Chapter 143: Black Robe |
***
After a while, the energy barrier surrounding Ma Yeon-jeok’s carriage dissipated.
The Lord of Desolate Fortress emerged with an inscrutable expression and stepped into the Elder Council Leader’s carriage beside it.
Two of the fortress’s three purple-rank supreme masters were bedridden and being transported. This was a matter of great significance for the fortress.
Given the gravity of the situation, she, as the fortress leader, was personally overseeing the condition of her disciples.
“This must be a heavy burden for the Lord.”
“It’s not something we can even begin to comprehend.”
They were witnessing the highest-level affairs of the main fortress up close.
Even for Jeong Yeon-shin’s seniors, this was a rare sight.
“Those two must focus on their recovery now.”
“Indeed. I wonder how much of the main fortress’s strength has been diminished.”
“Think about it—it’s like two Nine Great Sects’ leaders retiring at once. No, even that’s hard to imagine.”
They were discussing Ma Yeon-jeok and the Elder Council Leader.
“Retiring” referred to a martial artist’s withdrawal from the murim.
Jeong Yeon-shin glanced at his scattered seniors around him.
Over a dozen blue-rank masters were discussing the fortress’s future with grave expressions. Their tones were far from cheerful.
Purple.
It was the symbol of Desolate Fortress, the deterrent that kept the murim’s outlaws from acting recklessly.
“I wonder how much those wolves will run wild now.”
“There will be more than a few local sects openly provoking the main fortress.”
“I heard we’ve already lost contact with the Xinjiang branch. They say that descendant of the Ming Cult who cultivates sorcery martial arts is incredibly strong. They call him an unprecedented talent in the realm of sorcery.”
“We need to deal with the Martial Alliance first. It’s not the Nine Great Sects but the Eight Families that are the main force. It’s probably rotten even before it’s fully formed.”
“Um, the Diancang Sect masters are here…”
Hyeon Won-chang spoke cautiously, pointing out that this wasn’t the place to discuss the fortress’s major affairs.
The three Diancang Sect masters, who had been mentioned, looked up one by one from where they were gathered.
The Little Sword Queen smiled at Jeong Yeon-shin. It was a somewhat dazed smile.
Perhaps it was because she had witnessed him unaffected by the Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s energy waves.
Now, the foremost young swordswoman of Diancang no longer hid her fondness for Desolate Fortress’s Lightning Genius.
The Little Sword Queen parted her lips.
“Our lips are sealed. We’re not particularly close with the Eight Families. The one I wish to befriend is that young hero Jeong, wearing that handsome black robe.”
The boy ignored her.
He knew thoughtful individuals like Wei Zhi Miaohua of Mount Zhongnan and Liu Xuan of Mount Hua.
Though the Little Sword Queen didn’t seem ill-natured, she didn’t strike him as someone worth spending his limited time forming friendships with.
“We’ve made it safely to Xiangyang, so it’s fine.”
The middle-aged blue-rank master, Wu Yue-xiang, shook her head and spoke.
A faint smile played on the lips of the woman who treated Jeong Yeon-shin and Hyeon Won-chang like her own sons.
While touching the empty left sleeve she had lost in the City of Renowned Craftsmen with her remaining hand, she continued.
“The matter of the two purple-ranks is already hard to conceal. How many warriors from the Blood Flame Sect, Ten Perfections Sect, and Tang Clan were there? And how many of their family members? Our Lightning Genius had the Diancang martial artists accompany us to delay the spread of rumors. For a safe return. Isn’t that right?”
She asked with a gentle smile.
Her small chin gesture pointed to where Jeong Yeon-shin was sitting.
The boy nodded silently, leaning against a tree like the Lord of Desolate Fortress. Wu Yue-xiang’s smile deepened.
“You conducted yourself admirably as temporary commander. We’re grateful. Thank you for safely guiding us to Xiangyang, until the Lord arrived. Truly outstanding.”
“…”
“I’m thanking you now because it will be hard to speak so comfortably once you formally become a black rank.”
Her words were filled with warmth.
The seniors beside her nodded.
Soon, embarrassing praises followed.
Talks flowed about the exceptional potential of the fortress’s new black rank, how they had kept an eye on him since he entered Radiant Demon Wing, and how he was quite terrifying when he provoked the Pure Demon Alliance Leader.
“Looking forward to the black rank promotion ceremony. That’s quite a rare grand event at the main fortress.”
Cheong Myeong said while casually sitting on a tree branch with his headband untied.
Lounging among the sunlit leaves, his relaxed posture didn’t suit someone who was injured.
The elf swordsman who had guided the boy in his white rank days wore his characteristically dazzling smile.
It was his way of expressing his own pleased feelings.
Even among the fortress’s warriors, grudges and favors formed.
Now was the time to acknowledge grace and hold grateful hearts.
The Desolate Fortress masters, who had once seemed so far above when he was just the third young master of the Jeong Family, were now placing the boy above their own heads at this moment.
Though invisible, it could be felt.
Apart from the Lightning Genius’s group, whose future positions were uncertain.
The seniors of Radiant Demon Wing had begun preparing to accept the change in leadership.
It was the most important matter.
“The atmosphere is embarrassing.”
Lazy Flame Dragon muttered, glancing at the expressionless young temporary commander.
For a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin felt some envy in his voice but didn’t bother asking about it. He understood the same feelings.
The boy also recalled, at times, the image of himself dying alone without anyone to mourn him, after living out the life heaven had granted.
Jeong Yeon-shin suppressed those familiar feelings and looked around.
The scene he had truly achieved so far entered his vision.
A wide clearing in the forest approaching Xiangyang.
The fortress’s masters were either standing with crossed arms on high tree branches or sitting leisurely in various places they had found.
“…”
The silence that had briefly fallen wasn’t awkward.
The bright summer sunlight filled the surrounding leaves with vivid green light.
Like a famous painter’s landscape, the wind swept past the masters who were neither martial artists nor government troops, gathered together.
The birth of the new black rank commander had occurred before their return. Before anyone at the main fortress knew, faster than anything else.
They arrived at Nanzhang, located at the entrance to Xiangyang.
It was a bustling city that the noble Zhuge family and local officials had greatly developed.
Well-paved yellow earth roads stretched in all directions, and the sounds of merchants calling customers and trade echoed off the fairly clean building walls.
With none other than the Lord herself accompanying them, and since this area was known for its honest officials, the government guest houses were small… As this became more apparent the closer they got to the main fortress, Jeong Yeon-shin borrowed Crimson Day Sword of Return Wing Corps’ skills.
He was the representative warrior of Lightning Genius’s group. The middle-aged blue-rank master of Desolate Fortress was skilled in handling affairs.
Dragon Flower Inn.
They rented the entire five-story pavilion that could have been a local noble’s mansion. It was to accommodate the purple-rank elders and the Lord.
They would reach the main fortress tomorrow.
Ma Jin and the injured from Return Wing Corps were also able to rest in comfortable beds for once.
“They say immortals have descended from heaven. Heavenly maidens and divine generals are staying here.”
There was commotion outside. Dozens of people had gathered at the entrance.
“Did they mention Desolate Fortress? They say they saw the character for ‘Desolate’…”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
They were already an eye-catching group. Starting with Little Sword Queen who was desperate to speak with the Lord of Desolate Fortress.
Beyond her fame as a swordswoman worthy of discussing techniques with Cloud Dragon of Mount Zhongnan, she possessed extraordinary beauty.
The same was true for Jeong Yeon-shin, Lazy Flame Dragon, Namgung Hwa-shin, and even Hyeon Won-chang.
Their appearances befitted being called noble and elegant. They drew people’s gazes.
It would have been even more so if Cheong Myeong hadn’t gone back into the carriage.
“Has a fairy maiden descended?”
“Watch your words. It’s the Jade Emperor’s manifestation.”
“The Guardian has emerged. The Lord of Desolate Fortress, I mean.”
Peerless beauty draws attention as much as supreme martial arts.
When combined with unique status and authority, it becomes a rare spectacle. People just didn’t dare cause too much commotion.
Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin was standing face to face with the Lord of Desolate Fortress.
It was in a clearing between the inn’s main building and annex.
“You may relax your body and mind. Think of it as briefly lifting your spirit from this chaotic world.”
The Lord’s clear voice approached like a gentle breeze. It seemed to softly wrap around the boy’s sharp senses.
He had been scanning the crowd gathered in front of the inn with the Luminous Wheel’s qi sense.
Her words somewhat eased Jeong Yeon-shin’s vigilance.
‘There don’t seem to be any suspicious people.’
Jeong Yeon-shin thought.
Wariness had become second nature. It had naturally been honed through facing many supreme masters during the journey to Sichuan.
He was always ready like a drawn sword.
“It won’t relax easily.”
The Lord of Desolate Fortress who had been quietly watching the boy shook her head slightly.
Her long hair flowing down her elegant jawline swayed with a green tint.
“This is difficult. It’s your nature.”
“I apologize.”
“It’s alright.”
The corners of her mouth rose slightly.
“It’s because your goals are distant. Originally as one becomes a master they should grow gentler, so today’s teaching should help somewhat.”
There were strange moments when facing the Lord of Desolate Fortress where his mind grew distant.
It was like that now.
Her dark green eyes that seemed to strip one’s entire body bare were overwhelming.
She was a peerless immortal master said to see through one’s inner nature. Beyond martial arts supremacy, she seemed wrapped in some transcendence as the highest being of her clan.
Jeong Yeon-shin spun the wheel in his heart.
The Luminous wheel rotated inside his body, creating circulation of power throughout.
The Luminous Wheel’s dharma power seeped into his heart and head. The boy barely managed to focus his eyes.
After regaining composure with two breaths while facing the Lord of Desolate Fortress, he saw the corners of her mouth had risen slightly more.
‘It wasn’t too unsightly.’
Just as Jeong Yeon-shin was needlessly worrying, the Lord spoke:
“You polished your vessel at the Jeong Family estate, and breathed with divine technique in Sichuan. You’ve begun filling with water.”
“Your advice has been of great help.”
The boy recalled the note the Grand Administrator had given him just before departing on the mission.
The Lord of Desolate Fortress’s handwriting was still vividly engraved in his mind.
She smiled slightly.
“Now you must handle that breathing. Are you ready to receive new sword techniques?”
“Are you teaching me the mind sword?”
Jeong Yeon-shin answered question with question.
After a moment of silence, she parted her lips.
“I know what you thought. You imagined the Mind Sword is a Killing technique.”
The absolute technique of establishing a sword with the mind to kill opponents. A legendary realm. It only existed in rumors.
“Then…?”
“What I want to teach you is different. It would be right to call it a sword technique that toys with senses. Not techniques that cut the mind. I created it recently, so you’ll be the first recipient.”
“Toying with senses…”
Jeong Yeon-shin echoed softly.
Her jade-like eyes gazed steadily at the boy. The Lord of Desolate Fortress’s expression showed little change as usual.
She seemed to be asking if he was disappointed. But Jeong Yeon-shin was not.
He had seen the strike that broke the Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s ability. It was peerless swordsmanship.
“What is the principle? I couldn’t feel anything then.”
The boy boldly asked. The Lord of Desolate Fortress slowly nodded.
“Void strike. It’s a method of engraving sword strikes in your enemy’s mind. Very intensely.”
“How do you mean?”
“You must act as complete master of your qi waves and sword wind.”
It was the Lord’s teaching. It didn’t stop at difficult words to understand.
“Come here.”
She moved her lips.
It was already two steps’ distance. Just as the boy hesitated for a moment.
STEP
The Lord of Desolate Fortress’s light green shoes brushed the ground.
The peerless master said to discuss being first under heaven in the vast murim approached. The second teaching began.