Chapter 370: Peerless Master (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 370: Peerless Master (5)
The Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance and the Lord of the Tenth Sect.
These two beings, each known as a walking natural disaster, were halted by a single man.
He was a swordsman in black robes, the character ‘Hwang’ embroidered on both shoulders. A young man who had barged in pulling some sort of cart had just uttered arrogant words to the absolute masters of Sichuan, yet the faces of the two men who heard him remained perfectly calm.
It was as if they occupied a realm that demanded a mind as clear as a mirror and as still as water.
An attack that lacked precision would never land on a peerless master. Their minds could not afford the slightest disturbance. This was why, at this moment, the Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance and the Lord of the Tenth Sect simply stared at Jeong Yeon-shin, silently probing for an opening.
“……”
A chilly silence settled over the courtyard. Pebbles skittered across the ground, swept along by a dry wind.
This was a gathering where all the great sects of Sichuan Province were entangled. At stake were not only immense financial interests but also a massive sphere of influence that would shape the future of the martial world and the very livelihoods of Sichuan’s people.
The entire merchant community and every sect had no choice but to hang on the outcome of this day with frayed nerves. Neither side could afford to back down.
The crowd of over a hundred martial artists surrounding them no longer unleashed their auras. They simply maintained a careful distance from one another, their eyes fixed on the confrontation between the three figures. Only the members of the Tang Clan occasionally whispered among themselves as they watched Jeong Yeon-shin. Their fingers, clad in dark green handguards, were slightly curled, ready to unleash hidden weapons at a moment’s notice.
“Is that truly our benefactor from back then…? He’s grown so much…”
“They say he has achieved Marrow Cleansing and Bone Rebirth. Though, those were the words of the Lord of the Tenth Sect.”
“He is truly magnificent.”
The Tangs. The greatest local aristocrats of Sichuan had finally found a moment to breathe. They were bold enough to ease the tension by joking about sending a matchmaker to the Desolate Fortress. One woman even casually remarked that she should be sent instead of the Poison Phoenix.
“Why not me?”
“Stop it, you don’t stand a chance. It would have to be the Grand Lady to be a proper match. One would need to at least be in the running for the most gifted talent in Sichuan…”
“But where are those two? Why is only our benefactor here…?”
“We can ask later. This isn’t over yet.”
While the Tang Clan experts spread their senses to guard the surroundings, they never took their eyes off Jeong Yeon-shin. With a single sword floating behind his back, he shielded the cart and blocked the two absolute masters from reaching the Tang Clan’s inner courtyard.
He had the presence of an army of one.
His features, bathed in the dreamlike sunlight, seemed more mysterious than those of any Brightfolk. His long hair, which fell to his waist, rippled gently in the breeze. His long robe, scorched pitch-black in places as if he had just fought his way through a pit of fire, did nothing to diminish his striking appearance.
Today, in this very place, the crowd was witnessing the emergence of a new peerless master in the martial world. Not a single martial artist could look away. The same was true for the experts of the Tenth Sect, who carried all manner of weapons, and the demons of the Pure Demon Alliance, with their bizarre and sinister appearances.
Only after several long breaths did the Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance move his wrinkled lips.
“Jang.”
“Speak,” the Lord of the Tenth Sect replied.
Even as he answered, he did not take his eyes off Jeong Yeon-shin. The Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance didn’t seem to mind.
“Before that brat manifested his Sword Kinesis, I saw you swing at empty air.”
“……”
“Why?”
“It was a feint.”
“A feint?”
“It was slightly different from injuring someone with sheer intent… but my qi sense definitely detected an attack.”
“So you moved?”
“Yes. But I won’t fall for it twice,” the Lord of the Tenth Sect said with a faint, tense smile. It was a smile that carried the profound depth unique to a peerless master.
He’s not bluffing, Jeong Yeon-shin thought. His upper dantian, warmed by the Fan Dragon Lotus Art, whispered as much to him.
The Heavenly Lord of Myriad Weapons. This was another moniker for the Lord of the Tenth Sect. It was said that in places far from the government’s reach, he was also called the Emperor of All Weapons. True to his reputation as one who had mastered every weapon imaginable, he seemed to have already devised a countermeasure for a technique that had caught him off guard just once. The masters of the Thirteen Heavens were truly on a different level.
Jeong Yeon-shin gauged the distance between himself and the two men before him.
This won’t be easy.
The Lord of the Tenth Sect stood slightly ahead of the Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance. They were not side-by-side. Since the old man had failed to properly block the Sword Kinesis infused with Halo Qi earlier, he seemed to have no intention of clashing head-on with Jeong Yeon-shin again.
A peerless master’s movements were born from highly refined instinct. Judging by their positioning, if a fight broke out, the old Leader would likely seek openings from behind the Lord of the Tenth Sect, utilizing the bizarre martial arts of the Ming Cult.
He felt a crushing pressure. What would the ultimate techniques of these two be like? The kind of power woven by men who ruled not just a clan, but massive sects…
Jeong Yeon-shin was acutely aware of the cart behind him. It would never withstand the aftershocks of their battle. And he had only just returned home.
It was then that the Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance, who had been staring at Jeong Yeon-shin with a furrowed brow, let out a low groan.
“That brat is forging a Heart Sword. I can think of no other explanation.”
“A Heart Sword, you say?” The Lord of the Tenth Sect paused as he was adjusting his gauntlet.
“That’s not all. I can even sense spirituality in some of his martial arts…”
“At this rate, the misfortune will outweigh the benefits,” the Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance muttered, his low voice sounding eerie.
Suddenly, the corners of the Lord of the Tenth Sect’s mouth curled upward.
“Then we should head back.”
“Are you serious?”
“Does that fellow’s robe still look black to you? It looks different to me.”
“Hmph.”
“Besides, we aren’t in peak condition, are we? How many of the Tang Clan’s grand formations did we have to break through? I’ve already got a flying needle stuck in my Huiyin point, and it’s been incredibly annoying.”
His deep voice carried a hint of humor. It was the easygoing attitude of a peerless warrior who had seen it all. Glancing at Jeong Yeon-shin, the Lord of the Tenth Sect drove his point home.
“I have no desire to risk my life unnecessarily.”
“For the leader of a sect to be so frivolous…”
“It is precisely because I am the leader that I must make this decision. What would happen to a sect whose pillars are all broken if it loses its lord as well?” the Lord of the Tenth Sect retorted with a frown. At the same time, he thought, What a troublesome old man. Giving him an excuse is exhausting.
“There is some truth in your words.”
The old Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance turned around with deliberate roughness. The hem of his robe, intricately embroidered with golden thread, fluttered with the movement.
“We return to the alliance.”
The moment the Leader spoke those brief words, the demons gathered in the courtyard, their eyes flashing with sinister light, leaped into the air as one. It was a terrifying display of absolute obedience. The sound of rustling robes echoed from all directions.
A slow voice drifted from the retreating Leader’s back.
“You are lucky. Had you faced enemies who valued their reputation, it would not have ended like this.”
Immediately after, the old man added, “And that cart of yours would hardly have remained intact.”
“Your timing was impeccable,” the Lord of the Tenth Sect said with a slight nod. “You possess martial arts, background, and luck. You truly deserve to be called a master of three excellences.”
He was speaking to the Commander of the Demonlight Wing.
Jeong Yeon-shin tilted his head slightly. It was the first time he had seen a member of the unorthodox factions be so generous with praise.
“Your swordplay was also superb.”
“……”
Step.
The Lord of the Tenth Sect seemed to be a man who understood humility. He fell silent at Jeong Yeon-shin’s compliment and quietly turned to walk away. The disciples of the Tenth Sect, dressed more like soldiers than martial artists, followed their lord with the clanking of metal.
The crisis of total annihilation had been averted by the arrival of a single man.
Who would believe it?
“Ah……”
Someone let out a groan. It was a sound laden with anger, regret, and a fresh wave of shock. Soon, the sentiment spread through every member of the Tang Clan.
Regardless of their willingness to fight to the death, as members of a clan who had to protect their families, they had no choice but to let their enemies leave. Even if they were to fight again, the battle had to take place outside the clan’s estate.
“Benefactor!”
“Our gratitude is boundless!”
“Quickly, quickly, come this way…!”
Even as their eyes swept painfully over their fallen kin, they immediately turned their attention to Jeong Yeon-shin. Out of respect for their benefactor, they paid no mind to the cart.
Jeong Yeon-shin could not bring himself to look them in the eye. He simply cast his gaze downward.
Sheathe—
The divine sword floating in the air slid back into its scabbard.
*
In the Clan Leader’s Hall of the Sichuan Tang Clan, the subtle fragrance of a medicinal decoction drifted through the air. The interior, constructed of dark iron as if surrounded on all six sides by mechanism formations, was warmer than it appeared.
“They say that what a peerless genius of the world wields at will is not a sword, but time itself.”
Those were the first words the Tang Clan Leader spoke upon reuniting with Jeong Yeon-shin. A smile graced his face as he looked at the fully grown young man. The heavily bearded, middle-aged clan leader was as hearty as ever, just as he had been when they’d joined hands to share the mnemonic of the Myriad Blossoms Rain.
Jeong Yeon-shin pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down. He quietly looked at the reclining Tang Clan Leader.
His internal injuries are deep.
He had heard that the Clan Leader had been mortally wounded by the Lord of the Golden Wing Sect, and his complexion was indeed as poor as the rumors suggested. It was bad enough to bring the nobles of the Blood Flame Cult to mind.
“Like a thief, I had poked a hole in the paper window to watch the battlefield, intending to intervene if necessary,” the Tang Clan Leader, Poison Lord Tang Un-hwang, continued in a thin voice. “Just as the sight became too painful to bear, you crossed the threshold, my benefactor. Even at my age, I felt a shiver run down my spine.”
Jeong Yeon-shin recalled what the Lord of the Tenth Sect had said about the role of a sect leader—about the consequences a sect would face if its master lost his life. The Tang Clan Leader, barely able to move, must have found it just as difficult to step forward.
“Our clan has once again incurred a massive debt to you, benefactor.”
Tang Un-hwang tried to sit up, but Jeong Yeon-shin stopped him. Instead, he cupped his fists in a salute. Even in his deep illness, his respectful gestures carried the distinct dignity of the head of one of the Eight Families.
Jeong Yeon-shin quietly bowed his head in response.
“……”
He did not speak for a long while. The pungent scent of the medicine on the table behind him faded, and only then did the Tang Clan Leader slowly open his mouth again.
“Thank you.”
Perhaps it was the consideration of a senior in the martial world, but his voice was devoid of any distinct emotion. This was different from when he spoke of his debt as the clan leader. This came after the bodies of the Tang siblings, lying with their eyes closed in the cart, had been revealed. It was gratitude for protecting their remains.
Tang Un-hwang did not show his grief over losing his children in front of Jeong Yeon-shin.
“Thank you,” he repeated, his voice still calm and plain.
*
Jeong Yeon-shin climbed Mount Mei with the weakened Tang Clan Leader. The mountain was quite a distance from the Tang Clan estate. It was said to be the spot where the Dragon-Phoenix Twin Poisons siblings used to meet their father, away from the watchful eyes of the Supreme Elder.
For the three days of the siblings’ funeral, Jeong Yeon-shin stayed by the Tang Clan Leader’s side on the mountain peak. It was only right, for he too had been indebted to them.
“Your Body Protection Qi was dazzling,” Tang Un-hwang suddenly remarked as they descended the misty mountain path together. They were surrounded by Tang Clan martial artists, who followed them with solemn expressions.
Tang Un-hwang was different from his family. He was the master of a great aristocratic clan. One could not lead the Tang Clan by being ordinary. He had to set aside his grief and deliberately shift his demeanor.
“I drew inspiration from the two of them,” Jeong Yeon-shin said, sensing the change in his mood.
Tang Un-hwang let out a low chuckle. “They were children obsessed with martial arts. They would be pleased.”
“……”
“What is its name?”
“I am thinking of writing the words ‘Exquisite Shining Star Heaven’ in the manual,” Jeong Yeon-shin said reluctantly. It meant a treasure-like starry night, but because of that fellow Bright Pearl Star of the Tenth Sect, the name now felt tarnished.
“Do you know what an artisan does last after creating a masterpiece, benefactor?”
“……?”
“He names it. So that even a sliver of spirituality suited to its purpose can be deeply engraved.”
“I see.”
“That is why it is a pity. For a divine art that already possesses spirituality, naming is all the more crucial. It weighs on my mind.”
Jeong Yeon-shin’s brow twitched. No one had ever nitpicked his naming sense before. But this was a man who had just lost his children. Feeling a habitual sense of humility, Jeong Yeon-shin spoke.
“Perhaps it is indeed slightly lacking.”
“You compared my children to stars, and that inspiration became a robe for you… How about ‘Bright Dawn’?”
“It doesn’t sound very good.”
Answering curtly, Jeong Yeon-shin inwardly chewed on the name. Bright Dawn. Not night, but dawn.
“Is that so? Then…”
After that, he let the Tang Clan Leader’s idle chatter drift past his ears. Jeong Yeon-shin occasionally glanced down at the shadow beneath his feet. A dark silhouette brushing against the mountain path. Was it an illusion? Every now and then, it felt as though a rumbling sound echoed from his shadow.
He suddenly wondered what would happen if he placed a piece of well-dried beef jerky on it.
Then, all of a sudden—
—Pardon my impudence, but I make a request of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing!
A young man’s shout echoed from the foot of the mountain, which was shrouded in a light mist. Jeong Yeon-shin sensed the auras of three people.
Red Cloud Dragon of the Qingcheng Sect, the Golden Staff Divine Maiden of the Emei Sect, and the Small Sword Empress of the Diancang Sect, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. They were martial artists of the Nine Sects, renowned as some of the greatest young geniuses in Sichuan Province.
Just then, Red Cloud Dragon shouted again.
—This is a message from the Emei Sect Leader! Please accept this challenge letter