Chapter 325: Shaking the Heavens (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 325: Shaking the Heavens (4)
Silence fell.
He had spoken of a betrothal gift, leaving the corpses of the Moyong Young Master's experts in his wake.
Coming from the Lotus Nezha, those words carried immense weight.
At this moment, the black-robed young master—a sword at his waist and a travel pack slung loosely over one shoulder—was the man who had slain the Jegal Clan Leader, the very person who had sought to rule Shanxi.
In a land with no great sects, he would wield more influence than any sect leader.
Even the future master of the Killing Gate had to choose his words carefully. This was true even for Geum Jon-hwi, a man who held the hearts and minds of Shanxi's common folk in his grasp.
"...A betrothal gift," the Slaying Hero said slowly. "Rather, it is our sect that should present one to the Commander of the Demonlight Wing. That would be proper."
"...?"
"Did you not forge Seon-hwi into an excellent Hidden Sword? That is a debt the Geum family owes. A very large one..."
Geum Jon-hwi spoke with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"My resentment was great. During the rebellion at the Tomb of the Heavenly Demon, I was still young, so the most I could do was resent the elders who failed to protect Seon-hwi from the Moyong Clan's underhanded schemes. It's as if you, Commander of the Demonlight Wing, took over the task a foolish older brother like me couldn't finish... I don't know how to express my gratitude. If I could, I would even offer our family heirloom. We have no other kin left who can use it, anyway."
His voice resonated calmly, pleasant to the ear. His words flowed smoothly, without a trace of hesitation.
The Geum family's debt.
Looked at from another angle, his words carried a deep, significant meaning.
The Commander of the Demonlight Wing had mentioned a betrothal gift as a reward for raising his right-hand man, but the Slaying Hero was insisting they were the ones who should be giving one instead.
His tone suggested that Heonwon Chang's roots and identity lay closer to the Killing Gate than to the Demonlight Wing.
Was he trying to reclaim the Great Tongue Sword with smooth words?
If he crosses the line any further, I'll have to tell him to draw his sword.
Jeong Yeon-shin quietly stared at the man in the black bamboo hat.
Though the man hadn't introduced himself, Jeong Yeon-shin knew who he was. His lower face resembled Heonwon Chang's.
His sharp jawline, as if drawn with a single, bold brushstroke, was almost identical. The light glinting in his eyes from beneath the round brim of his black bamboo hat was reminiscent of the Azure Qilin, Namgung Se-jin.
His aura was pure—quite remarkable for someone in the business of killing.
Meeting his gaze, the man in the black bamboo hat suddenly smiled warmly.
"If it's you, whichever side of our Copper Coin you choose, I will accept it as the correct answer. Not that we would dare make a move against you, anyway."
Setting aside the matter of Heonwon Chang's future, a profound goodwill could be felt from him. His casual way of speaking about his sect's traditions reflected this as well.
It was their custom to have anyone who could threaten their assassination target—the Tomb of the Heavenly Demon—guess the heads or tails of a Copper Coin.
It was said to signify that the omnipotence of the First Heavenly Demon, who had departed for the Peach Blossom Spring beyond the distant skies, was contained even in the most trivial coin.
To those who did not know the sect's doctrines, that was all that was known.
At that moment, Heonwon Chang quietly stepped forward.
"He is my older cousin, from whom I was separated in childhood. His title is the Slaying Hero, and his name is Geum Jon-hwi."
Jeong Yeon-shin nodded slightly. His assumption had been correct. A brother bound by blood to Heonwon Chang, a man possessing the temperament of a great hero, much like Namgung Se-jin.
He decided to let it slide, just this once.
He hoped Heonwon Chang would find peace whenever he thought of his family. He wanted it to be different from the Jeong Family Manor.
That was why, at this moment, he wanted the Hero of the Desolate Fortress to resolve all his grudges and return.
"Ah, where are my manners? Keeping our distinguished guests standing... This is the first time we've opened this place to outsiders, so I hesitated, ungrateful as I am."
With a sheepish laugh, the Slaying Hero gestured toward the inner depths of the cave in a somewhat exaggerated motion.
"Welcome to the Midday Moon Great Slaughter Gate, the successor to the Geum Family Assassin Sect."
*
They walked down a long path. It felt as though half a shichen had passed.
The surroundings were pitch black. Not a single speck of light penetrated the darkness, yet a gentle breeze, seemingly blowing from far away, could be felt.
Jeong Yeon-shin walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Heonwon Chang, following the Slaying Hero's lead. This was the martial lineage of assassins.
It was a sect bound to have many enemies. It was understandable that they had established their base in such a deep, hidden place.
"Commander, didn't you have companions when you entered the fortress gate? I believe I saw two people. A young man and woman."
A short, overlapping echo resonated in all directions.
It was Heonwon Chang's voice.
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke slowly. His eyes were glowing blue with the light of the Sight of the Lowly. He was reconstructing the flow of energy radiating from his entire body within his eyes, scanning every inch of the damp cave walls.
"When the Moyong Young Master attacked, they were blown away. I saw them taking refuge elsewhere, but..."
"So you are not deeply acquainted? May I ask their identities?"
"She is likely the daughter of the Leader of the Deep Martial Alliance. Gun Yurin, the Phoenix-Slaying Red Blade," the Slaying Hero, Geum Jon-hwi, spoke up from the front.
Perhaps conscious of the blue glow from the Demonlight Wing Commander's eyes illuminating his back, he didn't dare look around, though his shoulder muscles twitched occasionally.
At that moment, Heonwon Chang's startled cry echoed through the cave.
"The child of the Leader of the Deep Martial Alliance?!"
The Slaying Hero's voice cut through the dull echoes, ringing out like a song.
"It is certain. Unlike those old elders, this older brother of yours collects and memorizes portraits of everyone. I am not like that Bamboo Sword who failed to recognize the Lotus Nezha, whose name shakes Shanxi. With our sect's information network, we are right behind the Hao Sect and the Beggar Sect in Shanxi. I truly don't understand why they let such a great asset go to waste until they died. They're just like those martial artists drunk on their own power. Just like those old men who died in foreign lands."
"Commander, did you consume some kind of poison? Silver needles! Where did I put my silver needles..."
At the sound of Heonwon Chang rustling through his robes, Geum Jon-hwi's voice softened slightly. With a somewhat subdued expression, he pushed open the stone gate that had appeared before them.
"We have arrived."
Rumble—
A vertical beam of light from torches spilled into the darkness.
Immediately, an underground plaza was revealed. The space unfolding deep within the cave was so vast it could easily serve as a training ground.
The thick scent of ink filled the air.
An incredibly exotic sight unfolded before them.
A translucent wave of energy shimmered over the stone tables that filled the cavern. Within it, black-robed martial artists sat as straight as the scholars of the Desolate Fortress Grand Steward's office, holding brushes and writing things down.
It was as if they were continuously transcribing voice transmissions pouring down from the ceiling.
Muttered words flowed continuously like Buddhist chants.
They remained entirely focused on their work, paying no mind to the arrival of Jeong Yeon-shin and his companions. To a casual observer, they might have seemed out of their minds.
"The Forbidden City, Beijing's departure ceremony... The Three Great Masters of the Imperial Family have set out with a force of ten thousand. Rumors say the Emperor personally created and bestowed a martial art to counter the Northern God of War..."
"Sichuan Province, the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect has challenged the Tang Clan Leader to a life-and-death duel. This is over the exchange of the secrets of the Myriad Blossoms Rain and the Heaven-Overturning Dragon-Slaying Formula..."
"The Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance has been slain by the Young Sect Leader of the Ming Cult. It is reported to have been a duel of a thousand exchanges, where lightning literally struck down. Yelu Jin, the Heaven-Smiling Invincible, declared in the middle of the Pure Demon Alliance's main headquarters that her sorcery is of the High Grade, closest to the First Heavenly Demon. We will observe whether the remaining forces of the Ming Cult will completely absorb the Pure Demon Alliance. Due to a strange harmony, many are unable to leave the lands of Xinjiang, so our sect should not wait for the next update..."
Were they using a combination of the Thousand-Mile Earth-Listening Art and the Hundred-Mile Sound Transmission?
A glimpse of a highly sophisticated information network was revealed. Martial artists who had mastered communication techniques to a certain degree were stationed at intervals like courier stations, replacing messenger pigeons or horses.
One would think only the Beggar Sect, which was mentioned in the same breath as the Nine Great Sects, could pull off such a feat, but the waves of voice transmission descending from the cave ceiling proved the sheer capability of the Killing Gate.
To an ignorant commoner, it would have seemed like a transcendent sight.
However, Jeong Yeon-shin was surprised by something else. His eyebrows shot up involuntarily.
Every piece of news he heard upon entering was extraordinary. Two of them were directly related to him.
The rumor of the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect challenging the Tang Clan Leader to a duel was enough to shake the martial world, but the news of the Pure Demon Alliance Leader and the Young Sect Leader of the Ming Cult was even greater.
The Young Sect Leader is still alive?
Following the Heaven-Aligned Wing, even the Forest-Treading Unit and the Immortal Wood Spirit had long since headed to Xinjiang.
Had the rumors gotten crossed? The land of the Ming Dynasty was vast enough to stretch anyone's perception. This meant it was rare for any news to arrive accurately and on time.
That was why there were still countless martial artists in the world who did not know the face of the Demonlight Wing Commander, Jeong Yeon-shin. It was common for documents that finally arrived to contradict the actual facts.
The news about the three martial units completing their mission could be explained the same way.
It was highly likely that the death of the Pure Demon Alliance Leader had occurred first, and news of the three unit commanders slaying the Young Sect Leader of the Ming Cult was still on its way. Jeong Yeon-shin preferred to think of it that way.
"They will be fine."
Heonwon Chang patted his shoulder.
As Jeong Yeon-shin fell silent and nodded quietly, a wide wall suddenly caught his eye.
Beyond the Killing Gate disciples transcribing the news, there was a cave wall marked with a long trace, as if the tail of a comet had swept across it.
No.
On closer inspection, it was a stone pillar. It looked as though the marked wall had been carved out with chisels and hammers and brought here to be mounted.
It showed glimpses of labor that would be difficult to conceive for anyone who did not practice martial arts.
A sword mark...?
Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes flickered with a strange light.
"One of my junior disciples went to fetch the Hwangbo Young Master and the Heir to the Desolate Shin Clan. They will arrive soon, along with the few decent elders of our sect. Hm? Ah..."
Approaching with light steps, the Slaying Hero let out a strange exclamation.
"A swordsman of your caliber would naturally have his eyes drawn to that. Though to our sect, it is nothing but an unforgettable humiliation."
"A humiliation?"
"It is the sword mark of the Moyong Clan Head. The one who shattered the intact Tomb of the Heavenly Demon over a decade ago..."
The Slaying Hero, Geum Jon-hwi, trailed off. Even he, who usually sought amusement and romance in everything, found it difficult to speak lightly in front of his sect's deep-seated grudges.
"It contains our resolve never to forget. There are over a dozen elders who became simpletons from doing nothing but wall-facing meditation to crack that mark... But because the elders are so stubborn, we have left it as it is. I intend to destroy it the moment I become the sect leader..."
Jeong Yeon-shin wasn't listening.
He stood frozen, facing the sword mark that must have been thirty feet long. Geum Jon-hwi's words faded from his ears.
Suddenly, the blue beams of the Sight of the Lowly emanating from his eyes swept over the rough wall. It was accompanied by a cool breeze that swept across the cave floor.
The Lotus Nezha suddenly muttered.
"The grip was loose."
"What did you say...?"
"Yet how did he unleash a strike so powerful it was called a meteor..."
It was then.
Jeong Yeon-shin's voice was suddenly drowned out by the words of the Killing Gate disciples. Their flat tones had suddenly turned urgent.
"Blue Dagger reports: Detected traces of the bizarre evil arts of the Blood Flame Cult. The trail of blood carved in a straight line across the Fenzhou snowfield has not faded for three days. Judging by reports of a sinister, peerless beauty crossing the well village of Xinyang County, she is suspected to be the Seventh Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult. An additional note states that her movements appeared highly restricted..."
"White Blade reports: Traces of the Leader of the Deep Martial Alliance have been found in the snowfields of northern Fenzhou. Vestiges of the Condensed Radiance Art, which plowed through a radius of a thousand feet in a spiral, still remain. Since the Leader of the Deep Martial Alliance, Gun Wi-hu, is a man who personally interrogates even Beggar Sect beggars regardless of his own status, tell all sect members in Shanxi to evacuate to safe houses. The martial forces of the Deep Martial Alliance are converging from all directions."
"Black Sword reports: Witnessed a cloud split in half at the border of southern Taiyuan Prefecture and Yaozhou. Believed to be the Meteor Sword of the Moyong Clan Head and Void Stepping. Recall all sect members scattered in Taiyuan within one shichen. Urgent, urgent."
And then.
Thud! Rumble! Thuuuuud—!
A heavy, roaring sound reverberated—a vibration that felt as if meteors were raining down. From various parts of the walls, stone dust began to pour down like small waterfalls.
In an instant, the surroundings began to be shrouded in a hazy cloud of dust.