Chapter 262: High-Level (12)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 262: High-Level (12)
The sunlight shattered across the snow, clear and bright.
"..."
A silent tumult gripped the snow-covered mountain ridge.
A brilliant energy, like the break of dawn, shimmered across the peak. A haze of light flowed from the sword planted at the feet of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, bathing the surroundings in its glow.
The radiant mist curled upward, rising to the character 'Hwang' embroidered on his shoulder, exuding a subtle, divine aura.
The stillness of the surrounding martial artists was anything but peaceful.
It felt as though the raw emotions of everyone standing there were seeping directly into the air. Their expressions alone painted a clear picture. While some clamped their mouths shut, it was hard to sense any hostility from the martial artists who stood with raised eyebrows and slack jaws.
It was sheer, unadulterated shock. Low groans and bewildered murmurs began to spill out.
"The Desolate Fortress... the Commander of the Demonlight Wing...!"
"The one who conquered the Sect Founding Ceremony?"
"What in the heavens... why has such a giant suddenly appeared here...?"
The man sitting askew on the palanquin was no longer the center of attention.
It was only natural.
A supreme expert had emerged from the Desolate Fortress, the undisputed military gate of the martial world. One of their seventeen precious swords had manifested right before their eyes.
A Black Rank Unit Commander of the Desolate Fortress. To these martial artists—men who would find even Blue-Ranked Experts overwhelming to deal with—he was a presence akin to Yama, the King of Hell.
"A black robe... truly? He looks far too young..."
"They say the Young Sect Leader of the Ming Cult toured the Thirteen Heavens at around that age and survived."
"Stop right there. The rumors surrounding the current Commander of the Demonlight Wing are no less terrifying."
"That's true. He is a powerhouse who slaughtered the main supreme experts of the Sichuan Thirteen Heavens. They say he even defeated the Sword Absolute, Perfected Heavenly Pillar. And he accomplished all of this in just a single year."
"We don't have to worry too much, right? I swear I've never harmed a single commoner..."
"Junior brothers! Wake up! We've run into a Black Rank of the Desolate Fortress! Back up, back up! Retreat!"
The panic was brief, but their reactions quickly polarized. Depending on their faction and martial lineage, their responses differed like heaven and earth.
The martial artists of the Orthodox factions showed shock and a slight reluctance, but most of them stopped there. But those straddling the line between the government and the martial world, as well as the members of the Heterodox sects, were completely different.
Whether they feigned composure or looked on the verge of terror, they all retreated in unison.
Over a hundred and twenty people crunched backward through the snow. It didn't matter how many steps they retreated; it wasn't a laughable sight.
They had instantly believed the identity of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing. Their discernment and sense of Qi were highly developed, after all. Every single one of them was an expert capable of recognizing true greatness.
These were people who rightly feared the executions of the Desolate Fortress. People whom the Divine Sword Corps would actively step forward to kill.
"A bountiful harvest of merits," Jeong Yeon-shin muttered calmly.
Whenever a mission was assigned to a Unit Commander, information about the martial artists active in the mission area was provided beforehand. The Chief Steward's Office of the Desolate Fortress would compile a dossier meant to be read once and then burned. It contained all kinds of details: portraits, martial lineages, signature martial arts, and even the known associates of the targets.
It wasn't exhaustively detailed. It only contained as much information as a well-informed local might have, as it was compiled from intelligence sent by nearby government offices.
Yet, that alone was enough to fuel the ominous rumors surrounding the Unit Commanders of the Desolate Fortress. It was said that if a dignified and powerful supreme expert were to emerge from the intelligence-gathering Hao Sect, they would be no different from the Black Ranks of the Divine Sword Corps.
To the Heterodox sects and the martial artists of the Black Way, this was a terrifying reality. A stranger acting familiar was one thing, but this was akin to Yama himself—having already passed judgment in his heart—reaching out with a death grip.
"I—I'm going down the mountain."
"Quietly... let's go together."
Many of those who had previously gathered with menacing auras quietly lifted their heels. They slowly retreated down the mountain, keeping a wary, terrified eye on Jeong Yeon-shin. They prioritized preserving their lives over the Thousand-Year Fleeceflower Root. The crowd that had seemed ready to form a siege network completely dispersed.
About a hundred people remained. These were the martial artists who did not belong to the Heterodox sects, along with the factions of the Thirteen Heavens. Tension seeped from them as they sized each other up, constantly stealing glances at the Commander of the Demonlight Wing.
The isolated ridge of Mount Taibai had entered a new phase.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not care about those who fled. Without the rest of the Demonlight Wing present, it was impossible to capture all the insignificant fry anyway. He had to focus on the most important task, one befitting his status as a Black Rank.
"Do you have something to say to this Unit Commander?"
Looking past the shoulder of the Lord of the Beast King Sect, he stared quietly at the young man lounging askew on the palanquin.
The young noble's lips curled up slightly. He looked amused, as if he were watching the climax of a Beijing opera.
The source of the sorcery. The one who had openly spoken of the scheme targeting Jeong Yeon-shin.
There was a reason Yeon-shin had learned of their plot. The visual prowess of his Sight of the Lowly had pierced straight through the energy barrier they had set up, capturing even the rapid movements of their lips. Their attempts to obscure their speech were meaningless before eyes trained to observe the lives of the common people. He had read every single word the bastard had babbled.
—A sprout is indeed a sprout.
The young noble's lips parted.
—But it seems you were a sprout of the World Tree. How impressive.
Concluding his silent words from afar, the corners of his mouth curled up even higher. Leaning his upper body back and letting his hand dangle over the armrest of the palanquin, his posture was incredibly frivolous. It was clearly a deliberate gesture.
The Commander of the Demonlight Wing slowly parted his lips.
"That posture is bad for your lumbar spine. With such conduct, you will never reach the realm of Super-Ascension. A novice shouldn't treat their body like that."
—...
Jeong Yeon-shin remained perfectly calm. He was a young martial artist, yes, but he had fought more than enough fierce battles in his own right. Just because he didn't know how to provoke others didn't mean he would fall for such a cheap taunt. He was not a child.
It was then.
"Listen here."
A thick voice rumbled across the snow. It came from the man standing right in front of him: Wi Se-hyeok, the Lord of the Beast King Sect.
With his brow furrowed, he gathered a powerful wave of energy throughout his body. He exuded a presence truly worthy of being the centerpiece of the scheme devised by the Thirteen Heavens. It was as if he were boldly declaring that great heroes did not only emerge from the orthodox great sects of the world.
"I have watched in silence, but your arrogance is excessive. Where are you looking, Commander of the Demonlight Wing?"
"Step back," Jeong Yeon-shin muttered.
The command was directed at Jang Sun-il and the Bukgung siblings standing behind him. Unlike Jang Sun-il, who was openly trembling in sheer terror, the breathing of Bukgung Rin and Bukgung Hu remained extremely calm.
Perhaps it was because they hailed from the Ice Palace of the distant frozen lands. Although there was no way they were ignorant of the Desolate Fortress's reputation, their reaction was simply one of understanding. They maintained the dignified bearing of true aristocrats.
Bukgung Rin's voice tickled his ear. "We will take care of the guide boy."
"Focus on unleashing your martial arts, traveling companion. This seems to be a crisis, but I have no intention of turning my back on you."
Those were the words of Bukgung Hu. His mindset was completely different from that of the Central Plains people.
The trust forged over a trivial campfire was firmer than Jeong Yeon-shin had thought. Perhaps their friendship was just as valuable as the Thousand-Year Fleeceflower Root itself.
The noble siblings of the Ice Palace slowly retreated, dragging Jang Sun-il away with them.
"Thank you."
Expressing his gratitude briefly, Jeong Yeon-shin took a step forward.
At the same time, Wi Se-hyeok, the Lord of the Beast King Sect, vigorously shook both of his arms. From his solid orange sleeves, a tumultuous wave of colorless energy erupted outward. It was an internal power wave that filled the silence with a violent, shimmering distortion.
Jeong Yeon-shin's blue-tinted eyes scanned him.
'His internal energy attribute isn't biased toward any specific element. Fundamentally, his internal energy is incredibly deep. Judging by his starting stance and tightly knit musculature, he excels in prolonged battles.'
The conclusion was clear. He was a powerhouse with solid overall martial prowess, and his internal energy was unaffected by elemental compatibility. He was an opponent specifically chosen to counter the Flash Art, the Commander of the Demonlight Wing.
They were directly targeting Jeong Yeon-shin's established fighting style—he had always shown overwhelming strength in short-term, decisive battles using his rapidly accumulated martial power. Furthermore, Wi Se-hyeok wouldn't be weak against Dharma Power martial arts. It was a meticulous arrangement.
'I'll win regardless.'
The problem lay elsewhere. This was not an honorable life-and-death duel between just the two of them. There was no way they would insist on a one-on-one fight after going through the trouble of setting a trap.
Jeong Yeon-shin grabbed the hilt of the Northern Light Sword planted in the snow and slowly drew it up.
"Come."
The moment he spoke—
Boom!
It wasn't just Wi Se-hyeok who rushed forward.
"Strike!"
"Kill him here!"
He was instantly caught in a rigidly structured battle formation. They showed not a shred of carelessness in dealing with the Commander of the Demonlight Wing. The surrounding crowd of dozens closed in as a single, unified entity.
It was a joint siege formation composed of elite experts from the Hegemon Sword Sect, the Blood Flame Cult, and Lingering Spirit. Terrifying waves of energy sliced at Jeong Yeon-shin's skin.
Boom!
He deflected the Lord of the Beast King Sect's incoming fist with the back of his hand. A heavy shockwave erupted between them.
Surprise flashed in the bastard's eyes. He had failed to immediately dissipate the aftereffects of a blow infused with Halo Qi. The Lord of the Beast King Sect was forced to take a short step back, revealing that he had lost the very first exchange.
Swoosh!
Simultaneously, a myriad of shockwaves surged toward Yeon-shin from all eight directions.
It was a highly coordinated strike. The martial artists thrust out sword winds and cold steel, covering all possible escape routes and preventing him from delivering a follow-up blow on Wi Se-hyeok. The resonant humming vibrating through the air sounded like a furious swarm of bees.
In that instant, Jeong Yeon-shin's black robes snapped in the wind. He pulled the Northern Light Sword inward, holding the blade perfectly horizontal.
A torrential gale surged from his entire body, violently pushing back the incoming shockwaves.
Qilin's Judgment.
It was the absolute momentum of the Wind Body and the Emperor's presence combined.
"Fall back!"
Just as the Lord of the Beast King Sect kicked off the frozen ground to retreat...
Jeong Yeon-shin's sword flickered in a flash of silver, striking out like a strand of a whirlwind. His figure spun and returned to its original position in an instant, slowly breaking apart as if segmented. It was a mere afterimage. He had moved so fast that even the wave of energy enveloping his body couldn't keep up.
Clang-clang-clang!
A Fast Sword several levels superior to theirs shattered all the incoming weapons in every direction. One after another, men coughed up blood, desperately gripping weapons that had been reduced to mere hilts.
They had taken the full, devastating brunt of the Fa Jin force's aftereffects. Six out of the eight vanguard attackers collapsed in an instant.
Jeong Yeon-shin casually extended his left hand.
The falling fragments of shattered blades stopped dead in midair. It was the precursor to the Myriad Blossoms Rain.
"Rear guard!" the Lord of the Beast King Sect roared.
The second line of defense quickly moved in to cover the gaps. It was like watching the disciplined tactics of military spearmen and shield-bearers. These men, clad in denser and firmer waves of energy, closed the distance. They appeared to be wearing thin chainmail beneath their martial uniforms.
Following Jeong Yeon-shin's brief gesture, the suspended steel fragments scattered in all directions like deadly metallic petals.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
They embedded themselves into flesh and armor with dull thuds. The bastards' bodies violently faltered.
They must have primarily trained in Body Protection Qi. They didn't die instantly from the wide-area secret technique, though to be fair, Yeon-shin had unleashed it without much preparation. The men merely grimaced in pain, slight traces of blood leaking down their faces.
For a brief moment, Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes narrowed.
'They know exactly how I fight.'
They had come fully prepared. These were truly the elites of the Thirteen Heavens.
Whoosh!
Slicing through the air, the Lord of the Beast King Sect stepped forward once again, ruthlessly bringing his hand blade down from top to bottom. It was a fully charged offensive strike, prepared while his front and rear lines held their ground. The shockwave gathered on the edge of his hand shimmered colorlessly, rapidly expanding in size.
The energy of the Beast King Sect's Beast King Phoenix Divine Art felt far more powerful than what had been described in the Chief Steward's Office's records. It was only natural. He was the vanguard leading the front lines of the Thirteen Heavens.
Crash!
A hazy shockwave exploded in all directions. Activating his Brilliant River, Yeon-shin struck upward, meeting the Lord of the Beast King Sect's descending hand blade with his bare palm.
A monstrous recoil exploded outward, and the edge of the bastard's hand violently buckled inward. The sickening sensation of bones shattering to pieces was transmitted directly through Yeon-shin's palm.
"Argh!"
While Wi Se-hyeok, the Lord of the Beast King Sect, grimaced in agony, spears and swords from all eight directions inevitably rushed in to cover him. Murderous intent flowed from the faces of the Thirteen Heavens' experts as they tightly gripped their spear shafts and sword hilts.
Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes darted left and right, shining with a cold blue light.
As his deep blue eyes left faint afterimages in the air, the black robes of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing fluttered like a dark dance. He had instantly seen through all their forms, spinning into the fluid steps of the Wind God Movement Technique.
Smashing aside a spear shaft thrusting toward his eyes with his left hand, he slashed the chests of the two men on his right in a single, fluid motion using an even faster Qilin's Judgment.
Slash!
The afterimage of the silver sword path remained in the air, lingering and distorting space. It was because the strike was heavily infused with Halo Qi.
'Uncle will be there soon.'
Amidst the deadly, beautiful trajectory of his sword strike, Jeong Yeon-shin's thoughts drifted to his niece, Jeong Hye.