Chapter 236: Precious Sword (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 236: Precious Sword (9)
Inside a cozy room at the Gwawun Inn.
"Ghost Soul Divine Sword Yeo So-hyang. She is the Elder Council Head of the Hegemon Sword Sect," Jegal Hyeon said. "She manages the Unorthodox Factions under the Hegemon Sword Sect that have seized control of Xi'an. According to a joint investigation with the Beggar Sect, she is also... the one who led the annihilation of the Jeong Family Manor in Xinye County."
He sat facing Jeong Yeon-shin across a round tea table bearing only two teacups.
Such were the times: even when there wasn't a single grain of rice to eat, people still brewed and drank tea. Its subtle aroma wafted gently through the room.
"The annihilation of my family?"
The warmth that had briefly flickered in the eyes of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing vanished without a trace.
"I was under the impression that the Third Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult ordered it," Jeong Yeon-shin spoke quietly, recalling what had transpired at the cult's main headquarters.
—They enjoyed fertile land far beyond their station.
Those were the words of the Third Apostle during his clash with the Seventh Apostle. He had confessed to it himself—that he had ordered the annihilation of the Jeong Family Manor.
And then, his head had fallen to the sword of the Lord of the Desolate Fortress.
Only one enemy remained. With the same unyielding resolve he held when he first created the Jeong Family Dynamic Art, he had been tallying the culprits behind the manor's destruction, determined to uphold the laws of heaven.
He hadn't considered anyone other than the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect.
Now, he had no choice but to listen closely to Jegal Hyeon's words.
"The Ghost Soul Divine Sword, who oversees the Unorthodox Factions of Xi'an... was once the wet nurse to the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect. She is an aging Brightfolk swordswoman."
Glancing curiously at Jeong Yeon-shin's limbs, which had grown noticeably longer in the time since they last met, Jegal Hyeon continued.
"She was once said to possess martial prowess rivaling even the Lords of the Thirteen Heavens, though her strength reportedly declined after practicing the martial arts of the Tyrannical Way. Even so, she remains formidable. Aside from the leaders of the great sects, the only one capable of facing Yeo So-hyang was Perfected Heavenly Pillar, the Hwasan Sword Excellence..."
"I would like you to tell me exactly what happened to the Jeong Family Manor."
"She is an eccentric who enjoys surveying the land through Sword Flight. It's said she swept over the Earth Qi of Xinye County and reported it to the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect. She constantly boasts of the peerless master she raised. This truth came to light when the Sect Lord was bragging about how many blows he had dealt to the Desolate Fortress..."
"Ghost Soul Divine Sword Yeo So-hyang," Jeong Yeon-shin murmured softly.
The Elder Council Head of the Hegemon Sword Sect. The supreme commander of the Unorthodox Factions who had driven out the Zhongnan Sect and seized control.
The Sense of Qi in his Upper Dantian detected no falsehood from Jegal Hyeon. He was a man who had cultivated a righteous nature more impressive than any ultimate technique.
Jeong Yeon-shin had no desire to doubt him anyway. Jegal Hyeon was a chivalrous hero whose temperament was the polar opposite of Jeong Yeon-shin's own biological brother.
"Let us focus on the matter at hand."
Jeong Yeon-shin closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, setting aside the turbulent thoughts stirred by this unexpected revelation.
He would inevitably cross paths with her anyway as he drove the Unorthodox Factions out of Xi'an.
"We agreed to settle this at noon in the Great Moon Gorge. It was a letter from the Lord of the Exalted Remaining Lands Sect."
"The Ghost Soul Divine Sword will not come down immediately."
"Why is that?"
"She views everything other than the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect as trivial. She would never deign to interfere in the squabbles of subordinate sects from the very beginning, no matter how massive their forces may be."
"Indeed. The caliber of the Unorthodox Factions here is higher than I expected. They are not mere Black Way thugs, but closer to mid-sized sects."
"I came after receiving intelligence that they are committing all kinds of atrocities. It was said they treat the lives of the common people like sweets in their pockets. To verify the actual situation, I had no choice but to come myself."
What Jeong Yeon-shin had witnessed was no different. He had seen countless corpses before even passing through the city gates.
They were the bodies of those plundered during the famine. The lingering shockwaves of Unorthodox martial arts still rippled transparently over their corpses, like smoke rising from incense.
"Their numbers are overwhelming. Every single one of them has properly learned the martial arts of the Heterodox Sects. It might be wise to consider a retreat. The entire city seems hostile to you, Commander Jeong..." Jegal Hyeon spoke cautiously.
He had thoroughly investigated this through his connections in the Alliance. The Unorthodox martial world was fundamentally different from the Orthodox alliances.
They couldn't run businesses openly, nor did they receive generous donations or offerings. They merely extorted shops or blatantly collected protection money.
Naturally, they were extremely sensitive about their territory.
Even if they fought among themselves, they would unite the moment they faced an external invasion. Because they weren't great sects, they possessed a volatile temperament—a mix of mid-sized sect pride and back-alley Black Way thuggery.
They were so orderly that Orthodox gossips described it as bizarre. It was this very solidarity that had swiftly torn apart the existing order of the Zhongnan Sect. In an instant, they had divided the spoils among themselves.
They were akin to brothers who scarred one another.
Their response to the appearance of a hostile peak master was bound to be lightning-fast.
Just as the Lazy Flame Dragon had experienced, they restricted the city's food supply, and their sect leaders vanished all at once.
Fearing they would be defeated individually, they clearly intended to remain hidden until the eve of the decisive battle.
Their eye for recognizing the strong was exceptional.
"The Unorthodox Jianghu strictly follows the law of the jungle. The leaders of powerful Unorthodox sects are always on guard against the manifestation of a peak master. To protect their livelihood, they must intercept the opponent—even if that opponent is a peak master. By any means necessary," Jegal Hyeon continued in a quiet, measured tone.
"There is also a way to destroy them gradually from within. Sweeping them away all at once in an all-out war... though it may take less time, carries immense risk. This is why I advise you to retreat for now, Commander Jeong. We live in a world where even a peerless master struggles to withstand ten thousand martial soldiers..."
As he spoke, he toyed with a folding fan he had pulled from his robes. It seemed to be a habit.
The steam from the teacups had dispersed. Only the invisible aroma of tea filled the air. A brief silence fell over the quiet room.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not answer.
* * *
Great Moon Gorge. The vast Guanzhong Plain stretched out on one side.
Martial artists bearing sinister, eerie energies poured in from all directions. It was a display worthy of the sheer power of the Heterodox Sects.
They were different from mere thugs who mimicked martial artists with half-baked skills. The grim, heavy murderous intent enveloping their bodies made that perfectly clear.
Hundreds of them headed toward the mountain range outside the city, converging on a place named Great Moon Gorge for some long-forgotten reason.
"I don't understand why we're going this far."
"Too true. Just seven days and nights ago, we were at each other's throats."
"They say the guy who refuses to leave Xi'an is a peak master. If we fought in the city center, everything would be blown to pieces, and isn't all that our property?"
"A peak master... is that really true?"
"Even our clan leader acknowledges the Eye Technique of Sect Leader Wi, the Demon-Sprinkling Sword. If it's a lie, the Exalted Remaining Lands Sect will be annihilated. Not by us, but by the masters of Lingering Spirit."
People of all descriptions climbed the mountain. From those with hair growing down to their feet to the completely bald, many carried exotic weapons.
There were curved sabers with strangely bent blades, greatswords with circular holes in the center, gauntlets with blades attached to the back of the hand, scythes on chains, and flexible swords with highly pliable blades.
They climbed the mountain, chatting noisily.
No one was tense. Anyone would feel the same when backed by massive waves of energy gathering and billowing like storm clouds.
There were hundreds here who had properly mastered Unorthodox martial arts. Some giggled and joked as if they were out on a picnic.
"At this rate, we might as well set our sights on other fertile lands."
"How about Xiangyang?"
"Are you insane? You want to attack the Desolate Fortress?"
"I heard the land there is incredibly rich. With a force like this, aren't we invincible under heaven?"
There was a reason they hadn't attacked the inn where the "leader" and his companions were staying. Rather than the official roads, which had limited space, the mountain range of Great Moon Gorge, bordering a vast wilderness, was far better suited for flaunting their power.
They intended to make an example of this supposedly powerful peak master to completely solidify the order of the Unorthodox Factions in Xi'an. Their patience had lasted only until the day of this decisive battle.
An even greater number of commoners, merchants, and vagabonds followed from a distance.
"So, is this like a public execution?"
"I heard they've been staying behind closed doors. Both that leader and the various sect leaders."
"The one who hides out of fear is the loser, isn't he? I'll bet on the sect leaders. How could a mere outsider withstand the territorial hostility of the Xi'an Unorthodox Factions?"
"Even so, to think it's on the scale of a Great Sect War..."
"It happens from time to time."
The temperament of the people of Xi'an was double-edged. While they knew when to bow their heads, they also possessed a boundless energy when it came to satisfying their curiosity.
It was a metropolis where the Zhongnan and Mount Hua Sects had fought against the Heterodox Sects since ancient times. The number of bold, stout-hearted locals was immense.
They were more than enough to pack the vast, otherwise desolate canyon.
And then.
The leaders of the Xi'an Unorthodox Factions made their appearance. There were seven of them, both men and women. Leaving their disciples and subordinates behind, they stepped onto the plain at the bottom of the canyon.
Each of them exuded an extraordinary aura. The magnificent mountain landscape seemed to hold its breath.
The Exalted Remaining Lands Sect, the Burnt-White Sect, the Severing Pavilion, the Great Spirit Awe Sect, the Sword Demon Sect, the End-of-Heaven Saber Sect, and the Hwiwol Clan.
The leaders of all these Unorthodox Factions had arrived.
They could well claim to be invincible. In almost any other region, they certainly would be.
"I wonder just how strong he is, for the great Sect Leader Wi to set up such a grand stage."
A man with thick eyebrows and fierce, glaring eyes spoke.
A long scar ran across his cheek. He wore an elegant, dark bamboo hat that concealed most of his white hair.
The aura radiating over his pure white robe made smoke rise from the dirt ground. It was both mysterious and solemn.
Hwiwol Clan Leader Baek Mu-ryang.
Along with Wi Il-hwa and Jang Gi-il, he was counted as one of the Three Great Masters of the Xi'an Unorthodox Factions.
"Could it be that a Black Rank of the Desolate Fortress has come alone? For Sect Leader Wi to make such a fuss... If that is truly the case, this old man is more than willing to turn tail and run without looking back."
Baek Mu-ryang spoke, the corners of his mouth twitching upward beneath his white mustache.
Wi Il-hwa, standing in the center, snorted. She knew the Hwiwol Clan Leader well.
He was more insidious than anyone else here. It was hard to take his words as a mere joke. She had to counter with a provocation.
"I won't bother stopping you. If you wish to make yourself the laughingstock of the Jianghu, who am I to object?"
"Sect Leader Wi is as cold as ever."
Scanning his surroundings, Baek Mu-ryang smiled faintly. The energy of the Heterodox Sects filling the plain below the canyon was immense.
It was a force that could almost bear comparison to the martial armies of the Thirteen Heavens or the Deep Martial Alliance.
What a magnificent sight, Baek Mu-ryang thought. This was the very reason the Unorthodox sect leaders had complied with Wi Il-hwa's words.
The people of Xi'an and its surrounding areas watched this spectacle, completely packing the canyon. As they looked down, their gazes were filled with reverence for these absolute masters.
With this, the sect leaders had achieved their goal. It was already over.
It was a colossal martial army. No one could look upon it from up close without being awed.
It was a gathering of countless commoners from Shaanxi Province, a region comparable in size to a decent nation. With a bit of exaggeration, it was as if the entire world was watching.
There could be no greater demonstration of force. Even the talk of a Black Rank from the Desolate Fortress was meaningless now.
Hundreds of irregular waves of energy tangled together, surging outward and gouging the ground beneath their feet.
It was as if the plain were filled with a massive army. It was a truly overwhelming sight.
It was a power none of them had ever encountered before.
Aside from the Hegemon Sword Sect and Lingering Spirit, which existed beyond the heavens, there was no opponent worthy of comparison. They had fully secured the dominance needed to squeeze the commoners dry during this famine.
Those who dreamed of rebellion would take up plows instead of swords, and the common people would quietly go about their livelihoods, lining the pockets of the Xi'an Unorthodox Factions.
Since every harvest was a failure, shouldn't they work even harder?
They had driven out the Orthodox factions, and the Unorthodox had risen to power.
Our Jianghu is complete.
The corners of Baek Mu-ryang's mouth curved upward.
He remained smiling until, suddenly, a figure descended right before them.
Step.
The pitch-black hem of the robe covering his back fluttered. His shoulder-length black hair swayed along with his cloak.
A youth stepped onto the ground in black leather boots. It was a completely silent landing, especially considering the sheer distance he had leaped.
"...A truly formidable Body Protection Scripture. He looked like a mere speck in the distance," Baek Mu-ryang muttered, the furrow between his brows deepening.
The opponent did not answer.
Only his pitch-black eyes gleamed mysteriously. Tilting his sharply defined chin, he simply swept his gaze over the hundreds of Unorthodox martial artists facing him on the plain.
His gaze alone exerted a strange pressure. Silence spread wherever his eyes fell.
Seeing his appearance for the first time, Wi Il-hwa bit her lip slightly.
"He's just a greenhorn?"
"He cannot be as young as he appears. I shall treat him as an elder of the Jianghu," Baek Mu-ryang said, putting on a deliberate smile.
"Even without clashing swords, your skill is plain to see. You are fully capable of walking the Jianghu alone. That would be true no matter where you go in most regions. No matter how severe the famine, you would certainly survive."
"..."
"But look at our side. A fight for a master who lacks a force of his own... is highly complex and full of things to worry about. It is on a completely different level from a one-on-one duel. The romance of the Jianghu does not exist here. No one will fault you if you withdraw now."
Right then.
The youthful-looking swordsman parted his lips.
"Are you the Hwiwol Clan Leader?"
"I am."
"The people gathered here... are only the Unorthodox martial artists of the Seven Great Sects of Xi'an."
"You hit the mark. There are no rabble here. I guarantee it."
"Extortion, assault, and murder are your way of life. I received intelligence that you repeatedly enslave the common people and employ any means necessary to refine your combat martial arts."
"What nonsense. I see you have no intention of backing down."
Dust rose sharply from beneath Baek Mu-ryang's feet. It was a swirling shockwave of force, as if summoning a whirlwind.
It was the precursor to the Moon-Shining Hegemon Art, passed down through his clan for generations. His plan was to block the first strike and then sweep the opponent away with his martial army.
Whoosh!
The sound of pebbles colliding on the dirt ground echoed along with the gale. To one side, Wi Il-hwa's silk robes fluttered magnificently.
Along the curve of her rising lips, the wave of energy sweeping through the air was like a sheet of silk, utterly transparent.
Fwoosh!
The auras of the other sect leaders were no less impressive. Beams of light scattered by their blades flashed continuously.
The noise was deafening. Now, anyone's voice would be swallowed by the roaring shockwaves.
"So, you admit it."
Jeong Yeon-shin tilted his head amidst the roaring din.
His demeanor was more arrogant than anyone else's here. The slight movement of his lips was visible only to the Unorthodox sect leaders standing before him.
"By my authority as Commander,"
"...?"
"Demonlight Wing of the Desolate Fortress, punish these rabble."
Immediately after he uttered those words laced with telepathy, a single arrow soared from the ridge behind him.
Screeech—!
It sounded like the long cry of a giant bird. It was the sound of a whistling arrow carrying an immense amount of internal energy.
It was a shot from the Moon-Shooting Bow Ghost, Wi Ye-ryeong. The arrow, carrying a tempestuous resonance, tore straight through the sect leaders' shockwaves.
The formidable power of a Blue-ranked Brightfolk of the Desolate Fortress was fully infused within it. It streaked overhead like a beam of light.
Boom!
It pierced through three Unorthodox martial artists and embedded itself in the ground. Three thunderous cracks of flesh being violently torn apart rang out simultaneously. It was archery akin to artillery fire.
Not even a scream escaped. The densely packed crowd scattered in terror in all directions.
"What in the world...!"
"It's his reinforcements!"
Just as Wi Il-hwa and Baek Mu-ryang widened their eyes, a monstrous aura surged from the side of the canyon, accompanied by a pure white haze. To make a comparison, it was not like a cloud, but closer to a blazing sun.
From the high ridge they had ignored—since any martial artist could scale such cliffs as if they were flat ground anyway—a powerful force burgeoned, as if a new dawn were breaking.
Twenty-eight Light Swords revealed themselves. Sunlight shimmered over the energy they materialized from their entire bodies.
The people themselves looked like drawn swords. Even those who held no blades appeared as such. They were generating sunlight of their own accord.
Compared to the massive crowd gathered on the plain below, they were but a handful.
But their aura was entirely different.
It was a group where Brightfolk warriors could be seen here and there. Though they wore martial uniforms of different colors, they exuded a terrifying sense of unity. Their temperaments were perfectly aligned.
Rumble!
The moment they revealed themselves, they kicked off the ground in unison. Nearly thirty men and women leaped from the peaks, descending like gliding kites.
With every bound they took across the rock face, the white light enveloping their bodies and weapons grew denser. The sight was almost divine.
They were a squad from the 17th Unit of the Divine Sword Corps—the sword arm of the Desolate Fortress, tasked with purging all demons under heaven.
"Wh-What...?"
"What is this? What's happening?!"
The army of the Xi'an Unorthodox Factions began to waver. They were simply too fast. They closed the distance in an instant. The profound Lightness Skill of these mysterious masters transformed their advance into a single, massive wave of light.
In the blink of an eye, their speed accelerated until their forms began to flicker like lightning.
The Demonlight Wing spread its feathers, unleashing the shockwaves of the Vast Art Formula in every direction.
Rumble—!
It all happened in an instant. The unleashed force shook the very earth and tore through the atmosphere.
The wave of pure, brilliant white light crashed into the Unorthodox martial artists. A monstrous shockwave erupted in all directions.