Chapter 480: Boundless (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 480: Boundless (5)
Jeong Yeon-shin closed his eyes for a moment.
His entire body was utterly exhausted from the relentless, fierce battles. A sharp pain, like needles piercing his acupoints, began to spread through him.
The sword strike that had pulled Abbot Beomheo from that unknown space had been his absolute limit.
Resonating his Dharma Power with the lingering traces of the Unified Martial Transcendence, he had swung Lingering Thunder with everything he had.
It was a miraculous feat he couldn't replicate even if he trained for another lifetime. His insides were completely ruined.
In the midst of that agony...
Rustle.
A gentle touch from Lady Yul-ha conveyed a soothing warmth. A deep tenderness cradled the back of his head, melting away the complex emotions swirling in his mind.
He lowered his head slightly. His gaze immediately met Lady Yul-ha's, and he watched her flawless smile deepen.
Ah.
Reality finally set in.
He had survived the great battle.
It was said that even martial artists of the Desolate Fortress who belonged to different units and had never fought together would forge a bond of comradeship after a single battle.
For Jeong Yeon-shin, Lady Yul-ha, and Abbot Beomheo, it went without saying. They had saved each other's lives multiple times on this very battlefield.
‘The connection the Abbot spoke of...’
Jeong Yeon-shin quietly held Lady Yul-ha's gaze before speaking.
"Can you support yourself?"
"No."
"Pardon?"
"I jest."
With a soft chuckle, the Mount Hua Sect Leader stepped out of Jeong Yeon-shin's embrace.
The cultivation method she had mastered to perfection was a supreme divine art renowned under the heavens. Just taking a brief moment to catch her breath was more than enough to gather the internal energy required for the Water-Walking Technique.
Splash.
Stepping lightly onto the river's surface, Lady Yul-ha smiled.
"Your embrace is firm, yet remarkably comfortable."
"I am glad to hear that."
"Your muscles seem to be built entirely differently from the swordsmen of my sect, who primarily train in variations. Yet, it doesn't seem like you're barred from glimpsing the pinnacle of illusion swords or variations either. Your body itself is quite peculiar."
"It is likely because I guided my Marrow Cleansing and Bone Rebirth exactly as I pleased. I couldn't just leave it to chance."
"Oh...?"
Her eyelashes fluttered in surprise, but Jeong Yeon-shin was already turning his head toward Abbot Beomheo, who stood silently beside them.
‘Lady Yul-ha is definitely not at her best.’
He realized her Sense of Qi had dulled so much that she couldn't even perceive the condition of the old monk standing right next to them.
Earlier, when he pulled Abbot Beomheo from that unknown space, he had felt a profound emptiness. The old monk's body was completely hollow.
He was no longer a vessel overflowing with the overwhelming power of a Buddhist Dharma King. Of his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, his Qi—representing his internal energy—and his Essence—representing his physical vitality—had been utterly depleted.
He was crippled.
Literally, he no longer had the strength to ever stand again as a martial artist. Considering the sheer scale of the Imugi, which had been akin to a natural disaster, it was only natural.
It was just difficult to reconcile this lifeless figure with the Abbot Beomheo he knew. The current Shaolin Abbot's Unified Martial Transcendence had been truly transcendent.
‘At least, the silver lining is...’
Jeong Yeon-shin glanced at the old monk, who was still standing on the water. He looked perfectly fine, leisurely holding his hands behind his back as he maintained the Water-Walking Technique.
This was likely because the residual internal energy in his dantian still surpassed the lifetime achievements of most renowned martial artists.
In reality, he probably found it difficult to even open his mouth.
"Abbot."
[Indeed. Hearing the warm banter of youth makes me realize that we are truly on this shore, not the other. You... have ultimately saved this old body.]
The response came via Wisdom Light Mind Speak. It was possible because the Spirit in the Shaolin Abbot's mind, cultivated over a lifetime, remained intact.
The "other shore" Abbot Beomheo referred to was the realm of Nirvana, while "this shore" was the mortal world.
[My entire body should have been crushed to pieces... and indeed, it was on the verge of being so. I shall boldly declare, on behalf of Shaolin, that our temple owes you a great debt.]
A faintly playful tone followed. Jeong Yeon-shin could sense that Abbot Beomheo was deliberately feigning composure.
For right before their eyes, a man holding a great sword was staring intently at Jeong Yeon-shin and Lady Yul-ha. In this place, only the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect was close to being at full strength.
"..."
The Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect's silent gaze swept over Jeong Yeon-shin before shifting back to Lady Yul-ha. Every look he cast carried immense weight.
Lady Yul-ha did not avoid his eyes. Yet, she did not confront him fiercely either.
Her expression was closer to pity, like looking at a childhood friend who had ended up joining a back-alley gang of the Black Way.
"You... tortured your own soul," she said softly. Then, swaying slightly, she grabbed Jeong Yeon-shin's shoulder to steady herself.
Their scents mingled. They were closer now than they had ever been.
The Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect remained silent. His utterly indifferent expression did not change in the slightest, but Jeong Yeon-shin thought he saw a microscopic twitch in the corner of the man's eye.
Beside them, Abbot Beomheo watched the scene quietly.
"I am still..."
Only after a long breath did the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect speak slowly.
"...not sufficiently worn down."
With those final words, he turned around, splashing against the water's surface. Though he still held his great sword, no fierce momentum emanated from its blunt-looking blade.
Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly recalled Abbot Beomheo's words.
—For a connection is something that overcomes natural disasters and even shakes calamities...
"You," Jeong Yeon-shin called out. The Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect paused.
"Do you even have any desire for revenge left?"
"Purple Rank of the Desolate Fortress."
The Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect's voice fell heavily upon the water. Without even turning around, he asked,
"What about you?"
The man who had been the catalyst for everything was speaking to him.
Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly remembered the scent of blood that had filled the Jeong Family Manor on the day he realized his remaining lifespan.
Countless events had piled up since then, but at the very bottom of it all lay the destruction of the Jeong Family.
He did not hesitate to answer.
"I have a greater cause left."
"..."
"Even if I sever your neck one day, I won't be doing it as the third son of the Jeong Family."
He remembered the purple lanterns swaying under the dark night sky. The voice of the Emperor, who had called him the 'sword of the nation,' flashed through his mind.
He was born in the Jeong Family, raised in the Desolate Fortress, and had finally reached this point. Countless comrades had supported him.
He was indeed a Purple Rank.
"...You, too, are now," the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect murmured, "capable of ending the life of the Lord of the Desolate Fortress."
"You're talking absolute nonsense."
"Come find me when your body is whole. I shall accept your duel."
With those words, the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect's figure blurred. He kicked off the water with a loud boom and soared into the air.
A deafening roar echoed as towering sprays of water erupted in all directions. His silhouette shrank to a mere speck in an instant, vanishing beyond the sky.
Whoosh!
Drenched by the cascading water alongside Lady Yul-ha, Jeong Yeon-shin immediately turned to Abbot Beomheo, extending his left arm to support the elderly monk.
"Why didn't he make a move against you, Abbot? He must have known this was his chance to take your head."
[...He likely deemed it a disgrace to point his sword at a Shaolin Abbot who had exhausted all his strength. For all his faults, he was once the crown prince of a fallen kingdom.]
"When my family was destroyed, even the servants were sent to heaven."
[That is why they belong to the Heterodox Sects. Their standards of life differ from ours. There is no need to try and understand them deeply.]
[In my youth, this old monk had no choice but to smash their skulls to guide them.]
The Abbot's follow-up thought came in a leisurely manner. It seemed that communicating via Wisdom Light Mind Speak was less taxing on his body than speaking aloud.
"In any case," Jeong Yeon-shin stepped back slightly and clasped his hands in a respectful salute to both of them. "Thanks to the two of you, we have successfully driven away the Imugi. I hope we can gather sometime in the future to share our thoughts."
Lady Yul-ha's lips curved into a smile.
"I believe I mentioned this before. I shall prepare a bath for you infused with the medicinal herbs of the Purple Grace Pill..."
At her words, Abbot Beomheo smiled faintly.
[Mount Song shall await you.]
Jeong Yeon-shin bowed his head in gratitude.
"Let us meet again at the Hangzhou Mok Family Manor, the estate of the Divine Doctor. I have some matters I must look into first..."
"The Ming Cult Leader and the Blood Ghost?" Lady Yul-ha asked. Jeong Yeon-shin nodded slightly.
"I have deep grudges to settle with both."
"It did seem that way, but..." Her voice trailed off.
Splash.
Jeong Yeon-shin took a few steps back, concerned that the propulsion shockwave of his lightness skill might adversely affect them.
The current Shaolin Abbot and the Mount Hua Sect Leader were truly that exhausted.
"It won't take long. Please take care of yourselves until we meet again."
"Yeon-shin."
"Yes, Lady Yul-ha."
"For a gentleman's revenge, ten years is not too late... as the old saying goes. No matter what tricks the Ming Cult Leader plays, do not overexert yourself. You must look after your body."
"A gentleman, ten years..."
For a brief moment, the colorless light in Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes wavered.
Then, as if he hadn't heard Lady Yul-ha's words, he gave a slight bow and stepped onto the pure white blade of Lingering Thunder, soaring into the sky with a sharp whoosh.
His Sword Flight was somewhat unstable.
Yet, his speed was monstrously fast, true to the well-known temperament of the Wilderness Sunfall. In the blink of an eye, he became a faint speck, blending into the gaps between the clouds.
Belatedly, an old beggar with nine knots tied around his waist rushed toward Abbot Beomheo and Lady Yul-ha from afar.
His sprint was remarkable, leaving not a single ripple on the water's surface.
It was Beggar Sect Leader Ju Gwang-singae.
Earlier, he had judged that confronting the Imugi within the Void Extinction Realm would only make him a burden to the group, so he had waited nearby in case his intervention was absolutely necessary.
After all, the sword scar that the First Sword of the Outer Paths had carved deep into his abdomen was still eating away at his flesh.
"We must not let him go! We cannot let him leave!"
Because of his hesitation, he was too late.
Jeong Yeon-shin had already departed from Zhejiang entirely.
Ju Gwang-singae's shout scattered in vain over the now-tranquil waters.
* * *
It was a single letter.
[— Start of Winter, the 72nd year of Geonreung: The Emperor has passed away. The Three Great Masters of the Imperial Family are escorting Emperor Geonreung's body to the Forbidden City.
— It is reported that the Northern Fighting God engaged in a life-and-death duel with the Emperor, who had personally led the campaign. His subsequent whereabouts are unknown.
— A large number of Demonfolk experts are moving south.
— Flee immediately upon encountering any giants carrying crescent blades, large axes, or similar weapons, whose faces are distorted.
— The following are the events in Hangzhou:
– Around the Minor Snow of the 72nd year of Geonreung, an Imugi manifested in Hangzhou. The Shaolin Abbot, the Mount Hua Sect Leader, and the Lotus Nezha of the Desolate Fortress repelled it. Believing that 'remnants of the Dark Sky Emperor' still linger, the Shaolin Abbot and martial artists from several prestigious sects, including the Qingcheng Sect, are currently tracking down the Dark Sky Emperor's final Nascent Soul.
– The whereabouts of both Purple Ranks of the Desolate Fortress are unknown. Send word immediately upon discovering the locations of the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps and the Lotus Nezha.
– A clash occurred between Yelu Jin, the Heaven-Smiling Invincible, and the public enemy of the Blood Flame Cult. Their traces, along with those of the Lotus Nezha, vanished abruptly.
– It has been confirmed that the Sun Lotus Sword Enchantress, Baek Mi-ryeo, has inherited the true teachings of the current Ming Cult Leader. She escaped after shaking off the pursuit of the Desolate Fortress Hero Heonwon Chang and the Blood-Net Radiant Empress Shin So-bin. Though she has clearly fallen into Demonic Possession, she is someone the Lotus Nezha deeply treasures, so do not speak of this publicly under any circumstances.
Addendum: Do not act rashly.]
The letter was packed with words that practically dripped with urgency and concern. The strokes of the handwriting were so rushed that the tail of one character bled directly into the next.
"Master worries too much."
Fwoosh.
A young beggar chuckled as he burned the letter. His shabby face was slick with grease, but the six knots tied around his waist symbolized a rather prestigious status in the Jianghu.
He was a six-knot disciple of the Beggar Sect.
The Beggar Sect Successor.
Smirk.
He slightly contorted the area above his heavily scarred lips. Having been caught in the Wilderness Sunfall's Myriad Blossoms Rain at the Golden Wing Sect some time ago, there wasn't a single uninjured spot on his face.
"As if his disciple wouldn't know how to make good use of this on his own."
Though he sat right in the middle of a bustling tavern, not a single sound reached him. He had erected an Energy Barrier.
"Is this really from the Sect Leader? The handwriting is such a mess that I need confirmation," the Beggar Sect Successor asked the woman of a similar age sitting across from him.
She was also dressed in filthy rags, but she was a four-knot disciple of the Beggar Sect. She was a talent widely recognized within the sect, trusted enough to deliver letters directly from the Dragon Head Leader.
The four-knot disciple smirked.
"The information is massive, isn't it?"
"Massive doesn't even begin to cover it. This is..."
The Beggar Sect Successor swallowed his remaining words.
He couldn't help but feel his own heart turning petty.
He had just verified information capable of shaking the entire martial world, yet the only thing that lingered in his mind was the news regarding the Sun Lotus Sword Enchantress of the Demonlight Wing. The grudges of Jianghu folk were always this deep and sticky.
‘There's a lot to gain from this. I could sell it for a hefty price.’
Acting directly on this information was a novice's move.
He could sell it at a high premium to those targeting Baek Mi-ryeo or those harboring grudges against the Wilderness Sunfall.
And, of course, it would tarnish the reputation of the Desolate Fortress.
"There are Great Sects that have grown particularly close to the Desolate Fortress. Mount Hua, the Tang Clan, Emei, Shaolin... and there's no need to even mention Zhongnan. From what I see, they are all places that share ties with the Wilderness Sunfall."
"Successor, surely you don't mean...?"
"I'm thinking of doing something that will be of great help to our sect."
Those connected to the Purple Ranks of the Desolate Fortress were like chicken ribs—troublesome to deal with, yet too valuable to discard. They were extremely dangerous, but their worth was equally high.
The Beggar Sect Successor smiled and began to mutter a scheme that had yet to fully take shape.
"No matter how tolerant the Desolate Fortress is of different martial lineages, inheriting the teachings of the Heaven-Smiling Invincible crosses the line. Especially considering what that woman has done. An incident of this scale could even be linked to Jeong Yeon-shin's nephew..."
Suddenly, the four-knot disciple sitting across from him vanished.
Crack!
A pale hand-blade slammed down onto the Beggar Sect Successor's head. In an instant, the gruesome sound of a crushing skull reverberated within the surrounding Energy Barrier.
The four-knot disciple, who had appeared behind the Beggar Sect Successor before anyone could notice, raised a hand drenched in blood.
"You should have known when to stop," she muttered.
"Lord Jeong must now side with either the Crown Prince or the King of Fathomless Light."
She was not a four-knot disciple of the Beggar Sect.
She was one of the imperial experts who had returned after the failed Northern Expedition.
While the contents of the letter were true, it was not a message written and sent by the Dragon Head Leader himself. It had been fabricated to gauge the reactions of those who held grudges against Jeong Yeon-shin.
She had deceived the Beggar Sect Successor using a Human Skin Mask. It was a Dharma Treasure crafted through rare and esoteric martial arts, and at this very moment, similar events were unfolding in various places.
All the pieces were beginning to converge on Jeong Yeon-shin.