Chapter 550 – Demon Realm (5)

The man in shabby silk clothes.

The unnamed northern gatekeeper examined Jeong Yeon-shin closely. Northern King Yelu’s confidence about governance seemed suspicious to him.

However, the gatekeeper didn’t particularly express his reluctance either.

This was after the northern gatekeeper had guaranteed that Northern King Yelu had killed a Ming Dynasty high official.

Drip, drip.

Blood drops falling continuously.

Even at this moment, crimson blood was dripping down the armrests of the grand chair.

All of it was Jeong Yeon-shin’s, creating a scene that couldn’t help but appear overwhelming.

The same was true of the sleeve edges burned by the epoch-making Heat Yang techniques, as some of the Yao tribe members in Yeoktru Castle’s inner fortress had begun lingering around the main hall to smell that acrid burnt scent.

Such was this land that endlessly worshipped struggle.

Flame Heat Divine King’s corpse had long since been removed outside the inner fortress.

Rather than being hostile toward Jeong Yeon-shin, the Yao tribe members of Yeoktru Castle only smiled with their distorted facial skin. Despite each having such powerful martial arts that their massive bodies’ surroundings were all warped.

‘Are they insane?’

It was when Jeong Yeon-shin thought this.

The northern gatekeeper asked.

“Where did you learn your hand techniques? Each punch carried very violent force, certainly something that must have flowed in from the north…”

“It’s self-created martial arts.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke with clear pride. Because his martial arts were proof that the mayfly called Lightning Genius Jeong had once stayed in this world.

But the northern gatekeeper’s returning question was somewhat bewildered.

“You created it yourself…?”

“Is there a problem?”

“None. Rather, the lack of problems is the problem. The other Northern Kings will regard you as a competitor.”

Bare-handed combat.

It was a technique the Yao tribe revered no less than crescent blades and axes. The sight of bursting an opponent’s head with massive fists or fist strike shock waves served as a symbol of strength.

Therefore, the Fighting God during his period of unifying the north had also acted as the world’s greatest fist fighter for a while.

Martial arts that easily gained the favor of the northern Yao tribe.

Conversely, it also easily earned the fighting spirit or jealousy of monarchs or kings.

Jeong Yeon-shin opened his mouth slowly without concern. While inwardly adding steel plates behind the cold silver mask.

“I don’t want to end my territory with Yeoktru Castle. This northern land is absurdly vast to be content with just staying here.”

“……”

The northern gatekeeper didn’t answer. He only spoke with his expression: Of course you would think so.

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly felt an intuition that Shin So-bin standing beside him probably had a similar expression, but since she too wore a silver mask like him, he couldn’t tell.

“Let me ask first. Can I use Yeoktru Castle’s banner privately?”

“…Though you sat in that position yourself, it’s certain you possess the same kingly status as Flame Heat Divine King. Of course, being recognized as a Northern King throughout the world is another matter… but it’s also clear that if not you, there’s no one here who could claim to be Yeoktru Castle’s lord right now.”

“Then that’s settled. But I don’t see Demon Contempt Blade and the former Yeoktru Castle lord. I thought they’d come after disposing of the corpse.”

When Jeong Yeon-shin lightly surveyed the surroundings, the northern gatekeeper’s sigh followed.

“They are ambitious. They see power as something that should be pursued no less than martial arts. Rather than obediently following you, a complete stranger, they’re the type who would seek out familiar monarchs or Northern Kings to plan for the future.”

“Bring them.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke while overlaying Young Heavenly Demon Invincible’s conduct onto himself through Dragon Transformation Fire Arts.

Ming Cult Leader Yelu Zhen was such a person, unrestrained in giving orders. She would be perfect for acting as a Northern King on this land without particular awkwardness.

Everything was to ensure complete preparation for the northern expedition as Divine Sword Group Leader.

‘My body feels comfortable. Why is that?’

Speech and conduct that fit his body unpleasantly well.

Meanwhile, the northern gatekeeper who heard his words pointed to himself. He looked somewhat bewildered.

“Me? Why?”

“Because we’re in the same boat. We’re not enemies to each other, so it would be difficult to call it Wu and Yue in the same boat, but shouldn’t we still help each other?”

“This fellow…?”

“If you, who guaranteed my identity, don’t want to be cast aside by the Yao tribe.”

Soon after, Jeong Yeon-shin added. If helping each other was truly disagreeable, he could challenge him instead.

The moment he spoke those words, his mind and body became more comfortable than ever. The pent-up frustration accumulated from always being chased by urgency seemed to be relieved somewhat.

It was clearly the way of hegemony.

Or it might be close to the demonic way in that he did whatever pleased him.

‘Is this why they live like that?’

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly wondered, then inwardly shook his head. While telling himself it was conduct born of necessity.

“Why are you still standing there?”

He asked the northern gatekeeper. This man in silk rags who unusually despised the Ming clan. He was certainly someone to watch.

If his capabilities and footwork had been ordinary, he wouldn’t have received a special position from the northern Fighting God.

He was worth making the vanguard of the northern expedition.

“Move. Southern traitor.”

He clenched his still blood-dripping hand once then opened it.

Intense pain cut through his skin like blades, but Jeong Yeon-shin, immersed in imitating Young Heavenly Demon Invincible, laughed quietly.

“……”

That sound stopped the northern gatekeeper’s backward steps. On this northern land where no imperial army existed, no one wanted to be chased around by a mad peerless master.

—Um… Grand Leader, you said the Divine Sword Squad seniors and Nine Great Sects’ masters would come up here later too, right? Is it really okay? I don’t know what kind of things you’ll do in the meantime.

Shin So-bin’s mental transmission flowed down uneasily like valley water bending here and there.

That day.

Northern King Yelu seized complete control of Yeoktru Castle.

* * *

Just as the methods of cultivating martial arts had branched into countless sects, people had existed in various clan forms throughout all regions since ancient times.

Most of the Bai people of the Dali Kingdom had left their homeland as descendants of a fallen nation, while the mysterious elf people had long established themselves as the ruling class of the Ming Dynasty alongside the Han people.

The eastern nation’s clan, which possessed peerless archery martial arts, maintained a history no less than the Ming Dynasty. In a form that thoroughly blocked the emergence of regional jianghu.

That wasn’t all.

Some descendants of Heavenly Demons who could kindle jet-black flames were also called the Fire Kindling Clan.

This was because there had been virtually none except the first Heavenly Demon. For a being close to the greatest of all time to leave behind bloodline was rare.

“Then you’re saying that terrible black Samadhi True Fire isn’t martial arts? That it’s an innate ability separate from cultivation?”

A voice reeking of foul odor.

It was a hill made of over a hundred warriors’ corpses… All the corpses held broken weapons.

Long, thin palm marks were carved all over their bodies. Everyone was like this. Their entire clothing had been torn away along with their protective energy.

The young man who asked the question was lying sprawled at the top. With his long legs stretched out, occasionally shaking off his blood-soaked hands.

“Now they say she’s the Western Tibet’s Greatest, but it was all thanks to her bloodline? Young Heavenly Demon Invincible… the world is truly unfair.”

He grumbled quietly then glanced below.

This was because the person who had spoken of various clans earlier was leaning at the bottom of the hill.

A woman with her face covered by black silk.

Her body form below her head was transparently shimmering. A massive frame helplessly pierced by the cold northern sunlight. Anyone could tell that divine techniques were constantly operating.

The woman spoke slowly.

“Are you different? If you didn’t have the upper dantian abilities of Dream Demon Body, you wouldn’t have earned respect from our clan either.”

At the same time, she scooped up a red puddle with her invisible hand. And habitually applied the blood to her transparent body. Splash, splash, endlessly.

Each time, the woman’s skin was dyed crimson, but her body never regained its proper form. Rather, only the bloody smell grew thicker.

The young man looking down at this sight also slowly asked back.

“Respect from the Yao tribe? That’s purely thanks to this land’s Fighting God. There’s no being who received the Fighting God’s favor as greatly as that person, right? Not just the Northern Blade, but even the Southern Emperor wouldn’t be as close to the Yao tribe’s greatest as him.”

[TL Note- Southern Emperor is a different character from the Ming Emperor.]

“Southern Emperor?”

The woman hesitated.

“How dare you mention the Southern Emperor? That name has life force. Do you want to encounter human-shaped fireflies in the middle of the road at night? You’re far too early for that.”

“What’s wrong with it? I may look like this, but I’m Shame Extreme King’s confidant. So positionally, the Southern Emperor and I are the same. We’re both someone’s hands and feet, aren’t we?”

The young man’s words were flattery.

This was because the woman who had built a hill of corpses near Yeoktru Castle, namely her, was the northern Shame Extreme King.

Meanwhile, the young man lying sprawled at the hill’s top was a monarch under Shame Extreme King, with the northern nickname Shame Extreme Son-in-law.

Literally, Shame Extreme King’s son-in-law.

At the same time, he was a supreme master who had killed five Dragon-Treading Squad blue ranks in front of Desolate Fortress Dragon-Treading Squad Leader and safely retreated.

The young man always took pride in that incident, but in the northern jianghu, bets were being made on how Shame Extreme Son-in-law would be killed.

Even though news of Dragon-Treading Squad Leader’s imprisonment in the Forbidden City was widely known.

Shame Extreme King, who glanced at him, calmly instructed.

“The Southern Emperor has long been the Fighting God’s faithful right arm. Above all, he crippled the Shaolin Abbot. Someone who was among the Ming Dynasty’s most renowned cannons in terms of power. That was an achievement like subduing an exploding volcano. Naturally, he’s not someone to be compared with you.”

The young man, Shame Extreme Son-in-law, waved his hand as if complaining to his mother-in-law-like mother-in-law.

“What’s so praiseworthy about plucking the eyes of a monk whose arms had already been severed? If you want to count merit for that incident, you should first mention two of this land’s Northern Kings who participated in the joint attack at the time…”

“That’s not the point. The Southern Emperor is already part of the Fighting God as you said, so how can there be talk of being closer or not than the Fighting God? Respect for Dream Demon Body comes entirely from that quality. You should treasure your clan’s bloodline like the Fighting God.”

But Shame Extreme Son-in-law only shook his head repeatedly.

His very sharp jawline gently mixed with the wind following his head shaking, and natural seductiveness emanated from his conduct. It was a temperament possessed by the Dream Demon Body clan regardless of gender.

“Fighting God, Fighting God. Now I’m sick of it. Wasn’t he ultimately defeated by the Ming Dynasty emperor?”

“Blasphemous words. The Fighting God never loses in battle, and what remained after that Thunder Splitting War was only natural disasters and Qian-ling’s corpse. Do you think the Fighting God’s body was softer than the Ming Emperor’s?”

Splash.

Shame Extreme King asked while endlessly spreading blood on her skin.

Thunder Splitting War was what the northern jianghu people called the fight between Emperor Qian-ling and the Fighting God. It was also a name that meant reverence to Yao tribe strong warriors.

“……”

The young man closed his mouth.

In the wilderness where the outline of a massive earthen fortress undulated widely in the distance.

This was a place where Northern King Shame Extreme had gathered various strong warriors after hearing of Yeoktru Castle’s upheaval.

The reason the earlier conversation between the two had started with Young Heavenly Demon Invincible and connected through the Fighting God and Dream Demon Body clan, the world’s Southern Emperor, and finally concluded with the Northern Kings.

It was because this was the story encompassing today’s northern lands.

They had spoken deliberately.

To beings with Thousand-Li Earth Hearing who could hear the crying of northern birds from immeasurably far distances.

Whoosh.

The dry wind helplessly lifted the earthen ground.

Soon, languid footsteps penetrated through that yellowish-brown north wind. Not only that, but footsteps that turned the vicinity white as ice accompanied them.

Judging by their body outlines, it was a group consisting of a man and woman.

Shame Extreme King said.

“The most reliable support has arrived first.”

“Northern Sea Ice Palace…”

Shame Extreme Son-in-law, who muttered low, lightly jabbed the hill of corpses with his heel.

Instantly, all those bodies burst forth with a puhwak— exploding blood like a volcano.

It was a technique that brilliantly wove together internal heavy techniques and Striking Mountain Beating Ox, powerful explosive force.

It was a kind of preemptive suppression.

Thud.

Shame Extreme Son-in-law, who had descended to the ground, clicked his tongue.

“The woman would be the Grand Palace Lord, and the one beside her must be the wastrel of the Hwangbo family, right? Betraying both his family and Desolate Fortress in succession, and his usual conduct can’t be called that of a great warrior…”

That’s when it happened.

Crack—

Whitish frost formed all over the young man who was speaking. He froze solid just like that.

Then some man’s languid voice descended along with ice fragments.

“Wife, it’s cold.”

“You like it but still complain. Shall I embrace you here?”

A woman’s voice without highs or lows. She was the one who had struck Shame Extreme Son-in-law.

The man’s silhouette slowly shook his head.

And spoke to Shame Extreme King…

“This lord thinks you shouldn’t be doing this here. Yeoktru Castle has raised troops. They’re entering your Shame Extreme Castle with a thousand martial military forces… haven’t you received reports?”

The first to arrive at the gathering of Northern Kings renowned for their might.

It was the question of Northern Sea Ice Palace’s First Husband.