The Thirteen Celestial Demons' assassin greeted the Desolate Fortress' squad leader.
The Endless Division of the Dark Night War was one of the most feared assassination groups in the world. Its members were not mere tools but assassins of unmatched skill, each standing as a master who could walk alone in the martial world.
This, inevitably, meant they possessed vast amounts of intelligence. There was even the possibility that the Radiant Demon Squad's leader had entered the Tianzhu Sect, the sect that guarded the World Tree's lake.
"..."
Son Sangmyung calmed his stirring emotions with a soundless exhale, then properly examined the young figure before him.
The way an assassin positioned themselves always depended on the martial arts and presence of their opponent. He needed certainty.
'A level where one can walk on water, black lower garments.'
Through the slit of the long, unbleached cloth, tightly woven abdominal muscles could be seen. That was because the individual had only loosely wrapped bandages over their black martial pants.
The bluish moonlight draped over their shoulders and arms, and with each slow step that brushed the water's surface, transparent ripples spread outward in perfect circles.
There was no doubt about it.
'The features match the Face-Abandoning Technique.'
The portrait had failed to fully capture their appearance. But it was undeniably Radiant Demon Squad's leader.
He was someone said to have no peer among his generation, aside from the Young Lord of the Ming Cult and the Seventh Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult.
In truth, due to his young age, he wasn't even comparable to Invincible Laughing Heaven or the Seventh Apostle, yet there were rumors that his talent far surpassed theirs.
Moreover, he was considered a true orthodox martial artist who was progressing towards absolute completion in all aspects of combat.
That was the glaring strength of the Radiant Demon Squad's leader in this era.
'A man who accumulates stable martial power faster than any Demonic Faction master.'
It was a widely known fact in the history of Murim that once orthodox martial arts reached a certain level, their strength became overwhelming. No one could predict just how keen his senses were.
He must have sustained internal injuries during his Shaanxi Province journey, considering he had submerged himself in the lake. But what should be done about it?
"Dark Night War, I assume."
The leader of the Radiant Demon Squad in Desolate Fortress quietly asked.
A chill ran down his spine.
Son Sangmyung did not answer. He instead used his internal energy to warm the back of his neck, which had gone cold, while contemplating how to conceal the Pursuit Fragrance from One Kill Every Ten Li.
The thought lasted only a brief moment. An assassin's thoughts were formed by instinct.
He opened his mouth.
"This is a sect affair."
"...!"
The woman, who had been silently watching the Radiant Demon Squad's leader, flinched. Her reaction was exceptionally slow.
The Endless Division had long surpassed the Tianzhu Sect in terms of martial power, honed by the tribulations of the world.
The moment she twisted her waist and swung her left hand upwards, Son Sangmyung grabbed her forearm and pressed a dagger against her nape.
A surge of powerful energy pulsed from his deathly pale yet dark grayish hand.
Hwaaak!
Their garments fluttered briefly, and an incomplete energy wave dissipated into nothingness.
She hadn't even been able to fully unleash Moonlight Piercing Art, a technique of the Tianzhu Sect.
The subdued martial artist shuddered.
"A crude Samra Tree Steps and shallow internal energy, your deficiencies are obvious. That dead golden hair of yours is the mark of an inbred clan marriage. You must be Gi Geomhyang's disciple."
Without moving his lips, Son Sangmyung continued.
"Son Hye-hyang. My seventh cousin, I hear. My great-grandfather was your great-great-grandfather. Yet your martial achievements are pathetic. If you had trained in Azure-Eye Demonic Swordsman's techniques, perhaps it would have been different."
"Dark Night War, Son Sangmyung…! Release me!"
"How amusing. Your words are bold, yet your body does not move an inch. The Tianzhu Sect remains as delicate as ever. Completely unaware that their extinction is imminent, they still flail their arms around like leaves in the wind, pretending to train."
Then, Son Sangmyung turned his gaze toward the Radiant Demon Squad's leader.
'Six zhang apart, standing on the water… I can't reach him immediately. Art of Water-Stepping cannot be used quickly.'
His eyes met those of the young leader.
Within the pitch-black pupils, his own reflection looked foreign. His skin, appearing like it was covered in ashes, seemed even darker under the night sky.
In the mirror-like depths of those eyes, Son Sangmyung wore a twisted, expressionless face.
The face of a man prepared to die was not as resolute as one might think. At least, that was how it felt to him.
"If you don't want to become the target of One Kill Every Ten Li, then don't interfere. Many high-level warriors in black have perished over the years. Every single one of them was a swordsman renowned in Murim."
Son Sangmyung whispered.
It was a provocation. There wasn't a single martial master in the world who did not possess pride.
He needed to lure this prodigy as close as possible. The distance was still too great to spread the Pursuit Fragrance.
Splash.
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader stepped forward. He parted his lips.
"Are you speaking of my predecessors?"
"I have lived long. Their faces, frozen in shock, remain vivid in my memory. Those who once wielded invincible blades under the banner of righteousness… watching their own chests, slowly lowering their gazes to see the arrows embedded there…"
A dry chuckle laced Son Sangmyung's voice.
He continued.
"The true art of One Kill Every Ten Li is an absolute secret technique. From the early Ming Dynasty, it was the first technique to leave scars on the reputation of supreme martial masters."
"You claim to have lived long? Your accumulated internal energy does not seem all that impressive. Perhaps it doesn't build up as much as one expects. This is my first time seeing it firsthand."
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader tilted his head slightly as he stepped closer.
"…Your Order's leader made a move against our sect leader. A grave mistake. That delayed grand undertaking has now begun. The extermination of Tianzhu Sect is the first step. The lake beneath your feet, tied to the World Tree, has become necessary."
With every word spoken, the distance closed further.
The closer the Radiant Demon Squad's leader approached, the colder Son Sangmyung's eyes became. An assassin's sense of distance was as precise as any master swordsman's.
As Radiant Demon Squad's leader's barefoot sliced through the water, the energy it emitted was dense beyond comparison.
It was fine.
Victory was never the goal. It was a predestined mutual destruction.
For Desolate Fortress to strike down the Dark Night War, sacrifices had to be made.
Silently, ever so slowly, he gathered internal energy in his hand. The dust that had seeped through his sleeve nestled within his grip.
Saaa—
The wind, which had been teasing the moonlight, fell into a hushed stillness.
Then, suddenly, the Radiant Demon Squad's leader's foot blurred.
An explosive step technique had been activated.
As his foot kicked up water, a colossal surge of foam erupted.
And within that surge, a razor-sharp wave surged forward, sweeping through the air like an unleashed fireball.
The sheer speed of the water, infused with supreme martial energy, resembled a singular sword slash.
Kwaaaa—!
"Kh…!"
At the moment Son Sangmyung launched his dust upward—
The cresting wave, now gleaming like blue flames, suddenly accelerated like a lightning strike.
A moment too late, he recalled the mysteries of Full Sky Flower Rain.
But it was already too late.
Shaaak!
In the briefest instant, a massive water blade split his vision in two.
As shimmering droplets, reflecting the moonlight, scattered through the air, the assassin of Dark Night War had only one final thought.
He hoped the Pursuit Fragrance had at least brushed against its target.
* * *
The next lesson took place by the lakeside, where the damp wind wove its way through the gaps in the foliage.
Dew, imbued with a faint glow, rolled down leaves and blades of grass, falling intermittently.
A clear voice rang out.
"Your movements already embody the fundamental principles of Ming Footwork, so aligning your Yongcheon Acupoint's internal energy with the water beneath your feet shouldn't be too difficult. Yes. For you, the Radiant Demon Squad's leader, walking on water was never an issue to begin with. The real challenge of executing a true Swift Step remains the same for everyone, no matter their skill."
The Divine Sword Order's leader spoke while lying on his side, his back facing the water.
Resting his head on one arm, he looked like a scholar idly reading a book. His demeanor was effortless.
To Jung Yeonshin, he appeared to be in a state of complete unbound harmony between body and mind.
'A mind and body flowing without obstruction.'
The Desolate Fortress' highest-ranking figures all carried themselves with such ease. His grandfather, Ma Yeonjeok, and Ak Surim of the black rank, were no different. The Divine Sword Order's leader merely had a different temperament.
From them, Jung Yeonshin had learned the dignity of the strong.
The esteemed figures of Desolate Fortress conducted themselves however they pleased, all under the banner of safeguarding the people.
'And they still protected the common folk well.'
Jung Yeonshin thought to himself.
He was standing in the presence of his lifelong goal. The representative of Desolate Fortress' purple robe, the Divine Sword Order's leader. His mannerisms and aura were being imprinted into Yeonshin's mind.
His Heaven-Piercing Technique, which turned his pupils a deep azure, meticulously analyzed his superior's habitual gestures, the flow of energy through his acupoints, and the intricate composition of his muscles.
This was a supreme state, one capable of holding the fruits of the World Tree.
If he wanted to expand his Baihui Acupoint like a crescent moon swelling into a full moon, if he wished to grasp the natural flow as an absolute destiny, he would have to reach this man's level.
"I understand you're keeping up appearances because there are a lot of eyes on you."
The Divine Sword Order's leader suddenly spoke, glancing back with a slight smirk.
"But your gaze is quite burdensome. Are all kids these days like this? So audacious."
"My apologies."
"Don't say things you don't mean. Your eyes are still sparkling."
The Divine Sword Order's leader made a vaguely displeased face. Was this kid picking up something strange from him?
But the young leader of the Radiant Demon Squad remained unaffected. Jung Yeonshin simply gazed at him with an innocent expression.
Swish.
Letting out a quiet sigh, the Divine Sword Order's leader sat up.
"I'd love nothing more than to pass down something to an exceptional junior like you."
"My vessel is empty and ready to be filled."
"Don't say that so matter-of-factly. You already seem diligent enough, it makes it a bit disappointing. In any case, I inherited my martial lineage from a sect called Dragon Ring Sect. I can't just hand over any technique carelessly.
Ma Clan's Elder, your esteemed grandfather, probably didn't want to pass the drawbacks of tyrannical martial arts to his precious grandson. My reasons are a bit different, but in the end, it's the same."
"So, is it just one technique?"
"A unique and unfinished movement art. It should be at your level. If it were ever completed, it was said that it would produce the greatest speed of its time… but most of its mnemonic verses were lost, leaving only a few techniques."
Dusting off his purple sleeves, the Divine Sword Order's leader grinned.
"It's an old story. Listen carefully."
During the Late Yuan Dynasty, a blacksmith from the Iron Clan, who had settled in the Central Plains alongside the Ming Footwork masters, set his sights on the horns of a Yellow Dragon.
The reason behind his ambition was never recorded.
After all, dragons were mystical creatures whose existence had never been confirmed.
No one knew if the blacksmith had actually seen a dragon or if he had simply been entranced by ancient myths.
All that remained was the tale of how, when the great clans descended into the Central Plains, a myriad of demons and deities roamed freely.
The blacksmith wandered the martial world in pursuit of his goal. Along the way, he befriended many warriors and knights, honing his movement techniques and martial arts.
Since his lifelong ambition was to get close enough to break a dragon's horn, he required the highest level of movement arts.
He befriended great martial artists, refining his skills by competing with Demonic Faction warriors.
In time, he even encountered Taoist immortals from the Nine Great Sects and ultimately met Longming Zhenren, a master of Eight Styles of the Cloud Dragon(Gliding Through the Void), from the Kunlun Sect, which was famed for its sky-floating movement arts.
It was an era where survival was precious, if two warriors found a connection, they freely exchanged martial techniques.
Thus, the blacksmith combined what he learned from Longming Zhenren with the Ming Footwork and the Iron Clan's powerful strides, creating the legendary movement technique Dragon's Ascent.
As a grandmaster of forging, he sought out the greatest martial techniques to further perfect his craft. But in the end, he became a martial legend himself.
Before leaving, he boldly declared that he would break off a dragon's horn, but he never returned.
No one knew if the blacksmith had actually crafted a divine weapon or how his story ended.
All that remained was the claim that Longming Zhenren had carefully preserved the secret text of Dragon's Ascent.
Time eroded the technique.
It was eventually seized by the Ming Cult, which had wiped out Kunlun Sect.
Then it passed into the Imperial family, and later, through further losses, it ultimately ended up in the hands of the Divine Sword Order's leader.
That was where the story ended.
Jung Yeonshin wore a strange expression.
"A vagrant martial art, then."
"The deeper secrets have been lost, leaving only the philosophy of how to wield the body and energy. Is that what you were hoping for?"
"I like the story. That blacksmith must have come close to his goal in the end. Since he never returned."
Jung Yeonshin spoke in an even tone.
Martial techniques that only revealed their true worth once completed were protective arts.
They could significantly extend the time limit of Ultimate Thunder.
However, protective arts required the entire body to be involved.
To complete it within the realm of divine arts, it had to be meticulously built, layer by layer.
It was a process that required time.
"Since you've already built your foundation with Art of Water-Stepping, I'll recite it for you now."
The Divine Sword Order's leader raised an eyebrow, shifting his gaze past Jung Yeonshin's shoulder, toward Son Hye-hyang, who was heading to report back.
She had remained completely at ease, even when assassins from the Dark Night War had attacked.
"That Son girl seems to have taken an interest in you. Have you considered forming a connection with her?"
"…Excuse me?"
"A warrior's rest must involve both the body and the mind. The peace shared with a partner is something money cannot buy. It's like spreading out a warm blanket in your thoughts. A man like you, constantly running forward, might need it even more than most."
"Have you ever married, sir?"
"No. Who knows when I'll die? No point in turning some poor woman into a widow."
"…What?"
"Think about it. Someone of my status in Desolate Fortress has too many enemies to even count. The moment I publicly declare that I want to live a peaceful life, the entire world will swarm at me, screaming that my head needs to be severed."
"I'll be wearing a purple robe soon, too. Within two years, I plan to challenge you."
The Divine Sword Order's leader smirked.
"I doubt it'll be two years, but you might just surpass me eventually. If you keep letting yourself relax like this, that is. When that time comes, you really could start a family."
"…Ah."
Jung Yeonshin slightly parted his lips in realization.
The Divine Sword Order's leader continued.
"You're only cooling your body in the lake, aren't you? Mental fatigue can't be relieved through internal breathing exercises alone. Your face earlier was quite the sight, you looked utterly dumbfounded. If you want to face One Kill Every Ten Li, you need to make sure your mind and body are both loosened up. It's a terrifying technique."
The atmosphere of exchanging martial knowledge was as natural as flowing water.
Time passed.
The World Tree's lake swallowed the full moon and spit it out countless times.
As Jung Yeonshin's legs absorbed the moonlight over the course of seven nights, they grew stronger.
On the calm surface of the water, he etched yet another legendary technique into his being.
By then, the Tianzhu Sect had already been swept up in chaos.
But the Divine Sword Order's leader spoke as if it was nothing.
"Inherit my martial lineage. I'll give you more than your grandfather ever did."
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