Chapter 426: Martial Lineage (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 426: Martial Lineage (7)
Dim moonlight seeped through the silence.
The banquet hall, lined with precious lanterns, had already fallen quiet the moment the Peng Family Head stepped inside. Now, an icy stillness draped over the room at the manifestation of the Desolate Fortress's Purple Rank. No one dared to breathe, let alone speak.
To Jeong Yeon-shin, none of it mattered.
The years he had spent teaching Shin So-bin carried far more weight than the presence of this crowd, no matter how renowned they might be within the Righteous Faction of the Jianghu.
— How did you do that? What kind of footwork is it?
— The higher my mastery gets, the incredibly faster my internal energy circulates. With what kind of mindset did you create this? Unit Commander, you don't even go to the outhouse, do you? Since you've achieved the Great Heavenly Cycle. Huh? Even if you have to go on a mission, at least teach me this first! I'm just kidding!
Jeong Yeon-shin was taller than the Peng Family Head. Looking down, he could clearly see the back of Shin So-bin's neck, currently caught in the older man's massive grip.
True to her nature as a bellicose warrior of the Demonlight Wing, she wasn't trembling. But if the Peng Family Head willed it, her life would end in an instant.
That bastard.
A vivid blue spark flashed in his eyes. It was the light of the Sight of the Lowly, ignited by his intense rage.
Physically, Jeong Yeon-shin saw the back of a middle-aged man wearing a splendid yellow robe that draped to his ankles. But through his profound vision, he saw the Peng Family Head's aura radiating outward in hundreds of colorless concentric circles.
It was incredibly dense—at a level unmatched by anyone else in the banquet hall.
This was not an opponent to be taken lightly. A single moment of carelessness could mean falling victim to a killing strike that pierced right through his own high probability of victory.
Jeong Yeon-shin paid no heed to that fact. He reached for the back of the Peng Family Head's neck.
In that instant, the mnemonic of the Infinite Flower of Time Hand flowed like lightning through his forearm. His right hand shot forward, racing the pouring moonlight.
Space parted like a swamp in a fraction of a second.
With a soft slide, his hand easily wrapped around the Peng Family Head's neck.
It felt like gripping an invisible wall of water. It was undoubtedly the Peng Family's secret Body Protection Qi. The sensation of the undulating true qi was highly unpleasant.
“……!”
A tremor of shock traveled up his hand.
It wasn't just the Peng Family Head. The collective astonishment of the monkeys filling the banquet hall prickled against his skin.
Gasps erupted from all sides, shattering the silence. In that brief moment, a cacophony of chatter buzzed in Jeong Yeon-shin's ears.
“The Desolate Fortress... Purple Rank?”
“What on earth is happening right now?”
“We must assist the Family Head...!”
“Stop! We lack both the justification and the status to interfere!”
Jeong Yeon-shin stomped his foot without a word.
Boom!
A translucent shockwave rippled outward in a perfect circle. Struck by the heavy vibration, tea tables and wine cups rattled violently amidst a chaotic swirl of rising dust.
The crowd instantly fell silent. Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips.
“Quiet.”
It wasn't an outburst of anger. He was merely reminding them of the authority of the Purple Rank.
He knew they hadn't done anything particularly wrong.
After all, how many in the entire world could restrain one of the Eight Family Heads? Aside from the leaders of the great sects, they were extremely few.
Thus, all that was permitted to these mere pebbles of the Jianghu was to watch as Shin So-bin of the Demonlight Wing—who had faithfully inherited the legacy of the Desolate Fortress's Flash Art—was suppressed by this man, the Peng Family Head.
Dust.
Jeong Yeon-shin lowered his gaze slightly.
A cold, blue blade was pressed against his flank. Just by looking at the wavy patterns engraved on the metal, he could guess the weapon's identity.
It was the exclusive weapon of the Peng Family Head, who still had his back turned: the Great Towering Divine Blade, renowned throughout the Jianghu.
The very moment Jeong Yeon-shin had reached out with his grappling technique, the Peng Family Head had drawn his blade like lightning and pressed it against his side.
He held the saber's hilt in a reverse grip without even looking back.
He exuded the undeniable aura of a master.
“…I know you well,” a deep, heavy voice flowed out.
“The bloodline of the Hegemon Hero... Just as I heard, your temperament is quite volatile.”
The Peng Family Head spoke. In that instant, the night air rippled faintly, a result of the internal power carried by his voice.
His mastery of qigong speech, which lent immense weight to even the most trivial remarks, was profound. He was truly the master of an aristocratic martial clan, well-accustomed to standing before crowds.
Yet, Jeong Yeon-shin's expression remained unchanged. There was no reason to be perturbed by words so far removed from the truth.
What mattered more was the behavior of the man who still refused to release his grip on Shin So-bin's neck.
“Peng Family Head, you seem to mistake this place for the domain of the Peng clan,” Jeong Yeon-shin said slowly.
“Is this a declaration of war against our fortress?”
These were words that could only be uttered by someone who fully represented the Desolate Fortress. And fittingly, the robe he wore was no longer black.
“Your words are excessive. This is hardly something to warrant mentioning a Great Sect War.”
The absolute master of the Peng Family spoke in a placating tone. Jeong Yeon-shin didn't even bother to snort.
“Peng Family Head, let go.”
“Why don't you withdraw your hand first? No matter how high your status, you shouldn't disregard seniority like this. Strictly speaking, you owe a debt of gratitude to my family.”
“A debt of gratitude?”
“You must know that my family contributed to your promotion to the Purple Rank.”
His voice was unwavering. He seemed to truly believe it.
His tone implied that a favor given deserved a favor returned. Here stood the leader of one of the Eight Great Families, a man who was practically royalty in his own domain.
With his back still turned to Jeong Yeon-shin, the Peng Family Head merely tilted his chin.
“In any case, it is a pity things turned out this way.”
“You would do well to stop babbling.”
“I could have avoided hearing the whistle blowing from Huguang... Had it not been for a variable like you, it certainly would have been so. Truly regrettable,” the Peng Family Head said.
The whistle blowing from Huguang. It referred to the whistle that was practically the trademark of Yong Hee-myung, the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps. It was a blatant provocation.
“You pile up karma with your mouth.”
Jeong Yeon-shin's reaction was calm. Ever since he saw the enemy holding Shin So-bin's life in his hands, his Baihui point had turned white-hot.
Instead, it was the surrounding crowd who repeatedly gasped in shock at his words and actions. The venerable head of one of the Eight Great Families was being subjected to unprecedented insolence.
Yet, the Peng Family Head merely moved his lips calmly.
“On the count of two, we release them together. I stake the honor of my family on it.”
For now, it was an offer that could not be refused. It was not Jeong Yeon-shin's own life on the line, but that of the chief disciple of the Flash Art lineage.
* * *
Lazy Flame Dragon and Heonwon Chang stood about twenty paces away from their Unit Commander.
It was a distance that allowed them to withstand the shockwaves emitted by the masters while remaining close enough to leap in at a moment's notice.
“Those clothes... isn't the color the same as the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps?”
“It looks purple to my eyes as well. Orange, violet, reddish-purple... even the material, which reflects different hues depending on the angle, is identical. It is incredibly mysterious...”
“Hah.”
“Yes, finally...!”
Heonwon Chang raised a tightly clenched fist.
Lazy Flame Dragon, who rarely let out even a low gasp, fell silent for a moment. He quietly caressed a flower blossom half-drawn from his breast pocket.
Poppies were short-lived, surviving for two years at most. Just before the seed of the flower born at the time of his entry into the sect could wither, Jeong Yeon-shin had donned the purple robe.
“So... it's possible,” Lazy Flame Dragon muttered.
However, that was the limit of the reaction Heonwon Chang and Lazy Flame Dragon could show right now.
They took a long breath and watched as Shin So-bin was released from the Peng Family Head's grasp.
Then, as if his interest in her had cooled entirely, they watched the Peng Family Head turn on his heel to face Jeong Yeon-shin.
The two peerless experts faced each other.
The atmosphere was touch-and-go; the air itself felt as if it were being pulled taut.
The Peng Family Head was the first to speak.
“Let us leave it at this for today. This is, after all, the Great Sect War. Shouldn't we maintain proper decorum? The matchups haven't even been announced yet.”
“The first duel will be between the Desolate Fortress and the Peng Family. I was just on my way back from confirming it,” Jeong Yeon-shin replied in a chilling voice.
Lazy Flame Dragon and Heonwon Chang felt an unprecedented, rigid disposition emanating from their Unit Commander. It was a wrath befitting the leader of a sect.
“Ah.”
The Peng Family Head laughed.
“Indeed, you were the origin of all this. A fellow who must absolutely be killed later. However, great undertakings have their proper order. My family is not yet prepared, so in my capacity as the Family Head, I shall request a formal duel. As for the discourtesy shown to the warrior of the Desolate Fortress... as the head of the Peng Family, I offer my deepest apologies.”
He was avoiding an immediate clash.
There were too many eyes watching them.
When one maintained such decorum, it wasn't easy to recklessly pick a fight. The political maneuvering shown by the Peng Family Head seemed to overshadow Jeong Yeon-shin's unyielding spirit.
Meanwhile, the Peng Family Head's eyes tirelessly scanned Jeong Yeon-shin's entire body. A colorless light from his eyes left faint trails in the air, tracking his gaze.
“That...”
Lazy Flame Dragon had once been the Eldest Son of the Hwangbo Clan, meaning he was well-versed in the ways of the Jianghu. He immediately realized what trick the Peng Family Head was playing.
“He intends to delay the duel as much as possible to use the Indian Yoga Divine Art.”
“The Indian Yoga Divine Art?” Heonwon Chang asked, casually patting the shoulder of Shin So-bin, who had just returned to them. The three of them didn't bother exchanging useless words like Are you okay? or I'm fine.
Lazy Flame Dragon crossed his arms.
“Ever since the former family head, the Ghost-Howling Hegemon, the Peng Family has changed significantly. It's thanks to the Indian Yoga Divine Art, which is a type of Bone-Shrinking Art. They can alter their bodies at will. They've become a bizarre clan that stretches and shrinks their acupoints, muscles, and limbs to perfectly counter their opponent.”
“Then that means...?”
“Since he got a close look at our Unit Commander, he's going to milk it for all it's worth. For the official duel, he'll show up with a body specifically configured to be the natural enemy of our Unit Commander's physical form. Though even I can't fathom what kind of shape that would take...”
“So he'll drag out the time somehow and avoid a fight right now?” Heonwon Chang furrowed his brows, grasping the Peng Family Head's intentions in a flash.
His plan was to examine Jeong Yeon-shin's body with the profound eye technique unique to peerless experts, avoid an immediate clash, and then face him in an official life-and-death duel.
It was the natural behavior of a martial clan, pursuing the absolute benefit and practical interests of their lineage.
A guaranteed kill.
He fully intended to kill Jeong Yeon-shin.
Not right now, but after reconstructing his body with the Indian Yoga Divine Art, mobilizing the entire strength of the Peng Family.
“It seems a tongue is needed at this moment.”
The Divine Hero of the Desolate Fortress took a step forward. It had been a while since he last loosened his tongue. The Great Tongue Sword of the Demonlight Wing was adept at such situations.
Just then.
“What is your mother's name?”
“What?”
“Is it the Ghost-Howling Hegemon, Peng Yeo-ran? The criminal who murdered the Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing of our fortress.”
Jeong Yeon-shin asked quietly, looking down at the Peng Family Head, who bore a sharp expression and still held his massive saber in a one-handed reverse grip.
For the first time, an emotion flickered across the Peng Family Head's face.
“Sichuan, the Hidden King Amidst Flowers... the Golden Wing Sect... Could you possibly...?”
“Her blade work was profound.”
Jeong Yeon-shin's words were brief. However, the aftermath of those words struck the venue with monstrous force. The hushed crowd instantly erupted into a massive uproar.
Heonwon Chang stepped back, his mouth agape. Looking at the two peerless experts, he suddenly recalled the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps and the Namgung Clan Head facing each other in a similar manner long ago.
It was the single-exchange duel that had been endlessly discussed by gossips after the clash between the Desolate Fortress and the Namgung Clan.
“You insolent wretch...”
The Peng Family Head was different from the Namgung Clan Head of that time.
Perhaps because the master of a giant aristocratic clan had been subjected to repeated, unbearable insults, his face clearly showed that he had lost his composure.
“Come,” Jeong Yeon-shin said, drawing a sword that looked completely unfamiliar to Heonwon Chang. A pure white, elongated sword light flickered in the night air.
And then, the bodies of the two peerless experts vanished.
Boom!
Heonwon Chang had not yet released his seventy-percent restriction. He couldn't properly track the two men, who had blurred into scattered afterimages.
—!
The shockwave of the collision arrived before the sound. A suffocating pressure poured down, so heavy it was difficult to describe even as monstrous.
As their skin felt like it was being crushed from all directions, a tidal wave of sand and dust rose and swept over the crowd.
Heonwon Chang barely held his ground, anchoring his feet to the earth using the subtle principles of the Thousand-Pound Weight.
Beside him, Shin So-bin was thrusting her Infinite Flower of Time Fist into the empty air, aiming to neutralize the residual shockwaves left by the peerless experts' strikes.
[Forest Blade God-Sealing Strike.]
It was the voice of the Peng Family Head. The intent residing in his Upper Dantian flowed out, riding an energy as dense as clouds.
It was a phenomenon that could not exist unless one had achieved Unified Martial Transcendence. For an instant, the night sky lit up brilliantly before plunging back into darkness.
In contrast, Jeong Yeon-shin's voice was not heard.
A single breath felt as if it lasted for an eternity. It was difficult to breathe.
But that was only for a moment. Heonwon Chang suddenly let out a deep breath. He raised his lowered eyebrows, which had been weighed down by the sandstorm that had raged like a barrage of hidden weapons.
Had it truly been a single-exchange duel?
In the center of the banquet hall.
Jeong Yeon-shin stood perfectly upright, looking down.
His tightly gripped sword was lowered toward his toes. Though blood poured profusely down the hilt—as if his palm had been completely torn open—he was undeniably standing.
His opponent was a different story.
The master of the Peng clan, a man who possessed connections to the Imperial Family. One of the Eight Family Heads, revered by the entire martial world.
The entire left half of his body had been blown away. It was impossible to even guess what kind of sword strike he had taken.
He lay fallen, his eyes wide open. His face was stained with lingering anger, fighting spirit, and a profound sense of defeat. Looking at his distorted mouth, it seemed he had realized his utter ruin at the very end.
“…….”
No one dared to stir. This was true even though only those who had spread their names far and wide across the Jianghu were gathered inside the Green Jade Sword Manor.
At this moment, only one person possessed the right to speak.
“Under the notarization of Jeong Yeon-shin, the party who invoked this Mount Hua Agreement life-and-death duel, I declare the result of the match.”
Jeong Yeon-shin flicked the Lingering Thunder downward. Crimson blood splattered onto the ground, and the faint moonlight settled over it.
“The Peng Family has suffered one defeat.”
Notarized alone, announced by his own voice.
The Purple Rank of the Desolate Fortress.
Witnessing the death of one of the Eight Family Heads, carried out in full view of the public, the crowd fell into absolute, suffocating silence.