CHAPTER 133

A wide vortex unfurled, centering around Jung Yeonshin.

Fragments of stone and leaves scraped across the sparring ground floor.

The noise blended with the distant hammering of a divine sword in the smithy.

"Well, what a racket this energy condensation makes."

It was Flame Dragon.

Standing beside Jung Yeonshin, he struck the ground with a casual tap, exuding an air of nonchalance.

With his senses fully extended, his shaded eyes roamed around.

Despite his languid posture, he was diligently standing guard.

The affairs of the martial world were truly peculiar. They were entrusting their lives to Hwangbo's young master, once their enemy.

Yet neither Jung Yeonshin nor Flame Dragon paid it any mind. Their sensibilities were dulled alike.

The boy felt a sense of kinship with this opium addict who lived a fleeting life, and the addict found the boy's martial talent uniquely stimulating.

It was a relationship of a young master and his jaded subordinate—peculiar yet straightforward.

"Let's run away."

The Flame Dragon suddenly spoke. His expression was rather serious, but that was all.

With opium leaves in his mouth, his words carried no weight.

Even so, he continued, speaking through his teeth.

"This is beyond what we can handle. I've thought it through quite a bit, but the outcome won't change."

When it came to natural talent, few could rival Flame Dragon.

Even Jung Yeonshin had once deliberately provoked him, calling him slow-witted.

He had likely envisioned a battle against the Thirteen Heavens' Leaders.

He must have seen defeat—just as Jung Yeonshin had.

He pictured himself, Jung Yeonshin, the Tang Clan's head, and their top experts fighting with everything they had.

"This doesn't make sense. Shouldn't the capital prioritize greater causes over loyalty to clans? Many lives could be saved under the acting young master's leadership. Staying here to fight is just hastening my own death."

Flame Dragon, once the heir of the Hwangbo Clan, shook his head.

He was bracing for the worst.

He imagined facing both the Blood Flame Cult's leader and the Pure Demon Alliance's leader simultaneously.

They were foes superior even to the Hwangbo Clan's leader.

Flame Dragon's own father had been slaughtered by three supreme masters—Radiant Demon Squad Leader, Heavenly Squad leader, and the Annihilation Squad Leader.

The Thirteen Heavens' Leaders, each a towering figure in the demonic world, could at the very least hold their ground against such foes.

"Listen, young master. The Thirteen Leaders are like the leaders of the Nine Great Sects. Beasts of monstrous strength you might only encounter once in a lifetime. For people like us, who are still—well, not exactly inexperienced, but you get the point."

Flame Dragon swallowed the opium leaf he had been chewing.

Then, narrowing his eyes, he slowly continued.

"A nobody like me, and a temporary young master who's only just put on his uncle's mantle, aren't ready for this. The gap between a clan leader and the leader of a martial sect is enormous. Of course... well, your achievements are unheard of for someone your age…"

"It's too late."

The boy spoke.

He sensed a massive gathering of energy surging toward Tang Manor's main gate.

Boom. It was as if the vibrations of martial footsteps were resonating from afar.

The opium addict beside him furrowed his brows.

Flame Dragon must have sensed it too with his wide-ranging perception.

But before he could reply, the boy spoke again.

"Let's set up a simple tactic, for when the melee breaks out."

"Hmm?"

"You hold off the Thirteen Heavenly Sect's leaders with the Tang Clan's experts. Looks like there's just one of them."

"You're serious…?"

"I'll quickly take down the rest and join you. I'm not saying we fight them all. If we can overwhelmingly defeat one top expert—excluding the leader—the battlefield's morale should collapse."

"Isn't this completely reckless? Young master, did you inherit the martial path of some crazy blade master instead of the sect's sacred techniques? You sound fiery enough."

"Blade master?"

"These days, there are sects that practice 'Nine Rites' in one ceremony to assert authority. Strange customs, don't you think?"

"Stop rambling. You really do sound like an opium addict."

Swish!

Before they knew it, both had taken to their light-footed movement techniques.

Despite earlier talk of escape, Flame Dragon followed Jung Yeonshin without hesitation—opium leaf back in his mouth.

"Should've said so earlier."

"Had we abandoned the Tang Clan, the capital wouldn't have approved anyway."

"Who knows? The capital might be more concerned about its promising heirs being in mortal danger than about loyalty to clans."

Figures clad in black and gray soared through the air, their movements swift and sharp.

Even as they spoke, their lightness skills demonstrated formidable strength.

They headed straight for Tang Manor's main gate.

The Tang Clan's warriors, too, seemed to have sensed the intruders, as their presences were converging from all directions.

Whoosh!

The wind surged against their ears.

With each step, the sparring ground seemed to slide backward.

Flame Dragon's voice rang out cheerfully, perhaps trying to lighten the mood.

"By the way, the old sword master was said to have walked a tyrant's path in his day. The strategy you're suggesting sounds just like that. Maybe you didn't inherit the fortress' techniques, but your grandfather's style instead."

"Enough nonsense."

"We need all the strength we can get. By the way, where's that purple-robe warrior of ours? Don't tell me he died in some backwater of Sichuan."

"He'll arrive on time. You should worry more about yourself. That's just my gut feeling."

"The ones coming now don't feel like demonic cultivators or blood masters. They feel different. Could this be the worst-case scenario? Looks like the Ten Perfection Sect arrived first."

Flame Dragon frowned as he chewed his opium leaf.

Jung Yeonshin sensed it too.

The Ten Perfection Sect's Primordial Art of Ten Thousand Sects was technically not a demonic art.

Their actions resembled those of heretics, but their techniques did not clash with orthodox martial arts.

This meant their abilities weren't restrained by the Tang Clan's venom techniques.

The opponent they had hoped to delay by sparing So Jin-rang had arrived first.

"Well, at least these clan folks are faster than the orthodox sects. That's some consolation."

Flame Dragon remarked.

Within the outer yard of Tang Manor, just inside the grand gate, was a space designed to welcome guests.

Beautifully landscaped trees lined either side, swaying as though whispering ominously.

Jung Yeonshin's gaze fixed on the center of it all.

Tang Clan experts, clad in green martial robes and armed with hidden weapons and gauntlets, stood ready.

Leading them were the clan head and the Dragon-Phoenix Twin Venoms siblings.

Their eyes were sharp, their auras venomous—far from the benevolence they once displayed.

The boy descended among them with Flame Dragon, black and gray robes fluttering.

Thud.

"Master."

The Tang experts saluted in unison, even the clan head and the twin siblings.

Facing an enemy, they respectfully bowed to their benefactor.

Their bearing exuded the dignity of a prestigious martial family.

"I'll take the vanguard."

Jung Yeonshin declared. It was a logical choice.

Tang martial arts excelled at supporting attacks from the rear, providing cover while others engaged upfront.

"We shall follow your will. We couldn't have asked for more… Truly, thank you."

Tang Yun-hwang bowed again.

The short, middle-aged venom master's face was a mix of respect and guilt.

As the clan's head, he bore the weight of his household's survival, unable to refuse a savior's aid.

Step.

Returning the salute, Jung Yeonshin advanced and asked,

"Ten Perfection Sect?"

"Yes."

The enemy's presence was clear now, just beyond the gate.

Among them, one aura stood out—formidable and chilling.

Its pressure seeped through the air like blades slicing skin.

Finally,

Having entered this dark domain, Jung Yeon-shin's world in the martial realm was expanding rapidly.

The boy, maintaining a calm composure, took the lead.

Here and now, he rationally decided that several leaders of the Thirteen Heavens had to be annihilated. The banner of justice raised by the Azure Qilin solidified into an unshakable resolve.

"If someone asks, tell them this: It's the Endless Flow of Blossoms and the Ringing Force."

"I see… that's good."

"It seems you wish for this to become widely known, and I too must roam all of the martial world. It's my nature. I can't live otherwise."

"Yes… then do so. Freely, as you wish…"

'Freely.'

Jung Yeonshin hadn't expected the issue with Tang Taedok, the elder head of the Tang family, to be resolved so easily.

It was something that would have normally required years of searching and negotiations. Now, it was time to repay Tang Yun-hwang for his display of trust.

The members of the Tang family gazed at the boy in the jet-black long robe, his back turned to them.

An elite warrior of the Black-Clad Desolate Fortress now stood at the forefront of the Tang clan's forces.

The family members' faces reflected a range of emotions as they beheld a scene rarely witnessed in the martial world.

The siblings Tang Yeohwa and Tang Ryeo-ryeo, in particular, looked on with outright admiration. Their expressions said as much.

"You might as well take a divine sword with you." 

Flame Dragon said, casually tapping the ground beside him.

Simultaneously.

Kwaaaaaang—!

The wide gates of Tang Manor exploded.

Through the scattering shards of wood and clouds of dust, figures emerged.

Their steps seemed leisurely, yet oddly swift. Leading them was a silhouette holding a spear.

With a single swing, the energy emanating from the spear swept the dust away like a whirlwind.

"Is the fiend who killed the Sword-Thirst Demon and Crescent Moon Sword here?"

A woman's raspy voice echoed. Her appearance as she stepped forward was striking.

The spear she held at a slant was made entirely of steel, seamlessly connecting the shaft and the blade.

Its weight must have been tremendous, yet she wielded it as if it were a bamboo stick.

She wore armor-like silver robes that suited her perfectly.

Her unkempt hair resembled a lion's mane.

"The leader of the Ten Perfection Sect is a woman…? Never heard that before. Her energy is odd too."

Flame Dragon murmured. Beside him, Venomous Dragon Tang Yeohwa shook his head.

"Among the Thirteen Heavenly Sect's leaders of Sichuan, the only woman is the Pure Demoness. That is Moonlight Spear Lu Zhuxia. She's the most famous spear master in Sichuan and a renowned expert. I heard she had been in secluded training, but it seems the sect's losses forced her out."

"She was the lover of Sword-Thirst Demon Dokgo Gwang."

Venomous Phoenix Tang Ryeo-ryeo added.

Jung Yeonshin was already focused on Lu Zhuxia, gazing past her shoulder.

About forty fighters followed her through the shattered gate.

Even counting those who died at the City of Master Craftsmen and Shu Road, this was a substantial force.

It seemed they had handpicked skilled warriors to deploy in this battle between major sects.

Among them stood one man.

His presence was unmistakable.

Though he seemed to conceal his energy, making him appear ordinary at first glance, that only made him more terrifying.

It suggested mastery at a level where energy was wielded as naturally as limbs—the realm of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown and Five Energies Returning to Origin.

'The leader of the Ten Perfection Sect…!'

The man simply tilted his head slightly, as if indicating he wouldn't act yet.

Simultaneously, Lu Zhuxia stepped in front of him, blocking his form.

"I asked—! Is the fiend here?"

She behaved like a vanguard leader, bringing personal grudges into this confrontation while the acting leader allowed her to settle them herself.

She had claimed the right to vengeance, a principle deeply honored in the martial world.

"No, I don't need to ask further. It's you, isn't it?"

Her spear pointed directly at Jung Yeonshin. The two vanguards faced off.

The tactics Jung Yeonshin had discussed with Flame Dragon were already rendered meaningless.

The atmosphere naturally shifted toward a duel to the death.

"That's right. It was me."

The boy replied slowly.

He found it odd that they mentioned So Jin-rang's fate, but there was no doubt that Sword-Thirst Demon Dokgo Gwang had died by his hand.

With the acting leader already present, further argument was unnecessary.

Lu Zhuxia's eyes flared with energy-fueled light.

"I've heard your talent is extraordinary. Face me in a duel to the death. Show me how Dok-rang died."

She attached the honorific "rang" to Dokgo Gwang's name, a mark of deep affection. Her demeanor was fiercely combative.

Saaa—

Even her energy mirrored her temperament.

It spread out like flames, causing Jung Yeonshin's black robe to whip violently.

'This isn't just blue-rank…'

The boy's gaze sharpened.

It was said that each major sect typically had no more than two black-tier experts, with Blood Flame Cult as the exception.

But reality differed. She had hidden her strength until now.

If all of the Thirteen Heavenly Sect's leaders were like this, the capital faced an unprecedented crisis.

Yet, for now, it was fine. Breaking Moonlight Spear's shaft would render the Ten Perfection Sect irreparable. That alone would be enough.

"No need for words! Let our martial skills speak!"

Lu Zhuxia's voice erupted, imbued with powerful inner force.

Behind her, the warriors of the Ten Perfection Sect roared in unison.

It was the air of a disciplined army—much like the elite of a Profound Martial Alliance whom Azure Qilin had slaughtered.

Moonlight Spear Lu Zhuxia. The word "formidable" suited her.

Without a word, Jung Yeonshin drew his Desolate Sword.

The divine transformation of the Beiming Sword had not yet been attained.

Facing Lu Zhuxia, he was reminded of Divine Spear Ak Surim—vice leader of the Divine Sword Squad.

A woman said to wield spear techniques so masterful they bordered on sorcery.

It was impossible not to compare the two.

Swish—!

A sharp light flashed.

The spear's blade, charged with immense inner power, cut through the air with a sound like a sword slashing.

Clang!

Jung Yeonshin deflected the strike with his Desolate Sword.

The impact reverberated through his palm.

The power was overwhelming—enough to remind him of Sword-Thirst Demon Dokgo Gwang's strength.

As the spear's blade was deflected upward, Lu Zhuxia's lips curved into a savage smile.

Her free hand shot out, unleashing a wave of force. It was a seamless combination technique aimed at catching him off guard.

Voom.

Her clenched fist hummed with resonance—fist technique.

The pressuring energy resembled Dokgo Gwang's devastating strikes, demonstrating precise manipulation of force.

Even as she wielded a spear, she followed up with fist strikes designed to crush steel.

Boom! Boom! Booooom!

The ground quaked as the distance between them closed instantly.

Flames flickered in her eyes as her fist seemed to suck in the surrounding air.

In that moment, the boy extended his free hand. It was a gentle motion.

Swish.

His palm brushed against her incoming fist, dissipating its force.

In the blink of an eye, pale energy rippled outward, severing her force into strands.

It was a perfect counter technique—energy control at its finest.

Lu Zhuxia's eyes wavered as she realized her strike had been neutralized. Too late.

Jung Yeonshin's hand seized her wrist, locking it tightly.

Her fist technique was restrained, and her spear was too far behind her to recover.

At that moment, Jung Yeonshin deliberately dropped his Desolate Sword. It wasn't needed at this range.

'Radiant River.'

Rumble!

His black sleeves flared as a storm of energy erupted from his palm.

Shards of the gate flew outward in the whirlwind.

"Ugh…!"

Amidst the raging force, Lu Zhuxia thrust her knee upward—an instant counterattack within high-level martial arts.

Thud!

Jung Yeonshin's foot pushed against her shin, breaking the force of her strike.

The weight of her collapse signaled the duel's end.

Through the settling dust, her lifeless eyes stared at him.

"You asked how the Sword-Thirst Demon died."

Jung Yeonshin spoke slowly, closing her eyes with his palm.

"He died in vain—just like you."

His calm voice echoed through the quiet breeze of Tang Manor's outer yard.