Chapter 150: Contact
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 150: Contact
A rising expert had ascended to the Black Rank of the Demonlight Wing.
The rumor spread like wildfire, carrying with it a shocking detail: he had only just passed the age of fifteen.
It was an unprecedented marvel—a wonder unheard of in all of history.
Even in the Jianghu, a realm teeming with inexplicable mysteries, this defied all logic. His talent, his achievements, and his martial prowess were all utterly extraordinary.
Even the bustling downtown of Xiangyang Prefecture, which surrounded the main fortress, was in an absolute uproar. And naturally so.
An ultimate expert on par with the leaders of the Nine Sects' martial units had just been born.
It was an event monumental enough to put not only the entirety of Huguang Province, but all the great sects across the Central Plains on high alert.
Such was the sheer weight of a Unit Commander of the Desolate Fortress.
Hmm.
Jeong Yeon-shin realized that the world around him had changed. He could feel it in the hands delicately tracing his frame.
A middle-aged man clad in indigo silk was examining the boy's body with the precision of a martial artist practicing a hand art.
"Please stretch your arm out this way."
Despite his fierce-looking face, his words and actions were exceedingly polite, as if he were attending to his own master.
Yeon-shin silently raised his right arm. At the small gesture, the man bent his knees slightly to measure its length.
Holding a silk measuring cord, he stretched it lightly from the boy's shoulder down to his wrist.
His movements were incredibly meticulous. Even at a glance, it was clear he wasn't taking this task lightly.
"You seem accustomed to this," the Grand Steward remarked, the corners of his pitch-black beard curling up slightly in a smile.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not answer. He had nothing to say. He had only come here after receiving a summons from Grand Steward Im Jin-myeong.
This was the situation he found himself in after settling his astonishing achievements at the main building of the Chief Steward's Office and arriving at the annex.
The annex office, filled with the faint scent of natural wood, felt different from usual. A tailor, said to be from the finest fabric shop in Xiangyang Prefecture, had been waiting for him.
Normally, merchants in the fabric trade merely bought and sold textiles, but Xiangyang Prefecture was highly developed in terms of commerce and lifestyle.
This was purely because the massive Desolate Fortress was situated there.
Even the salaries of the White-Ranked Warriors were paid in silver. It was impossible for the city not to be vibrant.
"Come to think of it, I heard the Unit Commander was born and raised in a wealthy landowner's family? That must be why..."
"I am merely feigning composure," Jeong Yeon-shin replied quietly.
He didn't feel offended that the Grand Steward spoke of the Jeong Family Manor so lightly.
In fact, it made him feel more at ease. Sitting off to one side, the head of the Chief Steward's Office watched the boy with experienced eyes.
His tone and manner of speaking brought a sense of peace to the young ultimate expert's mind.
It was to the point where the boy even voiced a minor concern.
"Lately, I feel as though my mental cultivation has grown shallow, which worries me a little."
The Grand Steward chuckled from his seat.
"It is only natural for someone of Unit Commander Jeong's age. It is a time when one's thoughts turn to the spring of youth. It is an age when one feels rebellious even against reason itself, so how much worse must it be in the Murim, which is teeming with prideful martial artists? Right after the rising stars who harbor grand ambitions around the age of twenty, those of your age—the young, inexperienced disciples—are the second most common group to die far from home."
"Die far from home."
Just as Jeong Yeon-shin murmured the words...
"At least, that is what this half-old man has observed..."
His smile deepened as he gazed at the boy.
"But such worries are only fitting for ordinary rising stars of your age. After all, your martial arts are so profound that they render your age meaningless. Your status is also incomparably high."
"It is too early to call my martial arts profound."
The boy said, thinking of the other Unit Commanders. The Grand Steward shook his head.
"The realm of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing of the Divine Sword Corps sits at the very pinnacle of the vast Murim. Even if you go to the Martial World Alliance, you will not be seated with the young rising stars. That is enough. Surely, Unit Commander Jeong, you wouldn't speak insolently to the leaders of the Nine Sects or the Lords of the Thirteen Heavens?"
"..."
It was a statement that gave him food for thought. As Jeong Yeon-shin fell into a brief silence...
"I am finished," the middle-aged tailor said, stepping back.
"To weave a garment from Heavenly Silkworm thread normally takes at least a month. However, since your mission is urgent, I will try to shorten it to seven days and nights. It should be possible if I set aside all other work."
He was said to be a rare artisan in this world. Every Black Robe of the Desolate Fortress was woven by his hands.
He created garments invulnerable to blades, which wouldn't even be scratched by ordinary shockwaves.
Though he humbled himself before the Grand Steward of the Desolate Fortress and the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, among the commoners of Xiangyang Prefecture, he was a master craftsman and a wealthy tycoon who wanted for nothing.
"My thanks to you, Artisan Jang," Jeong Yeon-shin said, clasping his hands in gratitude.
"On the contrary, the honor is mine. I know of your deeds, having severed countless heads of the Blood Ghosts. It is an honor to measure the noble body of such a lofty, chivalrous hero."
Artisan Jang bowed his head with a calm expression.
It was a response that made Jeong Yeon-shin feel quite awkward. He immediately turned his head toward the Grand Steward.
"My height and arm length are changing day by day. Even if I have clothes made like this, I will have to get new ones before long. Is it truly alright to repeat this over and over? Heavenly Silkworm thread is no ordinary material."
"That is not something you need to worry about in your position as the Commander of the Demonlight Wing. The wealth of our fortress flows in from the entire world. Since the Son of Heaven is on our side, a few pieces of cloth are trivial, no matter how many times you have them tailored. It has always been this way. Besides, it's not as if our Unit Commanders only engage in overwhelming, easy battles," the Grand Steward spoke calmly. His words made the boy nod in agreement.
As he was fitted for his new robe, he truly felt the weight of his status as the Commander of the Demonlight Wing. He had also received the Grand Steward's advice before setting out into the Jianghu once more.
He had just finished settling the accounts for the achievements he had accumulated in Sichuan.
He was told that a reward larger than ever before would be delivered to him.
He also heard that wealth would soon pour into the Demonlight Wing's quarters. A top-grade spirit elixir had even been sent over through Cheong-myeong, the Blue-Eyed Demon Sword.
Ordinary supplied spirit medicines won't be of much help to me now. The density of my Law-Transcending Halo Qi is simply too high.
The boy thought to himself. Would a top-grade one be any different?
After expressing his gratitude to the Grand Steward, he left the Chief Steward's Office. He had been told that the rewards delivered to his pavilion would be guarded by the martial artists of the Law Enforcement Unit.
He felt a bit sorry for his seniors, who would have to stay with those strict enforcers of the law whom everyone preferred to avoid.
However, the boy's steps turned in the exact opposite direction of his quarters.
Step.
His footsteps continued.
The Unit Commanders of the Desolate Fortress were not entirely free. Unlike when they were Blue Ranks, their schedules were strictly planned. This time, he had to attend a meeting of the Unit Commanders.
He heard it would be held at the Wish-for-Peace One Sword Hall, a pavilion located deep within the vast main fortress. It was the exact place where he had previously clashed with the Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing.
The mission is set, and they said we would discuss the details.
Now that his face was known to all the martial artists remaining in the main fortress thanks to his Black Rank Promotion ceremony, he drew the gazes of everyone he passed.
Some whispered with flushed faces. The young girls his age and the seasoned experts clutching their swords were no different.
However, unlike when he was a Blue Rank, no one challenged him to a duel out of a competitive spirit. No one even dared to speak to him rashly.
The boy walked on, feeling rather satisfied.
No annoying distractions. This is convenient.
The authority of a Unit Commander was absolute.
*
Normally, there were only about three martial units under the Divine Sword Corps stationed at the main fortress.
Some argued that even leaving that many behind was a luxury when it came to maintaining order in the vast Jianghu.
It was to the extent that some Unit Commanders never even saw each other during their entire terms of service.
The number of Black Rank ultimate experts currently gathered at the Desolate Fortress was highly unusual.
The Deputy Unit Commander of the Divine Sword Squad.
The Commander of the Law Enforcement Unit, the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, the Commander of the Azure Sky Unit, the Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing, and the Commander of the Thread-Annihilation Unit.
If one counted the former Commander of the Demonlight Wing, there were seven Black Ranks alone. If the forces of each martial unit were combined, it would form a military power unmatched anywhere in the world.
There was a reason why some of the Unit Commanders deployed outside had returned to the main fortress. They needed to discuss the Martial World Alliance.
The very justification for forming the Alliance lay in the Desolate Fortress's exercise of military force.
To respond to the rapidly changing situation in the Jianghu—alongside the widespread famine—they could not afford to have only three seats filled at the Wish-for-Peace One Sword Hall.
However, there was an uninvited guest. At least, that was how it seemed to Jeong Yeon-shin.
"Diancang?" the boy muttered.
Before the round table surrounded by eighteen stone seats, at one side of the massive table, the great disciple of the Diancang Sect sat in a specially prepared chair. Her face, smiling toward Jeong Yeon-shin, was radiant.
Meanwhile, the sunlight streaming in from the window brushed against the marble stone chairs.
The white light reflecting off the stone seats seeped onto her cheeks.
"Nice to see you again. That was a highly impressive duel."
The woman waving her hand with a blank expression was Chwi So-ok, the Small Sword Empress.
After accompanying him on his return from Sichuan, she had even observed his Black Rank Promotion ceremony.
She showed absolutely no signs of leaving, but Jeong Yeon-shin had actually decided that this was for the best.
The Martial World Alliance was uncharted territory. It would be overflowing with orthodox martial arts he had never experienced before, and the same went for the experts of the Righteous Factions.
Since he had safely escorted the elderly Purple Rank experts to the main fortress, the great disciple of Diancang would make a decent ally.
It's enough if she takes my side when needed. As the great disciple of one of the Nine Sects, her voice will carry weight in the Alliance.
He merely gave a slight nod toward the Small Sword Empress, but the corners of her mouth curled up strangely.
She seemed somewhat excited. She was a strange person indeed.
While her inner thoughts were hard to read, she openly displayed her affection for Jeong Yeon-shin.
He saw a shadow of the Seventh Apostle in her.
...Let's not trust her with my back. And let's not ask her for favors, either.
He had already received favors multiple times from someone he had considered an enemy. He didn't want to add to the confusion.
He turned his head away, ignoring the Small Sword Empress. His smiling uncle came into view.
"Chwi So-ok of Diancang has come as a reference. Yeon-shin, you sit as well," Ma Jin said, patting the seat next to him. He meant for Yeon-shin to take a stone seat, unlike the Small Sword Empress.
As a Unit Commander of the main fortress, it was only natural. Jeong Yeon-shin sat down next to his uncle.
"The clothes suit you well."
It was a woman's voice. The breath mixed in her tone was firm.
One could tell just by hearing a single word how deeply she had cultivated her mental arts.
With a small pang of surprise, Jeong Yeon-shin turned his head.
Un So-yu, the Commander of the Law Enforcement Unit, was staring at him with pitch-black eyes.
He had actually received a greeting from her. Had his past behavior—when he had acted while keeping Heonwon's Spear in mind—achieved its intended result?
The boy became conscious of his clothing once again.
It was a Black Robe with the lower half of the left sleeve torn off. He had specifically requested it from his uncle, who had offered to lend him new clothes.
"It blends well with your unique aura. It isn't unsightly. Along with your signature techniques, it seems like it could become a symbol of its own."
"My unique aura?"
"Dry and static. Like an old expert who has lived a full life."
After giving a brief reply, she closed her mouth.
Looking at the faces of the other Unit Commanders and his uncle, it seemed Jeong Yeon-shin was the only one who disagreed. These days, storms of turbulence frequently raged in his heart.
Again.
Suddenly, a cold ache seeped into both of his knees.
The boy furrowed his brow slightly. The cartilage that had only hurt during his childhood was starting to act up again. It wasn't to the extent of affecting his martial arts performance, however.
Still, in the realm of ultimate experts, a mere fraction of an inch could decide life and death. He had to adapt daily to his visibly changing arm length and height.
Lately, the necessity of doing so had only grown stronger.
I also need to pay attention to the kicking techniques of the Demonlight Formula. Although longer legs are good for the Body Protection Scripture and kicking power.
Just as he sighed inwardly...
"Now that everyone is here, let's begin."
The short-haired girl, who was looking at him with sisterly eyes, spoke up. She was the strongest ultimate expert in this room of seven Black Ranks.
Ak Su-rim, the Divine Spear of the Desolate Fortress. Having undergone Rejuvenation, she smiled like a mischievous child and spoke.
"It's already been decided that Flash Art will be the one going to wreck that insolent Martial World Alliance, right? Anyone object?"
It was the free-spirited speech characteristic of the Divine Sword Squad of the Divine Sword Corps. She was indeed a highly powerful martial artist, worthy of being considered a candidate for the next Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
Jeong Yeon-shin thought to himself. Since she put it that way, he really didn't need to focus solely on scouting.
The looser the mission guidelines, the better. As long as I don't cause a major disaster.
Deep inside him, the persona of the Flash Art nodded. It seemed ready to dance. The boy tried his best to ignore it.
"..."
While no one could say anything in response to her question, one person raised his hand. Ha Do-un, the Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing. He was a man whose bulging muscles showed through tight sleeves completely unlike typical martial robes.
As the direct superior of the White Qilin, Namgung Hwa-shin, he was a Unit Commander who had been hostile toward Jeong Yeon-shin. Right now, he wore a highly stiff expression.
"As expected, no one! Our Flash Art, go and do whatever you want! Dismissed!"
Ak Su-rim slammed the butt of her spear against the floor.