Chapter 565 – Northern Emperor (5)

The tall clouds of Mineral Soul Mountain Range.

The woman who had been sitting comfortably in the grayish-white air currents straightened her waist. Attired in snow-white robes like an emperor’s dragon robes. The rustling sound of her garment edges was leisurely.

“That fellow, the silver mask suits him well.”

The woman sitting cross-legged high in the sky using void-treading step muttered. She was skilled at talking to herself.

“If mine hadn’t been broken earlier, the two would have made quite a well-matched pair. But what could be his intention in taking my surname as his name…?”

Tap, tap.

At the same time, she tapped the blade touching beneath her chin with her index finger.

Each time, hazy ripples spread out floating, and around the woman’s face, the atmosphere gently undulated like summer sunlight.

Her smooth brow furrowed slightly.

“Old man, isn’t your sword energy too strong? My transformation might be disturbed.”

“What is transformation to the Ming Cult Leader’s dignity? Unable to reveal your face openly.”

The old swordsman holding a sword to the woman’s chin spoke. Likewise treading on void like a star embedded in the sky.

He didn’t even glance toward the mountain city where Northern King Yelu and the Southern Emperor had clashed. As if his trust in Northern King Yelu was great.

One corner of the woman’s mouth rose slightly.

“That would be difficult. I intend to show my bare face only to that fellow. It would be too good for the rest of these insignificant things.”

The last words were different in tone from the start. Terrifying demonic power was contained in her voice, and her voice seemed as if it would crush the nearby mountain slopes.

It was a temperament that could bewitch anyone with power alone, as the name demonic power suggested.

But the old man was calm.

“I don’t know what is insignificant. The world that despises you? Or do the people of the world who live fiercely without rest appear that way to you?”

“A useless question. We look at different places.”

Ming Cult Leader Young Heavenly Demon Invincible’s voice was equally tranquil. Without even casting a glance at the nearby old swordsman, she flicked the sword blade beneath her chin with her white finger.

Hwaaak—

Dark smoke arose.

That small cloud contained mysteries like a microcosm. It was a scene arising from energy waves becoming entangled with each other.

Kiiiiing!

Young Heavenly Demon Invincible’s demonic energy entangled into the energy that had been dwelling on the peerless swordsman’s blade, arbitrarily changing the true energy structure of that sword energy and weaving out specific internal energy techniques – all in an instant.

She had woven the opponent’s energy and her own energy together to activate some technique.

Form-Shifting Void.

Despite deploying the highest level of sorcery martial arts, there was no burden on the body. Even the deployment speed of the martial art was as fast as a peerless swift sword. It was technique too overwhelmingly skillful to be called toying with the opponent.

Young Heavenly Demon Invincible’s entire body became faint.

In an instant, the sword that had risen as if to sever her neck passed right through her body.

“Where to.”

The Sword Saint roughly barked.

The aged peerless swordsman had already reforged the energy contained in the blade anew. Naturally, the following deployment of the ultimate technique ‘Heaven-Piercing Sword’ was also natural.

The movement of roughly re-gripping the hilt of the rising sword like a wanderer.

Puhwahak!

With just that, pale cutting wind tore the atmosphere to shreds. Extreme practical swordwork. Changing the gripping method itself was a martial art.

Pabaabababak!

Powerful blade winds carved dozens of cracks on Young Heavenly Demon Invincible’s shoulder garment edges.

His mysterious sword wind had even followed Form-Shifting Void. He had cut the principles that had been twisted by the Heavenly Demon’s hands. But he couldn’t leave wounds on the Ming Cult Leader’s flesh.

—Thanks to the old sword demon, my lifespan has shortened again. Probably about one period.

Low laughter spread along with the words.

Soon after, her body completely disappeared, leaving only the sound of grumbling in the void.

—When Yeon-shin gets territory, I’ll visit officially. I’ll send word under the name Western Heaven Dark King, so convey it that way. Ah, since the one you’ve made an enemy is the Southern Emperor, you’ll need to build power quickly. If you don’t want the northern wilderness as your grave.

That was all.

Her traces were nowhere to be found. Only the clouds spread like giant feathers flowed leisurely mixed into the blue sky. While flowing the light of dawn’s glow as part of their snow-white bodies.

“…A Heavenly Demon.”

When the old man, the Sword Saint, muttered while putting the old sword into its sheath.

Kyuuuung! Hwaaaaaak—!

A human shadow came rushing through, tearing the very center of those clouds to shreds. The atmosphere undulated from the piercing sound that was sharp enough to penetrate one’s ears.

It was speed and shock waves that would be difficult to see unless it was sword riding flight.

Right next to the Sword Saint.

Kwaaaang!

Thunder spread just from stopping movement.

The momentum was tremendous. Enough to make the Sword Saint, who had naturally placed his palm on the sword hilt, hesitate for a moment.

It was Jeong Yeon-shin who had flown here riding Demon Contempt Blade’s massive greatsword.

He had rushed here after competing with the Southern Emperor’s original spirit wearing Heaven Silk Steel Armor until dawn broke.

Even though both body and mind had to be tired since he had hidden most of his true martial arts.

Passs.

Blue flame fragments crumbled and flowed down his eyes. It was the aftermath of Southern Splendor Radiant Taiji, which required considerable power output.

Organizing would inevitably take time.

“Did she leave?”

Jeong Yeon-shin asked while wearing the silver mask. The Sword Saint immediately nodded.

“That’s right. Regrettably.”

The story of Lotus Nezha having Bewitching Sword Demon Baek Mi-ryeo taken by the Ming Cult Leader was openly known. It was especially information that few among jianghu upper echelon figures didn’t know.

“Thank you for blocking her. If the Ming Cult Leader had intervened, things would have gone awry.”

The Acting Divine Sword Group Leader continued politely.

“…I would have had to start from the beginning in a much more difficult situation.”

He wasn’t swayed by the grudge deeply embedded in his heart.

He was looking at great affairs. Even though his mood would be greatly unpleasant for the moment.

“Not just your body has grown.”

The Sword Saint smiled gently.

But the feeling contained in that smile was closer to bitterness than pride.

“…This chaotic world must have raised you like this. If the Northern Kings knew Northern King Yelu’s age, they would all be greatly surprised.”

“As you said, I couldn’t grow by myself.” Northern King Yelu agreed without hesitation.

The difference was great – that the Sword Saint thought of chaotic times, while Jeong Yeon-shin thought of those who had been around him.

The endlessly vast yet land where it was difficult to foresee even one step ahead.

The collision between the world’s Southern Emperor and Northern King Yelu came to an end like that.

* * *

Noble ones crossed the Great Wall.

Those who had been respected like nobility beyond being strong even in the vast Ming martial world.

Existences so renowned that the new Ming Emperor, who had newly ascended to the throne as the legitimate eldest son of the dead Emperor Qian-ling, would invite them to the ‘Heavenly Classic Martial Arts Examination’ – they rushed looking at only one thing.

Throwing aside the martial arts competition personally hosted by the emperor.

While tearing up the wilderness of only white snow or sand like a painting with the propulsive energy waves beneath their feet.

Everything originated from an incident involving Lotus Nezha’s niece. Zhongnan disciple Jeong Hye, who bore the epithet Eternal Heaven Child. A child who was the protective energy of the contemporary jianghu martial world.

Not only would the emperor’s event have been disrupted, but most of the jianghu people who attended the Heavenly Classic Martial Arts Examination wouldn’t have crossed north.

If that young girl hadn’t brought out the secret manual of the Zhongnan Sword Immortal.

Thump! Kugugung!

Peaceful conversation flowed among those racing while surrounded by dust clouds like fog.

“Family Head, what do you think happened? To Desolate Day Extinction’s niece, I mean.”

“What happened? The emperor brought her along, so she’s probably being treated well in the Forbidden City. She’s sleeping and eating better than us, right?”

“Indeed, it seems the first thing for a person is to be born with good bloodlines. Some families have an uncle of the current family head playing lord in the north…”

“What about the main family? The Peng Family has been blessed more than enough. That banished wretch with the ridiculous epithet is the public enemy of all under heaven, so he’s not worth discussing.”

“Yes, well. By the way, where are we…?”

“How would I know? We’re just diligently following the traces of where the Diancang Sect Leader and Divine Thief clashed. Prepare the Gate-Breaking Formation. Collision will be inevitable if we want to read even a bit of the sword manual.”

“The border’s martial military forces let us through too easily… Especially Grand Commander Quan Yu-li is said to be a resolute person. If he had tried to stop us, he could have blocked us by any means.”

“Who knows? Who could know the imperial army’s schemes?”

An existence that regarded even the border spread like sword strikes by the empire as part of the jianghu. That’s why they had crossed the Great Wall.

They were martial people.

The impact of the treasure containing methods of wielding swords like immortals – that is, the sword manual left by the Zhongnan Sword Immortal – was that tremendous.

“Family Head, over there!”

“Draw your sword first!”

A woman wearing three swords shouted.

One on the waist sash that wrapped her abdomen in orange, and two crossed and tied on her back. A woman whose sharp-rising eyes seemed to be part of martial arts like the weapons she wore.

About twenty-six or twenty-seven years old.

She was Peng Family Head Peng Yu, the first seat of the Five Marvels of Resplendent Brilliance, from which Desolate Day Extinction and Young Heavenly Demon Invincible’s names had been removed.

Kugugugugung!

Dust clouds were rising murkily before her eyes as she led the group.

There was nothing else to see.

It was certainly momentum created by strong people. It was also energy waves that couldn’t be favorable to those who had come up from the south. This was northern land after all.

Peng Yu smiled.

“They say the bastards of this land use crescent blades so well!”

Her confidant, a young blade-wielder beside her, shook his head while drawing his blade fiercely.

“Please exercise restraint, Family Head! The main family’s direct lineage could be cut off! Mount Hua Dragon, could you help us please?”

Words shouted while turning around sharply.

There was a young Taoist mixed among the countless crowds, racing silently.

“Me?”

It was a response as lofty as the cliffs of Western Peak of Mount Hua.

The appearance of white Taoist robes embroidered with pink plum blossoms matching his expressionless face. He wore a sword as long as befitted his tall height.

Peng Yu’s confidant shouted.

“Aren’t we comrades in this northern world! If it’s Mount Hua’s Dark Fragrance Drifting that Jade Flame Sword God transmitted as direct transmission, it might be able to follow our Family Head’s movement technique…”

“My purpose is different from you thieves.”

“Taoist! Your words are harsh!”

“I’m going to return the sword manual to Yeon-shin’s niece. Isn’t it something that had an owner from the beginning? It’s fine for you to have a bit more difficulty.”

The acting sect leader of Mount Hua had moved privately for that one purpose alone.

By friendship and chivalry that had to be far from the word ‘rational.’ Free-spirited temperament unlike the immortals of the Nine Great Sects, resembling someone.

“……”

The expressions of the Peng Family warrior who had shouted earlier and the nearby martial people hardened.

Attacks using facts as weapons hurt more than any ultimate technique. If Mount Hua Hidden Dragon Yu Hyeon hadn’t been Mount Hua Sect’s acting sect leader, they would have already started a fight.

Bang!

[Stop right there! We have no business with you lot!]

Meanwhile, Peng Yu, who had rushed out at tremendous speed, warned ahead with Six Harmonies Voice.

Thud Thud Thud Thud!!

The place where her shout fell was instead filled with the sound of horse hooves. For some reason, they began charging even more fiercely as soon as they heard the words.

The vibration was unusual. The feeling of earthquakes filling up densely from underground. It was clearly the northern-style internal energy cavalry technique.

“They say they trample through any sword formation and break through…”

One of the martial people muttered with a sickly expression.

“The sword manual has fallen into hell.”

“Prioritize protective energy.”

Even those who had been leisurely began to prepare one by one.

Though they had split up in various ways from the Heavenly Classic Martial Arts Examination to arrive, the famous jianghu masters numbering easily over one hundred and fifty began to calmly take their respective energy cultivation stances.

Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Dao, Wind-Meeting Infinite Fan Technique, Vast Sky Limitless Sword Technique, One Hundred Eighty Hands Yan Family Divine Fist…

When countless ultimate techniques of the Central Plains martial world were being drawn.

It was suddenly revealed whose territory they had set foot in. Because the roars of Yao tribe jianghu people had swallowed even Peng Yu’s Six Harmonies Voice.

[Northern King Yelu ordered us to capture all southerners!]

Kugugugugung!

Their tremendous voices and the neighing sounds of war horses shook the earth.

Rapidly approaching distance.

Belatedly realizing they had entered Northern King territory, they scattered quickly left and right just before colliding with the cavalry forces. Literally prioritizing protective energy.

They were not noble in this land.