Chapter 242 - Opening the Eyes (6)

Sunlight shimmered through the slowly settling dust.

It was a shocking entrance. The remnants of the Remnant-Revering Earth Sect faltered back.

"What... is this...?"

One of them muttered, almost groaning.

They were disciples of an unorthodox sect that held sway over the great city of Xi'an. They were not as undiscerning as common underworld thugs. They immediately accepted that a master beyond their ability to handle had appeared.

A sharp-eyed man in gray martial robes stepped forward.

"Might I ask which sect you hail from, honored master...?"

Was it because the newcomer had struck Jung Joongsan the moment he appeared?

Faint unease and hope flickered across the man's questioning face. This back alley lay beyond the reach of the authorities and their sect. Here, the strong devoured the weak without restraint. It was the same principle that had allowed them to do as they pleased with Jung Joongsan.

Even after seeing Jung Yeonshin's face, he did not hesitate to address him as an honored master.

In the martial world, that meant a senior of formidable martial attainment. He was imagining something like a human-skin mask.

He was gravely mistaken.

There was a skill known as meridian-clearing massage.

It cleared channels of qi and blood blocked by internal injuries or impure qi. A master with profound internal cultivation personally kneaded another's pressure points to draw out toxic qi.

It was said to require exquisite delicacy. The practitioner had to anticipate its effects on the meridians throughout the body to guard against qi deviation.

Not so for Jung Yeonshin, captain of the Radiant Demon Squad.

He was the Grandmaster of the Movement Art. His insight penetrated every channel of qi and blood in the human body. He had attained true mastery.

"Cough!"

His second eldest brother lay sprawled in the distance, coughing up stagnant blood.

His complexion had improved somewhat. The meridian-clearing strike had landed properly.

Yeonshin had no idea where his brother had been or how much abuse he had suffered, but a single kick had sufficed to open his blocked channels.

The move had woven all manner of internal-power structures into the wave of force from his leg. His brother's whole body must have felt refreshed. Though the kick had carried a certain amount of personal feeling.

"I am a humble disciple of the Remnant-Revering Earth Sect..."

The man who had stepped forward was adjusting his gray collar to introduce himself when it happened.

"Get over here. Here, you idiot!"

"Fuck... don't tell me..."

The man and woman behind him called out, the scars across their faces twisting strangely.

Their hands gripped the hilts of the swords at their waists, but their heels were edging backward.

Their furtive shifting put them on the verge of retreating footwork. At any moment, they could break into a lightness skill.

They had survived among the evil and unorthodox paths. That meant they had an uncanny instinct for danger. They could at least guess the intruder's identity.

An appearance at odds with his martial prowess, an exceptionally haughty bearing, and, most decisively, the brief words he had addressed to Jung Joongsan.

"The Radiant Demon Squad captain. It's the Radiant Demon Squad captain..."

"What?"

"You fucking idiot... Lightning Genius! A Divine Sword Squad captain...!"

The Desolate Fortress's Divine Sword Squad comprised seventeen squads.

Beneath its commander, the captains raced across the martial world, each wielding their own authority.

With mortal bodies, they contended for supremacy over all under heaven. They stood at the very summit of Murim.

There was a joke among some followers of the evil and unorthodox paths. Anyone who came face-to-face with a Black Captain of the Desolate Fortress experienced two emotions: So this world of mine reaches such heights. And, fucking hell.

It was a world of madmen. Pride and desperation came together.

And even that applied only to those who were the targets of an official mission. For anyone who encountered them by chance, it was closer to a catastrophe.

"What?"

The face of the man who had stepped forward twitched. He had spoken lightly of the Desolate Fortress's Radiant Demon Squad captain while kicking Jung Joongsan. His fellow disciples' words would not quite sink in.

He could not even retreat properly. Only his toes twitched.

"I'll take only your right arms. I don't know the full extent of your crimes."

Jung Yeonshin spoke calmly.

They had neither fought at Great Moon Gorge nor come to kill him. As for beating Jung Joongsan half to death, measured against his old memories, that was hardly anything remarkable.

Yet the Radiant Demon Squad captain's words were unmistakably a sentence.

"..."

The disciples of the powerful Remnant-Revering Earth Sect could not resist. Despair merely shadowed their faces.

An abrupt chorus of screams rang out.

* * *

On the way back, they left the alley and stepped onto the main road. All manner of people passed along either side of the broad, well-laid street.

Some recognized Jung Yeonshin and whispered things like "Chief." They were exceedingly cautious.

A path opened around him.

Even as people moved aside, they stole glances at the unidentified rising figure, as though trying to catch his every movement.

The great city had lost its usual indifference. His mere presence drew every conversation in the street toward him.

"He took the bodies of six sect leaders, all at once..."

"What? Is that true?"

"Won't everything be put back in order once the Tyrant Sword Tribe's Elder Council Leader appears anyway? Who can stop the Ghost-Soul Divine Sword, Yeo Sohyang? That demon who flies around on a sword..."

"Keep your voice down...! You'll offend him."

"Then who are we supposed to pay our stall fees to now...?"

"Don't wait to see what happens! Take them straight to the Vast Genius Stockade! Were you born yesterday? They call him Chief, don't they!"

The murmurs drifted past. Those whispers laid bare Xi'an's reality.

"..."

Until then, the brothers had exchanged not a word.

They walked in silence, Jung Yeonshin slightly in the lead.

Jung Joongsan watched his younger brother's mood. His clothes were badly worn, and a roughly torn scrap of gray cloth served as a mask over the lower half of his face.

It had been Yeonshin's instruction. No one recognized him as Jung Joongsan, disciple of Zhongnan.

They reached the inn where Yeonshin was staying.

It still had no customers. He would sometimes think about the compensation he would put into the owner's hands when the mission ended.

"Just go inside and rest. Find an unoccupied room."

"Yeonshin, Hye-Ah..."

"I can sense the great hero Sword Dragon's qi in the annex. She should have much to tell me. According to Jang Giil, leader of Whiteburn Gate, you've been putting yourself through all sorts of trouble making inquiries... but I understand you've found little."

Among Xi'an's seven great sects, Jang Giil's Whiteburn Gate was unlike the established unorthodox factions. He had secretly brought in and protected several Zhongnan survivors.

As a lay affiliate of Zhongnan, he had accepted the stigma of betraying his parent sect in exchange for practical gains. Jung Joongsan, too, had received his support.

When Joongsan lingered indecisively instead of leaving, Yeonshin spoke quietly.

"Does Jung Joongsan, disciple of Zhongnan, possess any information worth reporting to the captain of the Radiant Demon Squad?"

Back at the Jeong Clan Estate, under the protection of Jung Daemyung, the man called Pan An, there had been a clear distinction in standing despite all the brothers belonging to the direct line. Jung Yeonshin had not even been free to raise his eyes toward his elder brothers.

Their positions had been different. Not only Jung Namsan, the eldest, but Jung Joongsan as well had treated their youngest brother as an inferior. Contempt was a better word for it.

Now it was the reverse. The gulf was too great even to compare.

"..."

Jung Joongsan fell silent.

"Well! The Chief's elder brother has arrived!"

THUD!

A tall, handsome young man dropped from the stairs above, his hero's headband streaming behind his brow.

It was Heon Wonchang, playing the role of the Vast Genius Stockade's "True Elder Brother." He headed straight for the entrance, spreading his arms in a rather exaggerated gesture.

He and Jung Joongsan had met before, when Yeonshin had climbed Mount Zhongnan with Wonchang as a white robe.

That had been when Yeonshin created the Radiant Sword Art and fought the Tyrant Sword Tribe. At the time, Jung Joongsan and the Desolate Fortress Sacred Warrior had been distant acquaintances.

The Jeong brothers' relationship had been lukewarm, and Wonchang had not yet learned the hidden history of the Jeong Clan Estate.

It was only much later that Radiant Demon Team One, including Chung Myung and Baek Miryeo, had heard Yeonshin's story.

The Desolate Fortress Sacred Warrior approached with a radiant smile.

"What a pleasure! I've been longing to see you!"

"Me...?"

"Who knew the fellow I met that one time was actually a worthless beggar? I couldn't bear the thought of leaving that face unpunched! I've waited so very long!"

The other Radiant Demon Squad masters had already dispersed to inspect public order in Xi'an.

Radiant Demon Team One, the Supreme Flame Dragon, and Zhuge Cheonga were using the inn. Having come downstairs at some point, they approached from around the room.

The Supreme Flame Dragon looked puzzled.

"What's gotten into him? What's this about?"

Everyone except Heon Wonchang was seeing the captain's blood relative for the first time.

For them, it was quite an occasion.

"They don't look alike. Thank heavens."

Baek Miryeo brushed back the jet-black hair by her ear, her eyes narrowing slightly in her lovely face.

She usually maintained discipline in the quarrelsome Radiant Demon Squad. Now, however, she was gently flexing her snowy fingers as though she might lend a hand herself.

Those hands had mastered the heavenly demon sacred arts and the Pale-Hand Demonic Art. They were beautiful enough to be called slender hands of jade.

"So it was him?"

Chung Myung merely watched with a faint smile.

A strange chill emanated from the way he gazed blankly at Jung Joongsan being struck by Heon Wonchang's rough fist. Zhuge Cheonga, standing beside him, edged away.

She looked up at Jung Yeonshin, who had come to her side.

"Shouldn't you stop him?"

"The great hero Sword Dragon must be waiting."

"Yes. She arrived just now. It surprised me."

"Let's go."

Surely he wouldn't kill him. Jung Yeonshin slowly headed toward the annex. Something warm was softening the knot in his chest.

* * *

He met wiji myohwa in a cozy room in the annex.

She was still beautiful, with delicate features and clearly defined eyes.

The feather ornament atop her ebony hair was somewhat worn, but the martial presence surrounding her seemed stronger than before.

Renowned as a prodigy who vied for first place in Shaanxi, she was a swordswoman who never stopped growing.

The first thing Jung Yeonshin had to do was receive her bow.

RUSTLE.

Her sky-blue robes brushed the floor. It was a deeply respectful obeisance.

"I lost your niece, Young Master Jung—my young martial aunt. It was entirely due to my own shortcomings."

A martial aunt was a woman of the same martial generation as one's teacher. Literally, an aunt within the sect.

The Zhongnan Sword Immortal had taken Jung Hye as a disciple in his later years, making Yeonshin's niece wiji myohwa's martial aunt.

"... She'll be alive."

Yeonshin lightly took her by the shoulders and helped her rise.

Though Dharma power and Daoist internal energy were distinct, perhaps it was because she had cultivated the pure core energy of a true orthodox tradition. The touch beneath his hands was soft and comforting.

"Hye-Ah has inherited the Sword Immortal's martial lineage. She's also my blood relative. There's much they can learn from her, and her identity makes her useful. The Thirteen Skies of the evil and unorthodox paths are exceedingly calculating. They won't discard a piece that can sway a Black of the Desolate Fortress. Whatever I do, they'll hold on to her."

"I agree."

A clear voice interjected. Seated at one side of the tea table, Zhuge Hyeon wore a faint smile as he greeted his younger sister, Zhuge Cheonga, with a glance.

Fan Dragon Zhuge Hyeon had reportedly filled the Alliance's post of internal strategist, left vacant by Lady Ye. That meant he held considerable authority.

He had expressed a desire to cooperate temporarily with the Radiant Demon Squad in Xi'an, and Yeonshin had accepted.

"We should sit down first."

The Radiant Demon Squad captain seated both Zhuge siblings as his strategists. wiji myohwa joined them. In effect, the Desolate Fortress was joining hands with the Orthodox factions, yet nothing about the gathering felt awkward.

"One of the Ten Precepts of Go says, 'Be cautious; do not act hastily.' Let us consider our enemies carefully," Zhuge Hyeon said.

"The abduction is deeply regrettable, but narrowing the perpetrators down to the Tyrant Sword Tribe or the Lingering Spirits is good news. The Tyrant Sword Tribe vies for first place among the Thirteen Skies in boldness, but they do not relish killing outside the battlefield. As for the Lingering Spirits, their patience rivals even Wudang and Shaolin. Their intentions are simply exceedingly sinister..."

He opened his fan wide, revealing the white crane design on its ribs.

"There should be no need to fear for Jung Hye. Not while Chief Jung remains alive. That is how the Tyrant Sword Tribe and the Lingering Spirits have always behaved. As unorthodox factions with long histories, they exploit everything of use to the fullest. My clan has countless documents recording their conduct."

Yeonshin briefly glanced at Zhuge Hyeon's folding fan. He had just brought his elder brother Jung Joongsan back.

Faced with his family's troubles, the fan, which reminded him of the swing at the Jeong Clan Estate, struck him strangely.

And the Tyrant Sword Tribe Elder Council Leader, now all but the final objective of his mission, had played a major role in the estate's annihilation.

The Ghost-Soul Divine Sword, Yeo Sohyang. She still flew through the distant heavens like an immortal. Everything Yeonshin thought of here led back to the Jeong Clan Estate.

He slowly parted his lips.

"... Then I need only focus on the next move. Someone of an Elder Council Leader's standing in the Thirteen Skies should know everything we need. The moment I kill her, Shaanxi's martial world should settle down considerably."

He matched the Fan Dragon's manner of speaking.

Zhuge Hyeon's smile deepened a little.

"First, we must disperse the Vast Genius Stockade throughout Xi'an. Those two great factions are slow to stir, so nothing much has happened yet... but if this develops into a full-scale faction war, retreat will be our only answer. We must guard against that first, then steer this strictly toward an individual confrontation. There are two key questions: whether you can handle the Ghost-Soul Divine Sword, Chief, and whether we can arrange a duel between individuals."

The Tyrant Sword Tribe's Elder Council Leader was said to involve herself in worldly affairs as the Tribe Lord's former nursemaid.

Unless instructed by the Tyrant Sword Tribe Lord, the supreme master took no interest in anything. She was renowned for her unparalleled aloofness.

A member of the noble race from the Dali Kingdom, destroyed by the Desolate Fortress Master's sword, she was widely rumored to possess swordsmanship in the realm of immortals.

The very sight of her riding a sword through the sky was the height of mystery. Some people in Shaanxi had even built shrines to worship her, regardless of martial affiliation.

They scarcely treated her as human at all. It was said that even speaking of her carelessly could be considered sacrilege.

Seated beside Yeonshin, wiji myohwa spoke.

"I would advise retreat. You've done enough, Young Master. Subduing Xi'an's seven great sects alone is an extraordinary achievement."

The concern in her eyes was plain.

"The Ghost-Soul Divine Sword, Yeo Sohyang, has three supreme secret techniques. Any one of them could be called unmatched under heaven. She once even came close to exchanging blows with the Desolate Fortress's Divine Sword Squad Leader."

"There is another problem as well. A one-on-one contest in the martial world is surprisingly difficult to arrange. All the more so when a great faction stands behind the opponent. Elder Council Leader Yeo Sohyang has always been indifferent to those below her... Unless you reveal your identity, Chief, she is very likely to refuse even to face you. Drawing her down is a problem in itself."

Zhuge Hyeon added his support.

The Radiant Demon Squad captain did not answer.

He merely glanced toward the inn's main building, where the Desolate Fortress Sacred Warrior was.

* * *

The next day, identical notices appeared on every street in Xi'an.

[One who has thoroughly studied the Four Books and Three Classics must, through filial devotion, attend to the people's welfare.

Though famine brings lamentable tragedies throughout the land, gallant heroes still pity those in need and bring their lofty aspirations to fruition.

This is because they have engraved the teachings of their teachers and parents upon their hearts. It is also why the Chief of that distant Tyrant Sword Tribe deserves our pity.

What learning can dwell in the heart of one concerned only with flaunting lofty martial prowess?

Surely it is because he has no parents.

How truly lamentable. What could be emptier than displaying martial power without purpose? Had the one who raised him taught him properly, he would have used that mighty strength to aid the people.

All this is common knowledge beyond dispute. Still, should anyone wish to instruct me with a differing view, I will gladly accept a debate of the sword. I shall enjoy the scenery of Great Moon Gorge and wait for nine days.

—True Elder Brother, Acting Chief of the Vast Genius Stockade]

Two sunsets later, as dawn cast its faint curtain of light...

WHOOOOOSH!

A sound like a ghost's wailing split the air. It gradually descended. The reverberation spreading through the sky grew monstrously loud.