"Crazy bastard!" "Kill him!" The men nearby were his companions.
Their faces were filled with rage as they charged forward, but the boy stood still, his sword embedded in the ground.
He only focused on the leader of the Sword Sect. 'Whether I die now or later.' This was the day he realized the shocking truth of his limited time left to live.
One of the pillars that held his sanity had completely shattered.
It seemed he would never return.
"Stop."
A deep voice echoed from the bottom of the cave.
The voice of the Sword Sect leader carried the same weight as his presence.
The advancing men halted in their tracks.
"Your spirit."
The Sword Sect leader gazed at the boy.
With eyes as deep as an abyss, he stared, and Jeong Yeon-shin met his gaze, pushing out his chest as if to show his resolve.
"Better than all of this manor combined."
The warriors of the Sword Sect visibly wavered.
It was clear that it was rare for that man to praise someone.
"Just kill him and silence him! Even if it’s the Ruined City, you cannot let the bloodied man escape!" The man who spoke seemed to be a companion of the woman who had died.
His bright red hair was roughly cut, and he wore the same blood-red uniform.
He appeared to be a warrior from the Blood Flame Sect who had come with the Sword Sect. 'I hope they remain unaware of the lack of communication.' In that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin felt the terror of the Thirteen Heavens.
The sudden ambush had been executed with all factors considered.
This was how the hands of the world worked.
The son of a trivial place like Jeonggajang had ties to the Ruined City.
"Commander!" Jeong Yeon-shin shouted loudly.
The man who had been lying in the distance, wedged in the doorway, flinched.
He had been pretending to be dead.
"Yes, yes, young master."
The commander, who stood up unsteadily, was not an ordinary man either.
Jeong Yeon-shin opened his mouth again.
"I said I would complete the information network that spans the New Night. They arrogantly attempted to slaughter the manor with just a dozen men without even forming a siege. Could it be that Jeonggajang's ears and mouth cannot reach Yangyang?" "No, Yangyang... Yangyang is close."
Yangyang, located at the northern end of Ho-gwang, was a border city of Namyang, where the New Night County belonged.
No matter how vast the Central Plains were, this distance was close enough.
If a skilled informant set out with determination, they could reach it without major incidents.
'Perhaps they are indeed seeking help from the Ruined City.' It was uncertain whether the family had considered Jeong Yeon-shin's maternal family when deciding how to act in a crisis.
However, no matter how powerful the Sword Sect was, they would not be able to penetrate the family matters of Jeonggajang beyond blood relations.
"If you cannot kill me," Jeong Yeon-shin tightened his grip on the sword.
"Do not make any more moves."
The sword was drawn from the back of the dead man.
A long stream of blood covered the manor in silence.
A boy who seemed to be around fifteen had dominated the presence of the leader of the great faction and his subordinates.
The Blood Flame Sect had used evil.
"After all, you have earned my enmity! It’s obvious you will speak, so how can you not kill me?" The words were directed at Jeong Yeon-shin, but it seemed like a defense against the Sword Sect leader.
This moment was crucial.
The atmosphere had shifted, as if the strong and the weak had swapped places.
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke sharply.
"Fool. Even if the Ruined City is the strongest in the martial world, do you think they would directly confront the Thirteen Heavens? To avenge a single grandson of the former leader? Do you think that makes sense?" If he were the grandson of the Ruined City lord, it might be possible.
The Ruined City lord, recognized by the emperor as equal to a king, was the protector of the great 'Heavenly Tree,' which stored fruits said to grant immortality.
However, Jeong Yeon-shin was not a blood relative of the Ruined City lord.
If he were, the family of Jeonggajang would not have been swayed by superstitions regarding how Jeong Yeon-shin was born.
"Is he really the grandson of the former Sword Sect leader of the Ruined City?" The warrior of the Jeongnam faction, who had been observing Yeon-shin's condition, muttered.
A boy with a retired leader of the Ruined City as his maternal grandfather.
His status made it hard to predict the aftermath of killing him, which was more dangerous than the consequences of leaving him alive.
The Thirteen Heavens were names that claimed dominance across the world.
However, harming the grandson of a Ruined City elder was a different matter altogether.
It was as burdensome as taking hostages from the family of the royal academy in the capital.
"The noble families of the imperial family established the Imperial Martial Sect to prevent rebellion in the martial world. It is indeed a troublesome matter."
The Sword Sect leader spoke.
"But my reason for sparing you does not stem from that."
"Leader!" Boom! The head of the Blood Flame Sect exploded.
He had not even felt the release before the formless sword energy erupted.
"Blood Flame Sect. I told you to stop."
The Sword Sect leader said to the corpse.
The remaining warrior of the Blood Flame Sect trembled, but the leader's dark eyes turned back to Jeong Yeon-shin.
"I like you. Your talent and spirit. You are a vessel that can reach the world as a martial artist. If it weren’t for your ties to the Ruined City, I would have taken you as my disciple."
"Huh!" "That Sword Sect leader..."
Gasps of astonishment erupted from all around.
Not only his subordinates but even the masters of the Jeongnam faction could not hide their surprise.
The Sword Sect leader continued without concern.
"If it’s a martial competition, I will gladly accept. Come to avenge your enemies." "..."
Jeong Yeon-shin sheathed his sword.
He turned his back and walked towards the faintly breathing family members.
The Sword Sect leader, looking at the boy with a strange expression, turned to the warriors of the Jeongnam faction.
"This land. I will not allow another sect to establish itself here. You have one day."
He looked at Yeon-shin, whose expression was twisted.
"Leave."
"Young master."
"Commander."
There was no time to share a reunion with the approaching commander.
Gathering the corpses could wait.
Even if there were physicians, none could compare to the divine skills of Hua Tuo, and all he could do for those in serious condition was to send them off peacefully.
He saw his eldest brother, Jeong Nam-san, and his sister-in-law.
They were corpses.
Carefully pushing them aside, he stomped hard on the floor where his brother and sister-in-law lay.
Clunk.
The underground opened.
It was the secret room where the brothers had sneaked in and giggled when they were very young.
Indeed, there was a five-year-old girl curled up with her eyes closed.
She had been bloodied.
The vital energy in her hand had pressed on the sleep point at the back of her neck, forcing her into slumber.
"Hye-ah."
Jeong Yeon-shin carried his niece out of the room.
The young man who had been talking with the commander turned his head.
Jeong Jung-san, the second son of the Jeong family, who was designated as the successor of the Jeongnam faction.
When their eyes met, he averted his gaze, as if he had been hiding somewhere.
Approaching silently, he handed Hye-ah over to him.
"I will raise her in Jeongnam. No matter what it takes."
"You, you?" "I will be busy taking care of myself."
Jeong Yeon-shin said firmly.
"You want to raise her in Jeongnam? That’s impossible..."
Unlike before, he could not even meet his gaze and seemed flustered.
It appeared he had been hiding close to the main house, watching his half-brother fight.
What a pitiful man.
Only then did Jeong Yeon-shin wipe the bloodstains from his cheek with the back of his hand.
"Don't you know about the Jeong family? Children raised as disciples from the age of five or six become the main force of the sect. Do whatever it takes. Hye-ah's talent is better than yours, so they will accept her."
"Y-yeah."
Jeong Jung-san, biting his lip, lowered his gaze to his niece.
Jeong Yeon-shin observed him for a moment, but fortunately, he seemed to feel more responsibility than humiliation.
At that moment, the masters of the Jeongnam faction approached.
As always, Yeon-shin was at the forefront, followed half a step behind by the warriors Dan-ae-gum and Mu-ryeong-kwon.
Despite their pale faces and bloodstains, they helped with the recovery.
They were indeed righteous warriors.
"Young hero."
The title had changed.
Just yesterday, they had only referred to him as the head of the family.
Yeon-shin's expression was complicated.
Apart from the reproach directed at herself, there was also admiration for Jeong Yeon-shin, as if she were facing an extraordinary talent.
"Are you going to the Ruined City?" "I guess I must. There is nowhere else to rely on and grow stronger."
"The path does not lie solely in Yangyang." "…?" "How about climbing Jeongnam Mountain together? I respectfully suggest it."
"Huh!" Only the commander and Jeong Jung-san were surprised.
Dan-ae-gum and Mu-ryeong-kwon, who stood behind her, looked at Jeong Yeon-shin with expressions that suggested it was a natural suggestion.
Their faces were filled with greed for talent.
It meant that the head of the sect was personally recommending an extraordinary young swordsman.
"The head of the sect of the Thirteen Factions... I truly do not know how to respond."
Contrary to his words, Jeong Yeon-shin's expression remained calm.
He had already decided on his destination.
Yeon-shin seemed to grow anxious and added, "I intend to recommend you as a disciple. If you are a young hero, you can do so." "…!" This time, everyone could not hide their astonishment.
Being the direct disciple of the head of the Jeongnam faction meant that he could learn the unparalleled divine skills.
Gaining the immense backing of the Thirteen Factions was needless to say.
Moreover, the current head of Jeongnam was someone who was always mentioned among the top ten swordsmen in the world.
His powerful swordsmanship, which he enjoyed demonstrating, had been witnessed by many.
'The people of Shaanxi praise him as one of the top masters of the Central Plains!' The commander internally screamed.
He had to go.
No matter how large and powerful the Ruined City was, Jeong Yeon-shin was the grandson of a retired warrior.
While the upper limit might be uncertain, the lower limit could only be considered better as the direct disciple of Jeongnam.
This was the unique way of thinking of Jeonggajang, which valued the head of a snake over the tail of a dragon. 'Young master! Please!' His silent cries did not reach Jeong Yeon-shin.
The boy took the offer.
"I will not forget the suggestion of the senior."
A polite refusal.
A look of resignation washed over Yeon-shin's elegant face.
It was as if she had quickly given up, as if she had anticipated this.
"The young hero is confident. You believe you can rise from the Ruined City." "…" "I coveted that vessel. The Sword Sect leader must have felt the same."
"I apologize."
"No need. Just know that the door of Jeongnam is always open."
Jeong Yeon-shin, gazing at Yeon-shin, spoke.
"I believe the head of the sect is among the older noble families. Do you perhaps know a way to obtain the fruit of the Heavenly Tree?" "The fruit of the Heavenly Tree! Then you are indeed...!" Yeon-shin's expression changed as if she realized something, and then she spoke with a tone of regret.
"I have not even lived half of my allotted lifespan. I have no authority over the Heavenly Tree. Only the lord of the Ruined City can transfer that to another."
"Then I must indeed go to the Ruined City."
"It is not an easy task. That is a sacred object even among our noble families."
"I have no other choice. I can only try to achieve great merit by becoming the Sword Sect leader."
"I will support you from afar."
Yeon-shin offered a handshake.
Her righteous character would likely remain in Jeong Yeon-shin's memory for a long time.
"Then."
The courtesy exchanged between the two was a farewell.
Jeongnam Mountain in Shaanxi and Yangyang were completely different paths, and she wanted to leave quickly to convey the news to the sect, even if it was just by herself.
This was due to the fact that Dan-ae-gum and Mu-ryeong-kwon's achievements in lightness skill were lacking compared to the head of the sect.
Jeong Jung-san decided to leave with the remaining two the next day.
For now, they had to witness the end.
The head of the family was still alive.
He was on the verge of closing his eyes.
"I am the third."
Kneeling on one knee, he supported his neck.
Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes trembled slightly.
The sword mark engraved on the abdomen of the merciless head of the family was at an irreversible level.
If it was going to end like this, he should have treated him better.
"Why are you so, why are you so strong? How could you..."
His lips trembled as if he had lost all strength.
Jeong Yeon-shin knew there was no time left.
It was a feeling close to foresight.
The head of the family, Jeong Dae-myung, would soon die after saying just a few words.
"What I have cultivated is called Jeongga Donggong."
Instead of expressing resentment or sorrow, he spoke of his own pride.
How the head of the family received it was his own business.
Jeong Yeon-shin, who had long been tired of his family, decided to leave it to the head of the family, whether it became a gift or an act of filial piety.
"Jeongga Donggong. I see."
The head of the family opened his trembling lips.
"The divine skill created by the Jeong family. This foolish and ignorant... Jeong Dae-myung, my son, has created a divine skill founded by my third son, Jeong." "…" The boy listened silently.
The father spoke his last words.
"You have... the qualities of a great master..."