The middle-aged man emitted a suspicious energy wave from the Blood Demon Sword.
Jeong Yeon-shin swiftly pursued him from behind.
It was astonishing, even though he had always been able to exploit the enemy's carelessness.
The speed was on a whole different level.
He expected a completely new system of power. 'But,' the energy wave released from the downward strike was different from what he had anticipated.
Even as he delivered a fatal blow to the man's head, it was puzzling.
The martial arts he had expected did not manifest.
He struck down with sheer physical strength.
That alone was a display of incredible power.
Thud! The man collapsed, struck on the head, falling from his chin.
The body of the fallen man twitched.
He was already dead.
It was merely a final spasm.
"To take down such a man in one move...!" "Truly remarkable martial arts!" The exclamations from the young disciple of the Sinmu Clan and Hyun Yu-ryang were meaningless.
The movements that seemed to have quickened were merely the result of repeated practice, enhancing the efficiency of his skills.
Jeong Yeon-shin's intuition dissected the phenomenon.
He understood immediately.
The new technique he had hoped to unravel was still rough around the edges.
It had not interlocked intricately.
What he needed was an inspiration that could pierce through everything as one.
It had always been this way.
A single thread of lightning that could weave the scattered techniques into one martial art.
That was all Jeong Yeon-shin required. 'I will soon obtain it.' He did not rush.
It was said that when the upper dantian communicated with heaven and earth, the realm of foresight would occasionally visit.
He felt that he would soon be able to create a martial art from his spiritual power.
Perhaps it would be today.
Jeong Yeon-shin opened his mouth towards Hyun Yu-ryang.
"The Blood Flame Sect has infiltrated the postal office. Can you handle it from the Yicheon Sword Clan?"
"Of course, the matter of Pyeongjeong Mountain is our concern as well. We are grateful for your visit."
Hyun Yu-ryang made another polite gesture.
He too was a successor of a prestigious family.
His skills in handling matters were evident.
The qualities that the direct descendants of a well-learned noble family should possess.
It was something that Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been a burden to his family, lacked.
However, the way Hyun Yu-ryang looked at him was peculiar.
It did not seem to be mere admiration.
"Excuse me, but may I ask your age?" "I am... sixteen this year."
"Ah, the right age. If you have no betrothed, may I introduce you to my little sister? She is a very lovely and kind girl."
Hyun Yu-ryang spoke in a very casual tone.
What did he just say? Jeong Yeon-shin was rarely flustered.
He did not show it. 'Marriage, huh.' Wasn't that the furthest thing from him? To have children with someone and live a life of a hundred years together.
It felt like something he could only touch in a dream.
He politely declined.
"I appreciate your offer, but I barely have time to hold a sword. It would be hard to call it a good match, considering my family has faced extermination."
"A promising master from the Yihwang Province is a very good match in itself. I hope you will think about it over time."
He let Hyun Yu-ryang's words slip by.
Jeong Yeon-shin cast his gaze northward.
It was time for the scattered Ma Gwang-ik to regroup.
"I thought you would be safe! You did very well, Jeong So-hyeop!" Hyeon Won-chang welcomed him among the large and tidy group of pavilions.
He had quite a few wounds on his body.
Perhaps due to the blood energy, it seemed the bleeding had not stopped completely.
Blood seeped through the cloth wrapped around various parts of his body, yet he was still smiling.
After a brief reunion with Hyeon Won-chang, Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly asked, "Are you injured?"
"Fortunately not. You seem to be fine, Jeong So-hyeop."
"I managed to escape to the outskirts and boarded a boat."
"Ah! Speaking of which, you captured those wicked young disciples of the Sinmu Clan. That was indeed a commendable deed."
Hyeon Won-chang laughed as if he found it refreshing.
He grimaced for a moment as if his wounds were hurting, yet his smile did not fade.
The reason why the major sects of the demonic faction were referred to as the Thirteen Heavens varied for each.
Jeong Yeon-shin had witnessed the swordplay of the Demon Sword Sect that aimed to kill a woman without hesitation.
Although Hyeon Won-chang had shown inexplicable hostility towards the major sects, he believed that now he was genuinely smiling as someone who walked the righteous path.
Jeong Yeon-shin walked alongside Hyeon Won-chang, passing through the beams of sunlight that shone brightly between the pavilions.
He had turned down the offer of the Yicheon Sword Clan to accompany him.
Hyeon Won-chang, who had already eaten several meals, spoke of the situation.
The remaining Ma Gwang-ik had broken through the encirclement and pushed straight into Pyeongjeong Mountain.
Baek Mi-ryeo was worried about Jeong Yeon-shin, but she had calmed down after hearing from a tortured member of the Blood Flame Sect.
Everyone was confident.
The half-finished late-stage disciples of the Sinmu Clan would not be able to deal with Seomye.
Soon after, Jeong Yeon-shin could see Ma Jin and the seniors of Ma Gwang-ik.
A scar on Ma Jin's chin had subtly risen.
"You managed to achieve something even in that situation."
"How is the leader? What about the head of the Seven Sages?" Jeong Yeon-shin asked calmly.
The master of the Ma Gwang-ik turned his gaze away.
"The compatibility of that woman's new technique does not suit me. If Cheongmyeong had reached my level, I could have killed her."
"Is that an excuse?" Cheongmyeong chided with a smile.
As usual, Baek Mi-ryeo, who had grabbed Jeong Yeon-shin's shoulder and examined his body, nodded.
"You are excessively healthy. It seems your energy is changing once again. Normally, this would be the age to build a foundation, yet you keep advancing."
"Thank you, senior."
She had been acting like a sister for some time now.
He slightly turned his body and removed her hand.
While he was grateful, it still felt awkward.
Jeong Yeon-shin turned his gaze.
"Then what about the mission to hunt the Blood Flame Sect? It seems the Seven Sages have information about the main sect."
"We are waiting. We plan to respond in agreement with the Yicheon Sword Clan."
Ma Jin, who spoke briefly, continued the story.
"The atmosphere of the Seven Sages was strange. It seemed they too had received orders to annihilate us. From the perspective of the Yihwang Province and the Blood Flame Sect, it would be a local battle, but for us, it is a full-scale war."
"Do you know the timeline?" "The fact that we do not know is their strength. We must counterattack. There is a secret plan. It is the mechanism formation of the Yicheon Sword Clan, so we should not be caught off guard."
It was said that the prestigious sects of the martial world were built upon piles of corpses and blood.
The noble families had many enemies.
It was inevitable that clever strategies would develop to prepare for invasions. 'Mechanism formation.' He had heard of it.
It was said to create strange phenomena by intertwining bizarre techniques with the principles of nature.
Naturally, it was something that a third-rate martial family like Jeong's clan did not possess.
"It was said that the master craftsmen of the main sect directly came to create it. The blood demons would not know."
With Ma Jin's playful words, the day began to fade.
Jeong Yeon-shin met with Ma Gwang-ik and greeted him.
They too were relieved about the safety of their junior.
Afterward, he exchanged greetings with the commander of the Jeong family, So Sin-seung, and entered his quarters.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not fall asleep immediately but sat on the bed. 'Let’s organize the techniques.' He sat cross-legged and used the moonlight as his garment.
The meditation continued until dawn.
He did not move until the blanket surrounding him changed from moonlight to sunlight.
After having breakfast, he received an invitation from Hyun Yu-ryang.
The content of the message was amusing.
He expressed gratitude for being mindful of his behavior while being with his little sister.
Along with that, he sent a splendid silk garment.
It seemed he was determined to keep his word.
Jeong Yeon-shin grasped the garment with his thumb and index finger.
It was at that moment that he looked at it strangely for a while.
"Ma-Gwang-Ik!"
The voice of Ma Jin, filled with energy, echoed.
The well-crafted door made of fine wood shook violently.
In an instant, he felt the atmosphere boiling.
It was the call of Ma Gwang-ik.
It was a signal of an ambush.
He immediately grabbed the Yihwang Sword.
The sunlight that brushed against the black sword and scabbard shimmered threateningly.
As he stepped out of the room, Jeong Yeon-shin was already on high alert.
The seniors were gathered in the courtyard.
Hyeon Won-chang also rushed in a hurry.
Before Ma Jin could explain the situation, Hyeon Won-chang, who was running, caught the ambush aimed at him with his own head.
A smooth smile appeared on his face.
"This is interesting."
Hyeon Won-chang, who shattered the long spear with one hand, laughed.
"This time will be different."
He muttered as he glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin.
Ma Jin, who lightly patted Hyeon Won-chang's shoulder, spoke as if chewing his words.
"A firecracker exploded at the southern gate. They are completely insane. The formation must have been smashed to pieces."
"There’s no royal family or anything."
"There were rumors, but did the Demon Sect really go mad and create this? What just exploded was a leak."
Baek Mi-ryeo and Cheongmyeong each added a comment.
Before long, they were watching the disciples of the Blood Flame Sect, who had broken through the back door and were approaching softly.
The number of Blood Demon Sword and Blood Flame Sect disciples was enormous.
It looked to be at least two hundred.
"No way."
The graceful steps of the Seven Sages strangely drew everyone's attention.
She slowly moved her lips.
"The Demon Sect is supposedly a righteous sect."
Her smile was enchanting.
The smile was red.
Ma Jin stepped forward.
"You are sowing distrust. You, woman. You don't need to exert yourself. The Yihwang Province is watching all the sects in the world. It has always been that way."
"The various martial arts and noble families of the world, the Yihwang Province. It is hypocrisy that does not let go of the world."
"The woman of the demonic sect has a long tongue."
"The blood of our sect will wash the world, so even in death, I will see the blood world."
Were all the words and actions of those immersed in the demonic sect like this? Jeong Yeon-shin thought alone.
The Seven Sages, with a smile on their faces, arrogantly pointed their chins.
At the same time, the unique aura of the Blood Flame Sect surged like military might.
The battle was about to begin.
Boom! The solidified energy wave scraped the dirt ground.
Ma Jin clashed with the Seven Sages.
The masters of the Yicheon Sword Clan jumped in, mixing with the monks of the Shaolin Temple and Ma Gwang-ik against the Blood Flame Sect disciples.
Jeong Yeon-shin focused on two high-level masters from the very start.
The momentum of the enemies, who had caught them off guard with firecrackers, was fierce.
The waves of energy that surged through the air pricked his skin.
While Hyeon Won-chang blocked one of the Blood Demon Sword's blades, Baek Mi-ryeo passed by and struck the enemy's neck.
It was a life-and-death struggle.
The face-saving concerns of the martial world, which valued righteousness, were trivial in a group battle.
Thud! Jeong Yeon-shin severed the arm of a Blood Flame disciple.
Holding the Yihwang Sword in his hand, he moved through the surroundings like falling leaves.
Yet, he did not take his eyes off Ma Jin and the Seven Sages.
The scent of blood was thick in the occasional breeze. 'Over there.' Reinforcements had joined the Seven Sages.
The techniques of the three Blood Demon Swords surrounding her and Ma Jin were formidable.
The strikes that collided seemed to distract Ma Jin's nerves.
They were exceptional even among the demon swords.
"This is good."
Jeong Yeon-shin muttered softly.
He then slowly moved his steps.
At the same time, he lightly twisted his body here and there.
The weapons of the approaching Blood Flame disciples seemed to carry a sense of bewilderment.
The new technique was gradually approaching completion.
Before long, the martial arts that looked towards the blue sky were taking shape.
Step by step.
The closer he got, the more the aura of the Seven Sages stimulated his entire body.
Was it the voice of Dharma?
The thought of guiding the energy anew arose.
The storm-like malevolence was transporting Jeong Yeon-shin to another realm.
Bang! Crash! The clash of high-level masters swept through the surroundings.
Jeong Yeon-shin calmly stepped in.
Thanks to the Blood Demon Swords that were helping the Seven Sages, the energy waves were dissipated.
Ma Jin's eyes widened as he glanced at him, and the lips of the Seven Sages curled slightly upward.
"You don't know your place."
The long fingers of the Seven Sages held energy.
While sharing hands with Ma Jin, an immense density was felt.
Even while concentrating on the opponent, there was enough energy to casually strike with his left hand.
The three Blood Demon Swords were only attacking Ma Jin.
For Jeong Yeon-shin, it was rather a welcome situation.
The hands of the Seven Sages had already slowed down considerably.
The energy of the upper dantian, the Baihui point on the crown of his head, was glowing.
Jeong Yeon-shin's head felt heavy.
The techniques of So Sin-seung, the teachings of the Shaolin monks, and all the techniques he possessed intertwined and exploded like lightning.
The brilliance that arose in his mind shaped the technique of light, and in an instant, the inspiration that struck down wrote five characters.
Demon-Slaying Blue Steel Hand.
Jeong Yeon-shin immediately formed the technique and extended it.
A divine energy condensed in the energy wave.
It was a very faint blue light.
Thud! The casually extended hand of the Seven Sages was deflected.
It felt like he had unleashed the energy at its peak.
A storm-like wind gathered from all directions and dispersed.
Jeong Yeon-shin's hand, which moved straight ahead, felt a foreign sensation.
At the end of the straight energy wave, which contained a soft blue light, was her left eye.
Swish! "Aaaah!" It was said that when one mastered blood energy, the senses of the entire body would sharpen.
Was pain the same? The first Blood Demon Sword that Jeong Yeon-shin killed was like that.
When the sword pierced his abdomen, he could not regain his senses.
The Seven Sages, who covered one eye, seemed to be the same.
Blood seeped from the gaps in her white hands.
Her slender body trembled.
"You, you!" She could no longer handle Ma Jin.
With an overwhelming technique, she widened the distance.
It happened in an instant.
It was an opportunity.
Ma Jin swiftly cut down the three Blood Demon Swords, yet he too could not hide the shock that stained his face.
One by one, everyone began to look this way.
In the chaos of the battlefield, silence filled the arena.
"You spoke of blood world. Now you will only see half."
Jeong Yeon-shin said calmly as he shook his left hand once.
The blood that had splattered greatly still clung to the back of his hand.