The Desolate Fortress party followed Chung Bohwa into the fortress of trees. Only Jung Yeonshin walked beside her.
After scanning her with the Sight Arts for a while, he silently permitted her presence beside him.
"I could have driven you away immediately, but in any case, welcome."
The Tianzhu Sect.
It was said to be both a sect and a village.
As rumors suggested, it was vast—so vast that the entire mountainous terrain seemed to belong to the sect. A mystical aura enveloped the boundless land.
Even in the dead of winter, the leaves swayed with a vibrant green, exuding an ethereal texture.
Without being a high-ranking figure of the Desolate Fortress, even stepping foot here would have been difficult.
'A Sorcery Formation.'
Jung Yeonshin felt the mysterious energy on his skin as he observed with both eyes. The widely spread mountain wind wrapped around them in a translucent veil.
The leaves of the ancient trees surrounding them wavered as if blurred, creating a breathtaking spectacle.
It was a technique similar to the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation that had concealed the main stronghold of the Blood Flame Cult.
It was far denser than what he had sensed at the mountain's entrance. This level of concealment would make it nearly impossible to locate.
Even the Beggars' Sect and the Hao Clan had failed to gather information on the Tianzhu Sect.
He slowly parted his lips.
"I heard that the Dark Night War Sect has been digging into this mountain. Is it true?"
"They always have. Our ancestors have been entangled with them in a long-standing enmity. We are fundamentally incompatible. They should be called the Dark Clan, not the Night Clan."
The leader of the Tianzhu Sect, Chung Bohwa, answered. She walked as if floating, stepping lightly on the tips of grass blades.
Even with her great-grandson, Chung Myung, trailing behind her, she did not turn back once.
Chung Myung laced his fingers behind his head, showing no concern.
The faintly drooping blue sleeves of his robe revealed the bulging veins of a hardened swordsman, pulsating vividly.
"A duel to compare clandestine martial arts… If it weren't the Order's leader himself, I wouldn't believe it. Since we're here, we should at least see past the lake. I wonder if our fledgling disciples will manage."
Shin So-bin fluttered her long eyelashes.
"The lake? Why?"
"My younger brother is lying there. His name was Chung Su, the complete opposite of our squad leader—full of life. Though, in a way, they were alike in how much affection they held."
"Huh? I never heard that Senior Demonic Swordsman had a younger brother."
"It's a grave. It's been about ten years. He was on a reconnaissance mission when he fell to the archery techniques of the Dark Night War Division. A technique called One Kill Every Ten Li—it's a martial art where tracking the origin of the attack is nearly impossible. It was so fast that no one ever caught him."
[NOTE - One Li is equal to approx 500 meters.]
"Ah…"
Shin So-bin closed her mouth.
Jung Yeonshin, who had been walking ahead, spoke in an outwardly composed tone.
"Who was the killer? They must have been an absolute master."
"I shouldn't have said anything. Our squad leader's eyes are turning sharp… Looks like he still hasn't found them."
Chung Myung did not easily divulge any details. After a brief glance at his great-grandmother, Chung Bohwa, he fell silent.
It was a matter of blood vengeance. Forcing an answer was difficult.
Perhaps the title Azure-Eyed Demonic Swordsman had been born from the relentless pursuit of his brother's murderer.
The blue-clad masters of Desolate Fortress frequently took on solo missions and rewards. It was possible that they roamed the martial world, honing their skills, just to challenge the elite assassins of the Dark Night War Division.
A glimpse into the inner world of the senior swordsman, who had once seemed shrouded in mystery.
Jung Yeonshin instinctively sensed it, his recovery would not be smooth. His entire body, now sluggish with congested meridians and muscles, felt even heavier.
"Sect leader Chung, I'm curious why you have not sought assistance from Desolate Fortress."
He asked.
The elderly noble of the sect, who had been listening silently, finally spoke.
"Receiving aid from those who have rendered pure bloodlines meaningless? That cannot be. The ties with Desolate Fortress can only grow weaker. It is increasingly difficult to find traces of our lineage among them."
Chung Bohwa's voice carried the sorrow of an ancient song, laced with unyielding conviction.
"The Fortress' Lord no longer devises new martial arts, and clans that have settled on foreign lands refine old Han techniques instead of creating something new. I speak of the martial arts that once trampled powerless clans during the founding era."
"You seem to place great significance on martial arts."
To Jung Yeonshin, it was not a sentiment he strongly resonated with. To him, martial arts were merely a means of prolonging life.
Even if he had been born with a naturally abundant dantian, enabling him to enjoy martial arts, he never forgot their fundamental purpose. He simply couldn't.
Chung Bohwa chuckled softly.
"Furthermore, is Desolate Fortress not severely lacking in capable hands? With the Divine Sword Order's leader in such a state, one can only imagine the condition of the fortress. That once-mighty Seventeen Squads of the Divine Sword Order must be crumbling. Did you not come here to hasten his recovery? And yourself, as well?"
She suddenly cast a glance at the young squad leader.
Despite her towering height and the way she walked with unyielding posture, her gaze was unfathomably deep.
Tremendous internal energy continuously radiated from her piercing eyes, yet she did not exude pure domination. The leader of this ancient sect was like an immovable tree.
Jung Yeonshin saw a storm within her blue eyes, a whirlwind fractured by countless scars.
'The ordinary will never satisfy those eyes.'
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader thought.
Would the martial arts he had created thus far meet the standards of the Tianzhu Sect?
As he sensed the vibrant auras of Shin So-bin and Heon Wonchang walking behind him, he braced himself for the trials ahead, his recovery and the looming threat of the Dark Night War.
* * *
"Lord Bonggong, the Tianzhu Sect has opened its gates."
"Have you traced the ley lines?"
"Yes. We estimate that we will locate them within the near future."
"Deploy the Celestial Thunder Bow Unit. Strike down those who emerge."
"Lord Bonggong, we may be detected by Desolate Fortress."
"Famine and chaos. This is the period when their intelligence network is at its weakest."
"…My concerns were unfounded."
"Indeed. Do you know why they were able to sustain the Seventeen Squads of the Divine Sword Order for so long? They utilized intelligence sources unlike those of vagrants and thugs, imperial bureaus and relay stations spread across the entire Central Plains."
"...."
"But in times of famine, officials cannot remain incorruptible. Honest, incorruptible officials only exist in times of peace. As of now, Desolate Fortress is no better than a blind swordsman. They know this, which is why they have been recklessly wielding the Seventeen Swords like unruly butchers—bloated beyond measure."
"The Tianzhu Sect typically opens its gates only to Desolate Fortress. It is possible that the wounded Divine Sword Order's leader has been transported there, along with a squad leader-level guardian…"
"You suspect the Radiant Demon Squad's leader."
"In that case, we must approach with greater secrecy. Many supreme masters have perished at his hands. In Sichuan and Shaanxi, he is widely regarded as an unfathomable force of destruction."
"I have heard. A man who creates and employs his own martial arts. Even the Ghost Spirit Sword and the Number One Demon of Shaanxi failed to overcome his conflicting energy and perished."
"We must also consider the site where the Yeoryeong Sect's young lord was slain. He eliminated the previous Protector and the Suwang Sect's leader in a single confrontation. His arrogance, rather than being a flaw, has cemented his reputation as a supreme master."
"Prepare the Thunder Blossom Bow Formation. Once the energy has been accumulated for ten days, I will absorb it and unleash the One Kill Every Ten Li."
* * *
The midday sun blazed overhead.
Sunlight poured into the vast garden, surrounded by towering ancient trees like fortress walls.
"...."
Silence pervaded. Despite the many people present, not a word was spoken.
Thirty martial artists of the Tianzhu Sect.
Not a single one was a mere warrior.
"Lower it. Come here."
Jung Yeonshin spoke.
Lazy Flame Dragon, waiting for the command, promptly set down the Divine Sword Order's leader's palanquin. Heon Wonchang, gripping the rear handles, did the same.
A faint snoring still emanated from within.
The one vying for the title of the fastest under heaven slept in absolute tranquility.
"We trust in our squad leader, after all."
Shin So-bin, pressing her shoulder lightly against the squad leader's elbow, whispered softly.
The end of her long, braided hair tickled Jung Yeonshin's forearm, but rather than flinching, he felt envious. It seemed So-bin had yet to experience the turbulence of adolescence.
'It must be nice to be young.'
Jung Yeonshin, mentally calculating his little over two years of remaining lifespan, opened his mouth.
"So-bin, you go first."
Her clear eyes, startled at the same time as her body, lifted to meet his gaze.
"I expected as much. What should I show?"
"Whatever you like."
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader commanded.
With a sharp exhale, Shin So-bin stepped forward confidently.
Sunlight rippled through her hair as it swayed in a single motion, while from beneath her feet, a faint mirage began to rise—the prelude to Splendid Wings Step.
She had inherited Jung Yeonshin's martial lineage.
With innate intuition, she wielded individual techniques of Lightning Genius at the precise moment they were needed.
She only used Radiant Demon Arts at critical moments when an enemy's guard was open, understanding that in one-on-one life-and-death battles, restraint was key.
Meanwhile, Radiant Arts Secret, which harmonized both disciplines, was reserved solely for group battles, such was her talent.
"The era of the grandmasters has ended."
Several figures from the Tianzhu Sect stepped forward, with Chung Bohwa at the center.
"Bodhidharma, Zhang Sanfeng, the Heavenly Demon…"
She continued slowly.
"This is an age where those who revere the old scorn and mock the new. It has been so since the founding era. Martial arts imbued with the will of our predecessors were exploited to covet the beauty of our clan, regardless of gender. That is why we rejected the old martial lineages and ceased to accept their traditions. It was a long-standing decision."
"There are many contradictions in that."
Jung Yeonshin, standing idly, pointed out plainly. Chung Bohwa nodded.
"All that remains is stubbornness and martial arts. But even that is a tradition of our sect. If a squad leader like yourself finds us unworthy, you need only use the martial arts forged by your own hands to tear apart our narrow views."
She then raised her wrinkled fingers, pointing far into the distance.
"That is the thickest trunk of the World Tree, called The Heavenly Pillar. A sacred column of the sky. Beneath it lies the lake you seek."
Earlier, the one named Jung Namsong, Chung Myung's fellow disciple, had spoken of a "divine pillar".
It had not been an exaggeration.
Jung Yeonshin suddenly realized something, and at the same time, he was struck by a shocking clarity.
What he had believed to be the sky was, in truth, an enormous, sprawling blue tree trunk that filled his entire vision and extended boundlessly beyond.
At this moment, it covered the entire valley. Instead of brown bark, it was encased in a translucent shell, disguising itself as the heavens.
"Judge the martial arts, not the person. Their level of mastery."
Chung Bohwa took a few steps back.
And then, Jung Namsong, the one called Chung Myung's fellow disciple, stepped forward, a swordsman with long, dark green hair.
Yet, he did not look at Shin So-bin. Instead, his blue eyes fixed on Jung Yeonshin.
"I hear you are the superior of this expelled disciple."
"I am."
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader answered with his arms crossed. For a fleeting moment, a sharp light flashed through Jung Namsong's gaze.
"You wield a sword too heavy to bear. That one, Chung Myung, is so sharp that he severs even the trust between people. I have spent a long time refining my sword in the hopes of breaking his, yet even now, I lack confidence."
"I see."
"I will gauge you through this girl's martial arts. A martial art unique to one's lineage carries many things. Through it, I can measure your vessel and temperament. Our clan's eyes are not like those of you Han people."
"Even without that, I can already sense the depth of your martial art. The way you've meticulously constructed the framework of your Sight Arts and the balance spreading from your Yongcheon Acupoint tell me you have sharpened your mind like a blade. A truly remarkable singularity of will. You have broadened my understanding."
Jung Yeonshin spoke with a tone of mild admiration.
Thanks to his niece, he had learned to have compassion for the dull-witted.
Naturally, he had begun to notice the efforts of low-ranking warriors—this was akin to a monkey learning to speak.
To accumulate such mastery while handling internal energy with such blunt precision…
"T-thank you for your words."
Jung Namsong turned his head slightly, stammering.
A refreshing breeze passed through the training grounds, seemingly stirred by the humility of a supreme master like the Radiant Demon Squad's leader.
Amid this slightly warmed atmosphere, preparations for the duel began.
"Begin."
The leader of the Tianzhu Sect spoke in a voice tinged with amusement.
At that moment, Shin So-bin, who had been narrowing her eyes at Jung Namsong, assumed her fist stance.
She stomped down with one foot.
Boom!
A powerful stomp shook the forest floor. A deep vibration rippled outward, and as she swung her arm, leaves swirled violently around her shoulders.
Whoosh!
The air ahead distorted. The internal energy condensed in her stomp traveled through her fist, tearing through the atmosphere.
Her neatly braided hair unraveled, whipping wildly behind her.
Jung Namsong did not even have time to lift his sword.
The moment his eyebrows shot up, a white fist struck his solar plexus. It was accompanied by streaks of force that scraped through the air like white-hot blades.
Bang!
Jung Namsong's body was flung backward. The swirling winds sliced the surrounding foliage into shreds.
Even before the dull thud of his body hitting the ground had fully echoed, silence blanketed the valley.
A decisive victory in one strike.
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