The commotion that had filled the vast mountainside suddenly subsided.
Only the turbulent surges of invisible energy from below remained unchanged.
The premature sunset appeared, and after a dull sound echoed from the opposite hill, heat spread from the bodies that had fallen, split apart into upper and lower halves. The snow-covered ground gradually turned red.
It was an eerie sight, with mist rising from the blood of the Blood Flame Cult nobles. However, the Mount Hua Sect's leader, who had unleashed the terrifying slash, showed no particular reaction.
She merely stood quietly behind the Radiant Demon Squad's leader.
Even after bisecting a demonic faction member in a single strike, her breath remained steady. Jung Yeonshin could feel it with the rim of his ear.
Starlight Sword Deity, Yulha Nangnang.
The honorific title "Nangnang", used for Taoist deities, had never felt more real.
A supreme presence was emanating from her, as if an inescapable cluster of flowers were brushing against his skin.
"...."
Jung Yeonshin did not move. He could only feel the presence of the Mount Hua Sect's leader.
Before him was an unparalleled master who held the power of life and death in this place, someone who had displayed a strike that defied immediate comprehension.
The moment before his death, the Fourth Apostle had uttered the name of a supreme technique—Violet Dawn Sacred Arts.
A martial art also known as the immortal technique of the Nine Great Sects.
It was a technique that even the Jung Clan had only ever heard about through rumors, and now, for the first time, he had witnessed it in its entirety.
Although he had long maintained a friendship with Yoo Hyun, the Taoist successor of the Violet Dawn lineage, that Taoist friend lived an exceptionally long life. It was too soon for Yoo Hyun to show him the sunset.
A faint azure light flickered in the eyes of the Radiant Demon Squad's leader.
'It resembled Radiant River, yet the execution was different.'
It wasn't a clash of two opposing energy forces. Instead, it felt more like iron filings naturally coming together, akin to the principle of Taiji.
By following the natural order, the technique had created a fusion as seamless as the sunset.
Jung Yeonshin felt the union of heaven and earth within the sword path that had suddenly emerged like the horizon.
It was nothing like Radiant River or Ultimate Thunder, which placed immense strain on the body.
Unlike those techniques, which demanded complete mastery of Jung Clan Movement Arts to even consider using them without cutting one's lifespan short, this technique carried the profound mystery unique to Taoist sects.
'This is worth training. I can't afford to be defenseless once Ultimate Thunder ends.'
Jung Yeonshin's eyes gleamed. How did she do it?
And at that moment—
"How?"
It was Yulha Nangnang's voice.
She had flipped through the pages of the book while keeping Jung Yeonshin bound under her overwhelming presence.
The pages of Comprehensive Overview of Demonic Factions' Annihilation floated in the air like Full Sky Flower Rain. Each page fluttered of its own accord, making them impossible to ignore.
Jung Yeonshin carefully parted his lips.
"Did you see it?"
"This has no official name, yet this is the Loyal Severance Desolation-Cleaving Sword Art. The sword forms described in the text are an exact match. This is a martial art learned only by high-ranking members of the Tyrant Sword Tribe. They don't accept just anyone into their ranks."
"A woman who claimed to be the Tyrant Sword Tribe Leader's nanny used it."
"The great slash is Shattered Thunder, and the refining technique for tempering sword energy is Radiant Bloom. A ruthless sword that has killed at least hundreds… but this part here, this isn't from Loyal Severance Desolation. The breath control of the altered slash, the technique for breaking apart sword energy… this is something truly usable…"
The Mount Hua Sect's leader's words trailed off.
Jung Yeonshin felt a profound internal breath that was difficult even to approach. What was she recalling? The depth of her breath was like an abyss.
Step.
Jung Yeonshin slowly moved his feet and turned to look at her.
The venerable Starlight Sword Deity looked the same as ever.
She wore a long, flowing pink robe with only white socks on her feet.
Her entire body appeared to be adorned with transparent petals.
The occasional flashes of colorless protective energy only added to her mystique, exuding an almost transcendent aura.
"The Tyrant Sword Tribe's official text does not contain a counter-technique."
Yulha Nangnang lifted her gaze from the book and met Jung Yeonshin's eyes.
"It says it was written by Lightning Genius, but you wrote this, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"I can't believe it. Even seeing it with my own eyes, I can't comprehend it."
"If you observe an opponent's martial arts closely, anyone can understand it, can't they? As long as one's perception isn't dull. But in the martial world, there's an unspoken code—we do not seek counter-techniques to exploit each other's weaknesses. It's for the purity of the martial contest…"
"I don't understand your logic."
"In our clan, only the leader of the Law and Order Squad studied counter-techniques. But I bear the shame of pursuing it on my own, to obtain merit and use it to destroy my enemies. So please, do not look at me with judgmental eyes. You are not the Lord of the Desolate Fortress."
Jung Yeonshin's voice was almost a murmur. A confession of sorts.
'Even if the world doesn't do this, I must.'
He had good comrades, which made it possible.
Even when compiling Comprehensive Overview of Destruction, Heon Wonchang and Lazy Flame Dragon never criticized him.
The Desolate Fortress' Lord rarely spoke. She have known that Jung Yeonshin's sharp perception stemmed from his lifespan.
Meanwhile, Lazy Flame Dragon, ever the nobleman, had merely masked his surprise.
That scoundrel was from the Hwangbo Clan, so he likely hesitated to point out anything morally questionable.
Namgoong Hwashin, the White Qilin, had, as usual, shown no reaction. He was a companion with a mind of unfathomable depth.
As a future hero, it was fitting. The black-clad seniors of Wonpyeong's First Sword Hall had embraced the Comprehensive Overview of Destruction without concern.
The elite warriors of Desolate Fortress were different. They had even offered commentary on his annotations.
Thus, the Comprehensive Overview of Demonic Factions' Annihilation had come to exist today.
'I wonder if Senior Xiahou and Senior Cheon have found Senior Ha yet.'
His seniors had gone to Xinjiang to protect Ha Do-un.
Forest Striding Squad Leader, Xiahou Wei-Jin.
Leader of the Immortal Spirit Wood Squad, Cheon So-so.
They had gone to exterminate the remnants of the Ming Cult.
Jung Yeonshin set aside his thoughts and looked at Yulha Nangnang. He had his own affairs to handle.
"...."
The Mount Hua Sect's leader's expression was somewhat unreadable.
She slightly furrowed her brows above her elegant nose. Unlike an unmatched grandmaster, she seemed almost… human.
That made her all the more terrifying.
A chilling silence spread, as if blades had seeped into the air.
"The leaders of Great Sects are often called monstrous beings who have transcended their limits."
Having shed the constraints of common sense, there was no way to understand their thoughts.
Even the sight of her sleeve fluttering in the wind felt like an unknown force at work.
"The Radiant Demon Squad's leader wouldn't jest with Bin Do…"
Yulha Nangnang slowly parted her lips.
"I will accept your words as truth and treat you with the respect due to a Grandmaster."
"That's a bit…"
Jung Yeonshin averted his gaze, feeling embarrassed.
At the same time as his response, he flicked his finger.
With a sharp snap, sparks flared and scattered in all directions. As soon as they touched the covers of the floating books, they left a faint scorch mark before vanishing.
Only the part marked "Written by Lightning Genius" was erased.
It was a technique where he melded sparks from Three Samadhi True Fire into the currents of Full Sky Flower Rain.
"Even your gestures match your face, so refined in every way."
Yulha Nangnang chuckled, amused.
Jung Yeonshin paid no mind, simply waving his hand briefly.
"It's a counter-technique for certain demonic martial lineages. Take one each."
Two books flew into the arms of Jang Sun-il and Bukgung Rin. The eyes of Bukgung Hu and the others widened.
"Sun-il, it would be best if you studied it in secret. Martial artists of the world are mostly ruthless, rarely willing to let something they don't possess remain untouched. Consider reporting the identities of your enemies to Desolate Fortress. I'll step forward myself."
"Gilbeot, why are you giving this to us…?"
Bukgung Rin asked, her white-blue hair fluttering.
Jung Yeonshin pulled out a pearl given by the Ice Nobles.
"You said Beihai has Ice Essence. I'll visit soon, so don't treat me poorly."
"Are you proposing marriage to me?"
"I'd prefer that every warrior in the Ice Palace learn this. Comprehensive Overview of Demonic Factions' Annihilation isn't something to be kept as a secret art. Many warriors will come to know of it soon."
Jung Yeonshin opened his satchel, preparing to descend the mountain.
He put all the pages of Comprehensive Overview of Demonic Factions' Annihilation inside, having left them open earlier in case he had to counter the Blood Flame Cult's leader.
He knew that at the summit of Seven Maidens Peak, there was another Thousand-Year He Shou Wu. But now was not the time for greed.
Yulha Nangnang had come here to acquire that for Sage Cheon Joo, who was in critical condition, a dose of He Shou Wu.
Since Mount Hua's Sword Sage had suffered severe wounds from the Blood Flame Cult's First Apostle, expecting generosity was unreasonable.
Even turning a blind eye to the Spirit Herb in Jung Yeonshin's possession was an act befitting the leader of Mount Hua Sect.
She hadn't once shown any inclination to seize it. A supreme being who acted in accordance with chivalry and righteousness.
In any case, with his current condition, he had no hope of challenging the leader of one of the Nine Great Sects. Without triggering Ultimate Thunder, he wouldn't be able to withstand even a single exchange.
"Thank you for everything."
Jung Yeonshin left one last copy of Comprehensive Overview of Demonic Factions' Annihilation out and handed it to Yulha Nangnang.
"…Bin Do doesn't know how to refuse gifts."
At that moment—
Boom!
The sky trembled.
A sudden surge of energy swept across the ridgeline like a tidal wave.
It was like the precursor to an overwhelming landslide, as if something inhuman had manifested. It came from the foot of the mountain.
A complex expression flickered across Jung Yeonshin's face.
Not today.
"The Tyrant Sword Tribe's leader is ascending. Please stop him."
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader revealed his ultimate card against the Mount Hua Sect's leader.
Her eyebrows, shadowed by the setting sun, lifted slightly.
"I hope you'll test the counter-technique."
Jung Yeonshin calmly made his request.
* * *
The Mount Taebaek region of Shaanxi is vast, its ridgeline forming the highest peaks of the Jinryung Mountain Range.
This meant there were countless paths leading to Seven Maidens Peak, and equally many places where the Spirit Formation had been set up.
The sprawling, snow-covered mountains undulated in a translucent shimmer.
The grand formation that had once concealed the main base of the Blood Flame Cult now entrapped Mount Taebaek. Its scale was enormous.
Magic artifacts and elite spellcasters had been mobilized for the formation.
That was why the Second Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult had accepted Yeoryeong's proposal.
—Eliminate Radiant Demon Squad's eader of Desolate Fortress.
The Second Apostle had no reason to refuse.
The apostles, who revered blood and fire, wielded absolute autonomy under the grand doctrine.
They held exalted positions and led their own branches with unquestioned authority.
Thus, cooperating with Yeoryeong's young lord had been purely the Second Apostle's decision.
"The Tyrant Sword Tribe's leader has entered!"
"Close the formation now. The Radiant Demon Squad's leader must not escape."
The Second Apostle was an exceptionally slender man.
His jet-black hair cascaded long down his back, and faint, irregular waves of energy flickered along his thin arms.
He floated half an inch above the ground, displaying no need for physical strength.
The Pure Blood Robe draped over him suited him.
"So,"
He parted his lips slowly.
"You were elevated without your own will, by the First Apostle."
"I'm interested in something else."
The Seventh Apostle, who had responded curtly, adjusted the eyepatch over her left eye.
The Second Apostle's lips curled.
"You haven't regenerated it. Is there a reason? Are you harboring sinister thoughts?"
"Sinister thoughts?"
"Aren't you revering Radiant Demon Squad's leader, Lightning Genius, more than our own blood and fire? I don't understand why you left the First Apostle and came to me. Losing the Wave King so easily doesn't make sense. You'd best clear my suspicions here and now."
A heavy silence settled.
The surroundings were littered with corpses, bodies of martial artists and commoners alike, their remains piled up at the base of the mountain.
The numbers of elite Blood Flame Cultists who had been systematically slaughtered reached into the hundreds, covering the lower ridges.
Countless eyes were now fixed on the Seventh Apostle, accompanied by an eerie silence.
She spoke indifferently.
"The Taesa is formidable. He has refined his spiritual power."
"Opposing energy forces only matter when a blow lands. Are you saying that the martial arts of the Blood Flame Cult are that shallow? If you're going to make excuses, you'd be better off pledging yourself to me."
The Second Apostle spoke in a tone reminiscent of ancient times.
A moment of stillness followed, a silence that was both chilling and laced with a peculiar fervor.
The religious fervor characteristic of the Blood Flame Cult gradually spread across the lower ridges of Mount Taebaek.
Had this been prearranged? More and more cultists were gripping their weapons.
The encirclement had no visible end.
The Blood Flame Cult had always been famous for their overwhelming numbers.
Now, a sea of crimson-haired warriors completely blanketed the snow-covered terrain.
"Seventh Apostle, I am the one most suited to the position of Cult Leader."
The Second Apostle gave a strange smile.
He folded his arms, retreating like a ghost, waiting for the moment when the Seventh Apostle was weakened, planning to devour her life force.
With the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation covering a vast area, any attempt by the Radiant Demon Squad's leader to break through using spiritual power would be immediately detected.
There was also a network of spirit beasts connecting the Tyrant Sword Tribe's leader to the Blood Flame Cult.
Death was a certainty.
The Seventh Apostle moved her legs slightly and murmured.
"A hundred-year-old schemer, but all you do is read the room."
Step.
As she took a small step forward, the footsteps of Taesa Jung Yeonshin overlapped with hers.
His voice, incomparably calm and precise, resonated.
—Do not appear before me so carelessly. As long as you lead the blood demons, you and I cannot coexist. It is only natural.
A twisted madness surfaced in the Seventh Apostle's smile.
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