Behind Jung Yeonshin.
With a long sigh, the Young Lord took large strides to catch up. At the same time, the hem of the blood-colored robe, which extended thickly down to his feet, fluttered once, gently settling the dust that Jung Yeonshin had disturbed.
The internal energy control of the most honored figure in the Ming Cult was refined as if by habit.
"This friend of mine,"
The Young Lord, who had caught up, placed a hand on Jung Yeonshin's shoulder.
"Aren't your words contradictory? Those bastards, thinking they're the greatest under the heavens, swaggering around, I too would love to overturn their luxurious feast."
His eerily soft, snow-white fingers grasped the fabric covering the character 'Desolate'.
Traces of the Barehanded Demon Art cultivated to the extreme. To the unknowing, they might appear merely delicate hands, but to Jung Yeonshin, who was aware of the Young Lord's identity, they were anything but.
"Let go."
"Let go."
A smooth voice overlapped beside him.
It was the Seventh Apostle who had icily spat out the words.
Her gaze, scanning the Young Lord's body, was as sharp as a blade.
The Young Lord shrugged his shoulder, concealed beneath the blood-colored robe, and withdrew his hand.
"Lady, please be generous. Though the phrase 'harmony between husband and wife' has long been rendered meaningless thanks to the Ming Cult, at this moment, I have an important matter to discuss with your husband..."
With the soft rustling of fabric, the Seventh Apostle took a step back. She slightly turned her body, lowering her slender lashes.
A sudden and complete withdrawal of interest, followed immediately by deepening breaths. Her toes subtly shifted back and forth, as if lost in footwork training.
An unfathomable temperament. At times, she displayed madness-fueled obsession and devotion, yet at others, she exuded the unique arrogance and pride of a Blood Flame Cult noble.
Jung Yeonshin could never grasp her thought process. It was more difficult to decipher than any mnemonic verse he had ever known.
'This isn't a damn opera.'
His irritation dulled. For some reason, a faint sense of futility washed over him. Jung Yeonshin glanced at the Seventh Apostle's profile before shifting his gaze toward the Young Lord.
A faint expression was visible beneath the silver mask. Just like their first meeting, his lips were slightly curved in an ambiguous smirk, yet even Jung Yeonshin, with his keen insight, couldn't decipher its meaning.
"Before getting to the main point, let me offer some advice as a senior of the martial world."
"...?"
"Among the gifts heaven grants to the lowly, the most precious is time. It's even more so for people like us. I can't quite see how many years you have left..."
With a thin smile, the Young Lord leisurely continued,
"Enjoy life. Leave no regrets."
His tone was strange. Despite his carefree posture, the words carried a mix of complex emotions.
The Young Lord never bothered to hide his feelings, even when slouching in apparent indifference.
Jung Yeonshin did not indulge in sentiment. He had grown too close to many precious people to waste time pitying his circumstances.
Instead, he focused on something else.
Even an unmatched martial master, one who had subdued the Pure Demon Alliance's leader, could not read his lifespan.
'He mentioned the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown.'
It seemed that the unity of essence, energy, and spirit obscured his body's condition from transcendent sight.
Jung Yeonshin had already been wary of the supreme masters he would soon face as enemies. But now, that concern seemed unfounded.
"The spawn of the Ming Cult dares to speak of heaven's blessings."
Jung Yeonshin remarked.
The Young Lord lifted only one corner of his mouth as if to say, What does that have to do with you?
Then, feigning disinterest, he gestured to the side.
"Look at that young man coming out of the butcher's shop over there. He's pretending not to notice, but he's subtly making his way toward us. If I don't want to kill him, you and I will have to communicate through voice transmission."
Eyes and ears were lurking everywhere. The current state of Sichuan's Murim was in utter chaos.
Ten Perfection Sect, Pure Demon Alliance, Golden Wings Sect.
Tang Clan, Emei Sect, Qingcheng Sect.
The great sects held the most territory in the world.
Even though the Pure Demon Alliance's leader had been burned to death by the Young Lord of the Ming Cult, the damage to Sichuan was minimal.
The Ten Perfection Sect's leader, who had been drained dry by the former Blood Flame Cult's leader, still ruled as an absolute sovereign.
The righteous sects fared differently.
A year ago, the Qingcheng Sect's leader was slain by the Tyrant Sword Tribe's leader.
The Tang Clan's leader, who had long suffered from severe internal injuries due to past family conflicts, was overwhelmingly defeated in a contest of skill against the Golden Wings Sect's leader.
Only the Emei Sect remained intact.
The balance of power in Sichuan's Murim had heavily tilted in favor of the demonic faction. As the Young Lord had said, they had to remain cautious on all sides.
"Voice transmission?"
The Seventh Apostle tilted her head slightly with closed eyes.
At the same time, Jung Yeonshin sensed an imperceptible barrier enveloping the surrounding area in a semi-spherical form.
A chaotic energy wave characteristic of Radiant Demon Arts, irregular and pulsing. The outside noise vanished in an instant.
The Young Lord's eyes narrowed into crescent shapes.
"Well… in any case, Radiant Demon Squad's leader, as I briefly mentioned, you must become a sacrifice for the Rite of Human Offering. Heading directly to the meeting hall is not an option you can afford."
"The three of us here are enough to maintain a balance of power, no matter how many martial experts Golden Wings Sect and Ten Perfection Sect bring."
"Do you think that lunatic Golden Wings Sect's leader will simply hand over the offering, or allow you to accompany the Flood Dragon?"
"We can at least stand as equals."
"Well, it's highly likely that the Golden Wings Sect's leader has set up a large-scale formation around himself. It restricts the enemy's movements while enhancing his own martial arts…"
The formation of Golden Wings Sect.
Even though its name was unknown, it was infamous. A technique that allowed the formation to move freely and bolstered the energy of martial artists who had mastered a certain mnemonic verse.
Originally devised for groups of warriors to hunt massive spiritual beasts, it had also demonstrated terrifying power in large-scale battles.
"Can't you dismantle the formation on the spot or make it your own? I've done it before."
Jung Yeonshin spoke in a slightly disappointed tone. In the past, he had spent several days breaking apart the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation at the Blood Flame Cult's main headquarters.
If one had mastered sorcery-infused martial arts, it should have been accomplished in an instant, not days.
"Hmm."
The Young Lord tilted his head slightly. Did my enemies feel like this too?
"…It's because of the master of the formation. The Golden Wings Sect's leader has mastered both sorcery and martial arts. He once withstood the Ten Stage Brocade executed by a high-ranking sword master of Wudang Sect. They say he can wield a formation with one hand while unleashing martial techniques with the other, making him a true expert in Dual-Intent Heart Technique. And this is coming from the leader of the demonic faction, who probably never even touched Wudang's secret arts."
That much, he can do too, but the Golden Wings Sect's leader is no pushover either.
The Young Lord moved his lips slightly.
Jung Yeonshin's reaction was indifferent.
"Excuses."
"In the first place, you'd do well to abandon the idea of facing the Golden Wings Sect's leader head-on. Your martial arts are fundamentally opposed to his."
"Explain in detail."
"The Golden Wings Sect's leader's martial art is specifically designed to slay the most auspicious spiritual beings in the world. It's called Heavenly Dragon Slaughtering Art. It subjugates all Taoist and Buddhist internal energies beneath it… and against your extraordinary spiritual power, it would be particularly lethal."
"Heavenly Dragon Slaughtering Art…"
Jung Yeonshin muttered softly. The resonance of the words lingered in his mouth.
He had never experienced anything like this before. He had often held the advantage over his opponents, but he had never encountered energy that was completely counter to his own.
With his deep blue eyes staring at him, the Young Lord softly concluded,
"You'd be better off staying behind me and sending out sword winds. Of course, altering energy structures is something both you and I can do, but wouldn't it be quicker for the one who hasn't learned a countering martial art to respond? Besides, the one with deeper knowledge of sorcery-infused martial arts is me. Naturally, I'd like you to follow my lead."
He delivered the raw truth in a calm and methodical manner.
Jung Yeonshin felt as if he were staring into a cracked mirror. It was far from a pleasant sensation.
* * *
Sichuan.
A manor with walls as high as castle ramparts.
Above the grand entrance, the plaque read Golden Wings Sect, the characters carved in sharp, straight strokes. It was said that the Golden Wings Sect's leader disliked the phrase "Dragons and serpents soar together".
Yet, the manor was bustling with visitors who gazed up at those strange characters in admiration.
Hundreds of people were lined up, filling the air with noisy chatter, dust, and the sound of blades being sharpened.
"Those here to take the test, come this way! Over here, this way!"
"I'm first today!"
"Take this stone, and crush it using only your grip. That's all. There is no second test."
"That's… the test?"
"Yes."
"No forms? You're gauging martial ability solely by internal strength?"
"Exactly."
"I've never heard of a sect evaluating guests in such a way. Why not assess our techniques alongside our internal power?"
"If you lack confidence, you're free to leave. Or, would you like to discuss the sect's regulations with the elders?"
"…No, that's…"
Many entered confidently, only to walk out without even drawing their swords.
The warriors guarding the grounds and conducting the test behaved with blatant arrogance. No one had ever considered Golden Wings Sect a righteous faction to begin with.
This was the scene on the day after Jung Yeonshin entered the manor as a guest.
Golden Wings Sect.
At some point, they had begun accepting wandering warriors on a permanent basis. Most likely to use them for human sacrifice.
"It certainly looks impressive."
A voice filled with admiration.
It was by a secluded stream near an annex. Jung Yeonshin quietly observed the martial artist standing before him, clad in an orange martial robe. A warrior of Golden Wings Sect, seemingly in his late twenties.
After spending just one night in a strange guest chamber, Jung Yeonshin had been summoned. They had work for him, apparently.
"If you passed the test, that means you have enough internal energy to be of use… and it just so happens that a promising talent has arrived."
"What do you need me for?"
Jung Yeonshin asked abruptly. At that moment, his mood was particularly sour.
Ever since he had been separated from the Seventh Apostle, who had to feign blindness to conceal her identity, he had felt this way, even during his short time within the Golden Wings Sect.
Jung Yeonshin thought to himself. It's not because of that woman.
A soft chuckle escaped the warrior's lips, forming a smirk. It was the free-spirited laughter characteristic of those from the demonic faction or the unorthodox sects.
"Your words lack respect… but given the task you'll be assigned, I'll overlook it. Come along. We're going to see the sect leader."
He treated him completely like a vagrant.
The term guest was originally meant for honored visitors, yet his attitude suggested otherwise.
But at the moment, something else was more important.
"The Golden Wings Sect's leader?"
"You have been assigned as an attendant."
Jung Yeonshin did not respond, merely blinking once. The warrior, understanding his reaction, added,
"The Sect's leader has mastered Sight Arts and never ceases his Internal Breath Cultivation. Without a substantial level of internal energy, one would quite literally be unable to even approach him. You can assume that the renowned King-Style Sword Arts, famous in South Zhili, is constantly in effect."
"If I am to be the Sect's leader's attendant, shouldn't it be someone from within the sect?"
"All disciples who have learned martial arts must devote themselves solely to training. That, too, is part of the sect's regulations. That's also why we bring in people from the outside."
The warrior answered calmly. There was a certain coherence to her words, suggesting she had some education. She gestured for Jung Yeonshin to follow.
"It won't be difficult. Just follow the orders given."
"I don't understand why I was chosen."
"Your appearance."
She glanced at Jung Yeonshin.
"The Sect's leader prefers pleasant things, in both martial arts and daily life."
Jung Yeonshin abandoned his thoughts. And instead, recalled his conversation with the Young Lord.
—Let's say, hypothetically, that today happens to be an unusually lucky day for us. The Heavenly Demon, this body that is infinitely close to divinity, and you, who are far stronger than I was at that age, completely obliterate Ten Perfection Sect and Golden Wings Sect. But what if they run? What then? If that Golden Wings Sect's leader, who supposedly ascended Imugi's scales like his own backyard hill, decides to shake us off, can you catch him? If you care about your comrades' safety, we must first enter the formation they open for us.
—So, I am to infiltrate the Golden Wings Sect in disguise?
—With your ability, you can deceive even the most supreme martial masters. Your skill in concealing energy is impeccable. I could have mistaken it for an advanced divine art.
—Hmm.
—That's the first time I've seen you smile with such satisfaction. In any case, I'll use Earth-Following Demon Arts to connect you, me, and your wife. It's a technique of the shadow. When the time comes, I'll send my energy beneath your feet.
Step.
Around that moment, Jung Yeonshin arrived at a pavilion with red-gold tiled roofs, guided by the warrior. The surroundings were eerily silent, like a sheet of ice.
"Soon, the Tang Clan's twin siblings will be coming to see the Sect's leader. You may treat them rudely if you wish. Do not think of them as the esteemed heirs of a great clan. Even if you deliberately spill tea on them, the Sect's leader will permit it."
Then, Six Harmonies Voice Transmission resounded.
[Enter.]
A woman's voice, pressing down on the surrounding silence.
The Golden Wings Sect's leader.
The voice of an absolute ruler, one who dictated the life and death of countless beings, was chillingly dry.
'An attendant, huh.'
Jung Yeonshin slowly took a step forward, toward the mightiest figure in Sichuan's Murim.