CHAPTER 314

A situation driven to the extreme.

The Seventh Apostle clearly cried out, "Grandfather!"

There was context from the conversation earlier. For a moment, anyone would inevitably recall Tyrant Hero.

Even the leader of the Profound Martial Alliance was no exception. Even if those words were a lie.

"..."

His massive shadow hesitated. The absolute energy waves emanating from the leader of the Profound Martial Alliance also ceased.

It was a matter that required an instant of extreme outward focus. Even an absolute master lost a fraction of their inner breath—one part in a hundred.

This was precisely the intent of the Seventh Apostle, whose ruby-like eye gleamed blood-red behind her pitch-black eyepatch. For her, this was an immensely significant gap.

Hwaaaak—!

The epicenter of the undulating force that crushed the snowfield into a sphere was beneath her feet. A wave of unprecedented energy had struck. The swirling snow mixed violently with her jet-black hair.

A situation no different from encountering a disaster. The leader of the Profound Martial Alliance was right at her heels, a crisis of life and death, yet she had created an opening.

The upper dantian in the Seventh Apostle's mind burned hot.

At the same time.

Her perception of time slowed. The cold air of winter wrapped around her limbs with a crushing weight. Even breathing became difficult.

She paid it no mind.

She thought of it as burning away the habits of the Roaring Blood Accumulated Madness Technique through mental discipline.

A mental state of completely abandoning the Roaring Blood Arts she had mastered since infancy. Survival demanded it. A higher level of martial comprehension was required over familiar habits.

The Seventh Apostle envisioned a picture—one that had long been burned away, yet remained a treasured memory within her mind.

A diagram of the human body.

So brilliant it had engraved itself upon her consciousness as an immortal symbol. A body where bones, meridians, muscles, and veins were a masterpiece, the culmination of martial perfection.

With her extraordinary perception, she plunged her awareness into the blood flow of this imagined body, carefully caressing each acupoint, as if stroking the hair of a beloved.

'Taesa.'

Haa—

A white mist flowed from the Seventh Apostle's lips. The blood that had pooled at her lips evaporated into fine, threadlike wisps. An extreme overload coursed through the meridians and acupoints of her body.

The strain on her body was immense. She forcibly mimicked the internal flow of another person using the extreme aptitude she had been born with.

Something she had considered sacrilegious and never dared to attempt before.

She breathed as Jung Yeonshin would.

She circulated her energy as Jung Yeonshin would.

Gradually, the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

A sprout of light seemed to bloom within her mind. A shuddering chill climbed up her spine.

Even though the similarity was less than one-tenth, it was still overwhelming. There was no other reason.

It was simply the indescribable joy of feeling as if Taesa had embraced her, the sheer exhilaration enough to drive her mad.

Sabak.

She pushed against the snow-covered ground with her foot.

Her body, unified in essence, energy, and spirit, effortlessly kept up with the velocity of her own thoughts.

In a single instant, she had calculated an escape route from the leader of the Profound Martial Alliance, a supreme master, and expelled the energy of the Protective Energy Technique from the Yongcheon Acupoint at the soles of her feet.

Before she knew it, she had soared into the air.

The once ice-cold atmosphere no longer felt chilly. On the contrary, it was incredibly hot, as if the wind had been heated by her body's own energy.

Sararak—

The crimson hems of her sleeves billowed flamboyantly.

A reddish energy of lightfoot technique spread from the edges of her sleeves, arms, legs, and back. It was the secret art of the Blood Flame Cult's nobility—the Phantom Movement Technique.

The Seventh Apostle deliberately focused her eyes. Hundreds of lines flickered through her vision, slicing across the air.

Even to her own perception, she was moving at an astonishing speed. It was hard to believe this was merely an impromptu display of lightfoot technique.

'I can go even faster… even faster.'

Breathing as Jung Yeonshin meant to breathe through martial arts, moving her energy as Jung Yeonshin meant thinking through martial arts.

A crimson arc formed upon the Seventh Apostle's lips. It was not carelessness in the face of her situation.

She immersed herself in the radiant world where Taesa swam. Even if she could only dip her toes into it, that alone was enough.

If she could soak even a fraction of herself in the time he experienced, if she could become just a little more intoxicated by it—

The Burning True Blood Technique.

The energy surging through all of her meridians now.

A martial art that young Taesa had tailored for her, one that ultimately remained incomplete, yet one she had finished on her own—a divine and unparalleled technique.

The peak of her head quivered with the sensation of oneness with Taesa.

She longed to see his broad yet beautiful face.

'Can I shake him off?'

She pondered, feeling the weighty energy of the leader of the Profound Martial Alliance rising beneath her.

* * *

Two figures descended into the dimly lit space.

They stood beneath a dense conifer tree. Though it was midday, the shade was deep. So was the gravity of their conversation.

"My apologies. We were unable to locate them."

"They disappeared? You mean three elite masters of the Radiant Severance Squad from the Great Murong Clan vanished into thin air?"

"Yes."

"It wasn't even a significant mission, merely tracking the traces of an assassin's underling."

"Could they have been taken down by an invincible master…?"

"Invincible? No such person exists in Shaanxi anymore. Even the vice-leader of the Divine Sword Order, the Radiant Demon Squad's leader, and the Blood Preservation Squad's leader are confirmed to be in no condition to fight at full strength. Unless they consume Shaolin's treasures, they won't recover anytime soon. They clashed with the Zhuge Clan's leader, after all."

"Could reinforcements have arrived from the Desolate Fortress?"

"They are not a force capable of centralized strikes. Even sending three black-clad warriors would have been excessive. The Desolate Fortress is not a factor in this matter."

"Nonetheless, the elite members of the Radiant Severance Squad, including its leader, have vanished. What should we do? Their trail was lost near the vicinity of the Gongya Clan…"

"…For now, instruct the others not to act rashly. A martial force backing the daughter of the leader of the Profound Martial Alliance is on the move. Our Murong Clan must not collide with them. That would only benefit Shaolin."

"Yes. I heard their forces number in the hundreds."

"There is also intelligence that more of them have arrived. The Profound Martial Alliance bastards are wielding their ties with the Imperial Family like a treasured sword. Do not engage under any circumstances."

"I will relay the message."

"What I am about to say is even more important. Gather all our clan members spread across Shaanxi to Taiyuan. Also, inform them to prepare means of concealing their identities—human skin masks, disguises, anything will do."

"Are you talking about war?"

"It is the Heaven-Spanning Net. Do you understand how crucial our leader considers this matter?"

"And what do you plan to do afterward…?"

"We will suppress them by force and then withdraw. Our leader has stated that within the Slaughter Sect lies the final mnemonic verse of the Heavenly Demon Armor. We only need to obtain that one thing."

"Is it true that the one called Desolate Fortress Sacred Warrior and that Chivalrous Slayer are really descendants of the Golden Clan Slaughter Sect that once guarded the Heavenly Demon Tomb? From what I know, the techniques of the Grand Moon Slaughter Sect differ from those of the annihilated Slaughter Sect."

"Our leader recalled it."

A slightly larger superior continued speaking.

"The one called Heon Wonchang, he is a boy who escaped from our main house. He was a prisoner brought to the Slaughter Sect to extract his medicinal energy. He endured cruel torture…"

* * *

A manor stood tall atop a high hill.

It was within the walls overlooking a small rural village.

A young girl and three men faced the household members of the manor.

The middle-aged man at the forefront of the manor's retainers bore an expression of disbelief.

"…I can tell from your energy. You really are from the main house."

His voice was heavy.

Chivalrous Slayer let out a low chuckle.

A black hat covered his head, revealing only his lower face. His tightly curled lips exuded a sense of refined elegance.

"This must be unsettling. A ghost of the past, forgotten for over a decade, has come knocking. Ah, and now that I think about it, I haven't even offered my apologies."

"Forgotten? That was never the case. The sect's legacy collapsed, so we simply had to go on living. How could we have opposed the Murong Clan, who drove out our main sect and seized the Heavenly Demon Tomb, and the Taemo Mountain Fortress? Even your faction surrendered, did it not?"

"The branch leader is quite shameless. Even after hearing of the reputation that this unworthy Golden Clan commands, you never sought out the main house. Despite the fact that traces of our methods have been left behind in a manner even a branch faction should recognize."

It was a blatantly mocking remark.

The face of the middle-aged man, whose features resembled those of a wildcat, twisted slightly.

The atmosphere was tense.

The breeze sweeping through the front yard carried the same wariness as the people standing there.

Yoo Family Manor.

The landowning family of the village had admitted four unwelcome guests.

Whether they wished to or not, they had no choice. Each of the intruders was an extraordinary presence.

Even the beautiful girl in their midst was no exception.

The hem of her white robe fluttered slightly on its own.

She was cloaked in an aura of martial prowess so powerful that it was rarely encountered even in the regional martial world. She alone could easily annihilate an entire minor sect.

"Am I a mere spectacle to you?"

She spoke brusquely, adding a warning to guard their eyes properly.

The six or so young boys who had been staring at her in a daze flinched and quickly lowered their heads.

They seemed to instinctively recognize the noble air ingrained in Shin So-bin's demeanor, as well as the fact that earning her favor would not be easy.

Even the women of the manor, who had been stealing glances at the two imposing men, averted their eyes.

The presence of the lowest-ranked individual among the intruders was enough to overwhelm them.

"Wonchang, is this really the place? I thought you had grown up a little more privileged."

"I told you, it's a branch family. The idea of growing up privileged is misleading. There has only ever been one place in my life that truly treated me well."

"A big-mouthed brat, as always."

Lazy Flame Dragon let out a smirk as he leisurely observed his surroundings.

Meanwhile, Heon Wonchang merely stroked the hilt of his sword at his waist, lowering his head slightly.

A single mnemonic verse held within Yoo Family Manor was the key to unlocking a portion of the forbidden seals.

If he wanted to chase after Jung Yeonshin, who continued to progress without end, he could not afford to lag significantly behind Lazy Flame Dragon.

The young men, clad in thin silk robes despite the late winter chill, seemed utterly deranged.

'How could the remnants of the Golden Clan Slaughter Sect have produced such individuals…?'

The head of Yoo Family Manor felt intense bewilderment.

He had no desire to shatter the peace of his household.

Most of the retainers who had come from Yoo Family Manor shared his sentiment.

As a major branch of the Golden Clan Slaughter Sect, they had lived in secrecy, completely severed from the main house ever since the "Heavenly Demon Tomb Rebellion".

He knew exactly what the main house's group had come for.

The Guardian's Secret Arts, which had been divided among the branches.

Now, it had become the foundation of Yoo Family Manor's martial techniques.

They could never relinquish it.

Even if the master of the Pure Demon Alliance himself came.

Even if Yelu Zhen, the rightful heir of the Xinjiang Ming Sect, demanded it, they would not comply.

"At first, you must have been cautious of the Murong Clan and Taemo Mountain Fortress."

Chivalrous Slayer, who had been silently observing Yoo Family Manor's leader, finally spoke.

"You must have considered cooperating with the main house. Back when a few of our now-dead elders sold off Seon-hwi to the Murong Clan."

"..."

"But in the end, you were deceived by time. The endless passage of years must have led you to embrace independence as a branch faction. Is that not so?"

"The Yoo Family is not a lineage without roots."

The manor lord spoke firmly.

At the same time, Chivalrous Slayer clapped his hands together.

"I have misspoken. I have rashly judged the spirit of the branch family. After the test of Seon-hwi is complete, I shall offer my apologies to you in person. I promise."

"…The test…"

The word slipped out like a murmur.

Chivalrous Slayer took a subtle step forward, urging a response.

"There must be something prepared for this. Test Seon-hwi according to the laws of the Slaughter Sect."

A brief silence fell.

The head of Yoo Family Manor bit his lower lip tightly.

"…You have brought outsiders of the sect. We cannot conduct such a sacred matter here."

"Are you truly going to take that stance?"

Just as Chivalrous Slayer's lips twisted slightly—

[Of course! A bastard born of a lowly bloodline opening the sect leader's martial legacy? This is something that must be reconsidered, no matter how one thinks of it!]

An aged voice rang out loudly, accompanied by a powerful surge of energy.

Dust rose from the ground in several places, fragments of profound internal energy scattering in all directions.

Shin So-bin furrowed her brows deeply.

An old man whom she had once encountered at the Golden Clan Slaughter Sect was descending from above.

He was someone who had never looked favorably upon Heon Wonchang.

Even within the Slaughter Sect, he was said to be a high-ranking elder. Rumor had it that in the public eye, he posed as a distinguished scholar of great renown.

He had once chastised Heon Wonchang, claiming that Chivalrous Slayer's efforts in reuniting the shattered and fractured Slaughter Sect were being usurped by a mere direct descendant's bloodline.

And now, he had even gone so far as to track them down to interfere.

[So, the rootless scoundrels of the Radiant Demon Squad truly dare to covet our sect's martial legacy!]

As the old man, clad in a jet-black robe that billowed grandly, landed at the center with a heavy thud—

Bang!

His stomach hit the ground first.

The old man collapsed flat. The air around them twisted and warped for a brief moment.

At some point, Lazy Flame Dragon had moved to his side and struck him down with an elbow to the spine.

The shockwave that spread in an instant was terrifyingly powerful.

"What a worthless old fool…"

Lazy Flame Dragon muttered in a shadowed tone.

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