Chapter 553 – Demon Realm (8)

Jeong Yeon-shin was at the center of the typhoon that had struck the northern jianghu. Whether good or bad, whether there was a better path or not, it was certainly so.

Northern King Yelu.

The one who had seized the Howling Heaven Fortress at the entrance to the Great Wall, and after its collapse, had flowed like water to occupy both Yeoktru Castle and Shame Extreme Castle in succession.

Evaluations were divided across the vast land.

This was the same even in the military camp where Jeong Yeon-shin was currently staying.

Han Chinese and Elf clan fugitives, barbarians of the old Jurchen and Yuan dynasties, and even the originally taciturn Yao tribe masters who sat distorting the atmosphere around their bodies.

Saaaa—

It was the depth of winter when cold reached its peak.

Now, as the cool wind met the horizon and hazily distorted the widely spread sunset.

They each sat cross-legged in the desolate military camp and whispered among themselves. Positioned within the yellowish-brown wind tinted with semi-transparent frost, without particularly lowering their voices.

“Why did he prevent the harvest? The new king?”

“I don’t understand. What meaning is there in a fight where we cannot plunder…?”

“The more I think about it, the stranger it becomes.”

“If the king does such things, what are we supposed to eat and live on?”

The doubts of those who had crossed the Great Wall due to all kinds of grudges were genteel. These were mainly the stories of Han and elf people, yet at the same time they were already speaking as northern jianghu people.

The weapons each carried at their waist or back were only swords or blades in appearance, but they reeked of blood no less thick than any Yao tribe’s crescent blade.

Meanwhile, the Yao tribe jianghu people roughly sitting on the bare ground of the military camp had voices as large and thick as their physiques.

“A king obsessed with war but who doesn’t gather its fruits…! Mad only for fighting!”

“Though his body size is the same as southern breeds, he’s certainly a pure-blooded Yao tribe member. One whose mind has been soaked by the north wind… a character comparable to the axe-mad Northern King.”

The atmosphere rumbled.

Jeong Yeon-shin was listening to all their stories from the king’s tent.

The masked blade-wielder who had been testing and provoking Jeong Yeon-shin to his face earlier, Demon Contempt Blade, was the same.

“O King. If you now order me to go kill all those b*st*rds, I would gladly follow that command alone.”

Demon Contempt Blade spoke with a growling voice. Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been lost in thought for a moment, asked with bewilderment.

“You seemed like you didn’t recognize me as king, so what wind has blown to change this?”

“The scoundrels outside regard you as king yet act like that. It means they’re putting scratches on the dignity of a Northern King! It would be a hundred times right to capture them all and behead them with three cuts each, then satiate this land’s soil with their flesh…!”

A masked Han Chinese speaking like a Yao tribe member.

Kugugung—

Was it because he was a master of protective energy? The tent interior shook finely from his words that seemed to be chewed and spat out. As if invisible scales made of energy waves from armor were clinking.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

‘This jianghu is… truly strange.’

A figure who had been driven out from the Hebei Peng Family in his youth, and also a supreme master strong enough to receive the sword techniques of Lightning Genius, one of the Five Greatest Swords under Heaven, was venerating the position of Northern King beyond all else.

A place where, though the Northern Kings might not fight each other to the death, the Yao tribe beneath them routinely exploited and slaughtered each other.

Even so, looking at Demon Contempt Blade, he could guess. How solid and hellish the dragnet of northern jianghu people would be.

Under the axes and crescent blades of Northern Kings who had each achieved Transcendent Martial Art, how many masters of human-horse pairs would gather?

That strength would be at a level capable of matching the imperial nation of Ming Dynasty.

Suddenly Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes widened. He recalled what Grand Administrator Lim Jin-myeong had told him. That the Yu Ling Leader was Yao tribe.

‘The dragnet that imprisoned Senior Yong… was that also rooted in the north?’

Looking back, that method had been very strange. The vast encirclement had been composed of village-form strongholds. Like the northern jianghu military camps Jeong Yeon-shin had recently seen.

If so, Northern King Yelu should be seen as already trapped in their dragnet. Since this northern jianghu was a land composed of countless military camps.

In the end, there was one answer.

Undertaking the northern expedition within the laws governing this jianghu. It was work that would require all the capabilities of the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader.

Kung—

Suddenly Demon Contempt Blade stamped his foot. A movement to draw attention with his own strength like a Yao tribe member.

“So, who will you make your proxy warrior? If you cannot quickly obtain a suitable supreme master, you might lose Yeoktru Castle and its military strength to another Northern King. Many kings are clearly watching you now.”

There was emphasis on the words “might lose.”

But Jeong Yeon-shin ignored him and went outside. Shin So-bin, who had been quietly sitting cross-legged, stealthily followed behind.

Meanwhile, Demon Contempt Blade’s mocking voice struck the tent.

“You know no yielding. You probably don’t know how luxuriously the proxy warriors of Northern Kings are composed. I won’t wait long, so think quickly. Whether you force loyalty from me using your martial arts as payment, or show off only personal force and get trampled under the hooves of Northern Kings.”

“I never permitted rudeness from you.”

Kwang!

Instantly an invisible tension pressed down on Demon Contempt Blade’s crown from above.

Because Jeong Yeon-shin had brought down his palm from where he stood without even looking back, Demon Contempt Blade staggered greatly yet laughed hehe.

“Thrilling hand technique…!”

“He really seems crazy. I heard such people are usually strong.”

Shin So-bin whispered close to Jeong Yeon-shin.

Naturally, Demon Contempt Blade’s laughter grew louder, as if he was very pleased to be called strong.

“O King, remember this! Your sublime martial arts like this only has meaning when blocking Northern Kings! What sweeps the battlefield when King faces King is the monarchs under their command…! So right now you’re just a penniless Northern King! Everyone’s gaze upon you is like that!”

Words that struck the back of the head like advice, or perhaps mockery.

“……”

The hundreds of men, women, young and old northern jianghu people of various large and small builds outside the military camp agreed with those words through silence.

Though what each had beside them varied – swords, axes, great blades, crescent blades, war horses – the wind currents that coldly surrounded their entire bodies were all the same.

—You are not yet complete.

It seemed as if all under heaven was speaking to Jeong Yeon-shin.

Huuk—

Several lines of cold wind scraped long across the wilderness. The dust clouds faintly spread over the ground as usual made even the Acting Divine Sword Group Leader’s vision unclear.

It was the northern jianghu.

Jeong Yeon-shin was certainly within the demon realm.

* * *

More than ten days after Northern King Yelu obtained Yeoktru Castle.

Demon realm.

Though proper place names existed separately, many people called the north by that name. Even northern jianghu people themselves often called it so.

Mainly from pride in strength, and self-mockery about barren land.

“Going on like this…?”

“This old man has no greed for material things. Even as a sword youth, a few Jade Valley Pills would make my heart abundant.”

Isn’t that truly a blessed thing?

Some old swordsman of the wilderness concluded his words thus.

It was an extremely serene tone, but the ground he stood on at this moment was not so. The crimson-stained ground was filled with the stench of blood.

Even occasionally thick pools of blood would seep down into the earth with a swoosh.

A mountain of corpses and sea of blood made of hundreds of dead.

It was originally a village square.

On the still-intact wall surfaces, several proclamations were posted, which were matters of another world to most common people.

[To Northern King Yelu.

A half-king has dreamed an excessive dream.

O you who possess neither any monarch’s loyalty nor any proxy warrior.

You are not the vessel of a king, and the abundant Yeoktru Castle exceeds your portion.

I know that the lord of Yeoktru Castle, who was originally a vassal of Flame Heat Divine King, is forcibly held in your grasp despite having no virtue.

The northern gatekeeper who once filtered out southern invaders is also failing to fulfill the mission given by the Fighting God.

Realize your lack of virtue.

Give up Yeoktru Castle.

Now in my embrace is a proxy warrior with a half-dragon body like the southern Divine Sword Group Leader, and I intend to request a proxy warrior life-and-death duel with you as soon as my command falls.

If you don’t believe it, I could arrange a gathering to confirm it for you.

You will lose everything, so withdraw from that position yourself.

Before the prestige of Northern Kings falls greatly throughout all under heaven.

Dragon Sound Sasa King.]

[To Northern King Yelu.

I proclaim in the name of the Heavenly Demon.

Do not falsely claim the most noble surname.

If you do not reveal your true name in the near future, the darkest flames under heaven will descend upon Yeoktru Castle.

I will burn to death all the miscreants under your command.]

[To Northern King Yelu.

Among the warriors of Shame Extreme Castle that you conquered, there was my brother.

If you possess the peerless martial arts to reach kingship, you should know shame. I heard that Northern Kings’ fights are not conducted that way.

King should use hands against King.

How can one who personally kicks at the underlings of enemy sides be a Northern King?

My name is Do Hyo.

I am a warrior who raised donkeys in Mancheng.]

[Northern King Yelu.

I don’t know who you are.

However, if you truly came up from the south and are so confident in bare-handed combat, face me. This body has repeatedly dealt defeats to strongmen of southern Yan Family Fist.

Of course.

Not you, but a proxy warrior like your alter ego should step forward.

If you have no proper proxy warrior to put forth, you may pretend not to have seen this. If I show you mercy, wouldn’t the name of our Ice Palace become even higher?

Don’t be heated.

Not having a single useful friend in life is not a great flaw.

Northern Sea Ice Palace Lord’s First Husband.]

[To Northern King Yelu….]

Though proclamations about the figure who had most noisily disrupted the current demon realm were posted in all kinds of handwriting, the square where those walls stood was actually ruins.

“……”

An old man standing in the center with a single sword planted in the ground like a staff.

Just that alone was causing the frozen frost nearby to crack finely, meaning all the surrounding wind had transformed into sword energy.

A natural disaster originating from a single blade.

An upper body-only giant Yao tribe member looked up at him.

“If you intend to take nothing away, why did you invade this place?”

A question delivered clearly to the old man even facing death.

Thanks to his inborn metal-like innate energy, everything was distinct.

Thick yet slightly diagonal lips, a large and sharply curved nose bridge like a claw technique master’s fingernails, and eyes that flickered blackly within sunken eye sockets.

A jianghu person of the demon realm.

Both human and supernatural monster.

But the old swordsman looked down at him quietly then answered calmly.

“I certainly saw from afar. You beheaded the common people here with a crescent blade, and built a tower of corpses with those strong hands. Isn’t that a truly nauseating formation?”

“It was to nurture the earth’s energy.”

“That would be your excuse. Looking now, it’s no different from the Sima unorthodox paths of our jianghu. A ridiculous and sad affair.”

“I don’t know what Sima unorthodox paths are. However, since the Fighting God said to plunder from each other but not to eat human flesh, we only follow his strict command.”

“…The will of the northern Fighting God? Did the Fighting God also spread that formation, the method of returning corpses’ energy to the earth?”

“The formation was created by the Fighting God’s right arm, but its intent was established by the Fighting God.”

“The Fighting God’s right arm. It must be the Southern Emperor.”

“Even when starving, we don’t eat the weak. We only use them as fertilizer for grain that the strong will eat, as feed for cattle and pigs. That waiting is a time of patience and courtesy… our formation is sacred. Don’t defile it with mocking words.”

The old swordsman, who had been silent for a moment, shook his head. Then he muttered. Difficult, difficult.

Only then did the Yao tribe jianghu person’s breathing become labored. His facial skin, thick enough that expressions hardly showed, gradually turned pale.

The Yao tribe master gasped and said.

“Name…! Tell me your name! I need to know who you are before I go…! I want to die worthily…!”

“Hyeon Family So-baek. I’m from Taigu in Shanxi Province.”

The old swordsman answered.

An old man who had become very aged and gaunt since nearly meeting death at the hands of the Dark Heaven Emperor.

The Yao tribe jianghu person immediately recognized the name of Sword Star Hyeon So-baek. The fame of some Ming Dynasty martial artists had long since crossed even the Great Wall.

A figure whom the Zhuge Family in their prime had once humbly elevated to Martial Alliance Leader, and the first person in the current jianghu that the Taimo Castle Lord, who claimed to be Zhang Sanfeng’s rival, had targeted, went without saying.

“Sword of the night sky. It’s an honor.”

He smiled.

His life’s last breath was mixed in those words.

“……”

The old swordsman Hyeon So-baek, who had briefly looked down at the now-breathless Yao tribe jianghu person, suddenly turned his head to the side.

“I’m not in a good mood right now. Whoever you are, it would be better to turn back.”

Where the old swordsman’s voice descended.

Before he knew it, some silver-masked youth was quietly watching Hyeon So-baek. With his entire body form hidden by thick blood-stained robes.

“Originally I was most curious about the reason you walked all the way here, but first I’ll ask out of concern.”

The youth then asked in a respectful tone.

“By any chance, do you go around telling your identity to other people like that too?”

“Mm?”

Only then did Hyeon So-baek completely turn his head.

“From what I hear, it seems you have an acquaintance with me… wait.”

His words went only that far. Suddenly the old swordsman’s form turned hazily white from where he stood, then the next sound rang out before the silver-masked youth.

Jjeoeoeoeoeoeng—!

A wide shockwave burst forth. It contained fierceness beyond the immediately resounding roar.

Before they knew it, the two were diagonally crossing swords. Deep blue sparks crackled from each blade. Each was recoil from drawing and striking.

Kuuuung!

The ground sank down belatedly. The walls that had been denouncing Northern King Yelu naturally collapsed with rough sounds.

But the silver-masked youth had been pouring his gaze only at the old swordsman before his eyes from the beginning.

That eye light was pure white brilliance.

“Dharma power…?”

The old swordsman muttered.

After being surprised at an opponent who had only stepped back one pace, the aged Sword Star’s lips curved upward in a gentle arc.

“Both have aged.”

Insight and judgment faster than any swift sword.

At this moment, before Northern King Yelu, Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes was the greatest proxy warrior under heaven.

—What makes a person complete?

‘Through connections.’

The answer Jeong Yeon-shin gave existed in the time he had built up. Literally unique. He was already a Divine Sword Group Leader capable of northern expedition.