Chapter 562 – Northern Emperor (2)

—Upright Star, Upright Star. Answer me, Upright Star.

—I told you not to call me that. Those who can’t even enter the ‘Six Star Lords’ you so revere dare to…

—I have fallen in love. She is a monarch and great warrior under my command. How should I approach her?

—Come to me and I’ll cut off your neck for you.

—This is a more difficult problem than melting a king’s life into axe work. All cultivation is useless.

—Upright Star, please don’t answer, and you stop there as well. The royal house Upright Star built is a place created through coercion. Not all old people are wise.

—Then I’ll ask you, Literary Star, strategist of the Fighting God. My great warrior is of mixed blood between our clan and those with long ears, naturally robust in character and extremely manly…

—Rather than asking me about this, how about asking the newly arrived King Yelu? He might be unexpectedly rich in worldly experience. I’m curious about his insight.

—Northern King Yelu? Is he still not dead?

—He is one who directly opposed the Fighting God’s will in the Sound Cave of the Bright Wind Spirit here. If he possesses even half the skill of that spirit, far from dying early, he’ll soon begin creating and expanding territory. I heard the Ice Emperor who was beside him disappeared somewhere with her consort… Are you listening, King Yelu?

—Then I’ll ask the only Northern King in this land without Heaven Silk Steel Armor. My great warrior has a decisive character in making and breaking ties, and is an eternal monarch who has mastered the Cloud Dragon Great Eight Forms plundered from the south to perfection…

* * *

It was deep night.

Jeong Yeon-shin gazed blankly up at the void.

Apart from the snow-covered ground, the northern sky was not frozen. A solid full moon scattered deep light while illuminating the hazily flowing clouds.

The winter wind was tenacious.

Occasionally, small stone fragments rolled by themselves beneath Jeong Yeon-shin’s feet, and from the slightly excavated earth, dried tree branches spread the astringent scent of soil.

Everything felt raw.

It was the scent of the north.

Meanwhile, the howling of hungry wolves seeped distantly into the night air.

In the midst of all this, Jeong Yeon-shin quietly clenched and unclenched his fist. In the silent city of Mineral Soul Mountain Range, feeling countless presences.

‘The heartbeats’ presences are tremendous.’

The beating sounds rushing fiercely into the heart of Dragon Sound Sasa King’s territory. The resonance emitted by all sorts of Yao tribe jianghu people as they sought sleep.

Their hearts, where their middle dantians were situated, were all emitting tremendous vibrations.

It was the sound of the north.

“Your Majesty, why are you not seeking sleep…?”

The voice of a middle-aged man, somewhat flustered, broke the silence.

It seemed he spoke first because he thought it difficult to avoid Northern King Yelu’s energy sense, and Jeong Yeon-shin slowly turned his gaze.

A man stood there with a dao strapped to his back. Wearing a plain mask.

When his gaze met Jeong Yeon-shin’s at this moment, his eyes trembled slightly, yet his limbs’ meridians and muscles were bold enough to show no movement at all.

It would be one of two things.

Either he was confident in taking care of himself, or Jeong Yeon-shin was so fearsome that even his Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown body had stiffened.

Perhaps both.

‘Demon Contempt Blade.’

A supreme master who had directly received Heaven Silk Steel Armor transmission from the Fighting God, and until recently had reigned as Howling Heaven Castle Lord at the northern front lines.

Recently, he had also gained fame as one who received Lotus Nezha’s Qi-Controlled Sword Strike and survived.

Therefore, Jeong Yeon-shin harbored special competitive spirit toward him.

He had first encountered Heaven Silk Steel Armor through Demon Contempt Blade, and though he didn’t show it, he felt a sense of vastness about the Fighting God’s martial arts.

He asked the masked blade wielder who had stopped stupidly.

“Can’t you sleep?”

“…The jianghu people here don’t close their eyes for long. Their war horses use lightness skill, and they never know when they might be trampled under those hooves.”

Somehow Demon Contempt Blade was talkative. Like when he had failed trying to escape from Northern King Yelu’s military camp. Come to think of it, his speech pattern had also changed to formal address at some point.

But Jeong Yeon-shin paid no mind to any of that. There was something else important.

“Were you  Fighting God’s disciple?”

He asked. Instantly, Demon Contempt Blade’s eyes sank coldly.

“Disciple? I couldn’t serve him as a master.”

“Then?”

“I was just fortunately included among those gathered based on some unknown criteria… Among the masters who crossed the Great Wall over ten years ago. The Fighting God sat casually like a school teacher in that place and bestowed teachings of the divine ultimate technique Heaven Silk Steel Armor. Telling us to survive as best we could in that strange and rough land…”

The voice of a man who had been desperate for self-preservation, if only briefly, became immersed in some memory.

Jeong Yeon-shin clearly felt it. Demon Contempt Blade’s reverence for an unbelievable person.

“Of course, the Fighting God never paid careful attention to anyone. Producing results was each learner’s responsibility, and he seemed to think anyone could comprehend the formulas upon hearing them. But I at least regard him as my master. Many jianghu people would be the same as me.”

Crack.

Semi-transparent sparks flew from his hands.

The friction of internal energy arising from Heaven Silk Steel Armor. It was dozens of layers of true energy armor compressed ruthlessly enough to withstand even Qi-Controlled Sword Strike, and Demon Contempt Blade’s body wearing it had somehow moved away to Mineral Soul Mountain’s cliff edge.

He had naturally taken retreat steps while speaking that long yet short story.

As if he had been there from the beginning. Even Jeong Yeon-shin tilted his head questioningly for a moment.

Northern King Yelu asked calmly.

“Where are you trying to go?”

“…This place has good scenery. It’s perfect for enjoying the night view below the ten-thousand-zhang precipice.”

Whoosh!

The next moment, Jeong Yeon-shin was standing beside Demon Contempt Blade.

Along the path he had traveled, the gentle light clusters of lightness skill Ten-Li Gentle Light fell like feathers, and the eyes inside Demon Contempt Blade’s mask were colored with some sense of defeat and shock.

Jeong Yeon-shin said quietly.

“I need your strength.”

“Of course you would. I also heard in detail about what you did in the Northern Kings’ Bright Wind Spirit.”

Demon Contempt Blade showed a deliberately calm nod. “Even at this very moment, all sorts of Northern Kings are probably watching your every move with interest. Some mad for battle might be coming to take King Yelu’s head right away… No, it’s not that they might, they certainly will. The northern people’s bellicosity is incomparable to the south!”

Words that ended in a suppressed shout. Was it because he had voiced with his own mouth that the vast world was moving?

Whether sincere or not, Demon Contempt Blade seemed to want to flee immediately, but Jeong Yeon-shin’s concern lay elsewhere.

From the beginning, someone who had been the castle lord of Howling Heaven Castle closest to the Great Wall didn’t seem likely to feel fear toward anything.

“Those you mentioned all turned their backs on the Southern Emperor in the Bright Wind Spirit.”

“Of course they would. A Northern King trying to directly kill a Northern King? That means they’ve already strayed far from the Fighting God’s will. It’s shocking beyond belief!”

Demon Contempt Blade said while subtly moving away from the cliff again. Jeong Yeon-shin followed him with a calm expression.

“Of course, there’s no law saying they would harbor goodwill toward me either. The Northern Kings I’ve experienced were all madmen. Naturally, what I want isn’t those fellows, but the achievement of the protective energy you currently possess.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke in low tones.

Immediately after, he witnessed Demon Contempt Blade’s serious expression for the first time. The story about regarding the Fighting God as master seemed to be true.

“Give you Heaven Silk Steel Armor? Do you have no pride?”

“I’m not asking you to give it. I’m suggesting we spar. Of course, it’s true I don’t have much pride.”

Jeong Yeon-shin answered calmly.

Taoist High Sword’s last words and head, the corpses of main fortress warriors scattered across the Great War battlefield, Nether Stream Leader and Burning Abyss Leader who had been left with only severed heads dangling… These were the scenes flickering in the Divine Sword Group Leader’s mind at this moment.

He deliberately didn’t recall the things he had experienced before that.

The youth had lost much too early, and now having overcome those heart demons, he had positioned himself in the heart of the northern jianghu.

One who moves the great situation of all under heaven.

He was literally preparing for war. He had long acknowledged the Fighting God he had never even seen as a grand master.

Suddenly, the sound of lips opening came from inside Demon Contemp Blade’s mask.

“…Try striking once. Weakly, holding back ten thousand pounds of mercy in your hand.”

Jjeoeoeoeoeoeng!

The word was sparring. Demon Contempt Blade couldn’t follow Jeong Yeon-shin’s striking speed, and met the shock wave that burst whitishly from his abdomen with his whole body as he was pushed back into the city.

Soon after, the atmosphere rippled like receiving summer sunlight. Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin was shaking out the back of his hand a few times.

Kwagagagak—!

Demon Contempt Blade stopped after creating two furrows with a momentarily dazed look, then laughed quite triumphantly.

“You even added Internal Weight Technique in that brief moment. In terms of true energy deployment speed, even someone at the level of the Six Star Lords might barely be able to react properly.”

“Is there no pain?”

“What are you talking about?”

“What?”

“The Heaven Silk Steel Armor I operate with my cultivation method has the function of blocking internal energy penetration. At least if using the same amount of true energy, there’s no chance this side’s internal energy barrier would be broken. This much should be enough to chew up and swallow even the Peng Family’s blade techniques, don’t you think?”

Demon Contempt Blade then muttered that it might be worth trying. While glancing at the cliff positioned beyond King Yelu’s shoulder.

Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin clenched and unclenched his fist.

Swish.

He felt no particular counter-force.

The sensation remaining on the back of his hand was also quite ambiguous – each strand of true energy weaving the protective energy felt like flexible iron thread.

Including the statement that Internal Weight Technique was also ineffective, it was invincible in every way.

‘Martial arts with no weaknesses?’

There was no way such a thing existed.

Even Desolate Fortress Lord’s Moon Spirit Divine Technique had shown weakness against more yin-natured blood technique true energy.

What about the Dream Demon Body that had planted heart demons in the Wudang Sect Leader of the Sanfeng martial lineage?

Step.

Jeong Yeon-shin walked toward Demon Contempt Blade, whose spirit had revived considerably.

Heaven Silk Steel Armor was divine ultimate learning close to military strategy in itself, but there would certainly be some method.

Even if each breaking method was meaningless since it took completely different forms according to the practitioner’s martial arts.

“…I heard some Heaven Silk Steel Armor is also used for attack.”

At Jeong Yeon-shin’s words, Demon Contempt Blade snorted.

“More than half the Northern Kings would be like that. If it’s their internal energy cultivation methods, there would be few that aren’t hegemonic.”

“As expected, I’ll have to prepare to defeat them one by one.”

“Prepare? That’s impossible talk unless you completely understand each Northern King’s individual cultivation. Even if you knew their martial arts, Heaven Silk Steel Armor is something you can’t predict what form it will burst out in.”

“I acknowledge that.”

“If it had been easy to grasp from the beginning, would the Ming Dynasty’s martial military forces have stayed only at the Great Wall? When they outnumber this place by several times…”

Suddenly, Jeong Yeon-shin raised his right hand like claw techniques and placed it on Demon Contempt Blade’s shoulder.

Joining the ring finger and little finger respectively, and the index finger and middle finger, making three prongs including the thumb.

“I understand for now. See you at the meeting.”

It resembled the opening form of Shaolin Dragon Fist imitating a dragon’s grasp, but was much more destructive.

Crack—

Semi-transparent cracks appeared on Demon Contempt Blade’s shoulder and instantly spread throughout his body.

“…!”

It looked like a glass membrane surrounding his entire body was shattering and falling. It was a new technique of Eternal Blossom Fist that had not yet been named.

“Yours is rather easy because it’s simple. Just tie together the strands of energy used as barriers and tear them out. The problem is when the true energy structure differs for offense and defense.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about…!”

“It’s a principle that requires organization for me too. It’s not even a completed technique yet.”

Jeong Yeon-shin passed by Demon Contempt Blade, who had frozen in place.

The masked blade wielder who deeply revered the Fighting God.

Though he seemed difficult to fully bring under his command at first glance, since his most confident protective energy had been torn away, he would stay attached to Mineral Soul Mountain for the time being.

Until the northern expedition meeting of uniformly lofty existences – Jeong Yeon-shin, Shin So-bin, Sword Star, and Dragon Sound Sasa King and her great warrior Sword Silk – produced some fruit.

‘The movement plan is organized, so this time I need to thoroughly discuss supplies. Within limits that don’t plunder the common people here.’

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly, something fell from the distant sky.

Thud.

A small sound.

Since it was far from a fierce ambush, Jeong Yeon-shin felt it first but just stood there stupidly.

A foul stench wafted over.

[For one who has risen to Northern King position, you seem quite leisurely…]

Along with sinister Six Harmonies Voice, a pair of legs rolling and stopping on the snow.

Body parts already half-rotted.

Rather than being cut by something, they seemed brutally pulled out bone and all. They were traces of extremely hegemonic hand techniques.

[I have come. Carrying the legs of your friend.]

The night air had grown even darker.

Saaaa—

Energy denser than clouds covered even the moonlight. In the distant sky, an even blacker human shadow was slowly descending.

The sight of falling while dragging darkness deeper than winter night like a curtain.

Instantly, Demon Contempt Blade’s energy waves rippled uneasily. Did he have good night vision? Perhaps he was someone he knew from his time as Howling Heaven Castle Lord.

His voice broke intermittently.

“Sou, thern Emperor…?”

The name of the northern greatest.

The manifestation of the Southern Emperor under heaven was sudden.

The feeling of one thoroughly versed in military strategy who knew the importance of first strike better than anyone. Though it was a moment that would fluster anyone, Jeong Yeon-shin merely stomped his foot once silently.

Hwaleuk!

Instead of a footstep sound, the friction sound of a bonfire igniting rang out.

The clearing where the uninvited guest flying through the sky would land.

With Jeong Yeon-shin at the center, blue flames began rapidly drawing a huge taiji like light rays.

‘Southern Splendor Radiant Taiji.’

It was the Divine Sword Group Leader’s territory.