Chapter 446 – Sunset Flag (8)

Celestial Aid Demon Star Huo Lian Da Xiao desperately reached to the side.

Fortunately, his second technique was fully activated. From within the bosom of Celestial Star, who had lost his head, dozens of sheets of Locust Yellow Paper and a small yellow jade bead were drawn out.

Control of objects in midair, powerfully enhanced by the mysteries of martial sorcery. With the sound of fluttering paper, the bundle of Locust Yellow Papers and the yellow orb came to Huo Lian Da Xiao’s embrace in succession.

Among them, the yellow jade resonated with the red jade he had originally been carrying, vibrating with a low hum.

Spirit weapons.

These were treasures imbued with spirituality. The world-spanning energy waves of the Taimo Mountain Castle Lord slumbering within the two jade beads surged through his mind.

-No matter what calamity befalls you, you shall return safely once.

The intent contained within the jade beads.

‘Good…!’

Whoooosh!

Shortly after, he retreated through the air a distance of over thirty jang.

A lifesaving technique of martial sorcery that, while having limits to its speed, could even mimic the form of Kunlun Sect’s Cloud Dragon Great Eight Form.

Fortunately, this technique was also properly executed. Thanks to Lotus Nezha Lightning Genius seeming to be lost in some contemplation and not paying attention to him, he was able to secure a moment’s interval.

That was the end of it.

Huo Lian Da Xiao began to review what had just happened.

‘What was that?’

Temporarily, his energy flow had been severed.

More precisely, the entire process of twisting the harmony of heaven and earth with force had been blocked.

Unlike common martial arts, the energy waves of martial sorcery, which required elaborate manipulation of true energy outside the body, had been hopelessly tangled. Though it was just a moment, it had been a time when everything before him seemed blank.

‘I understand why martial artists who lose their lower dantian choose suicide.’

Despite cultivating equanimity over long years, Huo Lian Da Xiao never wanted to experience such a thing again.

As a practitioner of martial sorcery who had lived a long life, he needed to find countermeasures, even if he had to comb through all the knowledge and experiences of his entire life.

Kiiiing!

Blue light flashed from his eyes. The Penetrating Intent True Formula of Taimo Mountain Castle’s secret teachings. He activated the upper dantian martial art that accelerated the flow of thought to another level.

While Huo Lian Da Xiao was thus preoccupied with analyzing the newly appointed Purple Rank’s technique.

Yue Shou-lin, who had completely shaken off the flames that Celestial Star had ignited, looked up at Jeong Yeon-shin from the ground. Her face was colored with concern unlike ever before.

“Why did you come? You should have rested longer.”

Only after she addressed him in a clear voice did Jeong Yeon-shin slowly part his lips, which had seemed as if they would remain closed indefinitely.

“…It was long enough.”

“With just two days?”

“It’s not as if someone died, so I can’t seclude myself for three days. Especially not someone who has to stand in for Divine Sword Group Leader Yong.”

Despite his expressionless face, his words were lengthy. The first syllable of his reply carried a slight force.

Soon after, Yue Shou-lin caught with one hand the spear that Jeong Yeon-shin had pulled from Celestial Star’s abdomen and thrown.

At that moment, the body of the old master, now without a head, collided with the ground with a dull thud. Blood gushed forth, dyeing the dirt a dark crimson.

The dozens of Martial Alliance masters standing around could not hide their shock.

Yue Shou-lin paid no attention to their reactions. She merely gazed at her young junior who had now become her superior, then opened her mouth again.

“I’ll take care of this. I wasn’t being defeated.”

“I know.”

“Right, you could see through the World Tree? That’s why you came at such a timely moment.”

A conversation between the leaders of Desolate Fortress.

They were discussing something beyond common sense. It was a conversation that made even practitioners of martial sorcery prick up their ears.

‘World Tree…!’

While analyzing the technique of the newly appointed Purple Rank, Huo Lian Da Xiao’s eyelids lifted high as he listened to their conversation.

Beneath them, his feverish eyes trembled.

[Did you just say World Tree? Do you truly know how to use the trunk of the World Tree? This Huo Lian cannot comprehend how such a thing could be permitted to someone who is not of the elf clan. If you would grant me a sip of conversation, I am willing to answer anything. From why the Sword Star of the martial world has become a walking corpse, to what is happening in Hangzhou these days, to why the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader agreed to join our castle’s cultivation graduation proposal……]

He was one of the Three Arts Grand Seats of Taimo Mountain Castle. He had rarely experienced suppressing his curiosity in his life.

Moreover, having secured safety by gathering two of the three treasures of his sect into his embrace, there was no reason to be overly cautious with the newly appointed Purple Rank and Desolate Divine Spear.

“……”

That was until Lotus Nezha’s clear eyes shifted to him.

[…Oh dear.]

The upper dantian of Huo Lian Da Xiao rang alarm bells.

The intuition that this person did not view him as human penetrated from his head to his very bones.

There was no room for negotiation.

‘Even the demonic adept of bygone years would not have treated people like this.’

It was then.

The sword carrying the newly appointed Purple Rank slid toward him.

Like the Taoist immortal Lu Dongbin among the Eight Immortals.

He resembled the Sword Immortal Lu Dongbin from the legends, slowly traversing the air while standing on a pristine divine sword.

Lotus Nezha was also an exceptional practitioner of fist techniques. He could likely perform acrobatics in midair using mind-controlled sword and lifesaving techniques to slay enemies.

Huo Lian Da Xiao made his decision.

‘I shall retreat with my body intact.’

It was entirely possible. This would be true even if he were facing the Divine Sword Group Leader rather than the newly appointed Purple Rank.

He had two treasures that augmented martial sorcery. Gifts from the “Enlightened One,” the Taimo Mountain Castle Lord. These were sect treasures that would be difficult to recreate.

At this moment, the jade beads in his hands would permit the execution of techniques beyond his normal attainment.

With two treasures, they were essentially two expendable items.

Huo Lian Da Xiao poured everything into a single execution.

Woooong-!

The red and yellow jades in his left hand erupted with turbid waves. The two treasures continuously spewed translucent concentric shockwaves, instantly completing a single sorcery formula.

With that, the priceless treasures spontaneously shattered into pieces.

[Form Shifting Void.]

With a brief incantation, Huo Lian Da Xiao’s body began to blur like smoke.

His right hand was not idle either. While crumpling the bundle of Locust Yellow Papers in his grip, he formed a hand seal characteristic of martial sorcery.

Similar to a sword seal, he straightened his index and middle fingers while bringing together the tips of his remaining three fingers.

A hand shape that guided internal energy into a specific flow. The sky responded to that lightning-like movement.

[Nine Veneration Divine Technique.]

The air flashed white, then dropped a blue lightning bolt toward Jeong Yeon-shin, who had already reached his vicinity.

[Lightning Strike.]

Bzzzzzzzzt-!

It was enormously thick.

A bluish beam of light struck down at Jeong Yeon-shin, spreading blue branches.

Boom!

The air brightened brilliantly.

The lightning crackled, roughly scraping the atmosphere. The martial artists of the Hanzhong Martial Alliance on the ground scattered in all directions with swift lifesaving techniques.

Even in the midst of this, they looked up at the sky where the two were confronting each other with worried expressions. Only Desolate Divine Spear Yue Shou-lin stood in place with her arms crossed.

[Composure. The privilege of the strong. Someone of the Purple Rank of Desolate Fortress should be capable of harboring it.]

Huo Lian Da Xiao glanced at his own hands and feet, which were gradually blurring, and smiled faintly.

[In any case, thanks to your generous breathing, this body is moving to Hangzhou with all limbs intact. Though I have suffered great loss and feel some regret, I should thank you for broadening my knowledge…]

He could not finish his words.

A whitish light mass spread out from within the pillar of deep blue lightning.

Within it, a figure seemingly made of starlight flickered, then instantly took the form of Jeong Yeon-shin, breaking through the lightning.

Even at this moment, the newly appointed Purple Rank showed no particular change in expression. He was extremely indifferent.

‘Did he block it with protective energy?’

Huo Lian Da Xiao’s blue eyes flickered like candles.

Lotus Nezha Lightning Genius.

His guess that the technique that had initially interfered with the execution of martial sorcery could not be used multiple times was correct.

After all, all subsequent sorcery techniques had activated normally. Even the lightning bolt had struck down properly.

‘Nevertheless, this is a matter to consult with the Castle Lord about. He’s dangerous.’

Those known as supreme masters in the martial world.

Though they are said to each possess different studies and display all manner of strange martial arts, the technique displayed earlier by the newly appointed Purple Rank was uniquely lethal.

This was especially true for Taimo Mountain Castle, which would someday claim the title of world’s finest with profound studies. Both the Castle Lord and Young Castle Lord, already in Hangzhou, needed to know.

“……”

Huo Lian Da Xiao stared intently at Jeong Yeon-shin, who was now meeting his gaze right in front of him. This was to observe the temperament of the newly appointed Purple Rank.

There was some anxiety about the disruption of his sorcery.

But Form Shifting Void was a technique of a different caliber.

The ultimate of evasion techniques that blurred one’s physical form like a specter. Followed by the ability of earth-shrinking technique that actually ruptured space.

From the beginning, such a complex formula and energy wave could not be completed by the ability of a single person. It required the power of treasures that were difficult to buy even with gold.

It was clearly a technique beyond the human realm. With human senses, it was impossible to interfere with such high-dimensional energy waves.

‘Even if he is Lotus Nezha, there’s no way he can do anything about Form Shifting Void once it’s activated…’

At that moment.

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been silently watching the gradually fading Huo Lian Da Xiao, extended his hand.

Swoosh.

He placed it on Huo Lian Da Xiao’s face. As if trying to grasp the head of the man who had already lost his form like a ghost.

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly moved his lips.

“Leave it behind.”

A voice without inflection.

[TL Note- So badassss.]

[……!]

The eyes of the Three Arts Grand Seat of Taimo Mountain Castle widened to the point of tearing.

Something that should not have happened occurred. As reported about his metamorphosis, the sensation of a smooth hand was suddenly felt.

At this moment, a somewhat rough warmth radiated from the hand that was completely grasping Huo Lian Da Xiao’s face.

It was true energy bolstering Jeong Yeon-shin’s grip strength.

“No…!”

Just as Huo Lian Da Xiao, whose face had become clear, cried out urgently, the Form Shifting Void he had activated earlier was fully executed.

Woooosh-!

The body clad in a black robe rapidly dispersed.

Not so with the head. There was a sound of fabric tearing. While his body disappeared to Hangzhou, his face, caught by Jeong Yeon-shin, had to remain in place, only able to flap its mouth.

His cheek flesh, quivering and convulsing, was pressed against firm fingers.

Eventually.

Blood dripped down to the ground. At this moment, the Castle Lord and Young Castle Lord of Taimo Mountain Castle would be witnessing the headless return of Celestial Aid Demon Star.

Jeong Yeon-shin calmly released his grip.

Thud.

Huo Lian Da Xiao’s head rolled on the ground that had been scorched by lightning.

“……”

The masters of the Martial Alliance who had been watching this process each closed their mouths. Not a single one could readily speak.

The reaction of the martial artists who had witnessed a confrontation so transcendental as to be simple was just like that.

The annihilation of the Three Arts Grand Seats of Taimo Mountain Castle.

Celestial Aid Demon Star and Celestial Star died in the same place.

Celestial Demon Star, who had been the other pillar of the Three Arts Grand Seats, after assisting Yu Ling’s Heavenly Net, was ultimately slain by Divine Sword Group Leader Yong Hye-myeong.

What was once rare now happens openly.

These are times of upheaval.

Now no major faction pays attention to others.

They act without considering joint actions like alliances or unions.

At this moment, the blood dripping from the newly appointed Purple Rank’s hand revealed the flow of the times.

On the ground where the battle had taken place.

The expressions of Zhuge Qing-ya and Gong Min were unusually aligned. Their throats swallowed dry saliva.

“You look healthy.”

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had examined the two of them, spoke softly. Then he looked at the coffin loaded on the cart for a while.

“…You may bring it to the main fortress. I will welcome you as honored guests.”

Only after hearing those words could Zhuge Qing-ya take a step.

Shuffle.

“Group Leader, I offer my congratulations. It’s been a long time since we met.”

“Congratulations?”

Jeong Yeon-shin asked as if he had heard something unexpected.

He was inwardly blaming himself. Despite approaching the battle quite calmly, he had been forced to kill the practitioners of martial sorcery. It would have been better to capture them alive.

His skill was insufficient.

Among the three Purple Ranks, Yong Hye-myeong would have been able to capture them alive. The remaining person would be unable to do so for reasons different from Jeong Yeon-shin’s.

‘But I’ve got the hang of it now.’

Jeong Yeon-shin clenched and unclenched his hand. He could feel the ticklish breath of the Desolate Fortress Lord who had once taught him the Mind Sword.

“What congratulations? Child of the Zhuge family, our new Purple Rank has yet to hold his formal promotion ceremony.”

“What…?”

“He’s currently in a power struggle with King Qiong-ming.”

A figure mentioned who enjoys the Emperor’s full favor.

A vassal king who has been involved in all sorts of major affairs in the martial world, including the founding of the Profound Martial Alliance.

As the conversation escalated endlessly, astonishment appeared on the faces of the Martial Alliance masters, including Zhuge Qing-ya, but Jeong Yeon-shin merely turned his head indifferently toward the main fortress.

“Senior Yue.”

“Yes?”

“I contemplated at length. Today I wish to set out for Hangzhou.”

“What about King Qiong-ming? The Elder Council Head and the Grand Administrator are just watching nervously. Right now, that person is practically the government itself.”

“I’ve heard that the government should not interfere in the affairs of the martial world.”

“……”

While everyone except Jeong Yeon-shin lost words with their own expressions.

“I’ll go ahead.”

He silently flew up while standing on Remaining Thunder.

The divine sword that had now come to symbolize Lotus Nezha emitted a resonant hum.

The sunlight that brushed around the blade was refracted and bent as if it had lost its mind.