Chapter 464 – Heaven’s Five Swords (2)

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader pulled the conical hat, with its completely shattered front brim, down to his back.

The swish sound passed eerily through the forest, and fragments of shredded straw scattered beneath the feet of the blind man with disheveled hair.

“Too brutal to be called a Wisdom Sword…”

He muttered.

Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin assessed his opponent’s character from the technique he had just used.

‘Had I aimed for his head, he would have dodged. There was enough of an opening for that.’

The Heart Eye possessed by the Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword is no less powerful than Jeong Yeon-shin’s Lowly Revelation Technique. Earlier, the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader had immediately noticed that Jeong Yeon-shin was swinging his sword toward the conical hat.

Yet he didn’t even twitch his head, choosing instead to experience the sword strike at close range. The difference between one inch and ten feet is like heaven and earth. It was a level of courage that only someone obsessed with swords could possess.

This one is different.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought. The wall of martial prowess built by the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader was too high to be dismissed as a mere monkey or stone.

The same was true of his temperament, which seemed to have poured his entire soul into the study of the sword path. The whole world called him a swordsman who cuts through principles. He was a madman no less than Seventh Apostle.

“Anyway.”

Suddenly, the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader flashed a smile.

“I apologize for my slip of the tongue.”

“What?”

“Your time is ten times more dense than the years that ordinary people carelessly let flow away. Like the maple leaves falling over there, playing with the trees.”

“……”

“Thanks to you, my heart feels warmer too.”

His gentle voice mingled with the breeze. Following the clear autumn air that had embraced the heat of summer, red-tinted maple leaves fell between the two men.

As they brushed against the trunk of a maple tree with long, skeletal branches.

Sarak―

According to the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, that tree represented ordinary people, and the reddish leaves were Jeong Yeon-shin. Ephemeral fallen leaves, nutrients that would soon become fertilizer, unlike the tree that would live for several more decades.

It was like a bull’s backward kick catching a mouse-a direct hit to the vital point. Even though no one had been able to see through Jeong Yeon-shin’s lifespan since the moment he achieved Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown.

-We are destined to disappear as stepping stones in history.

The dry voice of Invincible flashed through Jeong Yeon-shin’s mind. The words of the Ming Cult Leader who claimed to have truly realized heaven’s decree. Jeong Yeon-shin’s brow, which had maintained composure since obtaining the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword, furrowed.

“B*st*rd.”

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s trailing words mixed with the autumn wind-saying this was the highest praise he’d ever given in his life.

As if that concluded his appreciation of the technique Jeong Yeon-shin had shown, the blind man who had lost his conical hat once again gripped his sword.

Jeong Yeon-shin looked at both the maple leaves and the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader while sensing the presence of the common people who had now moved far away.

As red leaves fell.

He began to recall the sword techniques of the Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword that had driven him into a corner. It was something that happened automatically in his overheated mind.

The trajectories of the blade, flashing with unbelievable brightness, tore through his crown’s Baihui acupoint in various directions. The tingling sensation at the back of his head felt like enduring a closed-door training for several dozen days.

And so.

The moment a maple leaf, which had been fluttering down through the air, landed on a half-exposed tree root.

Pajijik―

Jeong Yeon-shin vanished.

Where he had stood, colorless lightning branches remained. It was the trace of true energy forming Ultimate Thunder.

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, with a smiling face, raised his sword to chest level. He held the handle with just one hand. Winter Dream, known as the beloved sword of the Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword, was already flashing a blade that had turned deep blue.

Simultaneously, Jeong Yeon-shin, who had stepped to the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s immediate vicinity, struck down with his sword.

Kiiiiing!

Remaining Thunder, glancing off Winter Dream, skimmed past the side of the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s shoulder.

Even with just that, a fierce sword wind blew in all directions, and the maple leaves falling from the air were torn to shreds.

Unlike the strike that had earlier sent the conical hat flying, this was not a restrained technique. The movement was rough and free.

Within the space of a step.

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s sword rose first. In an instant, he created a chain technique, swinging Winter Dream ten times.

The air was torn above and below by the terrifying swift sword. Jeong Yeon-shin deflected three sword strikes with his left hand, which was surrounded by the semi-transparent energy of Ultimate Thunder, and delivered six sword strikes of his own.

All of those sword techniques were Judgment Qilin. He freely wielded both his left hand and his right-handed sword.

Jjeojeojeojeojeong―!

Sparks that violently sprang up dyed the bodies of the two men reddish. Fragments of kinetic energy, formed by leg strength energy, shot up in all directions.

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader stepped forward through those sparks. While the distance between him and Jeong Yeon-shin rapidly decreased, a powerful wind burst forth from Winter Dream, which was pressed against Remaining Thunder’s blade. It was the aftermath of sword energy.

Kwak.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s foot created a deep furrow as he was pushed back. Even with Ultimate Thunder’s power overflowing throughout his body, this was the result. It was befitting of someone counted among the few in the Sima unorthodox path capable of handling the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader.

In the midst of such a power struggle, the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader opened his mouth.

“If you were to stop me here, this cursedly vast land of Hangzhou would face a major upheaval. It would be like the Dark Heaven Emperor, who has suddenly entered the Dragon Summoning Ritual Formation, losing his only diamond armor. How many sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects have headed here, prioritizing their own affairs like a disorganized rabble?”

“What do you intend to do with a rain dragon?”

Jeong Yeon-shin asked, exhaling the pure white breath of Fan Dragon Flower Treading Technique. The whitish film-covered eyes of the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader drew a smile.

“A more chaotic era.”

“……”

“I don’t know about Cho Yeol, but that’s what I want. For this vast world to be enriched with stories.”

Despite pushing back Remaining Thunder with a sword held in one hand, his breathing remained undisturbed. The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader continued slowly.

“A sword is originally an object that rises in achievement when it splashes blood. Strong individuals diverse enough to serve as touchstones for me to reach the next realm… sadly, under the imperial family’s oppression, which keeps martial artists at a distance, there can’t be many. Even though the Martial Ultimate is a major affair acknowledged by the entire martial world.”

“You’re a useless martial father who serves no purpose in the world.”

Jeong Yeon-shin said dryly as he drove his back foot into the ground.

“I won’t deny it.”

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader drew a faint arc with the corner of his mouth.

“I’m ruined. Have been for a very long time.”

Jeong Yeon-shin vaguely sensed it. The dense and convoluted time reflected in his opponent’s voice. But it was not something he could do anything about.

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader was a person who sought satisfaction by dissolving such years into martial arts, while conversely, Jeong Yeon-shin was a mayfly struggling to dissolve his life into a long time.

From the moment he began to face those who had become formidable through decades of training.

Jeong Yeon-shin had been dissolving the inferiority complex deeply engraved in his bones into futile thoughts like monkeys or stones.

Even after obtaining the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword from underground, such fundamental feelings had not been resolved. He had merely encountered a path that offered some comfort.

“Lucky b*st*rd.”

He momentarily put strength into his supporting foot and kicked with Shameful Night Leg Technique. His toes stood on end like a blade as they sliced through the air.

Bang!

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, who had stepped on Jeong Yeon-shin’s foot to block the leg technique, snickered.

“Why is your leg technique school so sharp? It’s as if you’ve trained through many sleepless nights.”

That was the beginning.

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, slightly leaning his upper body forward, slid his sword downward and dove in close. With the momentum to brush past Jeong Yeon-shin’s side along with the blade. Jeong Yeon-shin pulled his foot back and circled around to the side.

Jjeojeojeojeojeong! Kwang! Kwang!

The forms of the two men crossed like rays of light.

The blue light emanating from Winter Dream and the milky Remaining Thunder collided repeatedly. Wide and heavy shockwaves burst forth in several layers, and the ground continuously sank as if a meteorite had fallen.

Hundreds of sword strikes fell and were etched in the void before one could even blink.

Jeong Yeon-shin felt a strange sensation amidst the sword light that rushed in like a typhoon. It was as if he were facing dozens of swordsmen at once.

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s sword strikes would be fierce, then bend gently to tear his forearm, or would flicker before his eyes like an illusion without strength, only to suddenly spew out a tremendous gale that deflected Remaining Thunder.

Illusion Sword, Variation Strike, Void Strike, Strong Sword, Spinning Strike, Neutralizing Force…

All sorts of techniques existed within a single person. Even for Jeong Yeon-shin, it was hard to believe this was just one man. This was because the nature of each sword strike was completely different.

But Jeong Yeon-shin wasn’t just being pushed back.

Basically, when the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader’s sword path, so swift it looked like light rather than a sword, unraveled like a ball of thread, Jeong Yeon-shin would cut through the chain technique with Radiant Sword Like Phosphorus and engrave a sword mark on his waist.

When the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, who had retreated a distance of ten steps in an instant, delivered a slash, Jeong Yeon-shin would rush in with Heaven Cascade’s thrust and shatter the sword energy.

Puhwak!

Then he allowed a strike to his upper body. The opponent had prepared a counterattack. A sword mark diagonally crossing from his chest to his waist. Fortunately, it was shallow.

Jeong Yeon-shin fixed his gaze on his opponent, flashing pure white eye light.

He could see the mouth shape of the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader.

‘Completely entranced.’

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t mind. His techniques were as stable as the directions of the Eight Trigrams completed in Taoism. Even at the moment of receiving a strike, he was able to step with Radiant Wing Step and burst the ground.

Kugugugugung!

Once again, a long rock jutted up from beneath the feet of the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader as he was delivering sword strikes. Jeong Yeon-shin was unconsciously wielding even earth manipulation like a technique.

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, who had jumped far back, burst into hearty laughter.

Though taking a rock with his body would be nothing, he seemed to be wary of Remaining Thunder that might rush in during the slight moment his balance was disrupted.

And.

There were presences closing in from all directions.

Not only Desolate Divine Spear Yue Shou-lin, who was familiar to Jeong Yeon-shin, but also a presence flying from a great distance like a meteor with tremendous momentum. Judging by the transcendently heavy quality, it was Divine Monk Beomheo.

Besides them, Lady Lu Xian’s Dark Fragrance Step, which even the current Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t detect unless at close range, and the lightness techniques of supreme masters to whom he couldn’t spare his energy sense right now, were all being deployed.

“I suppose I should show my hand.”

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader said, shaking his head like a gambler at a mahjong table.

“While you fight without regard for your body, I am by nature a cursed Sima unorthodox path member, so I value my own well-being immensely. A safe Martial Ultimate is my creed.”

Just after that, the moment he casually stamped the ground with one foot.

Woong―

A concentric circle spread out from beneath his shabby straw sandals.

It was instantaneous.

The ground in front, behind, to the sides of Jeong Yeon-shin-in all directions-turned pale yellow.

The ripples that had initially been faintly colored filled the surroundings with dozens of formless swords in an instant, which soon multiplied like clouds until they formed a sea of swords too numerous to count.

Wuuung―

The sound of buzzing bees.

Each one seemed to have its own substance. The sunlight pouring from the sky was refracted and bent from all directions. It would be no exaggeration to say that everything was filled with light.

This too was a transcendent sight.

All those swords belonged to a single person. The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader stood on a cloud formed of formless swords. His elegant posture holding the azure Winter Dream pointed downward.

“……”

Jeong Yeon-shin, while controlling the Ultimate Thunder energy that was now churning as if about to split his body open, felt the momentum emanating from his opponent. A sheepish smile formed on the lips of the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader.

[I won the battle of wits. Well, actually, it doesn’t take much time for me to unfold my life-saving ultimate technique like this. It’s because a thousand swords already dwell in my heart.]

Spirituality overflowed. A mysterious energy that greatly enhances the power of true energy.

The intent of the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader spread through the air.

[Looking at the end of the sword, I need to unfold all the techniques I’ve learned in a single move, but one sword isn’t enough. It must be the limit of my talent.]

“Transcendent Martial Art?”

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been staring at him intently, asked.

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader nodded.

[As you can see. Heaven Filling Sword Sea. The name of the life-saving ultimate technique that will send you to the Sanzu River.]

“…There’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

[I’ll listen to anything under twenty words.]

“If there’s a person who has learned only two martial arts in their lifetime, could they achieve Transcendent Martial Art by combining just those two divine skills?”

Jeong Yeon-shin asked quietly. The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, who had been counting his words while nodding, flashed a smile.

[It depends on the depth. Martial arts are relative, but Transcendent Martial Art is absolutely dependent on oneself. As is widely known, the essence is to embody all the martial arts one has learned in a single move.]

At those words, Jeong Yeon-shin nodded for the first time.

“I can’t achieve it then.”

[This is getting interesting. Why do you think so?]

“For me, every moment is martial arts. The number of techniques endlessly increases.”

[Ah…..]

The Heaven Conquering Sect Leader sighed with a smile.

[The fate of a heaven-sent grandmaster. It’s regrettable but a very special form of limitation.]

Jeong Yeon-shin silently gazed at him without answering.

For all peerless masters, there existed layered time. The stream created by the alternating sun and moon, which all those born as humans inevitably possess. A dazzling life unfolding under the sun and moon.

As he cut through the purple martial world, he had felt a despair seeping in like rainwater. It was due to martial arts that kept growing and multiplying even without conscious effort.

Heaven had bestowed an unsuitable quality on a mayfly. The Five Origins Return to One, which could only be completed by fully embodying one’s entire life, and Transcendent Martial Art were realms not permitted to Jeong Yeon-shin personally.

But he had realized before the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword.

That he too had something comparable to others’ time.

None other than the connections he had formed with various people. The time of those who had brushed sleeves with Jeong Yeon-shin as an aggregate of years, the history of hearts that they had poured out to him, had taken root in the young grandmaster’s martial arts.

One is a person’s life.

Two combined become the lifespans of two people.

Beyond three, it’s unknowable. His current limit is up to two.

That was Jeong Yeon-shin’s version of Transcendent Martial Art. Though severely inferior as a human being, what he possessed was not lacking. Through Taoist Three Peak’s taiji, he had entered his own form of unity.

It was the greatest opportunity.

The cradle of martial arts that would bind together all the connections Jeong Yeon-shin had obtained.

‘Radiant Taiji.’

The taiji that Taoist Three Peak had engraved with the serpent’s body drew a massive circle in his mind’s eye.

A youth who died prematurely at his father’s hands while holding a folded White Crane Fan, and a young swordsman who met his end according to his own will, both mixed into it like smoke.

In that moment, the fan and the treasured sword folded into a straight line in Jeong Yeon-shin’s black pupils. Simultaneously, a dragon with a fan in its mouth overlapped with the flow of Ultimate Thunder extending from his waist to his shoulder and right arm.

[Your prayer is extraordinary. I too have prepared my ultimate technique, so let’s settle this now.]

Srung.

The moment the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader lifted his foot from the metal.

Finally, formless spirituality began to overflow from outside Jeong Yeon-shin’s body. The air hummed and cried. The name of a technique that amounted to just one phrase flowed out like a ship’s horn.

[Enter the Path and Transcend Together.]

A space where every direction rippled with blades.

Jeong Yeon-shin slightly moved the arm holding Remaining Thunder and took a step forward. And he sensed it.

It would reach.

To his own perception, his movement was slow as if swimming through space, but in reality, it was similar in speed to the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader, who was now pouring dozens of swords from eight directions with all sorts of master-level subtleties, unleashing sword strikes so fast that even he himself could barely fathom them.

He could even clearly see, albeit slowly, the whitish film-covered eyes widening up and down.

‘With this, I can.’

Jeong Yeon-shin drew Remaining Thunder sideways along the straight line etched in his vision.

‘Contend with your years.’

The trajectory he drew immediately crossed the sea of countless swords created by the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader and transformed into a single horizon line.

Kugugugugugugung―!!

In the midst of heavy thunder and waves of light, one arm shot up.