Mount Hua’s guest hall.

Rustle—

A dry breeze rubbed across the dirt floor and the bodies within. Fragments of wood and pieces of stone tumbled aimlessly across the ground.

The only intact object was a neatly carved table.

Those seated around it were individuals of stature, enough to dictate the fate of the vast Central Plains.

The Invincible One, Lee Beom; the Azure Dragon Lord of the Four-Star Martial Alliance; the Sword Hermit of Mount Hua, Tian Zhu-jin; Wei Ji Myo-hwa, Sect Leader of Zhongnan; and Hu Cheon Gwangseong-ja, Co-Head of the Joint Sect.

And among them, the Lord of the Martial Alliance and the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.

All eyes in the hall were fixed on Jeong Yeon-shin, who had just lifted the chin of So Cheonmujuk. And rightly so—such a sight was rarely seen in all the martial world.

“......”

The antique walls had all been blown away long ago, and the ki of the gathered masters had already shattered the roof.

Yet amidst the chaos, Jeong Yeon-shin could grasp So Cheonmujuk’s neck at any moment. His draw speed was overwhelmingly fast.

Jeong Yeon-shin opened his mouth slowly.

“You failed to react in time to my Gold Threaded Needle.”

So Cheonmujuk gave a dry chuckle and shrugged her shoulders. The end of her white scarf—woven from the fur of some pale beast—fluttered as if alive.

Her lips moved slowly.

“Is this supposed to be a threat? I was wondering if this was some awkward seduction I should be wary of.”

“You’ve locked down your Hundred Convergences Acupoint with even tighter restraints. Your senses have dulled.”

So Cheonmujuk did not respond. She simply looked up at Jeong Yeon-shin with eyes like black jade forged from the depths—still and abyssal.

A terrifying silence swallowed the room.

It was a moment where all had to consider the possibility that her true martial essence might be revealed. Truly, how many across all the peaks of Mount Hua could survive such a revelation? A being like her, bearer of the Radiant Phoenix Form and the Heavenly Demon Scripture, forced the worst-case scenario upon all who witnessed her.

“They keep calling her Heavenly Demon, Heavenly Demon...”

The hoarse voice came from one side—it was the Invincible One, Lee Beom. But Jeong Yeon-shin kept silently gazing into So Cheonmujuk’s eyes.

‘She’s nearing the end of her lifespan.’

Her gaze could shatter the mind of anyone who met it. That overwhelming demonic nature in her eyes—Jeong Yeon-shin stared into it with a calm expression, struck by the distant sensation.

The disposition of a true demon in the world.

Had it naturally taken form through her life as Lord of the Martial Alliance? Or was it born from a fear of death—something she had already faced once and now slowly approached again?

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t care.

“She wasn’t born this way. If she had truly felt a complete death once, her demonic energy would be rampaging through her Hundred Convergences.”

But So Cheonmujuk only raised the corner of her lips slightly.

“You just called me mad... to my face? Don’t flatter yourself too much.”

Slide—

Her pale fingers, signature of the Plain-Hand Demonic Technique, gently pressed down on the back of Jeong Yeon-shin’s hand.

For a brief instant, their skin touched—and dozens of colorless strands of ki intertwined. A flurry of intricate exchanges passed between them in that fleeting moment.

What state was the other's internal energy in? What was the texture of their protective qi? Were there any fresh structural breakthroughs worth absorbing?

Jeong Yeon-shin gave a faint smile.

“Am I that easy to read?”

“......”

So Cheonmujuk stood with an expression as blank as fresh snow.

Perhaps because she hadn’t been able to read anything. His Counter-Reversal Formation only grew deeper the more Divine Sword Corps Vice Commander Jin Myeong-jo fought by his side.

In contrast, Jeong Yeon-shin could feel the entirety of her martial cultivation.

She had honed her body so thoroughly, the title of Heavenly Demon was more than deserved.

The higher his level rose, the more her body took on a new dimension in his senses. Someday, when he met the War God or the Lord of Ipwang Fortress, it would likely be the same.

‘This is useful.’

If he wanted to wield Starlit Night more freely, he had to become intimately familiar with demonic energy.

As Jeong Yeon-shin slowly lowered his eyelids—

“Was that your aim?”

She asked. Her eyes, like snow sinking into the abyss, betrayed no emotion. Understandable, since she had started getting ensnared, bit by bit, by a single man’s presence—despite being the supreme ruler of the Martial Alliance.

“Who knows.”

Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t bother calling it a bonus.

He simply wished for So Cheonmujuk’s life to conclude meaningfully. Just as the Sword Saint and the Southern Emperor were shaping the Seomye of the Divine Sword Corps.

To change the Lord of the Martial Alliance, he would need to surpass her—not just in martial skill, but in spirit as well. The more overwhelming his influence over her, the better.

‘Is it possible?’

To be honest, he wasn’t sure.

Her true martial essence, her senses, her status, the myriad unconventional techniques she employed—all posed problems. Her temperament too—like a furious spark that could fly in any direction.

‘I triggered the battle over the First Heavenly Demon’s legacy. I’ll end it here, in the Jinryeong Mountains.’

Jeong Yeon-shin opened his mouth slowly.

“Don’t arrogantly act like you live in a different time from the rest of us.”

So Cheonmujuk turned her body with a smirk.

“Coming from you?”

“Grow up. The people who lived shorter lives than us—the common folk—are far more numerous.”

Jeong Yeon-shin gently chided her.

At that moment, Wei Ji Myo-hwa, sitting to the side, let out a faint, unsteady breath, and So Cheonmujuk turned her head with an incredulous look.

“Just make sure you can protect your underlings. Things are about to get wildly chaotic.”

With those parting words, she vanished on the spot.

It wasn’t Illusionary Void Shift, but true Body-Lightening Technique. Still, it seemed she had taken caution against Jeong Yeon-shin’s Shattering Heaven technique of the Flowerless Limitless Flow.

She must know now that lightness arts alone wouldn’t be enough to escape him.

‘She suffered greatly under Shattering Heaven.’

That was the plan all along.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

From now on, he would implant himself in her mind like a stone in the road.

After all, the term “So Cheon”—Smiling at the Heavens—meant one who mocks even the sky. To influence such a madwoman, he had to become a stumbling block she couldn’t ignore.

So his words and actions would strike her without filter.

At that moment, the long-silent Hu Cheon Gwangseong-ja finally spoke.

“You’re letting the Lord of the Martial Alliance go just like that?”

“As long as we remain here in the Jinryeong Mountains, we’ll cross paths again soon enough.”

“Do you realize your behavior may appear excessively arrogant? Even if you couldn’t subdue such a peerless master, you shouldn’t have let her go unscathed.”

“I apologize, but there are things more important to me than public perception.”

“That’s admirable. But calling it all ‘well and good’—your arrogance as current Commander of the Divine Sword Corps stretches as high as the clouds.”

“As I understand, the responsibilities of an old-school Sect Leader and a Commander of the Divine Sword Corps were always considered equal. If you would instruct me, I would naturally listen. However...”

“Speak. It’s important.”

Hu Cheon Gwangseong-ja encouraged gently, and Jeong Yeon-shin replied calmly.

“If you lay hands on the Lord of the Martial Alliance prematurely, it could trigger a disaster of catastrophic proportions. While you, Elder, may survive such calamity, other martial artists and civilians may not. For now, it’s best to allow her to focus on her own objectives.”

“Lord Jeong...!”

Wei Ji Myo-hwa spoke up quietly—perhaps his words had been too provocative.

But Jeong Yeon-shin simply met Hu Cheon Gwangseong-ja’s gaze.

There was no lie in what he said. He’d dealt with the difficulties of those wielding wide-range formations often.

What if So Cheonmujuk cast off all restraints and let her true martial nature rampage across the land?

Even Jeong Yeon-shin, with the support of Resonance Division, would be barely able to keep up. It would be nearly impossible for anyone to stop her completely.

Hu Cheon Gwangseong-ja shook his head.

“Here our paths divide. I cannot allow that woman to act freely. I will take my leave from Mount Hua.”

“It may be worth hearing more before you go.”

“Men’s thoughts can change with a single stray question. But I have no desire to speak further with you. And even less with one who believes he can control the Lord of the Martial Alliance at will.”

At the same time, the body of the noble Ming elder faded into mist. Body-Lightening Technique, nullifying air resistance through extreme softness.

Fwoosh!

He vanished in an instant.

Wei Ji Myo-hwa and Tian Zhu-jin gazed at the empty spot with slight unease.

“So it ends like this after all,”

The Invincible One, Lee Beom, muttered with his raspy old voice.

“Well, what business would an immortal like the Co-Head of the Joint Sect have in Shaanxi anyway? His last appearance in the martial world was decades ago.”

“......”

“They say the current Lord of the Martial Alliance has drawn out the legacy of the First Heavenly Demon... It’s no wonder the immortal sovereign of the Dao must come. No one can stop his step, unless it’s Joo Gwang-shin himself. And all the information on Hu Cheon Gwangseong-ja’s martial cultivation is completely outdated.”

Come to think of it, the most famous technique of the Joint Sect is the Subduing Demon Sword Technique. “Subduing Demon”—a martial art designed to bring demons to heel, passed down through the sect’s history.

From this moment, it wouldn’t be strange for him to stand in opposition to Jeong Yeon-shin. To the Joint Sect Leader, the Lord of the Martial Alliance is surely the most dangerous demon in the world.

“I’ll be going now as well.”

As Jeong Yeon-shin slowly stepped away, Wei Ji Myo-hwa turned her head.

“Lord Jeong.”

“Because of the legacy of the First Heavenly Demon, hidden masters and noble families alike have gathered all the way to these mountains. Sect Leader Wei, I ask that you return to Zhongnan Mountain. Soon, every ridge will become a battlefield.”

“And how do you and the Divine Sword Corps intend to act?”

“I intend to block all conflict. In times of chaos, meaningless bloodshed must be prevented, don’t you think?”

“How in this vast Jinryeong Mountain Range...?”

“With strength.”

The backlash from using the Mouth of the Blade Moon had already faded from his body. That was because the three halos had been spinning without rest during the time of deep shame and reflection.

Then it happened.

Rumble—!

From far away came the faint sound of a landslide. The tremor reached all the way to their feet.

A great resonance.

It felt as if the mountain ridges of Jinryeong themselves were writhing like giant dragons.

Something was happening.

It was difficult to determine immediately. As befitting the name of the First Heavenly Demon, perhaps a bottomless pit of a cave would open, or a vast formation greater than the one that once covered the Demon Realm.

Or perhaps the original soul of the First Heavenly Demon would emerge without warning—just as Shin Cheon-hwa had manifested during the Ipwang War.

But the dead are the dead.

Jeong Yeon-shin knew that the soul of a dead one could not persist long. That’s why his priority was to first control the clear and present variable that was So Cheonmujuk.

‘Right now, I’m probably the only thing on her mind.’

Jeong Yeon-shin thought calmly.

Tian Zhu-jin, who had stood up at some point to follow him, asked:

“Lord Jeong, can you truly restrain the Lord of the Martial Alliance, now rampaging freely? Those who have mastered the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts have always been unpredictable calamities.”

“I just came from a meeting with an emperor who seeks to benefit hundreds of millions.”

“...?”

“Compared to that, is bringing a madwoman back to her senses such a difficult task?”

Tian Zhu-jin was silent at those words, perhaps unable to grasp their meaning. But the Invincible One, Lee Beom, seemed to understand immediately.

“Just now...”

His old voice clung to Jeong Yeon-shin’s heels.

“You’ve said something truly dangerous. If I were to share this with the world, at least within the Ming Dynasty, your reputation as the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps would be destroyed. Especially since you descended unexpectedly from the Northern Campaign—every circumstance would support it.”

“Are you trying to pull me into an alliance again?”

“I ask that you consider it deeply. The crowd that has arrived in Jinryeong is no ordinary gathering. The Gunpowder Army of the Martial Alliance, the One-Armed Martial Emperor of the Pure Devil Sect, the thugs of the Shaanxi underworld, the Azure Dragon Lord of the Four-Star Martial Alliance, and beyond that—numerous sects and martial noble families from across the realm...”

The old man ticked them off one by one on his wrinkled fingers. Jeong Yeon-shin turned fully to face him.

“I told you to speak with my strategist.”

“There are also martial geniuses from common families who have broken through with nothing more than the Three Calamity Manual distributed by the imperial court. These are civilians in every sense, yet they may pose the greatest issue. They are nothing to you or the Divine Sword Corps—but can you truly kill them? If you do, what will become of the Corps’ reputation? And in this chaotic mountain range, how hard will they be to subdue? Do you know how many people live in the Central Plains?”

He could sense it by aura. The old man’s mouth curled into a faint smile.

“Your first problem will likely be the Grand Elder of Zhongnan, Yeo Il-shin. It’s said that the closer one is to the roots of the Tree of the World, the faster their martial cultivation progresses—but recently, few among the Ming-blooded have been able to maintain their sanity.”

“What did you say?”

Just then, Wei Ji Myo-hwa’s eyes widened.

As the Invincible One, Lee Beom, brought the state of Jinryeong into sharper clarity, a deafening roar exploded in Jeong Yeon-shin’s mind. For a moment, the noise was so intense that it furrowed his brow.

From his Upper Elixir Field, a giant’s roar echoed through his foresight. It washed away all thought like ink spilled on paper. Even as Lee Beom's voice droned on:

“The world is in turmoil in all manner of ways, and all your Divine Sword Corps has is force that can only be projected in limited areas. Now lower the banner of Ipwang Fortress and join the Martial Alliance. You will not lose any honor.”

“There is no battlefield the Divine Sword Corps cannot control.”

“You still speak such reckless words...”

Boom!

As he soared into the sky, Lee Beom’s old voice faded into the distance.

With his eyes closed, Jeong Yeon-shin’s senses grasped the vast mountain ridges.

‘The number is absurd.’

The presences had already been numerous, but now they were thickening like a net, pressing inward from every direction.

He sensed many things.

So Cheonmujuk, lying lazily atop some rocky peak, opening and closing her hand.

A breeze—possibly Hu Cheon Gwangseong-ja, possibly just wind.

Martial artists climbing the mountain in formation, as Lee Beom said, the Gunpowder Army.

A faint ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) trace of Yulha Nangnang’s scent drifting from the Azure Dragon banners.

Martial artists using Grass-Leaping Flight, spreading the imposing energy of great sects in all directions as they ascended.

And the Lord of the Pure Devil Sect, crashing through peaks with overwhelming momentum, as though fully awakened.

‘My sword authority will need to be broader.’

At that thought, it echoed.

[Grand Tai Chi.]

He had planned to declare the Divine Sword Corps’ emergence across the realm. Ordinary techniques would not suffice to make an impact.

Sssk.

He slowly wrapped his hand around the hilt of his sword.

[Silent Radiant Sword Geng.]

Wuuuuuung—

The sword’s constellation began to darken the sky above.