Chapter 514 – Sunset (5)

Form Shifting Void.

The peerless supreme technique that Invincible, the Ming Cult Leader, used as his life-saving method. Deploying it properly once required countless preparations, and moving to a specific destination required twice as much effort.

For Jeong Yeon-shin, it was a technique of love and hate.

Quite a long time had passed since someone like a sister had been taken away. Moreover, contrary to when he lost Baek Mi-ryeo like that, today he had protected Xiangyang.

Originally it wasn’t a season permitted to Jeong Yeon-shin.

Of course, he had long since penetrated its internal energy operation. But without the enlightenment to fully manifest the mysteries of Form Shifting Void—that is, without the intent and incantations.

Naturally, like the Unorthodox Path’s Finest Sword or Dark Heaven Emperor, he couldn’t step foot wherever he desired.

Just as Jeong Yeon-shin and Invincible couldn’t deploy Lady Lu Xian’s Plum Blossom Sword Technique or Divine Monk Beomheo’s Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm stroke for stroke.

‘Just…’

Jeong Yeon-shin could only follow along when enemies attempted sublime escapes.

The energy waves they left like stains in space.

The method was to insert his sword into those faint mists, then activate the internal energy techniques of Form Shifting Void.

Naturally, enemies who had been confident of escape quite often displayed shock just from that.

But it wasn’t enough.

Just as the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader had once drawn the sword paths of Form Shifting Void while lamenting about luck, Jeong Yeon-shin too couldn’t always succeed with sword strikes that followed in reverse.

That’s why he had entered closed-door cultivation.

For a brief time, he had refined those sword techniques in the city of World Tree.

Jeong Yeon-shin had become quite accustomed to clumsily imitating those superior to himself.

With the World Tree Lord’s permission, he had united with World Tree’s energy sense to look down upon Xiangyang only after that closed-door cultivation.

The sword strikes of a mayfly who had trained like various monkeys thus leaped across distant paths in an instant with the sensation of encompassing World Tree’s trunk. From Jiangsu Province to Hubei Province in one breath.

[Right, with that level you can truly come with me. You’re better than that Ma family brat.]

This was Shin Cheon-hwa’s reaction after hearing the entire story.

Jeong Yeon-shin remained silent. But a gentleman’s silence typically meant acknowledgment.

Rustle.

Simultaneously, Shin Cheon-hwa’s jet-black hair rose long like bursting into laughter, then settled down.

A scene proving peerless Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown. Her body’s true energy followed her mind without the slightest time difference.

Soon after, her lips opened again.

[In any case… no matter how much the world’s jianghu finds Desolate Fortress disagreeable, there has never been such a war before the main castle. At least until I died… hmm, at this point we can understand without looking around further. The nation has fallen into chaos.]

Jeong Yeon-shin nodded while observing her energy wave fluctuations.

“Yes, it’s chaotic times. And also a year of famine.”

Suddenly, jet-black eye light flickered in Shin Cheon-hwa’s eyes.

[Come to think of it, even the earth energy is extraordinary… You’ve worked hard. Both you and the main castle warriors under your command.]

Soon her gaze turned to one side.

Yue Shou-lin, who had somehow shouldered the defenseless Sea Overflow Fist Heaven like a bundle on both shoulders. After striking his acupoints with palm techniques while he had been bound to the ground.

Sea Overflow Fist Heaven was letting his large frame hang limply like literally a prisoner of war. If Yue Shou-lin had been even slightly shorter, his toes would have scraped the ground.

[Our Shou-lin has improved greatly in martial arts. She even knows how to subdue such a fellow.]

It seems like yesterday when she ran away from home as a youngster. As soon as Shin Cheon-hwa concluded with a voice filled with laughter, Yue Shou-lin suddenly asked.

“You’re leaving forever, aren’t you?”

[Right, we purples have matters to discuss together.]

Shin Cheon-hwa nodded and suddenly showed a mischievous expression.

[If you’re frustrated, try creating a decent life-saving method yourself. Looking at your current physical condition in a good sense, it’s extraordinary—you might easily last another hundred years. You’ll live longer than me.]

These were words casually discussing Transcendent Martial Art.

But Yue Shou-lin’s expression remained calm.

A face Jeong Yeon-shin was seeing for the first time. At this moment, Desolate Divine Spear truly seemed like an old jianghu veteran accustomed to farewells, and perhaps because such an appearance was unfamiliar to Shin Cheon-hwa as well, she was slightly widening her eyes.

Yue Shou-lin handed Sea Overflow Fist Heaven over to two Law Enforcement Squad masters who had hurriedly approached her and said.

“You know it’s difficult. A spear thrust that stops halfway through its advance.”

The two warriors in blue and white respectively showed awkward courtesy to Shin Cheon-hwa and emotions toward Jeong Yeon-shin that couldn’t be fully expressed through eye light alone, then quickly turned and left like lightning.

Whoosh!

In the reverse wind created by their lightness techniques, Shin Cheon-hwa’s garment edges fluttered in purple.

[Are the latter half ultimate techniques of Yue Family Spear still your lingering attachment?]

“Of course.”

Yue Shou-lin answered naturally and extended her hand toward Jeong Yeon-shin.

Void Grasping. The energy released from her grasp pulled the spear, and Jeong Yeon-shin obediently let go of the flag he had created.

As soon as she caught it, Yue Shou-lin planted it in the ground.

Thud!

The ground shook violently.

Some jianghu people who had been slowly retreating from Xiangyang’s marketplace in the distance flinched. The girl wearing black robes also possessed temperament similar to the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader.

The scene where dust hazily rising from the planted spear shaft blurred the outlines between Yue Shou-lin’s body lines and Desolate Fortress’s main gate.

They were one and the same.

It was the same when Yue Shou-lin opened her lips again.

“About one period would be enough for me to replace the Acting Group Leader and more. Since I won’t answer even if called from now on, don’t waste time in useless places.”

[Right, there was once a prophecy that your spear would replace the main castle’s flag.]

The farewells of long-standing Desolate Fortress warriors were accomplished with such simplicity.

Rustle.

The purple-robed woman turned completely toward Jeong Yeon-shin.

[I’m curious if my guess is correct. From what I hear, it seems even the Administrative Office’s communications don’t reach the current main castle purples.]

At her words, Jeong Yeon-shin immediately recalled his maternal grandfather’s letter.

—The Yong family and this old man will exterminate the inhuman things, so you oppress the world.

As those words said.

Even while the main castle faced repeated crises, Ma Yeon-jeok and Yong Hye-myeong never appeared.

If even a little news of the main castle had reached their ears, the martial jianghu would have witnessed something completely different in today’s Desolate Fortress Annihilation Great War.

None other than the sight of Jeong Yeon-shin with Yong Hye-myeong and Ma Yeon-jeok standing side by side while fluttering purple long robes.

Recently, Divine Monk Beomheo had also told Jeong Yeon-shin similar things.

Words about living in the human jianghu. Naturally, the foundation of such stories lay in the sacrifices of seniors… Because beyond the ‘gates’ that even spirit creatures’ wingbeats couldn’t reach was the domain of Desolate Fortress’s Elder Council and the Nine Great Sects’ masters.

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke slowly.

“…They said we can no longer hope for help from previous generation seniors. The main castle’s Administrative Office is also treating them as outside the main force and handling all affairs.”

He had even placed Yong Hye-myeong among the previous generation seniors and inwardly thought “oops.” It was naturally sincere, but it wasn’t something to say before the main castle’s great senior.

[That would be so. Even the Fortress Lord probably cannot accurately gauge their position.]

Shin Cheon-hwa actually seemed unconcerned. Whether her nerves had originally been dull as an iron rod, or had become so through all sorts of sublime battles was unknown.

She had only been amplifying the energy waves she had raised since mentioning Ma Yeon-jeok, like drum sounds.

Wuuung!

It was a precursor to Form Shifting Void.

[Once you step inside the gates to deal with monsters and demons, you become isolated in that land as if your body were immersed in the immortal realm. Even spirit creature grandfathers would find it difficult to locate them, not just spirit creatures. Yet cutting through gates with human martial arts is a difficult task.]

It was a passage that inevitably brought the Zhongnan Sword Immortal to mind. The old swordsman who had cut through Zhongnan Mountain’s gate and passed away.

But instead of speaking about him, Jeong Yeon-shin asked about the immediate urgent matter.

“The time you mentioned is almost up. Is your body alright?”

[Ah.]

Thud—

Suddenly Shin Cheon-hwa’s lips curved upward as she stomped her foot in place.

[I actually have more time than originally estimated.]

Simultaneously, a dense light source moved beneath her feet.

Wuuuuuuuuung!

It instantly separated into several streams of blue light, then moved with the spirited brushwork of a calligrapher, drawing a large circle.

Characters presumed to be from ancient times and strange patterns filled that perimeter in an instant.

[Your dharma power. I don’t know how you cultivated it, but it’s currently holding together this original spirit that was about to scatter. Without you, there wouldn’t have been time to look for that Ma family youngster.]

Shin Cheon-hwa, who had slightly lowered her eyelids.

The former Divine Sword Group Leader was completely immersed in a single technique.

Color returned to Jeong Yeon-shin’s face, who had been inwardly giving up. Even though he had declared victory earlier, he had still experienced the deaths of main castle comrades.

From the moment he began being called ‘Master Jeong,’ he had long since lost much of the place where he could completely rest his heart. At this moment, Yong Hye-myeong’s advice felt urgent.

‘In the situation of leading Desolate Fortress alone…’

What should he do now and how?

He had established Desolate Fortress’s prestige, but the post-war situation remained with massive damage.

In what direction should the main castle’s organization that had experienced war be changed? His master, the Desolate Fortress Lord, would remain in World Tree’s city for some time due to her long journey.

[Ah, right.]

Then Shin Cheon-hwa lowered one hand diagonally.

[To enjoy watching that fellow’s expression in various ways, it would be better to take this along.]

Suddenly dust was sucked into her grasp.

Saaaa—

The dust that gathered like mist in her palm soon condensed into a jade-like form.

On its surface, the scenery of Desolate Fortress’s main gate was faintly shimmering, and even Jeong Yeon-shin’s appearance existed there.

It was the scene from when the Desolate Great War began.

[Lucky. I roughly captured it all.]

Shin Cheon-hwa muttered with a satisfied face. Truly a transcendent appearance. At this moment, she was like a mountain god who had scraped together the memories of earth.

Incomparably more than the Zhuge Family Head that Jeong Yeon-shin had once encountered.

Soon after, she spoke. Now time was the issue.

[Sorcery martial arts begin with true words and end with true words. Generally, the martial arts you’ve learned manifest their abilities when the mental images of incantations fill the inside of your body… but sorcery martial arts require that intent to flow outside into the world. Troublesomely.]

Two people standing on the circular formation rotating with blue light.

[To accomplish great things, conditions must be met. Luck and inevitability must be mixed. And the condition for finding Ma Yeon-jeok here is…]

Shin Cheon-hwa’s words continued.

[From now on, if that Ma family youngster calls your name even once, it will work. The true formula will activate immediately. Consuming most of this powerful original spirit’s energy.]

“I understand roughly.”

At Jeong Yeon-shin’s calm answer, Shin Cheon-hwa smiled somewhat awkwardly.

[Honestly, this is a miracle that only the old Ming Cult Leader could have accomplished. I’m sorry for talking as if it would be immediately possible, but first heavenly fortune must follow…]

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly earthquake-like rumbling arose from beneath the ground. The formation’s patterns began slowly rotating with the sound of earth crumbling.

Hwaaaaaak!

Shin Cheon-hwa, who had kept her mouth shut, disappeared from her place with an expression of being at a loss for words, and after Yue Shou-lin, who had been far away, showed a pale expression.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s form also completely scattered while drawing his sword through the void.

* * *

A mountain made of jet-black scales.

It wasn’t ordinary in size. It was literally a massive monster.

Under the endlessly vast shadow thus cast, two men sat roughly on the dirt ground.

Though their attire was different, they were men in their thirties with similar appearances.

“You’re saying they told you to kill people in the martial world? Isn’t this going too far?”

One man said.

While loosening his elegant purple garment edges left and right, supporting a deeply torn chest wound with his own hands.

With his left hand that ceaselessly distorted the atmosphere.

Samadhi True Fire smoke rose with a hiss from his skin.

Kugugung.

At that hot sign, the jet-black scale mountain greatly writhed once.

But neither of them looked back. Because the hands of both never allowed variables to the opponent.

This was the same even if the enemy was a dragon-like celestial being.

Soon after, Divine Sword Group Leader Yong Hye-myeong, who had deliberately furrowed his brow, spoke as if reciting poetry.

“Life is impermanent. Already having to attend to a robust old man’s needs. What use is the world’s Enter the Divine Sword? I too want to stroll by lakes where people live.”

“Be quiet.”

The man in pink long robes with his back to him replied curtly. Yong Hye-myeong’s immediate response followed.

“Is your side alright? It seems to have gone in somewhat deeply, so if you feel like catching a chill, please tell me in advance. Troublesome things are truly distasteful.”

“You’re babbling because you’re bored. If you chatter more nonsense, this old man’s hand might move instead.”

Yong Hye-myeong chuckled at those words.

He roughly asked while adjusting his long robe’s front panel.

“There shouldn’t be any trouble at the main castle, right?”

“My grandson is there. You worry about yourself.”

“Since it came up, where do you think that friend has climbed up to?”

“He’ll at least catch up to you soon.”

The man said.

Yong Hye-myeong smiled brightly. It was somehow a teasing smile.

“Of course, that’s quite possible. Wasn’t the previous elder also ‘soon’ for me? Until just before the Enter the Divine Sword’s owner changed to me.”

“What?”

“I have great expectations in my own way. I too find half-hearted status quite unpalatable.”

At Yong Hye-myeong’s words, the man in pink long robes snorted.

“The world will soon know. My grandson, Lightning Genius Jeong Yeon-shin, is the person who will submerge the Desolate Sword Yong Hye-myeong as the front waters of the Yangtze River and grasp the Enter the Divine Sword.”

“I wonder. I’ve only just gotten this sword hilt somewhat familiar in my hand. Above all, first we must survive and return…”

Suddenly both men closed their mouths simultaneously. Semi-transparent forms also began shimmering between them simultaneously.

“What else now… Hmm?”

While Yong Hye-myeong, who had been leisurely clenching and unclenching his fist, lowered his eyes.

Saaaa—

Purple hues spreading softly through the dusk laid by the scale mountain.

The moment when they totaled four sets.

[You’ve come to the right place.]

It was the purple Wish for Peace Sword Hall.