Chapter 19: Fist and Palm Techniques (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 19: Fist and Palm Techniques (2)
"Truly formidable. An unbelievable realm for someone his age."
Ma Yeon-jeok marveled, striding forward as if he had just discovered a masterpiece.
As he examined Jeong Yeon-shin up close, his wrinkled face revealed unconcealed admiration—so much so that the handsome boy standing beside him looked visibly uncomfortable.
"Greetings, Grandfather. I am Jeong Yeon-shin of the Demonlight Wing."
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke calmly, bowing his head slightly with a clasped-hand salute.
"..."
Silence hung in the air until he raised his head. The atmosphere was palpable, thick with doubt, bewilderment, and curiosity.
Ma Yeon-jeok's beard, which draped over the front of his purple robe, trembled slightly.
"You are..."
Ma Yeon-jeok, the former Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, was a Purple Rank warrior of the Desolate Fortress. He stood at the pinnacle of the White-Blue-Black-Purple hierarchy. The intuition of supreme experts who had reached such a high realm and opened their upper dantian was said to be terrifyingly sharp.
His gaze shifted between Jeong Yeon-shin, who had just called him "Grandfather," and the faintly smiling Lord of the Desolate Fortress.
There was no way he couldn't piece it together.
"The... the Jeong clan. The Jeong Family Manor."
"It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time."
While Ma Yeon-jeok's expression began to warp with shock, Jeong Yeon-shin remained perfectly calm.
His maternal relatives had never once visited Xinye County.
He had heard it was the same for his parents' wedding, and even after his mother died in childbirth, they never made contact. It was a tale worthy of street gossip—a family severing ties with a daughter who married beneath her station. Naturally, all that remained was the empty title of being in-laws with the Desolate Ma Clan.
"You are my sister's son?" Ma Jin asked, his eyes wide with shock.
Come to think of it, they shared the same surname. There was a reason Ma Yeon-jeok and Ma Jin hadn't bothered to greet each other. They were father and son.
In martial clans, the word of the family head is law. Did they forbid contact through family rules?
A prestigious family, he thought, but one lacking in character. A small chuckle escaped Jeong Yeon-shin's lips.
"You said you were a master, but you're my uncle. Or eldest uncle? I wouldn't know; I don't know my mother's side of the family. I was an abandoned child even before my own family was destroyed."
"..."
"I understand. As a Black Rank of the Desolate Fortress, you wouldn't have had time to visit the home of your deceased sister."
It was a deliberate jab. Having entered the ranks of experts, Jeong Yeon-shin's five senses were incredibly sharp—sharp enough to have overheard the conversation drifting from the Lord's office before he even reached the door.
—I believe you have a maternal grandson.
—Lord of the Fortress, what can be expected of blood from a trivial manor? It would be a relief if he doesn't become a disgrace to the Desolate Ma Clan. This child is the successor. Though he is from a collateral branch, his talent is outstanding.
It was rather amusing. He could tell from the troubled look on Ma Yeon-jeok's face. A Purple Rank supreme expert could gauge his achievements at a glance, which meant he would also know that Jeong Yeon-shin had overheard their conversation.
I survived the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect thanks to my maternal family's name. That is enough.
He was now rising rapidly as a proper expert of the Desolate Fortress, and even the Lord herself had recognized his potential. He would show them basic courtesy, but nothing more.
The Ma family seemed unaware that the Jeong Family Manor had fallen. Since they had completely cut off all interest, he had no desire to awkwardly try to get close to them now. Why cling to them when he could achieve everything on his own?
These complicated relationships are a hindrance to my martial arts.
He needed to settle things here and now. He looked at the face of the former Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, which had grown incredibly heavy.
"...Lord of the Fortress. May I speak with that child in private?"
At Ma Yeon-jeok's request, Jeong Yeon-shin immediately cut in.
"I am the child of a daughter who married out. As a warrior of the Desolate Fortress, I respect the achievements my maternal grandfather has made, but any further private conversation would be burdensome."
"..."
Chul-ga-oe-in—a daughter who marries out is no longer part of her birth family. That was how they had treated his mother. What was there left to say?
They're a family so desperate for a successor they even adopted a son.
He had no desire for tedious family drama when his focus was entirely on martial arts. What he had experienced in the Jeong Family Manor was more than enough.
The Lord of the Desolate Fortress, who had been watching with an amused expression, spoke slowly.
"Flash Art of the Demonlight Wing. Your spirit is refreshing to see."
Her eyes curved into a beautiful, slight smile.
Jeong Yeon-shin bowed slightly. While he was a bit puzzled by her apparent favor, he felt reassured by her support.
It was then.
"I cannot accept this! How can someone like him be Grandfather's direct bloodline? How dare he be so disrespectful to the former Commander of the Divine Sword Corps?"
It was the boy who had been standing there with an uncomfortable expression. The anger in his eyes blazed fiercely, so consumed by it that he seemed to have forgotten he was in the presence of the Lord of the Desolate Fortress.
"I don't need your acceptance. I am not a member of the Desolate Ma Clan. I am the Flash Art of the Demonlight Wing."
Jeong Yeon-shin remained perfectly calm.
Suddenly, he recalled Heonwon Chang's words: that the Jianghu was a world of thick-skinned people who introduced themselves by their own monikers.
"How dare you!"
Jeong Yeon-shin had chuckled without thinking, but the boy took it as a provocation. Enraged, he turned to his adoptive grandfather.
"Please permit a duel! I will prove that he has no value as a blood relative!"
"There's no reason for that," Jeong Yeon-shin replied. "If you want a lesson, I can give you one. But I have no obligation to prove my worth to you or your family. Not even my Unit Commander can give me such a personal order."
He spoke with an air of absolute superiority.
As Jeong Yeon-shin stared straight at the boy, the hem of his white robe fluttered slightly. The aura radiating from him, even without intent, spoke volumes of his strength.
While Ma Jin remained silent, the boy snorted in disbelief and raised the edge of his hand, ready to strike at any moment.
He mainly trained in fist and palm techniques.
A curious gleam appeared in Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes as he noticed the pair of hand guards hanging from the boy's waist.
At the same time, he withdrew his aura. The way it vanished in an instant was proof of his mastery over his internal energy.
"Please forgive my rudeness. I showed a lack of restraint."
He clasped his hands and apologized to the Lord of the Desolate Fortress for carelessly unleashing his aura.
Ma Jin looked proud despite his confusion, while Ma Yeon-jeok's expression darkened further.
"Let the bickering end here," she said softly. "Yeon-jeok is an old friend who has been with me for many years, and Flash Art is a promising subordinate. Since this conflict is messy, it's best to resolve it as warriors. Stake what you both desire. Do you agree?"
Jeong Yeon-shin stared at the beautiful face of the Lord of the Desolate Fortress. Her expression was hard to read.
She smiled.
"Flash Art, I know there is nothing in this for you. As a friend of the former Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, I will grant one of your requests, regardless of the outcome."
"Even that?" Jeong Yeon-shin asked boldly, referring to the fruit of the World Tree.
The Lord's smile deepened.
"Only that remains difficult for now. It would be the same even if the retired Yeon-jeok asked. He has already been compensated for his achievements as Commander of the Divine Sword Corps with other things. However, I can teach you one of my signature ultimate techniques."
"Her martial arts...!"
To study under a peerless expert, one of the greatest under heaven—a rare, fated encounter was being offered right before his eyes.
It seemed this was no ordinary matter for the adopted son of the Desolate Ma Clan, either. Greed flickered across the boy's face as he stood beside a startled Ma Yeon-jeok. It looked as though, if he won, he would demand her martial arts rather than honor his adoptive grandfather's wishes.
His intentions are so transparent. My maternal family is quite amusing, adopting a fellow like that as their successor.
He wondered if the boy's talent was truly that outstanding. In any case, the conditions had improved significantly, so he nodded readily.
"I will do it."
* * *
They headed to the training ground behind the main fortress.
The sight of the Lord stepping outside after so long drew many eyes, but no one dared to follow.
Ma Yeon-jeok tried to approach him for a quiet word, but Jeong Yeon-shin boldly stuck close to the Lord of the Desolate Fortress. She chuckled.
"Make yourself comfortable. This is my private training ground."
Her training ground was incredibly luxurious. Even the floor was unusual. Stone racks held rows of priceless weapons of all kinds, and the vast floor was made entirely of marble. It felt wasteful to even think of stomping on it to execute a martial technique.
These must be the spoils of war from destroying the Kingdom of Dali in Yunnan.
The Lord of the Desolate Fortress was said to be the Emperor's divine sword. She had annihilated minor kingdoms and massive sects that showed the slightest sign of rebellion. This was why her name was never omitted when discussing the greatest under heaven. It was hard to tell where in her slender body she stored such immense, divine power.
"This should be a good spot to watch."
The Lord stood still at one corner of the training ground. Her long eyelashes looked like a painting, and her light green cape, which reached her ankles, fluttered gently in the spring breeze.
Huh?
Jeong Yeon-shin paused. Only then did he notice the precious sword hanging from her waist. He realized that until this moment, he hadn't perceived it as a sword at all, but as a part of nature itself. This was a realm far beyond the Unity of Body and Sword he had just begun to grasp.
Chilling. What kind of realm is that?
Just then, the Lord turned her head, and their eyes met. Her red lips curved into a smooth line.
"You have good eyes."
"I apologize."
Standing in the center of the training ground with Jeong Yeon-shin, the boy sneered. He had already equipped a pair of high-quality, ink-black hand guards—gear befitting the successor of the Desolate Ma Clan, which was famous for its fist techniques.
"Were you distracted by the Lord's beauty? You lowborn wretch."
"Aren't you from a collateral branch?"
"How dare you...!"
Jeong Yeon-shin did not reply further and closed his eyes slightly.
I learned something from this mission.
The conviction he'd gained after killing the Blood Master Sword. He could obtain the fruit of the World Tree on his own.
They said training in martial arts was like climbing a thousand-foot cliff bare-handed. That was the perspective of orthodox warriors. They didn't even consider sorcery, blood arts, or demonic arts—which harmed others as well as oneself—as true martial studies. They believed that only by purely building up one's martial arts could one reach the ultimate peak, a process akin to spiritual cultivation.
But for Jeong Yeon-shin, it was different. It was not a steep cliff, but a well-paved staircase. Immersed in the realm of martial arts, he was no different from a fish in the deep sea.
The Demonlight Wing is enough.
The wilderness of martial arts that had unfolded before him since joining the Desolate Fortress was just like that. It was a land of such boundless fertility that he could sow the seeds of his own creation and grow anything he wished.
Therefore, he had no need for the Desolate Ma Clan.
"Come."
Opening his eyes, Jeong Yeon-shin slowly gestured.
"Hah!"
The furious boy did not hold back. He kicked off the ground, rushing forward with a starting stance Jeong Yeon-shin had never seen before.
True Qi is bursting from all his limbs.
Thud!
He deflected the impossibly fast fist with the back of his hand, but the power of the Fa Jin was immense. He was forced to instantly channel more strength into his elbow to withstand it.
Whoosh!
The shockwave from the blow tore at his clothes. The boy must have consumed some precious spiritual medicine; his internal energy far surpassed Jeong Yeon-shin's.
Jeong Yeon-shin immediately channeled the principles of the Scripture of Initial Overcoming into the energy within him. The True Qi circulating through his body overlapped, multiplying his strength at the exact moment of impact.
From then on, it was pure sensation. His hands flowed through the forms of the Demonlight Formula, disrupting the boy's fist techniques joint by joint.
Thud! Thud! Bang!
The fist and palm techniques of the Desolate Ma Clan were direct and powerful. Every strike was heavy, yet they linked together in an endless chain of attacks. Just when it seemed he was putting his full weight into a blow, a shockwave of force would burst from the opposite fist. The harmonious blend of these principles made the technique feel overwhelmingly powerful.
So this is a true hard fist.
Contrary to his rash personality, the boy had properly mastered a prestigious martial art. The occasional bursts of profound movement were impressive enough to spark new inspiration in Jeong Yeon-shin's mind.
"Why aren't you drawing your sword?!"
"Because your fist technique is outstanding," Jeong Yeon-shin replied half-heartedly, spinning like a leaf to strike the boy's elbow.
He was reverse-engineering it. By observing his opponent's explosive force, he grasped how to operate his True Qi to achieve a similar effect. He was learning the technique in reverse.
"You bastard!"
Boom!
The marble floor dented.
A gale-force wind accompanied the fist that lunged forward with a foot stomp, but Jeong Yeon-shin landed lightly, deflecting it like a leaf riding the wind.
"I've been thinking about a hard fist technique myself. Ten more stances should do."
A pale blue spark of lightning flashed in his eyes.
A short distance away, the three experts watched the duel. Seeing Jeong Yeon-shin's Body Protection Scripture, which was reminiscent of the Brightfolk, each wore a different expression. Ma Yeon-jeok furrowed his brow, his look complicated.
"He claims he can finish it in ten stances in this situation? No matter how extraordinary his talent is..."
"No. Those words probably..."
Ma Jin, unable to speak for a moment, parted his lips with difficulty.
"He doesn't mean he will end it in ten stances. He means he will create it in ten stances."