Chapter 298: Lotus (17)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 298: Lotus (17)
No answer came.
"..."
Jeong Yeon-shin looked down at the wild boar for a moment before scanning his surroundings, his gaze sharp.
It was incredibly quiet.
The ground, blanketed in dry pine needles and pure white snow, perfectly concealed the intruder's presence. Amidst this vast silence, it was impossible to discern where the hidden figure lurked.
Not even a breath of wind stirred. It was as if they had completely retracted their energy, entering the realm of Return to Simplicity and seamlessly assimilating into the surroundings.
What is the range of her Sword Control? he calculated inwardly. This was the natural posture any seasoned warrior traversing the wilderness would adopt when encountering another powerhouse.
This was especially true when dealing with Sword Control, a technique that far outstripped the speed of any Fast Sword.
Crunch.
The snowy ground compressed as he subtly shifted his footing, aligning his stance with the mnemonic of the Radiant Wing Step.
The Commander of the Demonlight Wing rested his hand lightly on the hilt of his sword, remaining on high alert.
What is her intention?
Sword Control was an ultra-transcendent technique. Even after activating the Sight of the Lowly, he could not reverse-engineer the principles of Sword Flight demonstrated by the Ghost Soul Divine Sword.
It wasn't surprising. It was said that Sword Kinesis was a realm where one infused their very mental image into the blade. It was a technique that surpassed the boundaries of standard internal energy arts; anyone who mastered Sword Control truly deserved to be called an immortal.
It feels strangely familiar.
Even if Sword Control was a miraculous feat that barely emitted any energy, it still left behind a faint residue of internal power waves.
Jeong Yeon-shin's senses, honed to perceive energy as sharply as a sword's edge, recognized those waves clearly. This immediately brought to mind the Yeongcheon Sword Ghost of the Deep Martial Alliance. The principles of Sword Control were by no means a common martial art.
"Sword Ghost, come out," he commanded.
He had already witnessed the death of Seon-ryong and seen two of his Black Rank seniors wounded. With the shocking, penetrating wound of the Divine Blood Ultimate Demon, Jin Myeong-jo, still fresh in his mind, his voice came out somewhat dry.
"I have no intention of leaving you behind and turning my back. Come out and talk."
As a Unit Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, Jeong Yeon-shin had to maintain impeccable conduct. He could not expose his back when targeted by an extremely powerful master. That was the true meaning behind his words.
"..."
A brief silence followed.
Soon, irritation began to creep up toward Jeong Yeon-shin's Baihui Point. What is this?
Then, a woman's somewhat husky voice echoed.
"You are a very gentle child."
Vwoom.
High in the air to his right, a heavy sword ring vibrated. Jeong Yeon-shin immediately raised his head.
A lofty swordsman was descending, riding upon her blade.
"You cannot leave me behind and turn your back... Did you take that to heart?"
It was a mystical sight. Sword Flight made even a Sword Venerable of the Heterodox Sects look like a descending immortal.
The wind, splitting transparently with a soft hiss against the blade, draped around her like the hem of a splendid ceremonial robe—a sight that suited Baek Seo-gun's fierce aura perfectly.
She parted her lips again, still refusing to meet Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes.
"If this is about the Ghost Soul Divine Sword, there is no need to repay any favor," she murmured in a low, quiet voice.
What is she talking about?
Jeong Yeon-shin listened half-heartedly as he stared upward at the Yeongcheon Sword Ghost, Baek Seo-gun.
Her hair, dyed half-white from the effects of her heart cultivation art, was still short. Though enough time had passed for Jeong Yeon-shin's black hair to grow down to his shoulder blades, the tips of her gray hair still swayed just below her neck.
It was as if time had stopped for her since the day they first met.
It was a look that would be hard to maintain without regular trims. Rumor had it that the second-in-command of the Deep Martial Alliance originally wore her hair wild and disheveled, like a lion's mane.
Did I give her a needless advantage back then?
The insight of the current Commander of the Demonlight Wing, honed by bloody experience, shone through. There was nothing else to consider. Feeling the cool hilt of the Northern Light Sword at his fingertips, Jeong Yeon-shin inwardly knitted his brows.
She is wary of close-quarters combat.
An ultra-high-level expert who remained thorough in all aspects was incredibly difficult to defeat. One had to put immense effort into dismantling their martial arts and analyzing the structure of their Body Protection Qi. This was especially true when the opponent was the second-greatest swordsman of the Deep Martial Alliance's Thirteen Heavens.
"I heard about you from the Mount Hua Sect Leader. Tell me why you are following me. Do you want to fight to the death?" he asked.
He still hadn't relaxed his posture; he remained just a hair's breadth away from drawing his blade.
Slide.
Baek Seo-gun's leather boots touched the ground.
It was an impressive sight—the snow didn't sink in the slightest beneath her weight. It was the realm of Snow-Treading Without a Trace.
From Sword Flight to her Body Protection Scripture, she seemed more like a Brightfolk than any actual Brightfolk expert. It was entirely possible that her martial arts belonged to that lineage.
"I have no reason to fight to the death with you. At least, not right now."
"Give me a reason." Standing perfectly still, Jeong Yeon-shin demanded an answer.
The Sword Venerable's demeanor was entirely different from before. She was no longer the boisterous figure who had jovially ordered him to pour her a drink. With her head tilted slightly downward, it was hard to find the feared Sword Ghost of the Deep Martial Alliance in her expression.
"..."
Her hesitant breath drew out long. White steam repeatedly bloomed and faded from Baek Seo-gun's lips in the freezing air.
If Jeong Yeon-shin had activated his Ultimate Lightning, this lotus would have already vanished by now. He would currently be massaging his muscles from the aftereffects.
What is it?
Her refusal to even meet his eyes made him wary. Had the Yeongcheon Sword Ghost integrated the laws of time into her sword's domain?
It was said that the Leader of the Deep Martial Alliance, the Monarch Martial Emperor, dominated time and space with the subtle principles of his Blunt Sword, a technique that brooked no evasion.
If she doesn't answer this time, I'll have to strike first. She is an opponent against whom using Ultimate Lightning is unavoidable.
Just as Jeong Yeon-shin was about to speak again—
"I..." The Sword Venerable of Henan Province parted her lips first. "I... was a handmaiden to your father, Jeong Pan-ak."
The reason for her hesitation finally became clear. A person who had achieved supreme dignity through a single sword had just revealed her lowly origins.
She was a renowned sword ghost of the Heterodox Sects. How painful must it be to confess her former status as a servant to the descendant of her master?
It didn't feel like a lie.
Unlike when he faced those harboring malicious intent, the Upper Dantian in Jeong Yeon-shin's mind remained perfectly calm. Unlike during his White and Blue Rank days, he was finding it easier to control his abilities as he aged. At this moment, there was no reaction whatsoever.
Which meant she was telling the truth.
However, to the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, the personal feelings of the Deep Martial Alliance's Sword Venerable were irrelevant. It didn't take him long to process her words, perhaps because another immediate question came to mind.
He spoke right away.
"I already knew you had a connection to the Jeong Family Manor. You mentioned it before." His tone was flat, speaking as if it were no big deal.
Baek Seo-gun's lips twitched slightly. She had accompanied the second son of the Jeong family in Xi'an, Shaanxi, for a long time. She knew exactly what kind of environment the youngest, Jeong Yeon-shin, had grown up in. His current demeanor felt to her like a deeply ingrained, timid consideration born of long-term neglect and discouragement.
Ah.
The face staring blankly at her overlapped with the image of him unfolding his sword stance of Sacrificing a Stone for Initiative.
The boy who had plunged both the swordsman Baek Seo-gun and the handmaiden Baek Seo-gun into a long, agonizing dilemma had, at the very moment of their reunion, washed away her shame with his immense magnanimity.
Baek Seo-gun's lips parted slightly without her realizing.
"...You are different from Pan-ak. Your caliber is far greater than his. Your appearance will likely surpass his in the future as well."
"That is nonsense. Have you ever seen my mother?"
"No. I left before Jeong Pan-ak married. After obtaining the heart cultivation art that would become my primary martial art, I abandoned the family that raised this body."
"Then that is enough. Live well. I won't execute you today."
Because the timing is bad. Jeong Yeon-shin cut his words short and quickly withdrew his interest.
Along with Ak Su-rim, Senior Jin of the Bloodkeeper Unit was waiting for him. If he entered a prolonged battle with the Sword Venerable right now, the outcome would be uncertain.
"Thanks for the wild boar."
The Commander of the Demonlight Wing's gaze swept indifferently past the Yeongcheon Sword Ghost and landed on the dead beast. Baek Seo-gun felt his dismissal clearly.
At the same time, the tip of the divine sword floating beside her shook slightly. Sword Control was a supreme technique heavily influenced by the user's mental state.
He intends to repay the favor to the very end. With such advanced martial prowess, as a Black Rank of the Desolate Fortress, he should be aiming for my neck.
At this moment, the Flash Art of the Jeong family appeared to her as an impregnable fortress, harder to breach than any castle wall. If she wanted to satisfy her pride as a Sword Venerable, she had to win the favor of the current Commander of the Demonlight Wing, but he presented absolutely no opening to exploit. She had to say something.
"I am sorry. I judged you recklessly and spoke out of turn. I shouldn't have mentioned Pan-ak to you. You are someone who grew up on your own..."
"I grew up with my mother. It is none of your business. In the first place, if you were my father's handmaiden, you would have been a wet nurse to my older brothers, not me. Our paths wouldn't have crossed anyway."
Thud.
Jeong Yeon-shin grabbed the wild boar's front leg and effortlessly slung the massive beast over his shoulder.
"None of the servants assigned to me were talented in martial arts. Most of them were just exceptional in heart. Either completely indifferent, or genuinely warm."
"..."
"Do not move until I have taken a hundred steps. The moment I feel any change in your presence, I will consider it an attack."
Crunch.
Just as he took his first step—
"Sword Control."
"What?"
"I will teach you Sword Control."
*
The venue of the Shanxi Martial Arts Tournament.
"Will the Dragon Summoning Sword of the Azure Sky Gang please step up to the duel stage!" a man dressed like a scholar shouted from atop the heavily shattered arena.
The venue was filled with more murmuring than cheering.
Even after the major disturbance that had just occurred, a massive crowd remained in the arena. Most of them were local aristocrats seated comfortably under the awnings, merchants desperate to establish connections with martial sects, or wandering dilettantes in search of high-level techniques to cure their boredom.
In a year of famine, such an influential and wealthy crowd would not disperse easily.
Rumble, rumble—
However, a significant number of men and horses were already descending the hill, kicking up thick clouds of dust in their wake.
Occasionally, messenger pigeons—creatures so well-bred they were practically spirit beasts—soared into the sky with rolled-up documents tied to their legs. People writing letters in rapid shorthand were a common sight. Their loud murmuring as their brushes flew across the paper suggested they prioritized the speed and accuracy of information delivery over any need for secrecy.
"A Black Rank of the Desolate Fortress has appeared... The current Commander of the Demonlight Wing... He killed the Duke of Eminent Fists, the Eon Family's Number One Fist... Since one of the top forces of the Desolate Fortress's Divine Sword Corps has headed north, he may clash with the Jegal Clan Leader in the future..."
"Be sure to ask the Elder how we should handle the aftermath if a Unit Commander of the Divine Sword Corps is killed."
"Write to them! Tell them to closely monitor the movements of the Desolate Fortress's main base in Huguang. Thoroughly investigate any changes in the number of carriages entering and leaving. Even if the horses and riders have to spit blood riding day and night, we must receive a reply within forty days!"
"Don't worry needlessly. They are being overly cautious. Right now, the Desolate Fortress cannot easily spare more than three Unit Commander-level figures. Rather than that, send a letter to the Jegal Clan Leader's Moon Nature Gate to excuse ourselves from the death of the Eon Family's Number One Fist. Write that we did our absolute best to stop the Commander of the Demonlight Wing. Quickly!"
These frantic whispers could be heard even over the hill beyond the duel stage. At least, they were perfectly audible to the Lazy Flame Dragon, who possessed extremely powerful internal energy.
Standing with his weight shifted onto one leg at a vantage point overlooking the gathering of Shanxi aristocrats, he stroked his chin before tilting his head toward his companion.
"Why are you so dispirited? You said he was like a brother to you. Is that Slaying Hero guy from the direct line and you're just a collateral descendant?"
"It's actually the opposite, but..." Heonwon Chang shook his head with a sigh. "It's hard to talk about right now. My thoughts are a mess."
"Suit yourself. Just keep a close eye on your purse."
With a smirk, the Lazy Flame Dragon turned his head away. As if he had been expecting it, Heonwon Chang reached behind his waist and snatched a hidden letter.
The moment he unfolded it with both hands, soaring, powerful handwriting was revealed.
[You've grown well. Let's meet at the safehouse where we used to practice the Turtle Breathing Technique together. You may bring your companions. I know the location of the headquarters of the Moon Nature Gate, which Jegal Pae-ryun founded.]
It was a letter from the Slaying Hero.
*
Night fell.
The snow-covered ground glowed faintly, reflecting the pale moonlight.
Crackle, pop.
The campfire crackled as it burned. Although the sound of the roaring flames was loud, there was no smoke or burning smell. This was because the Samadhi True Fire, originating from the Law-Transcending Halo Qi, had miraculously dried all the moisture from the firewood. In the irregular silence, the warm light washing over the group only grew deeper.
"I've completely lost face," a man leaning against a tree suddenly spoke.
Because he had pulled his pitch-black collar all the way up to his neck, his pale complexion stood out even more starkly in the firelight. He wrapped the one-sleeved black robe around himself like a thick blanket. It was the signature attire of the current Commander of the Demonlight Wing.
"You said it was a garment woven with Heavenly Silkworm thread. I'm glad it could be of help in this way. Also, we've managed to escape the Jegal Clan Leader's territory for now." Sitting opposite him alongside Ak Su-rim, Jeong Yeon-shin spoke calmly.
Despite possessing profound internal energy, his senior's body temperature had been dropping. Jin Myeong-jo, born with the bloodline of a noble clan, was gradually recovering from his wounds—even though the strike left by the Jegal Clan Leader had been dangerously close to a fatal injury.
I probably won't be able to learn that regeneration ability. It must have been honed through intense training as well... It was truly magnificent.
"You do not absorb human essence?"
"Animal blood is enough."
"I understand that most in your condition cannot resist the violent urges."
"A ridiculous notion. Do not compare your senior's discipline to that of a mere Blood Ghost. The dignity of the Wish-for-Peace One Sword Hall is supreme," Jin Myeong-jo spoke coldly.
Tightly wrapped in pitch-black fabric, he looked somewhat like a large bat, but the aura radiating from his entire body made him appear more noble than even the most prestigious local aristocrats. It was a dignified demeanor that naturally won the admiration of his juniors.
Jeong Yeon-shin, his eyes shining in the firelight, suddenly spoke up.
"Seniors, there is something I must tell you."
"Huh?" Ak Su-rim, who had been dozing off against a tree trunk, reacted.
She chattered in her usual slurred voice, "Are you, by any chance, talking about that swordsman I was trying to skewer to death just now?"