Chapter 535: The Jianghu Roster
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 535: The Jianghu Roster
The Sect Leader of Wudang.
For generations, they had been like the blue mountain peaks—taciturn and unmoving.
It was not bloodlines they inherited, but the immortal qi of Mount Wudang. Every one of them grew up drinking the clouds that quietly blanketed the mountain slopes. Merely living alongside the leisurely flow of time earned them the title of immortals.
Possessing martial arts that even the luminaries of the Jianghu could scarcely fathom, and a character even more difficult to measure.
This was the world's perception of the Wudang Sect Leader, and it was the absolute truth. For a very long time, they were known as supreme masters shrouded in pure white mist.
The Grand Sect Leader, Perfected Mystic Concord, was no different.
Until he silently succumbed to Qi Deviation.
Now, it was difficult to call him a true "Perfected Man." Everyone present knew this.
At this moment, the Super Mad Dream Demon, pinned to the ground by a sword, let out a ragged, suppressed groan. The old Taoist's gaze flickered between the blue-flamed Taiji surrounding them and his disciple, who had been driven to the brink of death. That look alone proved it.
The old Taoist's expression was utterly vacant.
"Aaaargh!"
The Super Mad Dream Demon writhed violently.
Deep gashes gouged both sides of his deathly pale neck. It was a scream wrung from agonizing pain.
The sinister aura unique to the Dream Demon Physique was nowhere to be found. Even the bamboo hat he wore to mimic the Lord of Heaven's Bane was crushed against the back of his head as his body convulsed continuously.
"Th-this... this energy...!"
The Songmun Ancient Sword had pierced through below his ribs.
The Super Mad Dream Demon's hand repeatedly reached for the hilt, only to tremble and fall away. He could not bring himself to pull it out, even as a fiercely divine energy crackled and burned his flesh.
"...How is he still alive?"
A particularly young martial artist among the hundred-odd Wudang disciples muttered. He immediately shut his mouth, realizing the answer himself.
The Unity of Essence, Qi, and Spirit meant that the energy of one's entire body had approached Innate Qi. That was why the life force of a supreme master was so resilient.
Furthermore, the Super Mad Dream Demon possessed the Dream Demon Physique, which had managed to plunge the Wudang Sect Leader into Qi Deviation through long, persistent effort. Unless it was a truly fatal blow, he would not die in a single strike.
He was bound to be tenacious in every way.
"...No, it is not that he is holding out. Lord Jeong made him that way. There are no mistakes in the techniques of a peerless master."
The middle-aged Taoist, Perfected Jade Cliff, the Acting Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect, spoke with a grim face. With one hand, he directed the perimeter of Wudang disciples filling the clearing.
Wuuuung!
At his slight gesture, the ranks of the Wudang Sect's Seven Seats Hiding the Heavens Formation surged and curved like a shallow valley stream.
The movements of the hundred-odd Wudang experts were incredibly fluid.
Before long, they had naturally isolated Perfected Mystic Concord and the Super Mad Dream Demon from the peerless northern rider and his steed.
[...]
A rough snort escaped from the steed, whose head reached a height of ten feet.
It was truly a spirit beast. Closer to a monster than a horse in size, it still served its master despite possessing an immense aura.
Atop the rugged saddle of that warhorse, the giant in the bamboo hat slowly lowered his gaze. Just that shift of his eyes caused faint rustles to echo from all around.
It was mostly the sound of friction against the dirt floor, caused by some of the younger Wudang disciples subtly adjusting their stances.
Yet, no tension showed on Perfected Jade Cliff's face. There was only a solid, unyielding spirit, much like the boulders on the nearby mountain slopes.
"What business brings one who should be contending with a nation to this place?"
The North Blade of the World.
A name that grew heavier the further north one traveled across this vast land. Even the upper echelons of the Jianghu did not constantly dwell on his presence.
After all, there was the Imperial Army that had established the order of the Ming Dynasty over countless strongmen, and the land of the Central Plains was already infinitely vast.
But those who had set foot in the northern Jianghu knew better.
To the select few whose horizons extended beyond the borders of the empire, the North Blade was a name that exerted a profound influence on the Central Plains Jianghu.
Among the world's greatest experts, almost none had the character "North" in their titles. The exceptions were extremely rare.
At most, there was the Northern Sea Fist Marquis of the World Tree, whose existence was known only to the leaders of the Nine Sects.
"I know who you are. No one who has experienced the northern Jianghu is ignorant of the North Blade, whatever your true name may be."
Perfected Jade Cliff continued, channeling his Taoist Peach Blossom Power. Beneath his feet, faint wisps of mist began to swirl into a circular pattern.
Sssss―
[Wudang. You are the same to us.]
The voice of the giant holding the crescent blade—the North Blade—struck the air violently like a shockwave.
It was a voice akin to a raw, artless sound art. But this time, no one reacted to it.
There was a reason.
Perfected Jade Cliff's gaze lingered briefly on the blue Taiji on the ground, then flicked to Jeong Yeon-shin, who stood silently suspended in midair.
Soon, Perfected Jade Cliff spoke again, staring straight at the North Blade as if he had never even glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin.
"I do not know what business you have in the northern Jianghu, but..."
[Speak.]
"Do not act rashly in Wudang's affairs."
His words were resolute.
The giant in the bamboo hat tilted his head slightly.
Though his face was obscured by a swirling, hazy aura, he seemed to have heard something absurd. He was clearly a man capable of rational thought.
[There should be another outsider. That Great Warrior of the south... Eight.]
"I do not know what you mean. In any case, that purple-ranked figure of the Desolate Fortress..."
Perfected Jade Cliff trailed off for a moment, then concluded in a decisive tone.
"...is no outsider."
Turning his head, Perfected Jade Cliff took in a certain sight.
The youth in purple was now standing atop the hilt of the Songmun Ancient Sword. And below him was the wide-spreading Taiji pattern that still flickered with a pale blue flame.
The circle of blue flame...
It had shrunk to a radius of about a hundred feet.
Yet, at this moment, the Wudang disciples were lined up precisely along the border of that pattern. Despite this, the lofty, oppressive weight unique to Wudang formations did not diminish in the slightest.
Rather, it felt as though they could move freely, unburdened by the rigid joint forms of the sword formation.
Jeong Yeon-shin, the Flash Art.
He had unlocked the mysteries of Taiji that resonated with Wudang's ultimate techniques. Though the exact function was hard to fathom, he had to have a connection with a Taoist who had deeply mastered Wudang's martial arts.
The same went for the Songmun Ancient Sword.
The pine pattern engraved on the hilt was extremely faint. It was not even of a recent style. Yet, a familiar sword trajectory could be felt from the engraved lines. It was unmistakably Wudang's.
Perfected Jade Cliff pondered rapidly in that brief moment.
With whom did he associate?
It could not be anyone of the Un or Ok generations. On Mount Wudang today, Jeong Yeon-shin was the only one who transcended generations to this extent.
Then, it must be someone of at least the Sect Leader's generation.
If he had formed a bond with someone already deceased, it could be even higher. The same applied even if that person were still alive.
A Wudang figure of that caliber would rather take their own life than yield to coercion, meaning Jeong Yeon-shin's symbolic generational standing based on his martial attainment rose infinitely.
Later, without fail.
He would have to ask, no matter how cautiously.
Which Taoist name did the one he shared martial arts with bear...?
This was an incredibly important matter. Not just for the Wudang Sect, but for the state of the entire world. A connection between the leader of the Divine Sword Corps and the ultimate pillar of the Righteous Factions held immense gravity.
Soon, Perfected Jade Cliff cast aside his complex thoughts and gave a brief command.
"Disciples, do not permit any outsider to interfere."
Hwooooong!
A thin gust of cold wind blew, brushing against the ground and their bodies. Rusted pine needles crumbled within the transparent flow of air.
Wudang stood in the way of the North Blade.
The spirit beast faced that pressure head-on.
Snort―
For some reason, the giant warhorse suddenly tossed its dark mane. A low, deep chuckle escaped from beneath the North Blade's bamboo hat.
He was still taciturn by nature, but he did not hesitate to show his satisfaction on Mount Wudang.
[Just as I hoped.]
The North Blade turned his gaze.
[I shall not move. Do not block my view.]
For now, Jeong Yeon-shin's only opponent was the Wudang Sect Leader, who had lost his mind.
* * *
Jeong Yeon-shin stood atop the hilt of the Songmun Ancient Sword, looking down for a long while. The Super Mad Dream Demon was now coughing up blood in spurts, his focus blurring.
At this rate, he will die soon.
No matter how rare the life force of a supreme master was in this world, it was inevitable. After all, the Songmun Ancient Sword he had thrown earlier carried a mixture of various forces.
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly spoke.
"If you tell me to step down, I shall do so."
Naturally, these words were addressed to Perfected Mystic Concord.
Beside him, the Taoist supreme master was surging with an immense aura. The surroundings grew chilly, as if dark clouds from the sky had been dragged down to the earth.
He was clearly furious.
But...
If so, why had he only watched the Super Mad Dream Demon until now? The moment the blow landed, he could have pushed Jeong Yeon-shin aside, scooped up his disciple, and vanished.
It was then.
"Why?"
Perfected Mystic Concord's wrinkled lips parted.
"Why did you not execute him immediately...? You are a leader of the Desolate Fortress, uncompromising in what you believe is right. Moreover, this child is clearly a demon in appearance, and you must surely harbor a grudge against me. Even setting the latter aside, you had more than enough reason to kill him."
"Even if I were to take his head," Jeong Yeon-shin slowly continued, "it must be after I have convinced you, Sect Leader. This worthless demon has only one value: the fact that the Wudang Sect Leader's heart wavers because of him."
"Why does that concern you?"
"It is not my personal affair. But it is a matter of the world."
"...!"
The matter between Perfected Mystic Concord and the Super Mad Dream Demon was, ultimately, a twisted relationship between master and disciple. Yet, Jeong Yeon-shin was discussing the world right in front of the Wudang Sect Leader.
"From what I have experienced, Qi Deviation is like a swamp. If I had slain him without warning, your heart, Sect Leader, would have been dragged down into the abyss. That would be a loss for the common people of this nation, and the weight of that is entirely different."
He then slowly trailed off.
"And the same goes for your martial arts, Sect Leader..."
"Martial arts?"
"Acupoints that have suffered from Qi Deviation for so long cannot possibly be intact. According to my knowledge, the Wudang Sect Leader is on par with the Shaolin Abbot, but currently, you do not measure up to Abbot Beomheo at his peak. Strictly speaking... at best, you are half a step below him. At least, that is how it feels to me."
As soon as Jeong Yeon-shin finished speaking, sharp intakes of breath echoed from all around. Even the Wudang immortals, who lived above the clouds, could not remain indifferent when it came to the elder of their sect.
For a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin became highly conscious of his surroundings for the first time, but he made an effort not to show it.
Because it is the truth.
Indeed, a great man has much to endure.
It would be easier to have the mind of a child who cared nothing for his surroundings, but having broken through his demonic possession, Jeong Yeon-shin chose to shoulder the weight of the Divine Sword Corps himself.
A gentleman loyal to his country had to bear the rumors and distortions of the masses.
"The proof lies in the fact that you fought for three whole days when sparring with me while I had one arm sealed. Even if Wudang's martial arts excel in battles of attrition, you exceeded a single day. You must break free from your possession even now."
Perfected Mystic Concord now remained silent, offering no reply.
Was discussing the level of martial arts trivial to a Taoist of the Wudang Sect Leader's caliber?
"And please, step out into the world with me." Jeong Yeon-shin calmly continued. "There are things we must protect and prepare for. If you make a promise with me, I will restore this demon's sanity, and right here, I will show you martial arts that are half a step above yours."
"...!"
The air surrounding the gathering froze like ice. The words spoken by the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps to the Wudang Sect Leader—it was a declaration that would trigger a more explosive reaction than any divine ultimate technique.
Within that stillness, Jeong Yeon-shin was the only one who moved. He slowly raised a hand.
Kureureung―!
Below the mountain ridge.
From the Wudang Sword-Releasing Pond, the sound of thunder began to rise.
It was the Divine Sword: Lingering Thunder.