The leader of the Pure Demon Alliance and the leader of the Ten Perfection Sect.
Existences known as natural calamities were blocked by a single person.
A swordsman clad in black robes, with the character 'Desolate' crudely engraved on both shoulders. A young man who had barged in dragging some kind of cart, uttering arrogant words before the absolute rulers of Sichuan. Yet, despite hearing such insolence, the two men's expressions remained utterly calm.
As if they were in a place where they had to maintain minds as still as a clear mirror and tranquil waters.
An imprecise attack could not reach a true martial master.
It meant their minds could not waver. That was why, at this moment, the leader of the Pure Demon Alliance and the leader of the Ten Perfection Sect silently observed Jung Yeonshin. They sought to discern any openings.
"...."
A cold silence settled over the scene.
Following the dry wind that swept across the ground, pebbles rolled and scattered.
This was a gathering of all the great sects of Sichuan Province.
The sheer scale of the power struggle involved was immense, with a far-reaching influence that would impact not only the martial world but also the lives of the common people in Sichuan.
Neither side could afford to back down.
The hundreds of martial artists surrounding them no longer stirred the air with their internal energy.
Instead, they simply maintained their distance and watched the standoff between the three figures. Only the Tang Clan members occasionally whispered as they glanced at Jung Yeonshin.
Fingers clad in dark green gloves slightly curled, ready to throw hidden weapons at any moment.
"Is he truly the benefactor from that time…? He's grown far too much…"
"They say he has undergone rebirth by shedding his bones and flesh. That's what the leader of the Ten Perfection Sect said."
"How truly magnificent."
The Tang Clan.
The leading noble clan of Sichuan could finally breathe again.
They were fearless. Some even made jokes about sending messenger falcons to Desolate Fortress to break the tension. One woman casually remarked that they should send her instead of the Venomous Phoenix.
"Why not me?"
"Forget it. Not a chance. If it's not the Young Lady herself, it's not a match in status. One must at least be worthy of being considered Sichuan's finest…"
"But where are the other two? Why is only the benefactor here…?"
"That can be asked later. This isn't over yet."
The Tang Clan's martial masters spread their energy to remain vigilant while keeping their gazes fixed on Jung Yeonshin.
Standing before the cart with a single sword floating behind his back, shielding not only it but also the inner sanctum of the Tang Clan from the absolute rulers.
The presence of one who could stand against thousands alone.
The sunlight shimmered against his sharp, dreamlike features, more enigmatic than even the most distinguished noble families. His long hair, flowing down to his lower back, rippled gently in the breeze.
His jet-black long robe, scorched in places as if he had walked through fire, was no flaw to his appearance.
Today, in this place.
The martial world bore witness to the emergence of a peerless martial master.
No true martial artist could avert their gaze.
Neither the elite warriors of the Ten Perfection Sect, armed with all manner of weaponry, nor the grotesque demonic figures of the Pure Demon Alliance were exceptions.
After several breaths of silence, the leader of the Pure Demon Alliance finally moved his wrinkled lips.
"Jeng Gaya."
"Speak."
The leader of the Ten Perfection Sect responded.
Even as he answered, his eyes never left Jung Yeonshin. The leader of the Pure Demon Alliance showed no sign of minding that fact.
"Before that brat manifested Sword Control with Intent, I saw you making a vain move in midair."
"...."
"What was the reason?"
"It was a feint."
"A feint?"
"It was somewhat different from wounded pride clouding the senses… but my perception clearly detected an attack."
"So you reacted?"
"Yes. But I won't be caught twice."
The leader of the Ten Perfection Sect chuckled softly.
It was a tense smile. Yet, at the same time, it carried the profound depth unique to peerless martial masters.
'He's not lying.'
Jung Yeonshin thought.
The upper dantian, heated by Fan Dragon Lotus Binding Technique, whispered the truth to him.
Heavenly Lord of Ten Thousand Soldiers.
Another epithet of the leader of the Ten Perfection Sect.
In places far from government officials, he was also called the Emperor of Ten Thousand Weapons.
A master who wielded all weapons to the level of an unparalleled grandmaster, he had already devised a countermeasure against the technique that had previously caught him off guard.
As expected, the leader of the demonic faction was in a different league.
Jung Yeonshin assessed the positioning of the leader of the Ten Perfection Sect and the leader of the Pure Demon Alliance, who stood side by side.
'This won't be easy.'
The leader of the Ten Perfection Sect was slightly ahead.
They weren't perfectly aligned.
The old man of the Pure Demon Alliance, having failed to properly receive Jung Yeonshin's Sword Control with Intent when imbued with Radiant Wheel energy, had no intention of engaging him head-on again.
A peerless martial master's movements existed within the realm of extraordinarily refined instinct.
Judging by their formation, if a fight broke out, the leader of the Pure Demon Alliance would likely seek an opening from behind the leader of the Ten Perfection Sect. Using the bizarre martial arts unique to the Ming Cult.
A heavy sense of pressure loomed.
What kind of Surpassing Limits Martial Arts would these two wield?
Not those of a mere noble family, but secret arts woven together by those who reigned over a colossal sect…
Jung Yeonshin remained conscious of the cart behind him. There was no way it would survive the aftermath of the battle. And he had only just returned home.
At that moment.
The leader of the Pure Demon Alliance, who had been staring at Jung Yeonshin with furrowed brows, suddenly exhaled sharply.
"That brat is forging a Sword of the Heart. Nothing else comes to mind."
"Sword of the Heart, you say?"
The leader of the Ten Perfection Sect, who had been adjusting his armguard, paused.
"It's not just that. In some techniques, I could even sense spiritual resonance…"
At this rate, the risks outweigh the benefits.
The leader of the Pure Demon Alliance muttered under his breath. His voice, low and ominous.
Suddenly, the corners of the leader of the Ten Perfection Sect's lips curved upward.
"In that case, we should leave."
"Are you serious?"
"Do that friend's clothes still appear black to you? I see them differently."
"Hmm."
"It's not perfect, is it? How many of the Tang Clan's absolute formations have we destroyed? Even without that, I already found it quite bothersome that a shadow had lodged itself into his Huiyin Acupoint."
The thick voice carried a playful undertone.
The brazen attitude of a peerless martial master who had seen all there was to see on the battlefield. The leader of the Ten Perfection Sect, after briefly glancing at Jung Yeonshin, spoke as if driving the nail in.
"I have no desire to risk my life needlessly."
"A sect leader should not be so frivolous."
"It is precisely because I am a sect leader that I must make this decision. If a sect whose pillars have all been broken were to lose its leader as well, what do you think would happen?"
The leader of the Ten Perfection Sect frowned as he retorted. At the same time, he thought, Annoying old man. It's not my duty to hand you an excuse.
"There is some truth in your words."
The aged leader of the Pure Demon Alliance turned his body roughly, the hem of his long robe, intricately embroidered with golden thread, fluttering with his movement.
"I shall return to the headquarters."
The moment those short words left his mouth, the demonic figures stationed throughout the hall simultaneously soared into the air, their eyes flashing ominously.
A terrifying display of absolute hierarchy. Pararak—the sound of rough fabric swishing filled the space.
As the leader of the Pure Demon Alliance turned his back, he spoke in a slow, deliberate tone.
"You are fortunate. Had you made enemies of those who hold honor above all else, this would not have ended like this."
Then, he added,
"That cart of yours would not have remained intact, either."
"You timed it well."
The leader of the Ten Perfection Sect murmured, nodding slightly.
"Martial skill, background, and fortune. You possess all three. You could well be called a Master of the Three Absolutes."
He was speaking to the leader of the Radiant Demon Squad.
Jung Yeonshin tilted his head ever so slightly. It was the first time he had seen someone from the demonic faction who was not stingy with praise.
"Your swordsmanship was also flawless."
"...."
The leader of the Ten Perfection Sect appeared to be a man who understood humility.
At Jung Yeonshin's words, he immediately fell silent, turned around without another word, and walked away. The warriors of the Ten Perfection Sect, dressed more like soldiers than martial artists, followed him in formation, their armor clanking.
Escaping the crisis of extermination due to the intervention of a single intruder.
Who would believe such a thing?
"Ah...."
A sigh escaped from someone's lips, laden with anger, regret, and stunned disbelief. That breath soon spread among the noble members of the Tang Clan, one by one.
No matter how much courage they had prepared to risk death, they were still members of a noble clan who had to protect their people. It was only right to see their enemies off.
Even if they had to fight again, the battle should take place outside their home.
"Benefactor!"
"Your grace is immeasurable!"
"Hurry, hurry this way…!"
Their eyes, though filled with sorrow as they gazed at the lifeless bodies of their kin, quickly turned toward Jung Yeonshin.
None of them paid any attention to the cart, believing it to belong to their benefactor.
Jung Yeonshin could not bring himself to meet their eyes. He simply lowered his gaze slightly.
Sreung—
The divine sword, which had been floating in the air, returned itself to its sheath.
* * *
The Main Residence of the Tang Clan in Sichuan.
A faint, medicinal fragrance lingered in the air, the scent of herbal decoctions.
The chamber, surrounded on all sides by mechanical formations, was forged from dark, blackened steel, yet it was surprisingly warm.
"They say a true genius does not wield a sword, but time itself."
Those were the first words from the leader of the Tang Clan upon reuniting with Jung Yeonshin.
He smiled as he looked at the now fully grown young man. The middle-aged leader, his beard thick and unkempt, was as bold and jovial as ever.
Just as when they had once joined hands and exchanged the mnemonic verse of Full Sky Flower Rain.
Jung Yeonshin pulled a chair closer to the bedside and sat down, gazing quietly at the Tang Clan's leader who lay before him.
His internal wounds are severe.
He had heard that the leader of the Golden Wings Sect had inflicted a critical injury upon him. And judging from his pale complexion, the rumors were true. He looked as if he had been struck down by the nobles of the Blood Flame Cult.
"I had been watching from above, like a thief peering through the paper window, observing the battlefield. Ready to intervene at any moment."
The Tang Clan's leader, Venomous Lord Tang Yun-hwang, spoke in a faint voice.
"It had reached a point where I could barely hold myself back, and then, Benefactor, you stepped over the threshold. Even at my age, I felt a shiver run down my spine."
Jung Yeonshin recalled what the leader of the Ten Perfection Sect had said about the duty of a sect leader.
About the consequences if a sect's master were to perish. The Tang Clan's leader, unable to even sit up properly, would have found it difficult to take action.
"Our clan owes you another immense debt."
Tang Yun-hwang tried to rise but was stopped by Jung Yeonshin. Instead, he clasped his hands and offered a martial salute.
Even in his weakened state, the dignity of a leader was evident in his gestures.
Jung Yeonshin silently returned the gesture with a slight bow.
"...."
For a long while, he said nothing.
The sharp scent of the herbal medicine on the table behind them gradually faded. Only when Tang Yun-hwang finally opened his mouth again did the silence break.
"Thank you."
Was this the consideration of a senior martial artist? His voice carried no particular emotion.
Unlike when he spoke of debts as the leader of the Clan, this time was different.
It was after he had seen the bodies of his children resting in the cart. A gratitude for having protected their remains.
Tang Yun-hwang did not shed his grief before Jung Yeonshin.
"Thank you."
He repeated, still in a calm and steady voice.
* * *
Jung Yeonshin accompanied the ailing Tang Clan's leader to Mount Meishan.
It was quite a distance from the Tang Clan's main estate.
It was the place where Twin Venoms of the Dragon and Phoenix, the siblings, had once met their father in secret, avoiding the eyes of the Grand Elder.
For three days, as the siblings' funeral took place atop the mountain peak, Jung Yeonshin remained by the Tang Clan's leader's side.
It was only right.
For he, too, had once been indebted to them.
"Your protective energy was dazzling."
Tang Yun-hwang suddenly spoke as he descended the misty mountain path alongside Jung Yeonshin.
Around them, the Tang Clan martial artists, still heavy with grief, silently followed.
But Tang Yun-hwang was different from his kin.
He was the head of a great noble clan. A man like any other could not lead the Tang Clan. He had to set aside his sorrow, forcibly altering his disposition if necessary.
"I took inspiration from two people."
Sensing his mood, Jung Yeonshin replied.
Tang Yun-hwang let out a quiet chuckle.
"They were children obsessed with martial arts. They would be pleased."
"...."
"What name will you give it?"
"I am considering writing Precious Radiant Starry Heaven in the martial arts manual."
Jung Yeonshin spoke with some reluctance. It meant a treasured starry night, but thanks to that Brilliant Radiance from the Ten Perfection Sect, the name felt tainted.
"Do you know the final task of an artisan when crafting a masterpiece?"
"...?"
"They give it a name. To engrave a deeper spiritual resonance befitting its purpose."
"I see."
"That is why I find it unfortunate. If it is already a martial art imbued with spiritual essence, the naming is even more crucial. I can't help but feel concerned."
Jung Yeonshin's brow twitched. No one had ever commented on a name before.
But the man before him had lost his children.
Jung Yeonshin, sensing his grief, spoke with measured humility.
"It may be lacking in some way."
"You have likened my children to stars, and that inspiration has reached you, taking the form of a black robe… How about Brilliant Dawn?"
"It doesn't seem quite right."
Jung Yeonshin answered curtly, but inwardly, he mulled over the name. A bright dawn. Not night, but dawn.
"Is that so? Then…"
From that point on, he half-listened to the Tang Clan's leader's idle chatter.
Jung Yeonshin occasionally glanced at his own shadow, which stretched along the mountain path in dark streaks.
A trick of the mind, perhaps, but at times, he thought he heard a faint gurgling sound from it.
A sudden thought crossed his mind.
What would happen if he placed a well-dried piece of jerky atop his shadow?
And then, all of a sudden—
—With all due respect, I humbly ask the leader of the Radiant Demon Squad!
A voice rang out from beneath the softly misted mountain.
Jung Yeonshin sensed the presence of three martial artists.
Red Cloud Dragon of the Qingcheng Sect, Golden Staff Divine Lady of the Emei Sect, and Little Sword Queen of Mount Dianqing.
Three warriors of the Nine Great Sects, all recognized as among the finest young talents in Sichuan.
They were all young.
Then, Red Cloud Dragon called out once more.
—This is a message from the leader of the Emei Sect! Please, accept our challenge for a martial duel!