CHAPTER 169

"Spirit Heaven? Anyone can pull it off."

Jung Yeonshin murmured, clasping his hands behind his back. A brief silence followed.

From the watchtower, a master of the Profound Martial Alliance, flung dozens of paces away, plummeted straight down. A gasp escaped his lips, laden with astonishment.

Like a bird losing its wings, he fell helplessly. Though the blow didn't kill him instantly.

Energy fluctuations could still be felt. They were just unsteady.

'Of course.'

The boy thought.

It wasn't 'Sword as an Extension of the Self'. Such an extraordinary swordsmanship was unknown even to Jung Yeonshin. It was still an unfathomable principle of martial arts.

It merely appeared that the subtlety of Full Sky Flower Rain reflected in the technique as if it were Sword Intent. Since the term had arisen, he decided to try it out. It meant no energy resonance had been mixed in.

It wasn't even in the form of a rain of concealed weapons severing veins thread by thread, so it didn't possess the power to sever the tenacious lifelines of martial masters in a single blow.

That was fine. It had been intentional.

"The blade is sharp. You've kept it in good condition."

The boy said.

The young leader of the Radiant Demon Squad gestured toward the collapsed master of the Profound Martial Alliance, lying far away.

It was a signal to bring the fallen opponent while retrieving the sword. His gaze flickered briefly to Murong Mingjun, who stared at him in bewilderment.

Jung Yeonshin murmured inwardly. I get a headache just looking at you.

"What the…!"

Murong Mingjun's eyes widened in disbelief. He was born into a noble family that traced its lineage back to the Xianbei of the Liaodong region, raised as the heir of an esteemed martial aristocracy.

There was never a need to bow to anyone but the elders of his clan. Even after joining the headquarters of the Murim Alliance, he was revered by sect leaders of minor sects.

He never imagined suffering such indignity from an adolescent boy.

'It was a mistake to hold the banquet.'

While feeling humiliated, his mind, as a man of nobility, cooled. His thoughts grew calm and detached.

It had been Murong Mingjun who borrowed the banquet hall and personally sent invitations, intending to test the character of the young leader of the Radiant Demon Squad.

That event seemed to have raised his wariness.

Jung Yeonshin, outside the Alliance headquarters, acted entirely differently, presenting himself as a master of an entirely distinct caliber.

Reluctantly, Murong Mingjun moved his feet, feeling a sharp, cold gaze drilling into the back of his head. It was an arrogant and frosty aura.

'Let's see if you can act this way even at the headquarters.'

Murong Mingjun groaned, hoisting the injured master of the Profound Martial Alliance onto his shoulder.

From afar, the equally irritating youth accompanying the Radiant Demon Squad's leader nodded approvingly.

Based on the reports from his subordinates, this was the guy with the constantly changing knot on his forehead. His name was Heon Wonchang, known as the Desolate Fortress' Sacred Warrior.

"Our leader said this: While borrowing your sword in the heat of the moment, he felt more admiration than guilt. The treasured sword of the Murong Clan is indeed worthy of its reputation. Using only the propulsion of release mnemonics, it shattered that man's defensive energy."

It was a carefully worded statement that taunted the other while maintaining propriety. It also served to exalt their leader.

It reminded them that the strike had subdued the Profound Martial Alliance master with a blow, even without embedding energy resonance. It meant to say: Stop grumbling and do as you're told.

"..."

Murong Mingjun kept his mouth shut, returning to lay down the Profound Martial Alliance warrior. Concerned about excessive bleeding, he didn't draw the sword.

Jung Yeonshin looked down at the man. At a glance, his condition seemed dire.

It was only the innate vitality of martial artists that allowed him to endure the penetrating wound.

By then, the hidden enemies rushed forward.

Thud!

The sound of feet pounding the ground echoed harshly. The vibrations were intense. It was no ordinary movement technique.

The enemies, clad in leather armor, surged forward, their frames swelling like warhorses galloping into battle.

The waves of energy emanating from the Yongcheon acupoints on their soles created peculiar shockwaves. The continuous rumbling resembled the sound of galloping hooves.

Profound Martial Alliance. The martial forces raised by the Feudal Prince of Henan.

After a brief pursuit, the real clash began. Jung Yeonshin recalled his time traveling with Namgoong Se-jin.

He had witnessed the pinnacle of orthodox swordsmanship.

With King-Style Sword Arts, Namgoong Se-jin had decapitated the Profound Martial Alliance soldiers without hesitation.

It signified that, even in his eyes, they deserved death. Azure Qilin Namgoong Se-jin. Would he have been here if he hadn't been pushed by familial obligations?

The boy quietly parted his lips.

"Spare only two."

Flame Dragon and Heon Wonchang reacted instantly. It was a real battle. They moved without even responding verbally.

The unnamed black and white figures of the Desolate Fortress faced the pursuit interception units of the Profound Martial Alliance.

Woong!

Energy waves sprouted on both sides. The air was heavy with heat and killing intent. From Flame Dragon's position came the first screams.

Along with the smell of burning flesh. A slicing sound tearing through the atmosphere followed from Heon Wonchang's direction.

Meanwhile, Jung Yeonshin lowered his head slightly. The man impaled by the subtle blade technique of Full Sky Flower Rain was gasping for breath.

He didn't appear to have much longer to live. The borrowed sword from Murong Mingjun had pierced upward, penetrating his abdomen.

One slash had torn through the stomach below his chest, scraped his liver, and pierced out through his back. There was no hope in a place populated solely by martial artists.

The faint vitality sustained by his internal energy was the only thing keeping him alive.

The man seemed to understand his fate. Despite his heaving torso, his pupils were calm.

It was the gaze of a martial artist confronting the River of Three Crossings to the afterlife. The spirit of a martial master remained potent even at the brink of death.

Jung Yeonshin spoke.

"I hear you've been pillaging to sustain yourselves while training martial arts. Walking the martial path during a famine is no easy feat."

"Kill… me."

The man gasped for breath as he spoke. Had he refined his breathing technique to a high level?

His breath was astoundingly steady for someone suffering a fatal injury. The boy stared at him for a while before speaking again.

"You were defeated by the leader of the Radiant Demon Squad of Desolate Fortress. Remember that."

He stood upright, radiating composure. The man lying at his feet looked up at Jung Yeonshin.

The boy lowered his gaze slightly to meet his eyes.

"Our leader is the direct disciple of the Fortress' Lord. How does it feel to suffer a penetrating blow from the true Sword as an Extension of the Self? It's a technique you'll never master in your lifetime."

"A black robe… at that age… and the Sword Intent? Hard to believe."

The man chuckled faintly, his fragmented words faltering intermittently.

"So, the leader of the Radiant Demon Squad truly exists."

"I showed you respect. Are you willing to answer my questions?"

Jung Yeonshin spoke calmly.

For the first time, a sense of emotion appeared on the man's face. The leader of the Radiant Demon Squad had revealed his name and explained his technique.

A black-clad master, whose reputation had spread across the world, had shown him proper etiquette.

For a martial artist of the Demonic Faction, it was a rare honor.

"Hah."

His faint exhale ended in laughter.

He was at death's door. It was natural to feel an indescribable surge of emotions.

Even a monster from the Thirteen Celestial Demons was a martial artist, a human being. The man slowly began to speak.

"Since I'm departing… I have no code of silence to uphold. What do you wish to know?"

"Your route."

"There are two paths. West Peak Road, Seven Crowds Gorge…."

"Their numbers? State them individually."

"One hundred and fifty, two hundred."

"Where is the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon?"

"I don't know."

"What?"

"The Sword Demon frequently enters and leaves the mountains for training. He doesn't concern himself with leading. It's his two disciples who decide the destinations. I can't say which side he's joined."

The man's words grew fluid. Last glimmer before death.

The final breaths of a martial artist's inner energy escape as vitality diminishes. Jung Yeonshin cross-referenced the master's information with the documents given by the Sword Saint.

He mentally unfolded a precious map and reviewed the data.

The scale and movement patterns matched closely. It seemed credible.

The boy silently gazed down at the man for a moment.

The lying man's breaths grew faint. Regardless of his lingering attachment to life, he seemed content as a martial artist.

Jung Yeonshin thought of his uncle, Ma Jin, the one who rules the netherworld. His uncle's dominance over the martial world had been vast.

Even before Jung Yeonshin had entered the martial path, the leader of the Radiant Demon Squad was a prominent figure in the martial world.

With his Radiant Demon Arts, unmatched martial techniques, and reputation as a hero who protected the common people, he was a towering presence.

That was why the dying martial artist from the Profound Martial Alliance closed his eyes with a satisfied expression.

Because a noble figure graced his final moments.

'A member of the Demonic Faction who stole grain, destroyed families, and spared no mercy for common folk.'

Suddenly recalling the Tyrant Sword Tribe Leader, the boy calmly parted his lips.

"It's not really 'Sword as an Extension of the Self'."

"What…?"

"It was just a simple release mnemonic. You, I suppose, have no intention of apologizing to the commoners of this village. When you open your eyes in hell, tell them you fell to a boy who isn't even of age."

"...!"

The man's eyes widened.

Jung Yeonshin scanned the man's upper body with a cold gaze. Well-built muscles were tightening around the penetrating wound.

He had refined his external techniques to a considerable level. Such a state wouldn't have been possible without regularly consuming proper meals.

An inhuman being who had thrived on the blood and tears of common folk.

The boy opened his mouth again.

"A body built on plunder. Worthless."

His tone was icy.

The leader of the Radiant Demon Squad had made his evaluation. To any martial artist, such words carried great weight.

At that moment, the Little Sword Queen let out a sharp breath, while the man's eyes lost focus slightly.

Thud!

Flame Dragon, who had returned unnoticed, kicked the man in the head. A short cracking sound came from his instep.

Instant death. The man's neck twisted as he died on the spot.

"Tsk, dirtying my foot on something like this. Leader, at least make sure this young warrior gets proper credit for his contributions." 

Flame Dragon said with a sly grin.

He gave the impression of someone who had experienced countless battles during his time as the young master of the Hwangbo Clan. He showed no hesitation in killing a defenseless enemy.

Despite his playful words, a resolute demeanor permeated his every action.

It seemed there might come a time when, even reluctantly, he would have to be placed at the vanguard when reorganizing the Radiant Demon Squad upon returning to the main base.

'Can he ascend two levels in one leap, from nameless to blue? Should I intervene as the leader?'

The boy pondered. It was something worth considering. Without revealing his thoughts, he curtly issued a command.

"...Clean it up."

"Clean it up." 

Flame Dragon repeated, addressing the young martial artists of the Murim Alliance. They stood at a site meant to commemorate the slain commoners.

Since he had exerted his strength, it meant they were to clean up the corpses of the Profound Martial Alliance's soldiers. Heon Wonchang, standing beside him, nodded leisurely.

Silence lingered until then.

Ak Yerim's reaction was visibly displeased. Her slightly furrowed forehead made it evident.

She already had a poor impression of Jung Yeonshin.

Mocking an enemy who could no longer resist wasn't something she found agreeable.

However, she was the only one frowning.

Zhuge Hyeon and Murong Mingjun remained composed. Their broader perspective, honed by deep study of martial arts and scholarship, allowed them to grasp the underlying intentions behind the young leader's actions.

'The disposition of an aloof hero? The clan head might find him disagreeable.'

'If his swordsmanship reflects his personality, then martial arts with many vulnerabilities will be the most suitable against him.'

They mentally noted the boy's actions as if laying ink and paper in their minds.

How this incident would be utilized depended on the actions of the Murim Alliance, the Zhuge Clan, and the Murong Clan.

"So, the Full Sky Flower Rain can be used like that? How do you concentrate the flow of energy into a single point?"

The Little Sword Queen, Chui So-ok, spoke as if to herself, though it was clearly directed at him.

Her languid eyes glimmered with curiosity. She merely expressed her interest in martial arts.

The young leader of the Radiant Demon Squad locked eyes with her.

The boy had ignored the Little Sword Queen of Mount Dianqing ever since Sichuan.

Even as she faced such disregard, Chui So-ok only smiled blankly, simply asking for guidance.

Relentlessly. Over and over.

Jung Yeonshin suddenly thought of the Sun-Piercing Sword Art of Dianqing. It was a sword technique said to pierce the sun with its brilliance.

A technique famous across the world. The boy thought, Radiance Sword Style doesn't have a thrusting technique.

"What? Do you want to try it? My sword aura is always ready." 

Chui So-ok asked, her face lighting up. Her perceptiveness was uncanny.

Jung Yeonshin's interest stirred slightly. He was in the midst of weaving together a new sword technique.

If it was the swordsmanship of the Nine Great Sects, it would be of great assistance. Perhaps after eliminating the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon, he might seriously consider it.

"Later."

The boy shook his head and spoke.

"He said West Peak Road and Seven Crowds Gorge. We'll split up. Prioritize eliminating the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon…."

At that moment.

"Lord Murong."

A young man, about the same age as Jung Yeonshin, stepped forward. It was Gongson Min. His gaze was fixed on the sword Murong Mingjun had drawn from the corpse.

Greed was etched into his expression. It didn't suit the thunderous brilliance flashing in his eyes. He seemed genuinely desperate.

"Sell me that sword."

"What?"

Murong Mingjun asked, baffled.

"How much is the treasured sword of the Murong Clan worth? I brought a considerable amount of gold with me."

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

"I know everything. It's the sword imbued with the Full Sky Flower Rain of the Radiant Demon Squad leader. If word spreads that it was used by the Radiant Demon Squad's leader, Xinye, any wealthy collector wouldn't hesitate to pay a fortune. It's an extraordinary artifact."

"...."

"Please, just give it to me."

A sudden commotion broke out.

It was said that many martial artists in the world lived in their own little realities. In a vast world where standard learning was scarce, values varied widely.

Even though the teachings of the Four Books and Five Classics were esteemed, the perspectives of martial families who had transcended through martial arts were starkly different.

Some were noble, while others were barbaric and self-centered. Such was the chaos of the times.

Murong Mingjun, who wore an incredulous expression, and Gongson Min, who went so far as to grab the sword handle, were no exceptions.

Even among the martial artists of the Murim Alliance, it was difficult to predict the actions of individuals.

'Create a new sword technique while killing the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon, conquer the Opening Tournament, and cross swords with the Sword Saint….'

If it weren't for the martial artists of the Alliance, it would have been far more enjoyable.

Jung Yeonshin, who had been silent for a moment, thought to himself. He resolved to take only Zhuge Hyeon and the Little Sword Queen.