Chapter 114: Law-Transcending Halo Qi (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 114: Law-Transcending Halo Qi (2)
That was not how one looked at a human being. This was true for both of the Tang Clan siblings.
Jeong Yeon-shin paid them no mind. Exhaling a long breath, he let his mind settle into tranquility.
‘Abide nowhere, yet let the mind arise.’
He recited the mnemonic from the Diamond Sutra he still carried with him.
It meant one must untether oneself from all attachments. As his death drew nearer, the words resonated with a strange, profound depth.
The boy raised his head. The Ironfolk man was staring at him with a look of sheer astonishment.
"That Yin energy... it belongs to the Martial God of the Desolate Fortress! By any chance, are you of the imperial bloodline?"
He referred to the Lord of the Desolate Fortress as the Martial God. It seemed he had recognized the Yin energy of the Moon Spirit Harmony Art at a single glance.
If so, it made sense that he knew the disciples of the Desolate Fortress Lord had always been of imperial descent. He was a man of considerable discernment.
"How can a single body harbor so many different kinds of energy...?" Tang Ryeo-ryeo's voice trailed off.
Those few words proved her senses were incredibly sharp. She seemed to have perceived the entirety of Jeong Yeon-shin's innate energy waves.
A green light, characteristic of her Poison Arts, flickered in her eyes before vanishing.
It was the same for Tang Yeo-hwa. His lips trembled slightly.
"Every single one of them is profound. That is not internal power accumulated through ordinary cultivation. There was even something that didn't feel like True Qi..."
It was an authentic Buddhist power, something that could hardly be classified as mere internal energy.
The senses of the Poison Dragon and the Poison Phoenix had accurately pinpointed the Dharma Power of the Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand.
A look of awe filled the eyes of the boy known as the Poison Dragon, Tang Yeo-hwa.
Because he possessed senses that he proudly believed were a once-in-a-millennium talent, he recognized Jeong Yeon-shin's true worth. He had distinguished every single one of the disparate energy waves emitted by the Flash Art.
‘How is that even possible?’
Despite manipulating multiple types of True Qi, there was no sign of damage to his body's fine meridians.
It had to be one of two things.
‘Either he was born with a natural, god-like control over his internal energy, or he has tempered his body with a peerless dynamic cultivation art.’
If he possessed both, he was a monstrous genius who could threaten the Nine Great Sect Leaders within a few years.
Thus, Tang Yeo-hwa assumed it was likely the former—an innate mastery of internal energy control.
To manipulate such vast and varied energies individually was already a feat beyond human capability. It would be harder than simultaneously controlling four arms growing from a single body.
‘Though there was a brief hint of Qi Deviation just now...’
The overall aura radiating from Jeong Yeon-shin's Flash Art was remarkably stable.
His martial power, built upon a rock-solid foundation, pressed down on them with a quiet, heavy weight. From the moment they met until now, he had not shown a single opening.
It meant he had absolute control over his chaotic energies.
‘He is different from us, too.’
Tang Yeo-hwa and Tang Ryeo-ryeo had also mastered the Original Three Yang Art, which allowed them to harbor three types of poison within their bodies. However, Tang Yeo-hwa's energies were entirely of the Yang attribute, while Tang Ryeo-ryeo harbored Yin energies.
In other words, they refined energies of the same nature. It was fundamentally different from Jeong Yeon-shin's case.
“I really, really want to invite you as an honored guest, but…” Tang Yeo-hwa suddenly let his head droop.
Tang Ryeo-ryeo stepped closer to her boyish older brother. By now, her eyes flickered with intermittent glints of green as she looked at Jeong Yeon-shin.
“I wanted to invite you to our main family estate if things went well... but it might be too dangerous for you, Young Hero Jeong.”
“To the Tang Clan? Why not?” Lazy Flame Dragon asked abruptly. He, too, had been watching Jeong Yeon-shin with keen interest.
Following his younger sister, Tang Yeo-hwa spoke with a sullen expression. “There are too many old monsters at our main estate. Starting with our grandfather. If you're not careful, they might try to use you as a cultivation ingredient. They're absolutely obsessed with spirit beasts, and you, Young Hero Jeong, wouldn't be any less valuable than the rarest of mythical creatures…”
“As expected. The noble clans are hardly part of the Righteous Faction,” Lazy Flame Dragon remarked with a faint smile.
“How could they walk the righteous path? They chase worldly prosperity in a chaotic world. The term 'Righteous Path' is a luxury only the Nine Sects can afford to claim.”
He was the Young Master of the fallen Hwangbo Clan.
Though his words were self-deprecating, they did not evoke pity. Perhaps it was because of his characteristically listless temperament.
“...”
The Tang siblings said nothing. Namgung Hwa-shin also remained silent.
Glancing at the rising stars of the Eight Great Families, Jeong Yeon-shin looked down at the Ironfolk man and spoke.
“I am not of the imperial family, but I studied martial arts under the Lord of the Desolate Fortress.”
He adjusted his tone, having seen the hostility vanish from the man's face. If the man showed respect to the Lord of the Desolate Fortress, then as the Lord's disciple, Jeong Yeon-shin had to show proper courtesy to someone of his age.
“Please forgive my rudeness.”
Stepping back, the Ironfolk man abruptly offered a deep bow of respect. He clasped his hands together, raised them to his face, and bowed deeply from the waist—a gesture of extreme politeness.
“This humble one was born in Luzhou, Sichuan, and my name is Jang Jong-myung of the Luzhou Jang family. While honing my blacksmithing skills in my hometown, I accepted an invitation from my kinsmen... and made this City of Master Craftsmen my home. It has been nearly thirty years.”
“The City of Master Craftsmen was here?!” Tang Yeo-hwa exclaimed.
The cave echoed with his shout, but no one scolded him. Everyone's expression shifted, from the late-arriving Red-Day Sword to Namgung Hwa-shin, Lazy Flame Dragon, and Tang Ryeo-ryeo.
“My knowledge is limited. What is the City of Master Craftsmen?” Jeong Yeon-shin asked calmly.
The Demonlight Wing was here. To assist his seniors without fail, it was best to understand the nature and history of this place. That way, he could handle any situation that might arise.
Red-Day Sword answered immediately. “Just as the name suggests, it is a sanctuary for master craftsmen and artisans.”
“It is said to be a city where the Ironfolk, who are not subservient to the Ming Imperial Family, gather. I had only heard of it in rumors, but to think it was so close to our main estate…” The girl's hollow voice echoed through the cavern. It was Tang Ryeo-ryeo.
Jeong Yeon-shin was already looking up. His gaze was drawn to the space behind the short man who had introduced himself as Jang Jong-myung.
For the first time since entering the cavern, they faced a dead end. A circular stone gate, carved with ancient patterns, was set into the wall.
“It cannot be opened. We have no choice but to wait for someone to come out from the inside.” Watching Jeong Yeon-shin's reaction, Jang Jong-myung gritted his teeth and spoke. “It is designed to open via a highly advanced mechanism formation, but the treasure token that serves as the key was stolen! By those wicked scoundrels of the Thirteen Heavens!”
“How many days have you been waiting?”
“About three days, I think. That is simply the nature of our clan. Once we shut ourselves away, we rarely come back out.”
“Tell me how the Demonlight Wing became involved in this incident.”
Jeong Yeon-shin requested calmly, but to Jang Jong-myung, it sounded like an absolute command. He adopted a subservient posture and began to explain with the utmost sincerity.
“Our City of Master Craftsmen invited the former Tang Clan Leader, who had left secular life, to serve as our Dharma Protector. However, the Tenth Sect and the Pure Demon Alliance caught wind of it and pursued him. At that time, the Demonlight Wing was questioning the Tang Clan Leader about something.”
“...”
“In the midst of that, the Demonlight Wing was subjected to a joint attack by the Thirteen Heavens and various Sichuan sects. The battle eventually spilled from the cliffs all the way down to this place. I could only watch from afar, and in the chaos, my treasure token was snatched away.” His tone was thick with resentment.
“Did everyone enter the City of Master Craftsmen?”
“Yes! They entered as if it were the most natural thing in the world! The battle has undoubtedly spilled into our sanctuary!” Jang Jong-myung clenched his massive fists, trembling. His bitten lip and posture radiated a profound sense of helplessness.
‘The Thirteen Heavens targeted the City of Master Craftsmen, while the Demonlight Wing was trying to extract information about the Thunderbolt Bombs from the Tang Clan Leader.’
Jeong Yeon-shin pondered in silence.
The Tang Clan Leader was said to be of mixed Ironfolk blood and an outstanding blacksmith. Furthermore, as the head of one of the Eight Families, he possessed formidable martial arts. In terms of lineage, craft, and martial prowess, he was someone the City of Master Craftsmen would naturally covet. That connection seemed to have triggered this entire incident.
It was then.
Step.
Namgung Hwa-shin brushed past Jang Jong-myung. Walking straight to the stone gate, he examined the groove carved into its very center.
“If it is an Ironfolk treasure token, our clan uses them in our martial library and armory as well. It is a wondrous device that guides internal energy along a predetermined path when infused. Once a token with a specific circulation pathway is recognized by this groove, the profound mechanism formation operates on its own to open the gate,” Namgung Hwa-shin explained.
“Indeed.” Lazy Flame Dragon, also from a noble clan, nodded in agreement.
“Can we not simply break it down?” Red-Day Sword asked abruptly.
Taking a step back, Namgung Hwa-shin shook his head. “We must not act rashly. It is said that Ironfolk blacksmiths pass down their unique blacksmithing qigong from generation to generation. They do not merely forge divine swords; many of them also take a keen interest in highly dangerous mechanism formations.”
“Since it is a place highly sensitive to intruders, the entrance might collapse. They wouldn't have dug only a single tunnel here,” Tang Ryeo-ryeo chimed in.
Jang Jong-myung, who had been looking at her with a strange expression, nodded. “The other entrances are extremely far away. We cannot afford to delay any longer, and since we were truly caught between a rock and a hard place, we could only stamp our feet in frustration here.”
“One moment.”
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke briefly and stepped forward. He quietly approached the stone gate and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Namgung Hwa-shin.
“Unit Commander?”
He did not reply to Namgung Hwa-shin's call. Jang Jong-myung's words applied to him as well. This was no place to waste time.
Slide.
He placed his hand directly over the groove. He channeled the True Qi of the Jeong Family Dynamic Art to his fingertips. Using threads of internal energy, he swept through the interior of the wall, tracing the lingering remnants of energy with absolute precision.
His innate sense of qi vividly captured the faint traces of internal power. He mapped out the interior of the mechanical device—designed to resonate with True Qi and open—as clearly as if he were looking in a mirror.
Hum!
In an instant, he deciphered the mnemonic. He had reconstructed the diagram of the True Qi required to act as the key.
Jeong Yeon-shin spun a thread of internal power over his palm and pressed it against the stone surface.
Rumble!
Faint beams of light began to tickle his eyes. The gate was splitting down the center in a straight line. The two halves of the stone gate swung outward.
It was an astounding marvel.
To Jeong Yeon-shin, the Ironfolk's mechanism formation was a wonder; to those standing behind him, the miracle performed by the boy was nothing short of breathtaking.
Jang Jong-myung's face was completely blank with shock.
“Just... just what kind of technique did you use...?!”
“He extracted the True Qi diagram of an Ironfolk mechanism formation? Seriously?” the Beggar Sect Successor, who had been holding his breath in the back, muttered blankly.
The Tang siblings' eyes went wide.
Step.
Leaving them behind, the experts of the Radiant Wing Unit stepped forward. With calm yet swift movements, they lined up to the left and right of Jeong Yeon-shin. The quiet, disciplined footsteps characteristic of high-level experts echoed in unison.
“Grandmaster. The place beyond is bound to be in utter chaos. You must prioritize our mission over us, your followers. I speak of the survival of the Demonlight Wing,” Red-Day Sword spoke, his eyes fixed on the slowly opening gate. “We have heard that not only the Tenth Sect and the Pure Demon Alliance are there, but also sects caught between the righteous and wicked paths, fluttering back and forth like bats. It is highly likely that the Demonlight Wing has been subjected to a joint assault by all of them, creating a brutal battlefield... I only fear that your warm heart might sway you, Grandmaster.”
He was telling him to think of the Demonlight Wing before the Radiant Wing Unit. It was advice meant for their young Grandmaster. The concern laced in his voice was palpable.
“I beg of you, disciple of the Desolate Fortress Lord!” Jang Jong-myung, finally snapping out of his daze, cried out. “There are countless innocent civilians in our city! Please, I beg of you, protect them! There is no telling what those cowardly bastards of the Thirteen Heavens might be doing!”
Jeong Yeon-shin nodded, then paused.
Though they were clearly underground, the light filtering up from the descending path felt strangely unfamiliar. Was it a marvel created by the Ironfolk's wondrous cultivation methods?
But that was not a matter of immediate concern.
Far down the rapidly widening path, an incredibly damp and sinister energy was seething. The sheer wave of energy felt heavy enough to crush a person's soul.
It was the internal power of the heterodox sects. Demonic Qi. Could it be the Pure Demon Alliance of the Thirteen Heavens that he had only heard about?
It did not matter. A highly familiar energy wave was felt alongside it. There was only one person it could belong to.
‘Young Hero Heonwon.’
Boom!
With a violent stomp, Jeong Yeon-shin's figure tore through the air. He executed the mnemonic of the Leaf-Drifting Movement Technique with the force of a raging tempest. As he sprinted down the slope, his legs seemed to tread upon clouds, compressing the distance in an instant.
Whoosh!
As he drew closer, voices reached his ears. It was the dialogue of a pursuit.
“That Demonlight Wing rat is quite nimble! Just like a filthy rodent!”
“How long do you plan on running? It seems the Desolate Fortress was nothing but a third-rate sect after all!”
“You trash from minor sects dare to act so high and mighty! Just because a single demonic soldier from the Pure Demon Alliance joined you...!”
The last voice was unmistakably that of Heonwon Chang.
‘He's right there.’
At that moment, his field of vision opened up completely.
A battered and bloodied Heonwon Chang was fleeing from his pursuers. The momentum of the martial artist leading the pack was incredibly intense. Clad in a translucent shroud of Demonic Qi like armor, he charged forward. Even at a glance, he was an expert far beyond what a White-Ranked warrior of the Desolate Fortress could handle.
Behind him, a crowd of martial artists who did not look like they belonged to any major sect followed triumphantly.
“Huh?”
Heonwon Chang let out a startled gasp. His eyes had locked with Jeong Yeon-shin's.
It was a split second.
Strength surged into the boy's right foot. Instantly, the stone floor gouged open, incredibly deep.
Thud! Whoosh—!
In the blink of an eye, the hem of a blue robe fluttered wildly. Passing Heonwon Chang in a flash, Jeong Yeon-shin slammed his foot down right in front of the man spewing Demonic Qi.
Crash!
“What...! Reinforcements?!” the man gasped in surprise.
For a fleeting moment, Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes flashed with the color of the sky. He was indeed an expert of the Pure Demon Alliance. His attire matched the descriptions perfectly. A middle-aged man wearing a pitch-black short cape, he unleashed a surging, roiling energy toward Jeong Yeon-shin.
The palm strike he thrust forward with both hands was extremely direct.
‘He's strong.’
One could tell just by looking at the expressions of the small fry behind him. Even though Jeong Yeon-shin had appeared out of nowhere, radiating a sudden wave of energy, none of them looked worried.
Within that fraction of a second, Jeong Yeon-shin activated the mnemonic of his Dharma Power.
‘Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand.’
A divine, sacred energy gathered at the edge of his right hand. It was a deep, intense shade of blue.
Jeong Yeon-shin brought his hand-blade, shrouded in azure light, slicing down toward the man. He paid no heed to the sinister palm force rushing to meet him.
Rip!
His power was a perfect counter. He tore through the attack with absolute ease. His single strike unraveled and shattered the heterodox Demonic Qi shockwave.
It happened in the blink of an eye. The deep blue hand-blade filled the man's terror-stricken eyes.
Splat!
The man's head shattered instantly.