Chapter 474 – Peerless Grand Battle (9)

At one corner of the hill.

It was after a thunderous roar like thunder had swept through the surroundings.

Divine Beggar flinched slightly for a moment. He had been looking for an opening in Dark Heaven Emperor, who had finally attempted to defy heaven.

He raised his eyes upward the moment Dark Heaven Emperor mentioned ‘Three Peak.’

Thick lightning bolts were flickering in the dark clouds.

A rumbling roar struck his ears, and below it, the absolute master who had constructed a spirit projection made of bones continuously spewed resounding incantations.

A scene that could only be witnessed at the pinnacle of the world’s rivers and lakes.

‘That madman mimicking the King of Hell from the underworld…!’

The grandson of Tyrant Hero had just cut off the old monster’s life thread with an incomprehensible ultimate technique. The Dragon Head Sect Leader of the Nine Great Sects couldn’t just stand by idly.

Even though his body had slowed due to sword wounds and the Realm of Void Extinction weakening him with age.

But that was only in thought.

No opening was visible.

Even though dense energy was being cast in all directions as if martial sorcery could be unleashed toward any location at any moment.

Though he had indeed fallen victim to Dark Heaven Emperor’s Transcendent Martial Art prepared over hundreds of years, Divine Beggar’s energy sense remained intact.

He could feel the formless air currents surrounding the old monster’s body. Dozens of defensive techniques forming martial sorcery. Protective strong energy that had severed the outside from the inside of his body.

All of it reminded him of castle walls.

Even if Divine Beggar were in perfect condition, that would be difficult to breakthrough in one strike.

The Transcendent Martial Art he had mastered was body movement that could overwhelm Tyrant Hero in his prime with speed, but it was far from the tremendous strong strike that Tyrant Hero’s grandson had shown.

It could be called polar opposites. Even that was impossible to deploy due to his spirit, energy, and body being disrupted by the Realm of Void Extinction.

‘However…’

He couldn’t ask his junior to deploy Transcendent Martial Art once more.

His body would break down. Even now, he would be spending considerable time cooling down his heated acupoints and muscles. It wasn’t something a senior should hope for.

—Aren’t we pursuing a great undertaking together?

The words Jeong Yeon-shin had spoken earlier.

Dragon Head Sect Leader was also a man of the rivers and lakes. Though he had found the bloodline distasteful from their first meeting until now, he couldn’t inject personal emotions toward the purple who had discussed great causes.

It was then.

Divine Beggar suddenly kicked backward against the ground.

Whoosh!

[Understand.]

The ground he had been standing on cracked and split. It came with the low intent of Dark Heaven Emperor, who was suddenly spreading both arms from the middle of the hill.

The surrounding atmosphere crumpled semi-transparently due to the fire energy that had suddenly surged, and the heat contained in a single technique was tremendously dense.

‘He’s become even stronger…!’

Divine Beggar, who had retreated to the bottom of the hill in an instant, inwardly spat curses. That damned old monster.

If it weren’t for the presences he felt on both sides behind him, he would have considered retreat.

The new purple and the Mount Hua Sect Leader. The words of these youngsters, whose ages were vastly lower than his, pierced Divine Beggar’s ears.

It would be the last conversation before entering the earth-shaking fierce battle.

“He mixed Samadhi True Fire into his strong energy strike. The emission direction is omnidirectional. The single strike is excessively fast compared to his Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown achievement. It seems he’s laid down dharma treasures or formations that enhance attack techniques nearby, and there are omens just before deploying martial sorcery techniques. When you feel like down is touching your skin, you should step with evasive footwork.”

“That too has a pattern. If you cut the striking point, it will scatter.”

“Chain techniques and overlapping are the problems. Both won’t be impossible for that bone fragment, so unless it’s protective energy that specifically guards against internal energy melting techniques, your insides will melt. This is the same for Ming Cult Leader’s Samadhi True Fire. You need to suppress it with special steps. That’s wiser than confronting it directly.”

“Yes, I should keep that in mind. In the end, it’s a problem of distance. If you just get within thirty steps…”

“First, Lady should continue serving as the Abbot’s guardian. Soon the bone fragment’s Transcendent Martial Art will become useless and he will rise. Correcting the balance of spirit, energy, and body through meditation… I’m learning a lot as well.”

“…Yeon-shin, has your breathing become a bit easier?”

“I can move.”

“When this is over, I’ll have to see you at Mount Hua. After making bath water with Purple Dawn Divine Skill’s medicinal ingredients, I’ll send a letter to Desolate Fortress. I’ve already given word to Grandmother Yue.”

“Our main sect also has many spiritual medicines.”

“Even so, wouldn’t the immortal games of a sacred mountain like Mount Hua be different?”

Talk that sounded leisurely at first glance.

The reality was different. It was after all the energy contained in the Dragon Summoning Ritual Formation had completely disappeared. The grand method had ultimately succeeded.

It was the point where breaking techniques against the enemies’ martial arts had become important.

Wuuung—

At this moment, Jeong Yeon-shin and Lady Lu Xian were scanning each other’s bodies with their respective energy waves or lightly touching each other’s limbs’ blood vessels.

With true energy operation suited to the breaking techniques each had mentioned. Like the anecdote of Flower Shadow King Lightning Genius once passing Myriad Flowers Rain to the Tang Family Head, it was a type of technique transmission.

The conversation among the world’s prodigies was like this.

Divine Beggar, who had faintly felt those noble energy waves, unconsciously admired.

‘Yes, there’s no law saying only the old monster should prepare for battle.’

The next moment.

Suddenly, a massive wave of thunderous lightning came rolling down from the hill. An attack technique harboring the intent to check. The vicinity was dyed blue. It was Dark Heaven Emperor’s lightning imbued with tremendous internal energy.

[Cannot forget.]

Crack crack crack crack crack—!

Sparks scraping the ground and flying up in all directions. The nearby land was burned black. Jeong Yeon-shin and Lady Lu Xian, who had been behind Divine Beggar, were somehow already wielding swords with their backs to him.

While the purple and pale pink garments fluttered violently backward, the lightning tsunami that had collided with invisible sword strike impact waves subsided in place with a roar.

‘How already…?’

Admiration filled Divine Beggar’s eyes as he was stepping evasive footwork. It was because Jeong Yeon-shin’s body movement was amazing. Though he hadn’t learned blood techniques that suck blood, his recovery speed was shocking.

But this was jianghu affairs.

When good fortune comes, misfortune follows.

[Do not try to fathom me. It ended long ago.]

The roar that had been echoing across the dark sky had become close enough to touch the skin. Tremendous vibration pierced not just through the air but into their bodies. Their insides shook violently.

Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble—!

It was as if an earthquake had occurred in the atmosphere. Space shaking so greatly it could be felt through the skin.

“Step back for a moment!”

Divine Beggar shouted urgently.

‘What Dark Heaven Emperor’s Dragon Summoning Ritual is bringing down is…!’

Not just some flood dragon-level creature that some strange person in pink robes had recently killed in the southern seas.

If it were calling such a being that could still be called a spiritual creature, the unpredictable Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword wouldn’t have appeared in Hangzhou, nor would four absolute masters of the Nine Great Sects have gathered.

Dragon.

The pinnacle of all monstrous beings of incredible strength in the world.

A being that never shows itself to humans, and which even the late Sichuan’s formest figure of Golden Wing Sect, though already dead, had been desperately trying to track.

Crash! Rumble rumble rumble—!

The earth’s axis shook. The dark clouds began to rapidly swell in size. Along with them, the roar sweeping across the sky was tremendous.

The masters of Taimo Mountain Castle who had been fighting at a distance rejoiced, while Taoist Two Walls and Yue Shou-lin showed bewildered expressions as they stopped deploying their techniques.

Divine Beggar and Lady Lu Xian standing beside Jeong Yeon-shin also couldn’t hide their astonishment.

It’s coming.

Suddenly, dark shadows poured down like a curtain from beneath the thickened clouds. In an instant, all of Hangzhou darkened.

For a moment, the sky filled with dark clouds split lengthwise.

* * *

It was after the sea of clouds opened wide.

Jeong Yeon-shin began to step slowly. Even now burying the vibrations affecting his entire body into the ground.

All directions were dark.

Grayish-white clouds had been dragged down to the ground. It was as if entering an immortal realm welcoming night.

A place not permitted to humans. Perhaps where the sky that had given Jeong Yeon-shin a short-lived constitution might be looking down at the earth…

And the flood dragon.

Hissssssss—

Murky rain poured down. Along with fierce storms so intense that anyone would have difficulty keeping their eyes properly open.

While tremendous gales continuously lifted Jeong Yeon-shin’s garments, walls made of bluish scales endlessly swept through the void.

No.

Not walls.

A body so long and thick it was difficult to estimate.

Lowering its head studded with scales that sparkled like diamonds.

The sight of looking down at the earth from heaven. Though dreamlike, an even stronger presence made the rain and wind striking his face and the back of his hands feel intensely real.

A dragon was reflected in Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes.

Teeth lined up sharp as divine swords between its long snout, pupils flickering like massive obsidian, a body that continuously drew circles vaster than any city.

Its head was about half the size of a decent village.

To estimate the length of its body, one would have to think of the endless streams of the Yangtze River.

It was the same as what he had seen in the formation world opened by Golden Wing Sect Leader. The only difference was that this was not a shadow but a substantial being that reminded the purple of the jianghu with its very existence.

‘…Defying heaven.’

Such a thing shouldn’t have been visible to his eyes. They lived in different worlds.

“……”

Though Jeong Yeon-shin, about to turn eighteen, was greatly surprised inwardly, Desolate Fortress’s new purple showed none of this outwardly.

He merely continued stepping forward with an indifferent face. Toward Dark Heaven Emperor standing atop one side of the flood dragon’s long body, and toward Invincible.

Step.

He had already seen the human-faced spider in Beijing.

After that, he had donned the purple robe. Though Ma Yeon-jeok and Yong Hye-myeong had told him to take charge of the martial world made of humans, he truly couldn’t remain separate from the jianghu of monstrous beings.

Today was like that.

[Three Peak, I know you are in heaven.]

Dark Heaven Emperor wrapped in thick white windflower robe looked up at the void.

Bluish ghost fire flickered unsteadily in his pale eye sockets, while the spirit projection with bones as its true form only powerfully spread semi-transparent energy waves.

[Throughout all ages, who but you has reached true ascension? This is an extremely natural principle. But why do you remain silent…? Why have you only permitted me a flood dragon…? You cannot do this to me.]

Even his rambling intent carried an eerie weight.

Crack.

White frost formed on the flood dragon’s body where he stood. The yin energy was excessive.

The rain falling around Dark Heaven Emperor turned into thick hail as it approached him, falling with a thud thud.

Dark Heaven Emperor Cho Yeol.

‘One who has mastered the undying spirit projection.’

Calling dragons and wielding the transformations of summoning wind and rain.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought as someone who had become purple. That bone fragment first. If he prioritized Invincible here, Baek Mi-ryeo would be angry with him regardless of rank. She might not welcome him.

Rumble! Rumble rumble rumble!

It was the sound of lightning falling in the distant surroundings. An aftermath of the flood dragon’s manifestation. Massive blue light nets continuously flickered in all sorts of places, and some of them clearly illuminated areas where common people lived.

How many had already lost their lives?

“Lady.”

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly spoke. Glancing at Lady Lu Xian who was now walking beside him.

“Don’t stop me. This isn’t something to go alone.”

Her face still showed shock, but she seemed less surprised than Jeong Yeon-shin. As befitted the sect leader of one of the Nine Great Sects. Lady Lu Xian appeared very accustomed to monstrous beings.

“The Abbot is about to awaken. His energy circulation is at its peak, but without Dark Fragrance Step that can freely traverse all directions, it will be difficult to guard against surprise attacks.”

“I know. However…”

“There is a way. Please guard against the flood dragon.”

Jeong Yeon-shin looked up at the dragon that didn’t even cry out.

[……]

Heavy black light rippled in its large eyes, and a threat he had never felt before tore through his mind. His head became dizzy.

A feeling that natural disasters could occur at any moment. The true purple world were mysterious and heavy.

Was it following Dark Heaven Emperor after losing its reason to the grand method? Did it feel nothing particular toward the one who had summoned it? He didn’t know what it intended to accomplish on earth.

Jeong Yeon-shin inwardly shook his head. There was no need to know.

Whoosh—!

The next moment, he had blurred in place and was stepping on the dragon’s body. Before the flood dragon could even open its mouth. Dark Heaven Emperor, standing much higher up, came into view.

[This too is merely process.]

The incomprehensible muttering was also none of Jeong Yeon-shin’s concern. His next step split the rain and wind to both sides. Transparent water droplets flew up, and the propulsion impact waves of lightness technique Ten-Li Gentle Light formed faintly white.

Whoooosh!

Jeong Yeon-shin raced along the flood dragon’s body.

He was tremendously fast. In the time it took to blink once, he would reach Dark Heaven Emperor’s presence and more, but it was also instantaneous for Invincible to suddenly block his path. Her hair flew like black jade.

[Didn’t you have business with me?]

A habitual sneer formed on her snow-white face. And a hand that emitted semi-transparent resonance like a heartbeat.

Thump—

From Invincible’s palm thrust forward instantly, a blue light beam rose and drew a large circle. Immediately, ancient characters and patterns made of internal energy rotated like light rays, chasing their tails around that border.

Whether she too had benefited from the Realm of Void Extinction like Jeong Yeon-shin, blue lightning that had risen completely on a different time axis instantly flashed its thick body and surged outside the martial sorcery formation.

[I want to know about your Transcendent Martial Art. As the duty of Ming Cult’s master, I have the intention to formally request…]

Invincible’s intent was cut off.

It was due to the woman who suddenly soared gracefully like a bat from in front of Jeong Yeon-shin’s toes. It was a dreamlike scene.

Raindrops shimmering like starlight in the night sky from her very long black hair, a red robe cutting through the dim air with smooth texture…

Rather, innate madness oozed from her lips that drew a bright red curve.

Even without looking, he could tell.

Jeong Yeon-shin felt her face just through her presence. There was no reason to stop. He reached out while racing.

Swish.

He pressed the Seventh Apostle’s lower back.

It was the Mingmen acupoint. Beyond the slippery texture characteristic of the Pure Blood Robe, he felt the long and firmly woven erector spinae muscles as if she had learned the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique.

For a moment, something like a tremor or convulsion swept across both their skin.

‘You learned by stealing from me…?’

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyelids rose for a moment.

He poured the completed formula of Demon True Blood Technique through his palm. He was benefiting from the Realm of Void Extinction. It was instantaneous for energy waves with specific mysteries to penetrate the Seventh Apostle’s Mingmen acupoint.

Simultaneously, her waist straightened fully. Bewitching power waves deflected the raindrops. For an instant, mad laughter flowed out softly.

‘Using this to control that.’

Whoooosh—!

Jeong Yeon-shin passed both people just after positioning the Seventh Apostle in front of Invincible. The next moment, he was facing Dark Heaven Emperor.

[Do you too have an afterlife?]

The dead man wrapped in windflower robe asked, flashing blue light in his eyes. Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly felt his ears becoming muffled.

Below the blue scales where they stood.

Finally, the flood dragon was letting out a roar like thunder. Simultaneously, vibration sounds echoing like thunder from a human throat contended with that crying sound, distorting space.

Shaolin’s Lion’s Roar. Divine Monk Beomheo had finally risen. For a moment, the lower area was tinged with red light, and Lady Lu Xian’s Transcendent Martial Art also seemed about to activate.

A battlefield where the monstrous beings at the pinnacle of the rivers and lakes each revealed their prowess.

“There is no afterlife.”

Jeong Yeon-shin continued speaking slowly.

“When you die, it ends.”

[Your courage is commendable.]

Dark Heaven Emperor chuckled lowly. Was it because he had assessed his opponent’s physical condition, making it difficult to deploy Transcendent Martial Art again? The following intent contained satisfaction along with doubt.

[I asked about the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword. Your life thread is caught in my intent. Confess in detail about what you possess that shouldn’t be yours.]

He spoke as if victory and defeat had already been decided.

There was no reason to answer.

Just as Jeong Yeon-shin flashed snow-white light and recalled a certain mental image.

Wuuuuuuung!

His Baihui acupoint began to vibrate intensely. There was only one martial art to deploy at this point. He had thought about it several times already.

Divine Skill Secret Technique.

Fan Dragon Flower Treading Formula.

‘Upper dantian energy circulation…’

His body was of a different caliber than before.

‘Flood dragon.’

Jeong Yeon-shin firmly stomped his heel in place. For a moment, the mental image of a divine dragon holding a fan in its mouth fell from his head to his toes, then took root in the dragon’s body like lightning.

Thump—

The falling rain suddenly stopped in mid-air.