The surroundings were silent.

Not a single sound leaked in from either the inner or outer fortress. Sunlight struck a transparent hemispherical qi barrier, sliding down its surface in an eerie flow.

“......”

This was why the two Thirteen Heavens lords had remained relaxed while watching Jeong Yeon-shin's strikes—

because he had been drawn into the domain of an absolute master of sonic arts.

It was the work of the Shinyogwangjeok Sect Leader, Wollyo.

Within a hundred jang, the air was dominated as if by a swordsman’s blade circle. He could reach out with a strike at any moment, in any direction.

But Jeong Yeon-shin had more pressing concerns.

Even though she’d leapt from somewhere unfathomably far, the Ipwang Spear Saint had failed to recognize the Lord of the Divine Sword Corps.

A rebellion?

He was mildly shocked.

Was it his altered appearance? The unfamiliar demonic energy?

His entire body now a pale mist, his voice distorted and inaudible due to the unstable manifestation of the Formless Void.

Ironically, the less familiar someone was with him, the easier it would be to guess his identity.

That was clear enough just by how Ak Su-rim tilted her head in puzzlement.

“Demonic cultivation breathing... what? You're human, but I can’t even see your body clearly.”

Muttering this, she turned her head toward the Treading Star Palace Lord and Wollyo.

Her carefree behavior was ingrained in her bones.

There were no formal greetings exchanged—no clarification of each other's positions.

The corpses were enough.

Corpses of those who had no business being in the Celestial Martial Treasury.

It implied that just laying them out was enough. As if anyone would recognize Ipwang Spear Saint Ak Su-rim by sight alone.

“......”

Jeong Yeon-shin took in how much she’d changed.

Her cheeks had slimmed a little. She’d grown taller.

Her cuffs were too short now, revealing slender wrists and ankles.

That alone made the absence of the Divine Sword Corps feel real to him.

As if the years he’d spent in the North had caused everything in the Central Plains to shift.

Without even glancing at Jeong Yeon-shin, Ak Su-rim spoke indifferently.

“There wasn’t a single bastard among the Seven Tyrants uglier than you, so I’m putting you in second place for now.

Get in my way and I’ll kill you, okay?”

Despite the light tone, there was no inflection to her voice.

It was a tone Jeong Yeon-shin had never heard from her before.

Srrrk.

She gave a slight shrug of her shoulder, and that alone carved a deep trench into the ground.

The rusted spear in her hand pulsed with power.

Jeong Yeon-shin smiled faintly.

She’s gotten stronger.

Not just her raw strength.

The gleam in her eyes was deeper than ever before.

It showed that the spiritual energy in her upper dantian had risen significantly.

Whether that was due to the Resonance Division’s Gongpakyeol or some unique enlightenment like the Treading Star Palace Lord—he didn’t know.

What mattered was, this wasn't the time to get lost in deep analysis.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought: if he wanted to tear through the defensive energy swirling around Ak Su-rim, he’d need to imbue his Simgeuk Qilin with demonic energy.

Blade posture aimed low left. Grip style—support with the thumb...

His thoughts spun as naturally as a leaf falling to the ground.

Dozens of possible killing paths and strike patterns flashed through his mind—

combinations that could be used to kill her.

“...The homeowners are finally arriving.”

The Treading Star Palace Lord, facing Jeong Yeon-shin, nodded.

He offered a formal martial salute to Ak Su-rim with his squared fists.

“I’ve no excuse.”

“What?”

“One day, I had a great awakening and wandered into Ipwang Fortress.

Next thing I knew, I’d been labeled one of the Seven Tyrants of the Heroic Manifesto, a mere bandit group.

Originally, I only intended to request a friendly duel with the Divine Sword Corps Lord—”

“What kind of bullshit is that?”

“I mean, I had no interest in grand affairs like the annihilation of Ipwang Fortress.”

His face, which had worn a faint smile, turned utterly expressionless—like a mask.

“I only wanted to see how much of the Divine Sword Lord’s martial arts I could receive.

And how he would respond to mine.”

He said it plainly—then smiled again.

“It made my heart race, even now.

My mind was boiling like molten metal with that one thought.

With the seasoned upper dantian of Ipwang Spear Saint, I’m sure you can tell I’m being sincere.”

“You never heard the rumor that the Divine Sword Lord was off waging a northern campaign?”

“I was born and raised in a nameless mountain valley. Naturally, I was cut off from all rumors.”

The Palace Lord shrugged lightly.

“I’d never tasted a real elixir or even seen a carrier pigeon.

The only worldly news I ever heard came from the lower village when I occasionally traded wild herbs and grain.”

“You’ve never taken an elixir?”

Ak Su-rim questioned him.

If that was true, the Palace Lord was like the Sword Saint Hyeon So-baek—a man who reached transcendence through sheer effort.

That would explain why his internal energy reserves were weaker than even half the average black-ranked warriors in Ipwang Fortress.

A man buried in martial arts alone, without backing from a great sect or the support of pills and resources.

Grrrk—

Meanwhile, Jeong Yeon-shin was enduring the absurd pressure of the Celestial Tree.

It had gradually grown heavier, now crushing him as if wrapping his entire body in chains.

And yet somehow, it had come to feel natural.

Like a leaf clinging to a thick branch during a typhoon.

His eyes remained fixed on his enemies, dissecting their every detail.

The Palace Lord and the Sect Leader of Shinyogwangjeok.

Their posture, their clothing, even the tiniest of unconscious habits—they were all laid bare before him.

Solitary figures of the martial world...

A world where the massive qi of nature now flowed only toward warriors.

Where even the temperature of the air and the height of the Yellow River had plummeted.

At last, they began to emerge—

the masters who had lived buried in deep mountain valleys without ever setting foot in the martial world.

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly recalled the words of So Cheonmujuk, still bitter with resentment.

—We’re just scythes meant to harvest their heads.

“Ah.”

A sly curve formed on the Palace Lord’s lips.

It was a smile like the twisted trunk of a tree during famine.

“Of course, I never thought this wretched body could defeat the Lord of the Divine Sword Corps.

But if I could take even a limb... that would give some meaning to a life devoted to martial supremacy.”

“So you're just a nutcase.”

Ak Su-rim stomped forward.

The banner tied to her spear flapped violently, then curled around the shaft.

“Nutcase?

Isn’t the title of Divine Sword Corps Lord so revered that even a country bumpkin like me knows it?”

The Palace Lord tilted his head.

“Unlike Ipwang Fortress’s Lord, who was born an absolute being, this name was forged by history.

Anyone devoted to martial arts should revere and aspire to it.”

Then he playfully flicked his hand.

Zzzrip— 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

A faint crack ran through the vortex surrounding Ak Su-rim.

Like a scar left by wind.

He’d struck with an offensive palm technique.

If the strike had landed properly, it might’ve severed the energy supply from the Resonance Division.

That was why Ak Su-rim had lowered her posture as if ready to explode forward.

The Palace Lord chuckled in delight.

“I just wanted to nab a few wall-gazing pills before I died, but the pantry’s been bone-dry.”

He truly seemed to have lived in the wild mountains.

Even now, his breathing technique blended into his rambling.

Judging by the state of the stores, it seemed there’d been no supply even up until the Ming royal family collapsed.

Apparently, because the Divine Sword Corps Lord wasn’t around.

And in a house with no owner, he hadn’t dared ask for food.

So he’d starved for a full week—

A lunatic.

But undeniably, a new member of the Thirteen Heavens.

“In any case, my goal is the Divine Sword Corps Lord alone.

Even if I die, I’d like to pull out a few fingers imbued with his martial arts.

Though it’s regrettable things turned out this way...”

Just as his gaze turned naturally toward Jeong Yeon-shin—

BOOM! Fwhoooosh—!

Suddenly, Ak Su-rim’s body vanished in a blur and rebounded back to her original spot.

There had been an exchange—one move.

In the air, a semi-transparent shockwave exploded, tearing into the ground below.

The delayed aftermath rippled into a tremor.

“Whoa there, nearly got my bones skewered.”

The Palace Lord let out a whistle of admiration.

He flicked his left hand wide—

white steam rising from the back of his hand.

A few sparks trailed after it and then vanished.

The spear-strike’s force, which had almost pierced his palm, had been completely dissipated.

It may have seemed like an even match, but his response to the preemptive strike made clear his advantage.

Even with his body still immobile, Jeong Yeon-shin saw it clearly.

The Palace Lord’s gesture had cut the power supply from the Resonance Division and clashed with the spear-strike head-on.

Wuuuuuuung—

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The sound of wind carrying the genuine energy of Gongpakyeol gathered once more around Ak Su-rim.

Her brows furrowed ever so slightly.

“Better than that bastard Jegal Ho.”

It was the highest form of praise.

She was also in the middle of diffusing the rebound energy in her spear.

Following the smooth arc it traced behind her back, the vibrations of the long spear scattered with a resonant jiiiing—

More eyes turned to gaze at Ak Su-rim.

A beautiful young man was now crouched beside the Treading Star Palace Lord. For some reason, his lips were painted bright red with rouge, and his earring emitted a divine glow.

“Lord of Annihilation Sword, Tyrant Blade, Iron Horse Sword God, Ipwang Spear Saint...”

It was Wollyo.

“Those are titles of a bygone era. Just like the Seventeen Names of the Divine Sword Corps. From now on, like the setting sun, it is only right that we be the nightfall that buries them.”

It was a death sentence—but his voice was gentle as a silk quilt, soothing to the ear. It carried a spiritual resonance that seemed to stroke the soul.

The Treading Star Palace Lord smiled again.

“Not long ago, the Lord of Hao Sect visited and claimed that the Ipwang Spear Saint was the very symbol of stagnation. But now that I’ve met her myself, I see the intel was quite off. I offer my apology for taking her lightly.”

Then he added,

“If you survive and grow to adulthood, you’ll become the Lord of the Divine Sword Corps.”

His face was filled with interest—as if now she was finally worth killing. As expected of a madman obsessed with the Divine Sword Lord.

“Then let’s finish this.”

“You... freak.”

Suddenly, Ak Su-rim opened her mouth—shooting a side glance as she did.

“......”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s hand rose with a faint growl—grrk—

A signal that she was going too far with the insubordination.

But that was all.

His thoughts felt like they were buried in thick mud.

Amazingly, his upper dantian wasn’t formulating any ideas.

It was becoming utterly peaceful. A sensation he’d never experienced before—absurdly tranquil.

Meanwhile, Ak Su-rim continued.

“You understand what I’m saying, right? I appreciate you knowing your place and staying quiet, but if you step in now, I’ll really kill you.

I’ve already got too many bastards bothering me.”

Daesun Sect, Four-Star Martial Alliance, Martial Oversight Federation, Shinyogwangjeok, Treading Star Palace—all had branches in Yangyang.

Martial artists who had set up shop in Ipwang Fortress.

More than a thousand masters had surrounded the area long ago.

They filled rooftops, walls, even alleyways like a crowd of clouds. Each pair of eyes gleamed with cold light.

They had merely been held back by the Sect Leader of Shinyogwangjeok’s «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» qi barrier. Once that technique was released, countless elite warriors would surely pour in.

“Is it bothering you?”

Wollyo, taking in both Ak Su-rim and Jeong Yeon-shin in a single glance, smiled smoothly.

At the same time, he reached into the air with his long fingers, plucking as if at invisible strings on a seven-string zither.

For some reason, Jeong Yeon-shin thought of the Celestial Tree as if it were part of him, and the name of the technique sprang to mind.

Heaven-Drumming Formless Zither.

A secret technique he’d never seen before, yet the phrase surfaced on its own. So too did the method.

A technique that ties together a point between Heaven and Earth using threads of internal energy—inner force silk—and shakes it through sound-based martial arts.

It was a wide-area kill technique.

Sssrrt.

Wollyo plucked an invisible string.

Ak Su-rim’s eyes widened just as she was about to clash again with the Treading Star Palace Lord.

“......!”

All across Ipwang Fortress, blood erupted.

The heads of the masters who had been surrounding the area like a tidal wave burst like crimson fountains.

A grotesque stillness spread across the fortress.

There was no sound.

It was a literal silent sonic technique—Mu-eum (no sound).

In that instant, every martial artist in Ipwang Fortress collapsed with their eyes closed.

Most of those who had been outside the buildings appeared to have died on the spot.

In the midst of it all, Wollyo murmured nonchalantly.

“The defensive formation of Celestial Martial Treasury is quite formidable. They say the annihilated Sincheonhwa devised it long ago...”

Ak Su-rim’s eyes turned blank.

“What the hell did you just do?”

“A place like Ipwang Fortress, the symbol of the so-called greatest sect under Heaven, must not be allowed excuses.

Spear Saint, you must now clash with one of us at full strength and be defeated fair and square.”

Wollyo of the Seven Tyrants.

A newly-risen member of the Thirteen Heavens, he had just massacred his own disciples and allies—and was smiling sweetly.

A smile without a trace of malice.

The Treading Star Palace Lord furrowed his brow in irritation.

“You’re hardly in a position to lecture, being the leader of the thieves who walked in here without resistance. Do you have no shame, Sect Leader?”

Kwagak—

He muttered as he was pushed back, step by step, by Ak Su-rim and her spear.

But Wollyo simply stood up slowly and folded his hands behind his back.

“We still have the main forces of the Divine Sword Corps, do we not? From the looks of it, they must’ve retreated from the North after all.

It’s those who’ll start arriving now that are the real ones.”

He glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin, who still wasn’t moving, with a look of amused suspicion.

“There are two who survived Heaven-Drumming Formless Zither.

A madman dancing with a sword through the main street, and another emanating an immense wave of qi.

According to Lord Hao’s intel, the latter must be the Lord of Annihilation, Muk Singun.

I hear three black robes equals Ipwang Fortress, yes...?”

His words soaked into Jeong Yeon-shin’s ear and then faded.

All of Ipwang Fortress was now painted with the blood of enemies.

With a mind now half-united with the Celestial Tree, Jeong Yeon-shin thought:

Heaven-Drumming Formless Zither, Starry Night, Sword Song...

He was starting to feel that he was no longer sane.

In the midst of this crisis, all he could think about was how to kill the annoying martial artists.

He shouldn’t be visualizing the image of stitching together heaven and earth with a formless sword under a starry sky.

Now that I think of it...

Jeong Yeon-shin had interacted more deeply with the Celestial Tree than any noble family.

Through its trunk, he had entered the Formless Void multiple times.

He had even consumed a fragment of its fruit given to him by the Lord of Ipwang Fortress.

When he killed that Mang Eum Susa bastard earlier, he had already partially merged with it.

A limitless reserve of energy was blooming.

Separate from his exhausted physical condition.

Grrk—

His hand moved on its own.

Perhaps because it wasn’t of his own will this time—

Jeong Yeon-shin’s arm rose far higher than when he forced it himself.

The Treading Star Palace Lord and Wollyo opened their eyes wide for the first time.

No.

Jeong Yeon-shin felt it.

His thoughts and theirs had aligned.

Everyone will die.

—No matter how arrogant he acts, a little brother is still a little brother.

Suddenly, a woman’s voice, half-mocking and half-laughing, whispered in his ear.

Sssrkk—

Jeong Yeon-shin felt a shiver as a hand lifted his chin.

It was like the leaves covering his entire body were being torn to shreds.

In a flash, his vision returned to a quiet room.

Just before that—

In the dissipating scenery like smoke, the Treading Star Palace Lord wore a curious expression.

“Spear Saint... that man. He was the Lord of the Divine Sword Corps.”

That was as far as he got.

The scene flipped in an instant.

“......”

Before he realized it, So Cheonmujuk’s face filled his field of view.

Their noses nearly touched. Her exhale brushed against his lips like fine down, boosting his demonic inhalation.

From her snow-white fingertips to her inner force breathing that tugged at his spirit—it was a reverse-heaven technique pulling Jeong Yeon-shin out of the Celestial Tree.

She slowly parted her lips.

“You owe me one now, huh?”

“My...”

Jeong Yeon-shin reached up dazedly and brushed her cheek—making So Cheonmujuk flinch as if she’d just come face to face with the First Heavenly Demon.

Regardless of her reaction, he continued.

“Broken mirror.”

It brought him fully back to his senses.

A wrinkle formed on So Cheonmujuk’s flawless brow.

But Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t care and said—

“I’m going to Yangyang. That’s where it begins.”

Outside, a massive presence stirred.

A refined laugh echoed soon after.

“I’ll prepare everything.”

It was Mun Gok.