Chapter 403: Peerless Realm (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 403: Peerless Realm (3)
Jeong Yeon-shin’s long hair whipped in the wind.
He was facing a joint attack from peerless masters. They had no reason to wait for him to complete his ultimate technique.
Shhhhh—
Right above his head.
The Invisible Sword, which had been faintly solidifying into a long blade, shattered. The fragments of internal energy that had swirled into the shape of a sword broke apart into fine, ash-gray shards.
Transparent sunlight scattered in all directions.
The milky-white Astral Qi wrapping around Jeong Yeon-shin's limbs turned to mist, vanishing with a soft whoosh.
The Imperial Sword Form unleashed by Namgung Mu-jin had been broken.
A strange light gleamed in Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes as he continued to clash swords with the man.
A crushing weight bore down from his grip on Lingering Thunder all the way to his elbow. Having a peerless technique like the Invisible Sword broken should have dealt a massive backlash, yet Namgung Mu-jin did not yield a single inch.
This was the power of his foundational cultivation. It meant that even though he had joined the Martial Dragon Association, the foundation supporting his acupuncture points and Eight Extraordinary Meridians was still orthodox martial arts.
‘His internal energy surpasses any of the Eight Family Heads I’ve seen so far, and his swordplay has reached the peerless realm...’
Jeong Yeon-shin channeled the Brilliant River formula into the Yongquan Point on the sole of his foot.
The dirt ground was violently gouged out. In a split second, a massive spiral pattern carved itself beneath his feet—a powerful propulsion shockwave.
[You...!]
Just as Namgung Mu-jin’s dumbfounded expression gave way to a flash of white light in his eyes...
Jeong Yeon-shin's right foot whipped upward like a lash and slammed into the man's abdomen. A heavy sensation registered. The blow had sunk incredibly deep.
Crackle!
Colorless lightning sparked. The man's internal energy barrier violently repelled the impact—the Namgung Clan's Heavenly Thunder Protective Armor. This was the only reason his body remained intact.
However, the force of the kick's Fa Jin had definitely penetrated. One look at the man's slightly agape mouth made that clear.
Jeong Yeon-shin inwardly knitted his brows. He had intended to rupture the man's abdomen with a single strike, but as expected, a peerless master's vitality was resilient.
Just like the Salamander of the Tenth Sect, who had repeatedly feigned death before.
Right then, a bizarre sensation prickled his back. It felt as if dozens of needles were piercing him all at once. An arrow had drawn close before he even realized it, emitting an intangible force of Fa Jin.
The Dark Night Hall's Sun-Phoenix Radiance-Chasing Archery.
The pressure was immense, heavy enough to blur the surrounding scenery.
Jeong Yeon-shin channeled force into the tip of his foot, which was still pressed against Namgung Mu-jin. Utilizing the subtle essence of full-body Fa Jin, he exploded his Halo Qi through the Taichong Point beneath his big toe.
Craaaack!
Jeong Yeon-shin executed a spectacular mid-air flip. His purple robes fluttered as his body soared upward, launching off his opponent.
The moment Namgung Mu-jin—suddenly reduced to a mere stepping stone—took a step back, the arrow slammed into the ground at his feet. A heavy thud shook the earth.
The ground cracked open with a sharp screech.
Fissures spread rapidly in all directions like a spiderweb. Accompanied by a harsh grinding noise, a pale cloud of dust rose. Such was the aftermath of a single arrow shot by the Lord of the Dark Night Hall.
Off to one side—
Step.
Jeong Yeon-shin landed gracefully, sword in hand. Beneath his purple robes, the snow-white blade pointed diagonally downward.
In the silence, the blade of Lingering Thunder softly scattered the sunlight.
“……”
A brief silence fell. What had just transpired was something any martial artist would have to rub their eyes to believe.
The Flash Art, Commander of the Demonlight Wing.
For figures like a Lord of the Thirteen Heavens and Namgung's First Sword, every single strike was akin to a deadly ultimate technique. Yet, Jeong Yeon-shin had single-handedly withstood the joint attack of two such peerless masters.
He had exquisitely calculated the gap between the Imperial Sword Form and the Sun-Phoenix Radiance-Chasing Archery, both widely renowned as divine ultimate techniques.
His strikes were straightforward yet profound, and his sensory reaction speed was practically instantaneous.
“…Should we get a bit closer? Did we back off too much?”
The voice came from behind Jeong Yeon-shin. Yeon So-ha, craning his neck forward, whispered to the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
“How about we stick a little closer to Commander Jeong?”
“Commander Jeong...?”
“With that kind of skill, I think it's better to stay reasonably close. If we get caught off guard, we'll only be a burden, right? Dodging the arrows of that monster from the Dark Night Hall is just as hard for Great Hero Yong as it is for me... well, at least for now.”
“Great Hero Yong? Are you talking about me?”
“They say if you cling to a frayed rope, you'll never achieve fame and success. Apparently, it's a famous proverb in the far eastern lands.”
“Who said that?”
“A Brightfolk fortune-teller I met in Liaodong. He was wearing a traditional hat, so he was definitely from the east.”
“I don't know. I've never seen a decent fortune-teller among those who claim to be skilled...”
“I think I just met one. I'm getting goosebumps.”
Their lighthearted conversation pierced straight to the core of the matter: the exact range within which the Divine Sword Lingering Thunder could deflect a peerless master's strike in time.
At that moment, Yong Hee-myung and Yeon So-ha walked steadily into Jeong Yeon-shin's sword sphere. They stopped at a distance of exactly twenty paces.
Right behind Jeong Yeon-shin.
‘The Commander calculated it perfectly.’
He recalled the origin of his lightness skill, Ten-Mile Light Grace. The story of Cheong-myeong's younger brother—who had died to the Ten-Mile One Kill—and Yong Hee-myung's insights had provided immense inspiration.
As the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps who had contributed to the creation of that very martial art, Yong Hee-myung was more than capable of gauging Jeong Yeon-shin's sword sphere—especially after clearly witnessing the recent clash.
“Twenty paces. I see,” the Sword Howling Emperor, Namgung Mu-jin, muttered. A cold light, sharp as a sword's gleam, flashed in his eyes as he glanced at Yong Hee-myung and Yeon So-ha.
“I would estimate it to be around thirty paces. To be able to extend your sword sphere so widely while facing both me and the Lord of the Dark Night Hall alone... you truly are a rare master under heaven.”
He lightly stroked his stomach with his left hand. The fabric of his robes around his abdomen, which had been dented by Jeong Yeon-shin's kick, smoothed out once more.
“However, no swordsman can speak of the Imperial Sword Form in my presence. Much less dare to bring up its legitimacy. Have you lost your mind?”
His voice carried a hint of anger, yet sounded strangely amicable.
Acknowledging the high caliber of a mortal enemy immediately after exchanging blows—was this the temperament of the Martial Dragon Association? He was indeed a man who had abandoned his own family out of sheer madness for martial arts.
In fact, he was counted among the few swordsmen capable of challenging the Lord of Heaven's Bane in the future.
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke. “If you hadn't concentrated the momentum of the Imperial Sword Form on my limbs, that Invisible Sword would have been fully completed. I wouldn't have been able to break it.”
“You sound just like the Elder Council Head of my family. And you've only ever experienced my nephew's half-baked swordplay.”
Namgung Mu-jin continued, his beard curving as he smiled.
“The Imperial Sword Form is a martial art far too familiar to the companions of the Jianghu. Didn't even Se-jin lose to you when you were a mere greenhorn? On the other hand, the martial art you first revealed to the world... yes, that palm technique called the Brilliant River, caught your opponents fatally off guard.”
“That is not for someone whose technique was just broken to say. You have lost your martial way,” Jeong Yeon-shin said.
—Congratulations on your achievement.
He suddenly recalled the time he had first realized how to infuse his sword with true qi.
The White Qilin, Namgung Hwa-shin, who had been his opponent in the Desolate Fortress Entrance Exam, had stood guard for him. He was entirely different from the members of the Jeong Family Manor, who sought authority through third-rate martial arts.
On that day, for the very first time in his life, Jeong Yeon-shin had received congratulations on his martial advancement.
It was the moment he felt the chivalry—the Xia—he had never encountered in the narrow world of the Jeong Family Manor. What followed was even greater.
The Azure Qilin, Namgung Se-jin, had bowed to Jeong Yeon-shin to apologize for his younger sister's misdeeds. This was despite his status as the Young Master, and despite being nine years older.
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips. “How many people from the main fortress have you slain so far?”
“Probably not even five. Our association hasn't been particularly hostile toward the Desolate Fortress,” Namgung Mu-jin answered readily.
An intangible wave of internal power rippled from the middle-aged swordsman's shoulders as he shrugged with mock playfulness.
He seemed to be stabilizing the internal injuries sustained from the Brilliant River kick.
The Namgung Clan's Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art was a divine ultimate technique with a deep history. It was famous for drastically boosting spiritual yang energy to ward off Qi deviation.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not care. “Why play along with the Young Lord of Lingering Spirit's tricks now?”
“For the sake of the great cause.”
Namgung's First Sword of the Martial Dragon Association truly seemed to acknowledge the Commander of the Demonlight Wing. The resonance in his low voice was profound, carrying a genuine sense of sincerity.
“A great cause?”
“Despite the severe famine, you people have only choked the Jianghu. You blindly banned plunder and forced those who hold swords to make a choice. Whether to pass the military examinations, take the Desolate Fortress Entrance Exam, or work the fields to feed themselves... you simply told them to conform to the order of the nation.”
“…Is there a problem with that?” Just as Jeong Yeon-shin tilted his head slightly to the side,
Namgung Mu-jin continued, “There are those who may one day reach the Martial Apex and shed their mortal shells. Driven by their innate heavenly mandate, such individuals will take up weapons in one way or another. They are the ones with the talent to elevate the dignity of humanity to a noble height. For instance, you, the Heaven-Smiling Invincible of the Ming Cult, or looking a bit further back, the Lord of Heaven's Bane and the Northern God of War.”
“……”
“But there is no law saying geniuses like you can only be born in Jianghu sects. Should we really make such martial talents work the fields? When they don't even have enough time to grow stronger?”
It was hard to tell if he was sincere or just spouting nonsense.
The blue robes symbolizing the Namgung Clan fluttered. Perhaps it was the madness unique to the peerless masters of the Thirteen Heavens. Bloodshot veins surfaced in Namgung Mu-jin's eyes.
“We need a transcendent being who is not bound by mere rainwater and soil. Such a world is coming. The commoners who end up devouring their own children over this wretched famine, the woman who stole silver from the embrace of her lover who hid his identity, only to be killed by the swords of his escort warriors... how futile and pitiful is that? Just how low must we fall?”
It seemed Namgung Mu-jin himself was the protagonist of that story about the lover who hid his identity.
It certainly felt that way. After all, the greatest noble family of Southern Zhili—which was practically a military faction—could never be united with a mere commoner.
Crack—
Suddenly, a sound like dry earth splitting rang out. Namgung Mu-jin's voice grew progressively louder.
“We, the people of the Jianghu, have transcended the limits of the physical body through martial arts! So should we not rightfully prove human dignity through our martial arts?! To show that we are not mere insects swayed by a poor harvest! That for us, there exists not only a bottomless pit like a hungry ghost hell, but also the heavens! Through the emergence of a Martial God who will engrave the infinite potential of humanity upon all creation...!”
“……”
Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly recalled the Blood Flame Cultists who drank blood like water. The Martial Dragon Association was no different.
The unorthodox and demonic paths.
They were completely insane. If translated into martial arts, this madness was their core principle. The mindset of the great sects of the Thirteen Heavens was incredibly alien.
“Martial arts are also human wisdom! What is wrong with putting our heads together with like-minded people to pursue the ultimate truth? My heart... my heart bleeds! I wonder how many martial geniuses have withered away without ever blossoming their talents, simply because they had to walk on eggshells around you bastards...!”
“It seems you have lost your chivalry as well.”
Jeong Yeon-shin's words were the turning point. Namgung Mu-jin's face contorted in furious rage, and a resonance like a heartbeat rippled from his precious sword.
Thump—
[Sword Night Painted in Moonlight.]
The overflowing spirituality unique to a peerless master unleashed a booming Six Harmonies Sound Transmission. Before anyone knew it, Namgung Mu-jin's eyes were glowing with a brilliant, incandescent white light.
The symbol of a peerless master.
A technique that conjured transcendent harmony through martial arts.
‘Unified Martial Transcendence.’
A massive shadow loomed over Jeong Yeon-shin. A colorless sword, ten Zhang in length, was taking shape above his head. The speed of its formation was on an entirely different level compared to when he had fashioned the Invisible Sword.
His intention was clear.
He had no intention of holding back any strength to face the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
At the same time, a diagonal line of light flickered in the air, connecting Jeong Yeon-shin to a distant point by a single thread.
It was as if moonlight had unraveled like a spool of thread. A soft white light shimmered along a line whose origin could not even be guessed.
[Shooting the Moon.]
Perhaps because the user had trained for so long as a member of the faded Brightfolk, an uncontrollable, overflowing spirituality swept across the dirt ground like an echo. It was the Unified Martial Transcendence of the Lord of the Dark Night Hall.
“……”
The shadow of the colossal blade hung over the ground like the night sky itself.
A youth with a line of light trailing behind his back, and a middle-aged man commanding a colossal sword above his head.
Whoooooosh—
It felt as if a massive gale was thrashing inside a cavern. The howling of the wind was deafening.
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips, holding Lingering Thunder pointed downward. He reflected once more on Namgung Mu-jin's sophistry. A fierce, domineering aura began to settle over his expression.
“Have you ever seen a solar eclipse?”
A low murmur, like the growl of a lion, escaped him. The voice of his maternal grandfather, once etched into his mind, surged in his heart.
—Behold the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.