Chapter 564 – Northern Emperor (4)

The northern Mineral Soul Mountain Range.

A place also called the plains built in the sky. This was because it was terrain where high and vast peaks were connected in close succession.

At this moment, the grayish-white stone walls surrounding the city of Soul Extinguishing, where Northern King Yelu and the Six Star Lords’ Southern Emperor had clashed, were also built upon it.

Between the sharply curved rooftops of houses that rose like curved blades.

Northern cities frequently saw combat.

Most involved crushing heads or necks flying off in life-and-death duels, and due to the characteristics of Yao tribe martial arts, they often needed to maintain wide spacing.

Therefore, most northern cities had large squares prepared. Serving the dual purpose of training grounds, execution grounds, and dueling arenas.

The clearing now carved with a faint blue border in a circle was such a place. Where a single sword burning blue was spewing out fierce pressure in streams.

Crack, snap.

Tonight in the city of Soul Extinguishing was strange.

The lantern lights that should have been illuminating the window frames had been swallowed by darkness.

Only the blue flames were illuminating the surroundings in a circle. While spreading the sound like a campfire softly into the darkness.

[Formless Sword…?]

The Southern Emperor muttered.

His Six Harmonies Voice was naturally maintained like the cry of a general who had taken the battlefield. It was also a temperament that seemed to regard all his speech and conduct as a type of martial art.

He quietly asked.

[Is your true martial art swordwork?]

A feeling as if approaching some truth.

The friendship with Yu Ling Leader, the words about having heard of blue flames, the already widely known edict of the late Emperor Qian-ling, his shallow eye techniques in discerning someone’s character – all seemed to evoke special speculation.

Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head.

“It was cut short.”

Hwaleuk!

The sword that had been burning bright blue in the center of the blue taiji scattered like a mirage, then part of it seeped into Jeong Yeon-shin’s body.

At the same time, the oppressive feeling that had been heavily pressing down on all directions also disappeared like a dream.

When he had earlier descended into the blue taiji’s domain, had he been absorbed in how to overcome the Southern Emperor?

The blade being forged in Jeong Yeon-shin’s heart had briefly revealed itself. By borrowing the mysterious function of Southern Splendor Radiant Taiji.

Dark Night Brilliant Blood Demon Sword.

Since the Divine Sword Squad’s strongest Formless Sword formulas had come to Jeong Yeon-shin, the necessity arose for exclusive martial arts to use when Remaining Thunder wasn’t in his grasp.

He was fiercely contemplating how to draw out a sword that wouldn’t disgrace Jin Myeong-jo’s prestige. Unconsciously with more full power than ever.

‘These are the mysteries Senior handed over. I must forge them perfectly as my own.’

Therefore, his Formless Sword was incomplete.

It shouldn’t possess proper spirituality yet. It had to emerge into the world only after completing the framework of the most mysterious internal energy under heaven.

Meanwhile, the darkness covering the Southern Emperor’s face area gazed intently at Jeong Yeon-shin.

[You are as ambiguous as the Ming Cult Leader.]

“Surprised? Your martial art seems to require composure, so you should choose your breathing well.”

Jeong Yeon-shin probed the Southern Emperor in return.

He had gained insights while briefly exchanging proper strikes. About the Southern Emperor’s martial learning that moved between the boundaries of strange sorcery martial arts and orthodox explosive force.

But the northern greatest laughed lowly and changed the subject.

[You have no shame in revealing unfinished techniques. I know those like you. Troublesome if troublesome, easy if easy – such a disposition.]

“Seeing that Heaven Silk Steel Armor, I understand your character too. Despite having overflowing power, you like to kill people efficiently. Your attack paths must be extremely short.”

[Well. First I’ll have to extend the trajectory of a single strike long, and beat in many feints too. To easily kill those who think like you.]

A conversation filled with killing intent continued.

This was because each thought it would be quite difficult to decide victory easily against the other. They each assessed their opponent through experience and intuition.

While mutually weaving the explosive force of hands and feet with terrifyingly complex internal energy operation.

Crack, crackle—

The frictional sound of energy emerging through the thick darkness.

The Southern Emperor’s black Heaven Silk Steel Armor didn’t permit short decisive battles. Even as King Yelu, he had to assume a prolonged war.

But the jet-black pupils of Jeong Yeon-shin behind the silver mask remained consistently calm throughout.

Somehow it didn’t feel like when he had faced the Heaven Conquering Sect Leader or Tyrant Sword Sect Leader, or even Yong Hye-myeong. Even though there was a high possibility of meeting death here if luck was bad.

‘Have I become arrogant…?’

Or was it because even he didn’t know? What kind of scene would unfold when incomplete fist and foot techniques were combined with Southern Splendor Radiant Taiji.

Or it might be because the opponent wasn’t the complete Southern Emperor.

When facing practitioners of sorcery martial arts, one had to assume all sorts of variables.

If it was the northern greatest replacing the disappeared Fighting God, he might be able to exert this much power with just his original spirit.

A case of forging a clone with internal energy and spirituality, then surrounding that body with the divine ultimate technique Heaven Silk Steel Armor.

‘This would be the worst case. In any case, I must win overwhelmingly.’

Jeong Yeon-shin thought while feeling the power of Southern Splendor Radiant Taiji rising like clouds within his body. It was the spirituality of an ancient sword immortal that would annihilate all recoil from every ultimate technique he deployed.

* * *

Many people had long since awakened from sleep and surrounded the area. The light of the blue flames that was difficult to dare approach dimly illuminated their faces and weapons.

“……”

Northern jianghu people.

They were still contorting their thick facial skin from the shock created by the Southern Emperor’s manifestation.

It was a natural reaction.

It was like one of the stars in the northern sky personally descending. From an immeasurably high position at that.

Shin So-bin was mixed among that crowd.

While feeling faint tremors from the wooden case strapped to her back. It was the vibration of the divine sword Remaining Thunder.

‘They said it has spirituality, does it want to go to its master?’

Fortunately, it was far from the terrifying agitation characteristic of sword song techniques, so her gaze turned elsewhere. To where another small clearing had been created.

A woman of eight-foot stature leaning against a pregnant war horse. Watching the confrontation between Jeong Yeon-shin and the Southern Emperor.

It was Dragon Sound Sasa King who ruled this Mineral Soul Mountain territory.

As the only peerless master free within the energy waves created by the two men, she possessed the most overwhelming presence among the crowds. To the extent that snow didn’t accumulate only around her.

‘They say all Northern Kings are monsters…’

Shin So-bin thought.

But Dragon Sound Sasa King’s expression somehow looked complicated. As if, having decided to support Jeong Yeon-shin who had declared war on the Southern Emperor in the Bright Wind Spirit, her heart was beginning to change upon the actual manifestation of the northern greatest who inherited the Fighting God’s will.

Was it a sign of betrayal?

With Sword Saint Hyeon So-baek and Northern Sea Ice Palace Ice Emperor each having left Mineral Soul Mountain on their respective business.

If Dragon Sound Sasa King turned her back on Northern King Yelu, everything here would come to nothing.

Not only that. They would have no choice but to be preoccupied with immediate flight. Shin So-bin would be tucked like baggage into Jeong Yeon-shin’s arms like sometime during the Blood Flame Cult attack.

‘No.’

She was now a Divine Sword Squad member, and all Divine Sword Squad masters were fundamentally given the same mission.

None other than creating a one-on-one situation between Jeong Yeon-shin and enemy leaders. This wasn’t just the duty of Divine Sword Deputy Squad Leader Jin Myeong-jo alone.

Shin So-bin approached Dragon Sound Sasa King lightly while whispering mental transmission.

—Excuse me, I know internal energy operation techniques that are effective for fine horses too… It’s my family’s secret transmission.

* * *

A beautiful youth followed a transparent woman.

The handsome man who turned even the rushing headwinds toward them into a painting, and the king who fluttered black silk veil and hair together with her transparent body. They were beings who respectively ruled various territories under the name Shame Extreme.

Shame Extreme Son-in-law Dream Demon Body and Shame Extreme King Rakshasa Deep Abyss.

These were beings who respectively wore the dignity of monarch and Northern King throughout their bodies, and following the trajectory of their running, huge avalanches were spreading grayish-white with kuguung— sounds.

It was a fitting aftermath since they were among the first to be counted for the strength of protective energy throughout the northern lands.

“Are you saying the Bright Wind Spirit is favorable to King Yelu? Really? Then shouldn’t we also support the Southern Emperor?”

“Don’t ask twice.”

“I’m surprised. At least it’s fortunate that most of the Northern King Majesties enjoy taking the heads of those they favor…”

“Did you also harbor goodwill toward the Divine Sword Squad Dragon-Treading Squad warriors? That was peculiar then. I know there were several girls too.”

“No? Shame Extreme Majesty’s daughter is my everything. The Dragon-Treading Squad friends were, well… interesting in various ways, but too fierce to be satisfied with dream strikes. I liked the actual feeling of breaking necks with my hands. The sight of blood-stained blue robes fluttering in the sky…”

“That’s enough.”

“Yes?”

“We’ve arrived.”

They descended onto a snow-covered mountain peak. Sharp sunlight was breaking transparently, and being high enough to reach the clouds, all directions were dyed in white light.

There was a prior guest.

“Shame Extreme.”

He greeted them with a short call.

A giant man sprawled on the pure white snow floor as a blanket. The arm pillow supporting his head was very thick. It was due to the muscles that filled all his forearms like lava streams.

But he didn’t appear dull.

It was because his height was so large. His limbs were thick as tree trunks yet somehow looked overwhelmingly nimble.

Shame Extreme Son-in-law’s eyes widened.

“You are…?”

“A name I didn’t know appeared. These days they call him Finance Star.”

“……”

“It must be the old Northern Dipper’s doing.”

Large bare feet stomped down on the snow-covered ground with thumps. Like his face, it was faded skin as if ash had been applied.

Beside him, a hammer reaching one zhang in length was devouring the winter sunlight.

The entirely silver hammer head was huge like a siege engine, and from its rear end, sharp blue blade edges hung down like hair.

The fifth among the northern six stars.

A peerless master with great wanderlust, an existence who had always opposed the Fighting God. Excluding Heaven’s Northern Dipper, he was one of only two anti-Fighting God faction members among the Six Star Lords.

“I only went to Mount Everest briefly and there’s so much to see. When did the fun of fighting disappear because of the Fighting God…”

“You’re not a Northern King belonging to the Bright Wind Spirit, so how…”

“This isn’t inside a dream, Dream Demon Body. Don’t try to converse with me without permission. I’ll smash your skull.”

It was when Shame Extreme Son-in-law closed his mouth.

Finance Star’s head tilted on his arm pillow. He was looking up at the sky.

“Is that it? The evil spirit who unified the west. As soon as the Southern Emperor moved, all sorts of things reacted.”

“……!”

Shame Extreme Son-in-law raised his head with a start.

In the distant sky above.

Some Han Chinese woman was sitting cross-legged on thread-like black cloud streams. She had an immortal-like appearance but ominousness flowed from her entire body.

A distance of easily several hundred zhang.

But her face was overwhelmingly beautiful like any Northern King’s Transcendent Martial Art. Even her extremely bored-looking eyes were enough to make the sky a scenic view.

Ming Cult Leader Young Heavenly Demon Invincible.

At this moment she was looking down at one side of the Mineral Soul Mountain Range, and beside her stood an old man who likewise trod on void stepping, holding an old sword to her chin.

It was a scene of restraint against natural disasters. Shame Extreme Son-in-law immediately groaned.

“King Yelu’s great warrior…!”

“Northern King Yelu? His skills must be outstanding. No matter how I look at it, he’s no ordinary old man.”

It was the muttering of Finance Star, a young Six Star Lord member.

The manifestation of the northern six stars.

The descent of Western Greatest Ming Cult Leader Young Heavenly Demon Invincible.

Northern Kings who wanted to use King Yelu for various grudges, and great warriors who moved the world under their respective kings they served.

The currents of the era were gathering.

Thump!

At the same time, a great tremor arose from far below the peak.

‘What?’

Shame Extreme Son-in-law, who turned his head like lightning, saw dimly in passing. That the gazes of Shame Extreme King and Finance Star were already directed down toward the source of the vibration.

It was the direction the Ming Cult Leader, who had been resting her chin on the sword blade with a peaceful appearance, had been looking down at.

It was a city in the Mineral Soul Mountain Range filled with dark smoke.

Kuguung!

Darkness surging violently like a sea of clouds. Literally like storm clouds containing thunder and lightning, this time large reverberations overlapped several times. As if some chain of fist techniques had exploded.

The thoughts of Finance Star and Shame Extreme King flowed out simultaneously.

“Insane.”

“…The martial art origin cannot be grasped.”

‘Can kings see inside?’

Before Shame Extreme Son-in-law could even express his doubt.

Kwaaaaaaaang—!

Cracks raced along the firmly standing mountain range. The darkness covering the mountain city scattered in shreds, and vast snow piles split long all the way to Shame Extreme Son-in-law’s group’s peak. Tremendous vibrations echoed distantly, making Shame Extreme Son-in-law step backward.

“Whatever’s happening, it’s only loud on the surface…”

As he muttered like an excuse.

The scene of the mountain city below the peak was clearly revealed. The blue flame taiji that had drawn a circular border in the center was also clear.

A silver-masked youth was lifting a being made of jet-blackness by grasping both shoulders. Darkness crumpling like cloth in his grasp surrounded by bluish light.

Nothing else.

It was the Heaven Silk Steel Armor of the Six Star Lords’ leader.

‘Southern Emperor…?!’

Right after Shame Extreme Son-in-law inwardly cried out with wide eyes. In an instant, the Southern Emperor’s human shadow tearing in half like paper.

Puhwahak—!

Completely split in two.

The divided body immediately scattered upward like smoke. While leaving words that could only be heard by listening with Thousand-Li Earth Hearing technique instead of any shock wave.

[You’re not the only one capable of clone manifestation. Look forward to it. I know who you are now.]

“So it was an original spirit.”

King Yelu muttering self-deprecatingly.

Even though he had torn apart the principle called darkness with both arms, had he not reached satisfaction? His appearance was clear even from far away.

The scene of stopping after tearing the Southern Emperor in two directions and silently feeling the sunlight.

“Bare-handed combat…”

Shame Extreme Son-in-law was about to address his king but stopped. Because regardless of whose back he might stab to survive, it was difficult to judge which side to align with right now.

Upon Northern King Yelu.

The Fighting God’s phantom was overlapping.

In the form of the one-eyed limping being called the Fighting God spreading both arms wide.

That would be a scene visible only to the eyes of northern jianghu people at this moment.

Kugugugugugugung!

Meanwhile, the rumbling of the blue taiji disappearing while biting its own tail filled the mountain range like thunder.