Chapter 50: The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 50: The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering (2)
A Blue-robed Warrior of the Desolate Fortress had just subdued the young lord of a prestigious martial clan.
It was a plausible outcome, considering he’d not only caught his opponent off guard but had also perfectly countered his grappling technique. Jeong Yeon-shin's ability to read and execute techniques was simply superior.
“Heh. What just happened?”
“Looks like the Lazy Flame Dragon’s acupoints were sealed.”
To the onlookers, however, it was a baffling sight. The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was a grand banquet of martial arts, and Jeong Yeon-shin was a rising expert who had never appeared before. Quiet murmurs began to ripple through the crowd, gradually growing louder.
“I’ve never seen techniques like that. The movement art, the grappling, the acupoint sealing… all of it.”
“His body protection scripture was truly mysterious. It was like watching one of my sect’s elders, a true Brightfolk.”
“What sect is he from? How could he do that to the Lazy Flame Dragon? Even if it was just a single, surprising clash…”
The explosive tension brought on by the Lazy Flame Dragon’s madness dissolved, replaced by a stunned calm. It was as if a spring breeze had swept through, scattering the killing intent.
Jeong Yeon-shin stood quietly in the silence.
He had disabled one of his opponent’s arms. They were at point-blank range. In a normal duel, the fight would have ended here, but there was no telling what the seemingly unhinged Lazy Flame Dragon might do next.
His Infinite Flower of Time Fist still lacked the ‘one-inch power’ needed to exert force from such a close distance. He braced himself, circulating his true qi to its peak.
Just then, the Lazy Flame Dragon muttered.
“…Duller…? You called me duller?”
“If you can’t even feel that, then so be it,” Jeong Yeon-shin said calmly, withdrawing his arm. He didn’t release the sealed acupoints, leaving them blocked so he could subdue the man instantly if he went berserk again.
The acupoints will open on their own once he performs Qi Meditation.
He had heard many stories about experts who could manipulate Yin-Yang energy. They were said to possess distinct strengths; fervent Yang energy, for instance, could easily disperse an intruder’s internal energy. Seeing it in person was intriguing. It gave him something to ponder. How did one evoke the properties of a flame flower using only true qi?
While Jeong Yeon-shin was lost in thought, the man spoke again.
“You’re not even paying attention to me. Just what are you?”
The Lazy Flame Dragon’s reaction was peculiar—a very calm sort of anger. Looking as if he’d just chewed and swallowed a poppy whole, he continued, “A disciple of the Pursuing Truth Sect. I recognized your talent in that single exchange. A man like you will surely make a name for himself for a long time. Even after you die, you’ll be spoken of for decades.”
“And?”
Cheong-myeong had once told him that the ultimate provocation was to mock an opponent’s deepest, most private secrets. Following that advice, he remained silent, waiting to see what the Lazy Flame Dragon would say next.
“Do you know what it feels like when your own feet move toward the abyss? You’re a bastard who has everything. Your complexion is exceptionally healthy. How does it feel to possess talent that demands no price?”
“What?”
The words were so jarring they completely extinguished his curiosity about the flame flower’s true qi. It all seemed utterly trivial now. He felt it would be better to just get into a brawl with this acupoint-sealed bastard instead.
The Lazy Flame Dragon continued, his fingertips trembling. “I was born with extreme Yang energy. I grew stronger even when I wasn’t practicing my heart law. My razor-sharp senses came with the price of my meridians constantly burning. That is my achievement. My martial arts were built to alter my very constitution through profound internal energy mastery. It is not something for a bastard like you to disparage as dull!”
Perhaps because he recognized Jeong Yeon-shin’s talent, he babbled on as if sharing a drink with a close friend. It was so strange that Jeong Yeon-shin actually felt embarrassed for him. While this development was favorable for his mission, he found this type of person, whom he was encountering for the first time, deeply bizarre.
The dark shadows under the Lazy Flame Dragon’s eyes were unsettling. Jeong Yeon-shin spoke slowly. “What do you want me to do about it? It’s the truth. And it’s not as if you possess martial arts great enough to overcome your talent, anyway.”
“You truly—!”
“I called what is dull, dull. There’s nothing wrong with that. Only you know your own pain. No one else can understand it.”
In the end, Jeong Yeon-shin found himself speaking of his own situation. He had learned through his missions that, unlike the ascetic disciples of the Nine Sects, people in the Jianghu angered easily. Simply stating the truth was often enough to make them fly into a rage. Though he couldn’t comprehend why, he figured it would work now, especially since he was actively trying to provoke a reaction.
This was his first time intentionally provoking someone. Surely, it would work.
“Only I know…? I’ve never heard anyone say that. Everyone always said they understood. Even that Mount Hua bastard just now said so.”
The reaction was strange.
The Lazy Flame Dragon’s lips trembled, like a mute man speaking for the first time. He was a genius suffering from the bizarre affliction known as the Solar Divine Pulse; it was nearly impossible for anyone to comprehend his mental state.
“Someone who understands the trajectory of my forms claims not to know me? Are you calling a talent destined for a fleeting, early death trivial? Even when the elders of my clan held onto me, their expectations sickening…”
The tension in his eyes softened. The distinct, clear gaze of an expert trained in orthodox martial arts was returning, the madness visibly receding from his eyes. His aura became exceptionally clear—so much so that he no longer looked like someone drunk on alcohol and poppies.
Finally, the Lazy Flame Dragon’s expression seemed to carry an unprecedented warmth.
Jeong Yeon-shin felt a sense of crisis. Thoughts of a failed mission flashed through his mind.
“If I were you, I would have severed ties with my clan and joined the Desolate Fortress. They say the fruit of the World Tree cures all ailments. Surely it would do the same for the Solar Divine Pulse. To speak of life without even putting in that much effort? It’s laughable. You might have a few years left, but it’s already too late.”
“Haha! You worry for me! Were you so saddened by the thought of a talent worthy of discussing martial arts with disappearing?!”
“I already told you that you are duller.”
It was an incomprehensible way of thinking. The man seemed to have gone mad from his long-standing pain. The mistake was trying to provoke him with taunts meant for ordinary people.
I’ll have to try again later.
This was an unexpected obstacle. Jeong Yeon-shin turned to leave immediately. Since any further provocation seemed useless for now, he needed the help of Heonwon Chang and Shin So-bin, who were watching from afar with strange expressions.
I can’t just sever the Lazy Flame Dragon’s limbs in the middle of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.
He would instantly become a public enemy of the orthodox martial world. He had to avoid that, which was why provocation had been his primary goal. Otherwise, even the planned chase with the Hwangbo Clan’s martial unit—his final task—would become difficult.
“Where are you going? Have a drink with me. I like you. I will specially treat you to some aged Shaoxing yellow wine.”
“Your pathetic talent would only sour the wine. I don’t share a table with trivial people.”
Even as he spat out the harsh words, the other man just laughed heartily. He was completely mad. Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head inwardly.
He shifted his gaze, looking for Yu-hyeon, who had been sprawled on the ground. He saw him getting up on his own. It seemed he had no fellow disciples from the Mount Hua Sect with him, and he looked a total mess.
Jeong Yeon-shin quickly approached him. “Where is the elder from your sect who was supposed to accompany you?”
“Ah, it’s been a while. As you can see, they decided to send all the elders away from the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. Said we couldn’t socialize comfortably with them watching. Anyway, thank you. As expected of… well, a disciple.” He changed his words, as if he had overheard the Lazy Flame Dragon. Jeong Yeon-shin saw Yu-hyeon’s eyes dart around.
He was as quick-witted as ever. He must have caught a glimpse of the Desolate Fortress emblem—the character Hwang—partially covered by another layer of cloth.
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke. “You aren’t angry, even though I interrupted your duel.”
“It should have ended long ago. We weren’t in the same league. Compared to that, you…”
“Hmm?”
Yu-hyeon was renowned as a peerless genius of Shaanxi. Uncharacteristically, his voice trailed off. “You’ve grown unbelievably strong. It feels like your entire realm has changed. I’ve made progress too, but… wait, now that I look at you…”
He seemed to have belatedly noticed the color of Jeong Yeon-shin’s martial uniform beneath his robe. Yu-hyeon’s expression grew complicated. Such was the significance of the Desolate Fortress’s Blue Rank.
Those who held it were said to have a status equivalent to the absolute elites of the Nine Sects. Below only the sect leaders and elders, they were the ultimate experts.
Jeong Yeon-shin was close enough to Yu-hyeon to be called a friend and had heard of his aspirations. As the youngest disciple of the sect leader, Yu-hyeon dreamed of becoming a Plum Blossom Sword Master of the Mount Hua Sect. The Blue Rank was a position equivalent to his ultimate goal. Jeong Yeon-shin could well guess his feelings.
The time we each have to live is different.
Jeong Yeon-shin swallowed the words.
He turned his gaze and saw people walking toward him, even before Heonwon Chang and Shin So-bin could approach. They were young men and women of outstanding bearing—the rising stars of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering who had been in the Lotus Pavilion.
Orthodox martial lineages, all gathered in one place. There are even some from factions between the orthodox and unorthodox paths.
To Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes, they were not merely people. Their curious faces appeared to him as entirely new systems of martial arts.
“It is my first time seeing someone speak so harshly to the Lazy Flame Dragon. I am Wi Mu-ryeong of the Zhangbai Sect.”
“I am Eun Ri-myeong of the Southern Zhili White Saber Sect. Your forms were highly creative. Where did you learn them?”
“The Pursuing Truth Sect. If they have a rising star like you, they will surely soar soon. It has been a long time since a dragon emerged from a small-to-medium sect, but it seems another star on par with the Sword Dragon and the Lazy Flame Dragon has appeared.”
They gathered one by one. Perhaps because his opponent had been the Lazy Flame Dragon, they didn’t seem to hold much aversion toward him, despite hearing his harsh words. He returned their greetings, taking in the full measure of their auras.
Good.
What Jeong Yeon-shin sought to create lately was a heart cultivation art—a study of absorbing energy. The diverse auras of these rising stars, manifested through their true qi, were all sources of inspiration. To increase the speed of his heart cultivation art's qi accumulation, he also had to consider stability. Orthodox martial arts were an excellent foundation.
“A rootless piece of trash…”
He welcomed the sight of Hwangbo Myeong-rin glaring at him with murderous intent from the side. The rising stars of other prestigious martial clans formed a group around her, none of them approaching him.
Just then, someone remarked, “I heard that Shaolin, Wudang, and Zhongnan have also sent people. I wonder when they will arrive.”
Jeong Yeon-shin immediately thought of the Young Divine Monk Gakjeong and the Sword Dragon Wiji Myo-hwa. This truly was the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering of the orthodox martial world. It seemed that disciples from factions representing thirty percent of the Central Plains were gathering here.
The scale is growing.
It wasn’t just about the rising stars. The Namgung Clan, right here in Huizhou, had already begun clashing with the Thirteen Heavens. To accomplish his mission, he also had to draw in the Hwangbo Clan. And he couldn’t overlook the Thirteen Heavens, who were currently fighting the Namgung Clan.
There was no telling how fierce the currents would become. Just as Jeong Yeon-shin was sharpening his vigilance, a voice rang out.
“This place will do.”
It was a sinister voice, carrying a powerful resonance. In an instant, an incredibly deep internal energy washed over the area.
Thud! Thud!
From various directions, the corpses of warriors in blue uniforms came flying in. They appeared to be the Namgung Clan guards who had been secretly protecting the perimeter.
The reaction of the rising stars was instantaneous.
Shring!
The sound of swords being drawn rang out in unison. None of them were careless enough to waste time asking for identities. With flashing eyes, they glared at the uninvited guests.
“Every time the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is held, the unorthodox factions swarm. It was the same yesterday. Now that the Namgung Clan has locked its gates, all sorts of flies are clinging to us.”
“Isn’t it obvious, since we’re doing this out in the open? Just look at how many enemies our main family has.”
“Let’s finish this quickly.”
To their nonchalant reactions, an even more casual reply returned.
“The Secret Line spoke true. Even the greenhorns of the orthodox factions are here. Truly delightful.”
“Their reactions are good. Yes. This is a common occurrence in the Jianghu.”
A group of figures walked forward without making a single footstep. They had black hair mixed with blood-red locks and emanated a sinister energy. There were about twenty Blood Master Swords, and their blood-red eyes were fixed on Jeong Yeon-shin.
They had appeared almost as soon as he entered Huizhou and spent time at the Lotus Pavilion. It seemed intentional. Jeong Yeon-shin recalled Ma Jin's words. Since he had revealed a martial art that was the natural enemy of the Blood Flame Cult, he would have become their highest priority for assassination.
It was true.
He had learned from his missions that the Blood Flame Cult’s influence had grown to a bizarre extent. Such a massive cult was now mobilizing its power to kill him. Since they were an unorthodox faction whose martial prowess was rooted in sorcery, they said the longer he spent in the Jianghu, the easier it would be for them to track him. It was a part of their sorcerous martial arts.
Had the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering been held inside the Namgung Clan’s estate, this would not have happened. It was a development that even the Desolate Fortress had not anticipated.
“The Blood Flame Cult?”
“Crazy bastards.”
“So many Blood Master Swords… Just how many branches have gathered?”
Many let out low groans. Even Jeong Yeon-shin, who had little experience in the Jianghu, had already encountered them to the point of weariness. It must have been the same for the other rising stars who had roamed the Jianghu before him. This was a terrifying force.
In the distance, Hwangbo Myeong-rin’s face had turned pale. The expression of the Lazy Flame Dragon, whose acupoints Jeong Yeon-shin still hadn’t released, was also grim.
Such was the Jianghu. It was a place where inevitability and coincidence intertwined to suddenly produce corpses. Just because you drove away a third-rate sect yesterday did not mean a great sect wouldn’t pay a visit tomorrow. Perhaps even the Namgung Clan, which had locked its gates, was merely dancing in the palm of the Blood Flame Cult’s hand.
Everyone dies.
It was an old tactic of the unorthodox factions. If they slaughtered the successors of the rival orthodox factions, the mid-tier experts would inevitably be shaken. In a world of martial arts where a hair’s breadth made all the difference, it created a massive psychological rift.
“…”
Only the sound of flowing water, endlessly catching the sunlight, echoed through the silence. Had the river beneath the pavilion turned into the Sanzu River? Some of the younger rising stars swallowed hard.
This is good.
Jeong Yeon-shin circulated his true qi according to the designated mnemonic. Immediately, a divine Buddhist Dharma Power began to rise throughout his body. Wrapping his internal energy around his right hand, he felt a quiet anticipation. The Seventh Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult had lost an eye to this very martial art.
He hoped they had come prepared with a counter. If he could then overcome that counter, he was certain to gain new insights.
His was a life that required him to grow strong at a rapid pace. He had to utilize any means necessary.
“You.”
One of the Blood Master Swords stepped forward. He had the most black hair among the group, and the aura radiating from him was already on another level.
“In a bustling city like Huizhou, there is nowhere beyond the reach of our cult’s eyes. Even though you must have known a hunt-and-kill order was issued for you, you crawled right in. The fools of the orthodox factions know nothing. You are…”
“Then you must have come knowing this as well,” Jeong Yeon-shin cut in.
A pale blue current coalesced around his lowered hands. It was a sect-exclusive martial art that existed nowhere else in the world.
The moment the Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand manifested over the water’s surface, which had swallowed the sun’s light, a grand wave of energy surged from him.
Vroooom!
It was an energy clearer and more refined than anyone else’s in this place. A wave like a sky-blue mist rippled outward in all directions. Perhaps because he had already accumulated a significant amount of qi for his heart law, he suppressed the combined aura of the Blood Master Swords before he even made a move. The two forces were complete opposites.
For a moment, no one answered. A look of doubt crossed Jeong Yeon-shin’s face.