No answer came.
"..."
Jung Yeonshin, gazing down at the wild boar for a moment, swept his eyes across the surroundings without softening his gaze.
It was eerily silent.
The ground, covered in dry pine needles and pristine white snow, concealed the presence of any uninvited guests.
In the vast stillness, it was difficult to pinpoint where the hidden presence lurked.
Not even the slightest breeze stirred, yet it seemed as if someone had completely restrained their energy, merging seamlessly with the surroundings.
'What's the range of their Sword Flight?'
He silently measured. This was the stance a strong warrior had to take upon encountering another strong warrior in the wilderness.
Especially when facing Sword Flight, which far outpaced the speed of even an exceptional Swift Sword.
Sabak.
The snow crunched underfoot. He had subtly shifted his step, following the mnemonic verse of Splendid Wings Step.
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader, keeping a hand lightly on his sword hilt, remained vigilant.
'What is their intent?'
Sword projection was a method of extreme ascension.
Even after activating the Heaven-Piercing Technique, he still could not deduce the profound principles behind the ghost Spirit Sword's flight technique.
It wasn't surprising.
Mind-Guided Sword was said to be a realm where one imbued the blade with their very will.
A method that went beyond the realm of internal energy and martial arts. One who forged such a sword deserved to be called a transcendent being.
'It felt strangely familiar.'
Even though Sword Flight was a phenomenon that left almost no traces of energy, it still left behind a faint resonance of energy fluctuations.
Jung Yeonshin, whose senses perceived energy as vividly as sword strokes, had clearly recognized it.
With that, he immediately recalled the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon of the Profound Martial Alliance.
The mysteries of Sword Flight were not something commonly encountered.
"Sword Demon, come out."
He spoke.
He had already witnessed the death of Fan Dragon, and even seen two black-clad seniors wounded.
The shocking puncture wound left on the Supreme Demon of Sacred Blood, Jin Myungjo, still lingered in his vision, making his voice somewhat dry.
"I have no intention of leaving with you at my back. Come and speak."
As a squad leader under the Divine Sword Order, Jung Yeonshin had to maintain impeccable conduct.
Turning his back when his position had been identified by an extremely formidable expert was unthinkable.
His words reflected that reasoning.
"..."
A moment of silence followed. Then, irritation slowly crept up his Baihui Acupoint.
What the hell. That was when it happened.
"You are, a remarkably kind child."
A woman's voice, somewhat husky, resonated.
Wuuung.
A heavy sword resonance echoed from high above, to the right.
Jung Yeonshin immediately lifted his gaze.
A lofty swordswoman was descending on her blade.
"You said, you would not leave me behind… Did you hold that in your heart?"
It was a mystical sight.
The act of Sword Flight flight made even the Sword Lords of the Demonic Faction appear transcendent.
The transparent winds cleaving around her sword resembled the flowing hem of a resplendent ceremonial robe, harmonizing perfectly with the rough prayers of Baek Seo-gun.
She spoke again, her lips moving without meeting his gaze.
"If this is about the Ghost Spirit Sword, there is no need for repayment."
She murmured in a low voice.
'What is she talking about?'
Jung Yeonshin half-listened, keeping his eyes on her.
Eternal Heaven Sword Demon, Baek Seo-gun.
Her hair, bleached to near white due to the abilities of her Heart Technique, was still cut short.
Even though Jung Yeonshin's black hair had grown past his shoulder blades over the years, her pale gray strands still barely brushed the nape of her neck.
As if time had stopped since their first encounter.
It was an appearance that required frequent trimming to maintain. The second-in-command of the Profound Martial Alliance was originally known for wearing her hair wild, like a lion's mane.
'Did I end up creating an unnecessary strength back then?'
The insight of a veteran Radiant Demon Squad's leader, honed through years of experience, gleamed.
There was no other way to interpret it.
Feeling the chilling sword resonance of Beiming Sword at his fingertips, Jung Yeonshin furrowed his brow inwardly.
'She's wary of close-quarter strikes.'
An exceptionally meticulous grandmaster was not an opponent one could easily overcome.
One had to invest immense effort in unraveling their techniques and analyzing the structure of their defensive energy.
Even more so if the opponent was the second-greatest swordsman of the Profound Martial Alliance.
"I heard about you from the leader of Mount Hua Sect as well. Tell me why you're following me. Do you wish to test life and death?"
He asked, still maintaining a stance that could transition into a sword technique execution form at any moment.
Sssk.
Baek Seo-gun's leather boots touched the ground.
It was striking how the snow beneath her feet remained undisturbed.
She had reached the realm of Snow-Stepping Without Traces.
From Sword Flight flight to Protective Energy Technique, she seemed even more elusive than the famed speedsters.
Perhaps the martial arts she had mastered stemmed from that lineage.
"There is no reason for me to fight you to the death. At least, not now."
"Then tell me the reason."
Jung Yeonshin, standing still, pressed for an answer.
Her demeanor was different from before.
Gone was the carefree swordswoman who had once invited him to drink, speaking boldly.
Now, her face tilted downward at an angle, making it difficult to recognize the Sword Demon of the Profound Martial Alliance in her.
"..."
She hesitated for a long breath.
White steam rose and dissipated repeatedly from Baek Seo-gun's lips.
Had Jung Yeonshin activated Ultimate Thunder, the lotus would have already disappeared.
He might even be massaging his muscles, dealing with the aftermath.
'What is this?'
Her continued refusal to meet his gaze heightened his vigilance.
Had the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon woven the laws of time into her domain of the blade?
It was said that the leader of the Profound Martial Alliance, King of Infinite Swords, ruled over space and time itself through the mysteries of Dull Sword.
'If she refuses to answer again, I'll have to strike first. The activation of Ultimate Thunder is inevitable against her.'
Just as Jung Yeonshin was about to speak again—
"I…"
The Sword Sovereign of Henan Province spoke first.
"I am… your father, Jung Ban-ak's… sworn sister."
The hesitation in her speech made its reason clear.
A woman who had achieved renown through her blade had just revealed her origins.
She was a sword demon of the Demonic Faction.
To confess her identity to the son of her sworn brother, how difficult must that have been? She did not come with deceit.
Jung Yeonshin's upper dantian remained still, unlike when facing those with malice.
Unlike his days in white and blue rank, as he aged, he found it easier to control his abilities. Yet, at this moment, there was no reaction at all.
That meant it was the truth.
However, to the Radiant Demon Squad's leader, the Sword Demon of the Profound Martial Alliance's feelings did not matter.
It didn't take long for him to accept it. Perhaps because something more immediate came to mind that he needed to ask first.
He spoke right away.
"I know you had ties with the Jung Clan. You told me before."
His tone was even. His words carried no weight as if the matter was of little consequence.
Baek Seo-gun's lips twitched slightly.
She had traveled for a long time with the second son of the Jung Clan in Xi'an, Shaanxi.
She knew the environment in which the youngest, Jung Yeonshin, had grown up.
The demeanor he now displayed seemed like a habitual politeness, ingrained from a long time of being overshadowed.
'Ah.'
The way he quietly looked at her overlapped with the image of him wielding the Judgment Qilin Sword Form.
The boy who had once thrown Sword Demon Baek Seo-gun into long contemplation, both as a swordswoman and as a sworn sister, now let her shame slip past him with the breadth of his vast vessel.
Baek Seo-gun's lips unconsciously parted slightly.
"…You are different from Ban-ak. Your vessel surpasses his. Your appearance will as well, in time."
"That's nonsense. Have you ever seen my mother?"
"No. Jung Ban-ak left before he was wed. After I acquired the Heart Technique that would become my ultimate martial art, I abandoned the family that raised me."
"Then that's all I need to know. Live well. I won't deal with you now."
Because the timing isn't right, Jung Yeonshin hastily wrapped up his words and withdrew his interest.
Alongside Ak Surim, the squad leader of Blood Preservation Squad, Jin Myungjo, was waiting for him.
If he were to engage in a prolonged battle with the Sword Sovereign, the outcome would be uncertain.
"The boar—thank you."
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader's gaze brushed past Eternal Heaven Sword Demon indifferently before landing on the dead beast.
Baek Seo-gun felt it clearly.
At the same time, the sword resonance of the Divine Sword, floating at her side, wavered slightly.
Sword projection was an ultimate art that was greatly influenced by one's intent.
'Even now, he still insists on repaying his debts. With such refined martial prowess… If he were any other of the Desolate Fortress black rank, he would certainly aim for my neck.'
At this moment, to her, the Lightning Genius of the Jung Clan was an impregnable fortress, far more impenetrable than any castle.
If she wished to preserve her pride as a Sword Sovereign, she needed to earn the favor of the Radiant Demon Squad's leader of this era.
But there was simply no opening.
She had to say something—anything.
"…I apologize. I judged you rashly and spoke carelessly. I shouldn't have mentioned Ban-ak in front of you. You stand on your own."
"I grew up with my mother. It's none of your concern. If you were truly my father's sworn sister, then you would have been my elder brothers' nanny, not mine. Our paths would never have crossed."
Thunk.
Jung Yeonshin grasped the boar's front leg and slung it over his shoulder.
"I never had a single servant with great skill. They were either completely indifferent, or incredibly kind."
"..."
"Don't move until I take a hundred steps. If I detect any disturbance in your presence, I will consider it an attack."
Step.
The moment he took a step—
"Sword Flight."
"What?"
"I will teach you the art of Sword Flight."
* * *
The Martial Arena in Shaanxi.
"The Dragon-Summoning Sword of Azure Sky Pavilion, please step onto the martial stage!"
A scholarly-looking man shouted over the shattered martial stage.
There were more murmurs than cheers in the crowd.
Even after the chaos that had ensued earlier, many people remained.
Most were either noble families with reserved seats under the canopies, merchants seeking connections with martial sects, or wanderers who sought displays of unparalleled martial techniques due to the rarity of true spectacles in the world.
During times of famine, the gathering of such influential figures would not disperse so easily.
Dudududu—
Yet, a significant number of people were also leaving, kicking up dust as they descended the hillside.
Some messenger hawks, almost like spirit beasts, soared into the sky with tightly wound scrolls tied to their legs.
Many scribes were also seen rapidly writing letters, murmuring to themselves as they moved their brushes, prioritizing accuracy over secrecy.
"The black rank of Desolate Fortress has appeared… The Radiant Demon Squad's leader of this era… has slain the First Fist of the Eun Clan… With one of the top forces of the Divine Sword Order advancing north, they may soon clash with the Zhuge Clan…"
"After the death of a squad leader from the Divine Sword Order, what was the aftermath? I must inquire with the elders."
"Write to our agents to monitor the main fortress of Desolate Fortress in Yangyang. Track the changes in the number of carriages entering and exiting. Even if our informants cough up blood, I need a report within forty days."
"Don't worry about unnecessary things. They are being overly cautious. Desolate Fortress cannot afford to lose more than three squad leaders at this time. Rather than that, send a letter to the Zhuge Clan's leader's Moon Castle Sect, explaining that we did everything we could to stop the Radiant Demon Squad's leader from interfering. Write it quickly!"
The voices carried all the way to the hills beyond the martial stage.
For someone with Lazy Flame Dragon's exceptional martial power, it was all within earshot.
Standing on a high vantage point overlooking the noble families of Shaanxi, he stroked his chin, then turned his head slightly.
"Why do you look so defeated? I heard he was somewhat like your brother. So, is that guy from the main bloodline while you're from a collateral branch?"
"It's actually the other way around…"
Heon Wonchang shook his head.
"…It's not something I can discuss right now. My thoughts aren't sorted yet."
"Do whatever you want. Just keep your pouch safe."
With a smirk, Lazy Flame Dragon turned away.
Heon Wonchang, already aware of what was happening, reached behind his back and snatched a letter.
The moment he unfolded it, the calligraphy, as fierce as a dragon's flight, revealed itself.
[You've grown well. Meet me at the safe house where we trained the Turtle Breath Technique. You may bring your companions. I know the true base of Moon Castle Sect, founded by Zhuge Betrayer.]
It was the Chivalrous Slayer's letter.
* * *
A dusky night.
The snow-covered ground glowed faintly under the moonlight.
Crack, pop.
The bonfire crackled, embers snapping loudly, yet there was no noticeable smell.
The Three Samadhi True Fire, derived from Transcending Law Radiant Wheel, had dried the firewood with extraordinary precision.
In the irregular silence, the only thing that deepened was the glow of the flames flickering over the group.
"…My dignity is in shambles."
A man leaning against a tree suddenly spoke.
His pale complexion stood out sharply, as his jet-black robe was pulled up to his neck.
Wearing the same pitch-black coat of the Radiant Demon Squad, draped over his one arm like a cloak, was none other than the Radiant Demon Squad's leader of this era.
"They say parts of that garment are woven from Heavenly Silkworm Thread. It's fortunate that it proved useful. At least we're out of Zhuge Clan's leader's territory."
Jung Yeonshin, seated across from him alongside Ak Surim, spoke calmly.
Despite his profound internal energy, his senior's body temperature was dropping.
Jin Myungjo, born of a noble bloodline, was slowly recovering from his injuries.
Even though the wounds inflicted by Zhuge Clan's leader had been nearly fatal.
'I won't be able to learn regeneration abilities. Even with training, it must have taken immense refinement…'
It was truly astonishing.
"You haven't absorbed any essence, have you?"
"…Animal blood is sufficient."
"Most cannot suppress such urges."
"How foolish. Do not compare your senior's cultivation to mere blood fiends. The First Sword Hall of Wonpyeong upholds supreme dignity."
Jin Myungjo's voice was cold.
Wrapped in black from head to toe, he resembled a massive bat.
Yet the aura he exuded was more dignified than most noble clans.
His demeanor was bound to command the admiration of his juniors.
Jung Yeonshin's eyes gleamed as he suddenly spoke.
"There is something I must tell you both."
"Huh?"
From where she had been dozing against a tree, Ak Surim stirred.
She mumbled sleepily, her voice sluggish.
"…Are you talking about the swordswoman I was just about to skewer?"
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