Desolate Fortress. Three pitch-black robes dyed the night air with deep darkness.

“Anyway, I’ll go ahead first.”

“Do so.”

Thud.

The Grand Administrator, who had been quietly observing the scene, jumped down from the spire. It was in the opposite direction from the outer gate where the Pheonix Palm had appeared. He needed to complete preparations to welcome the newly appointed Purple Rank.

“He likes Five-Cloud Mountain Vegetable Dish…?”

The Grand Administrator muttered as he touched the ground and entered the inner castle.