The next morning, the preparations for the mission were complete. Jung Yeonshin received a satchel containing various supplies, rations, and travel expenses.
As a Blue-ranked warrior, he was told it was his responsibility.
Additionally, the characters embroidered on the uniform of Desolate Fortress were covered with a silk cloth. It was quite a clever disguise.
"This is a situation where you'll be facing noble families. Since it's a dangerous mission, we won't be using disguises."
Ma Jin said .
Do Yu-won, who had come from the headquarters, nodded.
"The formal uniform of Desolate Fortress is woven with threads from the divine silkworm, Tianchan. It's an extremely valuable material, with threads embroidered along vital areas. It can buy you a split second against slashes or thrusts coming from the side."
"If we reinforced it with metal plates, skilled experts would easily notice. It'd draw unnecessary attention."
Ma Jin replied.
"What? Covering this up? It's everything to me and Senior Jung!"
Heon Wonchang feigned outrage.
He rubbed the 'Desolate' character on his right side with his left hand while stroking the 'Desolate' character under Jung Yeonshin's shoulder with his right hand.
It was quite bizarre. Jung Yeonshin stepped back slightly.
Heon Wonchang, now looking slightly dejected, said,
"Wasn't the Mount Hua Sect incident enough? I find this difficult to agree with. We're about to enter Desolate Fortress!"
"Quiet down, Desolate Fortress' Divine Hero."
Ma Jin said calmly.
Baek Miryeo approached, and only then did Heon Wonchang shrink back.
He mumbled something unintelligible as he backed away, prompting his junior, Shin So-bin, to shake her head.
"Aren't you and Lightning Genius senior disciples? I wonder if he'll manage to stay undercover."
"Senior Heon Wonchang isn't as he appears. It's probably just your worries."
Shin So-bin replied .
"I hope so. It's my first mission too, and we'll need to match our rhythm. By the way, we only glimpsed Lightning Genius senior's martial arts during the promotion ceremony, didn't we? I'm curious to see if his skills match his reputation during this journey."
Shin So-bin smiled boldly.
Jung Yeonshin didn't particularly care. He only hoped they wouldn't hold him back.
Becoming a Blue-ranked warrior wasn't the end—it was just one step. The next promotion, to Black-ranked, required the status of a squad leader.
The gap between blue and black was said to be vast, even greater than the gap between white and blue.
'I've taken a step. Now, I must avoid failure.'
He recalled the unease he felt when he failed to subdue the Blood Flame Cult's Seventh Apostle.
He never wanted to experience that again. The heir of the Hwangbo Clan having the Solar Divine Meridian meant nothing to him.
All that mattered was accumulating merit. Jung Yeonshin cupped his fist and bowed to Ma Jin.
"I'll see you later."
"Alright, once you complete the mission, you'll clash with the Hwangbo Clan. I'll see you then."
Ma Jin nodded and spoke. After a brief silence, he opened his mouth again, the scar near his lips looking awkward.
"…Failure is possible. Put your safety first."
Jung Yeonshin knew those weren't the words of the Radiant Demon Squad's captain. He bowed deeply to his uncle.
Ma Jin was different from his grandfather, Ma Yeonjeok. He couldn't just keep pushing Ma Jin away when the man continued to approach out of guilt.
Jung Yeonshin turned his gaze slightly.
"Don't push yourself too hard either, captain. I heard the Hwangbo Clan Leader is one of the top masters in Shandong."
"This isn't a duel, it's war. We'll need to combine forces."
Ma Jin replied with a faint smile.
Jung Yeonshin shook his head as if disappointed, then mounted a brown steed nearby.
Feeling the sturdy saddle supporting him, he lightly patted the horse's neck.
When he lived at the Jung Manor, he imagined having a thousand-mile horse as a lifelong companion. This was different.
In Desolate Fortress, horses were frequently swapped out, making it hard to form attachments.
"I'm counting on you until the next relay station,"
He whispered, leaning forward.
With several Radiant Demon Squad seniors seeing them off, Jung Yeonshin took the reins.
Heon Wonchang and Shin So-bin also approached on horseback.
"Back to the martial world. Always exciting."
Heon Wonchang said with a grin.
Jung Yeonshin briefly glanced at Shin So-bin, who looked unconvinced, then flicked the reins.
This was his first mission as a blue-ranked warrior of Desolate Fortress.
* * *
Simply covering the insignia of Desolate Fortress made it feel like entering another world.
Was it because he had to lead the group without his seniors? Even though it wasn't Heon Wonchang, he felt a sense of emptiness.
The background of respect and fear people showed them had disappeared.
'I heard even Desolate Fortress masters face disdain in the martial world.'
He thought.
He hadn't experienced it yet, so he couldn't fully grasp it.
Their destination was Huizhou in Southern Zhili. There was a slightly detoured relay station route from Yangyang to Huizhou.
Unlike previous missions, where they had to give horses long rest breaks, this time they advanced quickly.
Shin So-bin, as a direct descendant of a noble family, was skilled at horseback riding.
Even long hours in the saddle posed no problem for her.
Heon Wonchang was also adept. He said enjoying martial world travels was best after completing a mission.
Twenty days passed. Jung Yeonshin didn't have the strength to traverse between cities using light footwork.
The two whites were the same. They had to rely on horses.
They encountered no trouble until they approached Huizhou.
Despite rumors of bandits in the forests and pirates along the waterways, there had been none.
Heon Wonchang claimed he faced countless foes traveling from Shaanxi to Yangyang for the Desolate trials, but it seemed exaggerated.
'I'm getting a sense of it.'
During this time, Jung Yeonshin honed his sword techniques. He aimed to progress toward the realm of sound-based techniques.
He also worked on dismantling the mnemonic verses of the Moonlight Harmony Technique. He hoped to create a new technique before the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.
Wooong.
Approaching Huizhou, they spotted a large ginkgo tree by the roadside.
The Beiming Sword resting across Jung Yeonshin's crossed legs vibrated.
He didn't have the Desolate Sword. To remain undercover, he left it with Chung Myung.
'It's easier to amplify the sword resonance now.'
By channeling internal energy into the sword, he could prevent it from breaking easily. It was a common technique in the martial world.
Jung Yeonshin took it further.
He perceived the essence of sound. Using the principles of Limit Releasing Technique, he split his energy into two strands and infused them into the blade.
As the delicate ripples of energy intensified, the sound grew louder.
Guwoong!
The mystical nature of energy was astonishing.
The vibrations produced a tone so refined it was challenging to handle, even with his innate senses.
He could control the pitch.
By embedding outward-projection energy into the emitted tones, it could become a sound-based technique.
'The technique's power will ultimately depend on my energy reserves.'
But there were more issues. Sound techniques were considered profound martial arts.
With Jung Yeonshin's shallow experience, distinguishing allies from enemies would be difficult. He thought of Heon Wonchang and Shin So-bin.
Could he send them a telepathic warning to cover their ears just before activating it? Such a leisurely fight would be ideal but unlikely.
Even so, the sense of accomplishment was immense. It would be highly effective in one-against-many battles.
"You said it's a sound-based technique? It's definitely attention-grabbing."
It was Shin So-bin, dressed in white. Her jet-black eyes sparkled with curiosity.
She approached, resting her hands on her knees and bending forward.
Her long, tied hair flowed down smoothly and glistened.
Jung Yeonshin wondered why she grew her hair so long, even though she wasn't a master.
It seemed too easy to grab during close combat.
"I'm sorry."
Jung Yeonshin said, letting go of his stray thoughts.
Huizhou was an incredibly large city.
It was so bustling that caravans carrying fine tea leaves or silver coins frequently came and went.
On a relatively safe official road like this, it was no surprise that there were many passersby glancing at them as they walked by.
"I think it sounds nice! It's rather elegant."
Heon Wonchang grinned while chewing on some rations.
Perhaps it was because they had covered the rough 'Desolate' character. He seemed oddly pleased by the attention.
At that moment, a group of people approached slowly.
"They must be participants of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. How arrogant."
One said.
"Ringing a sword name in broad daylight without a fight? If it's not to show off petty skills, then what is it?"
The young man and woman radiated extraordinary energy.
They were dressed in luxurious yellow silk uniforms, but Jung Yeonshin first noticed the swords hanging at their waists.
They were martial artists. Judging by their appearance, they seemed to be from prestigious families.
The man wore a hero's headband like Heon Wonchang, and the woman had slightly upturned eyes.
Both appeared to be around twenty years old, still carrying faint traces of youth on their faces.
Behind them followed a group that seemed to be retainers.
Before Heon Wonchang could say anything, Jung Yeonshin stood up first.
"It was careless of me. Your words resonate deeply."
He said, bowing respectfully.
The pair's posture shifted. Their response was equally formal, as though they had been trained in etiquette for a long time.
Their actions seemed almost reflexive, yet their movements were precise.
"…You admit your fault easily. Not bad."
The man said .
"Perhaps it's because we released our energy out of irritation. He must have been intimidated."
The woman added.
Both were arrogant yet dignified. The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering immediately came to mind.
It was said that many direct descendants of prestigious families would attend. These two seemed no different.
"Your name and sect?"
The man asked, lifting his chin slightly.
Even among the most renowned families, there were all sorts of personalities.
Some, like Sword Dragon Wei-Ji Myohwa, were humble, while others, like these arrogant heirs of orthodox sects, were not uncommon.
'They must be from a martial aristocratic family.'
Jung Yeonshin thought.
In regions where they settled, martial clans often acted like kings.
With so few interactions between clans in this era, incidents like the Hwangbo Clan's forced labor case were bound to happen.
The young man raised his eyebrows slightly.
"What are you thinking about? Speak openly."
"My name is Gu Gwa of the Chushil Sect."
Jung Yeonshin replied.
"Chushil Sect? Never heard of it. You're a nobody."
The woman said bluntly.
A faint look of contempt appeared on both their faces. Even their tone shifted.
The young man furrowed his thick brows and spoke.
"As you can see, we are blood relatives of the prestigious Hwangbo Clan. Surely you've heard of it? I know every sect attending the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. If your sect lies somewhere between orthodox and unorthodox, I can't let this slide."
"We must discipline you. You misuse the ability to ring a sword name."
The woman added, stepping forward.
She seemed well-practiced in using authority to satisfy her pride.
"…"
The Hwangbo Clan?
Huizhou was just a little further ahead, yet Jung Yeonshin couldn't believe it for a moment.
It took him a moment to recall the portrait of the heir's appearance that Ma Jin had given him.
They resembled it.
He remembered Ma Jin's drunken words during the banquet celebrating his promotion to Blue rank.
Ma Jin spoke bitterly of his sister, Jung Yeonshin's mother, who had absurdly married into the Jung family.
He said that the martial world's fate was like a sudden storm, unpredictable.
This situation might not be so different.
Jung Yeonshin felt the rising energy from Heon Wonchang and Shin So-bin behind him.
He realized he had spent too long thinking and could resolve this quickly.
He silently gave thanks to Buddha and Yuanshi Tianzun.
There was no need to hold back.
Handling the heir of the Hwangbo Clan and forcing them to leverage their family's power was part of the mission.
From the start, this was an assignment that required action in the orthodox domain.
'I need to secure a justification.'
Lowering his clasped hands, he parted his lips.
"Speaking of origins?"
Jung Yeonshin revealed his true nature.
"The Hwangbo Clan may be renowned, but to hear my name and respond with such rudeness—is this the etiquette of the martial world? Your insult has tarnished my sect's honor. What more can martial artists speak of beyond that?"
"What…?"
Perhaps they had never encountered this before. For a moment, the pair's faces went blank.
Jung Yeonshin felt the presence of spectators beginning to gather.
He spoke again, this time louder and clearer.
"I first extended my respect and apologized. Even after witnessing your rude behavior, I revealed my name and sect. Yet you speak of origins while invoking the Hwangbo Clan? Would you tolerate such disrespect? I challenge you to a duel."
"Quite the smooth talker."
The young man sneered.
He raised his arm, motioning the frowning woman to step back.
His exposed forearm revealed bulging veins, indicating intense training of his energy channels.
"Fine. I was already displeased with the idea of inviting sects straddling orthodoxy and unorthodoxy to the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. My title is…"
"Not interested. Come."
Jung Yeonshin interrupted.
Grasping the vibrating blade of the Beiming Sword, he suddenly recalled Sword Blossom's decapitation.