The young man broke through the roundtable of Desolate Fortress' top leaders.
He was an exceptionally handsome man. His sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes, as though drawn with a brush, captivated the room.
Sunlight poured over his distinct features. A dreamlike aura. His high-bridged nose and composed lips stood out.
Despite having exchanged a single clash, his neatly flowing hair only added to his striking impression.
The ends of his jet-black hair, which reached down to his shoulder blades, flickered constantly with monochrome lightning.
It was the residual energy of the techniques he had executed.
"...."
The assembled figures, each possessing extraordinary appearances, remained in prolonged silence. If the confrontation had taken place head-on, the outcome might have been different.
There was a vast difference between escaping an encirclement and properly enduring an attack.
But what if that encirclement was composed of Desolate Fortress' elite black-clad warriors?
A gleam flashed in the eyes of Zhu Zhe as he faced Jung Yeonshin.
The title of Sword Duke had once carried prestige, yet now, his dignity was as tattered as a famine-stricken sheaf of rice. Even so, assessing the vagabond who had landed a strike on him came first.
How many within Desolate Fortress could replicate what had just occurred?
Zhu Zhe observed the shifting atmosphere, quietly regulating the acupoints disrupted by the shockwave of their clash.
He had seen it clearly.
Neither Supreme Demon of Sacred Blood nor Desolate Divine Spear had so much as lifted a finger against the intruder. Unlike him, the leader of Law and Order Squad, Un Soyu, had managed to draw her sword, yet after exchanging a single move, she too had hesitated.
Even Chief Administrator Lin Jinming, a man of formidable martial prowess, was wholly fixated on scrutinizing the intruder.
That meant he wasn't an enemy.
The implications were significant.
'Was there truly someone like him within the emperor's loyal armory?'
The audacious interloper, who carried himself with effortless arrogance, was nothing more than a young man appearing to be barely past twenty.
It meant he was someone who could not be measured by conventional standards. A being akin to the mysteries of Azure Void Rockoil or the legendary Flood Dragon.
He had heard the rumors.
"The current Radiant Demon Squad's leader… I heard he was just a child."
Zhu Zhe, spitting out blood-tinged saliva, muttered under his breath.
Yet the young man merely glanced at him once before turning away.
The unfamiliar, handsome man met the gaze of the girl who had been staring up at him.
"Are you alright?"
He was asking after the physical condition of none other than the Desolate Divine Spear.
It seemed he naturally possessed intelligence that was difficult to come by. Only a select few knew that she had sustained severe internal injuries from having her technique countered by Ak Clan's Spear Art.
The rumors circulating in the outside world only spoke of how the three black-clad elites of Desolate Fortress had executed the leader of the Zhuge Clan.
Zhu Zhe was convinced. The haughty demeanor characteristic of Desolate Fortress' black-clad warriors, who looked down on him—the heir of the Ma Clan—was also present in the young man.
Having come from the royal house himself, he was well-versed in Desolate Fortress' roster of high-ranking figures. Other than the Radiant Demon Squad's leader, no other name came to mind.
'But how…?'
It was baffling. The young man's martial prowess and appearance far surpassed any expectation, and even more astonishing was the sight of Desolate Divine Spear, Ak Surim, exhaling in awe with her jewel-like eyes.
"Lightning Genius, is that really you?! What happened to your voice?"
Step.
She took a single step forward with her short legs.
Her hair, barely long enough to cover her nape, swayed slightly. A fragment of overwhelming internal energy must have leaked out. It seemed she had yet to fully control her Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown state.
"Did it not hurt? I thought I was going to die."
Ak Surim extended her small hand, stopping just short of touching the young man's face.
Her fingers, tracing the air along his jawline, carried an astonishment bordering on admiration. The halo-like radiance that shimmered like divine mist distorted at her fingertips.
Murmurs spread through the surroundings.
Anyone could read between the lines. The implications were as good as a declaration of Rebirth of Bones and Flesh.
"At least I don't see that old Ma Clan elder's face on you. If you keep eating properly on time, wouldn't you become even prettier than Golden Wings Sect's leader? Though that woman only looks like that because of the Imugi's inner core."
[NOTE - Imugi refers to a mythical serpent-like creature in Korean folklore that is believed to be a lesser dragon or a dragon in the process of ascension.]
"My comrades said I've grown more manly."
"How could you compare yourself to those greenhorns? Do their eyes look the same as mine?"
She beamed, chatting away with warmth.
Jung Yeonshin felt inward relief at seeing his senior unharmed. The memory of her facing life and death against the leader of the Zhuge Clan was still vivid in his mind.
As a senior, she had stepped forward in place of her juniors, taking on the final move of the Divine Male and Female Whips. It was a sight that still haunted him in his sleep.
"Leader Jung! Leader Jung has...!"
What in the world is going on—? The Chief Administrator, who had let out an exclamation of awe that almost sounded like a lament, was pushed aside by Ak Surim's excited gestures.
She soon began chattering away like a lark, unleashing a flurry of words.
Even before you grew taller, you had the air of a wise master, how did you manage your body like that, I want to see you compared to Shaolin's Divine Monk, what happened after you left the Zhuge Clan, and if you disappear again after just leaving another message...
'Senior Ak and my grandfather. If mental and physical refinement follows one's bodily state…'
Jung Yeonshin was certain. He had truly become an adult. No matter who denied it, the fact would not change.
He cautiously skipped over the lengthy stories and answered the shorter questions one by one before finally turning toward the Chief Administrator.
Now, Ak Surim's small head no longer blocked his view. It meant that words like Hey, where are you looking? could no longer hold an adult's gaze.
"I have returned to report. The warriors of the Radiant Demon Squad who accompanied me are all safe, and the mission is..."
"…A success, I presume."
The Chief Administrator continued with a smile.
"We received intelligence from the General Affairs Bureau long ago. The death of the Zhuge Clan's leader has sent tremors throughout Murim. Even though Shaanxi is vast, the rumors are spreading from one city wall to another."
"Has it reached Yangyang?"
"It is spreading at an unprecedented speed. It differs from the death of the Hwangbo Clan's leader, who was executed by mid-tier black-clad warriors. The one who beheaded the Zhuge Clan's leader, who had established a grand formation, was the youngest black-clad warrior in history… And not just one or two sects witnessed it firsthand. The fact that Assistant Governor-General Kang Su-hwi has requested the northern dispatch of Radiant Demon Squad's leader Lightning Genius has also had a significant ripple effect."
Jung Yeonshin did not respond. Though he was aware of his seniors' gazes scrutinizing his profile and back, it was time to move past the uncomfortable topic and get to the main issue.
"Proper procedures must be followed to uphold the fortress' laws. I heard that the Lord of Desolate Fortress is away, so I must formally submit my report to the Chief Administrator…"
"A written report will suffice. Since there were no casualties, there is no need to hold you back. Return to the Radiant Demon Pavilion and rest. You can send the mission report through your subordinates."
Chief Administrator Lin Jinming tended to show excessive courtesy toward Jung Yeonshin.
This had been the case ever since Jung was appointed as the Lord's direct disciple. Even now, in the presence of numerous squad leaders, he was subtly providing accommodations, and it all seemed entirely natural.
Jung Yeonshin was skilled at sensing the atmosphere. It was an ability he had honed at the Jung Clan Manor. Discreetly observing the expressions of his respected seniors, he finally parted his lips.
"…Very well."
If he brought up the matter of the Murong Clan's leader here, he would undoubtedly be pestered by Ak Surim. And the presence of the man titled Sword Duke Authority, radiating the heavy energy distinctive to imperial martial arts, was also bothersome.
Though rumors traveled faster than feet, they could not outpace the movement skills of master martial artists.
The distance from Taiyuan in Shaanxi to Yangyang in Huguang was vast. The news of the Murong Clan's leader's death likely had not spread yet.
When Jung Yeonshin faced death at the hands of that man and underwent Rebirth of Bones and Flesh, the only outsiders present were members of the Slaughter Sect.
'My Baiyan was taken by the Divine Sword Order's leader's Divine Hawk.'
Just like the messenger swallows used by the squad leaders, the Divine Sword Order's leader had a pure white hawk possessed of intelligence.
A sacred beast known as the Divine Hawk. It had appeared in the sky, let out a long cry to summon Baiyan, and then soared away with it.
It had happened while Jung Yeonshin was traveling down to Yangyang with the Seventh Apostle. He had left it alone, sensing that some matter was unfolding.
"One thing before I go."
Jung Yeonshin turned back to the Chief Administrator as he was about to leave.
At the same time, he nodded in greeting toward Blood Preservation Squad's leader Jin, while in the distance, the Supreme Demon of Sacred Blood had turned away, seemingly concerned about the partially destroyed roof. He was the kind of figure the young man aspired to emulate.
"The Divine Hawk of the Order's leader has brought me…"
"It came to us as well. We were discussing that matter just now."
Ak Surim, grinning, placed her hand on Jung Yeonshin's side and pushed him forward. He did not resist, stepping toward the door. After all he had been through, his mind was far more exhausted than his body.
"Take a break before anything else. A squad leader returning from a mission should focus on meditation and recuperation rather than visiting the First Sword Hall."
"There are still seniors I have not yet greeted… Why are you coming with me?"
"To see you eat. The Radiant Demon Pavilion's chefs weren't bad, were they?"
"I manage my meals just fine."
"Boys your age say that and end up skipping meals until they're skin and bones."
No one spoke until the figures of the young man and the girl vanished from the gathering hall.
The Chief Administrator and the squad leaders each seemed to be quietly digesting the lingering shock.
"The grandson of the Tyrant Hero."
Sword Duke Authority Zhu Zhe was different.
"They said the next purple rank would be from the Black Three Steel."
He muttered to himself, unconcerned with the gazes around him.
He recalled the rumors that had spread throughout the imperial family and the royal house beneath it. It was said that the bloodline of the Tyrant Hero had grown so thick in this generation that it had already surpassed his grandfather.
Today, the Radiant Demon Squad's leader had accomplished something unprecedented.
With a striking display, he had carved his presence into the highest echelons of Desolate Fortress.
A figure who should have only emerged in the generation after the next had revealed his martial prowess and status before many of his seniors, boldly striking against imperial martial masters without hesitation.
Not only had he ascended toward the purple rank, but he had also risen as a formidable contender for the position of the Divine Sword Order's leader. That noble seat was only granted through a series of rigorous procedures and a majority vote among the squad leaders.
From now on, whenever the future of Desolate Fortress was discussed, the name Jung Yeonshin would inevitably be mentioned.
Even if the years he had spent accumulating achievements were absurdly short compared to the other noble-born black-clad warriors.
'Despite carrying the blood of the Ma Clan, he remains composed. His mental and physical refinement is truly astonishing.'
Zhu Zhe thought to himself. He had to be chosen by that young man.
A squad leader of Desolate Fortress had the privilege of selecting from various missions.
Some high-ranking officials burdened with the troubles of Murim even offered immense wealth to those with ties to the black-clad warriors, requesting them to relay certain words on their behalf.
"It would be best to discuss this again tomorrow. I shall take my leave."
"Please do, Sword Duke Authority."
The Chief Administrator, rare for him, smiled as he clasped his hands together. It was likely because he had gained a reborn Radiant Demon Squad's leader as an ally. Zhu Zhe clicked his tongue inwardly and turned away.
Step.
A breeze tinged with spring warmth brushed against the floor. Dust from the hall scattered into the wide-open sky.
* * *
Radiant Demon Squad's leader's office.
The room was filled with the scent of iron and ink. The wall-mounted racks, packed with the treasured swords of Desolate Fortress' Ma Clan, carried the faint aroma of oil.
Seated before a marble table, a young man ground ink and wrote on a letter, while the Seventh Apostle, reclining lazily on the bed across from him, silently burned his image into her crimson irises.
And whenever he lifted his head, she would smile playfully before feigning disinterest.
'Something needs to be done about that woman, too.'
A day had passed. The current Radiant Demon Squad's leader had received many reports.
While he had been locked in battle, many of Desolate Fortress' martial artists had endured grueling training in Splendid Wings Step.
The number of warriors dying on missions had skyrocketed.
Not only the white-clad warriors, who primarily hunted down marauding vagrants, but also many of the blue-clad experts, who were dispatched alone to minor sects, had failed to return.
Famine had stripped Murim's warriors of their fear.
The terror of starving had outweighed the fear of being hunted down and killed. It was an ill omen for Desolate Fortress.
To compensate for their dwindling numbers, they had relied on the prestige of being Murim's greatest grand trading faction, yet now, warriors across the land had begun to disregard them.
Obeying Heaven Squad's leader, Ha Do-un.
Leader of the Immortal Spirit Wood Squad, Cheon So-so.
Forest Striding Squad's leader, Xiahou Wei-Jin.
The three had gone after the Young Lord of the Ming Cult, yet no word had come from them.
He had first heard of this through Ak Surim's drunken, slurred words.
It was likely connected to the mist that had spread from Xinjiang past Qinghai into Sichuan.
And because some of the Thirteen Celestial Demons had begun to target the capital itself, as if sensing the absence of the Lord of Desolate Fortress, they could not afford to divert their forces elsewhere.
'I'll have to go retrieve them.'
Jung Yeonshin forcibly pushed aside thoughts of his seniors' fates and rose to his feet.
In one hand, he held the report on the Shaanxi mission.
A simple letter, detailing the death of the Zhuge Clan's leader, Eun Hwaryun, the Shaanxi noble clans, and the Murong Clan's leader.
A declaration of his next step.