It was the moment Bonggong closed his eyes.
From the edge of the snow-covered peak, a faintly white shockwave burst forth in a long streak.
Paaang—!
Snowflakes swirled in a massive, straight line. It was the aftermath of a lightness skill leap. Bonggong's subordinates, who had formed a formation, reacted immediately.
"Intersecting defense formation! First unit, draw swords! Second unit, ready your bows!"
"Strike! Do not die in vain!"
Ten men simultaneously drew their swords and arrows.
The sound of long, ash-gray hands slicing through the air was fierce.
Though their faces betrayed great shock, as if unaccustomed to being intercepted mid-leap, the chilling energy rippling from their bodies revealed their skill as warriors of the Thirteen Celestial Demons.
They were from the Dark Night War Sect, a sect that wielded archery techniques capable of suppressing even close-range foes.
Swish.
Jung Yeonshin turned away without even bothering to draw his sword.
Perhaps it was because he had reached a level that even warriors trained in the great sects found difficult to match. He found the thought of unsheathing his sword somewhat embarrassing.
'How much longer will the Order's leader need to recover?'
By now, Jung Yeonshin's body was near perfection. He had never felt this light in his entire life.
The lake's mysterious properties had rapidly healed his body. It was thanks to the Desolate Fortress' Lord's Moonlight Harmony Technique.
He had merged with the Radiant Wheel more than he had expected. Because of Chung Myung's guidance, he had even developed a new lightness skill.
It was something to be grateful for. Thinking of the Lord brought a ticklish warmth to his heart.
'It's been a long time since I've seen her.'
Then, at that moment—
From above his head.
"What? What? What was that just now—?"
A graceful shadow descended, pushing aside the starlight.
Even in the night air, a bright red robe flapped like a bat's wings. Her body, ideally balanced for a supreme martial artist, radiated a bewitching energy.
The manifestation of the Seventh Apostle was utterly natural.
Hwaaah!
From her left hand, a reddish air assembled in a peculiar motion.
It folded and swirled on its own, generating tension, then instantly transformed into the flow of a refined force. The air was torn apart, screaming as if in agony.
It happened in an instant.
The Seventh Apostle planted both feet firmly at the center of the peak.
Step.
Then, with a flick of her left hand, as if shaking off an insignificant fly, crimson curtains rippled outward in all directions.
It was an overwhelming internal energy shockwave. Her aura swept through the surroundings like a cloak made of blades.
Chwaaaak—!
Everywhere, blood burst forth.
Ten bodies, severed down to the bone, lay scattered in multiple pieces.
"You pests are so noisy."
The bloodstains spreading over the snowy ground bloomed like rose petals.
Standing on the white and red earth, the Seventh Apostle curled her lips into a smile.
Her gaze had been fixed on Jung Yeonshin the entire time. Even in the moment of her attack.
"That lightness skill, what was it? I almost stepped in to help but hesitated. Even the Apostles fear One Kill Every Ten Li."
Jung Yeonshin silently stared at her for a moment.
By now, he had grown accustomed to being trailed by the Seventh Apostle.
This was nothing unusual, yet another thought crossed his mind.
The way she moved.
Her internal energy shockwave was even more precise than before. Even the density of her energy had significantly increased.
That meant her martial skills had evolved further.
What kind of battle had she experienced in the time they were apart?
Perhaps it was true that the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation in Shaanxi had been deactivated because she had slaughtered part of the Blood Flame Cult's forces.
She looked like someone who had refined herself under the best possible conditions, a martial maniac.
'Still, I should be able to defeat her now. In a direct confrontation.'
He thought to himself.
One by one, the martial techniques he mastered were shaping him into a true powerhouse.
In one-on-one combat, the fear of survival was becoming a rarity.
Unless it was the arrival of one of the few true supreme masters in the world, or a great sect conspiring in full force, he was not easily threatened.
Even in this moment.
He was standing before an Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult, yet he felt no tension.
Only the figure of the Seventh Apostle filled his vision—powerful, beautiful, and utterly insane.
"Mm?"
She tilted her head slightly as she studied him curiously.
"Anyway… that movement skill, it was like drawing constellations. It should belong only to my eyes."
"You arrived at the perfect time."
Jung Yeonshin gazed at her quietly before speaking.
"I told you I would repay my debt. Don't run away."
"Don't run away?"
The moment the Seventh Apostle's body trembled, the arc of her lips seemed to brighten.
Jung Yeonshin furrowed his brow.
"No, only while I repay my debt."
At the same time, the expression vanished from the Seventh Apostle's face.
"Repay? You're not just throwing it at me out of courtesy, are you? You're just trying to rid yourself of the feeling of debt. No, no. If your heart isn't in it, it's not repayment. There's something more important to me now than Demonic Blood-Sealing Arts."
"The grace of saving my uncle, the Radiant Demon Squad, and the Returning Wings Squad is not something I can repay with mere courtesy. You even saved my life. I want to put an end to this long-standing entanglement."
Jung Yeonshin spoke blankly while swallowing his shock inside. The mnemonic verse had been completely rejected.
He reassured himself that Ultimate Thunder was better than Dulled Severance Form.
"I don't believe it. When I wasn't Lady Ye, you only ever pushed me away."
The Seventh Apostle spoke in a flat tone.
Her pale face, like the snow spreading across the ridges, carried an icy texture, revealing her unpredictable nature.
"You're saying it's not just a pretense? Then prove it."
Step.
The snow beneath her feet made a low sound. She took a step forward.
Then, she began to approach him slowly, each step accompanied by the creaking of the snow.
A lethal martial artist was closing the gap. No master would welcome such a thing.
Jung Yeonshin stood motionless, measuring the distance.
And he fell into thought. How could he avoid becoming like his father?
Beyond blood ties, he had to value the bonds of his martial clan as well. He had to be able to stand tall within the entanglements they shared.
Step, step.
The distance between him and the Seventh Apostle narrowed. The Desolate Fortress' black robe and the Blood Flame Cult's Pure Blood Robe grew closer.
Five steps, seven steps… The quiet sound of snow being stepped on filled the night air. Her eyes, large as crimson jewels, locked onto him. Jung Yeonshin did not move.
Her pale face, the heat shimmering in the eyes of a supreme master, the flickering intensity, she was now right in front of him.
Rustle.
The fabric of their robes brushed against each other in the wind.
Too close. He could feel the pulse in her neck. Jung Yeonshin barely restrained himself from striking.
He must not become like his heartless father. The Seventh Apostle had never truly harmed him. Looking back, she never had.
'I must not be cold to my benefactor. I must embrace her as my mother would.'
The Jung Clan Movement Arts were the foundation of the Radiant Demon Squad's leader. Denying the core principle of the mnemonic verse at this moment would lead to contradictions when he sought enlightenment in the realm of absolute mastery.
Even if it meant a shortened life, it was a matter of importance.
He needed to be able to stand proudly, even if his life was short.
His life was a story he would one day tell his mother.
And at that moment—
A sudden ticklish sensation brushed against his ear. A bewitching breath laced with laughter.
At the same time, a foreign softness, four sharp teeth grazing his skin. Chilling and warm all at once.
The Seventh Apostle had bitten his neck.
A thin breath shattered into small fragments between the fine hairs of his nape. Along with the faint touch of slightly parted lips.
How could she withstand the sacred energy infused within his Radiant River?
'What is she doing?'
Jung Yeonshin, who had not expected this, instinctively released a surge of powerful energy.
The Radiant River, its core infused with constant inner force, was always ready to erupt.
Step.
At the same time, the Seventh Apostle took a step back. A red smile played on her lips.
"You were serious? My adorable Taesa."
Jung Yeonshin furrowed his brow.
"Are you provoking me, trying to claim my neck with martial arts? Even if you attempt Energy Absorption, you'll only be overwhelmed by sacred power."
"I don't use Star-Absorbing Technique. I was born with talents as noble as yours. Just by measuring your stored energy, shouldn't you be able to guess? I'm no less than that Hwangbo wretch you took as your subordinate."
"Don't call him a wretch carelessly."
His warning was something only the Radiant Demon Squad's leader would dare to voice.
The Seventh Apostle didn't seem to mind the reprimand. She merely ran her fingers through her hair, dark as ebony.
"Your life, your talent, even your nature resembles a comet. So noble, so high above, it can hardly be concealed."
She spoke.
"This mission is almost over, right? I'm going to follow you around."
Unbelievable words.
It was an announcement of the addition of a formidable force.
It wasn't something to be pleased about. It would be fortunate if his seniors didn't try to assassinate her.
Jung Yeonshin shook his head.
"The Divine Sword Order's leader will regain his strength soon. If you don't want to die, keep your distance."
"Then I'll wait in Xiangyang."
"You, a wanderer?"
"No. No matter where I go, there's always something to do. Just wait a little."
The Seventh Apostle whispered, her smooth smile revealing a glimpse of madness. For a moment, a cold killing intent flickered in her eyes.
Come to think of it, they said the Blood Flame Cult had more branches spread across the world than there were Apostles.
Jung Yeonshin tilted his head slightly. Could it be?
"And."
She parted her lips.
"Your lightness skill, by the way. Our sect—no, the Blood Flame Cult's Rakshasa Ground-Shifting Technique—is close to a divine skill. Your movement was perfect, but if you withdraw the Absorption Knot a bit faster when lifting your back foot, you'll be able to maintain it a little longer. I came just to tell you that. You should be able to pull it off right away."
An incredibly valuable insight.
The Apostles of the world were renowned for their mastery of Protective Energy Techniques.
The understanding she had built over time contained intricacies Jung Yeonshin wouldn't have realized in a short span.
It was enough to refine the newly born lightness skill under the winter starlight.
Feigning indifference, he shook his head.
"You overstep. Now leave, Seventh Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult."
"I'll leave in a bit. Shall we watch the stars together? Your lightness skill might become even faster."
"In Shaanxi, you mentioned the Demonic Blood-Sealing Arts' Governing Vessel Mnemonic Verse, Blood Preservation and Essence Warming. But the mental imagery when brushing against the Conception Vessel should be cold, contrasting with the Governing Vessel's…"
"Aaahhh! Stop—!"
The Seventh Apostle covered her ears and screamed.
"I told you I'd kill you! I will, but I won't!"
Her bright red robe flapped violently, much like her nonsensical ranting.
Rakshasa Ground-Shifting Technique.
A chilling energy scattered the snowflakes wildly.
A faint crimson light flickered around the Seventh Apostle's legs.
Her movements surged with an internal force that rippled within and without, and in an instant, her form cleaved through the distant sky.
Hwaaah—!
Her crimson figure melded into the gaps between the stars and vanished.
Now that he had developed his own lightness skill, even Protective Energy Techniques looked different.
She had told him to release the Absorption Knot faster to better transmit impact to the ground.
"Nothing special."
Jung Yeonshin murmured like a monk who had just exorcised a demon.
She said she'd keep following him?
His eyebrow twitched slightly.
Suddenly, he recalled what the Mount Hua Sect's leader had once said.
The Eternal Heaven Sword Demon of Profound Martial Alliance had been following him.
The one who had found a crucial opening in the Tyrant Sword Tribe's Ghost Spirit Sword.
'That was when I was refining Sword Thunder Flash Art.'
Did she hold a grudge from losing that bet?
Did she intend to settle things herself through a proper martial exchange?
Such was often the way of warriors.
The three branches of the Thirteen Celestial Demons had just coordinated their efforts to assassinate him. More and more eyes turned toward the Radiant Demon Squad's leader.
The Dark Night War leader, who had suffered a grievous wound at the hands of the Divine Sword Order's leader, would not overlook Jung Yeonshin either.
Then there was the Great Prince of the Profound Martial Alliance, who had lost his betrothed to the Radiant Demon Squad's leader.
'This isn't the end. There must be more.'
Jung Yeonshin glanced at the scattered corpses before turning away.
Step.
The packed snow compressed beneath his leather shoes. A strange sensation pressed against his soles.
A thunderbolt bound by enmity, waiting to explode in an unknown form, at an unknown time.
He steadily advanced toward the heart of the martial world.
* * *
Upon returning to Tianzhu Sect, he was met with peculiar gazes.
The moment he stepped inside the formation, a warm air wrapped around his entire body, along with the dewdrop-like gazes from the village's people.
"I never imagined such a way to dismantle One Kill Every Ten Li. We are boundlessly grateful to the Radiant Demon Squad's leader."
"The fear that loomed over the village has greatly lifted. We do not know how to repay you…"
The elite warriors of noble clans descended from the towering trees. The cold, indifferent stares that had once looked down upon the Desolate Fortress entourage like ancient trees were nowhere to be found.
Instead, he found himself encircled by a crowd of grateful people.
Jung Yeonshin first checked on his companions.
From within Tianzhu Sect, Chung Myung—who had once been shunned—parted the crowd and approached, his expression filled with deep sentiment.
"It feels like only yesterday that I taught you the movements of my clan, and now you have mastered all three aspects of Protective Energy Techniques: footwork, body movement, and lightness skill."
"I named it Ten Li Radiance Step."
Jung Yeonshin spoke as a leader.
Chung Myung, now his subordinate, slightly parted his lips before letting out a faint smile.
"The sect leader seems to be preparing quite the grand gift for you… I, too, feel I must give you something in return."
"The General Affairs Bureau of our main fortress is also preparing a reward for the merit earned in Shaanxi. We will return once the Order's leader has recovered."
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader commanded.
By now, there was a peculiar undertone in his voice, the subtle presence unique to those who stood alone atop the martial world.
Suddenly, a breeze swept past the blades of grass, lightly ruffling the hem of his jet-black robe.
Saaah—
Where once his robe had merely brushed the ground during his ascension, it now fluttered at his ankles.
Its black hue had deepened.
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