Chapter 480 – Ultimate Wickedness (5)

Jeong Yeon-shin closed his eyes briefly.

In the midst of his entire body becoming exhausted from repeated fierce battles, sharp pain like needles piercing every acupoint throughout his body began to set in.

The sword strike that had pulled Divine Monk Beomheo out from some unknown place had been the finishing touch.

While resonating dharma power with traces of Transcendent Martial Art, he had delivered Remaining Thunder downward with all his strength.

A technique that could not succeed even if he attempted it again through training. His body’s interior was completely devastated.

In the midst of this.

Swish.

Warmth was transmitted from Lady Lu Xian’s gentle touch. Deep warmth filled the hair at the back of his head. It felt as if the complex emotions in his mind were melting away.

He slightly lowered his head. Immediately his gaze met with Lady Lu Xian’s, and he saw her smile deepen purely.

‘Ah.’

Reality set in.

It was just after the great battle had ended.

They said that even warriors of Desolate Fortress belonging to different military units, who had never fought together even once, would feel camaraderie after battle.

For Jeong Yeon-shin, Lady Lu Xian, and Divine Monk Beomheo, it went without saying. They had exchanged life-saving favors several times on this battlefield alone.

‘The connections that the Abbot spoke of…’

Jeong Yeon-shin quietly met eyes with Lady Lu Xian for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“Will you be able to support yourself?”

“No.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m joking.”

The Mount Hua Sect Leader who chuckled descended from Jeong Yeon-shin’s embrace.

The mental technique she had mastered was a divine skill secret technique known throughout the world. Just catching her breath for a moment was more than enough to gather the energy needed for Walking on Level Water.

Splash.

Lady Lu Xian, who had lightly stepped on the river water, smiled.

“Your embrace was firm yet very comfortable.”

“I’m glad.”

“You seem to have built your muscles in a completely different way from our sect’s swordsmen who mainly learn transformation techniques, yet it doesn’t seem like you’d be unable to glimpse the mysteries of illusion swords or transformation techniques. Your body itself is strange, I’d say.”

“It must be thanks to utilizing voluntary transformation at my will. I couldn’t just stand by and watch.”

“Hm…?”

Her eyelashes rose slightly, but Jeong Yeon-shin had already turned his head toward Divine Monk Beomheo, who stood silently beside them.

‘Lady is certainly not in perfect condition.’

He thought. Lady Lu Xian’s energy sense had become dull enough that she couldn’t feel the state of the old monk right beside her.

When pulling Divine Monk Beomheo from that unknown space earlier, he had felt emptiness. The old master’s body was hollow.

Rather than a body overflowing with overwhelming power like a Boddhidharma of Buddhism, it was in a state where the energy meaning internal energy and essence meaning the body among spirit, energy, and body were extremely depleted.

Unable to recover.

Literally without the strength to rise again as a martial artist. Considering the size of the flood dragon that had resembled a natural disaster, it was truly natural if natural.

It was just difficult to imagine the powerless appearance of Divine Monk Beomheo. The Transcendent Martial Art of the current Shaolin Abbot had been that transcendent.

‘What’s fortunate at least…’

Jeong Yeon-shin glanced at the old monk still treading on water. His appearance of leisurely maintaining Walking on Level Water with his hands behind his back as if nothing was wrong.

It must be thanks to the internal energy remaining in his lower dantian still surpassing the achievements of martial artists who had made considerable names for themselves.

In reality, it would be difficult for him to even open his mouth.

—Abbot.

[Yes, hearing the warm conversation of you young people, I realize this place is truly this shore and not the other shore. You have… truly saved this old body.]

Wisdom Light Heart Speech came back as an answer. This was because the spirit in the Shaolin Abbot’s mind, honed over a lifetime, remained intact.

The other shore that Divine Monk Beomheo mentioned meant the world of nirvana, while this shore meant this world.

[Originally my whole body should have been crushed… I was actually on the verge of that happening. I dare to declare on behalf of Shaolin that our temple has received a great favor.]

Intent with a hint of humor followed. Jeong Yeon-shin felt that Divine Monk Beomheo was deliberately pretending to be at ease.

This was because the man holding a great sword right before their eyes was silently staring at Jeong Yeon-shin and Lady Lu Xian. Only the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader was close to full strength in this place.

“……”

The silent gaze of the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader swept over Jeong Yeon-shin, then shifted to Lady Lu Xian again. All those gazes carried weight.

Lady Lu Xian did not avoid his eyes. But it wasn’t an appearance of boldly meeting them either.

It was closer to the look of pitifully regarding a childhood friend who had become a street thug.

“You… have tortured your soul.”

She said in a low voice. Then she swayed briefly before grasping Jeong Yeon-shin’s shoulder with a rustle to support herself.

The body fragrances of the two mixed. Their distance was closer than ever before.

The Tyrant Sword Sect Leader remained silent. His extremely indifferent expression didn’t change at all, but Jeong Yeon-shin thought he saw the man’s eyes move with extreme subtlety.

Beside them, Divine Monk Beomheo was quietly observing that sight.

“I am still…”

Only after a breath of time had passed did the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader slowly open his mouth.

“Not sufficiently worn down.”

Those were his final words.

He stepped on the water surface with a splash and turned around in place. Though he still held his great sword, the fierce momentum no longer flowed from the somewhat dull-looking blade.

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly recalled Divine Monk Beomheo’s words.

—Connection overcomes natural disasters and even moves calamities…

“You.”

Jeong Yeon-shin called out to him. The Tyrant Sword Sect Leader’s body hesitated.

“Do you still have some revenge left in you?”

“Desolate Fortress Purple.”

The Tyrant Sword Sect Leader’s voice fell heavily onto the water surface. He asked Jeong Yeon-shin back without even turning around.

“How about you?”

The person who had been the origin of everything posed a question.

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly recalled the bloody smell that had filled the Jeong family estate on the day he realized his lifespan.

Many events had accumulated since that day, but at the very bottom lay the annihilation of the Jeong family estate.

He did not hesitate in his answer.

“I have a great cause remaining.”

“……”

“Even if I someday cut off your neck, on that day I won’t be the third son of the Jeong family.”

He remembered the purple lanterns that had rippled under the dark night sky. The voice of the Emperor who had called him ‘the nation’s sword’ also flashed through his mind.

Born in the Jeong family estate and raised in Desolate Fortress, he had reached this point. Countless comrades had supported him.

He was indeed purple.

“…You too now.”

The Tyrant Sword Sect Leader continued in a low voice.

“Are worthy of cutting the Desolate Fortress Lord’s life thread.”

“You’re barking nonsense.”

“Come when your body is intact. I’ll accept a duel.”

With those words, the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader’s form became blurry in place, then kicked off the water surface with a bang and shot up into the void.

Immediately, with a roar, tall water sprays spread in all directions, and the human shadow that had instantly become a dot disappeared beyond the sky.

Whoooooosh!

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had taken the waves together with Lady Lu Xian, immediately turned to Divine Monk Beomheo. It was while extending his left arm to support the old monk’s body.

“Why didn’t he lay hands on you, Abbot? He must have known it was an opportunity to take your life.”

[He considered it shameful to raise his sword against a Shaolin Abbot who had squeezed out all his strength. Despite appearances, he was a prince of a fallen kingdom.]

“When my family was annihilated, even the servants were slaughtered.”

[That’s why he’s a Sima unorthodox path member. Their standards of life are different from ours. There’s no need to deeply try to understand them.]

When that fellow was in his prime, there was no choice but to smash his skull to enlighten him.

Divine Monk Beomheo’s additional words continued peacefully. Wisdom Light Heart Speech seemed to burden his body less than speaking with his voice.

“In any case.”

Jeong Yeon-shin briefly removed his hands from the two, then alternately raised cupped fist salutes toward them.

“Thanks to you both, we completely drove away the flood dragon, so I hope we can arrange a meeting someday to share our hearts.”

Lady Lu Xian’s lips drew a crescent.

“I think I mentioned it. That I’d make bath water by dissolving Purple Dawn Divine Skill’s medicinal ingredients…”

At her words, Divine Monk Beomheo smiled faintly.

[Mount Song will wait for you.]

Jeong Yeon-shin expressed his gratitude with a bow.

“Let’s meet again at Divine Physician’s estate, the Mu Family Estate in Hangzhou. I have matters I need to look into…”

“That Ming Cult Leader and blood demon?”

Lady Lu Xian asked back. Jeong Yeon-shin nodded slightly.

“I have deep debts with both sides.”

“It did seem that way, but…”

Her words trailed off.

Splash.

Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin stepped back several paces, worried that the propulsion energy waves of lightness technique might adversely affect them.

The current Shaolin Abbot and Mount Hua Sect Leader had expended that much energy.

“It won’t take long. Please take care of yourselves until we meet again.”

“Yeon-shin.”

“Yes, Lady.”

“A gentleman’s revenge is not too late even after ten years… The old saying goes that a gentleman’s revenge is not too late even after counting ten years. Whatever tricks the Ming Cult Leader may play, don’t overdo it. You must look after your body.”

“A gentleman, ten years…”

For a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin’s colorless eye light trembled slightly.

Soon after, as if he hadn’t heard Lady Lu Xian’s words, he slightly bowed his head, then immediately stepped on Remaining Thunder’s snow-white blade and flew up with a whoosh.

Somewhat unstable sword flight.

But the speed was tremendously fast, befitting the known nature of Desolate Day Extinction. In an instant, he became a blurred dot and mixed into the gaps between clouds.

Belatedly, from a distance, an old beggar with nine knots tied at his waist came running toward Divine Monk Beomheo and Lady Lu Xian.

His sprint that didn’t create a single ripple on the water surface was remarkable.

It was Beggar Sect Leader Divine Beggar.

Earlier, judging that confronting the flood dragon in the realm of Void Extinction Sutra would become a burden to the group, he had been preparing for when he might inevitably need to intervene.

This was because the sword wound that the Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword had left deep in Divine Beggar’s abdomen was still eating away at his skin.

“That, that must not be sent away!”

Because of this, he was late.

Jeong Yeon-shin had already completely left Zhejiang.

Divine Beggar’s cry scattered futilely over the calmed Zhejiang.

* * *

It was a single letter.

[One. Winter’s Beginning of the 72nd year of Jianling, the Emperor’s death. The Three Great Imperial Masters transported Emperor Qian-ling’s body to the Forbidden City.

Two. The Fighting God of the north is known to have engaged in a life-and-death battle with the Emperor who personally campaigned, and his whereabouts afterward are mysterious.

Three. Many Yao tribe masters are heading south.

Four. Upon encountering giants with distorted faces carrying crescent blades and large axes, flee immediately.

Five. The following concerns the events in Hangzhou.

—Around Lesser Snow of the 72nd year of Qian-ling, a flood dragon manifested in Hangzhou. The Shaolin Abbot, Mount Hua Sect Leader, and Desolate Fortress’s Lotus Nezha repelled it. The Shaolin Abbot judged that ‘remnants of Dark Heaven Emperor’ would remain, and martial artists from some prestigious great sects including Qingcheng Sect are tracking Dark Heaven Emperor’s final spirit projection.

—The whereabouts of both of Desolate Fortress’s Twin Purples are unknown. Contact immediately upon determining the locations of the Divine Sword Group Leader and Lotus Nezha.

—Clash between Invincible Yelu Zhen and the Blood Flame Cult’s enemy. Their traces suddenly vanished together with Lotus Nezha.

—Confirmed that Bewitching Sword Demon Baek Mi-ryeo has inherited the current Ming Cult Leader’s teachings. Fled after shaking off pursuit by Desolate Divine Hero Hyeon Won-chang and Blood Radiance Successor Shin So-bin. She has certainly entered demonic possession, but since she’s someone Lotus Nezha cherishes greatly, never speak of it publicly.

I add: Do not act rashly.]

The writing was dense with urgency and concern. The final strokes of the characters didn’t even finish flying before connecting to the next character.

“Master is also overly worried.”

Crack.

A young beggar burned the letter while laughing. His shabby-looking face was full of grease, and the six knots tied at his waist symbolized a rather noble status in the rivers and lakes.

Beggar Sect’s Six-Knot Disciple.

Successor Beggar.

[TL Note- Successor Beggar was previously translated as Elder Beggar.]

Swish.

He slightly contorted the area above his lips, which were filled with many scars. There wasn’t a single intact part due to being struck by Desolate Day Extinction’s Myriad Flowers Rain at Golden Wing Sect.

“This disciple will naturally handle things well.”

He sat in the middle of a very noisy inn, but no sound flowed toward him. This was because he had set up an energy barrier.

“Is this really what the Sect Leader sent? The handwriting is so messy that I need confirmation.”

Successor Beggar asked the woman of the same age sitting across from him.

She was similarly shabby-looking but was a Four-Knot Disciple of Beggar Sect. She was also talented enough to be recognized throughout the sect for delivering the Dragon Head Sect Leader’s letters.

The Four-Knot Disciple chuckled.

“The information is big, isn’t it?”

“It’s not just big, this is…”

Successor Beggar swallowed his words.

And he felt his inner heart inevitably becoming petty.

He had confirmed information that would shake the entire martial world and more, but what remained in his mind was news about Radiant Demon Wing’s Bewitching Sword Demon. The debts of jianghu people were this thick and sticky.

‘There’s much to gain. I could sell it for a high price too.’

Acting directly based on this information would be foolish.

He could sell it at an expensive price to those targeting Baek Mi-ryeo, those who held grudges against Desolate Day Extinction.

Damaging Desolate Fortress’s honor was of course included.

“There are great sects that have become particularly close to Desolate Fortress. Mount Hua, the Tang Family, Emei, Shaolin… There’s no need to specifically mention Zhongnan. In my view, they’re all places that have formed friendships with Desolate Day Extinction.”

“Successor Beggar, surely…?”

“I’m thinking of doing something that would greatly help our sect.”

Those with connections to Desolate Fortress Purple were like chicken ribs. Very dangerous yet equally valuable.

Successor Beggar smiled and began muttering about plans not yet concrete.

“No matter how tolerant Desolate Fortress may be toward the temperament of martial lineages, Invincible’s teachings have crossed the line. Because of what he’s done. An incident of this magnitude could even be connected to Jeong Yeon-shin’s niece…”

Suddenly, the body of the Four-Knot Disciple sitting across from him disappeared.

Crack!

A grayish hand blade struck down on Successor Beggar’s head. In an instant, the sound of his skull being crushed scattered through the surrounding energy barrier.

The Four-Knot Disciple, who had somehow appeared behind Successor Beggar, raised her hand soaked with blood.

“You should know when to stop.”

She muttered.

“Master Jeong must now choose to support either the Crown Prince or King Qiong-ming.”

She wasn’t a Four-Knot Disciple of Beggar Sect.

One of the Imperial Masters who had come down after failing the northern campaign.

The contents of the letter were true, but it wasn’t communication written and sent directly by the Dragon Head Sect Leader. It had been created to judge the reactions of those who held grudges against Jeong Yeon-shin.

She had worn a human skin mask and deceived Successor Beggar. It was a dharma treasure crafted with precious sorcery martial arts, and similar events were happening in various places at this moment.

All converging toward Jeong Yeon-shin.

[TL Note- why did I even bother correcting the Successor Beggar’s name only to last less than half a chapter.]