Chapter 563 – Northern Emperor (3)

Deep darkness paints over the night sky.

It was the feeling of cool silence bubbling in the void.

It was certain that some explosive energy had occurred, yet there were no energy waves pounding the heavens.

Even the Yao tribe members of Mineral Soul Mountain’s city, who had been opening their doors one by one due to the commotion caused by Demon Contempt Blade and Jeong Yeon-shin earlier, were swallowed by the silence.

The Northern Greatest.

If he was the strongest among the Six Star Lords, he might have to be considered equivalent to the leader of the Five Greatest Swords under Heaven.

“……”

Like an emperor descending.

No one’s voice was permitted.

Even the moonlight that had been pouring down brightly was blocked by some jet-black something. Only silence was being enforced.

The mountain city dressed in white snow like clothing, the city’s signboards, all the houses with roofs sharp as swords, the arbitrarily misaligned roads, and even the wooden fences where dried stakes had been planted one after another.

Now that even the wind had completely stopped.

Jeong Yeon-shin felt for a moment that even the Bright Wind Spirit’s mental transmission space had become muffled. Several troublesome voices had died away like lies.

At this moment, the Southern Emperor held all natural earth energy in all directions completely in his grasp.

‘Sorcery martial arts…?’

No.

It was different from what he had experienced so far.

Because proper explosive energy could be felt.

It seemed like he had mixed the qualities of sorcery martial arts that grew stronger the more preparation was made with ordinary martial arts that had clear substance.

The feeling of approaching while laying energy wave projectiles in the atmosphere. In that sharp edge, the northern snow flakes fluttering faintly in the darkness gave off a clear fragrance.

It was the scent of overwhelmingly dense internal energy.

[Welcome to the high land… I would be the first to give you such greetings.]

The Southern Emperor’s voice continued down slowly.

[I also wanted to see the old swordsman of Northern King caliber that you’re said to command, but it seems he’s away for some reason. I had prepared something for him too.]

Questions couldn’t help but arise.

What school of martial arts had he learned?

What did all these phenomena mean?

If he was a peerless master of sorcery martial arts, had he completed all preparations necessary for battle through this manifestation alone? In other words, was it like finishing a complex formation in one go?

Confusing.

For now, he had to feel it with his body.

‘It’s not Transcendent Martial Art. Just simple battle readiness.’

It was when his eye light sank.

[Excellent breath control. In southern terms, it would be Return to Origin.]

The human shadow that had been growing larger while formed in the sky praised King Yelu without reservation as it descended.

“……”

In Jeong Yeon-shin’s silence.

The confrontation between the Northern Greatest and the Divine Sword Group Leader took place.

[Someone as unreadable as you is the first since five colleagues. Looking now, you’re worthy of being mentioned by the fastest under heaven.]

Soon Jeong Yeon-shin slowly opened his mouth beneath the silver mask. The Divine Sword Group Leader’s voice pierced through the silence created by the Southern Emperor like a sword technique.

“…You’re also fluent in Chinese.”

The only words that broke the silence in the venue.

The spirituality of divine ultimate learning dwelling in Jeong Yeon-shin’s voice was free from the domain created by the Southern Emperor.

He deliberately focused on the doubts he had been harboring.

The northern jianghu was composed of Jurchen and old Yuan Dynasty people whose very language was different from the south, as well as those gathered from all sorts of other lands.

It was also strange that the Northern Greatest casually spoke Jeong Yeon-shin’s language with his true form without any particular pride.

At this moment, there were more than just one or two crowds looking up at the Southern Emperor from various places in Mineral Soul Mountain’s city.

[You wouldn’t know since you don’t have Heaven Silk Steel Armor.]

Cool yet low laughter.

Why was that? The shadow stopped at a point in the void seemed to quite enjoy the conversation with Jeong Yeon-shin.

[All teachings of the Fighting God are conducted in Chinese. ‘All martial arts under heaven come from Shaolin,’ ‘Ten thousand swords look back to Southern Wudang,’ ‘Heaven-defying martial scriptures buried in the Demon Cult’… Aren’t the essences of power that should rightfully be plundered and learned all written in your language? If those formulas were changed to other words and characters, who could obtain all the original meanings from them?]

“Because of martial arts?”

Jeong Yeon-shin deliberately asked back. It was to control his gaze and mind that kept trying to shift to Divine Beggar’s legs.

If he didn’t, he might lose something in this situation.

The enemy vanguard’s manifestation had come too suddenly. Jeong Yeon-shin, who had always initiated first strikes, was on the receiving end for once.

Then the Southern Emperor’s shadow shook its head.

[Martial arts? That’s too narrow a story. The countless common people of the south that we will take, and the studies of yours that clans must acquire are equally precious. Originally, important or profound things must be taken as they are. Only then will mysteries permeate the soul, and clans will properly handle that power. They must rightfully become proficient.]

The Southern Emperor then added.

[Therefore, your language is the basic skill of northern jianghu people.]

“…!”

Jeong Yeon-shin narrowed his eyes. To hide the goosebumps that had begun running down his spine.

‘The stance is different.’

It had been a kind of preparation for conquest.

The fact that northern masters who were somewhat skilled in martial arts naturally revealed Chinese to King Yelu from the south.

The fact that Demon Contempt Blade and the northern gatekeeper as well as southern fugitives were already supreme masters of Heaven Silk Steel Armor.

The situation where not only the upper echelons of the northern jianghu like Northern Kings and great warriors, but even mental transmission spaces spanning vast distances conducted conversations in Chinese.

The Fighting God’s Sound Cave.

Bright Wind Spirit.

‘From the beginning, it was composed of Northern Kings favorable to the Fighting God…’

His thoughts went only that far.

The unseen Fighting God’s pupils seemed to swallow Jeong Yeon-shin whole. A sensation vast beyond being merely huge. The opponent was not a jianghu person but an emperor of the martial ultimate.

Had he felt Jeong Yeon-shin’s vacant expression?

[Look at me.]

The Southern Emperor’s voice was strange. It felt like winter night wind scraping its body against stone walls. Ticklish, yet chilling.

[I am looking at you.]

From the point where he stood treading on the void.

Extremely jet-black darkness undulated like a person. It was literally a form with head and limbs, but all flesh composed of energy like dark clouds.

‘Heaven Silk Steel Armor.’

The Southern Emperor’s protective energy was different again.

Just from the form, it didn’t feel like a living person at all. It was truly befitting the peerless master who had taken the eyes of Shaolin Abbot Divine Monk Beomheo.

“Come down.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke quietly. From the center of the taiji that had gently surrounded the venue in a circle with blue flames.

[I have received reports about those blue flames from my nephew. The person you knew as the master of Yu Ling.]

“I’m telling you to come here, as I’ll fight as you wish.”

King Yelu’s voice devoured the nearby darkness with terrifying resonance. Sounds of doors closing followed one after another from many houses.

Still, only Jeong Yeon-shin and the Southern Emperor could make sounds.

[I taught the master of Yu Ling. Of course, I also learned much from that child. As you know, the southern Yu Ling Leader departed this world without fail. It’s something no Northern King of this land could accomplish.]

With a gentle voice scraping the night air, and even scratching Jeong Yeon-shin beyond it.

Meanwhile, the Southern Emperor’s eyes, which were nothing but darkness, gazed down at Jeong Yeon-shin intently. As if thoroughly examining his true identity and weaknesses.

Yu Ling Leader.

The one who had brought bloodshed to the southern jianghu.

The incidents that had seemed like failures were actually successes, and the Great Desolate War he had caused at the end of his life had taken root as Jeong Yeon-shin’s heart demons.

That might have been Yu Ling Leader’s Transcendent Martial Art.

Naturally, it was something that could probe Jeong Yeon-shin’s reaction in some way. If the Southern Emperor knew King Yelu to be of southern origin.

“I’ll go.”

Northern King Yelu said.

His eyes did not waver. Blue flames merely flickered on the surface of the silver mask. Alone bright in the midst of darkness in all directions.

‘Containing power within the body.’

Return to Origin that blocked energy waves inside the meridians. The unknown Southern Splendor Radiant Taiji. Fist and foot application techniques that had escaped orthodox martial veins.

Wuuuung!

Jeong Yeon-shin’s senses wove all of that together like martial art formulas and settled them in his body. It was Northern King Yelu’s battle readiness.

The great flow didn’t change even with the Southern Emperor’s manifestation.

Doubt and certainty were worlds apart. The Divine Sword Group Leader’s emergence above water had to wait until King Yelu dug a little deeper into the northern jianghu.

[Your temperament matches the rumors.]

The Southern Emperor’s voice growing rapidly. It was because Jeong Yeon-shin had immediately kicked off the ground and soared up.

The snow-covered ground beneath his feet briefly spat out grayish-white smoke and sank down in a circle with a thud.

Kiiiiing!

Sharp noise spread from Jeong Yeon-shin’s limbs.

The sound of the Luminous Wheel Technique, completely suppressed like the contemporary Divine Sword Deputy Group Leader’s Return to Origin, rubbing against itself. It was power operation that had reached the divine technique realm.

Huuuk!

Before he knew it, Jeong Yeon-shin had faced the jet-black form created by the Southern Emperor, and the knee that had been rising with his leap struck up at that abdomen with a thud.

Immediately after, vast shock waves burst from the point of impact, creating thunder-like roars.

Kugugugugung―!

The darkness that had filled the entire night sky dispersed faintly in concentric circles.

For a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin felt chilling cold penetrating his knee. The Southern Emperor’s Heaven Silk Steel Armor. The energy waves from the knee strike he had just delivered had been extinguished like fire meeting water.

The frictional heat characteristic of powerful strikes also disappeared in an instant, and cool northern wind seeped into his bones.

A situation where one strike was rendered ineffective.

There was no time to be surprised by the unbelievable event. Because intent like when Transcendent Martial Art was deployed flowed from the Southern Emperor’s body that had briefly groaned.

[Total Heaven. Full Bloom Light.]

Meaning the density of upper dantian spirit contained in one strike was tremendous. The next moment, pale flashes struck in streams at Jeong Yeon-shin’s body, which had crossed both arms.

Jjeojeojeojeojeojeong! Kwaaang!

Consecutive collisions followed by light rays scattering like feathers. It was the aftermath of force that had penetrated all sorts of vital points despite Jeong Yeon-shin’s solid defense.

‘This true energy structure…!’

Completely identical to the explosive energy of Jeong Yeon-shin’s earlier strike.

The attack that had penetrated the Southern Emperor’s Heaven Silk Steel Armor had returned exactly as it was, only in different form.

With perfect offense and defense, if similar exchanges repeated several times, there was a possibility of penetrating even the Tang siblings’ calluses.

‘End it before being hit.’

Kwaaaaaaa!

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had used the returned strike as propulsive energy waves, rotated hazily in the void, and his leg curved like a whip immediately struck toward the opponent’s dim neck.

The Southern Emperor’s intent overlapped in two layers like light rays.

[Your armor is quite solid too, but mine cannot be penetrated by bare hands and feet. Don’t you have weapons? A beloved sword perhaps.]

[Army Armor Transformation. Dark Deep Thunder.]

Dual Six Harmonies Voice.

Intent probing Jeong Yeon-shin’s unique martial arts, and intent pouring out terrifying ultimate techniques together. Even all techniques were in Chinese. He was one who thoroughly followed the Fighting God’s teachings.

Kwareulung!

Dozens of bundles of darkness pierced into Jeong Yeon-shin’s instep.

For a moment, the Heaven Silk Steel Armor darkly surrounding the Southern Emperor’s body became somewhat dim, but jet-black lightning struck chillingly up to Jeong Yeon-shin’s ankle bones.

The snow-covered ground burst up grayish-white from the endlessly exploding shock waves.

Kwagwagwagwagwang!

The leg that should have originally crushed the Southern Emperor’s neck was pushed back inch by inch.

[You persistently don’t bring out your true martial arts. I originally came to have a conversation, but I might kill you here.]

The instant the Southern Emperor’s human shadow composed of darkness muttered lowly.

Jeong Yeon-shin, making the earlier leg technique meaningless, rotated completely in the opposite direction once more and hooked his heel around the Southern Emperor’s nape.

It was bizarre movement as if no recoil was transmitted to his body at all.

[……!]

The trajectory that had drawn a circle in that instant was carved in the night sky along with the dark lightning streams.

Kwaaaaaaaaang!

The roar that belatedly burst from those semi-transparent traces pierced and penetrated the atmosphere. Jeong Yeon-shin pulled the Southern Emperor down with Southern Splendor Radiant Taiji in the rumbling shock waves.

Landing took only the blink of an eye.

Thud―!

The ground sank down, and pure white snow fragments and dust scattered in all directions. At the same time, the Yao tribe members of Mineral Soul Mountain each staggered from the tremor that spread like an earthquake.

“Cannot be penetrated by bare hands and feet?”

Northern King Yelu’s voice settled with coldness befitting the snow-covered ground.

As if asking when they had exchanged fierce encounters… Between the Northern Greatest and the new Northern King, who were now standing on the ground in proper posture like a lie.

Crack, crackle―

In the exact center of the bluish circle, long blue flames burned in the shape of a sword. It was accompanied by sounds like firewood quietly crumbling in a bonfire.

It was a Formless Sword.