CHAPTER 121

"Uncle, did you properly stop the bleeding?"

He wasn't addressing him as the squad leader. For the first time, Jung Yeonshin called Ma Jin his uncle. Ma Jin's eyes widened from where he stood in the back.

Although he was well aware of his nephew's talents, he had never imagined seeing this side of him so soon.

Even Ma Jin, who had roamed the martial world as the Radiant Demon Squad Leader, had never anticipated such a development.

"That arm, I mean."

Jung Yeonshin added, completely restraining the enemy's hand. Ha Yul-geuk, Pure Demon Alliance.

Even when facing a supreme master, he was still concerned about his uncle behind him.

Ma Jin's lips quivered slightly, emotions swelling like clouds.

His nephew's achievement laid bare before his eyes, the impression that their relationship had finally progressed, and the subordinates who had died around them—all of it stirred the heart of the leader of Radiant Demon Squad.

"…How did you get here?"

That was all he managed to say. As an uncle who had failed his duties, he wanted to approach his nephew. Yet words were another matter.

Due to his innate martial nature, he couldn't utter affectionate words. Ma Jin reproached himself for it in that fleeting moment.

Jung Yeonshin's voice rang out calmly.

"I formed a combat unit. I'm acting as the temporary leader. Judging by your voice, you seem fine. Please take command for a moment."

He spoke as if he were any ordinary nephew. His words, unusually long this time, carried significant weight.

He had told the black-robe master to step aside. Such words could not be spoken without considerable martial prowess.

It must be seen as though he had spoken while draped in an invisible cloak of darkness.

'Just what…?'

Even knowing Jung Yeonshin's potential, Ma Jin was astounded. It was something no one could easily believe.

Did he live each year as if it were ten?

Ma Jin couldn't even distinguish whether his feelings were admiration or shock.

But there was no time to linger. Ma Jin turned his body.

"Good luck."

The leader of the Radiant Demon Squad entrusted the battlefield's top authority completely. Finishing his words, he executed his lightness skill and disappeared into the distance.

The ground sunk deeply with each step he took.

Even though his meridian system couldn't have been normal with his arm severed, his presence surpassed that of the blue rank.

Even at that moment.

Ha Yul-geuk remained still. The overwhelming power of the Transcending Law Radiant Wheel was unfamiliar.

Not just unfamiliar—it was overpowering.

"..."

The moment he realized the truth, Pure Demon Alliance's Ha Yul-geuk, was at a loss for words.

The target, Radiant Demon Squad leader, had fled, yet he couldn't muster the courage to pursue.

His hand, gripping his own severed arm, remained motionless.

Beyond the boy's shoulder, his gaze was drawn to the scene before him.

Through the gradually fading dust, the remains of Dokgo Gwang's corpse were visible—only the lower half remained.

The hem of his dark cyan robe fluttered helplessly.

Flanking him were two young masters from Desolate Fortress, equally stunned.

'Defeated in just two moves? That's not the problem.'

Yul-geuk's eyes sank heavily. Battles among masters varied as widely as martial arts themselves.

From single-exchange duels to seven-day battles, they took many forms.

Because there were countless variables—terrain, weather, martial compatibility, physical condition, and even the sequence of techniques performed that day.

Even among evenly matched opponents, combat scenarios could split into hundreds or thousands.

'This boy… is unfathomable. His senses are extraordinary.'

He sensed it with the instincts of a supreme master. The series of techniques had been executed with meticulous calculation.

The two moves the boy from Desolate Fortress had just performed were like that. The final palm strike carried an unheard-of force, yet it also had clear flaws.

Any supreme master of a major sect could have noticed. That's what made it all the more astonishing.

'That palm strike was definitely divine-level martial art. But it has distinct pros and cons.'

That's why he had preemptively launched his palm technique and seamlessly linked his moves.

The result was Dokgo Gwang's death. The Ten Perfection Sect' greatsword was broken. Considering the boy's preparation, the cost had been far too great.

It was an event that would shake the vast martial world of Sichuan.

'If this had been a proper one-on-one duel… no.'

Such thoughts were meaningless. In the martial world, there was no such thing as fairness.

Unless it was a friendly spar, martial world battles never began at full preparation. Survival defined mastery.

What mattered was something else entirely.

His martial skill stood at a level that warranted discussion among supreme masters. The boy blocking his hand demonstrated that much.

His martial prowess soared to astonishing heights—enough to seem nearly equal to himself. It was hard to believe. He wasn't some rejuvenated elder.

This was a serious problem.

"Is it divine power?"

Yul-geuk asked while keeping his hand locked with Jung Yeonshin's. The boy answered calmly.

"How light."

A provocation disguised as a passing comment. He refused to give the answer Ha Yul-geuk wanted, and yet it felt completely natural.

His behavior and aura testified to his level. The demeanor of a noble master.

Even when speaking down to a supreme expert, it did not feel out of place.

'This martial art reaches the heavens.'

Ha Yul-geuk thought absently before speaking again.

"So it is divine power. It's hard to believe. Are you a direct disciple of the Green Jade Lineage?"

A flash of light flickered in the blue eyes of the demonic master. He was perceiving the martial arts of his natural enemy.

The Green Jade referred to the Green Jade Buddhist Staff, symbolizing the abbot of the Shaolin Temple.

It was a question of whether he was a direct disciple of their headmaster.

Ha Yul-geuk didn't wait for an answer. He murmured to himself.

"No, divine martial arts were lost. What on earth is this…?"

"You talk too much for a dead man."

Jung Yeonshin tightened his grip. His right hand still held Yul-geuk's wrist.

The lingering spiritual force of Bodhidharma momentarily amplified the Transcending Law Radiant Wheel's abilities.

This wasn't a power to be used so soon after mastering the technique. It was tied to his lifespan—a symbol of being short-lived.

Hoo—

Jung Yeonshin's breath carried faint streams of pure white light. They bloomed mystically before dissipating.

To others, it was a wondrous sight. But the boy knew. This meant it was incomplete.

'The Radiant Wheel is a newborn organ—a heart for my newly formed inner energy.'

It was being stabilized momentarily by Bodhidharma's lingering spirit. Just for now. He needed meditation to properly settle it.

'The resonance will soon fade.'

During the brief confrontation, Jung Yeonshin had examined his own body.

The power granted by Bodhidharma's manifestation wouldn't last long.

He had been told it was merely a fragment of divine energy tempered by a master craftsman.

It didn't matter. He had already forged the Radiant Wheel. There was no need to worry about further refinement.

Escaping the battlefield and cultivating afterward would suffice.

Eliminating the enemy's supreme masters was enough. With a soul as fiery as a torch.

"Boy, what did you say?"

Ha Yul-geuk asked. He had flaunted his skill while severing Ma Jin's arm.

Whether the situation was advantageous or not, he used his words freely. Now, it wasn't in his favor.

He seemed to be buying time to prepare a defense after encountering an unexpected supreme master.

"I said a corpse has a long tongue."

The boy replied curtly. That was the end of their words.

A gust of wind brushed past the two masters' cheeks.

It flowed endlessly from the cavern's high ceiling.

Sweeping through the battlefield, the dry wind lifted their garments.

Crash!

Suddenly, Ha Yul-geuk's knee shot forward. A swift leg technique.

Though executed in an instant, it carried immense force, as if premeditated.

The moment his foot left the ground, circular ripples spread fiercely.

Jung Yeonshin didn't dodge. He reacted before the wave even formed.

The essence of the Radiant Wheel guided his natural reflexes. Holding onto the opponent's wrist, he raised his foot.

Then stomped down immediately. It was a flash of motion.

Boom!

The ground trembled. Yul-geuk's knee stopped mid-rise.

Jung Yeonshin's foot pressed down on his ankle, completely nullifying the attack.

A perfect counter in a master's duel.

Yul-geuk's eyes widened, revealing his distinct blue pupils.

"Hmm."

A heavy murmur filled the air. Even as he gathered his energy, his leg wouldn't rise, as though frozen in place.

It was because of the divine energy he initially considered problematic—an absolute counter. At this moment, Jung Yeonshin's energy was overwhelming.

The boy thought, even without Bodhidharma's spiritual essence, he would still have the advantage. It was due to the Transcending Law Radiant Wheel.

The quality of his internal energy had changed. He was no longer overpowered.

Since the opponent had cultivated demonic internal energy, even their elemental compatibility was in his favor.

In that case.

There was no point in further probing. Unknowingly, he assumed the posture of a lower-tier martial artist, approaching his opponent with a tempered mindset.

He had tried to explore the energy flow and find flaws in the opponent's techniques.

But it was meaningless.

Woong!

Energy waves pulsed outward. It was the Transcending Law Radiant Wheel. He drew it out to its full potential in that moment—and the response was immediate.

It started from beneath his feet. The foot pressing down on Yul-geuk's knee snapped downward.

As he forced the opponent's leg to the ground, his foot crushed the arch.

Crack!

A chilling noise echoed. He could vividly feel the bones shattering under pressure.

The dark, abyss-like demonic energy climbed up Ha Yul-geuk's leg but crumbled apart.

It was as if the night air had splintered into fragments.

It wasn't just neutralized—it was shattered like brittle bones under corrosive fire.

"…!"

The eyes of the man who severed Ma Jin's arm widened as if they would tear. Yet, he didn't scream.

As expected of one of the top masters from the demonic sects. Jung Yeonshin paid no mind and strengthened his grip.

After the foot, it was time for the hand. The hand that had severed Ma Jin's arm twisted down to the bone.

His energy defied belief. Jung Yeonshin was shocked at his own strength, as if his energy had shed its shell and been reborn.

"Haaah!"

Finally.

A master of the black domain shouted a battle cry. It happened right before his eyes.

Yul-geuk extended his other hand—a fist this time. The energy surrounding the strike distorted the air.

It was aimed to obliterate Jung Yeonshin's head. The sheer force of the fist's energy was terrifying.

In that fleeting moment, Jung Yeonshin's eyes calmed. He anticipated the move.

With his opponent unable to use his footwork and having already lost one hand, the next move was obvious.

No need to counter—it was time to unleash his own martial arts fully.

Hwaaak!

They were within the range of close-combat strikes. Jung Yeonshin released his sword.

The Transcending Law Radiant Wheel guided his movements through the principles of the Infinite Blossom Fist Strike. With the precision of a master, he struck the side of the opponent's fist.

Boom!

It hit directly. The straight energy wave pierced through the opponent's fist.

Yul-geuk's own punch slammed into his own chin. Through his opponent's fist, Jung Yeonshin felt the bones shatter.

He didn't stop.

As Yul-geuk's face snapped back, Jung Yeonshin extended his other hand.

The Transcending Law Radiant Wheel's energy waves burst forth—like flower petals blooming in unison.

Power collided with power, generating another shockwave.

'Third Form—Flower Strike.'

He struck the opponent's upper body with a cascade of blows. It was a technique inspired by the Hua Mountain Sect's Falling Petal Palm, once observed in its prime.

Now, it shattered Ha Yul-geuk's internal energy shield, breaking through to his organs.

The latent divine energy unraveled the opponent's defenses. The strikes pierced through to his bones.

Crack! Thud!

In a single move, eighteen blows landed. It was as though pale petals bloomed across his torso.

They shattered his internal energy, battered his skin, and reduced his ribs to fragments.

Jung Yeonshin vividly felt the changes in the impact as the blows progressed. He could sense his mastery ascending.

'Ugh.'

He suppressed a groan as he struck.

It was due to the internal injuries inflicted earlier by Dokgo Gwang. Pain resonated from within his abdomen.

The Transcending Law Radiant Wheel had no healing properties. Such techniques required absorption through blood energy, and this wasn't the time.

Jung Yeonshin's internal organs remained damaged. The throbbing pain in his stomach intensified.

No single martial art could encompass everything. But he didn't care.

The divine energy shone brightly. The spinning wheel circulated energy throughout his body.

The power of the Transcending Law Radiant Wheel was immense. It continued to build.

'This ends now.'

The boy thought as he stepped in once more.

With his opponent's eyes rolling back, he delivered the final strike to the solar plexus.

The shattered ribs touched his fist. It felt like a light graze.

But it wasn't.

Boom!

A massive shockwave exploded outward. It completely crushed the rebound force of the demonic energy.

Yul-geuk's body crumpled where he stood. It was a pitiful sight.

"Huuuh…"

A wheezing sound escaped from his chest.

Pure Demon Alliance's Ha Yul-geuk, lay sprawled at Jung Yeonshin's feet. Death-like silence filled the battlefield.

From Sichuan, one of the martial world's top masters had been utterly defeated.

"..."

The battle had already ended. It concluded almost simultaneously.

It was because neither the Tang Clan leader nor Ma Jin had to face top masters. Dokgo Gwang died, and Pure Demon Alliance's Ha Yul-geuk, was bound by Lightning Genius.

With support from the Returning Wings Squad, the martial artists of the Thirteen Heavens lay scattered, leaderless. The remaining experts around the battlefield stared at Lightning Genius and Ha Yul-geuk.

They witnessed the unbelievable outcome of the battle.

Ha Yul-geuk's lips trembled—it seemed like his last flare of energy.

"Your martial art… what is its origin…?"

Those were his dying words.

It was said that the Pure Demon Alliance originated from the demonic cults of Xianyang.

They did not follow Central Plains customs. They worshipped power and cared little for means.

Jung Yeonshin suddenly thought of the Azure Qilin.

A man who met his end not as a clan heir but as a warrior.

Ha Yul-geuk seemed the same.

Was a person's essence revealed in the face of death?

For that moment, he no longer looked like a demon.

The boy looked down at the demonic martial artist.

"The Transcending Law Radiant Wheel."

A short answer. It seemed enough.

"Radiant… how magnificent."

Ha Yul-geuk's lips curled faintly.

"But it suits you, boy. Had you been raised in our sect, you might have… rebuilt our church…"

He couldn't finish. His breath stopped.

Jung Yeonshin closed his eyes as he silently watched.

After confirming the battlefield had settled, he turned his focus inward to fully stabilize the newly created Radiant Wheel.

At that moment.

Hwaaak!

The Returning Wings Squad and Radiant Demon Squad masters arrived. Martial artists of Desolate Fortress leaped from all directions.

They halted at a distance, creating gusts of wind as they landed.

Forming a large circle, they positioned Jung Yeonshin in the center.

He began consolidating the divine art within his body.

Wooong!

The boy's blue robes fluttered gently.

A faint light radiated from his body as if a silver river flowed through him.

It was a mystical sight.

The experts of Desolate Fortress surrounded him with their backs turned outward, assuming a defensive stance.

There was no gap in their formation.

"..."

The martial artists outside watched blankly.

Expressions of awe, disbelief, and reverence filled the faces of Tang Clan and Beggar's Sect masters.