Chapter 488: Wilderness Sunfall (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 488: Wilderness Sunfall (7)
While Jeong Yeon-shin went out to greet their uninvited guests, few remained inside Mok Manor. The commoners had already fled the estate earlier.
Those who still held their ground were anything but ordinary: the Sect Leaders of the Nine Sects, the Lord of the Desolate Fortress, the Divine Doctor, and Beggar Sect Leader Ju Gwang-singae, who had slipped back into the manor late.
—First, I must show my respects to the imperial envoy.
Jeong Yeon-shin's calm voice drifted into the manor.
The absolute masters heard his words clearly. They had all left their doors open, whether they were sitting in the main hall or standing silently atop the roof of the inner quarters.
"...So," Ju Gwang-singae spoke, crouching casually on a tree branch. "You're saying that kid is the future of the Desolate Fortress?"
He asked it as if talking to himself.
No one answered immediately; they merely focused on the presence outside, each wearing a different expression. Only Lady Yul-ha slightly raised her eyelids and parted her lips.
"...Not the future, but the present. Is he not the peerless swordsman who took the right hand of the Lord of Heaven's Bane? He is the only Purple Rank expert currently active in the Jianghu."
"Truly bleak..."
Ju Gwang-singae trailed off. He stole a glance at the Lord of the Desolate Fortress, who still stood in silence, and then barked at the Divine Doctor, who was sprawled out on the dirt floor as if it were a bed.
"Haven't you done enough?! I, too, am running myself ragged for the sake of the world! Do you really intend to just let me die here?"
Ju Gwang-singae grumbled, gently stroking his abdomen. A faint line of dried blood ran diagonally across his extremely tattered rags—a sword wound he had received from the Lord of Heaven's Bane near Hangzhou some time ago.
The Divine Doctor didn't lift a finger. He looked just as exhausted as before.
"Die? Not a chance. You old beggar, how long were you exposed to that Little Hegemon's Dharma Power? All the heterodox energy has been purged, and new flesh is already growing."
"No wonder it felt itchy," Ju Gwang-singae replied nonchalantly.
He already knew, of course. A peerless master of the Body Protection Scripture, capable of running even faster than the Wilderness Sunfall, could not possibly be ignorant of his own physical condition. He had merely changed the subject because of the Lord of the Desolate Fortress's presence.
The Beggar Sect had received a great favor.
Ju Gwang-singae fully intended to repay Jeong Yeon-shin in some way eventually. He could surely do more for the boy than the fallen Hegemon Hero ever could.
'Is he not a child who lived his entire life in Xinye County without ever seeing the faces of his maternal relatives?'
Tapping the bottom of the gourd at his waist, he slowly looked around. The faces reflected in his eyes were truly monstrous.
"The backlash will be severe," he muttered.
The amount of time these individuals had spent in Hangzhou was immense—time they should have spent stably suppressing the vast regional Jianghu.
These absolute masters were the ones responsible for preventing the Strange, Violent, Chaotic, and Supernatural—such as the Flood Dragon and the human-faced spider—from roaming in broad daylight.
Because their disciples were currently holding the "gates" in their stead, it would be difficult to see the Sect Leaders of the Nine Sects roaming the Jianghu for the time being. Every single one of them would have to confine themselves to their main mountains.
The same went for the Lord of the Desolate Fortress.
She was an absolute master who had single-handedly sealed the "Great Gate" that poured out all kinds of clans during the founding of the nation. Her being here in the first place made no sense.
Even if she were to take Jeong Yeon-shin to the World Tree for some purpose, she would not be able to accompany him on his journey for long.
"In the end, all that remains... will be the Purple Rank and the Desolate Fortress under his command."
There were no allies left for them now.
The noble families prioritized their own prosperity, placing the common people second. That was how they had maintained their influence for so long. Even from the Tang Clan, only the Clan Leader had come to Hangzhou alone, had he not?
Needless to say, the Thirteen Heavens—a massive coalition of Heterodox Sects—were clearly enemies eating away at the nation.
"With the Late Emperor passing like that and Beijing hanging by a thread... the Desolate Fortress finds itself in a very difficult position as well."
Ju Gwang-singae spoke while glancing at the Lord of the Desolate Fortress, but she did not answer.
"Why is that?"
Perfected Clear Water asked abruptly. Ju Gwang-singae glanced at the young Sect Leader of the Qingcheng Sect and clicked his tongue.
"The Desolate Fortress is, without a doubt, the world's greatest sect. Yet, unlike other Jianghu sects, they do not establish secular branches or collect protection fees in bustling cities. Nor do they receive offerings like Taoist or Buddhist sects, despite their monstrous size."
The old beggar shook his head and continued.
"How much money does it take to constantly maintain countless weapons, Spirit Elixirs, food, clothing, and supplies? What about the monthly stipends used to feed so many experts, their families, and their sects?"
"Naturally, the imperial court secretly..."
Perfected Clear Water trailed off and fell silent.
The passing of Emperor Geonreung.
The Demonfolk experts pressing right up to the throat of Beijing.
The nation's funds, which once flowed as grandly as the Yangtze River, would no longer be the same. It wouldn't be strange if they were cut off at any moment.
Even if the Crown Prince in Beijing made a special effort, it would be difficult to transport supplies as they had before due to the Horde of Demons Green Forest and the Myriad Phenomena Water Channel Fortress, both of which had been rising with tremendous force lately.
The chaotic times, where those trained in martial arts were turning into highway bandits, were also a massive problem.
This was the reason why the Wilderness Sunfall, despite his fury outside the front gates of Mok Manor, had not driven away the Gwanheo Merchant Guild.
The Flood Dragon was gone.
Now, they had to live in reality.
"Still, that kid is better than that old Ma bastard. At least, as a Purple Rank, he clearly distinguishes between public and private matters, doesn't he?"
Ju Gwang-singae concluded with a hearty laugh, gently stroking his abdomen.
No one voiced their agreement, but Perfected Clear Water stood up.
"It is time for Qingcheng to return."
Around that time, the words of the imperial envoy echoed from outside.
—I speak to the sword of this nation, Flash Art of the Jeong Clan.
These were the words left by Emperor Geonreung before he set out to face the Northern God of War—an entity only he could match.
The voice of the imperial envoy, who was also of the Brightfolk, rang out as clearly as the crisp winter air.
—You, and you alone, must not come up to the north.
—What nonsense...
Jeong Yeon-shin's voice cut off abruptly.
The words of the envoy were the words and deeds of the Emperor himself.
In that moment, Ju Gwang-singae saw the thick eyelashes of the Lord of the Desolate Fortress flutter upward slightly for the very first time.
It felt as if the air inside and outside the gates had frozen solid before suddenly thawing.
The envoy's voice continued at length.
—It has been long since the martial-trained Imperial Army withdrew from the lives of the common people like an ebbing tide. We gathered them in the north and used them as a sword. This is due to Our own lack of virtue. As Our personal martial prowess has reached its limit, Our subjects have been left in extreme suffering alongside a severe famine. We cannot bring Ourselves to demand they endure any more devastation. Since the martial world already exists under heaven, making this land a Mountain of Blades and Forest of Swords, We cannot strip away the last remaining Purple Rank from it. How can a parent speak only of the greater good while abandoning their children? Furthermore, Flash Art, you must not face the leader of the northern clans yet. You are far too young for that, and you have too many responsibilities.
—...
—We have long since washed Our hands of state affairs. Do not the Crown Prince and Fathomless Light hold the people in their hands? Therefore, We intend to personally take up the sword, looking after both the national crisis and the livelihoods of the people.
The absolute masters of the Nine Sects and One Gang fell silent.
Ju Gwang-singae and Perfected Clear Water's eyes grew wider and wider as the speech went on.
The envoy's voice was infused with solid internal power, but regardless of that, the content of the decree demanded their undivided attention.
Among all the transcendent, peerless masters, how many could receive a personal letter from Emperor Geonreung? In Hangzhou, it would have been impossible for anyone other than Beomheo.
'To receive such an imperial decree from the Late Emperor...?'
Starting today, no one in the government offices—including the Ju Imperial Family—would dare oppose the Wilderness Sunfall. This applied to all manner of noble figures.
If anything, people would flock to him, hoping to share in the symbolism Emperor Geonreung had bestowed upon him.
It was as if he had subdued the entire government with a single letter.
Thus, Emperor Geonreung's message—which placed an immense mantle on Jeong Yeon-shin without granting him any official government post—reached its end.
—The place where We now lay Our brush and ink is a table in the military camp. We can feel the fierce, powerful energy of the mounted barbarians. Once the sun sets, We shall fight a battle here. The wind is quite cold, so the blades should cut well. While you protect Our nation, We, as an emperor driven by a competitive spirit, shall become the sword that blocks the north.
That was all.
"..."
The silence in the courtyard deepened rapidly.
Ju Gwang-singae could guess even without looking.
The eyes of Prince Honghwang, who was currently pinned beneath Jeong Yeon-shin's foot, must be shaking violently. The momentum with which he had previously threatened the Blue-Eyed Demon Sword would have vanished without a trace.
*
As soon as the imperial envoy delivered the message, he vanished like the wind. He seemed unusually rushed, suggesting that many things were happening in Beijing.
Jeong Yeon-shin fell into deep thought.
'I want to pretend I didn't hear that.'
The instruction not to step foot in the north. Had it not been the Emperor's words, he wouldn't have even pretended to listen. Having his freedom of movement restricted during his days at the Jeong Family Manor had been more than enough.
One should never be blocked in advance.
It was said that a gentleman only wants to go somewhere more when told not to. This was especially true if the matter concerned the Demonfolk experts—beings he had heard of countless times.
'There are commoners in the north as well.'
Crunch!
He applied force to his leg and spoke softly.
The groan that escaped from beneath his foot was instantly crushed by the heavy winter wind, allowing Jeong Yeon-shin to casually play dumb.
"Perhaps because the envoy is so busy, his pronunciation when delivering the decree was quite unclear. It was hard to understand."
In this place, there were few who could speak to him on equal terms. Naturally, it was close to a monologue.
"I've memorized it all. Do not worry, Lord Jeong."
Heonwon Chang chimed in with a broad grin. He seemed to highly approve of the imperial envoy's words.
Jeong Yeon-shin caught the vibe of an oblivious older brother from him. Very rarely, but at times like this, he was reminded of Lazy Flame Dragon.
He couldn't understand why a man who was about to die was wandering around so busily.
'The Ice Palace is also in the north.'
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips.
"...I will review it myself. You do not need to tell me."
The leader of the Gwanheo Merchant Guild took a step toward him. His footsteps on the ground were extremely cautious.
"I have a proposal for you, Lord Jeong."
"What is the price?"
He did not seem surprised by Jeong Yeon-shin's swift counter-question. Rather, he answered as if he had been waiting for it.
"The Gwanheo Merchant Guild was formed through an alliance of twenty-one major merchant groups south of the Yangtze River, including our Seogwan Merchant Group. We intend to spare no support so that the Desolate Fortress can run its operations next year without any shortage."
"What is the price our main fortress must pay?"
"It is enough for five martial units of the Divine Sword Corps to permanently reside here in the east of the country, including Zhejiang, Southern Zhili, Jiangxi, and Fujian."
The guild leader concluded calmly.
Jeong Yeon-shin reflexively glanced at his sleeve. The purple hue shimmered in the clear sunlight.
"...Our fortress's martial units," he slowly continued, "are invincible even if only three of them gather."
"That is why we dare to ask for your help," the guild leader said with a faint smile.
It meant they wanted to buy martial power with financial power. The martial artist Wilderness Sunfall could refuse, but it was a difficult proposal for the Purple Rank Jeong Yeon-shin to reject. This was because he now had to look after the Desolate Fortress.
The main fortress located in Xiangyang would soon face the chaotic times head-on.
No faction could be sustained by martial power alone.
Considering the scale of the Desolate Fortress, it was inevitable. The world was too chaotic now to rely solely on the imperial court without preparing alternative supply routes.
Jeong Yeon-shin instinctively started to look back, then hesitated.
'Is this something I have to handle...?'
Inwardly, he hoped for advice from the Lord of the Desolate Fortress, but no words came. Her presence was as empty as a leaf leaning against the wind.
Come to think of it, the only person the Grand Steward ever discussed the main fortress's affairs with was the Elder Council Head.
The Lord of the Desolate Fortress, his maternal grandfather, the current Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
Not a single one of them could be pictured managing the household affairs of the Desolate Fortress. They were merely productive blades—only useful, of course, when it came to the safety of this nation.
'Ah.'
Jeong Yeon-shin was deeply shocked.
There was actually something even the Lord of the Desolate Fortress could not be relied upon for.
Just then.
"Ahem."
One of the leaders among the few remaining groups cleared his throat.
Assistant Military Commander Kang Su-hwi.
He was a handsome man wearing a wild fur coat over his official robes. Jeong Yeon-shin had briefly associated with him after slaying the Jegal Clan Leader.
He was the third most dignified figure in the military. An official of the Senior First Rank.
However, he had long since stepped down from his Four-Person Sedan Chair, and unlike before, his eyelids were slightly lowered.
"Do not worry about the Desolate Fortress's funds. Thanks to the Late Emperor sparing no military expenses, our Five Military Commissions still have plenty of military rations piled up. Of course, transporting them to Xiangyang is another matter, but I can exert some influence, Lord Jeong. Though, I cannot give a definite promise right this moment."
"You may speak as comfortably as before," Jeong Yeon-shin said, staring intently at him.
"Well, actually, I had a request... but I shall deliver it carefully when the time is right."
The Assistant Military Commander concluded, pretending not to hear.
A group consisting solely of martial artists, without any fine steeds, took a step forward.
Dressed in colorful silk martial uniforms, they emitted heavy waves of internal power, proving that every single one of them was an expert. It was the Four Provinces Martial Arts Alliance, a faction that had recently begun to make a name for itself.
"You may regard us as the Eastern Martial Arts Alliance. My name is Yeo Tae-ryeong."
The middle-aged woman spoke after clasping her hands in a formal greeting to Jeong Yeon-shin.
"While we do not have an abundance of silver, we have accumulated enough, so please trade with us as well. We are in chaotic times where the military and merchant groups could be shattered to pieces at any moment. Even we, despite forming an alliance, are on guard against the Horde of Demons Green Forest and the Myriad Phenomena Water Channel Fortress."
She spoke with a narrow sword slung across her back. A solemn aura emanated from her, as if her entire body were wrapped in sword qi. She was no ordinary swordsman.
Immediately, Heonwon Chang's voice transmission struck Jeong Yeon-shin's ears.
—Yeo Tae-ryeong! She is a hero who started her own sect from a rogue background. She is known to have mastered fifteen different sword styles. Her moniker is the Life-Summoning Rakshasa... She is a master of the killing sword whose persistence rivals that of the Blood Flame Cult nobles.
It was none of his business.
The problem was that she, too, had proposed a deal to Jeong Yeon-shin.
With an extremely polite demeanor, she added that they would also play a part in protecting the four provinces in the east of the Central Plains.
Listening to the group before him, Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly furrowed his brows.
There were other groups approaching Mok Manor. There were easily five or six more, and it seemed they would keep flocking in.
It was incredibly chaotic.
What other group would request a deal, and on what pretext?
'Is this inevitable?'
Jeong Yeon-shin understood.
The Desolate Fortress was a sect of battle demons. A Purple Rank expert with a sound mind and body was bound to be extremely rare under heaven.
Judging coldly by today's events, it was safe to say that only the Flash Art of the Jeong Clan fit the bill.
"...A deal, is it?" he slowly parted his lips.
He had to find a way to settle all of this at once. He could not afford to waste any more time at Mok Manor.
"Could you provide me with a brush and ink?" Jeong Yeon-shin asked the Gwanheo Merchant Guild.
Instantly, the guild leader's face lit up. He quickly brought paper along with the Four Treasures of the Study. Merchants like him disliked verbal promises.
Jeong Yeon-shin pondered for a moment.
Unlike Heonwon Chang, he was not eloquent. Nor was he skilled at provocation like Lazy Flame Dragon.
However, such occurrences would happen countless times in the future. The Desolate Fortress was rooted in the imperial court, but now Beijing was shaking to its core.
As the imperial court's power weakened, more people would try to grasp and exploit the Desolate Fortress.
He had to end it here.
'Damn it.'
Just thinking about it made heat rise to his Baihui Point.
Swoosh.
Soon, through the wonders of the Void Grab, the brush, ink, inkstone, and paper floated up and began to dance in midair.
[To all under heaven. To those of high strength.
What is a sword?
It is a blade that tears human flesh.
Its form does not matter.
A merchant's gold, an official's brush, and a martial artist's steel are no different.
The financial lifelines of great merchant guilds that move all kinds of goods are the lifelines of many commoners, and the brief strokes of officials' brushes change the face of this nation.
Needless to say of the scoundrels' blade-work.
In the end, great merchants, high-ranking officials, and Jianghu martial artists are all the same.
You are all swordsmen. And you are extremely strong.
And the Desolate Fortress is a sect that exerts its power over the strong. The times are unfavorable, making it difficult to show mercy.
Those who seek profit using the nation's survival as a bargaining chip look no different from a demonic army.]
Therefore, I speak to those who hold blades in this land.
Do not act rashly.
If you keep to your duties, you will not meet with sudden disaster.
Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps,
Flash Art Jeong Yeon-shin.]
"I will pay you handsomely," Jeong Yeon-shin said calmly, proposing the deal. "Copy this word for word and spread it across the land. A great merchant guild such as yours certainly has the means."
The leader of the Gwanheo Merchant Guild, who had received the letter, turned pale.
Before long, the sunset over Hangzhou cast a low, vermilion glow, announcing the end of the day.