Chapter 255: High-Level (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 255: High-Level (5)
Lady Yul-ha glanced at the title, Compendium of Demon Extermination, and opened her mouth to speak.
"May I ask what that is? Its title is quite arrogant."
Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head.
"I believe we should get to the main point first."
"Very well."
"What is the meaning of this display?"
With the Censor left standing below, the Mount Hua Sect Leader and the Commander of the Demonlight Wing sat facing each other in the pavilion. After a brief hesitation, Wiji Myo-hwa took a seat between them.
"Not long ago, the Heavenly Pillar suffered a grave wound at the hands of the First Apostle. It was a miracle he didn't die on the spot."
"...That is a relief, at least."
Jeong Yeon-shin replied, recalling the dignified face of the Hwasan Sword Excellence, Perfected Heavenly Pillar.
He was a peerless swordsman who had mastered the Plum Blossom Sword: Floating Fragrance. Yeon-shin had defeated him during the Sect Founding Ceremony, though it had been a victory born of sheer luck. Even then, Perfected Heavenly Pillar had been suffering from internal injuries, yet he had barely shown an opening.
Now, he’d heard the man was hovering between life and death, struck down by the First Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult while Yeon-shin was recuperating.
"I have come to personally check on your recovery," Lady Yul-ha said. "The heterodox forces running rampant in Shaanxi are too powerful, and we are short-handed. To make matters worse, the conflicts between the orthodox and unorthodox factions are growing fierce. Not a single inn or Guandi Temple has been left intact."
"My subordinates are already in the field," Yeon-shin replied calmly. More than half of the Demonlight Wing were currently operating undercover, monitoring the security of the outer regions.
He had sent them out in his capacity as their commander. It had been a chore to endure his comrades' embarrassing fussing. They had wanted to stay by his side, constantly worrying about his well-being. True to their status as seniors, their eyes were incredibly sharp; they would make a huge scene over the slightest sign of his recovery. They even tried to feed him with a spoon, teasing him about maintaining his combat distance. Anyone would have found it unbearable.
Stop it, he had eventually told them.
They had no choice but to yield to their commander's authority and went out to fulfill their duties as martial artists of the Desolate Fortress.
"Of course, their contribution to the people's livelihood is immense," Lady Yul-ha continued. "However, every sword has its own purpose. How many swordsmen are there who can fill the void left by the Heavenly Pillar? This humble Taoist is already fully occupied keeping an eye on the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect."
"The Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect..."
Yeon-shin quietly repeated the name of the man who loomed like a fortress wall in his mind. The name itself carried an overwhelming weight.
Lady Yul-ha, carefully scanning his face, spoke again.
"The Blood Ghosts multiplying like insects are also a problem. The state of affairs is truly bleak. Since it will soon become difficult for me to leave our main mountain, you, as someone of high rank, must know what needs to be known. Mount Hua cannot abandon Mount Hua."
"Once I recover, I will act according to my own judgment."
"Indeed. It is not for this humble Taoist to meddle further."
"Did you come all this way just to tell me that? That even Mount Hua is struggling to control Shaanxi?"
"I told you, I came to check on you."
Lady Yul-ha curled the corners of her lips slightly, a smile of ambiguous nature.
She asked, "How old are you this year?"
It was a question that held no novelty for Yeon-shin.
"In just a fortnight, I will be seventeen."
Wiji Myo-hwa, who had been sitting silently between them, felt her fingertips twitch.
Lady Yul-ha chuckled.
"You must have faced all kinds of astonishment. People calling you a monster, or saying your martial prowess is incomparably outstanding for your age."
"Yes."
The Commander of the Demonlight Wing's reply was plain and simple, enough to make the old sect leader, who was accustomed to humility, bat her eyelashes.
"Yes, I suppose so. In any case, things were too chaotic last time. I regret that I could not offer some guidance as your senior."
"Guidance regarding...?"
"Your body."
For a brief moment, a faint orange light flickered in Lady Yul-ha's eyes, a glow resembling the sunset.
"The Spirit in your head is incredibly bloated. Its grade is so high it borders on the divine. It is truly astonishing, making even your wonderfully refined physical body pale in comparison. It is as if you were born having already achieved the lifelong goal of Taoist practitioners, but to this humble Taoist, it does not look entirely favorable. Judging by your expression, you seem to be aware of this as well."
Yeon-shin did not ask if that was why she had sought him out, despite their lack of any real acquaintance. There was an old saying: there is no eccentric quite like a peerless master.
Are those who can manifest a microcosm outside their bodies even human?
Invincibility. A natural talent akin to a Divine Sword was secondary. So was relentless training. For better or worse, they possessed extraordinary environments and a madness driven by martial arts. They accumulated all of this over decades, or even a century, to forge an absolute realm.
"You must surely wish to eat the fruit to survive," she continued. "However, does the Spirit residing in your Upper Dantian not reject the unity of Essence, Qi, and Spirit? With your comprehension and rate of progress, you should have been looking toward the Three Flowers Gathering at the Peak long ago, yet taking that next step still seems far out of reach."
She spoke without hesitation, her tone archaic. She resembled a white plum blossom—noble and pure in nature.
"Indeed. You are correct, Lady Yul-ha."
Yeon-shin replied shamelessly, not caring when Lady Yul-ha looked slightly taken aback. It was simply the truth.
"Well, in any case, there are no shortcuts to the Three Flowers Gathering at the Peak. Even the Lords of the Thirteen Heavens must evenly cultivate the balance of Essence, Qi, and Spirit. This must be the first wall you have ever encountered, but please do not be disheartened. And be a good friend to Yu-hyeon. That child, who never had friends his own age, has spoken of you quite often. It weighed on my mind."
"Did you come all this way just to say that?"
"I made this journey out of concern that my junior might stray onto a heterodox path. Your current achievements are more than sufficient in the Jianghu, so if you keep walking your path, you will eventually accumulate enough merit to obtain the fruit. Do not be impatient."
Her voice was gentle, her face smiling. The character of a prestigious orthodox sect shone through her.
In that moment, a warm tremor ran through Yeon-shin's mind.
It was not relief. The Saint Flower Sword God had not seen through how little time he had left. She had simply offered her concern as a senior martial artist—something soft and vast, like the twilight settling over the mountains.
Yeon-shin abruptly clasped his hands in respect.
"I have received your grace once again. Thank you, Sect Leader."
The corners of Lady Yul-ha's smiling mouth stiffened slightly. It happened right after he said "once again."
Yeon-shin paid it no mind.
His body had suffered unprecedented damage. Time was his very lifeline, yet his return to action had been severely delayed. Her advice to suppress his impatience resonated deeply with him. He had also gained an insight.
"I will not bind myself to the Three Flowers Gathering at the Peak. There are countless ways to grow stronger. I have thought of another method."
Yeon-shin pondered. Perhaps he could use this recovery period as an opportunity for closed-door cultivation.
"I hear other martial artists set aside dedicated time for training. This junior shall try doing the same."
"Hmm...?"
* * *
The setting sun spilled over the rafters of the pavilion.
It was right after the Mount Hua Sect Leader had departed. By then, Censor So Un, standing outside the pavilion, was narrowing his eyes. Only now did he guess the intention of Lady Yul-ha, who had abruptly left him behind.
That boy is not of the unorthodox factions.
He stroked his pitch-black beard. He had not heard the entire conversation; at some point, an energy barrier had enveloped the pavilion. Even so, he could read between the lines. So Un was a man who had survived as a Censor in a world teeming with martial arts, sorcery, and all kinds of mysteries.
Though he was somewhat out of touch with the latest rumors of the Jianghu, his wits were honed like a precious sword. He was unlike those officials who, relying on their rank and authority, fearlessly mistreated martial artists.
The boy before him was someone the Mount Hua Sect Leader had personally come to see. He was being treated as an honored guest at the Burnt-White Sect, the only one among the Seven Great Sects of Xi'an to escape destruction.
He doesn't just possess martial prowess. He has already earned great recognition in some corner of the Jianghu.
The Saint Flower Sword God, one of the most reliable escorts in the world, had left him behind. Considering the pro-imperial stance of the Mount Hua Sect, this was unbelievable. It must be because the boy she had visited possessed a corresponding level of power and status.
"I shall formally introduce myself," So Un said, clasping his hands toward the young man and woman stepping down from the pavilion. "I am the eldest son of the So Clan of Nanjing. After passing the imperial examinations and coming to the capital, I was bestowed a token by His Majesty to oversee the Shaanxi government offices. Though the various Branch Heads hold great influence, this land is no different from the ground the Son of Heaven stands upon, and I believe the same applies to you—regardless of your identity."
"..."
Step.
Yeon-shin stepped onto the ground and looked up. Wiji Myo-hwa, standing beside him, wore a strange expression.
"Censor So Un."
"Speak."
"I have thought of a use for you," the Commander of the Demonlight Wing murmured. "But you are not yet qualified. If you wish to know my identity, you must first reflect on your manner of speech."
"What?"
"Lock him up."
Whoosh!
In an instant, a shadow shot like lightning from the lakeshore. Dashing in a straight line with incredible lightness skill, the shadow snatched So Un and vanished into the distance. A harsh gust of wind swept through. It happened in the blink of an eye.
Wiji Myo-hwa's eyes widened slightly.
"Just now...?"
"A comrade from the Bloodkeeper Unit. Na Il-cheon, the Asura Demon Soul."
"The Bloodkeeper Unit? Do you mean the Divine Blood Ultimate Demon of the Desolate Fortress assigned his subordinate to you?"
"Yes. He is the senior Unit Commander I respect the most, not only for his martial prowess but also for his outstanding character."
Showing a rare smile, Yeon-shin clenched and unclenched his right hand.
The stinging pain in his delicate meridians, reaching all the way to his wrist, remained. However, the insights bestowed upon him by the Mount Hua Sect Leader were immense. In all his life, he had never engaged in the intensive cultivation that could be called closed-door training, and he felt a strange curiosity.
Since I've sent all my comrades away with this...
To grow stronger without going through the Three Flowers Gathering at the Peak. For the first time, he set a clear intermediate goal for his training.
Standing by the lake where the pavilion floated, Yeon-shin's face was reflected on the rippling, sunlit water. His eyes were filled with a brilliant blue light.
* * *
The year changed.
Flash Art, the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, had turned seventeen.
It was a time when the vast province of Shaanxi was gradually descending into chaos. Even while the Commander of the Demonlight Wing was recuperating, the world moved on without rest. The slaying of the Ghost Soul Divine Sword and Shaanxi's Number One Demon had undoubtedly shaken the Shaanxi Jianghu. After the incident at the Shaanxi branch of Lingering Spirit was also rumored to be the work of the Vast Art Stronghold, the Lord of the Vast Art Stronghold was making a name for himself as a rising powerhouse.
However, the chaos that followed the destruction of the Zhongnan Sect was like a tempest. Every day was filled with new topics of discussion.
“They say the Roaring Blood Accumulating Madness Art of the Blood Flame Cult's First Apostle is being discussed as the strongest in Shaanxi. That vast Fengyou County turned into a sea of blood in an instant. The Hwasan Sword Excellence was forced to retreat miserably...”
“The title of Shaanxi's strongest only suits the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect or the Saint Flower Sword God. When those two grandmasters will clash is the focus of everyone's attention. In some carefree places, they are even placing bets.”
“You’re the carefree ones. How can you discuss the state of the Jianghu when you don't know when those crazed Blood Ghosts will raid us? Pack your bags already.”
“Don't be so dramatic. I heard the Chamdo Family and the Geum Family Manor clashed yesterday. They pointed fingers at each other, calling the other Blood Ghosts, but who doesn't know the real issue was the boundary of their rice paddies?”
In a year of famine, where territorial interests were more precious than ever, the people of the Jianghu did not hesitate to draw their swords to secure food and establish a fertile foundation. Countless martial artists were clashing everywhere.
Amidst this, the Blood Flame Cult was pushing to expand its territory, while the Hegemon Sword Sect, having lost the Ghost Soul Divine Sword, was frantic to find the Lord of the Vast Art Stronghold. It was a time of chaos.
Then, a massive rumor broke out.
“The Thousand-Year Fleeceflower Root is on the Seven Maidens Peak of Mount Taibai!”
Rumors regarding spirit medicines and spirit herbs always spilled blood. Even if it was a trick played by someone trying to exploit the chaotic times, it made no difference. Regardless of its truth, one had to go and see for themselves.
This time was no exception.
A spirit herb like the Thousand-Year Fleeceflower Root possessed that kind of value. It was said to cure all diseases and bestow immense internal power. Incalculable numbers of martial artists gathered from all over. Even martial artists of the great sects mingled among them.
The timing was peculiar.
Yeon-shin, who had been secluded in the manor for a month, had just encountered a new problem.
Jeong Hye would not wake up. Even though his Law-Transcending Halo Qi had eradicated the true qi of the Heavenly Tomb Demon Seal, she could not lift her eyelids. The Lord of the Burnt-White Sect—the master of the manor and a lay member of the Zhongnan Sect—had searched for famous doctors, but she only slept as if she were dead.
It was the sorcery of the Thirteen Heavens' Lingering Spirit. Shaanxi's Number One Demon refused to let go of Jeong Hye, even in death.
Yeon-shin stood on the edge of the brown tiled roof. His upper body was still wrapped in bandages.
“I am departing.”
Flutter!
Yeon-shin draped his pitch-black robe over his shoulders. The dark fabric cast a shadow down the wall. He carried a single travel sack slung over his shoulder, its bottom squared in the shape of a book.
“This is a solo mission for the Unit Commander. The Demonlight Wing will continue to monitor the people's livelihood.”
“What nonsense is that...? Did he take my poppies again?”
By the time the Lazy Flame Dragon walked out, scratching his ear, the Commander of the Demonlight Wing had already vanished.