Chapter 52: Dragon-Phoenix Gathering (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 52: Dragon-Phoenix Gathering (4)
No one would readily admit to such a thing. This was especially true for those who claimed to walk the path of the Orthodox sects.
Hwangbo Myeong-rin scoffed, not even a single eyebrow twitching in remorse.
"I used your junior sister as bait? You must be seeing things. Or perhaps..."
The corners of her mouth curled upward, forming a brazen smile without a single shred of hesitation.
"Are you trying to slander me, you rootless bastard?"
"Aren't you the rootless one here?"
It wasn't Jeong Yeon-shin who spoke. His arm, which had been holding the other two back, was gently brushed aside by Heonwon Chang.
The Divine Hero of the Desolate Fortress stepped forward. The faint smile on his lips as he adjusted the hero's headband on his forehead was as picturesque as a painting.
"Tossing around words like 'bastards' and 'trash' hardly sounds like the speech of an educated person."
"What?"
"You must have been spoon-fed countless spirit medicines since childhood. I hear there is a famous regional cuisine in your native Shandong called Lu cuisine, and that its dishes—wrapping all sorts of fine ingredients in dumpling skins—are truly exquisite. Perhaps you tore out the pages of the Four Books and Three Classics one by one, wrapped your spirit medicines in them, and swallowed them whole? Is that how your family taught you the ways of Confucius and Mencius? I had heard the Hwangbo Clan was a prestigious family, but it seems that was nothing but a lie."
His insults flowed as eloquently as a running stream.
"How dare a lowborn like you...?"
Hwangbo Myeong-rin's jaw dropped in shock. Heonwon Chang merely looked back at her with a cold sneer.
"They say Shandong food is salty, yet your words and actions are utterly bland. To shamelessly deny your atrocities when there are two witnesses standing right here? I have never heard of such a coward as Hwangbo Myeong-rin among the local aristocrats of the Shandong martial world. Isn't that right?"
Heonwon Chang asked, casting his gaze around the group. Those who met his eyes quickly looked away.
A refreshing smile played on his lips.
"You want to die?!"
Hwangbo Myeong-rin lunged forward, executing her footwork. A fierce wave of energy gathered in her hands.
In that instant, Jeong Yeon-shin's hand blurred.
With a sharp crack, her body spun through the air.
He had slapped her across the cheek, channeling his internal power into a body perfectly tempered by the Jeong Family Dynamic Art.
Pfft!
Hwangbo Myeong-rin sprawled miserably across the dirt.
Instantly, the rising stars of the other noble families assumed their combat stances. The blades and swords drawn by the eight of them flashed menacingly in the bright sunlight.
"If your words are true, then this is indeed justified. However, you must understand us."
"There is no neutrality in the martial world. If we do not know the truth, we have no choice but to side with the one we share ties with."
Two of the rising stars spoke. A faint wariness was laced in their tones.
These youths were entirely different from those who had shown goodwill after Jeong Yeon-shin exchanged blows with the Lazy Flame Dragon.
Even within the Orthodox Faction, not everyone shared the same nature. The disciples of the Nine Sects worshipped either Buddha or Yuanshi Tianzun; as ascetics of the mountains, they were largely detached from fame and wealth.
The noble families were different. They were powerful, entrenched clans that had endured for generations.
While they claimed to walk the Righteous Path, they ruthlessly pursued profit. Their definition of righteousness was entirely different.
Some eccentric masters with profound martial arts would even say it openly: it was nearly impossible to find a true, righteous hero outside of the mountain sects.
'I heard there are those who enjoy performing heroic deeds, though.'
But that clearly did not apply to these noble family descendants. Right before his eyes, these influential figures were shamelessly colluding with one another.
The leadership of their group naturally fell to Hwangbo Myeong-rin. The very composition of their alliance dictated it, as Southern Zhili was located just below Shandong.
The local aristocrats of the Hwangbo Clan acted like absolute royalty in Jinan, Shandong Province. The descendants of nearby martial clans had no choice but to treat them with the utmost deference.
'Hwangbo Myeong-rin's value is greater.'
He hadn't killed her on purpose. He had made a calculated judgment using his authority as a Blue Rank. The Lazy Flame Dragon was a clan successor whose death was already predetermined.
He was merely being used as a pawn to elevate the family's reputation. The true future of the Hwangbo Clan lay with these siblings—one of whom Jeong Yeon-shin had just struck.
"I've heard there is such a thing as a spirit beast," Jeong Yeon-shin said.
A young man hurriedly rushed over to support his younger sister.
He was the same man who had picked a fight with Jeong Yeon-shin on the Huizhou official road, only to be knocked down in a single blow. He was the Second Young Master of the Hwangbo Clan.
"Even after doing this, you..."
"I am speaking."
When Jeong Yeon-shin stared at him quietly, the young man flinched. Unable to even meet his gaze, the Second Young Master quickly looked away.
"I've heard there are beasts cleverly raised by the Brightfolk using their clan's secret arts. They are called spirit beasts."
"..."
"They say these animals understand human speech and exhibit mysterious abilities. Call your family's warriors. As many as possible. Who knows? The Blood Flame Cult might send reinforcements."
The Eight Great Families of Jianghu were local aristocrats in name only. In reality, they possessed a solid regional foundation and supreme martial arts, ruling their territories like royal palaces.
In a world where spirit beasts could be bought with enough gold, a direct bloodline descendant of the Hwangbo Clan would surely possess at least one such means of communication.
Whether it was a messenger pigeon or something else didn't matter. Shandong was not far from here. He needed them to continuously send updates.
This way, the moment a portion of the Hwangbo Clan's martial unit left their base, the Desolate Fortress would secure the justification for punishment and immediately march north.
And indeed, it was so.
The moment he finished speaking, something with wings stirred inside the breast of the Second Young Master's robe. It was a small bird resembling a swallow.
Using a small travel brush and inkpot, the Second Young Master wrote a brief message and tied it to the bird's leg. However, he did not release it just yet.
He said, "The moment we send this message, our value to you disappears. You might decide to kill us right then and there, wouldn't you? We will decide when to release it."
"Use your head. Sending it once won't be enough. Keep the sheer scale of Southern Zhili and Shandong in mind. That bird will have to fly back and forth constantly."
"...You are right."
He quietly admitted his mistake, clearly wary of Jeong Yeon-shin's martial prowess.
He believed that even if Jeong Yeon-shin was suffering from internal injuries, he could still drag them all down to hell with him. In the martial world, this was the threat of mutual destruction.
'This guy has become quite cautious.'
Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been looking up at the tail of the departing bird, lowered his head.
Hwangbo Myeong-rin, having regained her senses, glared at him with murderous intent. The Second Young Master, on the other hand, couldn't even lift his head.
They would never harmonize. Nevertheless, they had to stick together as a group.
"No matter who brought the Blood Ghosts here, we must join forces. It seems they've come to kill even the rising stars of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering."
The speaker was the Lazy Flame Dragon.
He glanced between both sides before casually stuffing a poppy into his mouth.
As he chewed on the flower bud, his vacant eyes settled on Jeong Yeon-shin.
* * *
Twenty days passed. Time and time again, they managed to shake off the pursuit of the Blood Flame Cult.
The Cult had cast a Net of Heaven and Earth starting from the south. Returning to Huizhou was completely out of the question.
Instead, it would be much faster to seek the protection of the Hwangbo Clan forces coming down from Jinan.
Everyone in the group looked like absolute beggars. They had been relentlessly driven off the official roads and forced to navigate rugged mountain paths.
They now stood on a plain at the edge of a massive mountain range. Before they knew it, they had drawn dangerously close to Shandong.
'Now, it's a battle of speed.'
Jeong Yeon-shin thought to himself, thoroughly sick and tired of hunting and eating wild birds.
Even when sleeping, at least one of the three from the Demonlight Wing had to remain awake on watch.
It was simply too difficult to fully trust the rising stars, especially the Hwangbo siblings.
Sufficient time had passed. The mission was a success. The forces of the Hwangbo Clan and the Desolate Fortress would be rushing in from both sides.
This would be a clash between the local aristocrats of the martial world who ruled Jinan, Shandong, and the Desolate Fortress, which held jurisdiction over the entire Central Plains.
With the battlefield set near Shandong, it wouldn't be strange regardless of which side arrived first. This was especially true given the unexpected nature of the mission.
'They will arrive at the same time.'
It was said that the Blood Flame Cult was nearly impossible to infiltrate with spies due to their dark sorcery. The Hwangbo Clan, however, was different. They were arrogant fools who would have rushed out blindly.
Once they crossed north of Southern Zhili, they could never escape the watchful eyes of the Desolate Fortress.
The Desolate Fortress had been watching them for a long time. This was a long-standing operation.
It was highly likely that the martial units, including the Demonlight Wing, were already trailing closely behind them, perfectly concealed.
"They said our family's escort unit is coming. It's over now."
Over the past twenty days, Hwangbo Myeong-rin had completely regained her arrogant confidence. She even went so far as to declare it openly.
She boasted that once the Hwangbo Clan's escort unit arrived, the Blood Flame Cult's pursuers would no longer be a threat. Pushing the Lazy Flame Dragon and the Second Young Master to the background, she forcefully took command of the group.
"There they are," Heonwon Chang muttered.
The moment they descended the mountain, he spotted a group of warriors charging toward them.
It was a unit of warriors clad in vermilion martial robes. Though they numbered just over thirty, the wave of energy radiating from them was incredibly fierce. One could easily sense their strict military discipline.
"Rin-ah!"
A giant of a middle-aged man dashed ahead of the pack. His lightness skill was astonishing.
His sprint, fueled by tightly controlled energy, closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
Jeong Yeon-shin momentarily compared the man's prowess to his own when his body was in peak condition. The sheer years of internal energy they had accumulated were vastly different. Even at his best, he wasn't confident he could win easily.
"Uncle Hegemon Sword!"
It seemed the free-spirited nature of the martial world applied even to the noble families.
Hwangbo Myeong-rin threw herself into the giant middle-aged man's embrace. As he burst into hearty laughter, the massive hands stroking her head looked incredibly thick and powerful.
"Thank goodness. Truly, thank goodness. You've worked hard. You really have."
From the side, Heonwon Chang sent a subtle telepathic message to Jeong Yeon-shin.
Hegemon Sword Hwangbo Jun.
Heonwon Chang explained that this man was the younger brother of the current Hwangbo Clan Head, adding that he was renowned as one of the absolute finest swordsmen in Jinan, Shandong Province.
"But where is the clan successor..."
The Hegemon Sword swept his gaze across the group. At the end of his line of sight sat the Lazy Flame Dragon, casually perched on a rock.
"We clothed a mere concubine's son in the ceremonial robes of the successor. You should be deeply grateful. How dare you allow the direct bloodline to suffer so much?"
"I'm a successor with only about five years left to live anyway. What does it matter how I live?"
"You impudent rascal!"
"You don't even show me proper courtesy, yet you glibly call me the successor."
The Lazy Flame Dragon smirked. After glaring at him in silent fury for a moment, the Hegemon Sword turned his head away in disgust.
'That family isn't normal either.'
Jeong Yeon-shin's gaze met the Hegemon Sword's fierce, bulging eyes.
It was an open secret that the Lazy Flame Dragon was an illegitimate child.
If the clan had truly valued the life of a short-lived clansman, they would have severed ties with him and allowed him to join the Desolate Fortress for a chance at survival.
Jeong Yeon-shin had already guessed the ugly truth. They were merely using the boy as kindling to elevate the family's prestige and manufacture a heartwarming tale of sacrifice.
"A patternless blue robe, martial attire, and a young face. It must be you. Your insolent story was written in the cramped space of the message bird."
The Hegemon Sword smiled at Jeong Yeon-shin. The killing intent laced within that smile carried an overbearing, tyrannical authority.
"Remnant of the Pursuing Truth Sect. Sever one of your own arms and offer it to me. I shall then forgive your insolence."
"You must take his head. My humiliation was immense," Hwangbo Myeong-rin chimed in.
The Hegemon Sword's smile turned sickeningly benevolent toward his niece as he nodded.
"I shall do as you wish."
Their true nature was clearly revealed. Were all the great martial clans like this? It seemed they should not be viewed as righteous martial artists, but merely as petty local tyrants.
"I am granting you the glory of Shaolin Temple's Huike. I will let you live just long enough to stop the bleeding and spit out your true identity. Or shall we begin the fight right away?"
Hwangbo Myeong-rin parted her lips, wearing a smooth, vicious smile.
She was referring to Zen Master Huike, who famously cut off his own arm while seeking teachings before Bodhidharma. It was pure, unadulterated mockery.
Several warriors stepped forward to block the Lazy Flame Dragon, who was about to intervene. Hwangbo Myeong-rin pressed on.
"Shall we start? Is that all the spirit you have?"
Jeong Yeon-shin silently caressed the hilt of the Northern Light Sword. Its weight and feel were still slightly unfamiliar.
The sword house, the inner cultivation method, and the Thunderbolt Bomb. These were the subjects that had lingered in Jeong Yeon-shin's mind for the past twenty days of travel.
If fire bombs were truly an irresistible weapon, it would have been impossible for the myriad martial sects to rise to power in the first place.
He couldn't picture the Lord of the Desolate Fortress, Ma Jin, or even Cheong-myeong ever falling to a mere Thunderbolt Bomb.
'I feel like I could deflect it with a soft sword form. If it's now.'
Coincidentally, his current opponent practiced a hard sword style. He could tell the moment he felt the man's presence.
Standing safely behind the Hegemon Sword, Hwangbo Myeong-rin sneered.
"Silent now, when that mouth of yours usually runs so well? Our family is the most prestigious clan of the Shandong lineage. I am personally asking if the Hwangbo Clan may begin your punishment."
"Enough. He is but a bug from a sect I have never even heard of. Do not waste your energy on a rootless bastard."
The Hegemon Sword strode forward. He was completely ignoring the proper combat interval. Just how much was he looking down on him?
The Second Young Master wore a broad grin, looking absolutely gleeful.
The rising stars and the Hwangbo Clan warriors watching from behind maintained expressionless faces.
"Remnant of the Pursuing Truth Sect. We are about to begin. Are you ready to be interrogated by our clan?"
Hwangbo Myeong-rin, reveling in her sense of superiority, wore a playful, sadistic smile.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not answer. Just as he was about to draw his sword and execute his newly comprehended sword form, the Hegemon Sword's confident steps came to a sudden halt.
Whoosh! Boom!
Someone landed heavily behind Jeong Yeon-shin. A massive vibration shook the earth.
They seemed to have leaped straight from the hill behind them. The sheer sensation of the earth shaking was incomparable even to a Thunderbolt Bomb.
He knew who it was without even turning around. That monstrously surging wave of energy was incredibly familiar.
"Commander!"
It was Shin So-bin's cry. His maternal uncle, Ma Jin, the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, had descended.
Boom! Boom!
Two more waves of energy of similar magnitude crashed down like meteors, landing heavily on either side of Ma Jin.
The thick dust kicked up by their impact billowed forward across the plain.
One aura resembled the lonely, vast sky, while the other carried a gloomy yet suffocatingly heavy presence. These, too, were not unfamiliar to him.
They were the Commanders of the Azure Sky Unit and the Thread-Annihilation Unit. The Commander of the Azure Sky Unit had gifted Jeong Yeon-shin a spirit elixir when he first entered the fortress, and the Commander of the Thread-Annihilation Unit had personally overseen his Blue Rank promotion test.
And there were more. The very people with whom he had eaten, slept, and bled since entering the fortress.
Whoosh!
The fierce backdraft from the lightness skills executed by the Blue-Ranked experts of the Demonlight Wing swept out in all directions. There were about twenty of them in total.
He could feel them coming to a halt behind their Commanders, their bodies protected by profound Body Protection Scriptures. But that was not the end.
More groups of similar size descended from the hills, immediately spreading out to the left and right to flank the area. Their surging waves of energy were entirely equal to those of the Demonlight Wing.
They were the elite warriors of the Azure Sky Unit and the Thread-Annihilation Unit of the Desolate Fortress.
They were among the seventeen units of the Divine Sword Corps, the absolute martial pillar that upheld the order of the world. It was said that when two or more of these units gathered on a battlefield, they were truly invincible.
"Flash Art!"
Swish!
Along with Cheong-myeong's shout, a long object flew straight toward the back of Jeong Yeon-shin's head.
Lightly twisting his body, Jeong Yeon-shin snatched it out of the air in one swift motion. The cool, familiar sensation wrapping around his palm was distinct.
It was his Desolate Fortress Sword. He immediately secured it at his waist alongside the Northern Light Sword.
Then, another small object flew toward him. The white pill Jeong Yeon-shin caught in his hand emitted a rich, fragrant aroma.
It seemed Cheong-myeong had instantly seen through his internal injuries. It was the Shaolin Temple's Bright-Righteous Pill.
With this, he was complete. The Flash Art had finished his resupply.
Thud!
The Divine Sword Corps of the Desolate Fortress had arrived.
Jeong Yeon-shin shuddered in awe at the sheer feast of energy waves rising behind him like a raging wildfire.
Could there truly be a power mightier than this in the entire world?
In this moment, he felt an overwhelming, intangible momentum supporting his right hand as he prepared to draw his sword.
At the same time, Heonwon Chang approached him. His steps were incredibly light, as if he were about to take flight.
With one swift motion, he ripped away the piece of cloth covering the side of Jeong Yeon-shin's shoulder.
Rip!
The character 'Desolate' (荒) was revealed. It was a brilliant golden inscription signifying the direct disciple of the Lord of the Desolate Fortress.
Someone in the opposing camp gasped in sheer horror.
"Hegemon Sword Hwangbo Jun," Jeong Yeon-shin spoke calmly.
As he slowly rolled the Bright-Righteous Pill between the fingers of his left hand, a heavy silence—as if time itself had frozen—settled over the plain.
"You may begin," he said, lowering his sword stance.