Chapter 139: Return of the Storm (4) |
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“Your body is ruined? Thoroughly burned, indeed.”
It was dawn, and faint light was spreading across the sky. A person and a mass cast shadows, blending with the densely growing trees of the mountain forest.
The Seventh Apostle, clad in a red pure blood robe, stood diagonally on the gently sloping hillside.
Below her, the silk wrapping around what was once the Blood Flame Sect Leader’s body dragged carelessly before coming to a stop.
Under the summer sky, which was approaching the Mid-Autumn Festival, the air on the mountain where she stood was unusually cold.
It was a place where yin cold qi flowed, as if a massive block of ice lay hidden within the mountain.
The boundary ridge between Sichuan and Huguang. This was a mystical mountain discovered by Blood Flame Sect disciples who roamed the Central Plains.
The bright orange dawn air slowly crept in. It was daybreak.
White mist spread across the Seventh Apostle’s lips. She wore an unusually refreshing smile.
It was an expression she usually only showed when secretly watching her young Grand Master. But now, it was because she had breathed in the pleasantly cold qi while transporting an unpleasant object.
“This is nice.”
It wasn’t a monologue.
―A rare sacred mountain, indeed.
A reply came from the corpse mass. Not in ordinary form. It was mental transmission, a form of telepathy.
―Here, I can recover over time. Having been exposed to such terrible dharma power, it will take at least several years. Seventh Apostle, you must offer tributes to shorten the time.
The Blood Flame Sect Leader used wisdom Radiant mental transmission, a technique typically employed by enlightened Buddhist martial arts masters.
Unlike profound principles like the Return to Origin Sutra, he had delved into Buddhist studies for over a hundred years to expand his sect’s influence and comprehend the subtleties of mental transmission.
Rather than enlightenment, he had approached it as a martial arts system to establish his authority as the Blood Technique Grand Master.
The Sect Leader’s clan was different from both the Han People and noble families. He considered himself greater than the noble families.
Supernatural power. He could think by embedding his spirit in a drop of blood. The body containing his spirit was both a divine soldier and the Blood Flame Sect Leader.
“What tributes? How filthy.”
―Cute one.
A drop of blood containing spirit flowed from the Sect Leader’s corpse. It was sticky, like mucus.
One of the murim’s mysteries revealed itself in the most disgusting form. The thin drop of blood, resembling a snake, was the Sect Leader.
―First, we must determine the sect’s course of action. This incident has made it clear. There is another who will be the greatest obstacle to the sect’s grand plan.
“I’ll listen.”
―It’s not the Desolate Fortress Lord we should think of first. Originally, she rarely moves. As this Sect Leader suspects, the Lord cannot stay away from the World Tree for long. If we handle matters secretly and provoke her wrath, we can scatter and avoid her for a long time.
“I want to cross blades with her. She irritates me greatly.”
―Hush. Anyway, now even Desolate Fortress’s purples, who are nearly dead, cannot be threats. We just need to track the Divine Sword Group Leader’s movements. Next, we should consider the Zhuge family head, but though they say he is crafty and powerful, he’s not worth our sect’s attention.
The Blood Flame Sect Leader’s mind speech contained a strange laugh.
―The same goes for that Sword Star, who is merely the Zhuge family’s puppet. As for the Nine Sects’ sect leaders… they are idlers, enjoying themselves in the mountains, drunk on their own martial arts. It’s enough to just watch the situation of the nine mountain forces.
“…”
―Rather, we should be wary of that small Ming Cult Leader from Xinjiang. His ambition is excessive. Furthermore, I’ve never seen martial arts talent like that child’s. However, he’s just a youngster who’s only now stretching as the leader of one faction, so still…
The Blood Flame Sect Leader, who had been drawing out his words, declared:
―He cannot match the influence of the Grand Master, who has already entered the center of the murim.
“I knew you’d say that.”
The Seventh Apostle spoke while slightly leaning against an old tree.
She casually fixed the sleeve of her pure blood robe and deliberately acted disinterested. The Sect Leader continued, unconcerned:
―Ma Yeon-jeok’s dharma power martial arts, which showed the form of great accomplishment, were truly powerful. Originally, for one martial art to possess the form of ultimate accomplishment, its principles must have been firmly established from when it was first created.
The Sect Leader, now just a handful of blood, briefly paused.
―Now I can declare. The Grand Master’s talent for creation is on par with the likes of Bodhidharma and Zhang Sanfeng. The divine energy in his upper dantian is unfathomably vast.
“So?”
The Seventh Apostle asked, moving only her lips. Her expression didn’t change.
―However, unlike those two, the Grand Master is not an ascetic cultivator, so he will show no restraint in creating various breaking martial arts. A truly dangerous sprout. Now the flow of Desolate Fortress’s extermination is beginning to sprout in the murim.
[TL Note- An ascetic cultivator is a person who practices severe self-discipline and abstention from worldly pleasures in pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. They often live a simple life, detached from material possessions and social conventions.]
“Isn’t it good if he creates many martial arts? The Grand Master’s martial arts are all brilliant.”
―Sadly, as long as the Desolate Fortress Lord exists, we cannot embrace the Grand Master. If we cannot have him, we should kill him. Think of hiring every assassin in the world. Release funds while hiding ourselves three, four layers deep. Now that the Grand Master has accumulated many grudges in the murim, there’s no reason to hesitate.
“Kill him? The Grand Master?”
―First Apostle is at the Martial Alliance in Hanzhong. He holds quite an important position. He must be looking for a chance to make the Martial Alliance and Desolate Fortress destroy each other. Ask him for help. He will highly revere your noble bloodline, born with true blood meridians.
Authority dwelled in the Blood Flame Sect Leader’s mind speech. The sect’s Grand Master’s spirit was effective even after his body had deteriorated.
For a moment, the yin qi filling the sacred mountain grew even denser.
But the Seventh Apostle didn’t answer.
She revered the young Grand Master. She considered him her only comet that would let her reach the ultimate in martial arts.
Unlike the annoying Sect Leader, who only made demands.
The sadistic excitement from seeing the young Grand Master’s confusion after pushing her away, then receiving Bodhidharma’s treasure, stirred her.
More.
She wanted to give more. She wanted to see how he would treat her after receiving all the rare things spread throughout the world, everything that could help the Grand Master’s journey.
What expression would the young Grand Master make? How would the martial arts released from his fingertips change?
“Ah.”
She wished to reach the end of the martial way together with the boy. The ultimate in martial arts.
[TL Note- (ノ｀Д´)ノ彡┻━┻ ]
At the end of that brilliant life, she wanted to stroke his cheek as he closed his eyes and tell him that his life was incredibly radiant. That she revered him.
The Seventh Apostle slowly parted her lips.
“Sect Leader, though I’m indebted to you…”
―Hmm?
“I’ve endured much too. I’ve repaid much. Weren’t you the one who told me to live as I please?”
―Apostle.
“You’ll kill the Grand Master?”
―I thought those earlier words were a joke.
A conversation between madmen began.
“I was serious. I’ll become the True Blood Sect Leader. I even heard where the seal is.”
―Heh, heheh. You’ll devour me? That would be interesting too. I’m curious about the murim seen through your eyes.
“How filthy. My talent far surpasses yours.”
There were secret arts given when the boy in black robes was still in blue.
Originally, the Seventh Apostle was destined to become as strong as the Sect Leader just by cultivating the Demon Roaring Blood Technique. That was her nature.
Moreover, she was younger than Lazy Flame Dragon, who had fawned on the young Grand Master. She had just passed twenty.
[TL Note- Finally her age reveal, i guess she is safe from Chris Hansen.]
She had risen to the rank of apostle as the Blood Flame Sect’s most powerful young talent. Her potential for growth was limitless.
“So.”
The Seventh Apostle smiled red.
“Die. Thanks for everything, and you were annoying.”
―HAHAHAHAHA!
The Sect Leader burst into great laughter. It was laughter tinged with madness.
―You are already the True Blood Sect Leader! The clan will prosper further! I only regret not being able to watch the sect’s prosperity longer…
Step…
Her smooth red shoes trampled the blood.
Along with crushing sounds, red flames rose to the left and right of her feet. There were only two types of true qi that could completely destroy blood technique qi.
The same blood technique true qi and mystical dharma power. In this moment, the energy waves of the True Demon Blood Technique, newly born from the young Grand Master’s hands, tore up the ground in spiral flames.
It was a strike that completely incinerated the blood demon who had roamed the murim for hundreds of years.
The sacred mountain instantly regained its chilly silence.
The Seventh Apostle slowly raised her head. She wore a refreshing red smile again.
“Hanzhong, Martial Alliance, you say?”
She anticipated a reunion with the young Grand Master. It would be a different kind of meeting than before.
Lightning Genius Jeong Yeon-shin.
He exuded a strange atmosphere. It was harmony that transcended his age.
Not just his energy waves, but his visible appearance was like that too. He wore Desolate Fortress’s unusual black robe and carried an extraordinary sword.
Despite the boy’s appearance, his words demanding surrender didn’t feel out of place. Cheong Myeong, who had stuck his head out the carriage window, whistled.
“Mi-ryeo, did you hear? He said, ‘Will you resist?’ He’s become a proper imperial warrior arresting murim outlaws. When did he grow up like this?”
“Stop with the nonsense. He’s wearing black, after all.”
“Right, yes. Wasn’t it just last year I lent him my blue robe? In Shaanxi. Maybe because of his age, but he really seems like a younger brother.”
Cheong Myeong’s lips drew an arc. It was a refreshing smile.
“Leader, what will happen to us?”
He asked while glancing inside the carriage. At the same time, a heavy voice replied.
“Just keep cultivating the Radiant Demon Technique without rest. That’s enough. Even if I leave the main group, Radiant Demon Wing will continue. I intend to ensure there is no confusion in Radiant Demon Wing’s lineage.”
“Leader, you don’t have an arm, though?”
Jeong Yeon-shin at the front ignored Ma Jin’s silence. It was because it was Cheong Myeong’s characteristic noble’s carefree joke.
He just stared intently at Little Sword Queen Qu Su-yu. He told the Diancang Sect’s senior disciple with his eyes.
That it would be right to detain their martial siblings until the return journey ended. The boy demanded an answer with silence.
What happened when they trusted the orthodox path’s faith at the Namgung family?
Jeong Yeon-shin would not repeat the same mistake.
Through his eyes flashing with the Luminous Wheel That Transcends Law’s white lightning, his firm resolve was revealed.
Her lips, which had worn a gentle smile, stiffened slightly. She possessed supreme sword techniques and high chivalrous fame befitting her status as a Nine Great Sects’ successor.
She was often compared to Cloud Sword Dragon Wei Zhi Myo-hwa of Mount Zhongnan in many ways. It meant she was a young talent revered that highly in the murim.
Little Sword Queen silently looked at Jeong Yeon-shin for a moment.
The boy also met her eyes. It was to completely penetrate and see through her innate martial arts by examining her whole body.
To prevent energy waves from affecting the carriages carrying his grandfather and Elder Council Leader, he had to completely break Little Sword Queen herself as a martial artist. Overwhelmingly so.
‘They said she’s a master of dual swords. Her sword techniques and sword spirit are long. Should I consider her as having learned the sword like a saber? She probably hasn’t deeply cultivated the Diancang Sect’s characteristic thrusting technique.’
He examined her eyes.
It was an expression where it was hard to know what emotions she felt.
Though her appearance was as purely beautiful as her sword energy known to the world, something else left a stronger impression on the boy’s eyes.
The calluses covering both of Little Sword Queen’s palms. They were the hands of a sword master who had poured her life into training.
Though they said the distance between Yunnan and Shaanxi was too far to compare with Cloud Dragon, she didn’t seem inferior to Wei Zhi Myo-hwa in effort.
‘She must have learned hand techniques too. I should consider fist and palm methods.’
The boy waited no longer. He was wearing Desolate Fortress black while representing his group on the wide official road.
It wouldn’t make sense if he couldn’t subdue a mere young talent.
At the front of the halted procession with Lazy Flame Dragon and Namgung Hwa-shin’s drawn weapons, he slowly took a step forward.
Thud…
Little Sword Queen’s eyes changed at that one step.
They were no longer pupils that seemed foolish. The eye light of a master fully measuring the distance between enemy and self flashed. It was like lightning.
It felt like she had raised a sword in her heart. The movement of the air changed.
The stiffened air foretold a clash of one exchange.
A hazy space formed between the two people. Sword circle. It was the domain of the sword.
It was a position gauging sword range and the area affected by sword strike force waves. A tug of war began.
It was a battle of emitting energy waves to neutralize the opponent’s domain and fill the gap between them with one’s own domain.
Jeong Yeon-shin guided it. So that the shockwaves of sword strikes wouldn’t greatly reach his grandfather and Elder Council Leader behind.
Thud…
Only the boy moved. Each time he took a step forward, the colorless energy waves surrounding them rippled.
Gray wind taking form churned between the two sword masters.
Thud…
It was footsteps that rang out especially loudly. He walked in, reducing the distance himself.
It was something difficult to do without absolute confidence in sword techniques.
With his hand on the Northern Light divine sword’s handle, the boy’s appearance with his black robe hem fluttering was literally that of a commander under the Divine Sword Group…
Little Sword Queen was taking a drawing stance with her body slightly crouched. Small cold sweat flowed down her cheeks.
She had finally realized the true nature of the Desolate Fortress black robe from Jeong Yeon-shin, who revealed his energy waves without restraint.
It was now five steps’ distance.
The tension between them was pulled taut. The resonating sound of the humming energy waves was fierce.
Soon, the air’s violent trembling began to foretell the sword masters’ clash.
That’s when.
Suddenly, Little Sword Queen removed her hand from her sword handle and bowed her waist. Her black hair scattered long in the gale of qi waves.
At the same time, a sound of the sword circle’s wind unraveling swept the surroundings.
As Jeong Yeon-shin blankly watched, Little Sword Queen slowly raised her waist and parted her lips.
“Um… I’ll follow along.”
Her face was somewhat dazed.