Chapter 507: Chapter 507

At the moment when Haeil Kwoncheon, the Chief of Mansang Water Bandits, shattered the western wall with a single strike.

Hundreds of quills slashed through the air like swords.

Messenger birds darted back and forth between the long, neatly arranged desks without rest. Sable ferrets, ground weasels, and swallows bustled noisily, delivering messages all over the place.

Amidst the scattered flurry of variously colored fur, a faint but profound wave of internal energy shimmered mysteriously.

It was an energy wave born from the secret techniques of a prestigious family skilled in taming beasts into spiritual creatures.

Ipwang Fortress General Bureau.

The scribes wielded their writing tools like weapons.

They dipped their brushes into freshly ground ink, quickly transferred it onto paper, and, in a single breath, wrote down brief phrases before sealing the notes. Then, they attached them to the legs or bodies of the messenger creatures, whispering words akin to a Taoist incantation.

The swallows and other messenger beasts took off through the cracks in the open windows, over and over again.

Their movements were almost possessed.

All these scribes were scholars well-versed in both literary and martial disciplines.

They had chosen to join Ipwang Fortress instead of taking the imperial civil service exams under Emperor Gunreung. Today, they were known as the elite of the Shin Sword Corps, a group spanning seventeen generations.

Naturally, their skill was not limited to sharp brushstrokes alone. Each and every one of them possessed a voice strong and clear, amplified by their controlled internal energy.

“The situation in the west. Both the Dragon Stream Twin Kings under Haeil Kwoncheon’s command and the Mansang Water Bandits' forces have been completely wiped out. It appears the Water Bandit Chief has advanced south alone. Haeil Kwoncheon is moving independently.”

“The strike that destroyed the fortress wall was executed using a technique called Six Harmonies Morning Demon Thunder. Recent reports from the Myungryu Unit claim that this technique is rumored to be the strongest form in existence within the Yangtze River region.”

“It appears to be a fusion of the internal techniques of Mu Maek from the Imperial Navy and the martial arts of the Chaos Fist Demon, who ruled the Qinghai region 150 years ago.”

“We have analyzed the report similarly. # Nоvеlight # The technique comprises two strikes in a single breath—One Strike, Two Forms. The first strike completely shattered the fortress wall, while the energy waves of the second were deflected within the inner fortress using the Dispersing the Mountain and Beating the Ox method. Sunmok Lord and Yullyeong Captain successfully blocked it.”

“These commanding officers are currently meditating to recover their energy. Their location remains the same—Ipwang Fortress western section, Ma Gwang-ik’s training grounds.”

The voices of the frontline scribes rang out clearly and urgently.

Some spoke as if they were directly observing the battlefield, thanks to the secret method of the General Bureau—Moonlight Formation Law—and the enchanted artifacts spread throughout the fortress.

Within Ipwang Fortress, they possessed a second field of vision. Such a technique was, of course, impossible to master with ordinary intelligence alone.

At the center of all these reports sat a middle-aged man with a thick beard.

Despite his large, imposing physique, his hands held a surprisingly delicate brush.

With his eyes closed, the middle-aged man shook his head.

“That was a massive technique. Judging by the energy fluctuations, it will take about one sicheng to recharge. If that is long, it is too long. If it is short, it is too short.”

He took a deep breath.

The dust drifting in the air inside the General Bureau swirled chaotically. A powerful internal breathing technique.

This man was the Grand General Commander, Im Jin-myeong.

He had long since stopped actively using the all-seeing technique that allowed him to survey all ninety-nine towers of the fortress and the outer walls that surrounded them.

Instead, he took the time to regulate his breathing, using his subordinates to oversee the battlefield and make critical decisions from the fortress’s central command.

Which defensive formations to activate at which locations, how to deploy which martial units, and which high-ranking warriors from Wonpyeong First Sword Hall should be sent out or withdrawn.

Like distant thunder swallowed by dark clouds, deafening roars echoed in the distance. It was the sound of clashes between masters on the battlefield, erupting from three sides—east, west, and south.

The intensity of the clashes had grown louder as time passed, a testament to the escalating brutality of the ongoing battle.

This was the accumulated malice of the martial world.

With an expressionless face, Im Jin-myeong spoke.

“...Remember this well. The fortress does not wither and die. We must engage in rotating battles.”

This was a prolonged battle.

The defenders had to be meticulous in their deployment of forces.

Furthermore, in the chaotic times of Ipwang Fortress, there was no expectation of reinforcements. They had to calculate their warriors' stamina and internal energy consumption with precision.

“Continue reporting.”

At Im Jin-myeong’s command, his subordinates responded immediately.

“The vagabonds of Yeo Ryeong are swarming toward the breached fortress walls. Their numbers are endless!”

“The top fighters from the Ipwang Ma Family, Yu Family, and Un Family are countering them in the west. For now, they are evenly matched, focusing on defense.”

“According to the Ipwang Ma Family’s analysis, Haeil Kwoncheon’s breathing technique has weakened by approximately seventy percent. His stored energy is depleting. At present, there is no immediate risk of another Six Harmonies Morning Demon Thunder strike.”

“Bo Hyeol Captain is leading the charge!”

“Additional report! Yeo Ryeong’s Guardian Demon Lord has entered the battlefield! He just... handed an elixir to Haeil Kwoncheon? The vagabonds’ formation has shifted! They are now forming a protective stance!”

A tremor passed through the air in the command hall. Some of the scribes momentarily lost control of their breathing. Only a select few, including the Grand General Commander himself, remained composed.

Im Jin-myeong moved his lips, channeling his energy into his words.

—Myungjo, if there is no immediate opportunity, withdraw for now. Meditate and refine your realization within the inner fortress. Do not act recklessly.

Then, he spoke aloud.

“Activate all mechanism formations in that sector. Block Haeil Kwoncheon’s energy flow as much as possible, and order the high-ranking warriors from the subordinate clans of the fortress to regroup their formations....”

Im Jin-myeong abruptly stopped speaking and opened his eyes.

Several scribes were looking at him.

A woman among them, her long hair tied in a loose bundle, clad in a casually worn blue scholar’s robe, parted her lips.

“Shall we send a message underground?”

“The time has come. Even the eastern sector of the fortress is obscured in fog within our all-seeing sight. We have deployed so many forces there, yet there is no word. Even the Lord Ma who headed there moments ago has not sent a single swallow. Something must have happened....”

“If not, then we should immediately summon the scattered Shin Sword Corps from across the land. If they are here, we may be able to hold out until Lord Jeong returns.”

Im Jin-myeong shook his head firmly.

“The Elder Council Chief has already pleaded with them to remain where they are in response to Lord Yong’s call to arms. Even if the fortress is annihilated, they must preserve their lineage and protect the common people. The Elder Council Chief’s command outweighs that of the Grand General Commander. Until another Shin Sword Corps leader arises, there will be no return.”

The subordinate fell silent.

Soon, another scribe delivered a new report.

“Captain Cheonrim has sent a message requesting deployment.”

It was the signature technique of the Grand General Commander, a voice transmission that covered the entire fortress. Im Jin-myeong’s words struck directly like a bolt of lightning upon Cheonrim Hall’s pavilion.

After issuing this direct command, Im Jin-myeong spoke indifferently.

“There is no need to check further. He cannot deploy in his current condition. Captain Cheonrim will continue to focus on inner fortress defense. The Yeo Ryeong pests have already infiltrated deep into the fortress.”

At that moment, Im Jin-myeong’s voice seeped into the silence, just like Mong In-wol’s martial arts, which were silently swallowing the eastern part of the fortress.

No one stopped writing or channeling their internal energy, yet the weight of the martial world was descending upon Ipwang Fortress.

It was damp and ominous, like an invisible fog, and strangely heavy.

They knew what kind of movements were already happening outside Yangyang, how those who had learned martial arts and lived through these chaotic times were each maneuvering to secure their own survival.

They also knew how many sects, besides the Thirteen Heavens, were rushing toward Ipwang Fortress, sensing an opportunity at this very moment—how many of those jackals were on their way and when they would arrive.

Since the founding of the nation—

The massive dam that had held back an impossibly large river for countless years had finally cracked.

The martial world and Ipwang Fortress—paradoxically, due to the famine, the swollen rivers and lakes were now overflowing beyond their banks.

“Report on the main gate!”

Suddenly, with someone’s urgent cry, the air inside the command hall trembled.

“Mu-ryong Sect Leader Hyeok Ryeon Pungwol spotted approaching from the south! A fog is forming farther away—military forces from Green Forest!”

“Evil Guards Oversee the World! A cavalry charge! Heading straight for the main gate of the inner fortress...!”

“The Yeo Ryeong vagabonds and warriors of Mu-ryong Sect are scaling the fortress walls at an accelerated rate. It seems there was a pre-arranged agreement!”

“It appears the technique was activated from twenty li away! Immediate! It is an immediate threat!”

“On the walls, we have Blue Sky Unit and Cheonrim Unit. Inside the southern inner fortress, the Iron Clan warriors are on standby. Should we activate the mechanism formations?”

The voices of the General Bureau scribes grew louder.

The long rows of desks in the hall trembled.

It was due to the energy fluctuations caused by each individual standing up at once—something that had not happened since Ma Woong of the Ipwang Ma Family first announced the battle’s beginning. Even Im Jin-myeong’s facial muscles twitched slightly in response.

“What about the Divine Spear?”

He asked. A subordinate immediately answered.

“He remains alone at the main gate.”

“What about Namgung Hwa-shin?”

“His injuries are still severe...”

“Activate the Whole Sight.”

Im Jin-myeong muttered, and in that instant, a deep green light flickered in his eyes.

From where he sat, he cast his vision across the entire expanse of Ipwang Fortress.

Unlike the other scribes who relied on secondary viewing techniques, his was a grand mastery on a completely different level.

A resonating hum of energy filled the air as his vision was drawn toward the fortress’s main gate.

In the next moment, his sight was engulfed in violet battle robes.

Simultaneously, all the scribes monitoring the main gate from the General Bureau beheld the exact same scene.

Each of them absorbed the details as if they were experiencing them firsthand.

For a brief moment, hushed murmurs of transcendence beyond form spread among them, but then their voices collectively lowered.

“Manifestation of violet within the fortress.”

“Seomye Jeong Yeon-shin.”

“We await the Grand General Commander’s orders.”

“We propose a full revision of strategy. We can afford to withdraw four combat divisions from the main gate and redistribute them to the flanks...”

Yangyang and Ipwang Fortress, both burning under the merciless sun, their heat intensified by the reflection of countless blades.

When the sun sets, the land cools.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

They accepted this natural truth and began calculating the advantages it would bring.

Anyone who resided within the fortress, near the presence of the violet-clad warrior, naturally possessed the clarity of a still water surface.

And so, the General Bureau became even calmer.

The dust, which had previously swirled in chaotic patterns, now drifted in elongated streaks, settling slowly yet ceaselessly, like the crisp winter air sinking into place.

The pale sunlight stood still, casting an unwavering glow.

Much like Jeong Yeon-shin’s figure, which had just come into Im Jin-myeong’s sight.

“...Cheonrim Unit to the west, Blue Sky Unit to the eastern gate. Mechanism formations will be activated on my command. The Iron Clan warriors will remain on standby.”

After a brief pause to regulate his internal energy, Im Jin-myeong slowly continued.

“But Seomye Jeong is still human. We cannot leave the main gate completely unmanned—”

Abruptly, his voice stopped.

It is said that the movements of supreme martial artists occur in an instant.

Unless they belong to a celestial school, such assumptions usually hold true.

Naturally, it took only a brief moment for the General Bureau scribes’ stunned murmurs to fall one after another.

“Evil Guards Oversee the World, neutralized. No damage to the fortress.”

“The cavalry force has been annihilated.”

“Four hundred seventy-eight enemies attempted to bypass Jeong Yeon-shin and scale the walls. Their ranks consisted of vagabonds, a small number of Yeo Ryeong warriors, and Mu-ryong Sect combatants.”

For the first time, a scribe mumbled, madness, under his breath, only to swiftly close his lips as if it had never happened.

“One survivor... Mu-ryong Sect’s First Guardian. However, he has lost his left hand and sustained a deep injury to his left abdominal muscles. He is, for all intents and purposes, finished.”

“Updating the current standoff. Seomye Jeong Yeon-shin, Divine Spear, Lord of Boundless Combat.

And opposing them: The Green Forest Chief, two supreme martial artists, and Mu-ryong Sect Leader Hyeok Ryeon Pungwol.”

Im Jin-myeong, who had been listening in silence, rose from his seat and spoke.

“Withdraw forces from the main gate. Scholar Chae, retrieve the Thunder Immortal Wine from the inner chambers.”

The woman who had earlier suggested contacting the underground quickly stood up and asked,

“For Jeong Yeon-shin?”

“Yes, for Jeong Yeon-shin.”

Im Jin-myeong confirmed.

Eastern Edge of Ipwang Fortress.

Shinchum Wing Pavilion of the Shin Sword Corps.

A woman, draped in a sleeveless ragged cloak, swayed her arms as she walked.

Her movements resembled those of a drunken vagrant struggling to maintain balance, her long, disheveled hair glistening with an oily sheen as it swayed with each step.

A beggar was leading a group of dozens, wandering through the grand pavilions as if they were her own home.

Aside from their leader, the rest of the group wore extravagantly colored silk garments, each with a small gourd hanging from their waists, exuding a faint aroma of liquor.

Among the pristine white marble structures of the Shinchun Wing Pavilion, the only thing out of place was the beggar at the front.

A young man with strikingly dark hair tied in a long braid behind his back suddenly spoke. A small mole near one of his eyes lent him a languid appearance, but his voice was sharp and clear.

“We’re almost there. Can’t you walk a little faster?”

“Don’t talk to me. I’m exhausted.”

The young man’s expression crumpled instantly.

“Well, of course, you’re exhausted. You’ve been running wild in Ipwang Fortress, of all places! Keep circulating your internal energy, Master. If things go south, Im Jin-myeong, the Demon Brush of Heaven’s Measure, might just sketch our faces onto a wanted scroll. Then we’ll never be able to set foot anywhere again.”

“You’re supposed to be a high master of the Thirteen Heavens, and yet you’re worried about something like that?”

“Well, when you took me in, we were still just the Beggar’s Sect!”

“Don’t worry. I already taught you the Distorted Stick Technique. Just rough up your face a little and act like a beggar. A wanted poster won’t mean anything—you’ll just blend in with the rest.”

“Are you kidding me—!”

Just as the young man stomped his foot, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

It was the burly man walking behind them, silently restraining him.

“This is an era of unprecedented chaos. Wanted posters from the authorities have lost their power long ago.

Even if Ipwang Fortress bears the color of violet... those who wield its power are simply lone martial artists—strong beyond measure, yes, but lacking the ability to mobilize reinforcements from other sects.

We simply need to reach the Fortress Lord’s quarters.”

No one argued with his words.

Only the irregular sounds of their footsteps echoed as they strode forward.

Despite crossing diagonally through the Shinchun Wing Pavilion in broad daylight, none of them made any effort to hide their presence.

Because at some point, no one dared to approach them.

The sight unfolding around them—

Warriors bearing the emblem of the character Hwang sprawled motionless across the ground.

They looked as if their blood flow had been sealed, paralyzed where they stood.

Their numbers exceeded a hundred, and many of them weren’t simply unconscious but had been slain, now wandering the dreams of the Three Paths River.

This was the inevitable fate of those who encountered Mong In-wol’s master.

The beggar woman slowly parted her lips.

“That bastard’s going to come again, isn’t he?”

“Lord Ma? Of course. For a eunuch, he sure was overflowing with vitality. That monster delayed us so much. Popping up here and there out of nowhere.”

“If I undo this seal, I could deal with him easily.”

As she tapped her foot lightly against the ground, the skies over the entire eastern region of Ipwang Fortress shimmered in translucent waves.

A domineering, earth-shaking energy.

At that moment, she was no mere beggar—she was an absolute force, treating Ipwang Fortress as though it were no more than a space beneath a small bridge.

The young man flinched and waved his hands frantically.

“Don’t! Don’t do that! I swear I’m going to get expelled someday and make a name for myself!”

The burly man walking behind him muttered under his breath.

Mong In-wol’s master bumped into someone.

She let out a dull, confused sound.

She slowly wiped the smudge of soot from her face and raised her head.

Still looking half-dreaming, her dazed expression barely changed.

Standing before her was a young man dressed in shimmering gold.

His entire being, from his garments to his melted-gold-like hair, radiated with a golden hue.

His head was bowed deeply, his breath emerging in rhythmic snores.

He was asleep, standing upright.