* * *
The rice fields were dying plains.
Boom!
Amidst the dazzling sunlight cast upon the pure white snow, crimson and ashen radiances clashed and scattered in a faint, repetitive cycle.
The ground was overturned continuously within the fragments of shattered sword energy.
They were supreme masters who extended their movements greatly. As soon as they were flung dozens of feet back by the recoil, they immediately collided again in an unending cycle.
It was a sight where the palm shadows of Blood Phantom Rakshasa Hand mixed with the Eight Illusion Divine Arts' Sword-Controlled Energy Attack. The trajectories of hands and swords entangled in a chaotic weave.
Crackle—!
Sparks flew off the black eyepatch of the Seventh Apostle, embroidered with golden threads.
It was right after her pale hand grasped the entire sword blade.
The surging sword energy stormed like a relentless gale, throwing her hair back. The divine sword, captured within her grasp, was slowly being pushed toward her chest.
"I heard that the Blood Flame Cult's leader distorted the Buddha's teachings into something grotesque. Your palm technique is no different."
The master of the sword spoke from beyond the hilt.
Her limbs were long, exuding the unmistakable presence of a noble swordswoman.
The hem of her ashen robe extended to her feet, while her short, silvery-gray hair stood out starkly.
A beauty whose face seemed untouched by time, yet her fierce impression made her features feel detached from the surrounding landscape.
She coldly regarded the Seventh Apostle's left hand.
Unlike the other hand, which had blocked the sword, it bore no trace of internal energy.
Yet Eternal Heaven Sword Demon, Baek Seo-gun, even while controlling her Sword-Controlled Energy Attack, remained wary of the Blood Flame Cult's Apostle's next move. The unpredictable nature of demonic martial arts meant she had no idea what bizarre technique might emerge next.
Meanwhile, there was another reason for her words. As a Sword Demon of the Demonic Faction, she knew well the power of provocation.
"Blood Phantom Rakshasa Hand? For something claiming to be 'Rakshasa,' it lacks depth. Rather than a guardian deity of Buddhism, you are closer to a bloodthirsty fiend."
Rumble—
The sword vibrated violently. The force pressing forward and the strength holding it in place clashed fiercely. White snow whirled around their feet in endless swirls.
The Seventh Apostle smirked slightly.
"Your knowledge of the martial world is quite narrow, huh? True Blood Meridians don't absorb life force."
"Your blood demons are base creatures."
"That's why I'm breaking them. The annoying Shaanxi vermin are almost all dead. Next, I was thinking of heading to Henan. Or maybe Xinjiang."
"Madwoman."
"Wouldn't the real lunatic be you, Ajumma? Attacking out of nowhere like that. Do you not wish for a peaceful death?"
"The talk of a third-rate fighter has some flair."
"No, no, should I call you Grandma instead? How many decades apart are you from Desolate Divine Spear?"
"A brat with no manners. I see how you were raised. No wonder your martial arts lack refinement."
Screeeech—
The friction between metal surfaces intensified. The Seventh Apostle's grip tightened on the vibrating sword.
It was a supreme technique with limits to how long it could be blocked by sheer force and defensive energy. Blood trickled from her grasp, staining the blade.
"If anything happens to my Taesa while I'm here…"
Was it the pain? The Seventh Apostle's smile deepened, and the madness in her expression grew.
"If my Taesa, who hasn't even lived half your years, dies here… I will pour all the suffering in the world into your body."
Her mutterings were deranged. She whispered with a wicked tone.
"I'll pierce your blood pathways with needles and sever your meridians strand by strand. I'll make even the slightest muscle movement excruciating. Then comes Muscle-Tearing and Bone-Dislocation Technique, but before that, I'll turn you into a blood demon, bestowing you with the ability to regenerate. You will never be able to die."
The killing intent in her voice was thick enough to be suffocating. Even the erratic fluctuations of energy flickering near her lips carried sheer malice.
Yet, the glint in Baek Seo-gun's eyes remained as sharp as a pitch-black lightning bolt.
"Taesa?"
She merely furrowed her brows. At the same moment, her Sword-Controlled Energy Attack came to a halt.
"Are you referring to Lightning Genius?"
She had just witnessed the leader of one of the Eight Great Noble Clans engaging Jung Yeonshin in combat.
The urgency was immense. Misunderstandings and ulterior motives were irrelevant now.
The real problem was the time being wasted.
The more moves they exchanged, the clearer the conclusion became, it was better to disengage.
Communication escalated rapidly.
Baek Seo-gun brushed off the question.
"I am that child's… nanny."
"What?"
…And so,
It didn't take long for an odd companionship to form.
Riding her sword into the sky, Baek Seo-gun remained on high alert. The Seventh Apostle, dashing across the snow, kept pace beside her.
They both shot toward the Gongya Clan's domain in a straight line.
They reached their destination in a blink.
First, they confirmed the absence of any remaining clashes of internal energy.
Then, they saw that Zhuge Clan's formation had disappeared without a trace.
And soon after, they rose high into the air and gazed upon a headless corpse.
A corpse clad in pristine white silk, untouched by anyone's daring hands.
"…That Zhuge bastard is dead. How?"
"My Taesa must have done it, with a sensation as dazzling as a starry sky."
"It wasn't you."
Baek Seo-gun glanced sideways. The sword beneath her feet hummed as if restraining itself.
The Seventh Apostle was descending leisurely, her crimson Pure Blood Robe billowing as she spread her arms wide.
A faint prayer of ecstasy spilled from her lips.
She was drifting downward, her gaze locked on Lightning Genius, who stood in confrontation with a man seated in a sedan chair.
She resembled nothing more than a sinister bat, regardless of her exquisite features.
Desolate Fortress had many enemies.
If the Seventh Apostle truly intended to protect Lightning Genius, then leaving him alone was the right move. But he would have to be watched carefully.
For a fleeting moment, Baek Seo-gun's eyes darkened.
'For a long time.'
It might be a meaningless thread.
She was a Sword Demon of the Profound Martial Alliance. She could not follow Lightning Genius forever.
She had crushed the Young Lord of the Profound Martial Alliance before setting out on this journey. The longer her absence, the greater the Profound Martial Alliance's leader's fury would grow.
'How can I gain that child's recognition?'
She was no different from the Zhuge Clan's leader. She knew herself. A swordsman of the Demonic Faction, a master of the blade, twisted in disposition.
Her pride as Henan's Sword Sovereign would never allow her past to be rewritten.
Yet she desired the favor of someone even more aloof than Jung Ban-ak. She wanted to elevate her status beyond a mere relic of the past.
Fortunately, she could now stand before him. She had to conclude his travels swiftly.
* * *
Meanwhile, an incident of an entirely different magnitude was unfolding.
Among common folk, an official of the highest rank was not a mere visitor but akin to a divine descent.
To meet an Assistant Governor-General, who controlled military affairs, was akin to seeking an audience with the gods.
"An envoy from the Five Armies Assistant Governor-General's Office. The Assistant Governor-General himself is arriving."
Step.
Four swordsmen, clad in blue official robes, carried a sedan chair inside and stood before the utterly battered Desolate Fortress masters.
Among them were two men and two women, all of them formidable warriors.
Even as the Divine Sword Order's black-clad seniors exuded a terrifying aura, the officials stood tall with unwavering dignity.
"You must have already heard the decree."
Among the four, the man in blue robes, who appeared to be the leader, parted his lips.
"You must have been too busy focusing on your task."
"Huh?"
Watching the scene with disdain, Ak Surim shifted her weight onto one leg.
"It looks like our Lightning Genius' hand slipped. As you can see, we just fought a fierce battle. The opponent was none other than Zhuge Clan's leader, who had completed his spell formation. Isn't it already an extraordinary feat that he was defeated while still alive? The Eastern Depot and Embroidered Uniform Guard wouldn't even dream of such a thing."
Then, she subtly gestured toward the sedan chair.
Shaa—
A dry wind swept across the desolate battlefield.
Assistant Governor-General Kang Su-hwi was leaning against the backrest of his silver-decorated sedan.
He wore a black official's hat with a round brim. Over his official robes, he had layered a fur garment, adding a rugged touch to his otherwise dignified appearance. He was an exceptionally handsome man.
Perhaps a mix of Han and Ming blood, his somewhat sharp ears left a distinct impression.
He was the third most revered figure in the Five Armies General Command's Office, a top-rank official. Even generals of considerable fame were beneath him. His only direct superiors were the Left and Right Assistant Governor-Generals, both of first-rank.
"...."
He glanced sideways at Zhuge Clan's leader's face.
The sight of his severed head rolling on the ground held none of the transcendence of a supreme martial artist. It was difficult to believe even after seeing it with his own eyes.
It was a great pity.
Though Zhuge Cheonsang had been a madman among martial artists, he never touched the common folk. His intent was obvious.
It was to avoid turning both Desolate Fortress and the military into his enemies.
"I already knew he was a rare breed of bastard. Thanks to the intelligence from the Eastern Depot."
Yet, there had been a reason to welcome him to Shaanxi.
Using poison to fight poison. Though Desolate Fortress was strong, its influence didn't extend across all of the Central Plains. Thus, Zhuge Clan's leader had been used to suppress the plundering martial artists of Shaanxi, who possessed Protective Energy Techniques.
After all, martial artists were nothing more than bandits who undermined the dignity of government forces, even in times of peace.
His blood boiled with anger.
"How dare they."
He had given urgent orders to make an appearance the moment he sensed Zhuge Clan's leader's energy fading.
But by then, the sword had already been swung. Even the arrival of a figure as high-ranking as himself had been disregarded.
That was unacceptable.
Even if they were Desolate Fortress' masters, they could not be allowed to treat an Assistant Governor-General in this manner. They had to be judged in person.
Kang Su-hwi turned his head downward from the sedan.
"...."
His anger subsided.
At that moment, his eyes met those of an unusually noble-looking youth. Or rather, a swordsman poised somewhere between youth and adulthood.
Kang Su-hwi was not like provincial officials.
Being directly connected to the central government in Beijing, he was constantly updated with all manner of intelligence. His ability to gather information was unparalleled.
It went without saying that he had already familiarized himself with the features of the seventeen squad leaders of the Divine Sword Order, as well as their connections.
The personal records of Desolate Fortress' black-clad warriors were highly classified. This was to ensure their safety during operations.
Only imperial family and Eastern Depot intelligence agencies had access to such information, meaning that even understanding their social ties was no simple feat.
"Radiant Demon Squad's leader, Lightning Genius. The one favored by the Imperial Crown Prince."
A disciple of the Lord of Desolate Fortress, and the Crown Prince's sworn brother.
He had demoted Eunuch Myung-yeo without even lifting a hand.
He was said to be arrogant and ruthless. As soon as he ascended to black rank, he had decapitated a regional magistrate.
As it turned out, he was of the Bloodline of the Desolate Ma Clan. That explained everything.
'He's the grandson of the Tyrant Hero. The one who killed Zhuge Clan's leader, he will now be the closest to wearing purple.'
The purple rank of Desolate Fortress.
In government circles, this was an absolute authority, known as Yama. There was no one to replace him.
Since the supreme martial experts of the imperial family could not leave the Forbidden City, the reality was that he held a publicly acknowledged rank second only to the emperor.
Meanwhile, there were countless figures in Beijing eyeing the position of Assistant Governor-General.
'Years ago, the Tyrant Hero… crippled Grand Eunuch Sarye.'
After clashing with the head of all three intelligence agencies—Eastern Depot, Western Depot, and Grand Internal Bureau—he struck like lightning.
And yet, the entire incident was hushed up. Anyone who dared to speak of it was dragged away by the Eastern Depot. The emperor himself had permitted it.
From that moment on, the Tyrant Hero was recognized not only for his official authority but also as a Demon God. Kang Su-hwi had once caught a glimpse of Ma Yeonjeok's face. It had been terrifying.
This was a world where martial power reigned supreme.
To hold a top-rank military position, one had to be a supreme master who had unlocked three dantian points.
In an instant, his Five Elements Supreme Spirit Technique revolved through his upper dantian, allowing his mind to process the situation like a flash of lightning.
'According to reason, I should punish everyone here. The emperor despises flattery.'
An Assistant Governor-General was unquestionably superior to Desolate Fortress' black ranks.
In terms of real authority and rank, he stood among the lowest ten positions of the imperial hierarchy.
His pride, built over years of high-ranking service, would not allow him to bow.
He had lived for the people, and thus, had nothing to fear.
Kang Su-hwi gazed down at Radiant Demon Squad's leader, deliberating how to handle him.
As he stared, the face of the Tyrant Hero, whose ominous rumors had spread recently, flickered through his mind.
It was a moment of immense decision.
Then—
"I greet the Assistant Governor-General."
Jung Yeonshin calmly performed a Baoquan salute. He held his sword in a reversed grip, having just finished an intense battle.
The lingering exhilaration prevented him from properly composing himself.
Kang Su-hwi's shoulders twitched slightly, his aura unwavering.
The gathered noble clansmen whispered among themselves.
"Isn't he the greatest prodigy of the past century? I doubt even the Ming Cult's Young Lord has reached this level. It's as if Nezha, the War God, has descended, wreathed in lotus flames. If he truly killed Zhuge Clan's leader, then no title would be an exaggeration."
"Lotus Nezha?"
"A Buddhist myth. Prince Nezha, the Battle God, rode a lotus as he descended to fight. Since he slew Zhuge Clan's leader, no title is too grand."
"Are you insane?! Shut your mouth and lower your voice! This is a first-rank official! Calling him a prince… And look at his expression, he's already displeased…."
"Did he just salute an official with a sword ritual? They say he's well-versed in provocation."
"There may be few in the martial world who can stop Lotus Nezha now… But government officials are a different matter. That etiquette, while admirable among martial artists, it's hardly appropriate for the highest-ranking military official."
As the conversation among the nobles continued,
'These noble rats. Soon to be dead.'
Kang Su-hwi frowned in irritation and stepped down from his sedan. His Heavenly Silkworm official robe rustled against the trees, producing an eerily silent sound.
"My name is Kang Su-hwi. I serve as the Assistant Governor-General."
His voice was slow and heavy, exuding the languid authority of a first-rank official.
The Radiant Demon Squad's leader lowered his hands from his Baoquan salute.
"Desolate Fortress, Jung Yeonshin."
A strange tension stretched through the air. The power struggle between Desolate Fortress and the military was no recent matter.
Everyone with even a modicum of knowledge understood this. The silence between their words felt thick enough to press into the very atmosphere.
"I know. Of course, I do."
Kang Su-hwi nodded formally, having made his decision.
"Your physique doesn't match your face. Long limbs—very fitting for a swordsman. You're gifted. How old are you?"
"You mean my age?"
"Would I be asking about Desolate Divine Spear's age? I don't like being kept in suspense."
"Seventeen…."
"Excellent!"
The Assistant Governor-General suddenly raised his hand and clapped Jung Yeonshin on the shoulder.
"Here stands the true Divine Sword of the nation!"
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