Chapter 380: The World (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 380: The World (4)
It was an incredibly surreal sight.
Simply witnessing a person rise from a shadow was bizarre enough. Even though the world had plunged into an era of chaos—plagued by all manner of spirit beasts, supernatural anomalies, and sorcerous martial arts—this was still a rare spectacle.
No one was more shocked than the Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance.
Come back...!
The old man projected his mental intent toward the weasel.
Mayu. A spirit beast devoid of both intellect and a physical body.
Because its form was composed of pure spirituality, it could be summoned and dismissed at will. It was akin to a Heart Sword, capable of being wielded with minimal effort. This was especially lethal when used against an expert currently focused on Qi meditation.
As a demonic entity and sacred relic of the Pure Demon Alliance, it should have returned straight to its master. Yet, the old man's palm remained empty. Only a cold wind brushed past his skin.
Gulp. The pale throat of the newly manifested woman bobbed as she swallowed.
Haa—
An exhale thick with satiety brushed through the air. A reddish glow flickered in her single eye. She looked thoroughly satisfied.
To the Leader of the Pure Demon Alliance, this was a bolt from the blue. Deep furrows creased the corners of the old man's eyes.
"How dare this wretched thing...!"
"Wretched thing...? That's rich coming from some old Pure Demon geezer. I am of direct lineage by birth, whereas you, old man, are... well..."
The Seventh Apostle trailed off into a mocking whisper. She was openly deriding the Pure Demon Alliance, a mere offshoot of the ancient Ming Cult.
Though her words were undeniable fact, no one in their right mind would normally dare utter them to the face of a supreme master of the demonic path.
Rumble—
Once again, a shadow fell over the sky.
It was a darkness born from the spreading tendrils of demonic qi, ominously blotting out the sunlight. At that same moment, the whites of the Pure Demon Alliance Leader's eyes turned pitch-black—a truly grotesque sight.
Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin stared at the long, cascading hair on the back of the Seventh Apostle's head.
He slowly parted his lips.
"You."
The shoulders of the Seventh Apostle, who had been looking askance at the Pure Demon Alliance Leader, trembled slightly.
She did not look back.
The reasons for this were complex. Perhaps she could guess what Jeong Yeon-shin felt regarding the deaths of the Tang Clan siblings. Perhaps the Pure Demon Alliance Leader's gaze felt overwhelmingly oppressive. Or perhaps it was because the Sect Leaders of Emei and Qingcheng, who flanked Jeong Yeon-shin, had simultaneously turned their gazes upon her.
"Amitabha."
"Abbess, it seems a noble of the Blood Flame Cult has targeted the Commander of the Demonlight Wing. I shall handle the Pure Demon Alliance Leader, so please take care of that Blood Ghost..."
Wroooom—!
A profound wave of energy began to emanate from the bodies of Abbess Baekyak and Perfected Clear Water.
The dust on the ground pushed outward in a massive circle, instantly billowing in all directions.
Perfected Clear Water's reaction was typical of the orthodox factions. Unlike Abbess Baekyak, who had sensed the Seventh Apostle's presence beforehand, his response was immediate and visceral.
His intent to expel demons and eradicate evil surged out in sharp waves of internal power. He looked ready to strike down the Seventh Apostle instead of the Pure Demon Alliance Leader at any given moment.
"Blood Ghost, do not act rashly."
It was a warning from the Qingcheng Sect Leader. He spoke without even looking back, his guard entirely focused on the Pure Demon Alliance Leader.
In a place watched by thousands, the Seventh Apostle suddenly let out a smooth laugh.
"What a pity. I might have been able to sink my teeth into the neck of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing."
She was actively playing the role of an enemy.
Jeong Yeon-shin's brow furrowed, and a strange gleam flickered in Abbess Baekyak's eyes.
Perfected Clear Water flicked his sword as if it were only natural and took a step toward the Pure Demon Alliance Leader.
It was then.
A heavy shockwave swept violently across the ground. The Pure Demon Alliance Leader's figure vanished from his spot, distorting the very air.
Simultaneously, the Seventh Apostle lightly tapped the ground and leaped high into the sky.
Fwooooosh—!
[I was targeting you from the very beginning!]
High in the air.
The hem of the Pure Demon Alliance Leader's robe fluttered violently against the fierce wind pressure. A palm thrust materialized directly in front of the Seventh Apostle's face, rushing forward with immense power.
The Pure Demon Alliance's Dark Heaven Demon God Stance. It perfectly embodied the legends of cultivating demonic divinity.
The old man's palm technique was blindingly fast, traversing the space without a single gust of wind to obstruct it.
In that instant, the Pure Demon Alliance Leader's eyes widened.
Reflected in his pitch-black pupils was the indifferent face of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing.
The energy sprouting from the hand reaching out to meet him scraped against the translucent space. Even before they clashed, the successive explosive sounds were deafening.
Brilliant River.
[...]
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader hastily pulled his hand back. At the same time, he unleashed ten layers of energy from both hands, forming a dark sphere in front of his body.
He had compressed the atmosphere with the power of Fa Jin. A colossal force raged inside the sphere—a response worthy of a peerless expert.
It was not demonic qi, but pure Fa Jin force.
"Cheap tricks."
The moment Jeong Yeon-shin muttered those words and reached out his hand, a ripple erupted from the point of impact, enveloping the entire mountain peak.
Craaaack—!
The space at the point of collision distorted.
The atmosphere, a chaotic mix of white and black shockwaves, repeatedly collapsed and surged.
The moment Jeong Yeon-shin's hand, imbued with Brilliant River, ruthlessly crushed and popped the sphere, several layers of translucent shockwaves expanded outward, centering on the three people momentarily suspended in midair.
Rumble!!
The entire peak beneath their feet quaked.
Two figures were flung away in opposite directions, flying at a terrifying speed, as if they had converted the explosive blast into pure propulsion.
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader and the Seventh Apostle. Some in the awestruck crowd pointed their fingers at the sky.
"The Leader... the Pure Demon Alliance Leader is fleeing!"
"What in the world...!"
"A single clash! The Commander of the Demonlight Wing won again!"
* * *
Huguang, Xiangyang. The Desolate Fortress Main Fortress.
Antique desks were lined up in long rows, both horizontally and vertically. The unique deep brown luster of red sandalwood stood out on every surface.
This was the pavilion of the Chief Steward's Office.
Normally, this space would be bustling with dozens of scholars wielding brushes, but they had all relocated to the central training ground long ago.
Even the usually thick scent of ink had faded.
Rustle.
Grand Steward Im Jin-myeong lightly stroked his beard, then suddenly caught himself and lowered his hand. An old habit from his days as a novice scholar had slipped out.
He used to unconsciously stroke his beard to bolster his confidence when speaking—something he rarely did since taking the seat as the head of the Chief Steward's Office.
There was only one reason for his nerves.
It was the old man sitting in the seat of honor, casually bypassing the office's actual master.
He was the Head of the Main Fortress Elder Council.
"I shall have some Longjing tea brought in..."
"No need."
The Elder Council Head cut off the Grand Steward.
The aura emanating from his aged body was formidable. He still possessed a massive build, draped in a purple robe, but his wrinkled face—usually prone to a warm smile—was now uncharacteristically cold, as if coated in frost.
This was a man highly respected for his benevolent attitude and easygoing demeanor.
He hardly seemed like an old man who had fallen from grace after suffering misfortunes at the hands of the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect, the Blood Flame Cult Leader, and the Tang Sect Supreme Elder.
The Grand Steward spoke cautiously.
"It has been a while since I last paid my respects, as things have been chaotic. How have you been faring lately, Council Head?"
"I have been practicing external martial arts. It suits my body quite well."
"I am glad to hear your mobility has improved so much."
"Indeed. I am almost tempted by that dynamic cultivation art said to have been passed down to the Ma Clan from the Commander of the Demonlight Wing. I heard those hot-headed kids have fallen deep into a cultivation trance... I had a terrible time holding back my curiosity about the mnemonic. By the way, has a marriage partner been decided for the Commander of the Demonlight Wing?"
"I know nothing of the matter."
"Then there is nowhere else to ask. At least, not for now."
"..."
"Because the main fortress is empty. It feels terribly hollow."
The main point had finally been raised. The Grand Steward slowly nodded.
"Yes, this is a first for me as well."
"The Elder Council is in an uproar."
"...I suppose so. I fully expected it."
"This is an incident that will drag the prestige of our fortress down to the level of common Jianghu thugs. That Yong fellow's decisiveness sometimes rivaled even that old Ma bastard's temper, but it has exploded in a place where it never should have. I never imagined he would actually abandon the livelihoods of the common people."
His voice was dry, but it was immediately obvious that he was suppressing immense anger.
The Elder Council Head was a martial artist who had lived through the same era as the Hegemon Hero Ma Yeon-jeok.
He was a man whom no one would dare criticize, even if he spoke casually of both the former and current Commanders of the Divine Sword Corps. Even after losing his martial arts, his influence over the internal affairs of the Desolate Fortress remained colossal.
There are few men under heaven as good-natured as him, the Grand Steward thought.
The mobilization order issued to the seventeen units of the Divine Sword Corps.
The gathering of the unit commanders.
This was the reason why the Elder Council Head—who used to treat even white-ranked warriors with a warm smile—was now exuding an icy temperament.
The Commander of the Divine Sword Corps' order was a massive event in itself, and opinions on it were sharply divided even within the main fortress.
"'Ensure your safety'? That is an act that shakes the very banner of our fortress. It is not just the old men of the Elder Council who are enraged. I, too, am suppressing great wrath. Those dark bastards who rushed out as if they had been waiting for this... if I had my way, I would go find them right this instant and tear them to pieces...!"
The Elder Council Head stopped mid-sentence as he straightened his back.
A dull pop echoed from his lumbar spine near the Mingmen point. The old man furrowed his brow, enduring the pain.
"While a certain old man is flying high in his later years, enjoying undeserved blessings..."
"If you are referring to the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, he is indeed the blessing of the Desolate Fortress."
"I won't deny that," the Elder Council Head replied.
"There is no need to discuss the value of the current Commander of the Demonlight Wing at this point. I came to discuss another matter."
"What matter might that be...?"
"The next Commander of the Divine Sword Corps."
The old man spoke bluntly. A low groan escaped the Grand Steward's lips.
"I have thought about it, but the matter is so grave..."
"Indeed. It is as monumental as the seventeen unit commanders gathering in one place."
"..."
"That Yong fellow has no choice but to step down. Such is the burden of the Desolate Fortress's Divine Sword. One may look down on even a first-rank official of the imperial court and summarily execute any martial artist... but one must never prioritize the warriors under their command over the common people of this land. He has shaken the very essence of the Desolate Fortress."
"Is this the decision of the Elder Council?"
"Not just the Elder Council. Un So-yu, Commander of the Law Enforcement Unit, has already taken the dismissal document. There was no room for doubt. Do you not feel the same?"
The Grand Steward did not answer.
If it was the Commander of the Law Enforcement Unit, she certainly would have acted decisively. She did not have the temperament to leniently overlook a superior's blunder.
The Elder Council Head's words were not exaggerated either. The current Commander of the Divine Sword Corps had indeed issued an incredibly unreasonable order.
The combined power of the seventeen unit commanders was difficult for even the Grand Steward to fathom. It was an incident that could easily cause the imperial court to view the Desolate Fortress as an independent military warlord, forcing them to keep a close eye on the sect.
Someone had to take responsibility before the Emperor.
It could not be the Lord of the Desolate Fortress; she had been absent for a long time alongside Ma Yeon-jeok. The Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, who had issued the order, had to be stripped of his robes.
If so...
Who would inherit the Sword of Divine Attainment, the symbol of the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps?
"That is my business here. Recommend some candidates," the Elder Council Head said.
The Chief Steward's Office, the Divine Sword Corps, and the Elder Council. These were the three pillars that formed the Desolate Fortress.
With the Divine Sword Corps currently absent, the Chief Steward's Office and the Elder Council had to proceed with this critical matter.
"I have thought of three people. Considering their accumulated achievements and experience, there are no other options."
The Elder Council Head handed over a small slip of paper. Three names were written on it.
[Vice Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, Ak Su-rim, Divine Spear of the Desolate Fortress.
Commander of the Thread-Annihilation Unit, Silent Dawn Lord Shin Hwang.
Lord of the Wish-Fulfilling Spring, Dragon Fist Bukgung-a.]
The paper carried the clean scent of mulberry. Staring at the three names, the Grand Steward spoke.
"I expected as much."
"It is true that their martial prowess is somewhat lacking relative to the position, but all three possess boundless potential. They might cross the wall in the near future. At most, in ten years..."
"Ten years is a long time in an era of chaos."
"It cannot be helped. Filling the vacancy to soothe the people's livelihoods is our top priority. A Commander of the Divine Sword Corps who has lost the people's trust can no longer be called the Commander. That Yong fellow will have to settle for playing the role of a hidden sword."
"It has been a long time since the Commander's whereabouts were last known..."
"Do not worry. Wherever he may be groveling, he is not the type to die in a ditch. Returning to the main point..."
The Elder Council Head, his forehead creasing with wrinkles, continued.
"Aside from the Commander of the Thread-Annihilation Unit, none of them particularly please me. They are all so restless. I can easily picture them jumping at the chance to rush off to Sichuan the moment this mobilization order was issued."
"Well, that is..."
"And those bastards like the Master of the Martial Apex Hall or the Commander of the Dragon-Treading Unit have such bizarre personalities."
"The Lord of the Fortress is absent. In a situation where the Commander's orders must be prioritized above all else, the warriors of the main fortress are blameless. It is not as if they could easily disobey orders, is it?"
"Then let me ask you this. Are the banners of the seventeen units still stored safely inside?"
The Elder Council Head pointed to a long table in the middle of the room. The Grand Steward fell silent for a moment.
The Desolate Fortress was a sect structured much like a military organization.
There was protocol.
When an event grave enough to require putting the main fortress's name on the line occurred, the seventeen units of the Divine Sword Corps would carry the banners inscribed with the names of their respective martial units.
Most recently, they had been used when the Thread-Annihilation Unit, the Demonlight Wing, and the Azure Sky Unit annihilated the Hwangbo Clan.
"...I do not think there is any need to open it and check."
"I knew it. Impudent rascals."
"It simply means the unit commanders view the current Jianghu with that much distaste. To protect the commoners, must not the warriors of our fortress remain intact first?"
"How many did they take?"
The Elder Council Head's question proved a certain point.
The Desolate Fortress Elder Council. A place where Ma Yeon-jeok had once sought to sit as its head.
By now, it had completely lost control over the unit commanders. This was because, although the Desolate Fortress operated like a military force, it was essentially still a Jianghu sect.
Though the fallen Elder Council Head could exert great influence over the internal affairs of the Desolate Fortress, he could no longer directly control the seventeen unit commanders.
The Grand Steward thought to himself, Since the power of the Elder Council has weakened to an unprecedented degree, the main fortress's ability to keep the next Commander of the Divine Sword Corps in check has also diminished.
If so, someone with a self-righteous or dogmatic disposition would not do. For instance, someone like Vice Commander of the Divine Sword Corps Ak Su-rim, or the Lord of the Wish-Fulfilling Spring, Bukgung-a.
Rustle.
The Grand Steward spoke as he picked up a brush. He then began to write a single name beneath the list the Elder Council Head had presented.
"Ak Su-rim, Divine Spear of the Desolate Fortress, took all the banners of the Divine Sword Corps."
"...All seventeen banners? Every single one...?"
"She gathered them in her short arms and vanished with an armful."
The wet brushstrokes swept across the oiled paper in a single, fluid motion.
When the Elder Council Head looked down, several titles referring to a single person were written in pitch-black ink.
[Flash Art, Hidden King Amidst Flowers, Lotus Nezha.
Commander of the Demonlight Wing Jeong Yeon-shin.]