Chapter 528: The Southern Venerable (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 528: The Southern Venerable (7)
The Buddha's Eyes See Only Buddha.
These were the words a royal preceptor once spoke to a lord who possessed peerless divine archery. It meant that in the eyes of a Buddha, only other Buddhas are visible.
— That energy… A madman has crossed paths with a destiny far too good for him.
It was the same voice as before.
A voice that scrambled his senses, reminiscent of the Buddhist Sect's Wisdom Light Mind Speak.
He had not expected these to be the first words he would hear from the Wudang Sect Leader.
As a swordsman, Yeon-shin had honestly expected some praise for the refinement of his physique from a man so often named when discussing the Greatest Sword Under Heaven.
'After all, swordplay and eye techniques are inseparable.'
Meanwhile, the figure of Perfected Mystic Concord glided closer, his form a dark silhouette against the blinding sun.
Whoosh!
A crushing pressure, so immense it felt like it was warping his very skin, grew increasingly dense. It was as if all the natural Qi in the world had turned hostile toward him.
Though a wave of dizziness washed over him, Yeon-shin instinctively brought his hands together in a polite clasp, regaining his balance. He had killed two birds with one stone: preserving his equilibrium and the dignity of a Commander of the Divine Sword Corps. Had the Grand Steward seen it, he surely would have showered him with praise.
"I am Flash Art of the Jeong family, from the Desolate Fortress."
— I say to you, elite of the Flash family: the purest sprout in the world does not grow from a madman's mental image. Naturally, it can never bloom. Such is your limit.
It was a bizarre voice. It felt as though his inhales and exhales were at war with each other within a single breath. The respiration carrying his words was unstable, and even within a few short phrases, his speech was heavily fragmented.
Yeon-shin asked, "Is the sprout the Three Pure Powers, and the bloom its Stage of Great Completion?"
— How regrettable. It is no different from Zhu Bajie's tongue being unable to taste the Ginseng Fruit. A true pity… Had the Dragon Clan obtained it instead, the Desolate Fortress would have by now established itself as the sun of this chaotic world.
It seemed Perfected Mystic Concord had completely lost his mind. The Buddha's Eyes See Only Buddha. To a madman, everyone else must look mad.
Earlier, Yeon-shin had infused his Radiant Wing Step with the force he presumed to be the Three Pure Powers. According to Perfected Mystic Concord's own words, this was proof enough that he was not the mad one.
Yet, the elder still looked poised to strike.
— What a waste.
Sigh—
Perfected Mystic Concord's sigh transformed into a faint sword wind that lashed the ground right before Yeon-shin's feet.
With a massive, grinding crash, the ground was gouged open for over ten jang.
To be precise, it was a depth of ten jang, three cheok, five chon, and half a pun—plus the infinitesimal weight of the sleep dust he had once wiped from his niece Hye-ah's eye.
The range of the opening strike was immense. Had it made direct contact, his Body Protection Qi might have shattered.
The Sect Leader of Wudang, who, alongside Monk Beomheo, stood as a great mountain of the orthodox path. One of the few sword companions of the late Emperor Geonreung.
Even his breath became a sword wind.
'An immortal…!'
The sheer majesty of it made the hairs on the back of Yeon-shin's neck stand on end. At the same time, a fresh wave of shock washed over him.
Qi Deviation.
A phenomenon where the mental image aligned with one's cultivation method becomes severely distorted, placing an immense strain on the acupoints. The longer one suffered from it, the more it eroded their martial prowess.
For someone who had been mired in deviation as long as Perfected Mystic Concord, his strength should have been severely diminished.
'And yet, he is still this powerful…?'
Could he actually face him?
For a moment, Yeon-shin felt a pang of fear that he might die young, leaving behind so many precious bonds. After all, the martial prowess of the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps had not yet reached that of the Shaolin Abbot he had seen in Hangzhou, and Perfected Mystic Concord was currently suffering from the severe headache known as Qi Deviation.
Yet, Yeon-shin spoke, maintaining a polite demeanor.
"Forgive my presumption upon our first meeting, but if we stimulate your Upper Dantian with a high-level sword strike, curing your affliction should be as simple as flipping one's hand. If you intend to keep striking, may this junior take the initiative?"
"..."
Following the descent of Perfected Mystic Concord's breath, the eyes of Perfected Jade Gaze, Perfected Jade Radiance, Perfected Jade Cliff, and Ju Se-hwa—all scattered in different directions—widened in shock.
They whipped their heads toward him as if they had heard something utterly inconceivable, but they could do nothing more.
A Purple Robe of the Desolate Fortress.
And the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
He had to stand on equal or higher footing than the leader of any sect. The immortals of Wudang were noble, but Yeon-shin, too, had long ceased to be the child who merely yearned to play on the swings during the Dano Festival.
Meanwhile, Perfected Mystic Concord was now floating directly in front of him.
He completely blocked the sun from view. His disheveled, wild hair and heavily tattered Taoist robes stood out, both dyed a dusty, ash-gray.
His face was invisible.
A hazy, white mist was wrapped around his head like bandages.
— Go down. There is no destiny to be forged with a madman.
"This."
The gentlemanly Flash Art, Lord Jeong, paid no heed to Perfected Mystic Concord's empty words.
Slide.
He simply raised the cloth bundle in his hands to his chest. It was the box containing the head of the world's greatest chivalrous hero.
The words felt heavy in his mouth.
But he had to speak, sharing the same sentiment as Unit Commander Yong.
— …Because we are bound to lose them eventually. Once I wash my hands in a golden basin, I plan to visit their hometowns. There are many places I must stop by.
Yeon-shin slowly opened his mouth.
"I have come to deliver this to the Sect Leader of Wudang. Perfected Ancient Sword was a chivalrous hero like no other in this world, and he was more noble than any martial artist in Hangzhou at the time. Borrowing my status as a Commander of the Divine Sword Corps of the Desolate Fortress, I offer my condolences. Perhaps because he cultivated a lofty Immortal Qi, his remains are still intact. I hope the Sect Leader… will at least look him in the eye."
He concluded his words carefully.
Yet, Perfected Mystic Concord's reaction was indifferent. His gaze drifted down toward the box, carrying a cold apathy akin to nature itself.
— That is an illusion blocking the path of my Nature Sword. I should be casting it aside, yet you… Go down.
"The Sect Leader needs to be replaced."
— What did you say?
Yeon-shin flinched inwardly, though his face remained impassive. His thoughts had slipped out of his mouth, just like when he had lost his left arm in Hangzhou.
'Why?'
But there was no time for deep reflection.
"..."
Perfected Mystic Concord stared intently at the box Yeon-shin held up. A deep, intense rage flared in the eyes of the ancient Taoist absolute—an erratic, unpredictable shift in emotion.
— Take it and vanish. Quickly.
Was this what the dawn air of Mount Wudang felt like? A chilling, spine-tingling cold spread through the area as the surrounding natural Qi ceased all movement.
Anger flared on Yeon-shin's brow as well.
"By whose sect's laws is the body of a deceased junior brother left to an outsider? You, the Sect Leader, must take charge of it. Or is there anyone else whose status is worthy of the deceased? It is only right that you, the Sect Leader, represent Wudang and honor the soul of Perfected Ancient Sword."
The Wudang Sect Leader had rejected the remains of Perfected Ancient Sword. This was unacceptable.
'Why…?'
Yeon-shin could not have done so. The sight of his seniors from the main fortress, with only their heads remaining, was still etched into his mind like a swamp.
"Lord Jeong."
Suddenly, Perfected Jade Radiance closed the distance with an awkward smile and grabbed the shoulder of Yeon-shin's purple robe. He felt the annoyingly tenacious force characteristic of the Cotton Palm.
"Please consider the Sect Leader's condition. Right now, it cannot be helped…"
— Very well.
Perfected Mystic Concord's voice cut him off.
— The Commanders of the Divine Sword Corps have been headstrong for generations. Even though you do not yet possess a Sword of Divine Attainment, you look ready to force that box into my arms.
Yeon-shin looked up at him with clear eyes and replied, "You saw correctly."
— Do you possess the attainment to match me?
A hint of laughter laced Perfected Mystic Concord's question. It was far from pleasant, carrying a sinister quality that echoed from the depths of a dark well.
Unlike Yeon-shin, who was practically the incarnation of Clear Mirror, Still Water, the elder seemed to have completely lost himself.
Yeon-shin muttered inwardly, 'Bite.'
The divine dragon swimming in the depths of his mind instantly coiled around Lingering Thunder at his waist. In that moment, a sharp, ringing vibration—much crisper than usual—echoed out.
The Divine Sword unsheathed itself and descended to his feet.
Fan Dragon Lotus Art.
Sword Flight.
Step.
The moment he stepped onto the dazzling blade, Lingering Thunder floated upward. Without another word, Yeon-shin rose to meet Perfected Mystic Concord eye-to-eye.
Even amidst the fierce winds constantly battering Mount Wudang, his balance did not waver for a single second.
"Lord Jeong!"
"Sect Leader…!"
Not only Perfected Jade Radiance but even Perfected Jade Cliff, who had been pressuring Ju Se-hwa with astonishing momentum just moments before, cried out.
But they were too late.
Perfected Mystic Concord was already reaching out his arm.
Whoosh—
The atmosphere warped and bent. It was the ultimate Wudang Cotton Palm, a technique said to command the world with a single strike. Yeon-shin countered with his right hand, which was infused with Brilliant River.
He stepped firmly on Lingering Thunder, just as he had been taught by the three Commanders of the Divine Sword Corps.
*
Mount Wudang was plagued by repeated landslides.
Rumble.
Another heavy rumble echoed from afar. It was likely the sound of a rolling boulder finally crashing against a cliff and shattering.
Mount Wudang was originally a quiet, solitary place, but it had been anything but peaceful for the past three days. Although it was one of the most renowned sacred mountains in the world, a mountain does not make noise on its own. There were sources causing massive repercussions across the vast mountain range.
"What of the Sect Leader's whereabouts?"
"Unknown."
"Is it the same for Lord Jeong, the Flash Art?"
"Yes. Though the trajectory of his Sword Flight is occasionally observed from afar… it is said that Buddhist Dharma Power is disrupting the vision of our Hyeonmun Eye Technique."
"The disciples of the Mystic Eye Palace are working hard."
On Heavenly Pillar Peak, the highest peak of Mount Wudang, stood a Taoist temple built as grandly as a palace, bearing a plaque that read 'Samcheong'.
The conversation of those shrouded in the pure white clouds was quiet and serene, as was the sight of them sitting cross-legged on various rocks.
They were not few in number.
Though they had all gathered under the name of the Wudang Sect thanks to Perfected Zhang Sanfeng, the temples of Mount Wudang originally differed in their locations and martial lineages. Even now, each temple discussed Wudang's affairs under the title of a 'Palace'.
Among them, Ju Se-hwa of the Long Staff was the master of the Mango Palace. Though she was the youngest Palace Master in the sect, she was nonetheless qualified to attend the leadership meetings and held the right to speak.
"Should we not be moving instead of wasting time like this? Samcheong Hall is safe for now, but we do not know when the Sect Leader's sword strikes might reach all the way to Heavenly Pillar Peak."
"We are not unaware of that, but…" an elderly voice echoed from within the mist.
It belonged to an old Taoist of the same generation as Perfected Mystic Concord. Though his Three Flowers Gathering at the Peak had long been broken due to an imbalance between his aging Essence and his vigorous Qi, his voice remained clear.
"Our Sect Leader and the Purple Robe of the Desolate Fortress… They are individuals who cannot be subdued by force without the Seven Stars Sword Formation. But moving the seven pillars of Wudang for such madmen is…"
At that moment, the voice of Perfected Jade Cliff, the next Sect Leader of Wudang, cut in. "It would be no different from feeding the commoners at the foot of Mount Wudang to the Strange, Violent, Chaotic, and Supernatural. Especially when we must scatter to guard the gates again in two days."
"Some sacrifice is inevitable for the greater good…"
"Un-hyeon Ju Se-hwa. You are a Taoist of Wudang, not a lord. If you wish to look upon the commoners with the eyes of royalty, you should return to your Mango Palace."
"..."
Ju Se-hwa's lips pressed into a thin line.
The conversation of the Wudang experts filling the clouds of Samcheong Hall resumed.
"The Purple Robe will not lose his life on our mountain, will he?"
"His divine prowess is marvelous. It seems none of the rumors spread by our lay disciples were false, so he will surely be fine. Even while trading blows with the Sect Leader, he possesses the skill to escape. Especially since he is the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps…"
"What of Hyeon-ryeo… no, Uncle-Master Ancient Sword? What of the bundle that Taoist Friend Flash Art was holding?"
"To bring that box back quickly, we must finish what our sect has been focusing on. Once the Sect Leader recovers from his deviation, everything will fall back into place."
"Will that be possible?" Ju Se-hwa understood why an anxious voice had spoken up from the side.
Before they had requested Jeong Yeon-shin's visit, the Wudang Sect had been pouring its efforts into a task while simultaneously guarding the gates.
'The Demon.'
Originally a disciple of Perfected Mystic Concord, he was a figure who had carried the high expectations of all the Wudang temples, only to suddenly descend the mountain one day. It was said he returned after spending over a decade learning all sorts of arts from the God Thief, melting various miscellaneous skills—including stealth, concealment, and sound arts—into the Wudang cultivation method.
The Taiji of the Sambong Martial Lineage embraces all things.
Wudang did not excommunicate him. They accepted him back as a fellow Taoist who had briefly lost his way.
Perfected Mystic Concord had grown strange from that point onward.
He saw hallucinations and became obsessed with bizarre sword paths. He even abandoned his administrative duties overseeing all the Palaces of Mount Wudang and entered secluded cultivation.
The Taoists of the Mystic Eye Palace, Mango Palace, and Sword Leaf Palace were mobilized to uncover the reason. Finally, they discovered the cause within the God Thief's internal energy that the 'Demon' had cultivated. The chaotic True Qi structure unique to the Northern Jianghu underlay all of his miscellaneous skills.
The sound arts used to play the zither for Perfected Mystic Concord.
Even the tea ceremony used to serve tea to his master.
There was no trace of the Heterodox Sects' energy. Furthermore, in front of his disciple, Perfected Mystic Concord was not a transcendent, peerless expert; he was merely an old man who swept all suspicions under the rug.
The Demon fled as soon as the truth came to light, but he did not completely leave the vast mountain slopes. His movements suggested that keeping Perfected Mystic Concord in secluded cultivation was his life's goal. He would occasionally deepen his former master's deviation using sound waves carried by a bamboo flute.
'In other words, the opponent is someone with the internal energy output of the Three Flowers Gathering at the Peak…'
The joint successor of the Wudang Sect Leader and the God Thief. He even wore Dharma Treasures—which would normally require the national power of a small state to obtain—like mere accessories. The Mystic Eye Palace speculated that most of them possessed the function of concealment.
This was the Wudang Sect's absurd, shameful secret. One they could never reveal to anyone.
Furthermore, the Purple Robe they had gone to such lengths to invite…
'We should probably give up on expecting anything from him.'
Just as Ju Se-hwa shook her head inwardly, two reports echoed in quick succession from Samcheong Palace, both extremely urgent.
"The landslides have stopped! It seems the battle is over!"
"A one-armed swordsman wearing a bamboo hat has reportedly begun climbing our main mountain, but we received a voice transmission saying none of the disciples can get close to him!"