Chapter 458 – Heaven’s Movement (2)

At that moment.

The boy, who had begun to walk toward the sword, suddenly furrowed his brow.

It was as if he felt a sudden pain. The composure he had shown when designated to draw Remaining Thunder had disappeared.

Cho Il-seo, sitting on the palanquin, similarly knitted his brows.

He slowly opened his mouth.

“Is there a problem?”

“My arms and legs have been suddenly growing longer lately……”

“I know that pain too. But your words and conduct are strangely casual. I don’t recall giving you permission to speak informally to me.”

“This really hurts. How did he endure it?”

The boy muttered.

His demeanor exuded a generous spirit. It was the temperament of a learned person, rare in these chaotic times.

Even his footsteps approaching the firmly planted Remaining Thunder had a peculiarity to them, as if some subtle method existed. Like someone trained in an extraordinarily special martial art.

‘That fellow……?’

To Cho Il-seo, the atmosphere felt familiar.

Among the great sects where all disciples could be called prodigies, there was only one person with particularly overwhelming talent, just like himself. This was the feeling that inevitably permeated those who were such prodigies.

Martial arts is a study that elevates the practitioner’s status through the most primal power. Even if one superficially learns humility, the aura of a strong person cannot be hidden.

Cho Il-seo flicked his fingers while seated on the palanquin.

Suddenly, a streak of blue lightning appeared out of thin air and flickered as it fell toward the boy’s crown.

“Do you receive royal treatment in your sect?”

The boy, who had suddenly moved sideways, continued walking toward Remaining Thunder.

Where he had been standing, there was a “pzzt” sound, and black soot remained on the ground. It was the trace of a small thunderbolt.

He had avoided it.

There was no trace of presence in his evasive footwork. A movement like a fragrance spreading quietly. There is only one such protective stepping technique in the world. At least that was what Cho Il-seo knew.

‘Dark Fragrance Step…!’

Even if one disguises oneself in common white clothing often seen in the marketplace, one cannot erase the characteristics of one’s martial arts. This is especially true for the protective stepping technique of Mount Hua Sect, famous for its thousand-year martial lineage.

Cho Il-seo slightly raised his chin from where he sat.

“A Mount Hua disciple has grown bold. Do you know where you are?”

“Where else would it be? It’s a damn vast land where men who’ve learned a bit of martial arts play king and pawn.”

“Have you come to avenge your sect leader?”

“Why would I avenge someone who’s perfectly alive?”

The boy didn’t even look at Cho Il-seo. He had already reached Remaining Thunder and was gazing down at its handle.

He had his back turned to the crowd, who were now whispering in renewed surprise.

“The new Young Castle Lord also wields thunderbolts…!”

“Indeed, the bloodline of the Jade Emperor is truly different. Let’s watch our words and actions.”

“But did he just say Mount Hua disciple……”

The boy in white clothing couldn’t readily move despite having the sword blade of Remaining Thunder right before him.

By now, more than ten disciples of Taimo Mountain Castle had surrounded him and drawn out yellow Locust Yellow Papers, yet he just stood there blankly.

The martial sorcery practitioners of Taimo Mountain Castle also didn’t move rashly. The movement the boy in white had shown earlier was as mysterious as martial sorcery itself.

He was worthy of being considered a powerful figure even in Hangzhou, now known as the Den of Demons.

“Attack on my signal.”

Those who nodded at Cho Il-seo’s command.

For a moment, a wind swept strongly through the bodies of the Taimo Mountain Castle martial sorcery practitioners, and sensing the unusual atmosphere, the crowd began to disperse.

That was enough.

Taimo Mountain Castle and Heaven Conquering Sect had each suffered a calamity, losing three supreme masters each, but they were still mighty sects.

The same was true for the masters of martial sorcery. The more numerous they were, the more their fighting power swelled like clouds.

What about Heaven Conquering Sect? One of the two remaining Five Central Swordsmen is the orthodox successor of the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader.

That supreme master had already reached the realm of breaking down martial sorcery with sword techniques. He was also someone Cho Il-seo had inwardly designated as both a future marriage partner and a wall to overcome.

And there are the Taimo Mountain Castle Lord and Heaven Conquering Sect Leader.

‘There’s no time to waste here, yet I can’t gauge the level of that fellow’s martial arts.’

As his gaze sank deeply.

The boy in white was slowly parting his lips.

“It really is… the real thing……”

His eyes, which had been lowered languidly, trembled slightly.

Disbelief and astonishment. The boy in white was surrounded by the clear energy characteristic of Taoist martial lineages, but for a moment, it seemed as if some ripple had occurred in his heart.

He soon raised his gaze toward Cho Il-seo.

“You want me to draw it?”

“I admit my misspoken words. Even if it were to be drawn, it could never become yours.”

“What?”

“Doesn’t the possession of the dead rightfully belong to the victor? Desolate Day Extinction died facing Taimo Mountain Castle and Heaven Conquering Sect, so only these two sects can claim ownership of that timeless demon sword. At least there’s absolutely no room for Mount Hua to interfere……”

“Such lack of principles.”

The boy in white cut off his opponent’s words with a short retort and gripped the sword handle. In that instant, Cho Il-seo’s eyes narrowed.

“I think I know who you are. Purple Dawn Divine Skill is a martial art that completely unifies the body and true energy… If Mount Hua’s Plum Blossom Elixir properly dissolves within your body, it makes sense that your height would differ from what rumors say. You’re indeed a disciple of Brilliant Jade Sword God, who is said to have reached the realm of agelessness even during her Rising Talent days.”

“You’re so annoyingly chatty.”

“If you even pretend to draw that sword, you’ll face severe consequences. It’s not a right you’re entitled to.”

“You invite me, then say what?”

Boom!

Dust rose from beneath Hidden Dragon Yu Hyeon’s feet.

He firmly planted his foot on the ground while applying strength to his grip on Remaining Thunder’s handle. For a moment, the veins on the back of his hand became distinct.

Simultaneously, Cho Il-seo gestured with his chin toward Yu Hyeon. It was a command to his subordinates.

“Kill him.”

Demon Sword Remaining Thunder.

[TL Note- the sword is really being called a demon sword instead of divine sword. It’s neither a typo nor a correction.]

It is a trace of Desolate Day Extinction Jeong Yeon-shin. It symbolizes a figure who swept through various great sects like a storm, racing through the martial world alongside chaotic times.

Naturally, for the Thirteen Evil Sects of the unorthodox path, it couldn’t help but be a sword like a monument in many ways.

The same was true for some individuals from righteous martial sects. How many masters of the Eight Great Families had died by the hand of the newly appointed Purple Rank?

Just as the entire martial world had long coveted the mind-controlled sword of the Divine Sword Group Leader, the divine sword named Remaining Thunder was becoming a trophy desired by any martial artist.

It couldn’t be allowed to fall into the hands of Mount Hua’s Hidden Dragon.

Cho Il-seo deliberately twisted his lips.

“The deceased did have some virtue after all. I thought Desolate Day Extinction was a solitary, aloof fellow… The Purple Rank now crossing the Sanzu River won’t be lonely, thanks to you.”

But you’re just one man.

Cho Il-seo’s final words were swallowed by a sudden roar.

Kwarlrung!

The sky flashed white. It was due to the energy wave of martial sorcery. Soon after, thunderbolts filled the air, along with wind streams that stretched out like semi-transparent sword blades.

It was a strike from the Taimo Mountain Castle masters guarding Cho Il-seo’s palanquin. All attacks were accompanied by tremendous explosions.

Beneath them, Yu Hyeon’s face showed distress. The Hidden Dragon tried various ways to exert force with his arms.

“What’s with this sword? Why won’t it really be drawn…!”

At the same time.

Among the crowd that had begun to flee as soon as the fight started, a large hammer soared into the air, then shattered itself, turning into silver dust.

It was like flower petals blooming in the sky.

Jjeojeojeojeojeong-!

The fragments of metal, formed into a flower cluster, deflected the fiery red thunderbolts and fierce cold winds. Orange sparks flew everywhere, accompanied by a sound like roughly scraping metal plates.

The martial sorcery practitioners, who had been turning their Locust Yellow Papers black with flames, flinched.

“What…!”

The metal fragments, fully spread out in silver, were like a massive protective energy barrier. The fact that they were completely neutralizing the attacks of martial sorcery, which mimicked natural disasters, proved as much.

It was something impossible without a famous divine skill and philosophical learning.

Another intruder.

[Despite hearing you were a friend of the silver craftsman, seeing your behavior leaves me speechless.]

It was a Six Harmonies Voice. A chilling energy swirled.

[If you intend to display such foolishness, step back. I should draw it myself.]

A small figure walked through the dust raised by the crowd. The way he moved forward without any hesitation was impressive.

It was a quality permitted only to someone who had once dominated a vast region.

And there was killing intent. It would be right to call it great anger.

Not someone commemorating another’s death, but someone venting anger through the martial arts in their grasp.

Cho Il-seo stood up from his palanquin.

“Myriad Flowers Rain… could it be…?”

His questioning voice dissipated futilely in the air.

Something was beginning.

* * *

How much time had passed, he did not know.

The serpent corpse coiled in the dark underground cavity was overwhelming regardless of air flow, and in the cave as deep and cold as an abyss, what Jeong Yeon-shin felt was sword, sword, and more sword.

The damp atmosphere only made his long robe, tattered by Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s sword strikes, feel heavier.

‘Taiji…..’

The darkness of the cave was extremely deep. Perhaps it was the lingering resentment of the serpent killed by Taoist Three Peak. There was an atmosphere like an abyss, seemingly pulling one’s soul downward.

Even the intermittent dripping of water from somewhere far away was bleak enough.

But nothing could stop Jeong Yeon-shin, who was deep in contemplation.

He had long since acknowledged one thing.

No matter how impatient he felt, he could not rescue Baek Mi-ryeo from Hangzhou where Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, Taimo Mountain Castle Lord, and Ming Cult Leader were lurking.

It was a land where more variables might intervene. It was right to leave only after becoming much stronger.

He tempered his heart like a sword with this resolve.

It wasn’t easy. This was because there was an evil spirit beside him.

[This is a problem. Baek Mi-ryeo refuses to learn martial arts from me.]

It was Yelu Zhen.

She hovered around Jeong Yeon-shin, lying obliquely to one side.

Gentle demeanor and a calm tone. At some point, the sleeping garment on her semi-transparent body had changed back to the bloodwind robe she originally wore.

It was mockery. From her posture of supporting her head with one hand, everything about her was.

[She glares at me with bloodshot eyes, and it sends shivers down my spine. There was no one like that among those who walk the demonic path. Until I saw her, most would boast all sorts of things, but once they stood before me, they’d beg for a lesson. And these are supposed to be demonic practitioners.]

“……”

Jeong Yeon-shin, sitting cross-legged, recalled the term “Demon Army”.

It refers to the demons said to have interfered with Buddha’s enlightenment. It was also a fitting descriptor for the ghost hovering beside him.

[Come to think of it, Baek Mi-ryeo isn’t your only problem. Are you seeking enlightenment after repelling the Mount Hua Sect Leader to such a degree?]

Her form was not dim despite being in an underground cavity. Rather, she was as clear as if she were under the midday sky.

Her features, which could bewitch people like a demon, were the same. Far from being as pale as a corpse, her vitality was so abundant that even her lips were bright red.

Invincible Yelu Zhen.

How was such an appearance possible? It was a quality that should have perished long ago.

‘Or perhaps she’s substituting primordial energy with internal energy close to infinity while constantly maintaining the Great Circulation. If so, her blood flow would also be rapid.’

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips.

“You might be surprisingly vulnerable in a prolonged battle.”

[Oh?]

Ming Cult Leader tilted her head to one side with an inscrutable expression.

There was no change in her demeanor. But Jeong Yeon-shin was neither particularly disappointed nor overly concerned about Brilliant Jade Sword God.

The current Mount Hua Sect Leader is a master of Dark Fragrance Step. If she stands firm, intending to kill her opponent, that’s one thing, but if she’s determined to flee, there are few in the world who could catch her.

The absolute master of the Nine Great Sects would not risk her life just to recover the body of the newly appointed Purple Rank.

The Brilliant Jade Sword God that Jeong Yeon-shin had seen was a witty and affectionate person, but at the same time, someone who would uphold her duty.

Was she not the sect leader representing Mount Hua’s sharp ridges alone? She was different from the overly benevolent Taoist High Sword.

‘Yes, from Taoist High Sword…’

[I can see a little something too… Anyway, since the entire martial world thinks you’re dead, how about being my companion here?]

A voice interrupting Jeong Yeon-shin’s thoughts. Invincible pushed her face next to his cheek. A massive skull existed in front of the two of them.

The serpent’s head.

An iron sword embedded in its large crown stood out.

It was a source of inspiration. At least for Jeong Yeon-shin it was.

‘The center of taiji.’

He recalled the distant past.

It was when he was creating his law power. At the time, he learned Buddhist doctrine from Abbot Won Jeok of Shaolin to confront Blood Flame Cult. It was a process of groping at what law power might feel like from nothing.

Now it was different.

There was a trace before his eyes.

The sword mark left directly by the founding patriarch of Wudang. Until now, Jeong Yeon-shin had been trying to feel Zhang Sanfeng. In a state where the Luminous Wheel Technique was completely depleted and he had lost his energy sense.

‘It’s possible.’

Taoist Three Peak.

He had drawn a massive taiji using the serpent’s body. He had forcibly restrained a monstrous being of incredible strength on the verge of ascending to heaven with a single sword. Then what energy had created such a scene?

‘Taoist Three Clear Powers.’

The iron sword was etched in Jeong Yeon-shin’s pupils.

He had no intention of dragging out a proper secluded training for this long. Such a thing was only possible for a stone or a monkey.

What was permitted to mayflies like himself was only a straight wing beat.