Chapter 531 – Southern Splendor Radiant Taiji (2)

The air flowing in the room became clear. It felt as if not a single speck of turbidity that inevitably accumulates when people live somewhere existed. Everything seemed clear and distinct.

The next moment.

Jeong Yeon-shin was already standing and looking back.

Whoosh—

An afterimage arose at his feet. It was the form of Jeong Yeon-shin who had originally been lying down, belatedly scattering.

Displacement and repositioning. In an instant, the mysteries of Radiant Wing Steps, Wind God, and Ten-Li Gentle Light all mixed together. Even though he hadn’t particularly intended it.

He moved himself and then questioned.

‘It keeps being strange?’

From Desolate Fortress until now.

His heart, which should have been like a sword in his grasp, seemed to have become no different from Wudang’s Cloud Ladder. Everything felt vague.

Certainly the sensations that had touched his body during this time were vivid, but his heart had lost precision and become like a mess of sword forms.

Excessive.

Ambiguous.

Unable to mix with people.

Unable to properly recognize even time.

‘Why?’

What was the problem?

But Jeong Yeon-shin set aside his thoughts for now. Because a human shadow that was hard to believe even when seen had entered his field of vision.

In the form of an old man flickering semi-transparently like a mirage in the great desert.

He was tall.

He wore gray Taoist robes, but the sleeve edges were too short, revealing his wrists. They were thick yet gave a smooth feeling.

And his face.

A very spirited impression.

Though his skin was wrinkled, his age didn’t register.

He was truly overflowing with vitality. All sorts of emotions were gathered in his eyes. A feeling that he wouldn’t hesitate in the slightest to reveal emotions.

But the time Jeong Yeon-shin could take him in with his eyes was only an extremely brief moment.

Wuuuuuuuuuuung!

His upper dantian trembled extremely violently like a swarm of bees.

“…!”

He almost screamed.

Because excruciating pain had struck. Momentarily his eyeballs felt as if they were burning up. The feeling that all meridians, small vessels, and blood paths from near his eyes up to his head were burning black.

‘Cra, zy…!’

Just taking the old Taoist into his sight almost made his mind fly away. His small gestures and extremely minute muscle movements, and his perfect body form all approached as tremendous stimulation.

All sorts of trajectories arose and tangled in his head before disappearing. And they blazed white-hot and burst forth. All of them were sword paths close to incomprehensible.

‘No.’

If he looked at those trajectories one by one, the story might be different. But such leisure was not permitted. Like a great sea positioned where no dam could be built.

Jeong Yeon-shin hurriedly twisted his gaze away.

Saaaa—

Immediately the vibration of his upper dantian stopped. But the aftereffects remained like residual heat, making his eyes convulse. It felt as if feathers made of heat were tickling the small vessels in his head.

“…”

The old man was all under heaven.

There was no consideration like the Fortress Lord’s blocking her own body from energy sense with the mysteries of the invisible Natural Sword.

He was not one from whom martial arts inspiration could be obtained.

Jeong Yeon-shin carefully opened his mouth while obliquely avoiding him.

“Are you… Wudang’s founding patriarch?”

But the old Taoist didn’t answer. He only glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin before turning his gaze to a distant place. As if he could see beyond the wall.

It was unfamiliar disregard.

“Elder…?”

Though he called several more times like that, the old Taoist only stood with his hands clasped behind his back like an immortal in a painting. That conduct was also natural like a painting.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s Baihui acupoint, which had been burning increasingly hot as proof of the death that had grown closer since some time, became even hotter.

“Old sir… no, Elder.”

[……]

He wouldn’t respond.

The old Taoist still only flickered faintly like a candle flame.

It was an extremely strange form. Was it because of the distant years he had passed through?

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly closed his mouth.

And glancing down, he suddenly realized. That the dharma treasure that had summoned this unstable original spirit was at his waist.

Immortal Sanfeng’s Pine Gate Ancient Sword.

‘Moreover…’

At this moment it felt like part of nature rather than a blade. Was it because it resonated with Mount Wudang’s mystical immortal energy? Or perhaps because this was land full of Immortal Sanfeng’s traces.

Anyway, it was the same as when he had first seen the Fortress Lord’s Enter the Extinction Sword.

Even though it wasn’t being worn by its original owner like then, the Pine Gate Ancient Sword had escaped the energy sense of many masters.

A mysterious yet eerie thing.

It was a phenomenon presumed to be the power of the legendary Natural Sword.

It was also the reason why not only Jeong Yeon-shin himself who wore the sword, but also Immortal Profound Void and other Wudang masters couldn’t perceive the sword.

When had it started? According to Jeong Yeon-shin’s memory, it was since encountering those who emitted Wudang’s power waves in Desolate Fortress.

Suddenly.

Jeong Yeon-shin felt a trace of coolness. He vaguely realized the doubts that should rightfully be resolved, and at this moment had trampled and crushed one of them. It was just the beginning.

He slowly assumed a cupped hand salute with his head bowed.

“Elder, thank you.”

This time too, the old Taoist was silently non-responsive.

It definitely wasn’t a phantom.

Whether the old Taoist was ignoring Jeong Yeon-shin or not perceiving him, he definitely existed. While gently spreading clear air throughout the room.

‘Do I lack the qualifications to converse?’

Then.

“Lord Jeong, may I enter for a moment?”

Zhu Se-hwa’s voice rang out.

Simultaneously, the old Taoist suddenly pointed to one of Jeong Yeon-shin’s hands. It was the hand gripping the box he hadn’t let go of even while sleeping.

The stone chest containing High Sword Immortal’s head.

Earlier, Acting Sect Leader Jade Cliff Immortal had entrusted the box to Jeong Yeon-shin without urging him to give up or anything.

Instantly Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes sharpened.

Whoosh!

His hand became blurred and then hid the stone chest behind him. The mystery of Eternal Blossom Fist’s Blossoming Fist. It was truly a reflexive move.

The old Taoist, who had been silently watching that sight for a moment, began to change his expression for the first time.

The corners of his mouth rising faintly.

He had smiled.

At this moment, the most transcendent phantom under heaven had reacted to human propriety.

Jeong Yeon-shin felt it through the human presence. He was in the midst of not daring to meet gazes for fear his eyes might burn again.

Since he was also refraining from sensing the old Taoist through energy sense, it was a change that came across particularly greatly.

Soon after.

Some aged voice swept through Jeong Yeon-shin’s mind like a phantom. Your taiji would have color.

Instantly Jeong Yeon-shin’s head quickly lifted up.

* * *

Blue garment edges fluttered in the fierce wind.

Whoosh!… Shin So-bin wearing blue robes was crossing the wilderness with lightness skill. Each time she struck the ground with wide strides, gentle clusters of light remained on the earth.

The rough character “Desolate” carved on her shoulder also shook endlessly.

Power stirred in her meridians.

Below those sleeve edges, white wrists with blue veins could be clearly seen. She had grown that much taller by now.

‘…Sleeplessness, moonlight, swing, our poor Wing Leader. Ten-Li Contention, Death Star Radiance.’

She continuously recited dynamic technique and lightness skill formulas.

Though not as much as Jeong Yeon-shin, like her peer grandmaster, she was a body that had welcomed the new year of eighteen.

The texture of her curved muscles had become very solid. Like Jeong Yeon-shin once upon a time. Her legs had naturally grown longer as well.

It would be thanks to Jeong Family Dynamic Technique.

Or perhaps because she had forced into her mouth the side dishes Jeong Yeon-shin had pushed toward her at every meal.

All the Radiant Demon Wing warriors who were shorter than the Acting Wing Leader had been the same way, and now Shin So-bin was a dazzling adult master in every aspect.

Hwaaak!

The black-robed swordsman at the front, Radiant Demon Wing Leader Cheong Myeong, glanced back and smiled broadly. While running smoothly like fluttering leaves.

“Your footwork is quite good. Mm, the successor of Ten-Li Gentle Light should be like that. You’re the only one under heaven.”

It was rare praise.

But no response came to it.

Shin So-bin just panted and shouted other words.

“We should take horses too! Let’s take some horses!”

“If we stop by government offices, those guys will be in trouble.”

Cheong Myeong gestured toward the front. There were the rear forms of men and horses running while wrapped in grayish-white dust like clouds.

Shin So-bin shook her head vigorously while running intensely.

“What’s so good about Desolate Fortress! It’s scary that we can use post stations freely!”

“A bit disappointing.”

The smile disappeared from Cheong Myeong’s lips.

“Of course, the white and blue ranks of the main fortress are scarier because of post stations, but that’s not something the successor of Ten-Li Gentle Light should say. Your words and actions must be weighty.”

It was light criticism. But it was also words that contained Cheong Myeong’s true feelings coolly.

“……”

Shin So-bin just closed her lips. And stepped much more strongly on the ground with a thud.

Immediately her form shot out lightly like a comet mixed in with stars. It meant she wouldn’t argue back.

Only then did Cheong Myeong’s smile return.

Meanwhile, among the Radiant Demon Wing members running in a line behind them, April Bow Ghost Wi Ye-ling opened her mouth.

“Setting aside whether heading to Wudang is correct, even if Wudang’s mountain gate is truly the destination… this direction isn’t right. We have to go completely around. All the gates of Jade Clear, Upper Clear, and Supreme Clear are on the opposite side of the mountain slopes.”

Cheong Myeong replied without even looking back.

“He must have his thoughts. We just need to meticulously monitor the behavior of those friends who say they’re going to meet the Wing Leader right away. We’re just preparing for any possible situation. Thanks to them, we were able to send even Radiant Sword Wing Leader to the main fortress along with Radiant Sword Wing.”

It was as he said.

Radiant Demon Wing had completed their mission.

They had made the Radiant Sword Wing Leader who had been recuperating while making some Sima unorthodox path’s minor sect his own home, and some survivors of Radiant Sword Wing, return intact to Desolate Fortress.

It was thanks to the northern jianghu group.

They had shown shocking intelligence capability in completely foreign jianghu. After even seeing through the actions Jeong Yeon-shin had shown in Hangzhou, they had even shown the bizarre act of guessing Mount Wudang as the next destination.

Along with words that they needed to gauge the Divine Sword Group Acting Leader’s capabilities as a priority.

In the process of finding the Radiant Sword Wing warriors scattered near the Yangtze River, they had also had brief but essential conversations. They didn’t hesitate to say they had rebelled against the northern Fighting God.

At their head was a person of monstrous strength.

A figure who had once deflected an emperor’s move as the Fighting God’s left hand. An extremely dangerous absolute master named Northern Blade by the imperial family.

Kwaaaaaang!

The pathless mountain slopes shook widely.

It was because Northern Blade’s warhorse wearing a bamboo hat had suddenly powerfully struck the ground. Momentarily, hazy power waves spread from Northern Blade’s back as he carried a crescent blade at an angle.

The temperament was mysterious.

Simultaneously extremely destructive.

Zzzzzzzzzing—!

The warhorse that had leaped incredibly high like a lie began to kick up through the void like glass. It was void treading that had reached the divine realm.

Each time the horse hooves struck the atmosphere, tremendous storms drove down to the ground, and the earth was messily torn up.

The momentum to cross straight to Wudang like that. It wasn’t a human means of transportation.

“What is that…”

It was when Shin So-bin’s eyes widened.

Whether it was because of the unbelievable recoil of void treading. Or to let them know that the northern jianghu had prepared this much.

From the men and horses that had been crossing the mountain of sparse tree branches, some book fell toward Radiant Demon Wing.

Was it because of the rebounding force of void treading deployed using the warhorse as a means? It was truly arrow-like speed.

“Wing Leader, I’ll catch it!”

Thud!

Shin So-bin soared with Ten-Li Gentle Light and caught it. Simultaneously she scanned the cover.

Three characters were written.

Name Record.

Shin So-bin immediately flipped through the pages in midair.

Rustle!

Every page was densely filled with characters.

It was composed only of names widely known under heaven. They had even seemingly ranked danger levels.

It was a chilling thing.

“Crazy…”

She unconsciously moved her lips.

The higher up from bottom to top, the more cloud-like distant figures were displayed. Shin So-bin activated Lowly Revelation Technique. Soon after, she read it backward in an instant.

Twenty. Profound Martial Alliance Swimming Heaven Sword Ghost

Nineteen. Qingcheng Sect Leader Two Wall Sword Master

Eighteen. Myriad Upper Road Stronghold Traitor

Seventeen. Mount Heng Sect Leader Blade Palm Immortal

Sixteen. Diancang Sect Leader Sword Empress 

Fifteen. Dream Human Moon Leader Unobstructed Divine Demon

Fourteen. Gang of Demons Green Forest Coward

Thirteen. Mount Emei Sect Leader Troubled Path Avalokiteshvara

Twelve. Kongtong Sect Leader Latter Heaven Guangcheng Master

Eleven. Mount Hua Sect Leader Sacred Fire Sword God

Ten. Martial Dragon Alliance Leader Honored Martial Rebel Leader

Nine. Hanzhong Martial Alliance Leader Sword Star

Eight. Divine Sword Group Acting Leader Desolate Day Extinction

Shin So-bin turned her head sharply in midair as soon as she read to there.

The place where Northern Blade’s men and horses had already become a dot.

It was in the direction of Mount Wudang.