Chapter 567 – Northern Emperor (7)

Clear Light Plain.

An entirely yellowish-brown flat land. Unlike the Mineral Soul Mountain Range, it was terrain close to a desert, and the territory of the Divine Thief, who was known to be able to possess everything, was such a barren wasteland.

In the midst of dry sand winds attempting to lift Northern King Yelu’s silver mask with thin sounds.

Jeong Yeon-shin was silently gazing straight ahead.

He saw a familiar face.

A woman maintaining balance with a sword stuck into the ground.

Her body was completely stiff. Without needing to examine her for long, she was in a state of having suffered heavy internal injuries. It would not be an exaggeration to say she was paralyzed from how much endurance she had poured out in taking this damage.

Had she become unable to maintain even temporary rejuvenation? At this moment, wrinkles were slowly forming on her face, but her stubborn mouth remained the same whether on her young face or aged skin. Like Tyrant Hero Ma Yeon-jeok.

Perhaps she might never recover.

‘Elder Jin.’

She was the Diancang Sect Leader who had crossed swords with him at the Mount Hua Agreement Martial Competition.

It was impossible to forget. Not only was she someone connected to his maternal grandfather, but she even bore the epithet Sword Empress. No one could forget her mysterious temporary rejuvenation.

Even though Jeong Yeon-shin had won once at Mount Hua, he had never actually experienced the Sword Empress’s Nine Lives Desperate Salvation.

It was because at that time he didn’t possess the Void Moon Dance, so he had only pressed her with quick techniques.

Considering that the Transcendent Martial Art could appear as any variable in the peerless realm, the sight of the Sword Empress kneeling on one knee at this moment was inevitably hard to believe.

‘Did she lose even after deploying the Ultimate Life-saving technique?’

If so, it was a big problem.

Northern King Yelu had to first worry about the opponent’s possibility of escape before battle.

Thorough assessment came first. Whether or not it was an existence against whom killing and annihilation was possible after revealing his true martial arts.

If it was the latter, he shouldn’t reveal his unique martial arts, but paradoxically, whether he could defeat such a formidable person without his true martial arts was another problem.

When would the Divine Sword Group come?

What preparations had the Southern Emperor begun?

To become free from such worries, the creation of new martial arts was essential. That’s why he was preparing new fist and foot techniques.

‘I don’t know if it would work on that person either.’

Divine Thief.

She was one who had followed the Fighting God most closely along with the Southern Emperor and Northern Blade.

For some reason, the Northern Blade hadn’t included her among the six stars, but among the northern martial people, there was no one who viewed the Divine Thief under heaven as below the Six Star Lords.

First, he had to extract the Sword Empress from such a person’s grasp. Even while hiding his true martial arts.

Anyway, the Divine Thief wouldn’t be in perfect condition either.

How many people under heaven could defeat the Diancang Sect Leader without any internal injuries?

One would be inside a tree with legs, and the other would have their whereabouts unknown to anyone except the dead Emperor Qian-ling and himself.

If so, the conditions were the same.

Step.

Jeong Yeon-shin moved his feet without hesitation.

While lost in thought, he had already mentally exchanged 1,390 moves in his head. He had considered all sorts of scenarios.

Suddenly, the Divine Thief slowly moved her lips.

“Your name?”

It was a gentle voice, but it felt like a light rain that gently melted clouds was seeping into his crown.

Not only the thin muscles of his scalp, but even his mind and acupoints felt as if they were being gently loosened and melting away.

If they were those whose upper dantian was less cultivated, they might have collapsed right there and fallen into sleep. While confessing everything truthfully in their dreams.

The fight had already begun.

The Divine Thief’s voice was close to peerless sound techniques even in everyday speech. However, Jeong Yeon-shin answered with apparent composure.

“My name is Yelu. I am the owner of the land you stand on.”

“A lie.”

Woong—

She, who had gathered sunlight like silk and wore it like palace robes all over her body, shook her head.

Jeong Yeon-shin calmly observed the Divine Thief, who was also wrapping her face in sunlight pouring from the sky. While still slowly but surely stepping toward her.

‘I can feel power emanating from the light.’

Originally, it was said that among the peerless masters who handled the brilliance between heaven and earth like weapons, only two were known to the world.

Imperial Three Great Masters’ Yu Xiong-gong and the Divine Thief under heaven.

If it was an existence that the contemporary Diancang Sect Leader would pursue to the north, it could only be the Divine Thief, but he couldn’t immediately distinguish whether her sunlight palace robes were protective energy or simply a type of transformation technique.

It seemed he would have to experience it to know.

So.

The next moment, Jeong Yeon-shin was throwing a punch from beside the Divine Thief.

Afterimages rose in lines behind him, distorting the air.

It was Shape-Shifting Position Change that combined the steps of Radiant Wing Step, the sprint of Ten Li Gentle Light, and the body movement of Wind God lightness skill. Because everything was mixed together, it was rather new.

A single punch extending toward her face wrapped in sunlight.

Kugugugugung!

The atmosphere that collided with the fist surface shattered like translucent glass, and thunder-like noise flowed out from within, twisting the ground of the area.

The Divine Thief’s rotation around the Sword Empress as an axis was simultaneous. Black clothing fluttered in her fluid movement drawing a semicircle.

It was movement technique so fast and smooth it could be felt as teasing.

Rustle.

A jet-black sleeve that blocked Jeong Yeon-shin’s vision.

She had avoided it. It was perfect evasion.

The black sleeve that had been crushed by the pressure extending from the fist that grazed her for an instant was quickly grabbed by Jeong Yeon-shin with an indifferent gaze.

The atmosphere wavered once more at the extremely simple yet timely Grappling technique. Thunder-like vibrations followed his every hand movement.

‘Release.’

Zzeeeeeng!

A colorless wave burst from the hand gripping the sleeve.

For a moment, the white light that the Divine Thief had been wearing like clothing surged violently, and Jeong Yeon-shin, while firmly gripping her sleeve, kicked inward like a whip.

Swaaak—!

The shockwave that burst before the kick that cut through space from left to right was crushed entirely.

Naturally, not even a trace of force reached the Sword Empress kneeling below.

Bang!

It was only an instant before his instep struck the Divine Thief’s side, which had briefly stiffened. An extremely elastic rebound flowed through his leather shoes. His ankle became momentarily numb from the cold.

‘Heaven Silk Steel Armor…!’

He ignored it and pushed his leg through.

Kugugung!!

The Divine Thief bounced away like a skipping stone from the explosively extended kick… Jeong Yeon-shin briefly glanced at the scene of yellowish-brown dust explosively rising in succession far away. It erupted five times in total.

Swish.

Here, every technique was incomplete fist and foot arts. Jeong Yeon-shin’s foot, retracting downward, was vibrating hazily with internal power.

Fortunately, since this was a new technique even to its creator, the Divine Thief also seemed helpless for once.

The blue flame taiji that was already surrounding the vicinity with bluish flames.

‘It’s still not organized.’

Jeong Yeon-shin briefly evaluated the fist and foot techniques he was creating in this northern land. He thought systematic compilation was necessary, but it wasn’t something he could do immediately.

More important was the Sword Empress positioned right at his feet.

Tap, tap tap.

A woman with her eyes closed amid the characteristic sound of kindling breaking from Southern Splendor Radiant Taiji.

Her appearance of breathing thinly was ominous.

“Yeon… jeok…?”

She asked in a halting voice. At this moment, there seemed to be deeper affection mixed in with hope as faint as her breath.

Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t answer.

Because the King of Dream Demon Body hadn’t moved very far away.

Naturally, examining the Sword Empress’s condition with internal inspection came first, but indeed, the story of the Nine Sects’ sect leader didn’t end with just private affection-filled murmuring.

“That thief… took it. A book that will… influence the safety of… the world in the future.”

With brief muttering, she looked up at Jeong Yeon-shin’s chin with half-closed eyes, then collapsed right there.

Jeong Yeon-shin wondered if Northern King Yelu had aspects like a chivalrous hero as he placed his hand on her back. While recalling the cultivation method of the Jeong Family’s inner energy consisting of sleeplessness, moonlight, and swings.

‘I don’t know if recovery is possible, but…’

He injected Spiritual Dharma Radiant Wheel Energy into the center of her back, specifically the Gate of Life acupoint, using the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique, then raised his head.

“……”

The Divine Thief had already approached to within ten steps. Movement reminiscent of hazy fog at dawn. Even to Jeong Yeon-shin, it was ghostly lightness skill.

‘Unless it’s the Beggar Sect Leader in perfect condition, it would be hard to keep up.’

It was a casual thought.

But the legs of Beggar Sect Leader Divine Beggar Zhu Guang had been taken by the Southern Emperor.

Though Imperial Three Great Masters’ Yu Xiong-gong had taken him and escaped from the Southern Emperor’s domain, now even his exact whereabouts were hard to determine.

Now the Divine Thief would be the world’s fastest.

Moreover, she was an existence whose martial arts level had even entered the realm of the Six Star Lords and Five Swords under Heaven.

“The new Northern King?”

She asked quietly in a crystalline voice.

She seemed to regard Northern King Yelu as a member of the Yao tribe martial world without even doubt. Jeong Yeon-shin hid his uncomfortable feelings and said:

“It seems your news is slow since you don’t belong to Bright Wind Spirit, but don’t act rashly in my territory any longer.”

“Bright Wind Spirit? Southern Emperor’s faction?”

She spoke of the sound caves of many Northern Kings as if calling them a mere dark sect. Her words and demeanor were as if she had come out for a light stroll.

Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head.

“I declared war on the Southern Emperor long ago.”

“What?”

Surprisingly, her counter-question contained tickling laughter. The empty wasteland seemed to be tinted with soft snowflakes.

Step.

Her head tilted curiously as she closed another step.

“How are things developing?”

A low whisper.

However, Jeong Yeon-shin wasn’t interested in the questions of someone without friends. Because it was important to safely extract the Sword Empress and then attend to circulation healing.

That’s when it happened.

“It would be understandable that Dream King wouldn’t know.”

Some man’s voice.

When had he approached so closely?

Before Jeong Yeon-shin could even turn his head, a man’s voice that he had heard in Bright Wind Spirit’s sound transmission space spread like wind.

“The Northern King Yelu currently out on people’s livelihood inspection is indeed the owner of this land. He’s currently making a name for himself as the most belligerent conquest monarch in our lands.”

“The Fighting God’s strategist.”

Jeong Yeon-shin muttered while looking to the side of the Divine Thief.

An uninvited guest was at a distance where he could link arms with her. He seemed to have arrived with lightness skills one level slower than the Divine Thief.

Moreover, he was maintaining a state of not emitting any energy waves as if it were natural.

He…

Jeong Yeon-shin had to look up at him.

“……”

Nine feet tall. With an eye level that had virtually left humanity behind, looking down at Jeong Yeon-shin.

It was truly magnificent.

His arms and legs were also thick as iron towers.

The sight of all his muscle fibers pulsating as if alive. Dark blue heat waves repeatedly distorted like flames and disappeared on his skin. It must be Heaven Silk Steel Armor.

However, the words and actions of the Fighting God’s strategist, namely Literary Star among the Six Star Lords, were as refined as a Beijing scholar.

Incongruously so, given that he had one of the most fierce-looking faces among the Yao tribesmen he had seen.

“There are several sound caves.”

The monster continued speaking in a rumbling voice.

His voice was like an ominous echo rising from deep underground caves.

“Since Divine Thief doesn’t get along well with Northern Blade, she’s not in the Fighting God’s Bright Wind Spirit, but personally, I have a sound transmission channel for exchanging messages with this person. So I heard the message in advance and came out to meet… but…”

When Literary Star slightly tilted his massive head, it felt as if the pitch of the thin sand wind changed.

“I was one step late. I was privately interested in that woman’s body.”

A finger thick as rotted tree branch pointed at the Sword Empress.

He seemed to have heard about her temporary rejuvenation from the Divine Thief, and Jeong Yeon-shin recalled the martial scholars of the Murong family he had once seen.

Those said to have great interest in all sorts of martial studies and to have developed inhuman considerations. At this moment, Literary Star’s temperament was the same as theirs.

“Of course, I respect the king’s territory. War spoils that enter royal land rightfully belong to the landowner.”

Literary Star said this while smiling.

The movement of his mouth somehow came across as a dangerous smile. It was due to his enormous frame and skin that looked hard as stone.

The Divine Thief immediately retorted.

“Dwarf. I am the owner of this land.”

“Of course, it’s also true that the Fighting God granted this Clear Light Plain to Divine Thief. So… I was troubled about whose side to support right now.”

It was a conversation that seemed familiar to each other.

A situation where anyone could guess which side Literary Star would ultimately support.

“Ah, and… Shame Extreme, Upright Star, and even Severing Hope are probably coming here. Because the Southern Emperor requested it. Though it’s a word that doesn’t suit our land at all, this land must be peaceful until the Fighting God returns. In short, mediation is needed. Between Northern King Yelu and the Southern Emperor.”

Calling it mediation… Jeong Yeon-shin had already experienced the Yao tribe subordinates of Yeoktru Castle.

Their methods of resolving conflicts were virtually limited to one-on-one death matches or group battles among many. With flesh being smashed, bones breaking, and blood spurting like water spray.

In the end, it was as if the enormous eyes of the northern martial world had fallen upon Jeong Yeon-shin, who had distinguished himself.

Moreover, Northern King Severing Hope was originally the one who had been Ruinous Star among the Six Star Lords, and the Northern Blade had pushed him out and elevated Jeong Yeon-shin to Ruinous Star.

Nothing was going as planned.

Even though he had anticipated that everything would become difficult.

In the end.

‘…Come.’

Jeong Yeon-shin called Remaining Thunder, who would be in Yeoktru Castle twenty li away, to the clouds above his head.

He was about to be surrounded by five Northern Kings with martial prowess reaching the Desolate Fortress’ Purple Rank. It was to prepare for any contingency.

At the same time, he twisted his mouth beneath the silver mask.

“Mediation…?”

“Northern King Yelu?”

“Such refined words like southern scholars. Are you still Yao tribesmen after all this?”

It was a voice made to echo even in Bright Wind Spirit’s sound transmission space.

In the southern martial world, they often mocked gentle and old-fashioned people as “scholar sir” or “mister.”

Seeing Literary Star’s eyebrows furrow unusually at this moment, it seemed correct that he had learned martial arts or literature in the Ming Dynasty in the past.

If he had changed his face with transformation techniques when he was young and underdeveloped, it wouldn’t be an impossible story.

‘Information worth remembering.’

Jeong Yeon-shin thought like the Southern Emperor, the greatest person in the north.

Peace was sufficient for people’s livelihood.

Those who held swords instead of plows shouldn’t be peaceful. Until they eventually put down their swords, whether in death or life.

It was the view of the Desolate Fortress Divine Sword Group Leader that this was how the world should become peaceful. Because many seniors at headquarters had lived this way and closed their eyes.

Jeong Yeon-shin said:

“Since you called your group, I should also call my side.”

He was no longer a penniless Northern King without allied forces.

Before Literary Star and the Divine Thief could say anything.

Whoosh!

The bands of blue flames surrounding them blazed even more blue.

And Jeong Yeon-shin approached the Divine Thief closely with the same step he had once used to break demonic possession at Wudang Mountain.

It was a distance where the breath from his and her internal energy breathing pushed against each other’s collarbones and hair behind their ears.

Perhaps confident in her lightness skills? The Divine Thief rather looked up at Northern King Yelu with eyes that said this was interesting.

As if saying ‘try to penetrate if you can,’ while drawing all the sunlight pouring across the sky to her body’s skin.

Wooong!

While the afterimages of Body Transposition wavered from where Jeong Yeon-shin had originally stood.

‘I wasn’t going for a single decisive strike, so I misjudged.’

Jeong Yeon-shin’s hand swept down from inside the Divine Thief’s armpit along her forearm.

While pushing her elbow crook outward, he employed Absorption Technique toward his heart where the luminous wheel was spinning tautly. It was truly instantaneous.

Kiiiiing!

In a flash, Jeong Yeon-shin’s hand, after touching near the Divine Thief’s solar plexus, returned with tremendous suction power.

The book the Sword Empress had mentioned was dangling from his palm.

“…!”

Only then realizing his intention, the Divine Thief spun like lightning in place. Literally the world’s greatest lightness skill. For a moment, her body, tinted pale white, separated from Jeong Yeon-shin while creating a whirlwind.

Kugugugugung!

The book they both gripped without yielding split in half, spitting out landslide-like massive shockwaves. Waves made of earth surged far into the distance for a while.

The vibration of Sword Song that had flowed from Jeong Yeon-shin’s long fingers into the bundle of papers earlier. Because the two peerless masters had protected the book with near-full internal power, it only resulted in tearing sounds.

That was also a signal.

A summons coordinated days ago, or dozens of days ago, or even hundreds of days before that.

‘Come at once.’

Jeong Yeon-shin returned to his original position, fluttering his clothing magnificently like Yong Hye-myeong.

“What have you done?”

Literary Star asked with a faint smile. His massive frame exuded what seemed like reasonably composed leisure.

However, Jeong Yeon-shin only stored the book split in half into his bosom.

Soon there was a response.

Kwaaagwang—

It was heard very faintly.

From the south and west, and from the southwest between them.

Respectively, the rumbling of an iceberg falling, a massive sword cry, and the sound of several flags piercing through the ground and rising up.