CHAPTER 172

The stench of more than a hundred and twenty corpses filled Western Peak Road like a fog.

They were all people who had pointed their weapons at others and met their end as wandering souls. Some had even been captors.

They hadn't discriminated between children, women, or men. They were powerless commoners.

The long robe the boy wore was now dyed an even darker shade of black. The more he fought, the more it soaked in blood.

Clang!

The young Radiant Demon Squad leader thrust his sword into the ground. He had just finished a battle. The gazes directed at the boy were varied.

Alongside fearful eyes, there were those filled with awe and gratitude. The captives rescued from the clutches of the enemies repeatedly bowed their heads.

"Thank you, thank you so much…!"

A humble woman clad in rough hemp clothing took Jung Yeonshin's hand.

The boy's hand, stained with blood, was covered by her dirt-ridden palm.

"Please return safely. They won't be able to raid again." 

Jung Yeonshin said.

The older woman smiled faintly, her lips curling into a small, weathered smile of gratitude.

It was a smile formed while leaving behind deceased loved ones and a desolated homeland. Even without academic knowledge, she possessed deep wisdom.

She wished to show only her best to the young swordsman who had saved her life.

"I hope good fortune accompanies you as well, young warrior."

Jung Yeonshin quietly watched the woman's retreating figure. If his mother were alive, she would have been of a similar age.

He hoped that all the misfortunes of her life had been contained in this incident. That she would face no more hardships ahead.

"Isn't your attitude a bit too different?"

Step.

Ak Yerim, who had approached his side, threw out the question.

Jung Yeonshin briefly turned his gaze toward her. The precious golden scion of a noble family wore an inscrutable expression.

It was hard to guess what she was thinking. The boy didn't bother trying to discern her thoughts.

The fact that Namgoong Se-jin, the Azure Qilin, had died by his hand remained unchanged.

Spear-Staff Ak Yerim.

One of the Nine Dragons and Nine Phoenixes, praised for her exceptional martial prowess and appearance. The niece of Ak Surim, the Desolate Divine Spear.

The boy turned his head back again.

She was someone who hated him. While he understood her, he had no intention of trying to earn her favor.

Life wasn't generous enough to expend energy on things he couldn't change.

Instead, his attention turned to Zhuge Hyeon, the Fan Dragon. He was someone worth learning from.

"There are about thirty left." 

Zhuge Hyeon said, seated in the center of the camp. He perched on a smoothly split rock, an unnatural chair.

Everyone in the group guessed that the stone seat originated from the sword strike of the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon.

Only an exceptionally skilled swordsman could leave such a mark.

In front of the stone seat was a Go board, seemingly left behind by the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon.

Enjoying a game in the center of the solemn Profound Martial Alliance's camp? It was inconceivable unless it was someone of elder rank.

The white and black stones coiled around each other.

Since the skirmishes had taken place at the outskirts of the camp, the board remained untouched.

"You're said to be the young master of the Zhuge Clan." 

The boy said.

"These days, I'm more known as the heir apparent of the Murim Alliance's real power. There's no shortage of talk that Zhuge Clan's master is practically the greatest figure in the orthodox sects."

Zhuge Hyeon welcomed the boy with an open palm and a somewhat self-deprecating smile.

The three of them, having spent two nights together, no longer found exchanging a few words awkward.

"Is it true that the Sword Saint is just a figurehead?"

"While his martial prowess and reputation are lofty, he had no familial ties. He was suited for the seat of Alliance Leader. Since the heads of the noble families continuously formed and broke alliances, the figure to represent them had to be someone without power. There are those clan leaders who spearheaded this… but I don't wish to discuss it."

Zhuge Hyeon, who had given a roundabout answer, shifted the topic. He seemed deeply reluctant to talk about his father.

"The remaining forces should return within a day or two. It's fortunate we've significantly reduced their strength. We were lucky. To cut their numbers this much before facing the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon…"

He was right. Of the 150 enemies, they had disposed of more than 120 bodies.

Although many had died over the two days, neither Zhuge Hyeon nor Ak Yerim's expressions showed much change.

This was what the eradication of demonic practitioners entailed. The orthodox martial artists could afford to be as ruthless as they wished toward the Demonic Faction.

"Do you think he truly uses the Spirit Heaven technique?"

The boy asked as he sat down across from him, referring to the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon of the Profound Martial Alliance.

Ak Yerim, thoroughly ignored, raised her eyebrows, while a faint smile appeared on Zhuge Hyeon's lips.

"It's hard to say. It's true that the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon is renowned as an undefeated swordsman in Henan, with a relatively exposed history, but… even the Beggars' Sect's informants haven't been able to analyze his swordsmanship. The only consistent rumor is that it's blindingly fast. It's said that he once claimed that a single sword was enough to face any master from the Desolate Fortress, though the truth remains uncertain."

"...Renowned as an undefeated master? I heard he's an elder."

"It means he's lived as a supreme master for many years. That makes him an extraordinary opponent, doesn't it? The internal energy techniques he's mastered are unlikely to deteriorate quickly, like those of the Demonic Faction. He's bound to be fearsome, but just knowing he's a seasoned swordsman gives us some preparation. For warriors like a Sect Leader, it's even more so."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean those rare geniuses of history. While the magnitude of their talents may differ, I've had two such people near me. The Lazy Flame Dragon and the Azure Qilin."

"…You're their peer?"

"Yes. The three of us—the young masters of Zhuge, Namgoong, and Hwangbo—are the same age. It's a rare coincidence and somewhat amusing, so we maintained exchanges from a distance. We met at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering and even exchanged letters."

As he quietly observed the Go board[A game], Zhuge Hyeon lightly flicked his folding fan. The white ribs of the fan spread open wide.

A crane engraved on its surface slightly obscured his lips.

"Ah, such faithful adherence to the Ten Rules of Go. Never deviating from principles… It's as if the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon was playing alone, controlling both sides. He might unexpectedly be a very old-fashioned individual."

Muttering to himself, he suddenly spoke aloud.

The Ten Rules of Go—the ten principles of the game—were well-known.

While talking about himself, Zhuge Hyeon also provided insight into the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon. He was anything but ordinary.

Though his words and actions were coherent, he was a difficult man to grasp.

"Did you know? It's not an exaggeration to say that life is encapsulated in Go. Even the temperaments of prodigies can be expressed through the principles of the Ten Rules of Go, be it the Lazy Flame Dragon or the Azure Qilin." 

Zhuge Hyeon said in a calm tone.

Suddenly.

Jung Yeonshin felt a flash of lightning within. A spark of inspiration flickered through his mind.

Though faint, it was akin to a revelation, a near-transcendent feeling swirling in his thoughts. A single treasured sword surfaced in his imagination.

The boy slowly parted his lips.

"Tell me more."

The smile visible above Zhuge Hyeon's fan deepened.

"Let me preface this by asking you not to mention this to the Lazy Flame Dragon. We were not particularly close. He tends to steer clear of indulgence."

"And?"

"Because the Azure Qilin interacted with all of us, I was forced to mingle with him. If I were to describe the Lazy Flame Dragon, the principle of Enter the World, Loosen the Bonds suits him well. He seems quick to anger but maintains his boundaries and composure. You could say he knows when to step back and when to step forward. His judgment of situations is remarkably keen."

"Doesn't resonate. Not him, someone else."

Jung Yeonshin cut off the topic without hesitation. Zhuge Hyeon, who had been quietly gazing at the boy, suddenly asked.

"What happened to the Azure Qilin? Knowing his end would allow me to speak of his true nature."

There was no particular intent visible in his expression. Only a flinch from behind could be felt. It seemed to be Ak Yerim.

Azure Qilin, Namgoong Se-jin.

Ever since Jung Yeonshin stepped into the Murim Alliance as the Radiant Demon Squad leader, Namgoong Se-jin had persistently troubled him.

Wherever he went, Namgoong Se-jin's name followed. The nightly pain in his knees was no less oppressive.

Jung Yeonshin was human, too. At times, he was utterly exhausted. The orthodox martial artists who hated him. The guilt of sending a good man across the River of Three Crossings.

Even if the duel to the death was legitimate for a martial artist, the fact that he had killed a hero remained a thorn in his heart.

He just didn't show it. It wasn't as if he enjoyed it.

Feigning indifference, the boy opened his mouth.

"He scolded his vassals who tried to take revenge on me. Told them not to tarnish his death."

"…He perished with the stance of Abandon a Stone, Gain Initiative, then." 

Zhuge Hyeon said, nodding.

"The principle of abandoning even a single stone to gain the first move also holds the meaning of 'seizing something of significance.' It teaches us to clearly distinguish between what is of low value and high value. The Azure Qilin abandoned his title as Namgoong Clan's young master and embraced himself as a martial artist, Namgoong Se-jin. In the end, he departed as an eminent swordsman."

Even as he carried a peculiar sense of emotion in his eyes, Zhuge Hyeon finished his words precisely.

"..."

Jung Yeonshin silently lowered his gaze. The Go board was reflected in his eyes. His vision was drawn to the starkly vacant areas of white stones compared to the black ones.

Abandon a Stone, Gain Initiative. A principle of sacrificing several stones to secure the initiative.

"Once." 

The boy said softly, his lips barely moving.

"What I gained from the Azure Qilin, would it be selfish to use it for myself?"

Whish!

Around then, bustling presences surged from all directions.

About thirty of them.

They were different from the ones they had been slaughtering thus far. Robust energy waves closed in like a typhoon.

The remaining warriors of the Profound Martial Alliance had surrounded them. It seemed they had caught on to the upheaval that had occurred.

They had been approaching from afar, now revealing their energy fluctuations.

"This isn't the same as before! I heard some of them were directly trained by the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon…!"

As Ak Yerim untied the spear strapped to her back, a brief silence fell.

Zhuge Hyeon quietly observed the young Radiant Demon Squad leader before him. He couldn't fully grasp what this prodigy was talking about.

He could only sense one thing. The Zhuge Clan's prodigy thought to himself as he looked at Jung Yeonshin.

A boy who held the memory of the martial artist Namgoong Se-jin closer than anyone else.

The Fan Dragon, Zhuge Hyeon, opened his lips.

"You mentioned it at the banquet, didn't you? That even as a child, you would stand equal to the Azure Qilin."

"I did."

"To make a deceased person your rival…? That's a truly harsh ordeal. Whatever the Clan Leader chooses to take from him, the difference between the two will remain constant. If it were the Azure Qilin, he would be rather pleased. The higher the Clan Leader rises, the greater his own stature becomes, doesn't it?"

That statement.

Even if it was self-consolation, it was a story convincing enough for a boy leading such a brief life.

The Fan Dragon was undoubtedly the heir of Zhuge's bloodline. The image of the Azure Qilin, who had stood firm even with his side torn open, surfaced in Jung Yeonshin's mind.

He respected him but didn't want to be bound by him. That was how it was now.

The boy slowly rose from his seat in front of the Go board.

The newly arrived warriors of the Profound Martial Alliance noticed his figure. No sane person could remain so composed in such a situation.

To think that amidst a sea of corpses, they had been playing Go.

The newly appointed Radiant Demon Squad leader. His calm demeanor bordered on madness.

"The Sword Blossom's enemy has struck first. A considerable loss. How shall we compensate? Perhaps the Desolate Fortress' young black swordsman will suffice." 

A middle-aged man, clad in black gloves, stepped forward. His slitted eyes radiated a sharp glint.

Waves of energy rippled irregularly from the ground beneath his feet, a testament to his profound internal energy.

"How's the harvest?" 

Jung Yeonshin asked, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. The thirty presences surrounding them were distinct.

Traces of blue-level energy could be felt sporadically. They weren't just strong but a gathering of elite masters.

"What?" 

The middle-aged man asked back. The boy's lips curled into a faint smile.

"You're farmers who harvest people, aren't you? The most wretched farmers in the world."

"Well, you've got quite the tongue for a child." 

The man chuckled faintly. His demeanor was unshaken, a sign of a deeply composed mind.

"I've heard plenty about you. A young master who uses raw swordsmanship and strange energy techniques. The eldest heir of our sect was greatly disheartened after losing the Sword Blossom… I didn't expect to repay that debt like this. How many nights have you stayed awake? One? Or two?"

At that moment, Jung Yeonshin thought of his eternal rival.

'Let's meet again, but not too soon.'

The boy spoke inwardly. He wanted to live a long life.

Suddenly.

In his mind, a single sword manifested. The dam holding back his realization shattered.

The seawall erected to mourn the deceased burned brilliantly white.

Snap!

Jung Yeonshin drew the Beiming Sword, which had been embedded in the ground. The boy lifted his right hand with a movement originating from the earth.

A luminous arc, like something out of a dream, swept through the air.

His stance was shoulder-width. His feet formed a narrow angle, an inverted V. Meanwhile, his right arm rose without hesitation.

It was a posture that reached for the heavens with his sword.

Such an opening stance was absent in most refined sword techniques.

It was a stance adopted when a swordsman disregarded defense entirely. The most aggressive form.

A high stance.

The boy gripped the hilt of his sword with the posture of Abandon a Stone, Gain Initiative.