CHAPTER 168

They ran all day.

It wasn't on a fine steed but by using lightness techniques. The Profound Martial Alliance's eradication order wasn't something to be taken lightly.

They had to risk their lives, conceal their presence, and approach cautiously.

Namgoong Hwashin was left behind at the main base, just in case something went awry with Jung Yeonshin.

One of the envoys from Desolate Fortress had to remain in the Murim Alliance.

For someone to temporarily fulfill the role of a black-level expert, the only option was someone at the blue level.

Namgoong Hwashin's rank was right below Jung Yeonshin's, and he was also the most reliable companion.

'He'll likely keep an eye on the internal affairs of the alliance as well.'

The boy held Namgoong Hwashin's martial skills, adaptability, personality, and popularity in high regard.

The Profound Martial Alliance was a formidable opponent. They were masters of the unorthodox sects, meaning it was difficult to guarantee victory.

They had to assume the worst-case scenario, whether the party was wiped out or delayed. That's why Namgoong Hwashin stayed behind.

"Why not just avoid going altogether? Clashing with the Thirteen Celestial Demons is no trivial matter." 

Flame Dragon said, tapping his chest pocket. Before anyone noticed, he was suddenly walking alongside.

A bundle of opium poppy he had bought swiftly two days ago was tucked into his chest. Jung Yeonshin shook his head.

Namgoong Hwashin's absence was keenly felt now. He had been a source of reassurance.

"To avoid disgrace, I have to face them. If the swordsmanship I've refined through actual combat can't withstand their sword arts, the prestige of Desolate Fortress' black-level experts will be tarnished."

The boy spoke, and Flame Dragon bit off a stem of poppy.

"Is losing to a Sword Saint truly disgraceful? It's not like we're talking about some mediocre expert."

"It's the same, even if the opponent is the alliance leader. If I were to lose pathetically... that alone would mean mission failure. Coming to assert our dignity but instead leaving after being 'enlightened' would only be disgraceful."

"The alliance must have planned this out. They handed over the Sect War but ensured their honor remained intact."

It was Heon Wonchang, standing upright and speaking. He walked ahead of the martial artists of the Murim Alliance, glaring at them for no reason, while one hand lightly gripped the hem of Jung Yeonshin's robe.

Boldly running his mouth while using the young leader as a shield, the boy silently shrugged him off.

Flame Dragon's lips curled into a smirk.

"Well, rejecting 'enlightenment' would indeed come across as odd. A master who conquered the Sect War offers instruction, and..."

"The Radiance Sword Style wouldn't even withstand a second against the Sword Saint. Its flow was broken by the Leader of the Law and Order Squad."

"It'd be hard with Infinite Blossom Fist Strike too, wouldn't it? Even something like the Radiant River."

Flame Dragon asked, and Jung Yeonshin looked at him quietly for a moment.

Despite being indifferent about most things, he seemed to know quite a bit about his unique martial arts.

After all his initial grumbling about his lack of talent, he was oddly sharp when it came to martial arts.

The boy slowly nodded.

"The distance is the issue. The moment you close in with martial techniques, your arm would likely be severed. Defensive energy can't withstand the Sword Saint's sword strikes."

"So, it ultimately comes down to wielding the sword with skill. The Hwangbo Clan has a pretty decent sword art... a martial art called the Southern Blossom Sword Spirit Form. After my great-grandfather perfected it, he was praised as the greatest swordsman of Shandong for ten years. There's a famous story where over a dozen masters from the Ak Clan with spears couldn't withstand a single sword."

"Ridiculous nonsense!"

A clear voice interrupted.

"That's not how it actually happened! He shamelessly used his power to dominate younger warriors! The heir of the Hwangbo Clan couldn't possibly be unaware of this, could he?"

It was Ak Yerim, dressed elegantly in pure white martial robes. A long spear was slung across her back.

Her braid swayed along with the spear shaft with every step. She practiced the Ak Clan Spear Art, the martial art of Shandong's Ak Clan.

The Ak Clan.

They had once vied with Flame Dragon's family, also based in Jinan, Shandong Province, for renown.

Before the three combat factions of Desolate Fortress swept through the Jinan plains, the Ak Clan was at a disadvantage. They benefited greatly from the downfall of the Hwangbo Clan.

Originally considered one of the Eight Great Noble Clans in the northern regions of the Yangtze River, the Ak Clan moved to Hanzhong, seeking broader recognition with the founding of the Alliance.

Currently, the Ak Clan lacked sufficient experts.

The eldest daughter of the clan leader, Ak Surim, had defected to Desolate Fortress for unknown reasons, forfeiting her claim to succession—a tale widely known for decades.

Flame Dragon chuckled.

"And you acted with such a sense of shame? Looking at your conduct, it's quite a sight."

"What?"

"Your clan demanded accountability for a fair martial duel at a banquet, knowing our master is nearly ten years younger. It was an obvious ploy. Everyone knows how much you adored Se-jin. If I behaved like that, I'd bite my tongue and kill myself as soon as I woke up."

"You...!"

Ak Yerim widened her sharp eyes but suddenly fell silent.

Her gaze shifted. She glanced at Jung Yeonshin, her eyes complicated.

He had brought up sensitive topics without hesitation in a gathering of many young martial artists.

No one had expected the boy to defend the Azure Qilin back then. No one.

His statement that even those of different backgrounds were equals became a hot topic among them for some time.

'Was he sincere?'

That alone didn't quell Ak Yerim's resentment. She wasn't as inhumanly fair as the Azure Qilin.

She wasn't someone like her grandaunt, Ak Surim, who gave up her family for the common people.

She was a proud noble of the martial world but an ordinary human at her core.

'Radiant Demon Squad Leader, Azure Qilin.'

She was confused. Unlike Namgoong Mi, Namgoong Hwashin regarded the Azure Qilin as a good elder brother.

What was the reason he traveled the martial world with someone who killed his own brother?

She didn't see Desolate Fortress as a faction of knights. She viewed it as the military force of the martial world.

The reason Desolate Fortress protected the common people was ultimately singular.

To stabilize the tribute flowing to the imperial family.

Ak Yerim had initially intended to meet the White Qilin alone. She wanted to confront him face-to-face.

To ask if Desolate Fortress and the Radiant Demon Squad were any different from her family, if they were truly a faction that pursued pure justice.

She would have done so if the martial artists of Desolate Fortress hadn't suddenly arrived with the alliance leader's order in hand.

"So, what's the destination?" 

She asked.

The question wasn't directed at the Radiant Demon Squad Leader.

Speaking to the leader of Desolate Fortress required formalities, so Ak Yerim chose instead to ask the heir of the Hwangbo Clan.

However, Flame Dragon was mischievous. He kept silent and didn't answer.

He had completely seen through the audacious Ak Clan martial artist. Quietly, he watched as the two young boys exchanged words.

A young man from the Gongsun Clan approached the young master.

"My fiance is quite interested in you. So am I. We were at Clear Night Valley before, during the duel between Desolate Fortress and the Namgoong Clan."

The boy spoke, his eyes flashing like bright stars. He was about the same height as Jung Yeonshin.

Gongsun Min.

The young heir of the Gongsun Clan, one of the Eight Great Clans. Was he just someone who loved to wander around?

His vitality was vibrant. Despite his well-worn white silk martial robe, it oddly suited him.

"Clear Night Valley?"

Jung Yeonshin asked again. He remembered the sight of countless spectators surrounding the valley. Warriors and commoners alike had gathered in great numbers.

Gongsun Min nodded emphatically.

"Yes, it was a huge event. Honestly, I was there more to see the martial arts of the Divine Sword Squad Leader and the Namgoong Clan's leader than you... but despite their grandeur, your life-and-death duel with the Azure Qilin was incredibly impressive."

"What?"

"It was a duel with much to learn from. Even though the flow of the exchange seemed relentless, the precision of each strike was astonishing. The way the Azure Qilin's extended sword energy was wrapped by your hand and then used to bolster your palm techniques—it was terrifying!"

He didn't hide his admiration. His feelings were written plainly across his face. It was a demeanor Jung Yeonshin hadn't encountered in the Murim Alliance before.

With over a hundred sects gathered under the alliance, it truly seemed like all kinds of people were present.

"Nothing much..."

Jung Yeonshin turned his head, making an effort not to reveal his discomfort.

This was a moment that required focus. The party had entered a village. Shards of crumbled wooden fences crunched underfoot with every step.

Smoke rose between the scattered houses. It was as if bundles of incense burned in memory of the dead, lending an eerie atmosphere.

'No one's alive.'

The chilling wind spoke of a massacre. Whatever vitality had remained in the village seemed buried along with the hastily dug graves.

It was as though they'd stepped into another dimension. The stench of rotting corpses was overpowering.

For martial artists enduring a year of famine, this was a familiar sight.

Those with power would plunder food and seize the lives of the weak.

It was an unchanging truth of the world. Many had used their martial prowess to secure their own survival.

The Profound Martial Alliance was no different.

If they did such things within Henan Province, where their sect resided, it would anger their patron, the Duke of Ban.

That's why they came to Shaanxi Province—to pillage, eat, drink, and train in martial arts outside their territory.

And if they could tarnish the reputation of the righteous sects' alliance in the process, all the better.

That's what the letter from the Sword Saint had said. Jung Yeonshin found it reasonable.

"There are many burial mounds here. Who could have made them?"

"Probably a wandering martial artist or one of the villagers." 

Flame Dragon and Heon Wonchang said, exchanging words.

The boy slowly opened his mouth.

"We'll retrace the Profound Martial Alliance's actions, eliminate every trace of them, and take the head of the leader who orchestrated this plunder. According to the document from the Sword Saint, it's one of their elders, the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon, Baek Seo-gun."

Wearing his black robes, he spoke as the Radiant Demon Squad Leader.

Murong Mingjun, who had been following silently in thought, immediately lifted his head.

"The Eternal Heaven Sword Demon? Could it be the one I know?"

The most elegantly dressed among the group, he showed his unease.

Despite his flamboyant pink martial robes, his expression was dark.

"There are rumors he uses Sword-Control Arts. They say the Sword Demon's blade swims through the sky. At the Duke of Ban's sixtieth birthday celebration in Henan, he deflected a hundred arrows from archers armed with powerful bows using a single sword. Seeing this, the duke gave him the nickname Sword Demon and declared it beyond human comprehension."

Murong Mingjun said, keeping his gaze fixed on Jung Yeonshin.

Unlike Ak Yerim, he maintained proper etiquette and didn't avoid the boy, though he gave off a subtle sense of duplicity.

Jung Yeonshin didn't reply.

"I've heard about him too. Even one of Shaolin's secular disciples couldn't withstand the Sword Demon's flying sword. Since the Profound Martial Alliance is based in Henan, experts from Mount Hua or the Zhongnan Sect might know more. But we can't rely on mid-tier sects' intelligence..."

Gongsun Min trailed off.

Apart from Mount Hua and Mount Dianqing, none of the Nine Great Sects attended the Murim Alliance meeting. The lack of counsel was regrettable.

Killing an elder of the Thirteen Celestial Demons, who commanded martial armies, was the mission. No matter how one thought of it, their forces seemed insufficient.

'How many sects made up the alliance for them to assign such an arrangement?' 

Gongsun Min thought.

It seemed likely that the core leaders of the main alliance had conspired to eliminate the Radiant Demon Squad Leader.

"I know."

The boy spoke in a calm voice.

Flame Dragon smirked slightly, appearing satisfied with Jung Yeonshin's brief reply.

"Of course. There's no point in worrying about the flying sword. Even if it is a true Sword-Control Art. Gongsun, listen up. If a swordsman renowned across the Central Plains is more terrifying when holding their sword directly, it's because their power is strongest when their sword and hand are in contact. Unless there's a specific mnemonic verse."

"If it's a flying sword relying on a specific mnemonic, it wouldn't even qualify as a legendary Sword-Control Art. Let's leave the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon entirely to the squad leader."

Heon Wonchang nodded in agreement as he spoke.

Around then, a thought arose in the minds of the martial artists of the Murim Alliance.

Zhuge Hyeon, Gongsun Min, Murong Mingjun, and even Chui So-ok, the Little Sword Queen, glanced briefly at the young leader of Desolate Fortress.

Ak Yerim simply stared at him as if she would pierce through, determined to note every flaw and strength.

Each had their own inner thoughts.

But they shared a common curiosity. There was only one question. How strong was the new Radiant Demon Squad Leader?

These were the people who would one day lead the alliance.

As individuals fated to contend with the young leader of Desolate Fortress for a lifetime, they had no choice but to evaluate him.

The young martial artists representing the righteous sects scrutinized the Radiant Demon Squad Leader's every move.

What kind of personality did he have?

Under what conditions did his martial arts exhibit maximum power?

Conversely, what were his most apparent weaknesses?

'Their gazes are sharp as awls.'

Jung Yeonshin noticed as well. Just sparring with Zhuge Hyeon couldn't give them a full sense of him.

He recalled the main objective. It was Ak Surim's message: to dampen the Murim Alliance's soaring momentum following its formation.

The boy hadn't forgotten his mission.

"Come out."

He spoke suddenly. The energy perception of the Transcending Law Radiant Wheel technique had detected the internal energy of demonic practitioners.

The Profound Martial Alliance had left behind troops after sweeping through the village, leaving no grain of rice untouched. Only a few remained.

There were some beneath the bushes three chapters away, some behind the roof of an uncollapsed house, and even one boldly standing atop a watchtower, looking down at them on one leg.

Jung Yeonshin lifted his head, meeting the eyes of the man on the watchtower.

The man, clad in yellow robes, stood with his legs and back straight. He grinned broadly.

He seemed to possess considerable martial prowess. His unmoving stance hinted at his mastery of perception arts.

Were they tasked with cutting off pursuit?

Jung Yeonshin said no more. He extended his left hand downward, pointing toward the sword tied to Murong Mingjun's waist.

He activated different mnemonics in the two meridian points in the center of his palm.

Attraction and repulsion. The principles of absorption and release intersected momentarily.

Suddenly.

Murong Mingjun's sword unsheathed itself.

Not only Murong Mingjun and Gongsun Min, but also the martial artists of the Profound Martial Alliance, including the expert on the watchtower, widened their eyes.

The faint hum of the sword was followed by a silent shock.

The move of a supreme expert was instantaneous.

The young Radiant Demon Squad Leader flicked his sleeve once. A flash of light flickered momentarily along the blade.

His black robe billowed, and the sword that had shot into the air transformed into a terrifying beam of light.

A dazzling white sword energy soared into the sky.

Boom!

The man on the watchtower bent at the waist. His body was forced into the air, pierced by the blade through his abdomen.