Chapter 537: The Jianghu Roster (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 537: The Jianghu Roster (3)
Silence hung over the clearing.
The hundred or so Wudang experts, who had isolated the horse and rider within a wide encirclement, stood motionless. Even North Blade, who had been muttering incomprehensibly to himself, merely looked down from atop his mount.
"..."
An old Taoist clad in a shabby robe and a peerlessly handsome youth faced one another. The Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps waited in silence for the Wudang Sect Leader, who had been the first to suggest a brief rest.
A similar standoff had occurred in the distant past.
The legendary encounter between the former Sect Leader and the Hegemon Hero Ma Yeon-jeok was one such tale. Among the martial artists of the Great Sects, there was no one in the Jianghu who hadn't heard of it.
Clashes between figures of such towering stature were destined to become widespread legends. Naturally, the Wudang disciples—who were practically participants in this historic moment—couldn't help but think of the Taiji.
And now, history had come full circle.
To many, Jeong Yeon-shin was already the true Commander of the Divine Sword Corps. He could no longer be called a mere proxy. He was fully worthy of standing in for the most powerful figure in the Jianghu.
Snort—
The heavy breath of the massive warhorse echoed bleakly.
It was the sound of the Northern Jianghu watching. Although the Wudang disciples maintaining the sword formation hadn't taken their eyes off North Blade, it was obvious that the majority of their attention was drawn toward Jeong Yeon-shin and Hyeon-gong.
Suddenly, the Wudang Sect Leader pulled his feet from the earth.
Squish.
With a heavy squelch, a clump of mud clung to his shoes, dirtying his robe, but Hyeon-gong's face remained perfectly calm. If anything, he seemed to be warming up his body. Soon after, he calmly asked Jeong Yeon-shin, "How long do you intend to keep that floating? Surely you are not trying to trigger this poor Taoist's heart demon."
"I feel more at ease this way," Jeong Yeon-shin replied briefly.
Hovering in the air just above and to the side of his head was a stone box, held aloft by the power of the Void Grab.
Jeong Yeon-shin had brought it with him even before carving the blue Taiji into the earth, and it hadn't moved an inch even during his clash with Hyeon-gong.
Some of the Wudang disciples gasped, only just now realizing its presence. It made absolutely no sense—not unless he had mastered something on the level of the Dual-Principle Mind Art.
"Is it not heavy?" the Wudang Sect Leader asked quietly.
His aging voice carried a multitude of questions. It was as if he could see through everything Jeong Yeon-shin had experienced since Hangzhou.
Unlike before, when he had laid his emotions bare, his inner thoughts were becoming increasingly difficult to read. It was a subtle, yet distinct change.
"Not once," Jeong Yeon-shin replied immediately, "...do I think it has ever felt heavy."
"Nor cumbersome?" Hyeon-gong pressed.
In that instant, the corners of Jeong Yeon-shin's mouth curved slightly upward. It was a flawless arc, much like the smile of the true Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, Yong Hee-myung.
"There is no reason for it to be. If anything, it supports me."
"Is the Ancient Sword... Hyeon-ryeo supporting you in some way? Is that stone box a stepping stone for your heart?"
"I think of it as another 'Desolate' (荒) character."
"..."
Hyeon-gong fell silent for a moment, and a faint scent of pine wafted from his blade. It was akin to the Sword Scent, a phenomenon originally famous as a hallmark of the Mount Hua Sect's sword techniques.
But there was a difference.
This was the precursor to the Heart Sword—a realm where a swordsman's sheer intent could physically influence their opponent. It proved that he was thoroughly versed in martial attainments requiring profound depth.
It was similar to the Lord of Heaven's Bane, who was skilled in a myriad of techniques, yet fundamentally different in nature.
Hyeon-gong spoke slowly, his eyes drifting to Jeong Yeon-shin's Void Grab—to the box floating with such paradoxical lightness.
"That box... To me, it is a dam. A boulder blocking my heart, a heart demon that I must clear away as soon as possible. The only problem is that it is far too large and heavy."
Jeong Yeon-shin replied simply, "I understand."
The wrinkles around Hyeon-gong's eyes curved faintly. It was a smile that held both the madness of Demonic Possession and the profound wisdom of the Wudang Sect Leader.
Their exchange was calm, yet the air between them remained tautly drawn. Every word spoken was akin to the suffocating silence just before a thunderbolt strikes.
Everyone present knew.
This was not a duel where either side would hold back.
With a transcendent of the Dao who had fallen into Demonic Possession confronting the domineering Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, it wouldn't be surprising if limbs were severed on either side.
Hyeon-gong raised his Songmun Ancient Sword into a mid-level stance.
"Hyeon-ryeo lived and died as a man of the Jianghu. His end was that of a righteous hero, but it was not the end of a Taoist. And so it was for the Wudang disciples who died at the 'Gate' and in the Northern Region. Even though they all ate, learned, and laughed through a lifetime alongside this old Taoist..."
He paused, his grip tightening.
"So, leave this poor Taoist be. The current Wudang Sect Leader is different from Old Master Beomheo. I am a petty man of small caliber, and a deeply lacking coward."
Sssss—
A sudden gust of wind scraped across the dirt.
Gradually, it thickened into a translucent haze, wrapping around the entire clearing.
It was Natural Qi.
Hyeon-gong had already engraved a massive Taiji within his mental image.
He had reached a realm where he himself became the axis of heaven and earth. He could draw upon the power of Mother Nature without even tracing a circle with his sword.
Naturally, there was a limit to the power he could mobilize at once. However, in terms of sheer internal energy endurance, he was likely the only one among the Five Great Swords of the World who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Yong Hee-myung.
...Wudang has a warm Sect Leader, Jeong Yeon-shin thought, gripping Lingering Thunder in a reverse hold. He could not allow that power to be loaded into the Ten Stages of Brocade.
The Wudang Ten-Stage Brocade.
A peerless divine art that, much like the Brilliant River, could be overlapped and stacked.
If unleashed from Hyeon-gong's hands, it would manifest in a monstrously formidable form.
During his own bout of Demonic Possession, Jeong Yeon-shin had nearly died to that very palm technique.
Furthermore, the Sect Leader...
He could unleash stances requiring immense energy without any preparation. Because he used Mother Nature as his dantian, he could entirely bypass the wind-up process of an ultimate technique.
Thus, he was fast, even though his body hadn't been intensively trained in the Fast Sword. Just like right now.
"Do not flatter me."
With a single step, Hyeon-gong swung the Songmun Ancient Sword from point-blank range. The blade was instantly before Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes. Only a split second later did a monstrous shockwave erupt with a deafening boom from behind the old Taoist.
Clash-clash-clash-clash!
Twenty-five violent waves of force surged into Jeong Yeon-shin's hand as he held his sword in a reverse grip. That was the number of shockwaves packed into a single strike.
This was the swordplay of one of the Five Great Swords of the World. He had seen through Jeong Yeon-shin's gripping method down to the finest detail during their previous clash.
Though he didn't show it outwardly, Jeong Yeon-shin had almost lost his grip on Lingering Thunder.
Even though I gripped it specifically to defend against his opening stance.
Jeong Yeon-shin simply loosened his grip on the sword. In that split second, he brushed past Hyeon-gong's side using the Radiant Wing Step.
Whooooosh!
Like a spinning blade of grass, Lingering Thunder wrapped around Hyeon-gong's sword and body in rapid succession, trailing after Jeong Yeon-shin's movement.
In the process, a pale wind of sword qi whipped along the blade.
Slash-slash-slash-slash!
Not only were Hyeon-gong's robes shredded, but even the ground was torn to ribbons in a circular pattern.
After that brief separation, Lingering Thunder snapped back into Jeong Yeon-shin's palm with a sharp clack, humming deeply.
It was a counterattack worthy of the Five Great Swords of the World.
The silence among the onlookers deepened.
"..."
The two men stood back-to-back after exchanging a single blow.
Jeong Yeon-shin's attire was perfectly intact. On the other hand, fine cuts were etched across Hyeon-gong's body.
His body protection qi—which had previously collapsed under the Brilliant River Fist Flower—and the Wudang Sect Leader's Black Jade Solitary Shirt had not fully restored themselves.
Instead, they shattered once more, scattering glass-like shards of qi into the air.
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke slowly. "Did you not rest properly?"
"I did not even have the decency to tidy my clothes," Hyeon-gong said softly.
He then asked Jeong Yeon-shin, "The circle surrounding us... this blue flame seems to have a special function. Am I correct?"
Whoosh!
A deep blue Taiji.
The circle, spanning a radius of dozens of feet, blazed with azure light, as if responding to Hyeon-gong's aging yet clear voice.
"It is the Southern Flower Radiant Taiji," Jeong Yeon-shin said.
Hyeon-gong immediately questioned, "To widely illuminate the south?"
"Hangzhou lies to the south of here. It is where the will of the Ancient Sword lies at rest."
It was a simple answer.
Ever since he set out on this journey, Jeong Yeon-shin's intent had been entirely focused on the Ancient Sword.
He had wanted to deliver the stone box to the Wudang Sect Leader one way or another, and when he drew the circle with that intent, something else had manifested.
Adaptability without Obstruction.
The ability to harmonize all stances.
This was the reason he could face Hyeon-gong evenly while keeping the stone box suspended in the air with the Void Grab.
At this moment, standing still within the circle, Jeong Yeon-shin was the very incarnation of the Taiji.
No matter what techniques he unleashed in rapid succession, his body bore no burden.
Like a dharma treasure that could be deployed instantly, all of Jeong Yeon-shin's stances linked together naturally within the blue flame's Taiji.
It was as if a highly accomplished Taoist had spent a lifetime mastering the Dual-Principle Mind Art to its absolute peak.
That was the reward for Jeong Yeon-shin fully enduring his aged self. Even now, a mysterious spirituality was pouring into him from the deep blue Taiji.
It was likely because of this that Hyeon-gong's reason was beginning to return, even if only slightly. Various energies, including dharma power—forces that even Jeong Yeon-shin could hardly fathom right now—were woven into one.
Yet, Zhang Sanfeng was not in that intent.
The Ancient Sword.
The core principle of the Southern Flower Radiant Taiji engraved in Jeong Yeon-shin's mind consisted of those two words.
The highest sword. The righteous hero that the common people of Hangzhou—and the boy cast into the Jianghu of the Jeong Family Manor—had occasionally wished for.
Was that why?
"The south, the south... Hyeon-ryeo's will is..."
As Hyeon-gong repeated the word "south," his eyes gradually lost focus. On the other hand, Jeong Yeon-shin calmly analyzed the skills he had acquired today as the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
We only exchanged a few blows, but the density of every technique was incredibly high. Is there any burden on my body?
He was certain there was none.
Absolutely none.
There was only the sensation of a gentle breeze wrapping around his entire body.
His skin tingled. It was difficult even for him to tell whether this was sorcery or pure martial arts, yet the tragic end of sorcerers that Shin Cheon-hwa had warned him about didn't cross his mind at all.
Suddenly, her assessment of the Wudang Sect's divine ultimate techniques flashed through his thoughts.
—Well, it is Zhang Sanfeng's martial arts, after all.
The Southern Flower Radiant Taiji was the same. It was a martial art composed of the Flash Art and the Ancient Sword. Before he knew it, Jeong Yeon-shin began to envision infinite possibilities within the blue flame's Taiji.
This was because the Wudang Sect Leader's aura had completely subsided.
The basic increase in martial prowess can be considered secondary. As long as I don't leave the circle, I can apply this function to the Unified Martial Transcendence as well...
An image formed in his mind.
It was the sight of him laying down the deep blue Taiji right in front of the Heaven-Smiling Invincible, the grandmaster of demons clad in dark flames.
It was a scenario where a martial art—woven from bonds she did not possess—could bring back Baek Mi-ryeo.
Would it go as planned?
Jeong Yeon-shin thought about it. Perhaps it just might.
"The energy is profound. It is too intense to be dharma power, and far too dense to be the Three Pure Powers..."
Hyeon-gong muttered to himself.
The old Taoist's wrinkled face now held both madness and profound wisdom, coexisting in perfect balance like the Taiji. His temperament had shifted. He was clearly in a much more stable state than before.
[Six.]
North Blade muttered from afar.
It was unclear to whom his words were directed.
Sssss—
The translucent Natural Qi surrounding the vicinity dispersed. The clearing naturally fell into a lull.
Hyeon-gong and Jeong Yeon-shin slowly turned to face each other. Their soles rubbed quietly against the heavily torn earth.
"Southern Flower... Thank you for giving it such a name. Moreover, perhaps because I basked in this fire, the fog in my mind feels strangely cleared. My heart has lost to yours."
"Your martial arts as well..."
Jeong Yeon-shin naturally swallowed back the rest of the words that had almost slipped out. He concluded the matter internally, deciding that he would be considered the winner of their bet.
Their conversation was as natural as the clouds gently blanketing the foothills of Mount Wudang.
The situation had changed so calmly, yet so rapidly. This was the world of peerless experts, where every single one of them was nothing short of eccentric.
Everything was driven solely by the shifts in their states of mind, like a river that appeared tranquil yet wound wildly in all directions.
Few in the Jianghu would ever view the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps and the Wudang Sect Leader as sane men. This was especially true for the current Sect Leader and the Acting Commander.
The only thing that remained unchanged in the clearing was the handsome young man groaning on the ground, still impaled by the old Songmun Ancient Sword.
The Super Mad Dream Demon stared back and forth between Jeong Yeon-shin and Hyeon-gong, pure disbelief in his eyes. He continued to stare even as Jeong Yeon-shin appeared before him like a ghost and grabbed him by the head.
"W-What is this?!"
"Quiet now. Good boy."
Jeong Yeon-shin had never spared an enemy before. It was only natural that he felt awkward doing so—so much so that he coaxed his captive as if recalling the guard dog he used to raise at the Jeong Family Manor.
It was then.
—Wudang Sect Leader, receive the Imperial Decree!
A woman's voice echoed.
It was incredibly overbearing. It rang out from the opposite hill, so haughty and arrogant that it was hard to believe it was actually directed at the Wudang Sect Leader.
The Wudang disciples, who had fallen back into silence, were stunned, and so was Jeong Yeon-shin.
An Imperial Decree?
Just as he questioned this inwardly...
"...!"
The figure descending from afar faltered the very moment she laid eyes on Jeong Yeon-shin.