Chapter 113: Law-Transcending Halo Qi
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 113: Law-Transcending Halo Qi
But it was only for a moment. The premonition from his Upper Dantian vanished as abruptly as it had arrived.
The mental images that had flashed through his mind scattered like dust.
‘What was that?’
Jeong Yeon-shin quickly collected himself. The spiritual insight that had whispered the words “divine art” from his Baihui point faded from his mind.
But that wasn't important right now. The real issue was the vision of the Demonlight Wing he had just witnessed. He couldn't tell if it was the present or the future.
‘It’s hard to distinguish.’
The functions of the Upper Dantian were always like this.
Transcendent senses like premonition or wide-area observation never came at the desired time or in the desired form. More often than not, they showed him useless things, as if the providence of heaven itself were mocking him.
Sway.
His body faltered. The lingering sensation beneath his crown throbbed like a fresh burn.
It was getting worse as time went on. Was the power of his Upper Dantian growing? That only meant death was drawing that much closer.
It was a harsh reminder. He had only about three years left.
‘I know.’
He repeated the words to himself, his mind feeling as if it were rapidly cracking and drying out.
“Unit Commander? Is something the matter?”
Perhaps sensing the change, Namgung Hwa-shin asked immediately. Jeong Yeon-shin replied aloud.
“It’s nothing. However, it seems we must hurry.”
“It seems we have entered the domain of a sorcery formation,” Namgung Hwa-shin said. “This darkness is unnatural. I cannot see ahead, even with my eye techniques.”
He was right. Everything in all directions was pitch-black, as if they had plunged into an abyss.
Jeong Yeon-shin raised his arm and looked down. He couldn’t see a thing. Even his own hand, right in front of his face, was swallowed by the darkness.
The air pressing down on his shoulders felt heavy. There was definitely something here. The darkness was uncanny, almost a physical presence.
‘We’ve found the right place.’
The boy instinctively recalled the formation of the Blood Flame Cult: the Dual Flame Blood Spirit Formation. It had used sorcery to create a bizarre harmony, separating the Blood Flame Cult's main headquarters from the outside world. The darkness brushing against his skin now held a similar, mysterious quality.
“How gloomy,” the Lazy Flame Dragon's voice echoed nearby. His usually listless tone seemed to carry a hint of interest.
“Grandmaster, when it is difficult to secure a line of sight, it is best to disperse your internal power,” the Red-Day Sword said, stepping closer as if to guard Jeong Yeon-shin's back. He was a veteran of the Jianghu.
It was advice born from long experience. Though it was impossible to see, Jeong Yeon-shin nodded.
“Everyone, release your energy waves.”
He infused his brief command with true qi, projecting it far and wide.
Immediately, the internal power of the Radiant Wing Unit warriors began to ripple out in all directions. The currents of true qi brushing against their skin allowed them to perceive one another, regaining some sense of space.
This was the strength of a group of experts.
No matter what situation they faced, they could adapt. Not a single warrior panicked just because their vision was taken away. Even the Beggar Sect contingent was no exception; everyone present was an elite of a great sect.
“Does anyone have a night-shining pearl?” the Lazy Flame Dragon asked.
The Successor of the Beggar Sect chimed in. “I hear carrying those things shortens your lifespan.”
“The beggars of your Sect must have only seen cheap ones. Stones that store sunlight for later use are perfectly harmless.”
“Must be nice to be the ruined young master of a once-wealthy family.”
The siblings of the Tang Clan also followed Jeong Yeon-shin's instructions. Haze-like energy waves emanated from their bodies, the method of circulation clearly revealing the traces of their poison arts training.
“This feels somewhat familiar,” the Poison Dragon, Tang Yeo-hwa, said.
“I’ve heard faint sounds from here a few times, but to think a place like this actually existed…” the Poison Phoenix, Tang Ryeo-ryeo, added.
“Why didn’t you come down to look?” Jeong Yeon-shin asked.
A faint rustle of fabric was heard as Tang Ryeo-ryeo seemed to turn toward him. “Because our father's traces were here. Those guarding us are our grandfather's warriors, and our grandfather hates our father for abandoning the clan. The Tang Clan's laws are strict and do not forgive kin who break them, so we…”
“We were afraid Grandfather would find Father and kill him,” Tang Yeo-hwa finished, his sister’s words trailing off. “When we practiced the Myriad Blossoms Rain up there, we kept the escort warriors far back, so we just had to pretend we didn't know.”
His simple, childlike way of speaking made the situation surprisingly clear.
“I see.”
Jeong Yeon-shin gave a brief nod of understanding. It made sense. The strange, loud rumbling hadn't only just started the moment the Radiant Wing Unit arrived.
“As expected of the Tang Clan. Truly a bloodthirsty family.”
“You—I heard from the Successor of the Beggar Sect that you are the Hwangbo Young Master. Is that really something a member of the Hwangbo Clan should say?”
Jeong Yeon-shin tuned out the Lazy Flame Dragon's amused voice. While the siblings, unable to contain their anger, began to bicker with him, the boy silently closed his eyes.
He needed to concentrate.
“Quiet.”
It was Namgung Hwa-shin's clear, sharp voice. He had noticed the subtle movement of Jeong Yeon-shin's eyelids, proof that his honed senses were focused entirely on the Radiant Wing Unit's commander.
If the Lazy Flame Dragon was an uncontrollable flame, the current Namgung Hwa-shin was like a dark, flawlessly calm sky. At moments like this, he was incredibly reassuring.
Jeong Yeon-shin altered the path of his energy circulation. This was not the Jeong Family Dynamic Art, but the ultimate breathing technique, unique in all the world.
‘Moon Spirit Harmony Art.’
He activated the cultivation method bestowed upon him by the Lord of the Desolate Fortress. A cool, crystalline sensation spread through the internal energy in his body. Because he had not trained it as his primary art, he could not draw out its full efficacy, but his control over his internal energy was enough to manifest its functions as needed.
Hum—
Energy gathered at the Tongziliao points on the outer corners of his eyes. It was the Yin energy of the Moon Spirit Harmony Art. It was said that the dark night was a time of Yin, stripped of all Yang. This energy, a core part of a martial artist's cultivation, filled his eyes with a brilliant luster.
“The nature of your energy wave has changed? Our Grandmaster can cultivate Yin energy as well?”
The Lazy Flame Dragon's voice drifted over. It sounded playful on the surface but carried a distinct hint of surprise.
Flash!
A blue glow swept across Jeong Yeon-shin's vision. The view before him opened up, albeit faintly. The rough walls of the precipice stretching in all directions came into sight, vivid and detailed.
“Follow me,” the boy said.
Step.
He had already confirmed the underground space through his Upper Dantian. Now, he moved to find the entrance.
As if guessing the situation from the Lazy Flame Dragon's words, the warriors, including those from the Radiant Wing Unit, followed Jeong Yeon-shin's energy wave and moved as one.
‘I must utilize both my physical eyes and my energy waves.’
Jeong Yeon-shin looked around, ceaselessly releasing his energy. He infused his intent into the true qi he projected outward, a technique to expand his sense of qi. He sought the entrance hidden within the walls by feeling the vibrations of his energy waves bouncing back.
Meanwhile.
‘He cultivated a Yin energy martial art?’
Standing in the rear, the Successor of the Beggar Sect picked up a brush in his mind.
The commanders of the martial units under the Divine Sword Corps were all contenders for the highest echelons of power. All seventeen of those peak experts were. Though temporary, the Flash Art was the eighteenth, and he was even leading the White Qilin and the Lazy Flame Dragon. Even if he was merely of the rising generation, every scrap of information about him was now vital intelligence.
‘The fact that the Lazy Flame Dragon didn't know means Yin energy arts aren't his primary focus, correct?’
The Successor of the Beggar Sect silently moved the brush in his mind.
‘He doesn't seem to have learned assassination techniques, yet he blocked a strike from the Dragon-Phoenix Twin Poisons. Exceptionally outstanding senses. This is worth noting separately. No one would defeat him in a battle of equal skill. Since he carries two swords, his achievements in swordplay cannot be shallow either. His movement technique resembles that of the Brightfolk.’
Information was engraved piece by piece. This was how the information network of the Beggar Sect, said to encompass the entire world, was built. The Successor of the Beggar Sect always took the lead in matters where he could make a difference. Now was one of those moments.
‘The Flash Art of the Desolate Fortress. Though many still do not even know his face… he can already be said to stand at the pinnacle of the Jianghu's rising stars. This isn't something to leave to the decrepit elders, nor is it a matter for my dying master to handle personally. So I must do it.’
An evaluation of Jeong Yeon-shin's worth was being conducted in real-time by the successor of the Beggar Sect.
It was then.
“It's here. The entrance.”
The boy's voice rang out calmly.
Jeong Yeon-shin, at the very front, slowly reached out his arm. Channeling a powerful surge of true qi into his right hand, he tore the boulder away from the rock face.
Thud!
With a heavy sound, a cave was revealed.
*
“There’s nothing here,” the Lazy Flame Dragon's voice echoed.
Two hours had passed since the group entered the cavern without hesitation. The passage was barely wide enough for five people to walk shoulder-to-shoulder.
Jeong Yeon-shin took the lead, with the Lazy Flame Dragon and Namgung Hwa-shin supporting him from behind. Behind them were the Tang siblings, while the blue-ranked experts of the Radiant Wing Unit formed a line further back.
“A place this long and deep is extraordinary in its own right,” Namgung Hwa-shin countered.
“That may be true, but…”
As the Lazy Flame Dragon’s voice trailed off languidly, the Red-Day Sword added his own words.
“It is right to be cautious. If a fight breaks out, keep your energy waves constantly active. You must feel the terrain. The Grandmaster already seems proficient at it, but the white ranks are my concern.”
“We can handle it,” a voice of reassurance came from the back.
“Weren’t you also a white rank until recently, Red-Day Sword?” another teased.
They were the white-ranked warriors of the Radiant Wing Unit.
‘There are so many.’
Jeong Yeon-shin became newly aware of the long procession trailing behind him. The reality of suddenly leading people felt unfamiliar. It hadn't even been two years since he took the Desolate Fortress Entrance Exam under the watchful eyes of his white-ranked seniors.
‘They are a reassuring force, but…’
He also had to minimize casualties within the Radiant Wing Unit. These were the people he had brought with him. The weight of responsibility for his comrades, who called him Grandmaster, pressed heavily on his shoulders.
It was far heavier than the dark air licking at his skin.
It was then.
“Huh?”
“Over there.”
It was the voices of Tang Yeo-hwa and Tang Ryeo-ryeo. Their reactions were as fast as their reputations suggested, but they were still a beat slower than Jeong Yeon-shin.
The boy was already sprinting through the darkness, his blue sleeves fluttering wildly behind him.
Whoosh!
There was no formation deployed inside the cave, so the eye techniques of the experts were fully effective. Moreover, Jeong Yeon-shin was still circulating the Yin energy of the Moon Spirit Harmony Art. For him, the terrain was as clear as day.
Tap!
He detonated the true qi in the Yongquan points on the soles of his feet. A figure entered his wide-open field of vision. The figure, hiding between the walls, flinched. Their stature was extremely small.
‘Ironfolk!’
With certainty, he closed the distance. The other party seemed to realize it was too late to evade. A gruff shout erupted.
“You… you betrayers! Is it the Thirteen Heavens again?! Or is it those shameless bastards… the ones who claimed neutrality between the Orthodox and Unorthodox, only to stab the Desolate Fortress in the back?!”
Though the voice was laced with fear, it carried a fierce spirit.
Jeong Yeon-shin abruptly suppressed his momentum. The short figure continued to shout.
“No matter how much you covet our clan's city, we will not let any more villains inside! Our treasure token has already been stolen! You won't get in, even if you tear me apart!”
“I am Jeong Yeon-shin of the Desolate Fortress's Radiant Wing Unit.”
Whoosh!
A strong headwind whipped past, lifting his sleeves.
Jeong Yeon-shin lightly tapped the ground with his soles, coming to a halt right in front of the stranger's nose.
He looked down.
A man whose height barely reached his waist was leaning back, his face a mask of momentary terror. His bushy beard and short limbs resembled the Ironfolk of the Desolate Fortress, as did his arm muscles, which were developed as if blocks of stone had been pieced together. Only his extremely shabby attire was different, unbefitting a clan said to be immensely wealthy and born with supreme craftsmanship.
“The Desolate Fortress…?” the Ironfolk man repeated slowly. As if he had also trained in internal arts, his eyes, flashing with energy, swept over Jeong Yeon-shin.
The boy slightly turned his shoulder to reveal the character ‘Hwang.’ Reaching into his robe, he pulled out a golden identity token. It was the Desolate Fortress Token, revealed after a long time.
The vivid golden tree pattern shimmered in the darkness.
“…This is not the work of the Han people,” the man muttered. It was an arrogant conviction, typical of the Ironfolk. They were the ones who had founded the Ming Dynasty alongside the Brightfolk, a clan treated with a different level of respect compared to the Semu people of the Western Regions. Though the imperial court supposedly managed them strictly, he hadn't expected their city to be in a place like this.
‘I’ve got a lead.’
Jeong Yeon-shin didn't care about the man's attitude. He spoke immediately.
“You mentioned the Desolate Fortress. Are they inside?”
The man did not answer, his mouth set in a stubborn line.
‘It’s fine.’
Jeong Yeon-shin thought. He had already heard enough. The underground city of the Ironfolk, the Thirteen Heavens, the neutral sects, betrayal, the Demonlight Wing…
The number of entangled parties was as chaotic as the conflicting energies within his own body.
Suddenly, the scene he had witnessed through his Upper Dantian flashed in his mind. His seniors' backs, hacked to pieces. The battered bodies of Baek Mi-ryeo and Cheong-myeong.
Hum!
Along with his emotional agitation, the energies inside his body surged.
The pure true qi of the Jeong Family Dynamic Art, along with the dharma power of the Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand, writhed in his Lower Dantian. The Yin energy left by the Moon Spirit Harmony Art coiled outside his skin. Even the remnants of the Mara Blood-Roaring Art spread out as an eerie energy wave.
‘No.’
Jeong Yeon-shin took a deep breath to calm his energies. He was well aware of the danger of Qi deviation. There was no telling how his true qi might become tangled.
It was then.
“Just now, what was…?”
It was Tang Ryeo-ryeo's voice, her tone filled with bewilderment.
The siblings of the Dragon-Phoenix Twin Poisons, who had just arrived alongside the Lazy Flame Dragon and Namgung Hwa-shin, stared blankly at Jeong Yeon-shin.