Chapter 310: Heonwon (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 310: Heonwon (5)
Mount Mang, near Taiyuan.
A small disturbance rippled through the lonely valley.
Rustle—
The tall camellia trees, shrouded in a hazy mist, greeted the uninvited guests with low groans. An intruder, whose feet blazed with heat, had scorched their leaves as he dashed past.
"The Midday Moon Great Slaughter Gate… that was a sect that suffered during the rebellion of the old Tomb of the Heavenly Demon?"
"That is correct."
Their presence unraveled the silence of the dark forest. The sound of voices and the rapid rustle of footsteps through the undergrowth trailed behind them like a comet's tail, accompanied by the sharp whoosh of tearing air.
Lazy Flame Dragon's movement technique was loud. The same went for Shin So-bin, who followed closely behind, practically flying with each massive stride.
They were nothing like the Slaying Hero, who glided silently over the grass at the head of the group.
Heonwon Chang was also extremely stealthy, but as he was conversing with Lazy Flame Dragon, he couldn't fully conceal his presence.
"...However, the branch sect we are visiting now was not involved in that affair. They were able to survive because the families of our main sect, who were captured by the Moyong Clan and Taemo Mountain Fortress, did not yield to torture."
"They were involved here too? The foul stench of the noble clans. It's laughable that those local martial aristocrats, who only seek their own prosperity, dare speak of the Righteous Faction. Who knows how much they bribe the local government offices."
"There's no need to comfort me; it's not like you. My mind is already complicated enough worrying about the trial."
"Who's comforting you?"
"In any case, I'm using this precious time for personal matters. If I fail... I won't have the face to look at the manual of the Vast Art Formula or our unit commander. It would be a true disgrace."
"It's strange that a branch sect gets to decide whether to recognize someone from the main sect."
"The predecessor of the Midday Moon Great Slaughter Gate, the Geum Family Assassin Sect, was always that kind of clan. To prevent the loss of their secret teachings, the branch sects divided the mnemonics among themselves and lived independently. Some are righteous, while others are tainted by demonic ways."
"So they're like fragments of the Ming Cult? Since they were the gatekeeper sect of the Tomb of the Heavenly Demon."
"You could say that. A very distant collateral branch. However, even if a new Heavenly Demon were to ascend now, the assassin sect would not follow them."
"This trial of yours… it’s not something like holding your breath for seven days and nights using the Turtle Breathing Technique, is it?"
"It's a bit different, but you're on the right track."
A pleasant voice echoed from beneath the black bamboo hat of the Slaying Hero, who was leading the way.
"We'll arrive soon enough, so you'll find out shortly... but they will test your personal martial prowess rather than your assassination skills. The core of it is whether you can protect a body that holds the secret teachings. There might be formations of automatons like Shaolin's Vajra Bronze Men, or they might test the path of your sword."
"Is it alright for you to tell us that? I thought the affairs of an assassin sect were secret."
"Because I don't have the confidence to handle both you and Seon-hwi at the same time."
Amusement laced the Slaying Hero's voice.
"And if you are Seon-hwi's friend, you are no stranger to me. The bloodline of the assassin sect is very strong. In the end, it is bound to be drawn back to its roots. Eventually."
"You talk as if our Great Tongue Sword is going to leave the Demonlight Wing."
"Pay it no mind. It is a sect whose origins lie with the Demonic Cult. Ever since I was a child, it was a place rife with incomprehensible nonsense. Though in the end, they couldn't even prevent the joint attack of the great sects, nor the kidnapping of the main family line."
Heonwon Chang spoke in a rare tone of irritation.
The Slaying Hero did not reply. Only a bitter chuckle swept through the undergrowth beneath their feet.
* * *
Bright blue sunlight shone down warmly.
Beneath the open sky, the sprawling marketplace was packed with crowds, turning the official road into a bustling thoroughfare.
"I'm telling you, plant just one of these and the soil will become fertile! It's a Sumeru Seed from Xinjiang! Just try it and wait a year! It's extremely precious! I'm not lying!"
"Come to the inn with the world's greatest chef! We have Dongpo pork that tastes better than what you'd eat in Hangzhou!"
"Is it true? The Jegal Clan Leader is dead? To think the Imperial Family's sword would intervene in the Shanxi martial world!"
"They say a Black Rank from the Desolate Fortress—a true monster—defeated and killed him... I mean the Lotus Nezha, the Flash Art. The surrounding martial world is already in an uproar. Apparently, the Ha Merchant Group also suffered a major setback."
"Of course! It wasn't just anyone, it was the Reincarnated Crouching Dragon who died! This won't just end in the martial world; it's bound to have a massive impact on the business world too... The merchants who invested in the Wolseong Sect ended up with nothing. I'm glad I waited."
"I'm thinking of trying to establish a connection with the Shanxi branch of the Desolate Fortress this time."
"Even so, that place is a bit... Isn't the branch head just a newly appointed Blue-Ranked Warrior? He's strong enough, but a powerful family in Beijing would probably be better. The Shanxi martial world is a backwater. Even the Black Ranks who came to punish the Jegal Clan Leader will likely return immediately."
All kinds of people mingled together.
Even at a glance, noble figures were scattered everywhere. It was a scene truly befitting the capital of Shanxi Province.
The effects of the drought had not yet reached Shanxi's greatest city. It was much like Xiangyang, where the main fortress of the Desolate Fortress was located.
Decent inns stood in neat rows, and the view of the street from one of the windows was lively, far more than one would expect in the early morning.
"Everyone must flee! War! It's a civil war! They say the local martial aristocrats have raised an army!"
"Are the Imperial Army and the Desolate Fortress blind? What nonsense... Here, just eat some mooncake."
"I'm talking about the Deep Martial Alliance! They will come to act as the masters of your land, my land, our farmland! Truly!"
"Even if that's true, it's only the martial artists whose heads will roll. This is Shanxi. Beijing is just a stone's throw away. Only rogue wanderers without identification tags will die. No matter how powerful the Deep Martial Alliance is, they won't do anything to the commoners who pay their taxes."
Jeong Yeon-shin rested his elbow on the clay-colored table. He had just arrived in Taiyuan after a long journey.
The texture of the wood against his dust-covered sleeve was solid. As he casually rested his chin on the back of his hand, he cut the perfect figure of a wanderer.
A few people passing below glanced up at him through the window, but Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes merely swept over them silently, without a hint of self-consciousness.
The naive boy who had once stumbled into the Desolate Fortress, ignorant of the world, was long gone.
The Deep Martial Alliance... A great sect that commands its own army.
Sitting in a sunny spot on the second floor, he could see various lives all at once.
Waiters chasing down pedestrians to solicit business, merchants with their stalls set up discussing the state of the world, self-proclaimed gossips chattering loudly about the rumors of the martial world...
They had no need to feign composure like the current Commander of the Demonlight Wing. Nor were they likely to suffer from deep internal and external injuries as he was.
Yet, their hardships must also be great. Living as the weak in a world where martial arts ran rampant was no simple matter.
Much less now, as a drought akin to a natural disaster was gradually drawing near.
Would they also exploit those weaker than themselves? Like the martial artists who had recently taken to plundering food.
Tap.
Jeong Yeon-shin's right index finger tapped the table.
He suddenly thought of the herb gatherer, Jang Sun-il.
The boy who had helped him rescue his niece, Jeong Hye, and had received the Compendium of Demon Extermination in return. He had sworn to take revenge on the heterodox sects that had annihilated his clan.
Could he have died on the road somewhere? The world is only growing harsher.
"Young master, what can I get for you...?"
A young boy, clearly a waiter, approached lightly and asked. His cautious gaze flickered toward the Northern Light Sword strapped to Jeong Yeon-shin's waist.
Curiosity was far more evident in his eyes than fear.
The corners of Jeong Yeon-shin's mouth softened. Because his energy was currently at its weakest, he didn't arouse any wariness.
When he handed over a small pouch of salt from his robe, the boy's face brightened instantly.
"A bowl of wheat noodles and a couple of dumplings."
"Ah, those are all sold out. They're very popular..."
"Is the shredded pork in sweet bean sauce available?"
"We can't do pork dishes. We don't have any pork."
"Kung Pao Chicken."
"We have chicken! The chef will stir-fry it beautifully for you! Would you like some alcohol as well?"
"Bamboo Leaf... No, just the food."
"Yes, sir!"
Answering cheerfully, the waiter turned and walked away.
By now, even an inn's waiter was a relatively precious position.
In these times, an inn that still served food was as prized as the finest taverns of years past. As food supplies became scarce, they employed guards to defend against plunderers. This inn was no exception.
Now, paying for food and lodging required more than just dozens of copper coins; one had to produce salt or silver.
This meant that to even walk past the warriors guarding the entrance, one could not be of ordinary status.
"Welcome, Sect Leader Gun. You too, Young Hero Jeon."
"Yes, good work."
A woman's voice echoed from the lower floor. Her footsteps, stamping unapologetically on the floorboards, were exceptionally loud. It wasn't just one of them; they both walked that way.
Though the nature of their internal energy—proving they were martial artists—differed, they shared a similar air of treating the marketplace like their own front yard.
"Waiter, is this the place?"
"Pardon?"
"I heard a spectacular beauty came in."
"Uh... a noble young master did pay us a visit."
"Right, out of the way."
Heavy thuds echoed all the way up to the second floor. Rather than being frivolous, the footsteps sounded like those of a returning conqueror.
The customers sitting around Jeong Yeon-shin flinched and lowered their heads toward their food bowls, as if a monster from the Classic of Mountains and Seas—one you must never make eye contact with—was approaching.
Thud.
The hand that gripped the railing at the edge of the second floor was small yet rough. It was clearly the hand of someone who had undergone immense training.
The pitch-black hair that followed was in a similar state—not glossy and healthy, but caked with dust and flecks of stone.
"Let's see."
Not a single person nearby expressed any dissatisfaction, despite the fact that only the wealthy and noble were seated here.
Everyone merely focused on their meals; no one dared to cast a glance at the woman who had climbed to the second floor and was now grinning at Jeong Yeon-shin.
"Ah, that fellow. My goodness."
Step.
"Meeting like this is fate, so how about sharing a table...?"
She spoke as she approached with long strides, the hem of her yellow trousers fluttering wildly.
She was a beauty carrying a massive saber on her back. She had gentle, drooping eyes, but her expression was anything but.
As she walked, staring intently at Jeong Yeon-shin, she soon let out a hollow smirk, exuding an air of absolute self-importance.
"Huh?"
The way she shook her head to herself was somewhat comical.
"It's a man. A man. I only heard the parts of the rumor I wanted to hear and came all this way for nothing."
"Among the marketplace rumors, very few are trustworthy. Besides... what woman would take Sect Leader Gun seriously in the first place? You should use this time to wash up. You reek of wild boar."
The scholar-like man who stepped up beside her spoke.
He was a handsome man with sharp features, holding a fan. His well-ironed white sleeves and the Crane Wing Fan suited him perfectly.
Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes, which hadn't budged while looking at the saber-wielding Sect Leader Gun, narrowed slightly as he glanced at the fan.
Meanwhile, the conversation between the woman and the man continued.
"I came all the way from Henan to Taiyuan. I'm undergoing closed-door training in my own way. To take my brother's head, I must not waste a single moment."
"And yet, you still cast flirtatious glances at any young lady you meet? This is why the Alliance Leader exiled you, calling you the shame of the sect. He even disowned you."
At that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin noticed the energy barrier surrounding the two. The gaps in it were even flimsier than the remnants of the Jegal Clan Leader's Male-Female Divine Whip, so their voices were easily heard, but it seemed they were trying to have a private conversation.
"What's wrong with a woman liking women? This is the Heavenly Mandate given to me."
"I'm telling you to choose one. The saber or your lust."
"As you know, my ambition won't allow that. I will have it all. First, I'll drag down that scoundrel of a brother."
"I wonder which one is the real scoundrel..."
"Could I possibly be worse than the lunatic who flirted with the Sword Venerable? No matter how lacking I am."
"...Well, that is true."
Snorting, the woman stepped through the energy barrier. The woman called Sect Leader Gun sat down abruptly right across from Jeong Yeon-shin.
She didn't seem to care that the saber strapped to her back jutted up slightly as she did so.
"I am Gun Yurin."
"Are you a lunatic?"
Having blurted that out, Jeong Yeon-shin regretted it for a moment. Though he didn't show it, his niece Jeong Hye's sharp words came to mind.
His language had grown harsh from dealing with the people of the martial world, where ruffians were the norm. He had to restrain himself. He couldn't risk accidentally defiling his niece's ears when they met again.
My words and actions seem to be going in the opposite direction of my mental cultivation. I must be careful.
Pfft—!
Gun Yurin, who had looked dazed for a moment, burst into laughter.
"Right! I must seem that way! Since I was rude, may I buy you a drink? I want to admire your face for a long time. Regardless of your gender, you are a rare find."
"I'm abstaining from alcohol."
"Not because you can't drink? You look quite young."
The skin beneath Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes twitched.
"It's tiresome to respond. Get lost."
It was then.
Whoosh—!
"Judging by that precious sword you carry, you seem to be the scion of a noble martial family. But surely you know the proverb: if you lack the eye to recognize people when traveling the martial world, you deserve to die."
A fan was pointed directly at the space between Jeong Yeon-shin's brows. The scholar-like man was glaring at him.
"Not knowing our lady is one thing, but I've never heard of anyone like you being in Taiyuan. You possess a fairly refined energy for your age... I am curious about your identity."
"..."
The entire inn had fallen silent.
Even though it was happening in a corner of the second floor, attention from all directions was focused on them. In one corner, the young waiter, who had returned at some point, looked at Jeong Yeon-shin anxiously.
Even though he was eating his fill during a famine and thus had reason to be proud, his anxiety was laid bare on his face.
They say some practitioners gain great enlightenment from even the most trivial matters.
Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly recalled.
The ultimate secret of Sword Control was said to be the Unity of Sword and Spirit.
The sword and the mind.
It was a transcendent realm. Just as the unity of essence, qi, and spirit was possible, so too was the union of mind and sword.
When he had first heard the gentle teachings of the Yeongcheon Sword Ghost, Baek Seo-gun, he hadn't been able to grasp it at all. It had felt like a technique entirely separate from his sense of qi.
Now, it was different.
The Divine Art Secret Technique, Fan Dragon Lotus Art.
What would happen if I infused the weapon with the sensory resonance of my upper dantian?
Hummm.
Suddenly, the chopsticks Jeong Yeon-shin was holding began to vibrate. At that exact moment, Gun Yurin's eyes widened.