Chapter 349: Enemies in the Same Boat (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 349: Enemies in the Same Boat (5)
The Sect Leader's Hall. This was the pavilion where the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect resided.
The warrior who had guided Jeong Yeon-shin here had already retreated far into the background.
Generally, heterodox factions cared far more about strict hierarchy than orthodox martial sects, and this place was no different. It felt as though they revered their Sect Leader—a being who had transcended human limits—as a living deity.
“You had better keep your appearance neat.”
The warrior's voice transmission buzzed in Jeong Yeon-shin's ear. Despite previously telling him to just follow orders, she seemed needlessly anxious.
It was only natural.
Was there any precedent for a guest who had properly mastered internal cultivation being ordered to personally wait on a sect leader? It made zero sense for a martial artist of his caliber to be treated as a mere servant.
At least, Jeong Yeon-shin had never heard of such a thing. The only reason this was even happening was because the one being served was the greatest expert in Sichuan.
To begin with, one couldn't expect a wanderer who had roamed the Jianghu to possess the qualities of a dutiful servant. This simply proved that the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect's personality was completely detached from worldly etiquette.
“You don't look like you understand. The person waiting for you right now is the world's most—”
"I'll handle it," Jeong Yeon-shin muttered, barely paying attention to her warning as he strode toward the pavilion.
Step.
The moment he crossed the threshold, the warrior's voice transmission abruptly cut off.
Whether she had stopped speaking of her own accord, or if it was severed by the dense internal energy permeating the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect's residence, he did not know.
But one thing was certain.
The warrior's passing mention of the peerless divine art, the Imperial Sword Form, was no exaggeration.
Swoosh.
His martial uniform suddenly tightened against his skin.
In an instant, the contours of his forearms were starkly outlined, as if he had been drenched in invisible water. The pressure crushing in from all directions was far beyond ordinary.
‘The Heaven-Ruling Dragon-Slaying Art.’
Natural Qi circulated in all directions with distinct, overwhelming power. He had heard that the aftereffects of its Qi accumulation were intense, but this was a feat that even a master of internal cultivation would struggle to replicate intentionally.
Hadn't they said she created this pressure not by emitting energy, but purely through Qi absorption?
‘The natural enemy of my Halo Qi... Can I counter it with a different energy?’
He felt the energy that had been brushing over his body like a faint mist fade away, taking the crushing pressure of the Qi accumulation with it.
The Lord of the Golden Wing Sect's probing disappeared. She didn't seem to have sensed anything unusual. Jeong Yeon-shin slowly exhaled the breath he had been holding.
The presence of the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect, carried in that faint wisp of energy, was truly immense. If he hadn't approached the Three Flowers Gathering at the Peak after learning from Jin Myeong-jo, she would have seen right through him.
‘She is superior to the Pure Demon Alliance Leader and the Lord of the Tenth Sect. That much is certain.’
Rumors claimed she was a peerless expert obsessed only with the strange, violent, chaotic, and supernatural. Indeed, a mere fragment of her aura was enough to prove it.
After all, the only peerless experts in Sichuan Province whom Jeong Yeon-shin had not yet encountered were the sect leaders of the Qingcheng and Emei sects.
"A newcomer, I see. Come this way."
In an anteroom somewhat removed from the inner quarters—the source of that immense pressure—a man with clean-cut features poked his head out and gestured. His aura felt like that of an ordinary person.
However, to Jeong Yeon-shin, who belonged to the Desolate Fortress, "ordinary" meant the man's martial skills were actually quite outstanding by worldly standards.
As soon as he let Jeong Yeon-shin into the room, he introduced himself.
"I am Wanyang. A fairly famous idler. I was enjoying the sole pleasure of serving the Sect Leader in this vast sect all by myself..."
"I am Manyeon," Jeong Yeon-shin replied briefly. It was a pseudonym created by adding the character 'Man' to his middle character, 'Yeon', signifying a fully grown adult.
"Filled with smoke? A fitting name for a wanderer. Anyway, last night, a few of the warriors admitting the guests were making such a fuss that I was skeptical, but it turns out my successor really has arrived. When they even compared you to Song Ok and Ban-ak, I thought they were pulling my leg. I wondered why someone with such outstanding looks would choose to live by the sword."
Wanyang, who had unwittingly just become the senior to the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, chuckled.
Jeong Yeon-shin furrowed his brow slightly, visibly displeased. It was because of the mention of Ban-ak.
Wanyang clapped his hands.
"Right, right, you must be sick of hearing it. Our Sect Leader is just like you. She doesn't care for empty words or meaningless compliments about appearances. Just remember one thing: follow her orders. Your quarters will be the end room of the detached building across the way."
"Is that all I need to know?"
"Impatient, aren't we? First, I'll show you the location of the wine cellar. You'll also need to memorize the placement of all the utensils here. And you must get on good terms with the cooks... Only after you've mastered the basics will you be permitted to meet the Sect Leader. Just because you got in here easily doesn't mean everything else will be a breeze, right? Listen carefully. First..."
Wanyang's words seemed lighthearted on the surface, but there was a strangely chilling edge to them.
Jeong Yeon-shin kept his mouth shut, merely nodding occasionally.
And so, the trivial instructions continued in the heart of the Golden Wing Sect.
"The Sect Leader loves alcohol. Perhaps because she constantly faces the murderous intent emitted by spirit beasts head-on, she tends to let her intoxication flow rather than suppressing it with her internal energy. Make sure you don't frown at the scent of alcohol."
To Jeong Yeon-shin, this was far from trivial information. It was his first time learning of this.
The Heaven-Ruling Dragon-Slaying Art was a divine art that utilized the power of alcohol just as heavily as the Beggar Sect's Drunken Fist.
"She never lets her hair grow past her neck. It's not because she's worried about close-quarters combat, but rather... some spirit beasts can manipulate the power of intent like physical hands. If her clothes or hair are long... well, I don't need to explain, do I? That doesn't mean she prefers disheveled hair, though. You'll have to learn how to style it."
Wanyang was, in his own way, a core figure of the sect. For one, he was incredibly well-connected. He seemed to be on friendly terms with everyone, from the warriors who screened the guests to the cooks who prepared the meals.
As someone who shared the same pavilion for lodging and dining with the absolute ruler of the sect, he enjoyed all kinds of privileges.
"When you enter the Sect Leader's bedchamber and office, look around thoroughly and make sure to memorize everything. Not even the position of a single small utensil can differ from usual. Balance and beauty. If there were a martial art for serving the Sect Leader, those two would be its core principles. Just like your face."
"But you just said she enjoys getting drunk..."
"Would a peerless expert's senses ever be dulled by mere intoxication?"
During this time, Jeong Yeon-shin fought against his own impatience.
Whenever he grew anxious about what might have happened to the Heaven-Aligned Wing, the Forest-Treading Unit, the Immortal Wood Spirit, the Black Rank seniors, and all the comrades under them, he forced himself to hold back. He drank in the information Wanyang let slip like sweet nectar.
The Lord of the Golden Wing Sect was an absolute ruler existing between the orthodox and heterodox paths.
She was neither an orthodox figure who debated righteousness, nor a master of the tyrannical way who submitted only to martial arts and raw power.
She could not be swayed by coercion or armed conflict.
The only options left were negotiation or stealth, and the former was completely out of the question.
If three of the Desolate Fortress's martial units were trapped in the Flood Dragon's formation, the Golden Wing Sect essentially already held hostages against Jeong Yeon-shin.
Two days passed.
He observed and learned the duties of a servant from Wanyang, all while searching for a way to defeat the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect.
As long as he was properly prepared, the environment allowed for an ambush at any time. He could enter the inner quarters even without using the Body Protection Scripture, as the security around the Sect Leader was surprisingly lax.
‘There are no guard warriors at all near the Sect Leader's Hall.’
It was as if she were silently proclaiming to the world that there was no expert on Sichuan soil who could threaten her.
"Today is the day of an important meeting," Wanyang said. "Normally, mere servants like us wouldn't be allowed to accompany her, but she ordered us to fill the seats in the back. We must escort the Sect Leader to the Golden Wing Hall."
Wanyang had called Jeong Yeon-shin out to the detached building outside the Sect Leader's Hall to deliver this news.
It was a day when bright sunlight embraced the mountain ridges. Wanyang glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin, who was bathed in a dreamlike white light, and marveled anew.
"They say the Sect Leader's eye technique can pierce even walls... I wonder if she had already laid eyes on your face before she entered her meditative training. It makes me a bit envious."
His breathing was heavier than usual. There was a slightly chilling sensation in his words. Yet, his lips wore a friendly, good-natured smile.
‘What is this?’
This was unexpected for Jeong Yeon-shin, who had viewed the disciples of the Golden Wing Sect as mere background scenery.
He didn't even feel amused. The Jianghu that the current Commander of the Demonlight Wing belonged to was far too high a place to engage in such petty conflicts, even if he was currently undercover.
"I didn't think this was a sect that indulged in personal gossip," Jeong Yeon-shin said.
Wanyang's smile deepened.
"I've been debating whether to say this or not... but that subtly arrogant attitude of yours. Before we meet the Sect Leader, I should—"
Jeong Yeon-shin walked toward the Sect Leader's Hall without listening further. What an absurd fellow.
"What do you think you're doing? Hey!"
He fell out with Wanyang right then and there. It didn't matter. As of today, he would be standing by the side of the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect.
* * *
Since the martial duel where the Tang Clan Leader had been defeated by the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect without even being able to lift a hand, the morale of the Golden Wing Sect's disciples had soared to the heavens.
It wasn't because they had suddenly realized how powerful their Sect Leader was. It was simply because the Myriad Blossoms Rain—the technique that would seal the movements of the Flood Dragon—was on the verge of falling into their hands.
The Golden Wing Hall of the Golden Wing Sect.
It was the largest main hall within the immense manor.
The interior was a masterpiece; magnificent sculptures of the Golden Winged Bird devouring dragons surrounded the hall in various forms. Dust motes caught the light, drifting slowly through the cavernous space.
Jeong Yeon-shin took his place next to a stone statue of a bird cracking a wish-fulfilling jewel with its beak. It was directly behind the stone seat where the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect sat.
‘It's exactly as I heard from Wanyang.’
A woman of small stature, draped in a reddish-gold robe.
A translucent aura billowed from her black hair, which fell just enough to cover the back of her neck. Above the jade gourd bottle she held in one hand, the sweet, characteristic aroma of Fragrant Snow Wine was spreading.
A strange transcendence emanated from her slowly rising and falling shoulders.
As expected of someone who had mastered a dynamic cultivation art, she did not stop her Qi circulation and breathing even while attending to mundane duties. She could truly be described as obsessed with catching dragons.
‘My maternal grandfather said that against those who are exceptionally powerful even among the Purple Ranks, a surprise attack is meaningless...’
Jeong Yeon-shin repeatedly imagined making a move, only to dismiss the thought. Even if he were extremely lucky and managed to inflict a fatal wound, it would still cause a massive problem.
The priorities of his mission were clear. He must not alert the enemy prematurely and sever the path to rescuing his comrades.
“Yeon-shin. A peerless expert who has achieved Unified Martial Transcendence and the Five Qi Converging to the Origin is someone who can see through every single stance they have learned in a single move. The speed of their strike will be far beyond your imagination.”
‘To properly gauge her, I must first lock eyes with her.’
He had not yet seen the front of the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect's face.
While he had been bickering with Wanyang, who kept glaring at him from the side, the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect had departed first without bothering to wait for them.
"The Sect Leader is as magnificent as ever today."
A young man's clear voice filled the hall. His words praised the Sect Leader's presence and spirit rather than her physical appearance. His manner of speaking was highly skilled.
It was a beggar.
His cotton clothes were patched in various places, and he carried a small gourd bottle and a gourd dipper at his side. There were six knots on the cord tied around his waist.
Though his appearance was incredibly shabby, he did not give off any foul odor. Even though he sat at the far end of one of the two rows of seats extending from the head table, he exuded an air of absolute leisure.
He was a familiar face to Jeong Yeon-shin.
The Beggar Sect Successor. He had seen him in the City of Master Craftsmen.
What was the successor of an orthodox sect, commonly grouped under the Nine Sects and One Gang, doing in the Golden Wing Sect?
His relaxed complexion was starkly different from the gloomy expressions of the boy and girl seated opposite him—the Poison Dragon and Poison Phoenix siblings. He looked like he had come as an honored guest, not a prisoner.
At that moment, the Beggar Sect Successor, who had been grinning at the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect, locked eyes with Jeong Yeon-shin.
The beggar's mouth formed a silent, admiring "Oh." To Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been glancing at the Tang siblings without showing a shred of pity, this was not a particularly pleasant reaction.
From the time he created the Law-Transcending Halo Qi in the City of Master Craftsmen in Sichuan, to the moment his maternal grandfather perished along with the Blood Flame Cult Leader at the Tang Clan—
The Beggar Sect Successor had always made Jeong Yeon-shin uncomfortable with his peculiar temperament.
It was the exact same now.
"Someone fitting the Sect Leader's elegance is standing in attendance. Is he your new servant?"
"Get to the point."
The moment an elderly voice rang out, the dust in the hall rippled as if struck by an earthquake. It was the old man sitting to the front left of the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect. The internal energy carried in his voice was crushingly heavy.
He was said to be the Left Protector, one of the two great protectors of the Golden Wing Sect.
Jeong Yeon-shin was instantly reminded of the Commander of the Forest-Treading Unit. Both the nature and weight of the internal energy he had cultivated were remarkably similar.
‘Did Senior Hahu fight against that man?’
Just as a deep blue light flashed in Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes, the Beggar Sect Successor continued.
"We have no way of knowing when the Tang Clan Leader will wake up, and aren't we all in a position where we must urgently deal with the Flood Dragon on Sichuan soil? If you temporarily release the Dragon-Phoenix Twin Poisons, we will ensure you witness a Myriad Blossoms Rain that is no less impressive than the Poison Lord's ultimate technique."
The Dragon-Phoenix Twin Poisons was a moniker referring to the genius siblings of the Tang Clan. The Left Protector snorted.
"This beggar is playing a ridiculous trick. We cannot let them go precisely because the talent of those two Tang Clan children is so outstanding. On what basis should we trust you and allow the Myriad Blossoms Rain to leak outside? There is more than one sect coveting that divine ultimate technique along with those two."
"Ah," the Beggar Sect Successor smiled. "I am not talking about enhancing the achievements of the Dragon-Phoenix Twin Poisons. I am talking about utilizing their connections."
"Explain in detail."
"The Myriad Blossoms Rain of the Tang Clan Leader, the Poison Lord, was certainly magnificent. But isn't he someone who fell from grace long ago? In the world today, there is someone roaming the Jianghu who unleashes a far more powerful Myriad Blossoms Rain than him."
"The Hidden King Amidst Flowers...?"
The Sichuan Province moniker of Flash Art, Commander of the Demonlight Wing, had been invoked. The hall, filled with over a dozen dragon-hunting experts, instantly fell silent. The corners of the Beggar Sect Successor's mouth curled up a bit more.
The eyes of the youthful Poison Phoenix and Poison Dragon also grew sharp.
However, with their Mute Acupoints sealed, they could not make a sound. Only the Beggar Sect Successor's voice echoed clearly through the hall.
"There was a servant whom the late Supreme Elder of the Tang Clan employed in great secrecy. I heard him speak of the talent of the Dragon-Phoenix Twin Poisons, and from what I know of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, he could never ignore—"
Clatter—
The Beggar Sect Successor's words were cut off. Stone debris suddenly began falling from the ceiling of the pavilion.
An immense suction force arose out of nowhere.
Whoosh! Crash!
In an instant, all the dust in the hall was sucked behind the head table. At the same time, the pulverized ceiling, trailing like soil swept up in a typhoon, began to violently split wide open to the left and right.
The Lord of the Golden Wing Sect turned her head back.