Chapter 512: Sunset (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 512: Sunset (3)
Jeong Yeon-shin held the gourd high, drinking from it without pause.
He did not stop even once.
Using his internal energy, he suppressed the blood that threatened to burst from his throat, swallowing it back down along with the alcohol. As he practically poured the Thunder Immortal Treasure Wine down his throat, the fragrant aroma of the liquor mingled with the sickening, metallic stench of blood in his mouth.
My internal injuries are severe, Yeon-shin thought.
It was exactly as the Leader of the Horde of Demons Green Forest, currently pinned beneath his foot, had said. He had pushed himself to the absolute limit to shatter his opponent's Unified Martial Transcendence, and his body had been forced to absorb the full recoil of redirecting the enemy's attack back at them using Taiji.
It felt as though the blood vessels in his palms and the fine meridians throughout his entire body were tearing apart.
Atop the fortress wall by the main gate, the supply provided by the blue-robed warrior of the Netherflow Unit had been incredibly timely. The trajectory and speed of the gourd, thrown during a brief lull in the battle, had essentially saved Yeon-shin's life just before his accumulating internal injuries could trigger a fatal collapse.
Naturally, this rendered the sacrifice of the Leader, Je Gang-cheon, utterly meaningless.
"How dare that brat...!"
The last remaining expert of the Horde of Demons Green Forest, a woman clad in silver armor, glared at Sam-bok with a scar-ravaged face. Even while being pressured by the shockwaves of Ak Su-rim's bare-handed palm techniques—since she had thrown her spear earlier—the woman still radiated murderous intent. She looked ready to expose her back to Ak Su-rim if it meant she could rush Sam-bok and pierce his throat.
The blue-robed warrior of the Netherflow Unit, who had been anxiously watching Yeon-shin from afar, flinched slightly.
"What are you looking at, punk?" Sam-bok muttered.
Perhaps enraged by his casual, half-hearted insult, the silver-armored expert's footwork suddenly shifted. The fabric of her trousers creased in tighter folds, indicating she was channeling her internal energy into her Body Protection Scripture. With their Leader subdued, she was likely planning to take the blue-robed warrior—who clearly shared a bond with the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps—as a hostage.
"..."
However, the Green Forest expert could not turn away from Ak Su-rim. Her body froze for a split second.
It was because Yeon-shin, still holding the gourd to his lips, was silently looking down at her.
A cold, clear gaze. Pure murderous intent.
At this moment, it carried the most ferocious momentum on the entire battlefield, even though he was simply standing there like a madman, holding a sword in one hand and drinking.
Seizing that split second, Ak Su-rim closed the distance and struck the woman's abdomen with her palm. It was the Soul-Burning Palm, a martial art passed down through the Divine Sword Squad of the Divine Sword Corps.
Boom!
The iron armor crumpled into fine wrinkles as a pale shockwave exploded, gouging a massive crater into the earth. As the silver-armored expert was blown backward like an arrow, Ak Su-rim pursued her like a flash of lightning. Taking advantage of the distraction, the blue-robed warrior Sam-bok slipped away into the corner of the fortress wall.
Yeon-shin shifted his gaze downward. The Leader, Je Gang-cheon, was looking up at him with eyes stained dark red with blood.
"A Dynamic Cultivation Art, is it...?" Je Gang-cheon spoke slowly. "...If only I had possessed such a thing when I set foot in the Northern Region."
It was just as he said. Yeon-shin stood still, circulating the medicinal energy of the Thunder Immortal Treasure Wine throughout his body.
A Dynamic Cultivation Art. It allowed one to perform the Great Heavenly Cycle even while in motion. Moreover, his Jeong Family Dynamic Art had long since begun to peer into a realm far beyond the Stage of Great Completion.
Insomnia, moonlight, the swing.
Yeon-shin ignored the slight haziness creeping into his mind and coated his fine meridians and primary pathways with the healing energy of the medicine, silently repeating the core principles of the Jeong Family Dynamic Art.
There was no telling when Tidal Fist Heaven might break free from the purple-robed woman's grasp and blow the main gate's wall to pieces. His Body Protection Qi had been highly bothersome from the moment Yeon-shin first glanced at it, possessing a texture as dense and unyielding as diamond. The same went for his Fervent Yang Energy, which was reminiscent of the Lazy Flame Dragon. Such unique energies always introduced unpredictable variables.
...And then there is him.
The Lord of the Martial Dragon Association, who had done nothing but watch with folded arms throughout the Great Sect War, was also a problem. At this moment, he was staring at Yeon-shin with interest, tapping one foot out of habit.
Tap, tap.
Despite his bull-like physique, not a single speck of dust rose from beneath his feet. The ground merely cracked in sync with his tapping. It was impossible to tell what he was preparing. He truly deserved the title of an eccentric.
"Hmm? Do carry on." Meeting Yeon-shin's gaze, he laughed heartily and continued. "I, Hyeokryeon Pung-wol, have never joined forces with anyone in my entire life. It was the same when I went to exchange blows with your superior... ah, I suppose you two are of equal rank now. In any case, when I fought Yong Hee-myung, I rejected the earnest plea of the Lord of Lingering Spirit and acted entirely on my own."
"..."
Yeon-shin turned his head to the side.
Through the roaring explosions and rising dust, a woman's long hair fluttered gracefully. Her purple robe suited her uncannily well.
[Choking Pressure. Resonance.]
Circular currents of air surged in the void following her casual gestures.
Vroooooom!
Dozens of massive, overlapping ripples slammed down into the earth, pinning Tidal Fist Heaven to one knee at the center of the impact. Every time he attempted to stand, the ground collapsed beneath him with a sound like thunder. It was a sorcery martial art that disrupted his balance with exquisite precision. At this moment, she seemed to be doing nothing but toying with her opponent.
The ground fractured violently.
As long cracks spiderwebbed in all directions, Tidal Fist Heaven's demon mask began to shatter, revealing the flesh beneath. Soon, the purple-robed woman looking down at him suddenly raised her head.
[Oh dear.]
Her eyes met Yeon-shin's. A slight smile played on her lips.
[I am running late. And here I am, supposed to be the senior.]
"Your junior's martial arts leave no room for retreat. That makes me a bit faster," Yeon-shin replied calmly.
He had sensed a trace of Elder Council Head Shin Byeok's disposition in her. Though he hadn't understood it at first, keeping his Sight of the Lowly active had allowed him to piece together the situation. At the very least, he was certain she was an old senior who was acquainted with Ak Su-rim.
Of course, he did not know her exact identity. For now, he was simply doing his duty as the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
The energy of the Thunder Immortal Treasure Wine is spreading. At this rate, I will be fully recovered in fifteen minutes.
Meanwhile, countless figures had gathered in the vicinity, all staring at Yeon-shin.
How many among them were not aligned with the Lord of Lingering Spirit's intentions—that is to say, how many actually intended to aid the Desolate Fortress?
There were hundreds standing tall on the edges of the civilian rooftops alone. In addition, there were crowds filling the marketplace with their hands resting on the hilts of their swords, and masters of lightness skills landing one after another with heavy thuds, kicking up clouds of dust. Among them were also a few clumsy swordsmen looking around nervously.
Most of them appeared well-versed in martial arts. They had swarmed into Xiangyang regardless of whether they belonged to the Orthodox, Unorthodox, or Demonic factions. It was impossible to even estimate how many sects were represented.
This was why Yeon-shin forced down the blood boiling in his throat.
He had to show those who had traveled all the way to Xiangyang what it meant to "Enter the Desolate." The true meaning of stepping into the wild, untamed lands.
An overwhelming spectacle.
"Are you perhaps wondering... why those who rushed all the way here with such momentum suddenly halted their lightness skills?" It was the Leader, Je Gang-cheon.
His voice had suddenly grown clear. Even his pulse, beating as powerfully as a thoroughbred, vibrated up through Yeon-shin's foot. It was the resonance of Innate Qi.
Yeon-shin stopped scanning the crowd and looked down. At the same time, the leader of the mounted bandits answered his own question.
"Isn't it obvious? The very person who created this mountain of corpses and sea of blood is standing here, casually enjoying a drink while pinning down the owner of that face on the Thirteen Heavens' wanted poster—a face that has caused quite a stir lately. Even King Yama of the Underworld would find this sight chilling."
He finished with a trembling chuckle.
Yet, the sheer number of people surrounding the southern side of the Desolate Fortress was far too great. If they were to disregard their own lives and charge in using their lightness skills, the safety of the families of the fortress warriors inside the Inner Castle would be in grave danger.
This was the final move in the grand scheme to annihilate the Desolate Fortress.
He felt countless eyes on him. Not just the martial artists of the Jianghu, but also the locals who had been nearby, and even the mysterious purple-robed woman.
Yeon-shin met Je Gang-cheon's gaze without any particular expression, recalling the qualities of a Commander of the Divine Sword Corps that the man had pointed out earlier. Fulfilling that role required far more strength than he had anticipated. In comparison, simply avenging his fallen Black Rank seniors felt like the easier path.
"Why did a man of the military..." He slowly opened his lips. "...become a bandit and plunder innocent civilians?"
At his question, Je Gang-cheon smiled and replied. "The lives of kings and generals, the paths of martial artists, the existence of commoners—all are bound to the times they live in. In an age of chaos, every path becomes twisted. The answer to your question, Lord Jeong... you will naturally find it once you set foot in the Northern Region."
It sounded as though he had succumbed to a Heart Demon in the North.
At those words, one corner of Yeon-shin's mouth curled upward. Perhaps it was the alcohol taking effect. The sneer he wore, unlike any he had shown before, resembled that of the Heaven-Smiling Invincible. A dense aura of death clung to the lines of his mouth.
At that exact moment, the telepathic voice of Grand Steward Im Jin-myeong reached him once more.
— I am deeply sorry for causing you concern. I am unharmed, so please secure the southern side, Lord Jeong. The one who went to reinforce you is the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps from two generations ago, Senior Shin Cheon-hwa.
The heavily raspy voice, for some reason, brought a sense of relief to Yeon-shin.
He spoke immediately.
"It cannot be difficult to till a field with hands that wield martial arts. Thus, what truly lacks an answer is your pathetic mindset, which dares not even contemplate noble endeavors like farming or commerce. Your life is a patchwork of contradictions. How can you stand so proud at the end of an existence that is nothing short of garbage? If the problem lay within the Baihui Point on your head, I can at least pray for the repose of the useless Upper Dantian beneath it."
This was the land where the Commander of the Netherflow Unit, the Commander of the Searing Abyss Unit, the Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing, and countless other warriors of the main fortress—people who had become Yeon-shin's family, bound by ties deeper than even those of the Jeong Family Manor—had perished.
His words were directed at the entire martial world.
"..."
A heavy silence sliced through the air.
For the first time, the Leader of the Horde of Demons Green Forest was left utterly speechless. How often had such raw, unfiltered words been spoken at the absolute peak of the Jianghu, a realm populated only by transcendent beings?
Even some of the martial artists who had been gradually closing the distance flinched.
A Purple Rank of the Desolate Fortress openly declaring his judgment of the Jianghu. Even the most experienced veterans of the martial world would rarely encounter such a presence in their lifetimes.
Je Gang-cheon stared blankly up at Yeon-shin and asked in a low voice. "...Who is ever born a bandit?"
"Were the warriors of our fortress born with the character 'Hwang' engraved on their shoulders?"
"That... is also true..."
As Je Gang-cheon muttered in a dying breath, voices suddenly erupted.
"Your words are far too arrogant! Is that a lecture fit for someone who has slaughtered just as many as we have?"
"The bloodshed the Desolate Fortress has wrought upon the Jianghu is...!"
From far away, voices burst from among the gathered martial artists. In each of those voices, a faintly distorted structure of True Qi could be felt. It was the distinct energy signature of Lingering Spirit.
At that moment.
The Lord of the Martial Dragon Association suddenly vanished as if warping through space, reappearing to obliterate the owners of those voices, body and soul. Simultaneously, Ak Su-rim's silver spear, which had been lying far off, flew into Yeon-shin's grip with a sharp crack.
"They cannot even show proper respect to the Grandmaster of a lineage. Why would the constables of the Jianghu ever till the fields?"
As the Lord of the Martial Dragon Association's amused voice echoed faintly...
Screeech!
Yeon-shin swung the spear, scraping the ground before raising it high into the air. Je Gang-cheon's head, cleanly severed along the spear's trajectory, flew upward and was impaled on the spearhead in an instant. From the distant wall, a green flag flew over as if swept by a typhoon, wrapping itself around the shaft. It was a double display of Void Grab.
In the next instant, Yeon-shin's arm blurred, and the silver spear vanished from his hand, leaving a deafening roar in its wake.
BOOM!!!
The ground beneath the front ranks of the Jianghu crowd shook violently. Two shockwaves overlapped: one from the spear's launch, and another as the ground shattered like a spiderweb and collapsed entirely. Yet, Yeon-shin's voice pierced through the thunderous din.
"The Flash Art of the Jeong Clan decrees."
"..."
"That flag is the prestige of the Desolate Fortress. And now, it stands right before your eyes."
Some in the crowd whispered. "What in the...?"
The long spear was driven diagonally into the earth, as if single-handedly blocking the path to the main fortress. Impaled on its tip was the head of the Leader of the Horde of Demons Green Forest. Beneath it, the flag bearing the character 'Hwang' fluttered violently.
Just like the warriors of the Desolate Fortress, who knew no rest amidst the storms of the Jianghu.
"Try and break it," Yeon-shin growled. "Let us see if the courage of the martial world is as grand as its pride."
Names and dignity.
These were the things the martial masters roaming the lands of Ming valued above life itself. In other words, honor. That was why they bestowed grand titles upon one another and sought to leave their names in the annals of the martial world through countless journeys. Even their achievements in martial arts did not end in self-satisfaction but culminated in duels and life-and-death battles.
At this gathering, where all manner of Jianghu figures had assembled on an unprecedented scale, every single person had come to intervene in the affairs of the Desolate Fortress. Naturally, each of them, to some degree, represented the martial power of their respective regions.
Therefore, the flag Yeon-shin had planted at this moment was a sentence of death cast upon the entire martial world.
Against the backdrop of a desolate mountain of corpses, walls and soil stained dark with flowing blood, stood the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, holding his liquor bottle.
Could anyone dare to break that flag under his watchful gaze?
"...If they break it, they die on the spot. If they retreat in hesitation, they can no longer call themselves martial artists or complain about the Desolate Fortress's tyranny over the Jianghu." The Lord of the Martial Dragon Association murmured from within the crowd. "I never cared for such tedious matters to begin with. Having had my eyes opened today, I pay my respects to the next Commander of the Divine Sword Corps and take my leave."
With those words, his figure dissolved like twilight. It was a movement technique clearly bordering on the greatest under heaven, one that no one from the Desolate Fortress could hope to intercept in this situation.
And so, the people of the Jianghu were placed upon an ancient trial.
"..."
While those who had been about to denounce Yeon-shin shut their mouths as if frozen...
Step.
Shin Cheon-hwa suddenly took a step toward Yeon-shin, her hands clasped behind her back.
