Chapter 28: The Zhongnan Sect (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 28: The Zhongnan Sect (3)
Right then—
Clang, clang, clang—!
The sect bell, which normally rang with a clear and resonant tone, echoed with frantic urgency.
The faces of the Zhongnan Sect members drained of color.
"The Hegemon Sword Sect!"
"They've returned."
Wiji Myo-hwa whipped her head toward the mountain gate.
The Sword Immortal of Zhongnan, having appeared beside her before anyone even noticed, stroked the hilt of his sword.
"Junior Brother Jeong. Take good care of Hye-ah."
"Guests, please wait here."
Utilizing their astonishing lightness scriptures, they vanished into the distance at formidable speed. The Sword Immortal of Zhongnan, in particular, seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye.
Jeong Yeon-shin briefly watched Wiji Myo-hwa until her hair was barely a speck in the distance, then turned to Jeong Jung-san.
"This doesn't seem like their first or second time. Is this how they usually fight?"
"We never know where or how we'll clash. Often, the core experts strike from different directions, crossing paths. Just like now."
Jeong Jung-san's expression was grim. The Zhongnan Sect's situation seemed dire.
The fact that the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan—undoubtedly one of the top masters even among the Nine Sects—was forced to personally guard the main headquarters was a stark indication of their depleted forces.
"I've seen the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect several times now. The enemy who slaughtered my family strolled right into my sect with utter leisure. My feelings back then..."
Jeong Jung-san swept a hand down his face.
The immature older brother from the Jeong Family Manor was nowhere to be found; in his place stood a Zhongnan Sect disciple weighed down by profound anxiety.
Heonwon Chang lightly tapped the ground with his foot.
"Trouble the moment we arrive."
"Isn't it time for the Divine Hero of the Desolate Fortress to step forward?"
"Even if Young Hero Jeong says so, I cannot. If you strip a martial artist of the Nine Sects of their pride, they are nothing but a corpse. Didn't we just experience that? If not for the Sword Dragon, a major disaster would have occurred."
"They don't look like they have the luxury of pride right now."
Even Heonwon Chang could not refute Jeong Yeon-shin's point.
Battle cries were gradually rising in the distance. The front lines were being pushed back.
"It seems the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan has been held up."
"I've heard the Hegemon Sword Sect also has an Elder's Council. They say it's a sect with quite a history among the Thirteen Heavens. If several elders from the same generation as the former Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect launch a coordinated attack, even a peerless master would inevitably be delayed. It seems this is how they've been fighting."
Jeong Yeon-shin analyzed the enemy—a rare occurrence for him. But it was only natural.
Since the Hegemon Sword Sect was his family's mortal enemy, he needed to know everything about them, analyzing them as thoroughly as he would break down a martial form.
"Do not speak so carelessly of our sect's grandmaster."
It was an unfamiliar voice.
Jeong Yeon-shin had already faintly sensed their presence.
Perhaps left behind to protect Hye-ah, whose talent had been recognized by the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan, five concealed martial artists revealed themselves on the roof of the Seeker's Pavilion.
Every single one of them possessed a clear, righteous aura. They were entirely different from the unorthodox rabble of the Hegemon Sword Sect.
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke slowly.
"I do not believe my words were disrespectful."
"Words and actions are perceived differently depending on the listener. Do you truly not know that the Desolate Fortress can never be a welcome guest in the Jianghu?"
Another martial artist chimed in. They did not seem inclined to back down easily.
The Desolate Fortress truly has many enemies.
He realized this once again. After all, it was an organization that intervened in the conflicts and interests of the entire Central Plains. Naturally, the leaders of the Orthodox Factions, such as the Nine Sects, would not look upon them kindly.
Furthermore, the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan had shown Jeong Yeon-shin the legacy of the Sword Sect and expressed high expectations for him.
He had called it the long-cherished wish of the Zhongnan Sect. Even if it wasn't their own sect's secret technique, their feelings were bound to be complicated. It would actually be stranger if these young martial artists, whose hot blood outpaced their mental cultivation, did not harbor some jealousy.
One could tell just by looking at their expressions. Their discomfort was plain to see.
"Aren't your core experts down there?" Heonwon Chang asked. "It looks like you could use every extra hand you can get."
"Use every extra hand? Do not insult our sect—!"
Heonwon Chang's words had certainly crossed the line slightly. However, their angry reaction was short-lived.
The heads of the Zhongnan Sect martial artists, who had just been raising their momentum, suddenly snapped to the side.
Jeong Yeon-shin and Heonwon Chang did the same.
People were approaching from a distance.
They were five sword-bearing martial artists, and their presence far surpassed that of the five Zhongnan disciples. It was hard to believe. Considering how many pavilions Jeong Yeon-shin had passed to get here, it was shocking that members of the Hegemon Sword Sect had managed to infiltrate this deep into the sect.
"Kill the child first. She is inheriting the Sword Immortal's legacy."
A man in orange martial robes, who appeared to be the leader, spoke indifferently.
The four men flanking him didn't even bother to reply as they kicked off the ground. The sound of tearing wind accompanied their rush. They were powerful martial artists, strong enough to leave deep footprints in solid rock.
"How dare you!"
With a heavy thud, the blue roof tiles shattered. The Zhongnan Sect martial artists tore through the air to intercept them.
Clang! Whoosh!
The collision of internal force whipped up a violent gale that lashed at their hair. Even though it was a clash of four against five, they were evenly matched.
Meanwhile, the strongest-looking martial artist—the leader in orange—walked right through the battlefield with steady steps. The Zhongnan disciples had their hands full just blocking the other four.
The approaching leader looked at their distorted, straining faces with a sneer. He locked eyes with Jeong Yeon-shin, who had hidden Hye-ah behind his back, and smirked.
"Desolate Fortress brats. Tell me, what business brings you to the Nine Sects? Since our sect holds the upper hand, did you come to balance the scales once again?"
Jeong Yeon-shin did not answer. Instead, he looked at his second brother.
"The Hegemon Sword Sect had to cross several peaks to get here. I don't think the Zhongnan Sect is so helpless as to allow that easily. It seems these men infiltrated under the cover of the main battle specifically to harm Hye-ah. Is that correct?"
"Y-yes. There's no other explanation," Jeong Jung-san nodded blankly.
Jeong Yeon-shin then looked at Heonwon Chang.
"Please assist me."
"Do not worry about your back."
Aside from the calm Jeong Yeon-shin, the only ones who looked relaxed in this moment were the Hegemon Sword Sect leader and Heonwon Chang. Heonwon Chang, in particular, had a smile playing on his lips, looking strangely amused.
"Then..."
Jeong Yeon-shin did not even deign to reply to the enemy. The moment the Hegemon Sword Sect martial artist let out a scoffing laugh in disbelief—
The Jeong Family Dynamic Art True Qi surged through his entire body. A heavy energy rose from his legs, kicking up a storm of dust.
In the next instant, his foot stomped the earth with a monstrous force that surpassed anyone present.
A violent cloud of debris erupted, scattering in all directions.
Boom!
The face of the Hegemon Sword Sect martial artist, now painted with shock, was instantly obscured by the pure white blade of the Desolate Fortress Sword.
The shockwave of Advancing Thunder from the Infinite Flower of Time Fist surged from his fist, warping the very air as it pushed forward.
Crash! Roar!
Upon collision, a wild gale swept outward. It was powerful enough to momentarily halt all the other fights.
As the Hegemon Sword Sect leader—who had barely managed to block Jeong Yeon-shin's strike—stumbled backward, two of the men who had been clashing with the Zhongnan disciples leaped toward them to assist.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not stop. He unleashed another sword strike, sensing Heonwon Chang's momentum charging in from the side.
Clang!
An incredible shockwave erupted.
Amidst the scattering blades of grass, the sword Heonwon Chang held in a reverse grip flashed with brilliant light. Having entered a life-and-death duel, he was entirely different from his usual, laid-back self.
Clang! Crunch!
The formless style unique to the Demonlight Formula deflected the enemy's sword and pierced their chest just below the collarbone.
Jeong Yeon-shin had no idea when Heonwon Chang had mastered the art to such a degree. The sheer momentum with which he cut down his enemies, all while maintaining an indifferent expression, was overwhelming. The aura of his killing intent was so thick it felt as if it were slicing against the skin.
Jeong Yeon-shin realized once again that Heonwon Chang's life was also far from ordinary.
Clang! Boom!
These thoughts flashed through his subconscious. Thanks to Heonwon Chang, Jeong Yeon-shin was able to stably maintain a one-on-one duel with the leader.
He pushed forward relentlessly, pouring out all kinds of sect-exclusive martial arts. The fast sword forms of the Demonlight Formula did not give the enemy even a moment to breathe. Whenever a potentially fatal blow came his way, he evaded it with a single step of the Radiant Wing Step while simultaneously launching a vicious counterattack.
Squelch!
Until, finally, he drove the Desolate Fortress Sword straight into the enemy's heart.
To lose the initiative to Jeong Yeon-shin—whose upper dantian was fully opened—was akin to starting a game of baduk several moves behind. The enemy had not known this.
The Hegemon Sword Sect leader's trembling lips parted.
"To think... defeated by such a shallow sword..."
Spurt!
Time seemed to freeze the moment the blade was ripped out in a single, fluid motion.
All fighting ceased. The surrounding gazes held a mixture of shock and awe.
Amidst the loud howling of the wind brushing past the peak, Jeong Yeon-shin flicked the blood off his sword and spoke.
"It is shallow. I know."
After all, it was a fast sword formula he had created precisely because he had never learned a proper sword art.
Looking around, he saw that Heonwon Chang had already finished off the remaining Hegemon Sword Sect members. In military terms, they had just wiped out an entire elite detachment.
"...We overreacted earlier. We apologize for our rudeness."
"May I ask under whom you studied?"
"Jeong Yeon-shin of the Demonlight Wing. I will not forget this name. It will soon resound throughout the Jianghu, regardless."
The martial artists of the Zhongnan Sect, who trained deep in the mountains, possessed a certain purity. As if their brief display of pride and jealousy had never happened, they freely showed their admiration after witnessing his martial prowess and receiving the grace of having their lives saved.
They even went out of their way to strike up a conversation.
This continued until the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan and Wiji Myo-hwa returned after wrapping up the battle at the front.
"Zhongnan has incurred a debt," the Sword Immortal said.
"I merely protected my own flesh and blood."
Jeong Yeon-shin gently held Hye-ah as he spoke, but the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan shook his head.
"Hye-ah is the child who will follow in Myo-hwa's footsteps to become a pillar of our sect. Even if you only did what was natural as her uncle, to our sect, it is indeed a great favor."
"I would be grateful if you look at it that way. In that case, though it may be presumptuous, may I train here for a moment? You do not need to leave. An inspiration has taken hold of my mind and refuses to let go."
Inspiration was vibrating and echoing within his mind. He had been inwardly regretful that the timing and location were unsuitable, but the moment the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan mentioned a favor, he quickly seized the opportunity.
"You have gained enlightenment...!"
It seemed to have been the right move. The Sword Immortal of Zhongnan quickly gestured for the others to step back. At the same time, Jeong Yeon-shin glanced at the Cliff of the Sword Sect and drew his Desolate Fortress Sword.
Every time I experience real combat, it feels entirely new.
Thanks to the Hegemon Sword Sect, he was able to refine his realization. Streams of sunlight dappled across the pure white blade extending from the hilt he held low.
Soon, following the swing of Jeong Yeon-shin's arm, the sword began to trace a strange line.
It was a smooth trajectory, devoid of any aggressive momentum. It merely felt as though the sun was reflecting a bit more intensely on the flat of the blade.
"......!"
That alone caused the eyes of the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan to widen to their absolute limits.
However, Jeong Yeon-shin's Desolate Fortress Sword could not proceed any further and slowly lowered.
A rough breath escaped him. Moving his sword along with the flashing mental image was not enough. His true qi did not rise as his mind willed it.
Just as he had always created his own martial arts, the sword marks on the cliff seemed to be telling Jeong Yeon-shin to find his own sword path.
"I will not be taking the legacy of the one called the Sword Sect," Jeong Yeon-shin said, circulating the Jeong Family Dynamic Art to steady his breathing. "It was as if... those marks were saying, 'Since such a sword path exists, broaden your mind a little more.' At least, that is what I felt."
Even as he spoke, he wasn't entirely sure what he meant.
Young Hye-ah, as well as Heonwon Chang and Jeong Jung-san, seemed equally confused.
Only the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan nodded as if he understood the true meaning. He stood beside Wiji Myo-hwa, whose expression was difficult to read.
"They say that the traces left by a grandmaster who has founded their own style contain a spiritual energy. It means they transcend the boundary between martial arts and the mystic arts. The same must be true for the Elder of the Sword Sect, and you have communed with it. Heavenly luck and talent have aligned."
"Ah."
Letting out a short exclamation, Jeong Yeon-shin closed his eyes slightly.
"You said he spent his final years in Zhongnan. If so, he must have associated heavily with the masters of the Zhongnan Sect. Because the color of the Zhongnan sword art is so thick within those marks, it does not suit my body, and learning it would not be an efficient path for my progress."
In the first place, he could directly create martial arts that perfectly suited his own body. The speed of his martial progress was on an entirely different level because of this. That was why he did not simply copy and use the martial arts of others.
"Young Hero Jeong. Could you explain what you mean in detail?"
Wiji Myo-hwa's pale face calmly gazed at Jeong Yeon-shin. Her eyes did not waver. The Sword Dragon, said to soar beautifully through the heavens, looked only at him.
"The restoration of the sword form known as the Nine Yang First Form is entirely up to the Sword Dragon. I might be able to assist you a little, though."
"You...?"
"One moment. My training is not yet finished."
Wiji Myo-hwa closed her mouth.
Jeong Jung-san parted his lips, looking shocked that anyone would treat his eldest senior sister this way, but Jeong Yeon-shin's consciousness had already submerged entirely into his Desolate Fortress Sword.
He had experienced a bizarre sensation when he looked at the sword marks on the cliff. He had experienced an illusion where heaven and earth flipped, blurring together into a single line. All of it was pure inspiration.
Though he had always believed it was enough to simply thrust his blade faster than his opponent, he now clearly understood why sword arts like the Taiji Wisdom Sword or the Plum Blossom Sword were counted among the finest in the martial world.
A profound sword art was different from mere swordsmanship that only focused on handling a blade. The intent contained within a mnemonic melted into the true qi and swordsmanship, creating a harmony never before seen in the world. Such was the case with the Mount Hua Sect's Plum Blossom Sword, which was said to make fragrant flowers bloom directly from the blade.
A true martial artist's sword art was a system that perfectly synthesized these elements.
Until now, he had not truly known the sword.
Because I had nothing, I had no choice but to stick to my fast sword formula.
It was because he lacked depth. But now, he understood.
Hummm.
The sword ring vibrated in his palm.
The Desolate Fortress Sword soared into the sky, its long body draped in cascading, shattered sunlight.
The blade, tracing a graceful line, fell along the light. In the pure white trajectory of the Desolate Fortress Sword—which had transformed into a single beam of light—heaven and earth were clearly demarcated.
It was a sword dance.
At this moment, the legacy left by the grandmaster of the Sword Sect was blossoming into light in the hands of a young grandmaster.
A sword that did not stop at mere succession, but soared into an entirely new sky.
Tears flowed down the wrinkled face of the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan, a face upon which the heavy weight of vast years had settled.
"O, Sword Sect..."