Chapter 112: Divine Art (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 112: Divine Art (6)
Their mission led them to the Sichuan Martial World, which meant they had to account for the Tang Clan.
Naturally, with the support of the Chief Steward's Office, the Radiant Wing Unit had brought along various antidotes.
However, Poison Arts were a discipline rife with unpredictable variables.
Even if they only faced a few Tang Clan experts, they had to prevent any potential loss of combat power. That meant avoiding conflict until they had definitive information.
‘If it’s the Myriad Blossoms Rain, I should be able to get their cooperation.’
Jeong Yeon-shin did not withdraw the energy he had gathered in his hand.
The two experts of the Radiant Wing Unit reacted first. Lazy Flame Dragon stroked his chin, staring blankly at the stone fragments swirling in Jeong Yeon-shin's palm.
"The core principles of the Myriad Blossoms Rain?" he muttered. "Are you saying you created the mnemonic just from hearing a description of the form?"
Namgung Hwa-shin, who had been silent until now, also spoke up. Though he had yet to escape his despair, he was still a martial artist born of outstanding talent. When it came to discussing martial arts, his demeanor was no different from the White Qilin of old.
"How would one circulate true qi to achieve that? It's not even Void Grab."
"If one's mastery of internal energy was deep enough… they could truly unleash a storm of hidden weapons. Of course, controlling the true qi required for such a large-scale attack would be another matter entirely."
As the martial geniuses of Shandong and Southern Zhili, respectively, their interest was immense.
"I've never heard of such a thing," Lazy Flame Dragon said with an intrigued expression. "No wonder they keep calling you a Grandmaster."
Jeong Yeon-shin ignored him.
"Tang Clan," the boy said briefly, his gaze fixed on the Dragon-Phoenix Twin Poisons. "It might not be identical to your family's ultimate technique, but I believe it should be enough to serve as a reference."
"..."
The rising stars of mixed Ironfolk blood, who had the appearance of a young boy and girl, were stunned. Poison Dragon's mouth fell slightly open, while Poison Phoenix's eyelashes trembled.
As they stared at the stone fragments swirling above the boy's hand, the arrogance that suggested the world was theirs for the taking vanished from their faces.
Yet, this reaction was a testament to the siblings' talent.
Had they felt nothing, they would have dismissed Jeong Yeon-shin with the same conceited expressions they wore when boasting of their own genius.
But they couldn't.
The finely vibrating waves of energy, the spiraling fragments, the meticulous circulation of true qi hidden beneath the phenomenon—they understood it all.
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke again. "It is, quite literally, a crude imitation of the basics. The true martial art of Myriad Blossoms Rain must contain dozens of variations and applications."
He was right. However, this was no ordinary imitation. It was a display that could easily be considered the precursor to the Myriad Blossoms Rain itself, strikingly similar to the introductory forms passed down through secret manuals and oral tradition.
Poison Dragon, his shock slowly dawning on him, opened his mouth even wider.
Poison Phoenix brushed back her hair, her pale hand trembling slightly.
They both recognized the value of this single demonstration.
‘What kind of… absolute nonsense is this…?’
Poison Phoenix’s gaze darted back and forth between Jeong Yeon-shin's hand and his face, her pitch-black pupils wide with disbelief.
Creating a mnemonic just by hearing the form of a technique? That was the realm of a Great Grandmaster. And this wasn't just any technique—he had constructed the framework of a Divine Art on the spot. Even in a Jianghu filled with eccentric experts, this was something that didn't seem humanly possible.
She was forced into an unwelcome lesson in humility. She, who had been basking in her reputation as an unprecedented genius in the Sichuan Martial World.
At this moment, it was an emotion she refused to acknowledge.
"So, it wasn't just you, Young Hero, but the Desolate Fortress itself that researched this to do something to the Tang Clan—"
Poison Dragon's trembling words were cut short by a sharp smack to the back of his head from Poison Phoenix.
"Get a grip! Are you an idiot? If this was something that could be done just by throwing people at it, would our main family be a pack of fools? Don't go looking for trouble and shut your mouth…!" she whispered fiercely, gripping her twin brother's ear as if to tear it off.
Then, catching Jeong Yeon-shin's calm gaze, she quickly folded her hands politely.
"We have shown you an embarrassing display at our very first meeting. You said you wanted information about our father, correct?"
At her words, Jeong Yeon-shin nodded.
"Tell me everything: his preferred martial arts, the places he might stay in Sichuan, and any Jianghu connections he has. If the former Tang Clan Leader, who left the family, is as innocent as you claim, there should be no problem with this."
Of course, that wasn't true. Every single thing he mentioned was exactly what an assassin would investigate before a hit.
However, Jeong Yeon-shin decided to be shameless. The whereabouts of the Demonlight Wing depended on this clue. He could afford to be even more shameless if he had to.
It wasn't just Namgung Hwa-shin who was changing. The more Jeong Yeon-shin experienced the martial world, the more he became a true man of the Jianghu. If he was to die without obtaining the fruit of the World Tree, he wanted to ensure his precious companions and his martial arts would remain intact.
"That's..."
Even so, Poison Phoenix did not raise her voice.
In truth, she couldn't. She and Poison Dragon were, first and foremost, martial artists of the Tang Clan.
Instruction in the basics of the Myriad Blossoms Rain.
Its value was incalculable. An ultimate technique that symbolized a prestigious family of the Jianghu was a treasure that could not be measured by ten thousand gold pieces. This was even more true for a peerless secret art whose fame resounded throughout the Central Plains.
"You want us…! To sell out our father…"
Poison Dragon glared fiercely, but his eyes immediately softened, even before his sister, Poison Phoenix, could tug at his sleeve. The value of the Myriad Blossoms Rain was simply too immense for him to maintain a hostile attitude.
"We should be serving him on our hands and knees, you idiot."
Looking at her twin brother with pity, Poison Phoenix turned back to Jeong Yeon-shin and parted her lips.
"I am ashamed of my earlier remarks about talent."
"Will you accept the proposal?" Jeong Yeon-shin asked, completely unbothered.
In response, Poison Phoenix took a step forward.
Rustle.
"Ryeo-ryeo of the Tang Clan…"
Poison Phoenix Tang Ryeo-ryeo bowed with elegant grace. She cupped her hands together, fingers overlapping in a gesture of deep respect.
"Greets her benefactor."
Her lips parted slightly. The sleeves of her green light armor slipped down her arms along with her black hair. The fabric, clearly no ordinary material, looked incredibly soft. Despite her small stature, her conduct was highly refined.
It was not a typical martial world greeting. While the fist-and-palm salute was a common greeting in the Central Plains during this era, Tang Ryeo-ryeo's Arching Hand Salute was a traditional gesture of etiquette used by civilians. It was an act of lowering oneself to show the utmost respect.
"Benefactor? This is an exchange. There’s no need for favors. Let us conduct a transaction of equal value," Jeong Yeon-shin said.
The suspicions surrounding the Tang Clan had not yet been cleared. He could not form a connection under the pretext of teaching a martial technique. It was already burdensome enough that his comrades in the Desolate Fortress revered him as a Grandmaster.
However, Tang Ryeo-ryeo shook her head.
"There is nothing our main family possesses that could serve as fitting compensation for the Myriad Blossoms Rain. You will be taking much from us, Benefactor."
"I'm not interested. Do you accept the trade?"
"Yes. We will tell you anything."
She was determined to receive the transmission, even if it meant selling out her own father. The saying that the Sichuan Tang Clan was ruthless certainly held true.
For Jeong Yeon-shin, this was a welcome outcome. The technique he had created on the spot had completely dissolved the hostility of the Tang Clan's Dragon-Phoenix Twin Poisons.
Standing beside him, Lazy Flame Dragon wore a thin smile. He gestured with his eyes toward the Tang Clan's escort warriors, currently held back by the Radiant Wing Unit.
"I was thinking of torturing them if it came down to it. Killing all those bastards over there."
"Are you from the Heterodox Sects?" Namgung Hwa-shin asked, his hand still stroking the hilt of his sword.
Jeong Yeon-shin felt reassured once again. Even if the Tang Clan's rules were strict and the Sichuan Martial World was powerful, the members of the Radiant Wing Unit were more than prepared to face them.
"I am Yeo-hwa of the Shu Road Tang Clan," the boy, Poison Dragon Tang Yeo-hwa, introduced himself. He resembled a slightly larger Ironfolk.
He introduced himself as being from the "Shu Road Tang Clan," prefixing their name with the treacherous path leading into Sichuan—a symbol of his family's domain. It was a unique form of pride common among the people of the Central Plains, who loved to show off.
However, he could not hide his deflated spirit. Ever since witnessing Jeong Yeon-shin's technique, he had kept his eyes slightly lowered. His younger sister, Tang Ryeo-ryeo, seemed to think that was for the best.
"Keep your mouth shut. You can't even grasp the basics."
After rebuking her brother, she turned her head. When her eyes met Jeong Yeon-shin's, she curled her lips into an elegant smile.
"Benefactor, we shall speak first. We do not mind receiving the martial transmission later. What are you curious about?"
A clever, calculating wisdom shone through her words and actions. It seemed she intended to provide a satisfactory answer first to ensure she received sincere instruction later.
It was then that Jeong Yeon-shin detected a strange sound from the pitch-black, abyssal depths of the cliff below.
A faint rumble rose from the chasm where only the wind had howled moments before. It sounded, quite literally, like distant thunder.
When he turned his gaze, Lazy Flame Dragon and Namgung Hwa-shin nodded.
"It wasn't an illusion. There's something down there."
"I heard it too."
The two of them had felt it as well.
Jeong Yeon-shin gave a slight gesture with his chin. This was the place where the Demonlight Wing's trail had gone cold. If something bizarre was happening right in front of them, they had to investigate.
"We're going down. You two, follow us," the boy said.
The Tang siblings, who wore similarly startled expressions, nodded. They had already lost the initiative—an experience they had never had as direct descendants of the Tang Clan. But with the basics of the Myriad Blossoms Rain at stake, they had no other choice.
"Down."
At Jeong Yeon-shin's brief command, the group began to move as one.
Lazy Flame Dragon, Namgung Hwa-shin, and the rest of the Radiant Wing Unit, including Red-Day Sword, moved first, following their young Unit Commander as if escorting him.
With the Dragon-Phoenix Twin Poisons in the middle, the Tang Clan's escort warriors slowly followed behind. They, too, had witnessed the precursor of the Myriad Blossoms Rain. The killing intent that had whipped through the canyon like a gale had now scattered like a gentle breeze.
"We cannot easily trust the Tang Clan," Red-Day Sword stepped forward and said. "Grandmaster, how about we split their forces and place them in the middle of our own?"
"Do so," Jeong Yeon-shin replied without turning around. Since taking over as temporary Unit Commander, he had been speaking informally to the warriors of the Radiant Wing Unit. Even if temporary, he was the leader of this unit, and a proper hierarchy had to be established.
"May we come along as well? The Sichuan Martial World will be unfamiliar to you, so we can provide information as long as it doesn't pose a threat to our sect. At least until you engage in a major battle."
The Beggar Sect Successor and the other beggars also wished to follow. Jeong Yeon-shin nodded.
Step.
The group, which had grown significantly in an instant, began to move, taking the wooden plank path leading down the cliff. Though called a path, it could hardly be considered a road. They moved by leaping between protruding sections of the cliff, using their Body Protection Scripture to steady themselves.
Whoosh!
Jeong Yeon-shin, Lazy Flame Dragon, and Namgung Hwa-shin descended first, along with the Tang siblings. The five geniuses stepped on various parts of the cliff, their robes fluttering in the wind. Meanwhile, Lazy Flame Dragon and Namgung Hwa-shin positioned themselves slightly above the Tang siblings. Trust had not yet been fully established; the Radiant Wing Unit left no openings.
Flutter!
Tang Ryeo-ryeo and Tang Yeo-hwa were indeed worthy of being called geniuses. Their movements, which showcased their profound movement techniques, were incredibly light. Even with their Yinjiao Points sealed by Jeong Yeon-shin, they descended the rugged cliff without any difficulty.
During the descent, Jeong Yeon-shin listened to their stories about the former Tang Clan Leader. Poison Phoenix referred to him as her father, while Poison Dragon called him dad.
"Our father is smaller in stature than we are. Since our late grandmother was of the Ironfolk, his blood runs quite thick. Our mother is of the Han people, but as you know, the villains of the Thirteen Heavens…"
"He is also an incredibly outstanding blacksmith. The Vast-Heaven Divine Sword was born from his hands."
"He used to visit the Iron Flower Forge in Shunjing Prefecture often. It's a famous blacksmith shop in Sichuan, renowned for the white fire of its furnace. If you teach us the Myriad Blossoms Rain, Young Hero, our main family will transform your Desolate Fortress Sword into a Divine Sword. I will take personal responsibility and make it happen."
The siblings' personalities were nothing like typical twins. The contrast between a refined young lady and an energetic young master was stark. While Tang Ryeo-ryeo explained things meticulously, Tang Yeo-hwa also began to chatter endlessly once he opened his mouth.
The Tang siblings tried to stay close to Jeong Yeon-shin's side. This remained true even when they reached the bottom of the precipice, where everything was pitch-black.
Thud.
They set foot on the ground. A uniquely dull sensation traveled up through the soles of his feet.
"...!"
It was only for an instant.
The boy clutched the top of his head as his Baihui Point burned intensely. A flurry of mental images flashed through his mind.
There was a vast space beneath the ground. The Demonlight Wing was facing a clan of short-statured people.
Long sword wounds were slashed across the backs of several Demonlight Wing seniors, as if they had been betrayed. He saw Baek Mi-ryeo's pale back, stabbed several times. Cheong-myeong's abdomen was in a similar state.
And then…
A whisper of sensation. The realm of foresight. The power emanating from his glowing white Upper Dantian spoke to him.
Today, a Divine Art would be born.