Chapter 542 – Jianghu Name Record (8)

Wudang’s Supreme Clear Palace.

Famous as the dwelling place of the Wudang Sect Leader.

To jianghu people as well as common people from nearby areas who could visit the Taoist temples regularly, it was like a palace above the clouds.

While the Wudang Sect was extremely welcoming to the common people, the Supreme Clear Palace alone did not permit access to many.

Though the Tao does not discriminate among people, the head of the Wudang Sect was carefully selected to sit in that position.

A Taoist temple as grand as the responsibilities held by the current Acting Wudang Sect Leader.

Saaaa—

At this moment it was shrouded in whitish mist like a blanket, and those air currents were clearly thicker than usual.

It was cut off from the outside.

Energy barriers that generations of Wudang Sect Leaders had planted one by one in the old walls. A sublime technique unique to Zhang Sanfeng’s martial lineage that handled natural earth energy, infinitely close to sorcery martial arts.

At the same time, it also meant something extremely important had occurred. Important enough for energy barriers to be deployed in the deepest place throughout all of Wudang.

Those seated inside the Supreme Clear Palace beyond those clouds were Wudang’s leadership.

With Acting Sect Leader Jade Cliff at the head, low voices were exchanged among the elderly Taoists of the Profound generation who had grown snow-white beards and the united essence, energy, and spirit Taoists of the Jade generation.

“…My upper dantian felt no falsehood. Those with long ears among our sect’s disciples would be the same.”

“He wasn’t originally one to speak lies in the first place. The Desolate Ma family bloodline has always been so. Rather than making himself worthless, he would make opponents look shabby. Of course, not with words but with hands…”

“But isn’t this matter significant? We must clearly establish it here. So that no other words arise in the future.”

“I agree.”

“But that blue taiji…”

“Is taiji exclusively our sect’s? It’s merely one of the principles that various Taoist temples under heaven have studied since before the Wudang Sect was formed. It’s proper to have time to think.”

Inside the hall, like outside, white clouds and mist were faintly settled. This was because it was a conversation among jianghu immortals who had cultivated Wudang internal energy.

Most were Taoists whose cloud-like true energy flowed out in their internal energy exhalations without special effort.

But soon the conversation stopped.

This was because Jade Cliff, who had been silently listening, opened his mouth.

“To this poor Taoist’s eyes, it’s genuine.”

The direction his gaze turned.

Something long was placed on the central table.

It was a sword.

The blade had teeth missing in places, and even the sword body was mostly rusted.

But only the sword hilt with the pine tree pattern carved into it was intact. Even a faint pine scent dwelled within it, and it should be seen as having become a dharma treasure from being held and wielded by a peerless swordsman for a long time.

“With that function, he saw our founding patriarch’s original spirit…”

Jade Cliff muttered.

“It cannot simply be called a preposterous story. To Patriarch Zhang Sanfeng, who united the countless Taoist martial lineages scattered throughout Mount Wudang’s slopes under a single name, what could be impossible? Moreover, the most brilliantly shining talent in the current world stayed on our main mountain. Lightning Genius Jeong Yeon-shin. Truly, no matter what happened, it wouldn’t be strange.”

Sky-colored radiance was faintly rippling in the Wudang Acting Sect Leader’s pupils. A scene that would also appear as flames blazing if looked at deeply.

His energy waves were like clear blue flames. As if the dead ancient sword and the departed Lightning Genius were each half-mixed.

“Original Eye Formation.”

The Taoists in the hall softly called out the technique name. Now everyone was noticing that Jade Cliff had begun to step into the peerless realm.

The bushy beard of one elderly Taoist from the Profound generation slowly moved.

“The Divine Sword Group Leader is ultimately a position that must wield the sword in the very center of the secular world. Decide carefully. Whether large or small, don’t forget that our sect’s influence reaches throughout all under heaven.”

The elderly Taoist’s words were slow. But Jade Cliff’s answer was calm yet quick.

“It’s not a matter of decision but of acknowledgment. Did our founding patriarch and the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader truly share friendship? And within that connection, did martial learning and enlightenment come and go?”

If that fact was acknowledged, behind Lightning Genius Jeong Yeon-shin would exist the contemporary world’s greatest sword sect.

A sect was such a place. The character for gate (門) with the character for faction (派). Those who formed connections thicker than blood through martial arts also greatly valued the connections of their predecessors. That’s why it was the martial forest (武林).

[TL Note- Martial Forest is the actual translation for Murim. Mu- Martial, rim- forest.]

The deeper a sect’s history, the more so it was, and for the Wudang Sect, which had opened its doors during the founding period long ago, it went without saying.

“……”

The sword-bearing Taoists fell silent for a moment.

They knew well the power that Wudang possessed.

One of the main centers of Taoism that had tremendous influence not only on the martial world but throughout all under heaven. This was why they had kept distance from Desolate Fortress, which could be called the most secular of the secular. All the ancient sects were the same.

Before the name Zhang Sanfeng, which took away any sense of reality, anyone from Wudang would inevitably be cautious in determining authenticity.

“Let’s do this.”

Jade Cliff said strongly.

“If this Pine Gate Ancient Sword is revealed to truly belong to our founding patriarch, then all the words of the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader, who was never false to begin with, are all truth. However, it seems we cannot clearly reveal this with our knowledge alone…”

“Are you saying to call the Tao Gate disciples?”

A beautiful young Taoist with her face covered by silk gauze asked. A woman with long hair flowing down between her Taoist robes.

It was Phoenix Palm Zhu Se-hwa.

‘Tao Gate disciples’ referred to the immortals who climbed Mount Wudang’s Heavenly Pillar Peak to cultivate the Tao.

They didn’t particularly focus on martial arts, but were rumored to be thoroughly versed in immortal secret arts and all sorts of miscellaneous learning, comparable to Desolate Fortress’s Administrative Office.

They would be able to reveal the origins of the ancient divine sword. They would certainly also discover what era the pine pattern carved on the sword hilt belonged to.

“It’s an important matter. It will determine where to pour the strength remaining in our main mountain in the future. By any chance, is there anyone who would object to the results produced by the Tao Gate disciples here?”

Jade Cliff asked. Even mentioning surplus strength when the current Sect Leader Profound Void had headed to Mount Zhongnan.

“……”

There was no answer.

The mist that hazily filled the hall also just remained in place. The world’s greatest sword sect was silently rising.

* * *

The military camp that suddenly had to receive the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader.

Life entered the dry north wind. Even the stone fragments that had been rolling on the ground were bounced here and there by the energy wave fluctuations of various masters.

Their control of true energy had loosened from their greatly surprised hearts.

“This way, this way please!”

These were the words the master of the barracks uttered as soon as he saw the Desolate plaque with golden tree patterns carved into it.

“I’ve heard your honored name well! However, I never expected you to set foot in such a place…!”

The man who introduced himself as Quan Yu-li.

A middle-aged man with venomous eyes, wearing rusty silver armor over his robust frame. He said he was the superior of Super Tiger Upper General Helian Wu-jing, who had come to fetch the Wudang Sect Leader.

In other words, he meant Grand Commander.

The pinnacle of the Ming military.

Someone who wasn’t of the Zhu family yet could command Super Tiger Upper Generals directly under the imperial court as subordinates was only him.

The military organization that had originally ended with the first-rank Left Commander and Right Commander had long since given birth to new official positions due to the famine years and the rise of the northern jianghu.

A golden axe said to have been personally bestowed by the former emperor, Emperor Qian-ling, hung at the middle-aged man’s waist.

Grand Commander Quan Yu-li.

The owner of the Imperial Axe, the most venerable axe under heaven.

A person Jeong Yeon-shin had only encountered through words.

He had heard that he was a remarkable person who had asked the northern Fighting God about his parents’ well-being and survived. This meant he was a Grand Commander who personally engaged in field battles.

Like Divine Sword Deputy Group Leader Jin Myeong-jo, no energy waves could be felt from him at all, so he was certainly a master of Return to Origin.

Favor flashed in Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes.

‘I heard he was a great figure. There’s no way he’d be a frivolous person as he appears…’

He put the Desolate plaque into his bosom and glanced around.

It was a separate world.

Barracks lined up like palace buildings.

Not only that, but there were also numerous dwellings built with timber and stone befitting a battlefield of martial arts masters.

They were using an extremely wide area like a single city, while overflowing with energy waves denser than any official road under heaven, yet extremely dry air flowed.

“……”

All sorts of martial artists stared piercingly at Jeong Yeon-shin’s group. Most showed somewhat surprised expressions but fundamentally dry gazes. Their temperament was different from the masters of the southern lands.

There were no refined and neat energy wave fluctuations.

The aura flowing from them was rough like the north wind. But at the same time, the individuality of clearly different internal energy heart methods could be felt from each.

Military martial officers and generals, wanderer groups bearing bizarre forms of strange weapons, and even Taoists and monks with relatively neat energy waves.

Shin So-bin whispered beside Jeong Yeon-shin.

“Even Mount Heng Sect is here. Why are the lofty Taoists who should be in Jiangnan…”

—Then is that side Kongtong? Their temperament is similar yet different.

Jeong Yeon-shin asked through mental transmission.

—They’d definitely be stronger if demons were opponents. Perhaps even more than Wudang’s Taoists.

A technique of conveying words without even moving lips. Though not as deep as Divine Monk Beomheo and Profound Void Immortal’s profound studies, it certainly had utility.

The martial jianghu was full of strange people. They liked open evaluation yet greatly disliked it. That’s why it was necessary.

‘The Divine Sword Group Leader’s conduct.’

When Jeong Yeon-shin was satisfied with his own mindset, Northern Blade’s voice rumbled from behind.

[Correct. Twelve sects.]

Blue-robed Taoists gazed at Jeong Yeon-shin’s group. On the roof of a simply built wooden hall. It was the group Jeong Yeon-shin had guessed to be Kongtong among the Nine Great Sects.

They said it was a place with the peerless Taoist Latter Heaven Guangcheng Master as their Sect Leader.

Jeong Yeon-shin walked quickly following the Grand Commander with slightly lowered eyes.

For a moment, energy waves emitted by Radiant Wing Steps created invisible obstructions, but they were silently crushed by the front hooves Northern Blade’s war horse struck. The pair of man and horse thus calmly followed Jeong Yeon-shin.

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke calmly, whether Northern Blade heard or not.

“Grand Commander. That person is someone whose safety I find difficult to guarantee.”

“Do you mean Northern Blade?”

Grand Commander Quan Yu-li smiled slightly. The mysterious smile of the former emperor Qian-ling that he had once seen overlapped with his lip corners. On the other hand, the aura gathered around his eyes was sharp like a divine sword.

“It’s fine. Actually, I was just contemplating whether it would be better to kill him with Lord Jeong’s and my strength.”

“……”

“Those Yao tribe fellows show mysteriously elusive movements by all sorts of means. Lord Jeong would be surprised if you saw it directly, so such once-in-a-lifetime opportunities aren’t common.”

“I’m prepared to lend my strength.”

[Six.]

Before they knew it, they were inside the largest barracks in the military camp. Jeong Yeon-shin ignored Northern Blade’s call and sat down alongside Shin So-bin.

Meanwhile, Quan Yu-li ordered his aide to bring tea. Even though an extremely precious map was openly placed in the center of the table, he didn’t seem particularly concerned.

The position of the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader was equivalent to the nation’s secrets.

Huuuuung!

Though cold strong winds reached even inside the barracks, that map was firmly fixed to the table.

Quan Yu-li was the first to speak.

“Super Tiger Upper General Helian Wu-jing probably couldn’t follow Lord Jeong’s lightness skill, right? That fellow has quite fast legs, so the imperial court people trust him deeply, but… his footwork isn’t something to match against ‘Ten-Li Gentle Light.'”

Suddenly Yong Hye-myeong’s advice heard beyond the door flashed through his mind.

—If you must deal with people through conversation, first give sincere praise. If their swordwork is terrible, their footwork was good; if there’s a flaw in their appearance, their eye light was intense… Generally it’s quite effective. It becomes easier to exchange hands for a long time too.

As it happened, Jeong Yeon-shin wanted something from the Grand Commander.

“Her mouth was fast.”

“…Her eloquence was good?”

Quan Yu-li, who had muttered for a moment, glanced at Shin So-bin.

“What about that one?”

“She’s a colleague from the main fortress.”

“Did you just say colleague?”

“Since she learned my martial arts, we work well together. Compared to Wish Fulfilling Spring Leader and Dragon-Treading Squad Leader, she’s only slightly inferior.”

“Unbelievable. Was the young successor of the Desolate Shin family at that level?”

Quan Yu-li asked repeatedly.

He already knew it. Shin So-bin’s identity and martial prowess, all of it. A being staying at the northern end of the vast Ming lands was also well-informed about southern affairs.

The surroundings were quiet.

Only occasionally the sound of Northern Blade’s horse snorting outside the barracks rumbled like thunder.

As much as Jeong Yeon-shin observed Quan Yu-li, at this moment the one and only Grand Commander under heaven was also pouring intense gazes at the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader.

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly opened his mouth.

“Since it’s the same martial lineage, we can’t help but work well together. Successor qualification is such a thing.”

“Is it the same for Desolate Fortress’s Wish Fulfilling Spring Leader and Dragon-Treading Squad Leader?”

“Since they each learned my footwork and handwork, naturally it would be so. Those two have deep martial arts, and So-bin has deep understanding of my martial arts.”

“Ah.”

Quan Yu-li smiled broadly.

“So Lord Jeong came to make a request of me. To get those two out of Beijing’s prison…”

Jeong Yeon-shin was not free. Both as the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader and as Jeong Yeon-shin the individual.

Due to his lofty position, he couldn’t be involved with treason, and the former emperor’s last words prevented actions that went beyond the Great Wall.

Yet if he rashly went to meet the Zhu imperial family, there would be trouble.

Since the Squad Leaders under the Divine Sword Group were imprisoned in Beijing. Power like Jeong Yeon-shin’s should only move in situations without misunderstanding of treason.

“Regrettably, I’m the same. I have no particular power in the lower regions.”

Quan Yu-li’s fingers tapped the table. At the same time, a resolute voice flowed out.

“The Beijing nobles are not just a little harsh, so I cannot get those two out. No matter what price Lord Jeong pays.”

“……”

“No, time. Yes… if you pay the price called time, it will work. Breaking two of the nation’s true black swords at a time like this would be cutting my own flesh. No matter how much those Beijing fellows are, they won’t do foolish things. Please wait just a little. At most, it will be one year.”

Isn’t it practically free?

When Quan Yu-li ended his words with a question.

On the table.

Hwaaareureureuk!

Suddenly blue flames arose from the large map and burned the upper part of Ming before disappearing.

Jeong Yeon-shin said.

“This way would be faster.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I intend to go alone, but if you provide support, I won’t refuse. If it’s Wish Fulfilling Spring and Dragon-Treading Squad, we’d work quite well together.”

The last words were close to muttering, but no one present failed to hear them.

“What are you going to…”

“Northern expedition.”

The north wind circling the barracks rumbled.

Saaaa—

Blue sparks and burnt ash mixed around Jeong Yeon-shin’s shoulder area and flew outside the barracks.

* * *

The day the Ming Dynasty Grand Commander made contact with the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader.

Though no enemies appeared, countless warning bells rang throughout the huge military camp. At the end of that, all sorts of spirit creatures, messenger birds, and relay horses raced through sky and earth.

Easily reaching dozens in number. It was also a head count that would ensure at least one communication would be delivered even if something happened along the way.

The destinations were Beijing and Mount Zhongnan.