Chapter 530: Chapter 530

And the martial arts of the Wudang Sect Leader—unshaken in prestige for decades, rivaling even the Master of the Divine Sword Corps.

Before facing Master Jade Veil, Jeong Yeon-shin envisioned a sword style grounded in Softness Overcomes Hardness.

A form that gently suppresses any overwhelming force. That was the reputation of Wudang’s discipline across the martial world.

But when he experienced it firsthand, he realized it was nothing like that.

Master Jade Veil’s Song Gate Ancient Sword crushed him with pure, overwhelming power.

A mere wave of his hand, as if lazily brushing aside branches, drew in the surrounding natural energy. That force twisted into a curved path, coiling around Jeong Yeon-shin’s protective qi and shattering it completely.

It was like standing against a sentient typhoon.

Lightning Thundershock Form was rendered powerless.

Even the eighth-layer attack burst apart at the surface. He couldn’t even reach Tenfold Strike.

Hwan-gang’s stepping energy was scattered every time, as if swept away like stray gusts of wind filling the gaps of that fearsome power. It kept happening—so incredible it bordered on impossible.

And yet, Jeong Yeon-shin knew that Master Jade Veil’s martial prowess should be inferior to that of Abbot Beomheo.

Have I fallen into deviation too?

He wondered if the flaw lay in the most vital element—his technique’s precision. If not that, then what else could it be?

Three days passed like flowing water.

That time led him to a place called Luminous Cliff.

True to its name, it soared so high it seemed a gateway to the immortal realm.

Deep within Wudang’s mountainous heart.

Stone dust drifted down like smoke.

Below, a sea of brilliant white clouds silently swallowed the falling particles.

Mount Wudang, which had echoed with thunderous roars, now fell eerily silent—as if it had never made a sound.

Master Jade Veil stood, gazing quietly at Jeong Yeon-shin, who lay half-buried in the cliffside. His brow furrowed so deeply it made his raised eyebrows look sharp.

Was that the expression of Wudang’s exalted Sect Leader, stunned into disbelief? So different from the first time they met, when he had shown no emotion at all.

The aged Daoist took a step back through empty air.

His face now clearly visible in the sunlight.

The first thing noticeable was his sallow, lifeless skin.

Clearly, he had not eaten properly in a long time. His eyes, though gently curved like a benevolent elder’s, glinted with a chilling sharpness.

Even with ash-gray hair drooping weakly like that of a worn-out hermit from the wilds—

Sage of the Immortal Threshold. Master Jade Veil.

A being at the fringe of the Immortal Vein. His aura brought to mind a lone lion of noble bearing.

The Crescent Moon Dance of the Wandering Lady, Yulha Nangnang, was said to have taken its inspiration from his honorific title, Scarlet Master.

—Do you wish to continue?

He asked without moving his lips.

Jeong Yeon-shin forced his right arm free, embedded deeply in the rock face like a carving. The moment he pulled it out, a loud crack echoed, and a long fracture etched itself into the cliff wall.

Acting Master of the Divine Sword Corps.

His eyes were slightly unfocused, and a strange gleam of madness flickered across his face.

"I can go on for another one hundred and seventeen days."

Master Jade Veil let out a faint sound of admiration, then continued.

—You are mad in two different ways.

"Unwavering freedom. I swear I will chase away the last remnant haunting your soul, Master."

—Will you only come to your senses once you lose a limb? It is not I, but you who...

Suddenly, the Wudang Sect Leader’s gaze slowly shifted. Toward Jeong Yeon-shin’s left hand.

A cloth-wrapped bundle, untouched by even a speck of dust.

Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin had spent three days forcing himself not to lose sight of the mad Daoist’s gaze. Now, his eyes widened as they followed that gaze.

You’ve got one more hand.

A quiet murmur slipped from the Acting Master’s lips.

Even amid the clash, the box had remained safe.

He had kept it that way. As it should be. In an age where even the corpses of noblemen were stripped for vitality, the Ancient Sword of Wudang deserved to return to its rightful home.

Jeong Yeon-shin chuckled with quiet relief.

An unfamiliar sight. The mark of a proper madman. In contrast, Master Jade Veil’s expression visibly stiffened.

The roles had reversed.

Which of them had truly protected the Ancient Sword?

This time, it was spoken aloud.

"Why would you go so far..."

But Master Jade Veil didn’t finish his sentence. A haze of frost clouded his once-clearing eyes. His lips, now lined with wrinkles, tightened into a ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ stubborn, straight line.

His mind was wavering.

The symptoms of deviation. A descent into madness, no doubt.

Jeong Yeon-shin looked puzzled. Is he... Tae Yeom-ryong?

The Wudang Sect Leader clicked his tongue. Despite everything, he had subdued Jeong Yeon-shin.

—Every technique you used was a killing form. Whether it's because you recently crossed battlefields, or because that’s how you intend to fight from now on... it seems fate granted you a few miraculous encounters. But the Dao’s Three Celestial Forces will never favor you. Your power lies on a different path than those lofty arts.

"What do you mean, a different path?"

—Those who harbor hatred, those gripped by murderous intent and impatience... Buddhist power swells to quench such emotions. But Daoist strength is not water—it is wind. It will never remain with a heart that festers like a stagnant well.

The old Daoist took a step through the air. A sharp gust flared from his robe’s hem. Jeong Yeon-shin felt the threat to his life at once.

—That is why I have no interest in you...

"Then just take the cloth."

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

—Leave. Go back and take care of yourself. I wish to be bound by nothing. Not the sect, not disciples, not even brotherhood...

The voice of an aged man scattered like mist in the wind.

At that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes turned white as he activated Heaven-Seeking Method.

But Master Jade Veil’s form vanished like smoke in the wind. Gone in an instant.

A technique never before witnessed in the martial world. Clearly derived from the Lightness Technique of Jae Woon-jong. An evolution of movement that transcended stepping through air.

And one final message remained.

—Don’t. Look. For. Me.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Each word snapped like a brittle twig. Coarse. Rough. Like the cliffside Jeong Yeon-shin was still wedged into.

The Sword Lord of Defeat. The Master of the Divine Sword Corps.

Now the Sect Leader of Heavenly Extremes.

Am I really the least among the Five?

Though no one had seen it, and the conditions had been anything but normal, Jeong Yeon-shin felt heat rise all the way to his scalp.

He was old enough now. Yet no one else wielded the sword properly but him.

Even now, stone dust bounced off the bundle in his hand without a trace. A faint veil of internal energy protected it.

The Tang siblings had shielded the remains of Master Jade Sword.

From the very beginning, until now.

Day and night, without rest.

The Five Swords of the World.

A collective title for the supreme swordsmen of the vast Ming Empire—those who could be counted on one hand.

Masters whose swordsmanship could match military might. Any true ruler with power naturally kept their eyes fixed on them. The same applied to the Simmu-ryeon of the Thirteen Heavens.

At this very moment, a registry of names lay spread across a massive table.

Sage of the Immortal Threshold – Master Jade Veil.

Divine Sword Lord – Yong Hui-myeong.

Blade Tyrant – Dan Seong-eum.

Celestial Wanderer – Man Hwi.

Annihilator of the Wasteland – Jeong Yeon-shin.

The scroll, closer in form to a full-length report, still reeked of fresh ink. It hadn’t been long since it was completed.

A woman, catching a glimpse of the document, slowly parted her lips.

"Not a single one among them is someone you can reason with."

The tone was definitive.

Then she slouched lazily into the backrest.

Her golden martial robes were in complete disarray, and an enormous broadsword lay casually propped against her thigh. Yet no one in the room dared to comment on her demeanor.

So-ryeon Lord – Gun Yu-rin.

She acted as the leader of Simmu-ryeon in place of the main sect master, who had entered secluded cultivation.

The Grand Princess, whose arms had been torn off by the pink-skinned monster, had long since crossed the Threefold River.

As the united successor of Simmu-ryeon, Gun Yu-rin commanded the allegiance of a vast army of martial warriors, numbering in the thousands.

"The pressure from the Imperial Court on our sect is growing."

Resting her chin on the back of her hand, she muttered.

"Whether it’s the fault of the yokai beasts forcing the Court into a corner, or just the chaos becoming too much to handle, one way or another, it’s time for us to make a decision. I wonder how many of those five will make their way north... Whether it's their symbolic weight or sheer combat power—we could use either. If the northern front really is in shambles, we’d be pouring water into a broken jar."

This wasn't idle muttering. It was an indirect request for counsel. Her gaze shifted to the martial guest seated beside her.

Lightblade Sovereign – Geum Min.

Reputed as the most beautiful in all of Simmu-ryeon. Her hair was both sleek and wild, with the hilt of a broadsword rising from her back. Her intelligent eyes were lost in thought.

She had once been a composed and upright martial artist, but after witnessing a monstrous being slay the Grand Princess and vanish, something in her changed.

She began cultivating a blade aura as fierce and violent as wildfire—only to fall into deviation.

"The one with the highest likelihood..."

The Lightblade Sovereign finally spoke.

"...is Annihilator of the Wasteland. There was an imperial edict forbidding him from heading north, but precisely for that reason, he’s more likely to defy it. Due to both his nature and his past ties with the former Emperor Gunreung."

She herself had briefly traveled alongside Jeong Yeon-shin.

"Still, the northern martial world is absurdly vast. One sword alone won’t be enough. The only top-tier masters who confronted Won Yeong-shin were Master Jade Sword and the leader of Tenfold Gate."

Her questions continued.

"So aside from that remarkable one—what about the others?"

The Lightblade Sovereign answered with her usual bluntness.

"The Blade Lord is said to be secluding himself in Shaanxi. There are rumors he crossed paths with the Head of Mount Hua, and that the entire Yeonhwa Peak vanished in that meeting... In any case, he’s not someone who’ll help this nation. What can you expect from a former prince of the Dae-ri Kingdom?"

"And the Divine Sword Lord—Yong Hui-myeong—hasn’t been seen in quite some time. It’s practically certain he crossed over to the realm beyond the Gate, so he’s out of the equation."

Gun Yu-rin reached both hands behind her neck.

"Should we just claim all the remaining elite soldiers for ourselves? There's no point discussing the others. Wudang and Heavenly Extremes?"

Her casual tone and disregard for honorifics made it clear—she had fully embraced her new status as a regional warlord.

"Even the whereabouts of the Sword Saint Hyeon So-baek are unknown... Meaning, none of the Five Swords remain in Central Plains to serve as a pillar of morale. Any of our forces that reach the northern front will be slaughtered. So honestly—"

She tilted her head back and whispered calmly to her master, the Lightblade Sovereign.

"Wouldn’t it be better to use this chaos to found our own little dynasty? Who’s going to stop us? The imperial court is crumbling, and Ipwang Fortress is in ruins."

"The Dae-ri Kingdom tried that and was wiped out by the Lord of Ipwang Fortress."

"Different case. The Dae-ri royals allied with the yokai."

"Nation-building is not a light matter. It's utter nonsense."

At the Lightblade Sovereign’s firm dismissal, Gun Yu-rin smirked and raised one corner of her lip.

"I don’t know... I’m a little suspicious. Maybe the Lord of Ipwang Fortress has limits—on distance, on time. After that famine, he’s interfered in fewer and fewer events. Barely involved at all."

"Anyway, we absolutely cannot afford to go blind. Send our men out—watch every direction. I was taught that in times like these, countless events erupt all at once. Especially concerning those five."

Her finger ran across the list of the Five Swords. The rasp of calloused skin brushing paper filled the quiet chamber.

"They carry too much weight in both fame and strength. Each name is directly tied to the state of the world. If they ever met without interference from the Imperial Court or our sect..."

Her sentence trailed off.

Because someone had burst into the room unannounced. Their footsteps were frantic.

It was one of the scribes, responsible for collecting and summarizing all intelligence reports from Simmu-ryeon’s sprawling networks across the land.

As soon as Gun Yu-rin accepted the message, she flinched. It was a scroll—so long it could only have come from a warfront.

Each page was filled with tight, martial-script calligraphy.

—Shaanxi. The scholar's academy Geunhwa Study Hall collapsed under the palm technique of Jeong Hye of Jongcheon. The spiral-shaped imprint matches the pattern of Seomye’s martial style, Hwan-gang. Local martial artists seen attempting to decipher her technique’s mantras.

—Shaanxi. Wei Ji-myo-hwa, the Sword Dragon of the Clouds, slaughtered over a hundred martial artists targeting Jeong Hye. Believed to be at the realm of Tri-Flame Purification, though confirmation is needed.

—Shaanxi. Yu Hyeon, the Hidden Dragon of Mount Hua, inherits the sect’s secret sword decree.

—Shaanxi. The Blade Lord is moving southeast.

—Jiangxi. Rumors say the true body of the World Tree is shifting.

—Huguang. The Lord of Ipwang Fortress remains absent.

—Huguang. Jin Myeong-jo, the Crimson Blood Demon, now leads the Divine Sword Corps. Aksurim of Ipwang Shin-chang is missing.

—Huguang. Half of Mount Wudang’s peak has collapsed. Ongoing landslides. Sightings confirm contact between the Wudang Sect Leader, the Acting Master of the Divine Sword Corps, and the Sect Leader of Heavenly Extremes.

—Zhejiang. Aside from Heavenly Extremes, all sects in Hangzhou—including Great Heaven Gate—have been annihilated.

—Beijing. Yeouicheon Lord Bukgung Ah and Celestial Dragon Commander Wei Ji-geuk, under the Divine Sword Corps, are being transported to the Forbidden City as traitors.

—Beyond the border. Northern Ice Palace. Ice Palace Lord is with child.

—Beyond the border. Northern Ice Palace. Tae Yeom-ryong Ma Gwang-ik receives Ming Cult Leader So Cheonmujuk as the Ice Palace Lord’s First Consort.

—Beyond the border. Northern Ice Palace. Former Lord of the Hwangbo Clan and the Ming Cult’s Grand Advisor engaged in an unplanned duel. Rumored to have ended in a draw.

—Northern Great Wall. A Battlefiend has appeared.