Chapter 283: Lotus (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 283: Lotus (2)
Only then, with a series of dull thuds, did the dust rise.
In an instant, four headless corpses collapsed, scattered across the ground.
A dry, intermittent breeze mingled with the yellow gale howling over their bodies. The swirling currents of air seemed to flash with faint, hazy teeth.
Silence fell over the wilderness. It remained so until the Commander of the Demonlight Wing lowered his hand.
Clatter.
Four swords tumbled onto the dirt. They were instantly covered in dust, looking utterly powerless, as if they had never been instruments of divine skill.
Only the scholar, who remained standing, snatched up his sword and stared at the Commander of the Demonlight Wing with a look of utter disbelief.
“…”
The people of the Ultimate Spear Trading Company were frozen in place, completely paralyzed.
The escort warriors only whispered among themselves, as if raising their voices would bring ruin upon them.
Their voices trembled faintly. What was that? Sword Control? No, wasn’t there a more important name mentioned? The Divine Sword Corps… that Commander of the Demonlight Wing…? Crazy, this is insane…!
Even the wealthy merchant, who had been humming a tune moments earlier, fell silent. His shrewd, glittering eyes darted around rapidly. His gaze swept over the intruders, filled with shock. Soon, his face began to drain of color, replaced by a mask of despair.
“What are you?”
Suddenly, a girl in black robes stepped out from the dust.
She stood right next to the Commander of the Demonlight Wing and stared blankly at him. Her short, pitch-black hair swayed slightly with her exaggerated breathing.
She looked highly amused, the playfulness on her face plain to see.
“Sensing the kid from the Netherflow Unit is one thing, but how did you suddenly get so fast? That’s no ordinary lightness skill. I practically broke a sweat trying to keep up.”
“Your breathing is perfectly steady, though.”
“I was too mesmerized watching you from behind. The shockwave from your footwork was just so beautiful, you know?”
Her eyes curved into pleased crescents as her tone rose and fell with exaggerated inflections.
The Commander of the Demonlight Wing, Jeong Yeon-shin, deliberately avoided looking at her. He felt as if he had just performed a party trick for a grandmother he had never met. Despite her youthful face, this senior of his made a habit of acting ridiculously. And to think she had talked about them being competitors.
Thank goodness Senior Jin is here.
Three Black Ranks of the Desolate Fortress were present. It was a terrifying force, powerful enough to claim invincibility under almost any circumstances, but since he had never traveled with them as a group, it didn't feel real yet.
Especially since one of them was the Divine Spear of the Desolate Fortress, notorious for her bizarre behavior.
They needed someone to anchor them.
Fortunately, the Divine Blood Ultimate Demon was here. Senior Jin, the Commander of the Bloodkeeper Unit, was the most reliable of all the Black Ranks Yeon-shin had met.
A warrior of absolute perfection, like a seamless heavenly robe. Every aspect of him was flawless, like a garment without a single visible stitch. The scene unfolding before his eyes was proof of that.
“Mo Jun-pyeong of the Ultimate Spear Trading Company pays his respects to the esteemed masters of the Desolate Fortress.”
The wealthy merchant raised his hands in a dignified bow.
Rustle.
His smooth yellow sleeves slid down his arms in a gesture steeped in refinement. His voice was perfectly composed, as if he had never taken pleasure in insulting the dignity of the Desolate Fortress just moments ago. He thoroughly concealed his intent to hand over the White-Ranked Warrior from the Netherflow Unit to the Jegal Clan Leader.
“I admit there is no excuse for this situation. Therefore, I would like to propose a deal.”
It was said that merchants in times of chaos were masters of survival. To accumulate wealth during a famine while gathering martial artists, one had to possess a fierce and daring temperament.
The wealthy merchant Mo Jun-pyeong was a man chosen by the Jegal Clan Leader in Shanxi. He had no intention of giving up his life so easily.
Mo Jun-pyeong spoke again, his gaze pleading as it fixed on Jeong Yeon-shin’s youthful face.
“It seems you have caught wind of what is happening in Shanxi. You can use me to lure out the Jegal Clan Leader. The government offices here are gradually losing their power. This is no longer the government-friendly land you once knew.”
His voice rang out, clear and pleasant to the ear.
Yet, as Jeong Yeon-shin and Ak Su-rim stared at him in silence, the cold sweat on his brow grew thicker. From the corners of his smiling mouth, a dread of these irresistible beings seeped out—more intense than anything he had ever felt.
“However, if I support you, before the Jegal Clan Leader can show himself…”
The man, who had felt as if he ruled the world after making contact with the Jegal Clan Leader, continued to speak, seeming to realize he already had one foot in the Sanzu River. His voice, trailing off at the end of each syllable like a song, sounded as if it were running for its life.
It happened in an instant.
He never saw the dark shadow that swept past him. Neither did the servants and escort warriors standing under the canopy.
Grip.
Five pale fingers clamped down on the wealthy merchant’s head. It was an exceptionally pale hand, with blue veins standing out against the skin. The air around it was eerily still, and no one could react before the cold grip tightened.
Just as Mo Jun-pyeong strained his neck, his eyes stretching wide to the point of tearing—
His head was ripped clean off his shoulders.
Squelch—Splurt!
Flesh tore violently as a fountain of crimson blood erupted in a fierce torrent. The merchant’s words dissolved into the sudden, wet patter. The blood scattered in all directions, and for a moment, the wilderness was filled with a gruesome silence. Then, the severed head was tossed aside like worthless trash.
Swish.
The figure shook his arm and slipped his hand back into his robes. It was a display of incredibly profound Body Protection Scripture and Grappling Technique. He was a tall, slender man wrapped in black robes, his appearance and temperament reminiscent of a bat elegantly folding its wings.
“The Desolate Fortress does not negotiate with enemies.”
The voice of the Divine Blood Ultimate Demon, Jin Myeong-jo, was smooth and chillingly cold.
* * *
Even the escort warriors of the Ultimate Spear Trading Company were annihilated.
There was no mercy in the hands of the Commander of the Bloodkeeper Unit. He slaughtered them all, leaving only the merchant's closest confidant alive. His character was evident even in the casual way he struck the fatal acupoints on the necks of those who had thrown down their swords to kneel.
He was like a sword forged from frost.
The spirit of a great general who draws a clear line between ally and foe. That was how Jeong Yeon-shin perceived him.
“It seems you dirtied your hands alone, Senior Jin. I should have lent a hand,” he said.
The Commander of the Bloodkeeper Unit shook his head slightly. He wiped his hand—which didn't have a single speck of blood on it—with a cloth, as if erasing something unclean.
“Pointless talk. No Black Rank would make the youngest of the Wish-for-Peace One Sword Hall do such a thing.”
His voice was flat, devoid of any inflection.
Jeong Yeon-shin was impressed. “I learn the duty of a senior from you, Commander. I will show the same conduct to any juniors who join us in the future.”
“…Very well.”
Even his taciturn nature felt stylish. The way he kept his internal power completely suppressed was the same. The Divine Blood Ultimate Demon constantly maintained the state of Return to Simplicity, a state where his highly refined martial arts were utterly concealed. Not a single thread of his energy clashed with Jeong Yeon-shin’s, making it impossible to fathom his limits.
The scholar-like White-Ranked Warrior standing nearby looked at Jeong Yeon-shin with a strange expression. It was a look the current Commander of the Demonlight Wing often received back at the main fortress, whenever he displayed his martial prowess during promotion tests.
The warrior dressed as a scholar spoke. “I am Han Jin. In the Gongya Clan, I go by the name Go Jin. I owe my life to the esteemed Unit Commanders.”
He clasped his hands in a polite bow once more. Even the rustle of his sleeves sounded neat and orderly. His disguise as a scholar suited him incredibly well; it was easy to see how he could serve as a tutor to the Grand Lady of a prestigious clan.
Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head. “It’s because you sent the messenger pigeons on time. You saved your own life.”
“I will convey the message to the county magistrate who will vouch for our identities. What should I tell him?”
“The Chief Steward's Office has already taken care of that.” Ak Su-rim, who had been chuckling as she watched Jeong Yeon-shin, put her hands behind her back. Her casual shrug amidst the thick stench of blood felt perfectly natural.
“We have to hide our connection to the Fortress until we take the Jegal Clan Leader's head. Three Black Ranks is an unprecedented force. We also have to keep an eye on the Eon Family's Number One Fist, who will be with him, and the Thirteen Heavens, who might be connected to them.”
The plan had already been discussed. She continued, “From now on, Flash Art is the young sect leader of the Hanging Jade Sect, a lineage passed down to a single disciple. His name is Geom Un-bi. A genius who defeated Green Forest bandits with a single strike when Teacher Go encountered them on his way to take the civil service exam. The two of you struck up a friendship and have been in touch ever since.”
“Understood. My respects to Sect Leader Geom.”
Han Jin of the Netherflow Unit—now Go Jin of the Gongya Clan—clasped his hands in a bow once more. Thanks to his clean-cut aura, even his sly behavior came across as proper. He was an unusual character.
While Jeong Yeon-shin nodded somewhat blankly, Ak Su-rim spoke.
“Flash Art, you will stay secluded in the Gongya Clan. Avoid showing yourself as much as possible and focus solely on helping the Grand Lady win. Bloodkeeper and I will roam the area to scout. When on a joint mission, it's only right that the youngest gets the comfortable bed.”
“The problem is whether the Gongya Clan will accept an outsider like Geom Un-bi…”
As Jeong Yeon-shin’s voice trailed off, Ak Su-rim gently reached out and toyed with the tips of his hair. The sound of her fingers rubbing the black strands was playful. When the Commander of the Demonlight Wing grimaced and stepped away, a smirk formed on her lips.
“You are a Black Rank worthy of anyone’s recognition. You can act as you please within the mission.”
“As I please?”
“Yep! Our Flash Art can do whatever he wants. Some of the other Black Ranks even turn escort missions into annihilation missions, figuring there’s no need to protect anyone if the threat is gone. Of course, they get disciplined for it… but it doesn’t really stick. Everyone just shrugs it off. That's what being a Black Rank is like.”
“I have decided to follow the example of Senior Jin, the Commander of the Bloodkeeper Unit. Such a thing will not happen.”
The mature Jeong Yeon-shin’s words were serious. The corner of Ak Su-rim’s mouth twitched faintly.
“Right, right. Anyway, the Jegal Clan Leader won't show himself in public. There's no benefit in drawing attention with his sect's secret techniques, especially now that the Alliance has begun to reorganize.”
“The Martial World Alliance?”
“Yes. They’re not fools who would refuse to cooperate just because a Desolate Fortress Unit Commander dragged the dirty laundry of the Eight Clan Leaders into the light. They say the ‘Anti-Desolate Fortress’ banner has faded under the new alliance between the Sword Saint and the Jegal Clan. Besides, those who would have interfered with us striking down the Jegal Clan Leader left a long time ago…”
“Then he will have to keep a low profile as well.”
“He’ll probably send a quiet word to the winner of the martial arts tournament, inviting them to a meeting once their talent has been proven. After all, founding a new great sect is no easy task.”
“Is there a reason the Chief Steward's Office specifically chose the Grand Lady of the Gongya Clan?”
“First, they are the only martial family in Shanxi where a White Rank from our fortress has infiltrated. Second, she is a strong candidate to win the tournament.”
“Her talent must be guaranteed, then.”
Jeong Yeon-shin recalled the monkey sitting on the grandmaster's chair.
“Yeah, probably? There is one strong competitor, but I heard it’s hard to track him down.”
“Who is it?”
“The Young Lord of the Midday Moon Great Slaughter Gate. They say he’s quite the romantic, but like all members of the Killing Gate, his whereabouts are a mystery. His alias is the Slaying Hero. He only kills martial artists who torment the common folk.”
“So for the sake of the mission, we have to eliminate him from the competition.” The Commander of the Demonlight Wing took the success of the mission for granted. Anyone who had witnessed the charge of Demonlight Wing experts utilizing the Vast Art Formula would think the same. It was a natural confidence.
“Then… I will head in alone. I’ll signal by shattering the Spirit Treasure Jade with a heavy dose of internal power.”
“Okay! Do your best, our Un-bi!”
“I wish you victory.”
He parted ways with his seniors, who were taking charge of scouting. They would rejoin him for the decisive battle. It was necessary to avoid the notice of other peerless experts. Ak Su-rim and Jin Myeong-jo encouraged their junior in their own distinct ways before moving away. The speed of the Divine Blood Ultimate Demon, the Commander of the Bloodkeeper Unit, was exceptional. Even to the eyes of Jeong Yeon-shin, creator of the Ten-Mile Light Grace, it appeared profoundly advanced. True to his reputation, his Body Protection Scripture was reminiscent of the Seventh Apostle’s.
“Let's go.”
“Yes, Sect Leader Geom.”
Jeong Yeon-shin set off toward Pingyang Prefecture in Shanxi Province, accompanied by his subordinate, who was disguised as the tutor to the Gongya Clan's Grand Lady. For a while, he would have to play the role of Geom Un-bi, Sect Leader of the Hanging Jade Sect. At least until they lured out the Jegal Clan Leader.
Crunch.
Behind them, the blood-stained earth remained. The corpses steamed under the wilderness sun, a bleak and desolate sight. The blood, once red, had turned dark the moment it seeped into the dirt—just like the ambitions born of their hot blood in this world ruled by the law of the jungle.
* * *
Half a day later, Jeong Yeon-shin arrived at the Gongya Clan of Shanxi.
Elegant pavilions stood under the clear sunlight. Even at a glance, a refreshing air hovered over the grand manor. Perhaps it was the excellent location, or perhaps it was the outstanding energy of the clan members.
“Who goes there!”
A man and a woman guarded the main gate, both wearing red martial uniforms that stood out vividly in the sun. The man on the left held an exceptionally thick silver spear, while the woman on the right leaned on an enormous greatsword resting on the ground. The lines of their shoulders and arms were elegant, highlighting well-toned muscles. A grim aura emanated from their bodies, and their black hair, which flowed down their backs, seemed to sway on its own.
The family discipline seemed strict. They had neglected neither their internal nor external cultivation. To think mere gatekeepers were of this caliber.
It was an astonishing sight that spoke volumes of the Gongya Clan's prestige.
I took Hye-ah's words too lightly. Indeed, one must remain humble.
Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyebrows arched as he walked toward the main gate. He had lowered his expectations for the world outside the Desolate Fortress, but it seemed he had been completely mistaken. If these were just the gatekeepers, the Grand Lady must be an expert several levels above them.
That was good. It was highly encouraging.
“Oh!”
Go Jin, walking beside him, waved his hand warmly. Since he seemed to know the guards, they wouldn't have to engage in useless bickering. In a time when the vigilance of local martial families was growing tighter with each passing famine, this was a good start.
“Grand Lady! Second Young Master! Why are you two out here like this?”
He shouted toward the gatekeepers.