Chapter 444 – Sunset Flag (6)

Even a seemingly leisurely ceremonial formation becomes a solemn battle stance when Desolate Fortress’s purple is involved.

Despite having both hands behind his back, a divine sword was floating beside him on its own. Just that alone caused the ground to shake, transmitting violent vibrations all the way to the top of the hall.

Dust rose from the roof fragments and flowed down around Jeong Yeon-shin like fog.

Hooo-

The eyes of Ming Cult Leader within the silver mask curved like crescent moons.

“I’ve heard rumors about the Mount Hua Agreement, but you’ve grown even stronger since then?”

He uttered words of admiration without hiding his thoughts.

Then, while still gripping Baek Mi-ryeo’s neck, Ming Cult Leader slightly extended his other hand. It was a gesture suggesting calm.

His seemingly playful demeanor betrayed not even the slightest opening, befitting a peerless demon master who had cultivated demonic arts to perfection.

Ming Cult Leader slowly moved his lips.

“Can’t you just stay where you are?”

“……”

“This person called Baek Mi-ryeo was originally mine. The time has come for me to claim what’s rightfully mine.”

It was an ambiguous statement.

Ming Cult Leader and Baek Mi-ryeo.

Jeong Yeon-shin doesn’t know what grudges exist between them.

Could it be a demonic path practitioner seeking to eliminate a successor of the same martial lineage?

Or perhaps, just as Jeong Yeon-shin cherishes the Lightning Genius Martial Lineage, the legitimate successor of the Ming Cult, living at the end of his life, wants to make Baek Mi-ryeo his heir. Either possibility seemed plausible.

The comrades who had formed the Radiant Demon Wing with Jeong Yeon-shin rarely shared their difficult stories.

Cheong Myeong and Hyeon Won-chang had only whispered a few words after their martial sect became their mission ground.

Among them, Baek Mi-ryeo had only revealed that she was learning the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, but had never truly opened up to Jeong Yeon-shin.

None of them wanted to place another burden on their Squad Leader.

At this moment…

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly realized that all this time, he had merely enjoyed the attention of his comrades as the youngest of Radiant Demon Wing. Even until he finally donned the purple robe.

It was a painfully stark realization.

“You’d better let go.”

He uttered meaningless words and stared at his opponent.

With his Lowly Revelation Technique activated, he wasn’t observing Ming Cult Leader’s outer appearance but rather the blue energy flowing around his vicinity.

Truly flawless martial artists are rare in the world.

Even now, only the Desolate Fortress Lord comes to mind. Even the Emperor Qian Ling, who seemed extraordinarily transcendent, revealed flaws in his internal energy breathing when Jeong Yeon-shin properly discussed what makes a gentleman.

The person leading the Ming Cult alone would be no exception.

“This is a matter between martial sects. Well, I don’t think you’ll just stand by and listen.”

Ming Cult Leader’s upturned mouth released a rough voice as usual.

A voice that resonated deeply as if true energy waves were attached to his vocal cords. It was a technique that prevented others from discerning his gender, intentions, or the regularity of his internal energy breathing.

“By the way.”

Ming Cult Leader’s face tilted slightly to the side.

“How did you detect me? My Silent Star Curtain Technique has evaded even the Mind Eye of Heaven Conquering Sect Leader…”

Silent Star Curtain Technique.

It’s a concealment art passed down only to the leaders of the Ming Cult from generation to generation.

Known as a supreme martial art that can hide even the presence of powerful attack techniques. It boasts tremendous utility in both offense and defense.

‘Would it have been different if the distance had been closer?’

In reality, Jeong Yeon-shin hadn’t sensed Ming Cult Leader’s presence until he used the World Tree trunk. It was a deeply chilling fact, but not something worth revealing in this situation.

He simply stared silently at Ming Cult Leader, ready to sever his arm the moment he showed even the slightest opening while chattering.

Ming Cult Leader raised one corner of his mouth.

“Your gaze is exquisite. It’s so intimidating that I can’t just stand still.”

Before those words were even finished.

Woomkl.

Suddenly, the space around Ming Cult Leader began to ripple like clouds.

It was the precursor to some martial sorcery technique. Simultaneously, Jeong Yeon-shin’s Remaining Thunder sword pierced straight through the air.

Kiiiiing-!

The divine sword Remaining Thunder, after piercing through Ming Cult Leader’s shoulder, vanished without a trace.

It hadn’t completely pierced through his protective energy and flesh. It had literally passed through Ming Cult Leader as if striking an illusion of a grand theatrical performance.

The sword control technique was so powerful that it flew for quite some distance after piercing through the wall.

Ming Cult Leader.

At this moment, along with Baek Mi-ryeo, who had only turned her eyes toward Jeong Yeon-shin, his entire body was becoming dimmer.

It seemed he would soon disappear. Clearly a marvel worthy of discussing the realm of purple. The legitimate successor of the Ming Cult, which had called itself the Heavenly Demon for generations, wielded such mysteries quite naturally.

That’s why he was called a devil sent by heaven, not a human.

“Form Shifting Void.”

Ming Cult Leader shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s the highest level of martial sorcery technique, surpassing Form Transformation. I used a massive amount of resources including Divine Yellow Fat and various treasures, but I’d be a fool not to bring such precautions when infiltrating Desolate Fortress’s main castle. Well, even those who boast of being supreme masters in this field would need to sacrifice their innate true energy with a determination to die just to attempt…”

Hwaaaaaak-!

Fierce winds tore apart that voice.

Somehow, Jeong Yeon-shin was now extending both hands in front of Ming Cult Leader’s face. The vortex of leg strength energy flowing in semi-transparent spirals from his palm core was roughly grinding against the floor.

There was a loud cracking sound. In that instant, the entire Radiant Demon Wing hall shook, but Jeong Yeon-shin’s body was tilted only toward Ming Cult Leader.

Hoooooong!

His two hands passed right through Ming Cult Leader’s shoulders.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes narrowed. It literally felt like hitting a ghost. It was the epitome of mystery. The eyes of Ming Cult Leader, meeting his gaze at close range, were filled with smile lines.

“Form Shifting. Moving the body.”

The lips beneath the silver mask moved.

“Void. To wherever I desire.”

Boom!

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had leaped forward while extending Brilliant River, landed in that same spot.

The two overlapped as if they were one body. By now, Ming Cult Leader had completely lost his physical form. It was an extremely bizarre sight.

“As this defies the laws of heaven, it’s a technique that’s difficult for a martial sorcery practitioner to use twice in a lifetime… but I had no intention of fighting you from the beginning. Under the vastly wide sky, you’re the only one who might understand me, so why would I exchange blows with you?”

At that moment.

Kwabang! Kwaaaaang-!

Three silhouettes landed around them. Two black robes and one scholarly attire fluttered violently.

They were the robes of Yun Xiao-yu, Xiahou Wei-jin, and Grand Administrator Lim Jin-myeong, who was holding a long brush.

Yue Shou-lin was away observing Xiangyang’s security, but even including her, there would be very few martial artists in the world who could claim to be stronger than these three together.

Ming Cult Leader looked at the three people and smirked.

“How terrifying. How could I possibly withstand this without preparing lifesaving techniques?”

“Form Shifting Void…?”

Lim Jin-myeong, with eyes wide open like marbles, muttered. The expressions of Xiahou Wei-jin and Yun Xiao-yu also grew serious. Jeong Yeon-shin, with his body still overlapping with Ming Cult Leader’s, softly murmured.

“Let go. Release her and leave.”

“Don’t worry about Baek Mi-ryeo. She’ll be treated quite lavishly. But if you still want to contend with me… come to Xinjiang.”

Ssssss-

In that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes met with Baek Mi-ryeo, who, like Ming Cult Leader, was gradually fading like smoke. Her black eyes, as strong as ever, were conveying a message to him.

That this was no different from the fate of other Desolate Fortress warriors who meet their end during missions. That the purple of the main fortress shouldn’t concern itself with private matters but rather look at the bigger picture.

Knowing her character well, Jeong Yeon-shin naturally understood Baek Mi-ryeo’s intentions.

He couldn’t agree.

He took a step back and locked eyes with his enemy. By now, Ming Cult Leader, whose form was barely visible, still had one corner of his mouth raised.

“Anyway, it was a pleasure to see you again. You don’t seem to be in the best condition, so don’t waste your energy on futile efforts. Just remember Xinjiang.”

Swish.

Suddenly, Jeong Yeon-shin covered Ming Cult Leader’s silver mask with one hand. Following that motion, afterimages shaped like palms were engraved in the air with a faint white light.

“…My appearance is quite handsome, but it’s premature to show it to you.”

There was laughter in Ming Cult Leader’s voice. By now, even his voice was becoming faint.

“Unless you can wield a sword like Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, there’s little chance of…”

Crack-

The words were cut off.

“…!”

Cracks spread across the silver mask. Simultaneously, fissures appeared in the space behind it, briefly revealing a glimpse of some marketplace.

Demon Extermination Light Trace. In this moment, pure martial arts had broken a part of the martial sorcery. Ming Cult Leader’s mouth twisted strangely with shock and admiration.

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t even glance at his enemy’s face. The Form Shifting Void technique deployed by a fellow mayfly was not something that could be stopped with Demon Extermination Light Trace. The depth was different.

‘Great Heaven Sect.’

He identified a particularly noticeable sect signboard among the marketplace scene visible through the space.

Hangzhou’s Great Heaven Sect. A sect that was said to have dominated Hangzhou with ostentatious martial arts. It was a faction he had heard about from his seniors at some point.

Not Xinjiang. Hangzhou.

A city where the sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects, Taimo Mountain Castle, and Heaven Conquering Sect might engage in a fierce competition.

“…Wait. I will come for you.”

A growl like a lion’s roar escaped from between Jeong Yeon-shin’s teeth.

Ming Cult Leader didn’t respond. He simply stared at Jeong Yeon-shin until his body completely disappeared.

Even in that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin was intently gazing at Baek Mi-ryeo’s face.

He didn’t even blink. Even after Baek Mi-ryeo, who had maintained eye contact with him until the end, completely dispersed.

Xiahou Wei-jin, Yun Xiao-yu, and Lim Jin-myeong dared not speak to the newly appointed Purple Rank. Even for them, this was the first time they had encountered a situation where they had no opportunity to intervene.

But Ming Cult Leader’s lifesaving technique and mask had also been shattered miserably by Jeong Yeon-shin.

The supposedly flawless cultivation of the Ming Cult Leader had revealed a vulnerability.

Now that the precious blue rank of the main fortress had been taken from them by Ming Cult Leader…

Who is the true world’s finest genius?

Any martial artist would be on high alert about this. Soon, the leading position among the Five Marvels of Resplendent Brilliance might be determined.

However.

‘Hangzhou was supposed to be handled by the Nine Great Sects. With even King Qiong-ming staying in the main fortress like an inspector… if the main fortress deploys forces according to Master Jeong’s wishes, that gap…’

As worry clouded Lim Jin-myeong’s face.

“……”

Jeong Yeon-shin stood silently, staring into the empty space.

The place where his colleague or sister had been.

Slowly.

His demeanor began to change.

It was not the face of someone accustomed to hiding urgency with composure. A different quality was being added to the expression of the young man in purple robes.

It was an emotion that Jeong Yeon-shin had never deeply harbored during his journeys through the martial world.

Suddenly, the surroundings darkened. It was because an invisible energy wave had momentarily blocked the sunlight.

‘Killing intent…!’

Law Enforcement Squad Leader Yun Xiao-yu’s eyes widened.

* * *

A group of people was racing across the plains.

They were galloping with fine horses while carrying a large coffin on a cart, as if urgently conducting a funeral, and thick dust trailed behind their footsteps.

“Young Clan Leader, we must rest now. Many of us have depleted our energy.”

“Run using your muscle strength. There’s no one in our group with shallow external strength. If Master Gong Sun failed to block the Three Arts Grand Seats, we’ll soon face those immortals of Taimo Mountain Castle.”

“I understand, but we urgently need supplies. If we encounter pursuit forces like this, we’ll face complete annihilation. You must realize that the direct lineage of the Zhuge family now consists only of you, Young Clan Leader.”

“If you want to live, keep running like this.”

“Will Xiangyang or Desolate Fortress accept us? We’re essentially dragging an avalanche behind us right now…”

The scholarly-looking girl who had been skillfully whipping her horse paused. In contrast, her black hair, tied with sky-blue silk, continued to flutter ceaselessly along with the horse’s mane.

Zhuge Young Clan Leader.

Tranquil Gaze Zhuge Qing-ya couldn’t readily answer her subordinate’s question.

While Master Gong Sun had intercepted two of the Three Arts Grand Seats commanded by Taimo Mountain Castle Lord from a distance, it was hard to say his chances were good.

The martial sorcerers of Taimo Mountain Castle are twice as powerful when there are two or more of them compared to when they’re alone. This is because they can deploy mutually reinforcing technique formations.

Moreover, if there are two of the Three Arts Grand Seats, they could create natural disasters with human bodies and still have power to spare. They could be considered as strong as the three black figures who once annihilated the Hwangbo Family.

Master Gong Sun must have perished by now.

The boy riding alongside Zhuge Qing-ya at this moment, the Young Clan Leader of the Gong Family, seemed to be assuming the same thing, judging by his grave expression.

While tightly gripping the treasured sword that Lotus Nezha Lightning Genius had once used.

“……”

Zhuge Qing-ya’s gaze turned backward.

The coffin they were escorting.

It was something they absolutely had to protect. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the state of the righteous martial world depended on it. They absolutely had to take it through Xiangyang to Hangzhou.

‘But.’

Zhuge Qing-ya cast her gaze beyond the cart.

She saw something whitish.

It was extremely white. Even at a glance, it appeared to be a storm of hail or snow fragments, which was out of place in the late summer of the present day.

A strange harmony. It was martial sorcery.

“They’ve caught up!”

The voice of the guard accompanying her trembled.

She couldn’t blame him. The Zhuge Family doesn’t engage in battles without favorable odds. The experience of being hunted like prey, as today, was naturally unfamiliar.

Especially if the opponent is the particularly bizarre Taimo Mountain Castle among the Thirteen Evil Sects.

“Stop! Form a sword formation!”

Just as Zhuge Qing-ya was shouting loudly while gripping the reins tightly.

Kwaaaaaaang-!

A silver spear pierced into the ground beside them. In an instant, a tremendous vibration spread like an earthquake.

At the same time, a long piece of cloth attached to the end of the spear fluttered violently.

Six characters were clearly visible.

神劍團 神劍隊.

Among the dozens of martial artists, a few unconsciously read those characters. Voices flowing out in bewilderment amidst the dust.

Divine Sword Group, Divine Sword Squad.

Two phrases.