Jeong Yeon-shin opened his mouth.
"Stop right there."
His voice, naturally imbued with the Luminous Wheel Energy, brushed through the undergrowth.
Though it rang out softly, it spread far. The sounds of insects nearby instantly subsided.
Even if some energy operation was needed, his dignity remained undiminished. Especially since his opponents were nothing compared to the breath of the rain dragon.
"…!"
The martial artists who had been rushing toward Jeong Yeon-shin and then sharply changed direction to flee flinched.
"Damn it!"
"I told you so! I said something was strange!"
None of them stopped their running legs.
Rather, they accelerated their lightness skill even more, as if the spirituality characteristic of divine skills dwelling in the Luminous Wheel Energy was pressuring them.
It was right to say they recognized his rank. Just as Jeong Yeon-shin in his White and Blue ranks had constantly felt the wall presented by his maternal uncle and other squad leaders under the Divine Sword Group.
'The smell of oil on their weapons. They've been in and out of cities.'
They might be worth interrogating.
Just as Jeong Yeon-shin's fingers began to twitch.
Middle-aged martial artists who had been pursuing those men from the opposite direction rapidly approached.
A Taoist holding a sword and a Buddhist nun wielding an iron staff. Their impressive, refined energy waves were notable. They had been closing the distance from the beginning.
"Damn! They just won't give up…!"
"Scatter!"
The five masters who had earlier tried to use Jeong Yeon-shin as a hostage to overcome their predicament.
As soon as they saw the black robe with the rough "Desolate" character engraved on it, they immediately turned at a right angle without thinking further.
They were quick-witted. They had survived long enough in the Sima Evil Path to become masters. Their discernment beyond ordinary energy sense was their pride.
They were the Five Heroes of Passion Protection. That's what they called themselves.
These men, known for handling weapons quite well even in Sichuan's martial world, had joined forces to survive in the famine-stricken martial world.
To crush the heads of those who played at being heroes with full stomachs, or to gain an advantage when competing for plunder with numerous martial artists.
The Five Heroes of Passion Protection were powerful. Their coordination was also quite good.
Enough to withdraw before the monstrous figures of the Nine Sects could approach. Before that, they had even cut off the limbs of some White-rank martial artists from Desolate Fortress's Sichuan branch and rising talents.
Therefore, the very fact that the Five Heroes of Passion Protection had changed their course at this moment was a stroke of good fortune for the masters pursuing them.
After all, they wouldn't have to waste energy on men they were about to capture anyway.
"Fourth Uncle, over there…!"
"Divine Nun Zi Wei must not show mercy in her techniques…!"
Clear voices rang out sporadically from the lower part of the road.
Voices filled with trust. Behind the clear and powerful momentum characteristic of rising talents from renowned righteous sects, the middle-aged Taoist and Buddhist nun stamped the ground.
Woong!
Dust burst from the heel of the Taoist wearing blue robes. Flowing Name Float. It was the divine skill of the Qingcheng Sect.
His form, which should have been gentle with the mysteries of Taoism, cut through space at high speed, leaving a long cloud of dust.
The Buddhist nun holding the iron staff kept pace with him without falling behind at all. It was the Great Stillness Buddha Shadow Body, famous as the divine skill of the Emei Sect.
A dark shadow flickered on her back, creating an incredibly powerful propulsive energy wave.
The two closed the distance to the Five Heroes of Passion Protection in an instant.
The five martial artists, sensing the overwhelming energy waves, were terrified and fell forward in their tracks. It was a technique to evade attacks from above.
Swaaak—!
As a chilling sound tore through the air, dozens of strands of hair were cut and rose up.
The sword wind that had brushed right past where the five necks had been. It was a strike extended from the Taoist's sword.
"This crazy…! That's the hand technique worthy of Qingcheng's name!"
"Hey, you crazy Taoist! Did your sect teach you not to hesitate in taking lives?!"
The Five Heroes of Passion Protection, who had rolled on the ground in various directions, shouted whatever came to mind. Some even cursed.
Their words and actions had no particular meaning.
Destroy evil and eliminate demons, break falsehood and reveal truth.
These were originally sayings from the Nine Great Sects with Buddhist and Taoist religious affiliations.
Apart from Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, hardly any of the Nine Sects showed mercy to evil groups. Their compassion extended only to common people.
The Five Heroes of Passion Protection knew this too. They just needed time to catch their breath.
Kwang!
The iron staff of Emei Sect's Divine Nun Zi Wei gave them no respite.
Unlike the stone staffs of monks who don't cultivate martial arts, the staffs carried by the warrior monks of Emei Sect were made of iron, able to contain unlimited internal energy.
Each time it struck the ground, targeting the bodies of the Five Heroes of Passion Protection who were rolling about swiftly in all directions, the earth shook as if hit by an earthquake.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwaaaang!
"Amitabha! Amitabha!"
The Buddhist invocation burst out like a battle cry. The middle-aged nun's crimson monk's robe fluttered up and down, creating a tremendous air-breaking sound.
The iron staff, continuously striking down with a terrifying momentum, created numerous shadows, and each time, the exploded dust shot up in reverse.
The protective energy of the Five Heroes of Passion Protection, well-refined enough to emit a faint light, gradually crumbled with a sound like stone slabs breaking.
The middle-aged swordsman from Qingcheng Sect, who had launched the first sword strike, was now standing still.
His hand became blurry whenever the Five Heroes of Passion Protection showed signs of rolling in another direction, and simultaneously, a blue sword light spread like clouds, bursting one blood vessel after another.
Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect. The Nine Sects of Sichuan Province.
Their rank was different.
One by one, they fell helplessly with low groans.
None died instantly, but all five had their arms crushed and holes in their legs. Their limb meridians seemed to have ruptured.
'Emei Sect's Extinguishing Distress Thousand Sleeve Staff, Qingcheng Sect's Azure Cloud Sword Technique.'
Jeong Yeon-shin had been standing about ten paces away, blankly watching the scene.
The Jeong family estate was located in Xinye County, Henan Province. A position where one couldn't help but encounter the lofty reputation of Shaolin Temple from childhood.
Jeong Yeon-shin also had a vague admiration for the warrior monks of Shaolin. This was especially true because he had no companions to play with.
When he played alone, swinging tree branches and such, the immortals of the Nine Sects in his imagination would somehow all become Bodhidharma or Zhang Sanfeng.
With a transcendent appearance that knew everything.
A monk who flashed his eyes and struck people down with an iron staff didn't exist there. He had never imagined a Taoist launching killing sword techniques either.
'They must have their reasons…?'
He felt somewhat disappointed. Like a precious memory had been marked with staff impressions… It was then.
The Buddhist nun and Taoist, who had been examining the Five Heroes of Passion Protection now in critical condition, raised their heads. Toward Jeong Yeon-shin.
Swoosh.
As their gazes met, they slowly raised their hands together.
Even at a glance, there was a considerable age difference between them and Jeong Yeon-shin, yet they first offered a Buddhist palm-press and a martial salute. Their bearing was elegant, unlike the hand techniques they had shown earlier.
"I am Zi Wei. From Emei."
"Primordial Beginning stabilizes and calms…. I apologize for not greeting you properly in the commotion. This humble Taoist is Qing Yin."
The two said.
Divine Nun Zi Wei and Taoist Master Qing Yin. Masters of the Nine Sects. Their names were known even to the main fortress of Desolate Fortress, so they must be well-informed about the martial situation in Sichuan Province.
"May I ask your name? I haven't heard rumors of someone like you among the squad leaders of Desolate Fortress…"
The middle-aged Taoist from Qingcheng Sect with thick eyebrows, Taoist Master Qing Yin, let his words trail off.
Divine Nun Zi Wei, who appeared to be of similar age, was silently staring at Jeong Yeon-shin with an expressionless face.
"..."
A gentle breeze swept through the silence.
Jeong Yeon-shin was inwardly choosing his words. Should he reveal his identity? Originally, the matters of Desolate Fortress squad leaders were more powerful when their Black-rank identities were shrouded in mystery.
'Mid-level masters of the Nine Sects…'
Though they appeared calm on the surface, they didn't look entirely at ease.
The fact that the interval between their exhalations and inhalations was still long when they struck with their techniques toward the Five Heroes of Passion Protection suggested they hadn't yet lowered their guard.
Rather, it was Jeong Yeon-shin who had raised his hackles due to great disappointment.
It was then.
"Oh? You caught them! These villains!"
"As expected of Fourth Uncle!"
"Just look at that ground. The sword marks of the Azure Cloud Sword Technique… I'm fortunate to witness this enlightenment."
"What technique did the Divine Nun use?"
"Extinguishing Distress Thousand Sleeve Staff."
"Ah, indeed. Look at that whirlwind pattern. The traces of energy waves are terrifyingly deep."
"I couldn't replicate the forms, and the internal energy is even more so…"
The rising talents following Divine Nun Zi Wei and Taoist Master Qing Yin.
There were about a dozen of them. Besides those wearing monk's robes and Taoist robes, there were many men and women dressed in silk clothes, likely young clan members from Sichuan's martial families.
Some stopped abruptly upon seeing Jeong Yeon-shin, while others couldn't take their eyes off the martial art traces left by the Nine Sects seniors, or glared at the Five Heroes of Passion Protection who lay bloodied.
Among them, a pair of man and woman quickly regained their composure and stood behind Divine Nun Zi Wei and Taoist Master Qing Yin.
A young Taoist and a young Buddhist nun. Both emitted formless energy waves as if they had embodied the spiritual medicine of their sects.
"Fourth Uncle, now that we've caught them, we should return quickly. These fellows… aren't they mercenaries bought with money by the Thirteen Evil Sects? They might be carrying incense of submission."
The young Taoist with sharp, focused eyes spoke.
He called Taoist Master Qing Yin, one of the Five Great Sword Masters of Qingcheng Sect, "Fourth Uncle." The young man must also be a renowned rising talent in Sichuan's martial world.
The young Buddhist nun standing beside him nodded deeply, enough to cast a shadow beneath her high nose bridge.
"Such behavior isn't uncommon. There have been cases where they harm Desolate Fortress martial artists or disciples of righteous path sects and then enter mountains with few people…"
Divine Nun Zi Wei, with the young nun behind her, cut off the words.
"Ten Perfections Sect, Golden Wing Sect, Pure Demon Alliance, Tyrant Sword Sect, and Yu Ling must also be involved. Which side do you think these men belong to?"
"I heard that a new alliance leader has taken the throne of the Pure Demon Alliance while Invincible was away. It would make sense for them to target masters from our Emei and Qingcheng as bait. They need to prove themselves."
The young Buddhist nun who gave a lengthy answer added a couple more words.
"If the two of you are the targets, the Pure Demon Alliance Leader himself might come. Didn't he lose the Scorpion Sword Demon and Pure Demon Divine Hand to the Radiant Demon Wing Leader?"
Even as this serious discussion continued, the gazes of Divine Nun Zi Wei and Taoist Master Qing Yin never left Jeong Yeon-shin.
They had the look of guarding against a great enemy.
Not all masters of the Nine Sects readily accept Desolate Fortress. This is because there are many secular sects.
Since many martial sects persecuted by the government have the martial arts of the Nine Sects as their main lineage, Desolate Fortress and the Nine Sects sometimes clash even when they share the same goals.
Jeong Yeon-shin had heard such stories from his maternal uncle Ma Jin when he succeeded to the position of Radiant Demon Wing Leader.
—You ask why I clashed with the Plum Blossom Sword Masters? Some of those who caused sword trouble in civilian homes claiming to be heroes were affiliated with Mount Hua.
When I tried to arrest and take them for questioning, the Sword Absolute came and spouted nonsense. Said they would interrogate their own people.
That was the reason the Radiant Demon Wing and Mount Hua's Plum Blossom Sword Masters had clashed before Jeong Yeon-shin entered Desolate Fortress.
Mount Hua was righteous yet true to being a martial sect, while his maternal uncle, true to his alias of Harbinger of Death, never kindly considered the circumstances of martial artists.
'Would they believe me if I revealed my identity?'
Jeong Yeon-shin thought.
Desolate Fortress's Radiant Demon Wing Leader is a key figure in the martial world.
Those at the level of the Nine Sects' leadership would inevitably be aware of his characteristics.
This would be especially true for Lightning Genius, the youngest Black-rank who is called the Flower Shadow King in Sichuan.
"Why do you hesitate to speak? The 'Desolate' character is written on your shoulder."
"If the characters are golden, aren't you a direct disciple of the Desolate Fortress Lord? Among the squad leaders under the Divine Sword Group, only Radiant Demon Wing Leader Lightning Genius has such a distinction, and I heard he's a boy of about seventeen…"
Taoist Master Qing Yin and his disciple-nephew said.
Thus, martial artists at the highest level of the martial world are well-informed. It's not easy to extract anything from them.
"Surely, he's not falsely posing as the Flower Shadow King…?"
The young Buddhist nun's words didn't reach Jeong Yeon-shin's ears.
He was well-versed in etiquette and principles. Having received a Buddhist palm-press and martial salute, he thought a return greeting should come first and slowly raised both hands.
Rustle.
Jeong Yeon-shin was making a respectful martial salute as he would to any monk or Taoist when he hesitated.
It was difficult to accept those before him as a monk and a Taoist. The behavior that Divine Nun Zi Wei and Taoist Master Qing Yin had shown earlier flickered in his mind.
They had clearly done the right thing, but their forms were ugly. It could be said they lacked dignity.
"I am the Radiant Demon Wing Leader."
He stopped in the middle of raising his hands neatly and addressed them informally.