* * *
Immediately after Pure Demon Alliance's leader and the Seventh Apostle were flung to opposite sides, the leader of the Qingcheng Sect rushed straight toward Pure Demon Alliance's leader, while Baek Yak of Emei surveyed the surroundings with deep eyes.
It seemed as if she was on guard against something, using her vast energy senses.
Martial artists who have transcended through martial arts, it is rare for such supreme masters to act together in urgent moments. Each of them has an unshakable will.
It is difficult to even guess their thoughts. The absolute beings of the Nine Great Sects, who have cultivated deeply and see through chaotic spirits and wicked immortals, are even more so.
They cannot be forced to act through words alone, for their strength is transcendent.
Jung Yeonshin was no different. Even though an unexpected situation had occurred, the leaders of Qingcheng and Emei did not convey any particular intent to him.
Jung Yeonshin took it as natural.
After briefly glancing at Pure Demon Alliance's leader and Chung Su Jin-in, he immediately leaped forward, intending to pursue the Seventh Apostle. If he were to consider grievances and favors, repaying grace came first.
From a young age, he had suffered from a great lack of connection. To this day, he was plagued by impatience and a sense of deprivation, though he did not fully recognize it himself.
—My great and young Taesa, there are places I must visit for a while.
Even as the rapidly retreating Seventh Apostle spoke, he remained the same.
For the first time, he felt a distinct intent from her. There was a clear refusal embedded in her voice.
—The former leader of the cult twisted the Buddha's teachings in cunning ways to expand the sect. He taught karmic reincarnation. That the more unbelievers' blood one consumed, the more freedom they would have in the next life. He told me never to even touch the blood of mixed breeds…
A gentle whisper tickled his ears. Jung Yeonshin unwittingly halted his execution of Ten Li Radiance Step.
—The karma of this sect is blood karma. Now, it's all mine. Because I am the leader. And blood karma, it cannot be burned away by mere asceticism.
Her tone was strange.
—I'm sorry for making you sad, my Taesa.
She was talking about the Tang siblings.
There was a sorrowful madness in her voice. Obsession and possessiveness still clung to her thickly, yet there was also a sense of detachment.
And so, the Seventh Apostle left.
At that moment, Jung Yeonshin could do nothing but come to a complete stop.
Even now, as he followed after Chung Su Jin-in, who belatedly seemed to sense something anew, her words still echoed in his ears. The emptiness of the shadow left behind felt hollow.
It was the same solitude that crept in like moonlight whenever he thought of the Azure Qilin, Fan Dragon, and the Tang siblings.
No Radiant Demon Squad, no fellow grandmasters.
He was alone.
"What are you thinking? Not making the first move."
A small, brilliant voice scattered his faint thoughts. Jung Yeonshin slowly lifted his head.
He was already gripping the Divine Sword Yurei, his entire body filled with energy, yet the presence before him felt unreachable even if he extended his sword immediately.
"Calculating."
He spoke.
The small face of the Golden Wings Sect's leader tilted to the side.
"Was that ever a necessary trait?"
"Before unifying essence, energy, and spirit, it always was. It used to give me headaches like now."
"You've mainly fought high-level masters."
She nodded as if she understood. Her voice carried no particular weight. There was an effortless ease about her.
Behind them was a vast mountain ridge, before them, an endless horizon stretched across the center of the village.
The silence was heavy.
Jung Yeonshin silently observed the foremost martial artist of Sichuan.
Despite the significant height difference, her small frame did not seem small. A dense, intangible aura exuded a palpable presence.
'There's no opening.'
He thought.
Unlike the leader of the Blood Flame Cult, who had lost his inner strength, or Pure Demon Alliance's leader, whose martial arts fundamentally clashed with his own, this was an opponent with whom he had to purely compete in martial prowess.
No weaknesses. No way to gauge her level.
Jung Yeonshin slowly parted his lips.
"Does Golden Wings Sect not know shame?"
"Shame?"
"There are pursuers after the fleeing commoners. They carry the presence of your sect. What are they planning to do with even the children?"
Jung Yeonshin sensed them through his energy. He recognized them from his past encounters with Golden Wings Sect.
An old guardian wielding a greatsword, along with spirit hunters equipped with all sorts of arcane weapons, their presence pursuing the villagers could be distinctly felt.
The lips of the Golden Wings Sect's leader subtly twitched. For a moment, it looked almost like a smirk.
"It's because of you. We need to gather relics and offerings again. We are reopening the Flood Dragon's Formation here."
"What?"
"Spiritual beasts prefer pure innate energy. A single child is better than two adults."
Innate energy.
The energy a person possesses from birth. As one lives, impure energy accumulates. This is why stories of monsters devouring children are so common among the people.
Jung Yeonshin's gaze sharpened.
As expected of the demonic faction. Their entire way of thinking was twisted.
"Not even worth Nanjian Chicken Leg..."
"Hmm? But I like fried drumsticks."
The Golden Wings Sect's leader's carefree remark barely registered in his ears. To fight her while protecting the commoners? That wasn't even a question of possibility—it was close to absurdity.
What should he do?
"I... will go...!"
A voice rang from behind. A cough mixed between the words. The Qingcheng Sect's leader was standing up, using his sword for support.
Without turning back, Jung Yeonshin spoke.
"The Left Guardian of Golden Wings Sect is leading the vanguard. Jin-in, you seem to have sustained a serious internal injury, your movements will be hindered."
"Be extremely cautious of the Heavenly Dragon Slaughtering Art. Even our Azure Clouds Scarlet Glow Sword was powerless against it."
Ignoring Jung Yeonshin's concern, he offered advice.
Chung Su Jin-in had not held the Qingcheng Sect's leadership for long. Even as a Taoist, he carried spirit and determination.
A sect leader must not struggle against a mere guardian.
"You must not engage in a direct clash of power. Instead, use shockwave techniques, skillful maneuvering, or another kind of energy..."
He suddenly trailed off, recalling the difference in age between the Golden Wings Sect's leader and Radiant Demon Squad's leader.
The gap between a cliff weathered by endless storms and a mere pebble was vast.
'It is astonishing that she wields spiritual energy. But if her techniques are attuned to that energy…'
The Dark Flame King was famous for many reasons. Not only his noble-like appearance but also his unbelievable age.
How many years does a martial artist devote to mastering a single type of energy, wielding it as effortlessly as their own limbs? The training is endless.
Holding multiple types of inner strength within the body without suffering from Energy Deviation was another challenge altogether.
Chung Su Jin-in thought of small greed, great loss. Losing the Radiant Demon Squad's leader while trying to protect the commoners, was it not better to abandon pride and join forces?
It was then.
"Go."
Jung Yeonshin's long hair lifted halfway into the air. A gust of wind followed.
Colorless currents spread through his hair strand by strand, a profoundly eerie yet elegant wave of energy.
"That energy…!"
Chung Su Jin-in's eyebrows shot up. Across his vision flashed a distant memory from childhood—the Blood Flame Cult's leader.
Languid yet mesmerizing, exuding a presence as if alone in all under heaven…
It made it even harder to take a step forward. His aptitude was remarkable, but that was secondary. Had he not concealed blood energy within his spiritual power?
"How did you…?"
"Supreme Demon of Sacred Blood was a great inspiration to me."
His voice, smooth as if he were a noble of the Blood Flame Cult, carried a solemn reverence.
Jin Myungjo, the Blood Preservation Squad's leader of Desolate Fortress. Even as Qingcheng Sect's leader, he was a well-known name throughout the martial world.
"The Blood Preservation Squad's leader of Desolate Fortress, I see...!"
Chung Su Jin-in asked no further and immediately turned away. He staggered once before kicking into the air, his footwork striking like a drumbeat.
Qingcheng's Protective Energy Technique, Azure Underwind. With each resounding step, his figure rapidly faded into the distance.
The Golden Wings Sect's leader showed little interest. Her amber-red eyes transparently pierced through Jung Yeonshin.
"Geniuses are like that. One talent is never enough."
She muttered. Jung Yeonshin readjusted his grip on Yurei.
"Let's begin."
"Or are you the Dragon of Incarnation, using Avatar Art?"
A voice devoid of tension.
But the air around them was different. It trembled, turned semi-transparent, then rapidly compressed. A deep hum vibrated through the space.
Ten paces apart.
Jung Yeonshin closed it with a single step. A strong gale billowed from the sword energy in his grip. The Golden Wings Sect's leader, still holding a wine bottle, her expression unchanged. He struck upward with Yurei.
Sword Thunder Flash Art, Judgment Qilin.
Like a streak of light that had always been there, the sword radiance carved into the air. But then—crack—it was severed.
Blocked by the Golden Wings Sect's leader's gourd.
Cracks spread across the surface where the sword met the bottle, yet it did not break.
A rich, sweet aroma of liquor rushed forth.
"Want a drink?"
She murmured softly.
In that instant, thick golden waves of energy burst from her body.
A wave of force swept over Jung Yeonshin, engulfing the surroundings. This was no mere energy fluctuation. Jung Yeonshin felt as if his entire body's True Energy had momentarily frozen.
At the same time, the Golden Wings Sect's leader ran a fully spread hand over his chest. As her fingers trailed over his black robe, golden ripples sank into the fabric.
Shockwaves surged.
The energy of the Heavenly Dragon Slaughtering Art, and Heaven-Flipping Dragon Cleave.
KWAHAAAAANG!
Jung Yeonshin was flung backward.
The first sensation was the splintering impact as he crashed through the swing where a child had been hiding.
Then came the force slamming into his back as he was hurled against the cliff on the far side of the village.
A thick cloud of dust rose. Pebbles scraped down the rock face as they fell.
How many zhang had he been sent flying in a single strike?
He felt it.
'This one is different.'
She was unlike any opponent he had faced before. This could not be a quick battle.
Martial techniques designed for swift duels relied on absolute precision, striking at an opponent's breath and exploiting the slightest mistake.
That would not work against the Golden Wings Sect's leader.
Sichuan's Greatest Beauty, Sichuan's Greatest Warrior.
The title meant she was the most esteemed master across the entire Sichuan Province, which housed no fewer than six major sects. Even Desolate Fortress would have had to send one of its greatest warriors to match her.
"You shouldn't have interfered with the formation. You were such a good spectacle."
Her delicate features filled his vision.
The Golden Wings Sect's leader.
Her Heaven-Piercing Dragon Scales Technique was said to be one of the four greatest movement techniques in the martial world.
It allowed one to ascend the length of a dragon's coiling body with ease.
A bodily refinement that rivaled even the limits of the movement technique.
'Her specialty is closing mid-range gaps. Faster than Wind Body Technique, but slower than Ten Li Radiance Step. If I extend the movement trajectory...'
His mind whirred like a spinning wheel of light.
He let go of Yurei.
A fan-like dragon, born from his mind's intent, coiled around the sword, sustaining it mid-air. Sword Control Technique.
The Golden Wings Sect's leader's forearm curved as if forming an arc.
ZZZEEEOOOONG—!
His sword energy speared upward, striking her abdomen.
At once, her entire form was engulfed in blue flames.
A Protective Energy Technique that could withstand the breath of a Flood Dragon.
Even after taking a direct hit from his Sword Control Technique, her body was not pierced but sent soaring upward like a blazing meteor.
She felt the pain.
Even as Yurei drove her skyward, she frowned slightly and brought the gourd to her lips.
Like a poppy addict easing their suffering with petals.
The speed of her internal energy circulation, the versatility of her martial arts, the explosive shockwave within each strike—she surpassed the limits of ordinary mortals.
If he had not mastered Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, even crossing swords with her would have been impossible.
If he had not undergone his own version of Rebirth of Bones and Flesh...
'A monstrous divine beast. She must be considered a Flood Dragon-level entity.'
The concaved dent in Jung Yeonshin's chest cracked as it expanded back to its original shape.
The profound secrets of Jung Clan Movement Arts.
He swelled the meridians in his chest, wrapped his shattered ribs with internal energy, and restored them to form.
A searing pain choked his thoughts into whiteness.
Jung Yeonshin's icy-blue eyes gleamed. It didn't matter if his mind burned out.
Beneath his ribs, a tidal wave of fighting spirit surged.
Every mnemonic verse he had internalized surged through his meridians, his heart's Radiant Wheel, and the Baihui Acupoint, constantly disassembling and reconstructing itself.
The stroke of a fox's grin, once imprinted on the lips of the Tang siblings, unraveled in his memory, forming the application of Lightning Genius' Ultimate Stroke.
He had to win. He would kill her.
BANG!
Jung Yeonshin extended his leg and struck the cliff.
His gaze remained skyward.
The Golden Wings Sect's leader held Yurei in her small hands. She looked as if she was about to unleash a technique.
[It's a pity there's no proper audience. Since you're about to cross the River of Three Crossings, it would only be right for the great masters of the world to witness your true worth.]
A faint voice echoed from afar. A distorted tone, thick with internal energy.
The structure of the energy resembled the techniques of the Ten Perfection Sect's leader.
Jung Yeonshin vowed to split open the heads of every enemy he encountered from now on.
Step.
He planted both feet against the cliffside.
At his feet, the light from Ten Li Radiance Step spread like mist.
One step, then another.
He began to climb the vast cliff upside down. The wind crashing against him grew stronger.
A heartbeat later, his strides turned into a sprint. His steps widened greatly, his speed accelerating. The scenery blurred into hundreds of streaking lines.
WHOOOOOSH—!
His form surged skyward, closing the gap with the Golden Wings Sect's leader.
Every tree, moss-covered stone, and jagged rock he passed turned ghostly pale and shattered apart.
From his outstretched hands, a forbidden blood energy technique mixed with the Moonlight Harmony Technique of the Desolate Fortress' Lord, swirling in pale-red and hazy-white currents.
"There, over there!"
"The Golden Wings Sect's leader... and the Radiant Demon Squad's leader...?"
Those who had been searching for the figures from the Martial Arts Grand Tournament raised their heads in shock.
The two supreme masters' silhouettes overlapped as one.