CHAPTER 75

"What is the current situation with Lightning Genius?"

"He has been confined to the main house of the Radiant Demon Squad." 

A man wearing a sword reported to Zhu Yeon-jeong, who sat at the head seat.

This was the annex of the Desolate Fortress' Ma Clan. Originally a guest room, it had been transformed into an office under Zhu Yeon-jeong's direction.

"He is said to have suffered severe internal injuries. Would he accept it if I sent medicinal herbs?"

She muttered to herself, tapping the desk with her fingers as she fell into thought.

Despite the loyal servant kneeling before her, a confidant who had supported her since childhood—she was lost in her musings.

Zhu Yeon-jeong was of imperial blood. To her, it was acceptable to disparage Lightning Genius's lineage as lowly. It had always been that way.

'There are rumors that the Lord bestowed inner power upon him.'

The situation had changed. The difference between being taught a few basic moves and being handed a genuine cultivation method was enormous.

Lightning Genius's value was growing with each passing day.

Recently, it was said that he had contributed significantly to destroying the headquarters of the Blood Flame Cult during his wanderings in the martial world.

The achievement seemed implausible, especially given his youth.

"To truly embrace the Ma Clan, I cannot discard Lightning Genius. No matter how I think about it, no solution comes to mind. Even after pondering it for days... Do you feel the same?"

"Yes, my lord." 

The confidant replied, his voice steady, reflecting years of training as a seasoned swordsman.

He was a warrior whose martial skills rivaled those of many distinguished experts. Together, they had weathered numerous political and military struggles.

Zhu Yeon-jeong lightly ran her fingers across the surface of the desk before closing her eyes.

'Lightning Genius. Is he truly worthy of being embraced?'

The royal lineage of Ming Taizu was said to be unprecedented in scale throughout the history of Zhongyuan.

Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang had fathered twenty-six sons. Apart from those officially designated as crown princes or heirs, all others took concubines, resulting in an ever-expanding royal clan.

As of now, the descendants of the Zhu family, directly tracing back to Taizu, numbered in the thousands.

It was rare for any of them to hold titles such as Prince, Grand Princess, or Duke.

This meant even attaining the status of a local warlord was challenging, given the overwhelming number of royal kin.

Most resided in various estates near Beijing.

Zhu Yeon-jeong's father was one such individual, holding a superficial rank without real influence.

Zhu Yeon-jeong herself was both noble and insignificant. Being neither the daughter of a prince nor a duke, she could not claim titles like princess or countess.

Thus, she came to Desolate Fortress, marrying a cousin of Radiant Demon Squad Leader, albeit with physical limitations.

Thanks to her son's exceptional aptitude, she earned the recognition of the previous Divine Sword Squad Leader.

The direct line of the Radiant Demon Squad leader was incapacitated, so she too devoted herself to the esteemed Ma Yeonjeok.

"I told Lightning Genius that I can no longer hide my origins from other factions. The succession is unstable, and this revelation is a calculated risk to navigate the crisis."

"Indeed."

"But it is a temporary measure. The boy named Lightning Genius possesses both legitimacy and martial prowess. As long as Se-in lives, he will continue to torment him, whether intentional or not."

Speaking aloud sometimes helped her organize her thoughts. This was not a moment to seek her confidant's opinion.

Lacking an official title, she could not become a military leader.

From a young age, she had understood her circumstances and sought only one thing: proof of her identity and worth.

She sought a way to become a true royal.

Her solution lay elsewhere. She aimed to grasp one of the royal family's swords pointed at the martial world. The armory was the Desolate Fortress; the sword was Desolate Ma Clan.

She spoke.

"They say a life-or-death duel with the leaders of the Namgoong Clan is being discussed. I heard it will be in the form of a duel. Could Lightning Genius break through the fortress's ranks to be assigned this task?"

"It is difficult to estimate his abilities. He seems capable of exchanging twenty moves with me, but I have heard his condition was not perfect at the time."

"You see it as I do. To perform at that level despite injuries... He is truly difficult to gauge."

"Perhaps assassination could..."

"You will quickly realize how absurd that idea is. Assassinating the Lord's direct disciple? That is the kind of reckless thinking fit for shallow warriors of the martial world. I would rather live in quiet obscurity than face the repercussions of such an act."

She let out a wry laugh.

"I cannot kill him, nor can I discard him. There seems to be no other way."

"...."

"Let us gauge Lightning Genius's potential. How much effort should we invest?"

The decision was made. She would become his patron.

It was better to embrace and control him than to make him an enemy. Alienating him was a foolish strategy.

The Lord of Desolate Fortress had taken an interest in this promising talent. Overwhelming him with support would suffice.

Her task was clear.

'Let us measure his worth.'

How much wealth and manpower would it take to bring him under her control?

She dismissed her confidant and lay on the bed. Her office also served as her bedroom.

As the presumptive mistress of Desolate Ma Clan, she already had many responsibilities within and outside the family.

'At dawn, I must visit him personally.'

However, sleep eluded her. She heard an odd sound—a royal, ambitious woman, for the first time in her life, doubted her ears.

"Yeon-jeong!"

The sound was extraordinary, both in volume and in meaning.

For a moment, Zhu Yeon-jeong hesitated. Was there another Yeon-jeong nearby?

"Yeon-jeong! Yeon-jeong!"

The shouting echoed not once but repeatedly, as if intent on waking the entire expanse of the fortress.

Though the voice sounded reckless, it carried an immense depth of internal energy.

"Which lunatic..."

Such crude words escaped her otherwise refined lips.

Swish.

Wearing only a simple overcoat over her nightclothes, she stepped outside.

Though she often spoke of royal dignity, she was already a true martial expert of the martial world.

Her family's martial arts were imperial martial arts. She had mastered them thoroughly from a young age.

Even her father-in-law had once remarked on her exceptional skills.

"Who dares!"

"Insolence to such an extent within the fortress!"

"Is it the Radiant Demon Squad? Could it truly be the Radiant Demon Squad?"

Stepping outside, the scene was chaotic. Pandemonium reigned.

Dozens of low-ranking warriors scrambled to subdue a single man dressed in white. Despite their efforts, they could not restrain him.

"Such arrogance..."

"This requires immediate action!"

"Wait! Eyes are gathering to watch."

"That is wise. Even if the elders assist Lady Zhu, brawling with a boy in the main fortress? Recklessness would disgrace the family."

The factional elders did not move. Even the supporters of Ma Se-in and Zhu Yeon-jeong hesitated to act rashly.

The scuffle continued. The Ma Clan's warriors were not incompetent.

The problem lay in the agile movements of the man, his fluttering white robe emblematic of a true expert. His agility surpassed ordinary warriors. His movements were silent yet fluid, as if he had mastered some deadly assassin's technique.

"Lightning Genius?"

Zhu Yeon-jeong murmured, spotting a young boy off to the side. The boy's companions—a man and a woman, were also familiar. They were Azure-Eye Demonic Swordsman Cheong Myung and Wave Swordswoman Baek Miryeo, key figures of the Radiant Demon Squad.

Zhu Yeon-jeong's delicate brows knitted together.

"Where is Yeon-jeong?"

The outrageous shouting had drawn a crowd. The Desolate Fortress was a cluster of numerous pavilions.

Its vast population made the late-night commotion a spectacle worth watching.

'Are they trying to make this a public issue?'

Zhu Yeon-jeong began to grasp their intentions. They seemed determined to escalate the situation.

Between Lightning Genius and Desolate Ma Clan, delving into the details would only harm the latter. It was nearly impossible to distort the truth skillfully.

This was because discerning nobles resided throughout the fortress.

The matter was clear.

'Restrain him first.'

He called herself personally, and the justification was clear.

Thud!

Zhu Yeon-jeong stomped the ground, releasing a surge of energy from the foot's bubbling well pressure point.

The stepping technique of the Imperial Martial Art, Golden Immortal Eight Methods, drastically shortened the distance in an instant.

With a thunderous noise, a long trail of dust shot straight across the ground.

In the blink of an eye, she arrived at the scene of the commotion.

The young man in white, whose graceful movements had captivated the crowd, smiled with his eyes.

He was tall and rather striking, but Zhu Yeon-jeong kept her gaze fixed on him as she spoke softly.

"Step aside."

The Maga warriors immediately withdrew in unison. Their disciplined movements reflected a martial formation suited for group combat.

Zhu Yeon-jeong gathered her inner energy into her right arm. It was the palm technique of the Golden Immortal Eight Methods.

The energy coursed swiftly through her Shou Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, running directly from her shoulder to her index finger.

Boom!

A storm-like force gathered in her outstretched palm.

The martial art utilized the body's meridians to generate powerful energy while maintaining remarkable precision.

For an insolent man who had insulted the Imperial family, it was a strike meant to kill in a single blow.

At that moment—

Whoosh!

Her vision filled with a flash of blue robes. Her eyes widened.

'Lightning Genius?'

She had failed to anticipate his approach. It was no one's fault—his footwork, reminiscent of noble movements, was exquisitely refined.

The distance was too close. Striking Lightning Genius now would escalate the situation beyond control.

She desperately tried to withdraw her energy, draining most of her strength in an instant.

If the rumors about Lightning Genius were true, he should be able to withstand the residual force.

'Good.'

She could not completely retract her energy. A faint trace remained.

To summon energy and release it with precision while simultaneously retracting it completely required mastery equivalent to the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown.

Zhu Yeon-jeong had not yet reached that level.

Smack!

Thus, the sound was loud. Her palm struck Lightning Genius's solar plexus.

The cool texture of the Desolate Fortress blue martial robes penetrated her palm.

In that instant, Zhu Yeon-jeong's eyes grew even wider.

The Golden Immortal Eight Methods was a martial art that trained all the body's meridians. It specialized in health preservation and countering ambushes.

Exchanging blows allowed her to sense the opponent's energy flow with incredible precision.

The refined techniques relied on heightened senses.

Thus, she felt it.

Energy surged from Lightning Genius Jung Yeonshin's solar plexus. It was his Middle Dantian.

The internal energy he wielded lightly pressed against the Feng Acupoint at the tip of his lungs.

It raised blood without damaging the organs, an astoundingly fast yet intricately delicate maneuver.

He was a rare genius, born with a natural talent for martial arts.

Yet Zhu Yeon-jeong could not admire him.

As she retracted her hand, she sensed blood rising through Lightning Genius's throat.

He was about to cough up blood, an intentional rupture.

Cough.

With a sputtering cough, blood splattered from Lightning Genius's mouth.

He staggered and collapsed, making it appear as though Zhu Yeon-jeong had struck too hard.

Her eyebrows shot up.

"This insolent brat..."

"Withdraw your hand."

A voice interrupted. Wave Swordswoman, Baek Miryeo, stepped forward.

Dark, ink-like energy swirled around her body, exuding a chilling aura.

It was an internal energy technique so refined that identifying its origin was nearly impossible. The manifestation of true energy was rare and instantly drew attention.

"Dark arts?"

"No, the energy flow is pure."

"You don't recognize Wave Swordswoman?"

The spectators murmured.

By now, dozens of martial artists from the Desolate Fortress had gathered in front of the pavilion, drawn by the commotion.

Among them stood a figure who attracted even more attention than Baek Miryeo.

Before the ink-like energy could spread further, Chung Myung drew his sword.

Wearing a hood and covering one eye, the nobleman let his blade emit a sharp breeze.

He hadn't even swung his sword, yet the surrounding air rippled. It was an ominous sword aura.

He opened his lips.

"Step back."

He was Azure-Eye Demonic Swordsman Chung Myung, a swordsman regarded as a future contender for supremacy.

As a Radiant Demon Squad master, his reputation was second only to the Radiant Demon Squad Leader himself.

"Are the two of you out of your minds? Think about the consequences. That 'Zhu Yeon-jeong of Desolate Ma Clan' won't sit still."

Heon Wonchang, who stood beside them, rebuked the two seniors.

His words and expressions differed—his demeanor bore the sinister aura of a practitioner of deadly sword techniques.

His energy exuded a ghostly menace, making him seem almost inhuman.

To any onlooker, he appeared as a warrior thirsting for vengeance.

"The chivalry of the martial world has fallen!"

Pushing his seniors aside, Heon Wonchang raised his voice.

It rang out like the roar of a lion, as if his vocal cords themselves were infused with energy.

His voice tore through the air.

"To treat the Lightning Genius of Radiant Demon Squad, who has earned his fame through righteous missions, in such a manner? Shame on you for your lack of honor! Are you not ashamed before the spirits of his parents in heaven? Desolate Ma Clan! If anyone here dares to discuss virtue alongside this great Desolate Fortress' Sacred Warrior, step forward!"

The manipulation of energy, especially when he spoke of Lightning Genius' parents, was impressive.

His presence radiated overwhelming authority.

Zhu Yeon-jeong glanced down and took a step back.

"Lightning Genius? Radiant Demon Squad's future heir?"

"He was already injured, wasn't he?"

The crowd crept closer, craning their necks.

Lightning Genius's crumpled figure, lying on the ground, did not look disgraceful.

Instead, he appeared courageous, a young martial artist who had taken a blow in place of his comrade.

"Parents in heaven?"

Zhu Yeon-jeong muttered icily.

"Aren't the Imperial family members those who overlook their subjects from the heavens?"

Feigning composure, Heon Wonchang quickly knelt beside Lightning Genius and examined his wounds for a few breaths.

He then lifted his upper body and began wailing loudly.

"Oh, no! Oh, nooo!"

It was an absurd sight.

Zhu Yeon-jeong lowered her hand, feeling as though she were watching a grand opera performance in Beijing.

This was entirely unexpected.