Chapter 24 – Middle Dantian (4)
The fallen corpse of the Mantis Sect Leader brought silence.
The reckless blow seemed to have done its job.
The sinister laughter of the surrounding Mantis Sect members vanished without a trace.
“……”
The Mantis Sect Leader’s body bore the marks of an overwhelming sword strike.
The intense scent of blood rising from his body made the unreal death feel real.
Yeon-shin turned his head away from the wretched body and opened his mouth to speak.
He held the Desolate Sword dripping with blood.
“Today, we will destroy the Mantis Sect’s plaque.”
“Wh-What?”
“Y-You crazy……!”
Finally, the stunned Mantis Sect disciples spoke, retreating in shock.
Amidst the silence, someone muttered about the unprecedented sword technique.
To those living in the narrow martial realm, Yeon-shin’s sword had that kind of meaning.
He gained momentum. He didn’t give his enemies time to think.
Though his qi wasn’t complete due to using the Eternal Blossom Fist, the sensation he gained here was enough to handle these kinds of opponents.
Step.
When he took a step forward, many cowards stepped back in unison. The loyalty of demonic martial artists was different from that of honorable knights.
They were people who bought and sold martial arts. Their lives were worth a penny.
“Kill him! Let’s kill him!”
“You crazy bastard. You go.”
“An invincible monster!”
“Divine Sword……!”
A monster and a Divine Sword, indeed. At this moment, Yeon-Shin realized that not all martial arts worldviews were the same.
In the Desolate Fortress, one would never hear such words.
‘There’s nothing more to gain here.’
Yeon-shin began his sword attack again. These were not the enemies he had first faced.
He wedged his way through the weakened net of swords, delivering swift attacks.
It was a sword technique the Mantis Sect disciples couldn’t handle. Finally, some of them started to flee.
“Argh!”
“We’re doomed! The sect is finished!”
“Call, call the Sect’s Sword! Call the Sect’s Sword!”
In the midst of this, one shouted something that made everyone pause. Yeon-shin was no exception.
If they were calling a Sect’s Sword in faith, it must be the Blood Master of the Blood Flame Sect.
“Answer me. Is the Blood Flame Sect behind this? Did you offer the captured people to them?”
He grabbed one man’s arm with a joint lock and twisted it while holding the sword’s blue blade to his throat.
The man screamed, sweating profusely.
“Yes, yes! They are probably sleeping in the annex now! It’s always been that way!”
“You don’t know the experts.”
Could they not sense this level of battle?
“Spare me…!”
Faced with a life-or-death situation, compassion was pushed to the back of his mind.
He raised the Desolate Sword, which had just grazed the man’s neck, without emotion.
The qi, faster than before, contained the principles of the Fatebreaker’s Codex.
The layered qi filled the acupoints of his right arm, waist, and lower body, creating a stance akin to an ancient tree standing tall on the ground.
Clang!
A sudden sword strike hit the Desolate Sword. There was no sound of tearing the air.
At the same time, only the crimson hair brushed past Yeon-shin’s forehead.
The vibration in his grip was the most intense he’d felt from anyone in the Mantis Sect.
“Blood Master.”
“You blocked that? Then this massacre must be your doing.”
“Massacre. That’s not a word the Blood Flame Sect should be uttering.”
Yeon-shin answered calmly, looking ahead.
He had the same visual traits as the blood master from Jinpyeong County.
A mix of black and red hair, a blood-red martial uniform. Blood stains covered his lips.
He emitted an ominous aura from his entire body, along with the iron sword he held.
He recalled Ma Jin’s comment when discussing Yeon-shin’s achievements.
Killing five Blood Masters would earn him a blue uniform, regardless of age. Though of course, Ma Jin said so jokingly.
The Blood Flame Sect wasn’t a group that could be found easily.
“…Huh, lucky me.”
“What?”
“Three remain.”
“……”
In the past, he would have charged at Yeon-shin no matter what he said.
Now it was different. He seemed wary of Yeon-shin, revealing his momentum and moving his feet slightly to the side.
It was true that a Blood Master was an uncommon expert. Unlike the Mantis Sect members, he felt Yeon-shin’s presence.
Yeon-shin did not wait.
Hah!
Power gathered in his legs as he kicked off the ground.
With a heavy thud, he charged forward, unleashing the Demon’s Light Swift Sword.
The straight flash collided with the man’s sword.
Clang!
Thanks to the preemptive strike, the blood master could not put in his full strength. Though he managed to block the attack, he was clearly pushed back.
Yeon-Shin decided to finish it here. A Blood Master was not an easy opponent.
Considering he was in the middle of the Mantis Sect, the longer the fight dragged on, the lower his chances of victory would get.
In an instant, a gleam of sky-blue light swept through his body.
The sharpened senses from group combat emitted an invisible light in his eyes that penetrated the back of the retreating enemy.
Yeon-shin pierced through with the qi gathered in his left hand, which took the Spiral Palm stance of the Eternal Blossom Fist.
‘Here.’
It was the realm of instinct.
He enveloped the Desolate Sword layer by layer while infusing the Spiral Palm of the Eternal Blossom Fist into the Demon’s Light Swift Sword.
Combining with the sword, he folded space.
Swoosh!
With little force, he penetrated the Blood Master in one go.
This was the essence of the Swift Sword. A way for shallow swordsmen to survive.
The blood hit by a gentle breeze splashed lightly.
“Haa, haa…!”
The peculiar aura of the Blood Flame Sect dispersed.
The eyes of the second Blood Master grew as large as they could.
To the Blood Master, Yeon-shin was akin to a god of death.
Yeon-shin could feel his emotions directly. It was evident from the tremor transmitted through the sword.
With eyes filled with resentment, the Blood Master opened his mouth.
“You…”
“I don’t listen to last words.”
Yeon-shin’s arm muscles suddenly became prominent as he swung at the Blood Master’s neck, beheading him. He didn’t even use internal energy.
Thud.
The Blood Master’s head and body finally fell to the ground, but Yeon-shin did not pay it any mind.
As he brought the Desolate Sword to his side, blood flew off the shimmering blade.
“Do not even attempt to flee.”
He spoke softly.
As if they had mastered the Silent Steps technique, those who had been quietly retreating stopped.
His voice, free of qi, completely dominated the Mantis Sect.
Yeon-shin split the Mantis Sect’s plaque in half in front of all the people of Lianhu County.
While some rejoiced, trampling the shattered plaque, others wept, holding the emaciated corpses of their loved ones.
Dozens of bodies were found in the annex and backyard of the Mantis Sect.
It was like in Jinpyeong County. Despite unexpected achievements, it was bitter.
Yeon-shin glanced back, carrying a large sack on his back.
Some had survived, but the Mantis Sect disciples, who had their arms cut off by Yeon-shin, were being trampled by the villagers.
Though they had mastered demonic martial arts, it was useless because their dantians were destroyed.
Unable to control their bodies, they were completely disabled.
“Western An is the Zhongnan Sect’s territory.”
What had they been doing? Mr. Jang reacted to Yeon-shin’s muttered words.
He was carrying his daughter’s shrouded body on his back.
“The Zhongnan Sect is at war with the Tyrant Sword Sect.”
His words were slurred from his bloodshot eyes. Yeon-shin frowned.
“The Zhongnan Sect is at war with the Tyrant Sword Sect?”
He had never heard such a rumor.
The conversation stopped. Images of his only niece and the Zhongnan Sect experts flashed through his mind.
At the end was the Master of the Tyrant Sword Sect. The one who destroyed a family with the aura of an absolute master.
Even now, he couldn’t understand why.
“When did it start?”
“I don’t know. I only heard that the nearby martial artists of the Zhongnan Sect were packing up and heading to the Zhongnan Mountains…”
“……”
Yeon-shin remained silent.
If they were facing the Tyrant Sword Sect, the Zhongnan Sect must be fighting for their lives.
If they clashed head-on, it wouldn’t end with the death of a few experts.
There were plenty of reasons to fight.
The Master of the Tyrant Sword Sect had cut off the ear of Elder Ye Yil-sin.
They had clashed more than once before. Though the main reason Yeon-shin was silent was because he still didn’t know the reason behind the destruction of the Jeong family.
Why had the Zhongnan Sect experts stayed at the Jeong family home at that time? It was unnatural to anyone.
There was no sin in little Hye-ah. He hoped her uncle, Jeong Joong-san, was properly protecting her.
‘I need to go to Zhongnan.’
Ma Jin would permit it. The Thirteen Heavens was a force that acted as the supreme power in the demonic martial world.
It was inevitable that the Desolate Fortress would intervene, and slaying the experts of the Tyrant Sword Sect would build his achievements.
Yeon-shin now had the Desolate Fortress as his background. He possessed enough martial prowess to handle most warriors.
‘It’s a chance to gain more merit. I need to know now.’
Why the Jeong family was destroyed.
Why the Tyrant Sword Sect and the Blood Flame Sect collaborated to annihilate the Jeong family.
The Zhongnan Sect would know.
“You have appeased my grudge and helped my daughter find peace.”
“Thank you, Young Master! Thank you so much……!”
“This gentleman’s name is Yeon-shin from the Jeong family! You must never forget this name!”
“Master Jeong! Master Jeong is here!”
Receiving the gratitude of Mr. Jang and the villagers, he turned away.
When they suggested holding a feast to celebrate, he declined, telling them to use the food for the funeral instead.
As a result, there were those who began to mutter his name as if engraving it in their minds.
He lightly placed one hand on the sword guard, while his other hand held the end of the sack slung over his back.
Walking a bit faster, he reached a hill overlooking Lianhu County.
“Have you found any traces of the Stealthy Demon?”
Yeon-shin suddenly spoke, stopping in his tracks.
The bushes nearby rustled. Two figures emerged.
It was Cheon Ju, Mount Hua Sect’s Heavenly Swordmaster, and Yu Hyeon, the Hidden Dragon of the Mount Hua Sect.
“It seems it wasn’t the Mantis Sect.”
Perhaps because he had witnessed the destruction of a sect, Cheon Ju’s demeanor was much more respectful than before.
He wasn’t just treating Yeon-shin as a promising talent, but rather as a fully qualified martial artist of the Desolate Fortress.
Yeon-shin nodded and spoke.
“I see. That’s unfortunate.”
“I was impressed by your martial prowess. It felt like I was witnessing the future leader of the Demon Wings or even the Divine Sword Squad. Our sect’s future prospect here must have had his horizons broadened.”
Cheon Ju patted Yu Hyeon on the back of his neck.
As his hairpin shook, Yu Hyeon frowned slightly, glancing at Yeon-shin.
The drowsy look he had before now appeared exceptionally clear.
“It was my first defeat. Every time I think of the five-second finger snap, I feel like falling off my bed.”
“Your first defeat?”
Yeon-shin tilted his head slightly. Yu Hyeon waved his hand dismissively.
“All my seniors and juniors are much older. The only ones around my age are low-level martial artists, and their skills are too shallow.”
“Are there no peers in Mount Hua?”
“I am the only disciple of my rank.”
“So?”
At his indifferent response, Yu Hyeon looked down slightly.
“…How about becoming friends with me? You seem interested in Mount Hua’s martial arts. Guangdong isn’t far from Shaanxi.”
“I have no reason to go to Mount Hua.”
“Uh…”
“If you come to me, I won’t refuse. But each time, you must bring a new martial art.”
Yu Hyeon, unfamiliar with rejection, was visibly flustered.
However, at Yeon-shin’s final words, his face brightened.
During the journey to the gathering place in Shaanxi, he had to endure Yu Hyeon’s endless chatter.
He spoke just as much as Won-chang, but about different things.
The principles of martial arts, the orthodox martial philosophy of the Nine Great Sects, was helpful to Yeon-shin.
Occasionally, Cheon Ju’s would comment on it as well, giving Yeon-shin glimpses of inspiration.
‘It’s helpful. I look forward to Mount Hua’s visit.’
After a day’s walk, they arrived at the first inn they found in Shaanxi. That was as far as the pleasant time went.
He entered Ma Jin’s room.
“Your qi has slightly changed again.”
“Did you get slashed on the back? I’ll apply some wound medicine, so sit down.”
“Lightning Flash, what about the mission?”
While Cheong Myeong, Baek Mir-yeo, Ma Jin, and Hyeon Won-chang watched, he spoke about going to Zhongnan.
After hearing the circumstances, Ma Jin seemed troubled and was about to speak when Yeon-shin opened the sack he was holding and emptied its contents.
“Ugh!”
“……!”
It was the head of the Blood Master and the broken plaque of the Mantis Sect.