It was while Jeong Yeon-shin was slowly walking, pulling the rusty handle of a creaking cart.
The righteous path martial artists following him from a distance felt a sense of remoteness.
Due to the pressure spreading wildly like a natural disaster beyond the smoothly polished bronze main gate and white walls.
Whoosh—!
The dust rising around the manor was being pushed out in all directions. The hazy particles undulated like smoke.
Energy waves difficult to encounter anywhere else in the world. Absolute beings comparable to major faction leaders were revealing their presence.
"Should we let him enter like that?"
"Even if he really is the Radiant Demon Wing Leader, wouldn't he just complicate the battle situation there…?"
"Still, he'd be much more helpful than us."
Some of the rising talents among the group of more than ten exchanged words with concerned expressions.
The faces of the Qingcheng and Emei masters were even more grave.
Not only Golden Staff Divine Woman and Crimson Cloud Dragon, rising talents with extremely sensitive energy perception, but also Taoist Master Qing Yin and Divine Nun Zi Wei, elders of the sects, had long since erased the transcendent expressions they usually wore.
Taoist Master Qing Yin slowly opened his mouth. While looking at the back of the black-robed young man who had already crossed the threshold.
"Divine Nun."
"Hmm."
"There are two Thirteen Evil Sects leaders."
"I'm aware."
The middle-aged Buddhist nun nodded.
A heavy gaze despite her calm demeanor. The place where the young man claiming to be the Radiant Demon Wing Leader had entered was already comparable to the netherworld. It was nothing short of a demon-subduing battlefield.
Tyrannical martial arts befitting a battlefield.
Demonic energy that raises goosebumps on people's spines.
The energy waves characteristic of the Ten Perfections Sect and Pure Demon Alliance were undulating extremely densely.
It appeared that the absolute beings of each major faction had personally come leading their disciples.
Qingcheng and Emei are ancient sects. They know well how powerful and merciless the two nearby Sima Evil Path factions are. And that the power manifested in the Tang family now was close to an unstoppable avalanche.
"Unless the sect leaders from our mountains descend…"
Taoist Master Qing Yin's words trailed off. The wind of undulating energy waves was pushing his beard toward the inside of his neck.
His words were realistically impossible to fulfill.
After Red Mist Sword Venerable, the original Qingcheng Sect leader, was defeated by the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader, Red Mist Sword Venerable's disciple newly took the position of sect leader.
He was busy correcting the disordered sect rules, protecting secular sects, and raising talents who could unify the Azure Cloud Sword Technique and Red Mist Sword Technique.
He prioritized the future of the sect over revenge. If something unfortunate were to happen in a clash with the Thirteen Evil Sects, it would mean losing two sect leaders in one generation.
Considering the status of the Qingcheng Sect leader, this should never happen.
It would directly and greatly influence the power dynamics of the righteous and evil paths in the martial world. Rather than when staying still, it would be more likely to trigger chaotic times.
—Would the Buddha Venerable still be at Dragon Eye Mansion?
When Taoist Master Qing Yin asked about the Emei Sect leader's whereabouts through sound transmission, Divine Nun Zi Wei silently nodded again.
Thunder Roar Buddha Venerable, the Emei Sect leader, had left the mountain two weeks ago.
It was because he had been invited by the Military Governor, the person in charge of Sichuan's military affairs.
It was said to be a secret invitation. But it was easy to guess the content. Sichuan is a basin that is both rugged and isolated.
It's difficult to receive outside news in a timely manner, and in chaotic times, it's hard to wait indefinitely for Desolate Fortress's help, so it seemed they intended to have Emei Sect, which oversees many secular sects, substitute for Desolate Fortress's Divine Sword Group.
It wouldn't immediately help the Sichuan Tang family.
Jjeojeong! Kwaaaang—!
The sounds of energy wave collisions and metal weapons breaking were extremely fierce. Loud enough to stand out like thunder in the eerily silent city.
It was understandable that the common people around had disappeared. What was happening in the Tang family now was a fierce battle that would be talked about throughout the martial world for a long time to come.
That's what Taoist Master Qing Yin thought as a mid-level master of the Nine Sects.
"Fourth Uncle, I can sense the energy waves of our sect brothers."
The tall young Taoist spoke urgently.
It was Crimson Cloud Dragon of Qingcheng Sect. He was Taoist Master Qing Yin's nephew-disciple and also a disciple of the precious previous sect leader.
This meant he was a swordsman who would become a pillar of the sect in the future.
"Wait. If we enter rashly, we might get caught in the Tang family's mechanism formations. I'll go."
Taoist Master Qing Yin said. While briefly conversing with Divine Nun Zi Wei, he had been scanning the interior of the manor with his energy sense.
This was absolutely necessary to avoid harming allies in the Tang family manor, which was filled with poison formations and mechanisms.
Rather, the black-robed young man who had hastily crossed the threshold first was the problem. No matter how high his martial prowess, he shouldn't have done that.
'If he was ambushed by the Thirteen Evil Sects amid the pouring attacks, it wouldn't be strange if he had already become a wandering soul…'
Hoping he was unharmed.
As he gripped the sword hilt at his waist and stepped toward the main gate where Jeong Yeon-shin had disappeared, Crimson Cloud Dragon followed closely.
"I can't just stay here silently. I must do something."
"Oh, stop."
"To this disciple, the young man who just entered didn't seem like a madman. His martial prowess also seemed extraordinary."
"What are you trying to say?"
"He will create an opening in the battle situation one way or another, so I will ensure the safety of our sect brothers and martial allies. It's possible with Golden Staff."
Crimson Cloud Dragon glanced at Divine Nun Zi Wei and Golden Staff Divine Woman, who were walking alongside them.
Unlike the Qingcheng Sect uncle and nephew, the two Buddhist nuns were heading toward the Tang family's main gate naturally, without any particular conflict or words.
Their monk's robe hems fluttering elegantly despite being somewhat tattered.
It was the dignity of the Nine Sects.
The exchange between Qingcheng and Emei is not a recent development.
Crimson Cloud Dragon and Golden Staff Divine Woman, who were of the same age, thoroughly understood each other's martial arts.
The training of these talents with brilliant qualities often made the sect elders who taught them sweat profusely.
They even thought they were close to being the best among the rising talents. At least until they were defeated by Peng family's Heir, who was said to be the most powerful among the young martial artists of Hubei.
"I'll avoid combat as much as possible. Uncle, please coordinate with the young man who entered first."
Crimson Cloud Dragon said in a low voice.
For a moment, only the noisy sounds of the battlefield rang out in silence. Taoist Master Qing Yin no longer tried to persuade his nephew-disciple.
He simply inwardly bowed his head toward the previous sect leader, as if to say he couldn't help it. Senior, hasn't he grown well enough…? 'Azure Cloud and Red Mist. A temperament harder to find than martial arts to avenge the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader.'
Swish.
The assessment of the Tang family's situation was complete. The chaotically scattered battle situation and fragments of mechanism formations, and within them, the Pure Demon Alliance Leader and Thirteen Evil Sects leader wrapped in absolute momentum.
They walked in despite knowing the infinitely low chances of victory.
The rising talents from Sichuan's martial families who were hesitating behind them were actually a relief. They would only get in the way if they followed inadequately.
"Avoid the Red Mist Sword."
"I know. The Azure Cloud Sword is better in a chaotic battle."
"Let's first bring out the collateral family members of the Tang family who haven't learned martial arts. Then the disciples of the main family."
"Yes."
Taoist Master Qing Yin, Crimson Cloud Dragon, Divine Nun Zi Wei, Golden Staff Divine Woman.
The feet of the two pairs of masters and disciples cut through the dust, and soon stepped over the threshold of the Tang family.
And they witnessed the scene unfolding inside.
"..."
Corpses piled in the vast front yard.
It was evident that they had died at different times.
An old man whose lower body had melted due to the Bone-Dissolving Powder imbued with internal energy, a man whose abdomen was completely blackened as he stared with bulging eyes, a boy convulsing greatly in a prone position.
"Oblivion Demon Elder…?"
Taoist Master Qing Yin, seeing the boy, swallowed a small gasp.
A demonic person of the Pure Demon Alliance who had cultivated extreme child arts and committed evil deeds with a childlike appearance. His internal acupoints were completely shattered.
There was a path formed by those who had died relatively recently, with Oblivion Demon Elder being the first among them.
The Nine Sects group's gaze moved forward.
At the end of the path, an old cart was placed diagonally, and beyond it, they could see the black-robed young man facing a middle-aged man wearing white armor.
It looked extremely precarious.
Not a trace of energy waves could be felt from the young man wearing the black robe.
He might have reached the realm of perfectly concealing his energy by deeply storing his internal energy, but his opponent was an absolute being who could look down even on such nothingness.
The man examining Jeong Yeon-shin with an interested gaze.
His build was enormous. One ear that seemed to have been cut off by a sword gave him an aura more like an undefeated general than something hideous.
Whoosh—
Terrifying energy waves surrounded his entire body, engraving dozens of concentric circles on the ground. He looked as if he had wrapped an invisible storm around himself as armor.
In contrast, his eyes seemed kind at a glance. Only his pupils, like those of a bull, contained an unusually black light.
The corpses of Tang family masters sprawled in a large circle attested to his overwhelming hand techniques.
It was the Ten Perfections Sect Leader.
A peerless master who was said to have returned home after taking the heads of ten thousand barbarians from the north.
As a master who could handle all eighteen types of weapons like his limbs, even old masters of orthodox martial arts avoided prolonged battles with him.
There were even rumors that the sect leaders of Qingcheng and Emei were the same.
"You claim to be the Radiant Demon Wing Leader, and you've brought Qingcheng's taoists and Emei's monks with you."
The Ten Perfections Sect Leader said. His tone was polite, matching the impression given by his eyes.
He didn't appear to be letting his guard down. His eyes, deep as an abyss, were carefully examining Jeong Yeon-shin's entire body.
'They said he was from the military. That's an eye technique cultivated on the battlefield.'
Jeong Yeon-shin silently exhaled a long breath. The Ten Perfections Sect Leader's gaze was like a sharp arrowhead. It felt like metal scraping against skin.
From the entrance of the Tang family to pulling the cart to this place, he had killed fifteen people.
He had casually deflected techniques like the Eternal Blossom Fist and Internal Weight Technique with one hand while walking straight toward the Ten Perfections Sect Leader.
Along the way, bones and flesh were shattered, and blood spurted.
Despite being grandly called the Sima Evil Path, they were essentially just bandits busy exploiting the common people. It was right to deal with the leader first.
A battlefield filled with renowned masters.
It didn't take long for the gazes of the masters in the hall, who had initially looked at him as if seeing a madman, to change.
The black-robed young man who had pulled a shabby cart to face the Ten Perfections Sect Leader was a strange figure who could appear in bizarre tales of the martial world, and soon the battlefield reached a stalemate.
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips. While maintaining eye contact with the Ten Perfections Sect Leader.
"Scram."
"Hmm?"
"The Tang family will hold a funeral for the next ten days."
"An interesting fellow. Coming here to die."
The corner of the Ten Perfections Sect Leader's mouth rose slightly. The way his cheekbones gradually hollowed beneath was elegant, making him appear like a military general who had a foot in both civil and martial affairs.
"Golden Wing Sect Leader is greatly angered by your betrayal. It might be better for you to meet your end here at my hands."
"Interesting?"
Jeong Yeon-shin asked in return, ignoring the latter part of his words. The Ten Perfections Sect Leader lowered his chin slightly with a faint smile.
"Yes, isn't your speech and conduct amusing?"
"Aren't you from the military? Your dignity… speaking of amusement regarding a funeral… how did you recite the Confucian classics and the Four Books and Five Classics?"
"..."
It wasn't a rebuke. It was a question that a learned person like a Desolate Divine Hero might have harbored.
"Your late parents wouldn't have taught you that way."
Jeong Yeon-shin asked out of genuine curiosity.
He had created the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique to honor his mother whom he had never met and to not waste her blood, so why did martial artists deliberately tarnish the faces of their own parents?
The hall grew quiet.
Just as the Ten Perfections Sect Leader briefly closed his mouth.
"The manner of speech of a mere impostor claiming to be the Flower Shadow King is beyond insolent!"
With a clanking sound, an enraged shout erupted.
It came from Jeong Yeon-shin's side.
A middle-aged martial artist wearing thick iron armor rushed in, stamping the ground.
"That man is Bright Star of Engraved Vermilion!"
Crimson Cloud Dragon of Qingcheng Sect shouted loudly from the distant gate.
He was revealing the identity of the opponent. It meant to definitely avoid the first strike.
Bright Star of Engraved Vermilion Jeong Chu-gon. Though the Ten Perfections Sect had lost several high masters to Flower Shadow King Lightning Genius, he was a powerful figure who had newly taken the vanguard under the Ten Perfections Sect Leader's guidance.
He had killed several disciples of the Tang family and Nine Sects without even leaving corpses.
Thud!
The ground split at an incredible speed. A movement technique that felt extremely heavy. It was the characteristic of the Ten Perfections Sect martial lineage, said to have tyrannically integrated the divine skills of the military.
The internal energy flickering with white light on his silver armor and the sunlight were truly like a comet.
Loyalty Connecting Heaven Technique.
It turns the opponent into shreds upon collision. It's said to be terrifyingly effective in group battles like faction wars… When charging in a long formation with movement technique, its power is comparable to a decent fire bomb, so no faction directly confronts it.
'Bright Star?'
Jeong Yeon-shin, who had inwardly repeated the end of his alias, glanced at the Ten Perfections Sect Leader.
The air currents around his forearm muscles were subtly writhing, suggesting he would strike as soon as Jeong Yeon-shin made the slightest movement.
With the thought of preserving faction forces rather than considering martial honor.
Jeong Yeon-shin remained still.
He didn't move. Until the sound of the ground being violently split grew rapidly closer, and eventually, the man called Bright Star of Engraved Vermilion charged at him with a face distorted like an evil spirit.
Puhwak—!
It was the sound of flesh bursting.
Massive amounts of blood spurted through the shattered iron armor and ruptured muscles.
Amid the remains of Bright Star of Engraved Vermilion, who had exploded beyond recognition with a thud that even sank the ground in a circle, Jeong Yeon-shin stood motionless, wrapped in whitish starlight.
He was shielding the cart.
The pouring and scattering blood droplets couldn't penetrate his black robe and fell away.