The blue rank warrior of Desolate Fortress subdued the young master of a martial arts family.
He had struck at an opening and even used the Grappling Hold Technique's countermeasure. It was an entirely plausible outcome, especially since Jung Yeonshin's sense of timing and execution surpassed his opponent's.
"Huh. What just happened?"
"It seems Lazy Flame Dragon has been struck at his acupoint."
To others, the situation appeared differently. The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was a recurring martial arts convention.
Jung Yeonshin was an emerging master who had never been seen before. The murmurs started small but gradually spread.
"That's an unfamiliar technique. Light footwork, Grappling Hold Technique, acupoint strikes. All of it."
"His nerve techniques were truly mysterious. He reminded me of the elders from the main sect."
"Which sect is he from? How did he manage to take down Lazy Flame Dragon? Even if it was just one sudden exchange······."
The atmosphere, charged with Lazy Flame Dragon's volatile energy, seemed to dissipate like a shadow under the spring breeze.
Jung Yeonshin remained silent.
He had rendered his opponent's arm useless—an extremely close-quarter move.
In an ordinary martial contest, this would have ended it. But Lazy Flame Dragon, who seemed afflicted with madness, was unpredictable.
There were no recorded techniques of the Infinite Blossom Fist Strike that could match the force of such close-range strikes. He braced himself by drawing deeply on his inner energy.
At that moment, Lazy Flame Dragon muttered,
"···Am I slower······? Slower?"
"If you can't even sense it, that's all there is to it."
Jung Yeonshin spoke calmly and released his grip, but he did not undo the acupoint strike. He left it intact, ready to subdue Lazy Flame Dragon should he lash out again.
'He'll likely release the point through inner breathing techniques.'
Stories about masters adept at controlling the energies of Yin and Yang were widespread.
It was said that they had clear advantages. The blazing energy of Yang within the body could easily disperse foreign internal energy.
Seeing it firsthand was fascinating. It was something worth contemplating—evoking flames through internal energy? How did it work?
As Jung Yeonshin was lost in thought,
"You don't even care, do you? Who exactly are you?"
Lazy Flame Dragon's reaction was strange—an incredibly calm rage. The man, who had swallowed poppy seeds whole, spoke,
"An heir of the Chushil Sect. I've understood your potential through this single move. You will make a name for yourself for years to come, even after your death."
"And?"
It was said that the most effective provocation was to mock a person's innermost thoughts.
Chung Myung had taught him this before the mission. Thus, Jung Yeonshin waited silently, observing what Lazy Flame Dragon had to say.
"Do you know what it feels like for your feet to move toward the abyss on their own? You have everything. Look at you, your face even looks healthy. How does it feel to possess talent without any price to pay?"
"What?"
The words drained even his curiosity about Lazy Flame Dragon's fiery internal energy. They simply felt trivial.
It seemed more appealing to grapple at close quarters with this acupoint-struck man instead.
Lazy Flame Dragon continued, trembling at his fingertips.
"I was born with extreme Yang energy. Even without practicing internal techniques, I grew stronger. My sharpened senses always came with the burning pain of my meridians. That's my accomplishment. I built my martial arts to change my constitution through rigorous internal cultivation. Do you think you can call that dull?"
Perhaps it was because he recognized Jung Yeonshin's talent.
He rambled on like a drunk confiding in a close friend, making Jung Yeonshin slightly uncomfortable.
It was pleasing in terms of the mission, but facing this strange personality was unsettling.
The shadow under Lazy Flame Dragon's eyes felt burdensome. Jung Yeonshin slowly opened his mouth.
"So what if that's the truth? It's not like you've cultivated techniques that could overpower talent."
"You dare!"
"I only called you slow because you are. Your pain is yours alone. No one else understands it."
In the end, Jung Yeonshin spoke about himself.
He had noticed it while carrying out various missions. Unlike monks who practiced in sects, martial artists of the world tended to anger quickly.
Simply stating facts often provoked them. It was incomprehensible, yet he anticipated the same reaction here. He had deliberately aimed to provoke.
"This pain is mine alone······? That's not true. Everyone said they understood me. Even that guy from the Mount Hua Sect said so earlier."
His reaction was strange.
Lazy Flame Dragon's lips quivered like someone speaking for the first time.
He was a prodigy afflicted with the strange condition known as the Solar Divine Meridian. Understanding his mindset would be difficult for anyone.
"You think someone who comprehends the trajectory of my techniques doesn't understand me? Do you dismiss fleeting talent doomed to die young as trivial? My family elders restrained me because of their disgusting hopes."
The tension in his gaze faded.
The sharp light characteristic of masters trained in orthodox martial arts softened, and the madness in his eyes dissipated visibly.
His breathing stabilized. He no longer looked drunk or intoxicated by poppies.
Finally, Lazy Flame Dragon's expression shifted to one of unexpected admiration.
Jung Yeonshin felt a sense of crisis. Failure loomed over his mission.
"If I were you, I'd sever ties with my family and dedicate myself to Desolate Fortress. It's said the fruits of the World Tree cure all ailments. Perhaps that includes Solar Divine Meridian. Talking about life without such effort is laughable. Even if you live a few more years, it's already too late."
"Haha! You're worried about me! Do you lament losing someone with the potential to discuss martial arts with you?"
"I said you were slower."
It was an incomprehensible mindset. The man seemed deranged after enduring long-standing pain. Approaching him with provocations meant for ordinary people had been a mistake.
'I'll need to try again later.'
It was an unexpected obstacle. Jung Yeonshin quickly turned away.
Provocation seemed futile now, and he would need help from Heon Wonchang and Shin So-bin, who were watching from a distance with curious expressions.
'I can't just cripple Lazy Flame Dragon's limbs here in the middle of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.'
Doing so would make him a public enemy of the orthodox martial world. That was unacceptable, and provocation had been the plan.
Even the final mission, the pursuit against the Hwangbo Clan's martial forces, seemed increasingly difficult.
"Where are you going? Let's have a drink. You're worthy. I'll treat you to aged Shaoxing wine."
"Your pathetic talent would ruin the taste. I don't dine with insignificant people."
Despite the harsh words, Lazy Flame Dragon laughed heartily. He was completely mad. Jung Yeonshin inwardly shook his head.
He turned his gaze to find Yoo Hyun, who had been sprawled earlier. The man was now standing alone.
It seemed the disciples from the Mount Hua Sect were nowhere in sight, and his condition looked terrible.
Jung Yeonshin approached quickly and asked,
"What about the elders who accompanied you?"
"Oh, it's been a while. As you can see, they decided to leave the Gathering. They didn't feel comfortable socializing in front of the elders. Anyway, thanks. As expected······ um, Gu Gwa."
Yoo Hyun seemed to have overheard Lazy Flame Dragon's words, quickly correcting himself. His eyes briefly scanned Jung Yeonshin's attire.
He was observant enough to notice the emblem of Desolate Fortress partially concealed under another fabric.
Jung Yeonshin spoke.
"You're not angry? I interrupted the duel."
"It should've ended earlier. It wasn't a fair match. But you······."
"Hm?"
Yoo Hyun, renowned as an exceptional talent in Shaanxi Province, trailed off.
"You've become unbelievably strong. It feels like you've reached a different level entirely. I've improved too, but······ huh? Wait, you—"
He seemed to have just noticed the color of Jung Yeonshin's uniform beneath his robe.
Yoo Hyun's expression grew complex. The meaning of Desolate Fortress's blue attire was clear.
It was said to rival the elite disciples of the Nine Great Sects. Beneath the sect leaders and elders were masters of unparalleled skill.
Jung Yeonshin and Yoo Hyun were close enough to be called friends.
He had often heard that Yoo Hyun, as the youngest disciple of Mount Hua's leader, dreamed of becoming a Plum Blossom Swordmaster.
The blue uniform represented a status equivalent to Yoo Hyun's aspirations.
He could imagine what Yoo Hyun must have been feeling.
'We simply live on different timelines.'
Jung Yeonshin swallowed his words.
He shifted his gaze. Before Heon Wonchang and Shin So-bin could approach, others appeared, walking ahead of them.
They were young men and women with outstanding auras, rising talents of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering who had been in Lotus Pavilion.
'True lineage martial artists gathered in one place. Even those with balanced energies.'
To Jung Yeonshin's eyes, they didn't appear as mere people. Their faces, unable to hide curiosity, looked like forms of new martial techniques.
"I've never seen anyone speak so harshly to Lazy Flame Dragon before. I am Wei Wu-ling of the Zhang Bai Sect."
"I am Yin Li-ming of the White Blade Sect of South Zhili. Your technique was very creative. Where did you learn it?"
"The Chushil Sect. If you have elites like yourselves, your sect will soon soar. It's been a long time since a dragon has risen from a mid-sized sect, and now there's another talent like Cloud Sword Dragon and Lazy Flame Dragon."
One by one, they gathered. Was it because the opponent had been Lazy Flame Dragon?
They must have heard Jung Yeonshin's words, yet they showed no significant resistance toward him.
He exchanged courtesies and fully felt their auras.
'Good.'
Recently, Jung Yeonshin had been striving to create a spiritual technique—a practice to absorb energy.
The diverse auras displayed by the younger elites through their internal energies were all sources of inspiration.
To accelerate the accumulation of spiritual energy, stability also needed to be considered. The martial arts of true lineages provided an excellent foundation.
"A lowborn mutt without roots."
Hwangbo Myeong-rin glared at him as if ready to kill.
The rising talents of the renowned martial clans had formed groups centered around her. None of them approached Jung Yeonshin.
Then, someone said,
"I heard Shaolin, Wudang, and Zhongnan have also sent people. It's unclear when they'll arrive."
Jung Yeonshin immediately thought of Gak Jeong, and Sword Dragon Wei-Ji Myohwa. It was the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering of the orthodox martial arts world.
Disciples comparable to three-tenths of the central plains' orthodox sects seemed to be assembling.
'The stakes are rising.'
It wasn't just the younger elites. The Namgoong family of Huizhou Province had already begun skirmishes with the Thirteen Heavens Sect.
To complete his mission, Jung Yeonshin needed to draw in the Hwangbo clan as well. The Thirteen Heavens Sect, which had clashed with the Namgoong family, couldn't be ignored either.
No one could predict how turbulent things would get. Just as Jung Yeonshin sharpened his vigilance,
"This place will do."
A chilling voice spread. It carried a powerful resonance, and an incredibly deep internal energy was felt in an instant.
Boom! Boom!
Corpses of warriors wearing blue robes were flung from various directions. They seemed to be guards from the Namgoong family, secretly watching the area.
The younger elites reacted immediately.
Shing!
The sound of swords being drawn resonated as one. No one was careless enough to ask questions first.
Each of them sharpened their gazes, glaring at the intruders.
"Every time the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is held, the heretics swarm in. It was the same yesterday. With Namgoong sealing the gates, all sorts of flies are drawn in."
"Well, it's only natural since everything is displayed openly. Even my clan has countless enemies."
"Let's finish this quickly."
The young elites responded calmly, their words even more composed.
"The rumors were true. Even the fledgling elites of the orthodox sects. How delightful."
"Such enthusiasm. Yes, this is common in the martial world."
Many figures approached soundlessly.
Crimson hair streaked with black strands and eerie energy waves accompanied them.
They numbered around twenty—Blood Master Swordsmen. With blood-red eyes, they glared directly at Jung Yeonshin.
They had shown up as soon as Jung Yeonshin entered Huizhou Province and spent time in Lotus Pavilion. It was clearly intentional.
Jung Yeonshin recalled Ma Jin's warning.
Since he had revealed a martial art capable of countering the Blood Flame cult, he was now their top assassination target.
'So it's true.'
Having carried out multiple missions, he knew.
The Blood Flame Cult's influence had grown to an uncanny extent.
Such a massive cult was now mobilizing all its power to kill Jung Yeonshin.
Since the cult's strength lay in spell-based techniques, the longer he stayed in the martial world, the easier he would be tracked.
It was part of their mystical martial arts.
Had the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering been held within the Namgoong family estate, this wouldn't have happened.
Even Desolate Fortress hadn't anticipated this.
"Blood Flame Cult?"
"Crazy."
"There are that many swordsmen······ How many branches are gathered here?"
Many of them murmured. Even Jung Yeonshin, who didn't have extensive experience in the martial world, was tired of encountering them.
The young elites, who had roamed the martial world earlier, likely felt the same. Their force appeared intimidating.
Even Hwangbo Myeong-rin, standing in the distance, looked pale.
Lazy Flame Dragon, who still hadn't released his acupoints, also wore an unpleasant expression.
This was the martial world. A place where inevitability and coincidence intertwined, suddenly creating corpses.
There was no guarantee that expelling a minor sect yesterday wouldn't bring a major sect to their doorstep tomorrow.
Perhaps the Namgoong family, which had locked its gates, was already dancing in the Blood Flame Cult's palm.
They were all destined to die.
It was an old tactic of heretical sects. By exterminating the heirs of rival sects, they could weaken even their senior masters.
In a world where a single step defined a master's superiority, it created an irreparable psychological gap.
"······."
Only the sound of flowing water shimmered in the sunlight.
To the young elites swallowing nervously, the river beneath the pavilion seemed like the waters of the underworld.
'I like this.'
Jung Yeonshin channeled his core energy according to a set pattern.
Sacred energy, reminiscent of Buddhist divine power, began to rise throughout his body.
As he enveloped his right hand with core energy, he silently hoped.
The Blood Flame Cult's Seventh Apostle had lost an eye to this technique.
He hoped they had brought a countermeasure.
If he could counter that countermeasure, he would gain even more.
He had no choice but to grow stronger rapidly, using any means necessary.
"You."
One of the Blood Master Swordsmen stepped forward. Among the group, he had the most black hair.
It was said that the Blood Master Swordsmen's abilities varied widely, but his aura already felt extraordinary.
"In a bustling city like Huizhou Province, there's no place beyond our sect's reach. You should know that an execution order has been issued against you, yet you dared to crawl in here. The fools of the orthodox sects know nothing. You must be······."
"Then you should know this too."
Jung Yeonshin spoke.
On his outstretched hands, a faint blue energy formed.
It was an unparalleled, secret martial art unseen anywhere in the world.
The moment the water-like energy, imbued with the sun's radiance, manifested, waves of energy rippled magnificently from his hands.
Woo-woong!
It was a presence more distinct than anyone else's in the area.
Sky-blue mist-like waves spread outward in all directions.
Perhaps because of his extensive energy cultivation for developing his technique, even without swinging his hands, he pushed back the Blood Master Swordsman's energy entirely. It was an absolute counter.
There was no response for a moment. Jung Yeonshin's face showed curiosity.