Chapter 230 - Treasured Sword (3)

Heon Wonchang spoke in his unamplified voice. With no internal energy behind it, his words did not carry far.

But he stood on the central sparring platform. Promotion ceremonies were rare events at Desolate Fortress, and many of the martial artists remaining there had come to attend. They sat like guests at a feast, and scarcely any among them were not experts. Every one of them had cultivated hearing through the Way of Perception to a remarkable degree. They could easily hear the voice of Desolate Fortress's Big-Tongued Sword.

Kang Unchan's eyes widened, then he gave a rueful chuckle.

"I don't resent losing. I'll rise in rank sooner or later. What interests me more is what will happen when the Radiant Demon Squad ventures out with every member trained in the Radiant Genius Formula. All the world will recognize Captain Jung as a grandmaster of this age. Though the squad will face all manner of unexpected trouble along the way..."

It was a straightforward acknowledgment of defeat.

"The trouble will be the martial world's to face."

With a light smile, Heon Wonchang exchanged martial salutes with him.

The officials and merchants attending as guests, together with the fortress's household members, far outnumbered the martial artists. Yet their presence paled beside that of Desolate Fortress's regular warriors. Through the experts, Heon Wonchang's final words spread, along with the origins of the divine technique called the Radiant Genius Formula.

Murmurs rose from those surrounding the platform. The martial artists showed greater astonishment than the ordinary people. Their white and blue hems stirred faintly amid clusters of small qi fluctuations. Among them, the energy emanating from the practitioners of the Lightning Genius martial lineage was especially intense.

"How could such a wave of force..."

"It was new, and immensely powerful. Even though I could see traces of the Lightning Genius martial lineage."

The experts of Desolate Fortress regularly traveled the mysterious martial world. They remained composed through all but the strangest occurrences. Ordinarily, the minds of renowned martial artists were as clear and still as a polished mirror and undisturbed water.

Not this time.

"This is a momentous development. The Radiant Genius Formula, is it? Something worth boasting about. I knew the captain of the Radiant Demon Squad had the makings of a grandmaster, but..."

In one corner of the increasingly noisy spectator stands, a woman in blue martial robes gave a disbelieving laugh. She was Jin Muhwa, the Desolate Brawler. Sharp-eyed and strong-featured, she was the expert serving in the Annihilation Squad captain's place, much as Chung Myung did in the Radiant Demon Squad. As the prospective next Annihilation Squad captain, she had been watching the matches alongside others befitting her standing.

The experts beside her each spoke up.

"His sword force increased in an instant. And it was unmistakably Big-Tongued Sword who performed it..."

"So it really is an art others can use? Not a famed ultimate technique unique to the Radiant Demon Squad captain?"

"Calling it an art for general use is misleading. Didn't he say it was exclusive to the Radiant Demon Squad?"

"The point is, Big-Tongued Sword isn't the only one who's learned it."

That last remark carried considerable implications. It meant the Radiant Demon Squad had changed. Exceptional martial arts could transform an entire group.

A man who had remained silent spoke.

"... It's been quite some time since I last saw Kang Changmu. At the Martial Transcending Ground, I mean. He's so mad for sparring that I used to run into him constantly."

The Martial Transcending Ground was a large sparring platform within the fortress. Warriors under the Divine Sword Squad used it as a gathering place to test their arts against experts from other combat units. Many practically lived there while awaiting missions. Lightning Genius Jung Yeonshin had once frequented it as well.

Jin Muhwa answered with an understanding look.

"He must be utterly absorbed in training. Who wouldn't be, given an art of that caliber...?"

Those attending the promotion ceremony reacted in all sorts of ways, speaking and acting according to their own concerns. The merchants who had enjoyed the extraordinary good fortune of passing the identity checks required to supply the fortress were no exception. Calculations began behind their seasoned faces. Some dispersed without a word.

"The Forest-Treading Squad and the Immortal Wood Spirit command both disappeared at once. The Radiant Demon Squad captain is famous for taking missions without rest, so his squad will be next."

"Merely following their route will ensure our safety. Prepare for a long journey, and tell everyone to keep an especially close watch. If they head out along Myeongun Road, we can follow them for a while."

The movements of the Divine Sword Squad's combat units affected ordinary people of every kind. Many eyes fixed on the Radiant Demon Squad captain as he declared Heon Wonchang the victor. They remained on him even after the next match began.

Strange emotions showed on the faces of the Lightning Genius lineage's experts. Some looked positively beside themselves. Even as the promotion matches continued, they watched not the duels but their grandmaster. In that moment, more than ever before, they became something close to reserve forces for the Radiant Demon Squad.

"Thread-Blowing Spear Lee Yeon has lost. The Supreme Flame Dragon, Hwangbo So-and-so, has won."

Lightning Genius, captain of the Radiant Demon Squad, delivered his verdict calmly.

"Isn't 'So-and-so' a bit much?"

The Supreme Flame Dragon grumbled.

Jung Yeonshin approached the dejected Thread-Blowing Spear and patted her shoulder. She was a kindly faced woman. When she unconsciously tried to nestle into his arms, he pushed her back again.

It was clear now. He was no longer the Lightning Genius who lived under the protection of his many seniors. Was it because his limbs had grown since his visit to the Alliance? Or perhaps the Radiant Genius Formula had finally earned him full recognition as a combat unit captain of the Divine Sword Squad.

"Step down."

Jung Yeonshin tipped his chin slightly at the two.

The Supreme Flame Dragon had won easily. His qi reserves had changed since he first met Jung Yeonshin, as had the heat of his attacks. With the languid bearing of an idler, he had shattered his opponent's sword. Thread-Blowing Spear's martial prowess fell short of qualifying for Blue rank. She was not strong enough to withstand the Hwangbo clan's eldest young master's fist and palm arts, honed through the Solar Divine Meridians.

The two descended from the platform. Jung Yeonshin repeated the word he had spoken most often that day.

"Next."

It was a grand event. Time flew by with particular swiftness. Before he knew it, the sun had reached the horizon and donned crimson nightclothes. The final portion of the promotion ceremony began.

The Desolate Fortress Master had not attended. An absolute ruler, she acted according to her mood rather than custom. She rarely showed herself, even to Jung Yeonshin. She might not have been in the fortress at all.

"Having witnessed the warriors' wondrous feats, how could we not rejoice...?"

The lyrics adapted a verse from the Book of Songs, one of the Four Books and Three Classics. Dancers with broad, trailing sleeves and musicians resting their hands on bamboo flutes and zithers filled the platform. Their exuberance would not wither even in a year of famine. They danced and played with artistry rivaling martial skill. The singing, dancing, and melodies were all beautiful.

Jung Yeonshin remained until the ceremony ended. Standing beside the chief administrator in the place of honor, he lent silent weight to the man's congratulatory address.

"We call it entering the wilderness. You have taken another step into that harsh expanse. Conduct yourselves keenly, as the treasured swords of this fortress. The righteous cause of this land will be with you. A very, very noble calling."

The chief administrator bestowed martial robes on the newly promoted warriors standing in a row. Heon Wonchang and the Supreme Flame Dragon received blue garments as well. The sight stirred a curious feeling in Jung Yeonshin.

["May the sunlight never fade from the road ahead of you."]

The Desolate Fortress Master's crystalline voice came back to him. A gentle blessing. He still vividly remembered her hands draping the long blue robe over him. Warmth had lingered in the touch against his shoulders. Those fingertips, which unraveled the loftiest principles of martial arts, had been focused on Jung Yeonshin alone.

'What a pity.'

The chief administrator, rather than the fortress master.

A little amusement flickered in the Radiant Demon Squad captain's eyes as he watched his two subordinates, accompanied by a far greater satisfaction. For a brief moment, he set aside his worries about the Zhongnan Sect. In his heart, at least, he celebrated his squad family's happy occasion.

Before leaving Desolate Fortress, his home, once again.

* * *

"From Nameless to Blue. Wonchang, isn't this a promotion you never dared imagine?"

"It's Master Heon to you, Hwangbo So-and-so."

"At any rate, no one in the Radiant Demon Squad can look down on me now. You have no idea how sick I was of hearing about insubordination. Having me fetch water for the children was excessive. Hm."

"How unfortunate. You'll still be insignificant to the captain."

"Didn't you know I enjoy even that? A hundred times better than boredom."

"I worry about your sanity. The poppies must have done more than build up in your body—they've seeped into you. Are you positively pickled in them?"

Two pairs of shadows stretched long. The group was returning to the Radiant Demon Squad's halls. As Heon Wonchang and the Supreme Flame Dragon alternately drew ahead of one another, Jung Yeonshin walked beside Zhuge Cheonga. A calm mood surrounded them, accompanied by quiet conversation.

"Then an eye technique makes greater use of the Baihui point than the Tongziliao points?"

"Yes. The head matters more than the eyes. The key is how intuitively you grasp subtle martial principles. An eye technique that does that well is a superior one. The actual 'way of seeing' is secondary. As long as the qi circulating at the inner corners of the eyes crosses properly, you can improve it yourself."

"Like the qi fluctuations at your Sibai, Zanzhu, and Yintang points? You've wrapped them very densely from your face to your eyes."

"... Yes."

Zhuge Cheonga gently closed her lips. Grateful for her explanation, Jung Yeonshin sank into thought. Lately, he had been considering what martial art to create next. His relationship with the Ma clan had been restored, and as a captain he could now access the upper floor of the Gold-Piercing Martial Repository. Many arts he could cultivate lay within easy reach. Yet no ultimate technique could equal an art tailored to him from the opening lines of its formula.

Martial arts were, in essence, methods of using the body. The fine meridians and pressure points throughout a person's body differed minutely in position, thickness, size, blood flow, and the energy held within them. Those factors became strikingly pronounced in the higher reaches of martial arts.

Jung Yeonshin had benefited enormously from his personal martial arts. Even the efficiency with which he used his power and released or withdrew internal energy was different. He had crossed swords with supreme masters without attaining Three Flowers Gather at the Crown.

'An eye technique and protective force qi.'

He had only learned the rudiments of examples worth referencing. Properly devising his own would help immensely. Since he had not unified essence, qi, and spirit, he had to prevail through the variety and depth of his martial arts. All the more so if he was to keep facing the supreme masters of great factions.

He might encounter the Tyrant Sword Tribe Lord.

It was a weighty thought, slowly cutting into Jung Yeonshin's heart. The still silence that had settled over the Jeong Clan Estate at night. The metallic smell drifting across the threshold. Blood soaked into the floor. Moonlight flowing over dark crimson stains. The devastating presence of the Tyrant Sword Tribe Lord with his greatsword lowered in his hand...

"Hm?"

Jung Yeonshin suddenly raised his head. A familiar wall entered his view. They were nearly there. The Radiant Demon Squad's halls had drawn close before he knew it.

"They've thrown the front gates wide open. Just what I'd expect of our family. Welcoming the promotion of this Desolate Fortress Sacred Warrior... Hm?"

Heon Wonchang stopped walking. The Supreme Flame Dragon, his hands clasped behind his head, also halted his splay-footed stroll.

"Captain?"

"Stay still."

Jung Yeonshin answered curtly, staring into the distance. An ominous confrontation was taking place. It was not merely the Radiant Demon Squad's experts and Lady Ye of the Alliance. He could see the back of a figure with short black hair.

Desolate Divine Spear Ak Surim.

She had presumably come for tea, but now she was twirling a silver spear in one hand. Sunset shimmered along its long arc, a sight more dashing than beautiful. She had already shown her disfavor toward Lady Ye in the fortress master's office.

That was not all. The man squatting on the highest roof in the compound was another problem. His pink hem fluttered in the wind, scraping against the tiles. Unnoticed by anyone, Indomitable Hero Ma Yeonjeok gazed down at the three-way confrontation. There was something odd about the way his eyes moved between Lady Ye and Ak Surim. A peculiar anger emanated from him.

It was a frightening sight. He did not immediately detect his grandson at a distance. He seemed intensely focused.

"..."

With his index finger, Jung Yeonshin traced the left-hand mound radical. It was a Radiant Demon Squad hand signal, used when even the qi fluctuations of sound transmission required caution. It meant to suppress one's presence and withdraw. As captain, he quietly turned first, fixing in his mind the sight of his maternal grandfather, who had said the imperial court would soon summon him.

The other three followed in silence, along the fortress's main avenue until the halls were out of sight. Jung Yeonshin spoke first.

"The squad wasn't in any danger of being hurt."

"Well, few could handle the blue robes' combined Radiant Genius Formula attack and the Desolate Divine Spear at the same time. Even among the leaders of major sects, there'd be very few."

The Supreme Flame Dragon spoke casually, rolling his shoulders a little with an air of nonchalance. He seemed somewhat amused. Jung Yeonshin gave a brief nod.

"I need a brush and ink."

"I have them."

Zhuge Cheonga answered at once, her gray sleeve shifting.

RUSTLE

She drew a small ink container and a short brush from inside her robes. Her writing implements were immaculately maintained, as neat as her spotless, perfectly pressed sleeves. So was the little sheet of paper she took out next.

"This too."

"Thank you."

Jung Yeonshin promptly set the paper against Zhuge Cheonga's back, placing an invisible barrier of internal energy between them.

"...?"

"I've used protective force qi. Don't worry about your clothes."

He began writing a letter just like that. It was brief, and he finished quickly. Then he carefully reached inside his robes and brought out a snow-white swallow. The captain's spirit beast had been sleeping soundly.

CHIRR

It gave a short, whistle-like call. White Swallow opened its jet-black eyes to slits, its little gaze bright as it looked up at its master.

Smiling faintly, Jung Yeonshin tore the letter into left and right halves, rolled them up, and tied one to each of its legs.

"This one is for the Blood-Preserving Squad Captain. This one is for Senior Chung Myung or Senior Miryeo."

For a moment, Jung Yeonshin's voice became crystalline, touched with something akin to the noble race. The quality had grown pronounced since he cultivated the Dharma-Surpassing Radiant Wheel Art.

"Visit Senior Jin, the Blood-Preserving Squad Captain, first. Then go to the Radiant Demon Squad."

When he spoke as he would to an ordinary person, White Swallow generally understood him. This time would be no different.

FLAP!

White Swallow soared with a beat of its little wings and swiftly receded. Within a few blinks, it had become a white speck.

While Heon Wonchang and the Supreme Flame Dragon stared blankly up, Zhuge Cheonga asked quietly,

"Is it all right for you to leave like this...?"

"We needed to split up anyway. Shaanxi is a den of demons now. The Tyrant Sword Tribe has risen in force, and the Lingering Spirits have mobilized as well. There's no need to draw the attention of two of the Thirteen Skies before we must. We should leave in disguise and rendezvous one group at a time."

"I meant leaving without discussing it first..."

"I am the captain."

Jung Yeonshin answered as he set off. The sound of earth beneath the soles of his leather shoes rang unusually loud.

The vast Desolate Fortress bustled with the lingering festivities of the promotion ceremony. The clamor drifted faintly toward them. The scarlet shadows cast across the sky seemed to dance along. Cheerful singing, hearty shouts, laughter washing away weariness, and the clink of drinking cups all sounded deeply familiar.

STEP

The Supreme Flame Dragon, Heon Wonchang, and Zhuge Cheonga followed. Their footsteps—leisurely, spirited, and measured—approached with a reassuring solidity.

As they passed the many halls, more and more people offered clasped-hand salutes. It continued until they reached the main gate.

"May fortune favor your battles, Captain."

A gate guard's farewell was the last.

With the orange radiance of sunset at his back, the captain of the Radiant Demon Squad ventured forth.