“······By bloodline, you mean.”

“It seems you already know. You have a naive side to you.”

The Desolate Sect Leader’s green eyes were calm. Overwhelmed, Jeong Yeon-shin slowly nodded his head.

“I am indeed the blood relative of the previous Divine Sword Squad Leader. I am his grandson.”

“He is a child with stubbornness, even though He will soon take the seat of the Elder Council. You have a wound.”

“It is not a matter the Sect Leader should concern yourself with. It is just a trivial family affair.”

“Such things are not trivial. It is merely hidden by your well-trained body, but you seem to have only lived about fifteen years so far. However… it is true that an outsider cannot say anything. Family matters should be resolved by family.”

“I apologize.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke with a face showing no regret or discomfort.

He thought that the transcendent aura of the absolute being and the words touching upon family matters were separate matters.

As if sensing his thoughts, the corners of the Desolate Sect Leader’s mouth rose very slightly.

“I like it. It’s interesting that you have the spirit to not yield even though you came in with a desire.”

‘As expected, she saw through it.’

It was not surprising. An abnormally open Baihui acupoint? It was a constitution that Jeong Yeon-shin himself had realized.

It was also not strange for a supreme master like the Desolate Sect Leader to see through it at a glance.

“Can someone like me also eat the fruit of the World Tree and live?”

“The efficacy seems to be somewhat distorted, but yes. You will be able to sufficiently achieve what you desire.”

“So it can be obtained?”

At Jeong Yeon-shin’s bold question, her smile deepened a little more.

“It’s up to you.”

“That is enough for now. Thank you.”

Jeong Yeon-shin bowed with his hands clasped. And he asked once more.

“Am I now truly a warrior of the Desolate Sect?”

“Yes. You may go down now. Future Divine Sword Squad Leader.”

It was unclear whether she was just teasing or truly acknowledging his qualities.

It also sounded like she was saying he could obtain the fruit of World Tree if he became the Divine Sword Squad Leader.

Leaving behind her slightly playful-looking smile, Jeong Yeon-shin exited the office filled with trees.

Coming down to the first floor, Heon Won-chang greeted him with a fuss.

“What in the world happened up there? Please do tell me! Prince Jeong especially took a long time, what did the Desolate Sect Leader say to you? Did you pass?”

“It’s difficult to talk about as it’s a personal matter. Of course I passed. But why have the people decreased again?”

“Everyone left in a daze except for Master Namgung Hwa-sin! I’m so anxious I could die!”

It meant everyone had returned except for White Qilin Namgung Hwa-sin.

Turning his gaze, their eyes met and he smiled and greeted Jeong Yeon-shin with a nod.

Jeong Yeon-shin returned the greeting, and as he turned his head, Heon Won-chang was already climbing the stairs with a half-dead demeanor.

“It’s nothing much. I’ll be back.”

At Jeong Yeon-shin’s encouragement, Heon Won-chang waved his hand weakly.

* * *

“Hahaha! Desolate Sect! I am Desolate Sect Warrior!”

Heon Won-chang had passed. Due to the location, his cheering in whispers looked truly untrustworthy.

Although it was good news as they had briefly shared a friendship, Jeong Yeon-shin honestly had no idea about the passing criteria.

“The Desolate Sect seems to have its doors open wider than I thought.”

“What do you mean?”

Heon Won-chang blinked his eyes.

Not bothering to answer, Jeong Yeon-shin watched a middle-aged man with a scholarly air approach.

“Welcome to the sect. I am Gi Dae-seung under the Headquarters. I will guide you to your lodgings until your affiliations are assigned, so please follow me.”

“When will the affiliations be decided?”

It was Jeong Yeon-shin’s question.

“The Squad Leaders will select you all, which will take at least seven days and nights. Now that you have become official sect members, I will tell you… Ah, let’s talk while walking first.”

Jeong Yeon-shin, Namgung Hwa-sin, Heon Won-chang, and one other passing swordsman.

The four people who had passed the Desolate Sect Leader’s interview followed behind the scholar Gi Dae-seung.

“Hmm, do you all know what the Desolate Sect mainly does?”

“Preventing rebellions by the supreme masters of the murim?”

“Master Heon Won is correct, but rather than mainly doing that, it is something that must be done on a large scale. There are other things that are done more frequently and consistently. Preventing or suppressing murim conflicts of a certain scale or larger. Master White Qilin would know. The Namgung Clan’s events have been blocked numerous times by the Desolate Sect.”

“Yes.”

Namgung Hwa-sin nodded briefly.

Glancing at him, Jeong Yeon-shin thought his expression looked better than expected and felt puzzled.

Having left such prestigious clans, there seemed to be circumstances outsiders would find hard to understand.

Moreover, the scholar Gi Dae-seung who made such remarks to their faces was no ordinary person either.

“Fights in the murim are unpredictable in how they will escalate. On days when rumors spread about the discovery of the heavenly demon’s tomb, a bloody storm sweeps through the Central Plains. It would be enough if those seeking the secret manuals and divine medicines of supreme martial arts only fought among themselves, but the problem is martial artists rising up from various regions moving about.”

Scholar Gi Dae-seung sighed briefly and continued.

“The tyranny of vicious martial artists does not distinguish between other martial artists and commoners. The chaos that befalls public order is unimaginable. Seeing that hellish sight, it’s as if it’s a world apart from the Great Ming Empire. The nameless tomb of the heavenly Demon summons the King of Hell.”

“The Chaos of Heavenly Demon Tomb…”

Heon Won-chang muttered. His face looked somewhat solemn for some reason.

Scholar Gi Dae-seung nodded.

“It’s been seventeen years now. It’s not just the evil sects that are a problem. Disputes and shows of force over profits are not uncommon even among the orthodox sects including the Nine Sects and Eight Great Clans. It’s even worse for regional mid-tier sects or clans that pass down martial arts to a select few. The groups are diverse, but the individuals within them are even more varied. If they are left unchecked, the people suffer, and if public sentiment turns grim or taxes are not collected on time, it causes problems for governance.”

“……”

“That is why the imperial court provides massive wealth, divine medicines, secret manuals, and masters. To this Desolate Sect. What you all must do is behead the martial artists who disrupt the people’s lives.”

“I knew that much, but what is the reason for saying this when I asked about the assignment of affiliations?”

Heon Won-chang asked.

“We lack people. To be precise, talents with great potential who can be trusted are rare. There is so much work to be done and the scope we must handle is vast.”

“Many dropped out today. But I made it.”

“…That’s why it takes time to allocate the selected talents to the right places. About seven days and nights. Ah, we’ve arrived.”

Scholar Gi Dae-seung, who had a slightly displeased expression for a moment, pointed to a building. It was an equally luxurious palace.

‘Jeong Family Manor was like a stable compared to this.’

As Jeong Yeon-shin was thinking, Scholar Gi Dae-seung bowed to them with his hands clasped.

“I wish you well. The attendants will guide you once you enter the palace.”

* * *

Seven days and nights passed.

The palace they stayed in was even more luxurious than it appeared from the outside, and as if proving the massive support received from the imperial court, each person had their own fully high-class room.

There was even a training ground behind the palace where they could train at any time.

And finally, they moved their lodgings.

Having been assigned affiliations, they headed to the exclusive residences and training grounds of their respective seventeen divisions.

“I pray for your martial fortune.”

“Master Namgung, may you also be well.”

After exchanging farewells, they parted ways.

Meanwhile, strange rumors circulated in the Desolate Sect.

It was said that the chiefs of the seventeen martial divisions under the Divine Sword Corps sparred to recruit new warriors.

“The subordinates who took the entrance exam made a fuss. They said we must bring in either White Qilin or Lightning Flash. One of the two.”

Ma Jin, the leader of ‘Radiant Demon Wings’, one of the seventeen divisions of the Divine Sword Corps, was a man with terrible scars.

A frightening scar drew a diagonal line from the left side of his face down to the right.

As it was a wound that made it a wonder he was even alive, his body also exuded a rough and strong aura.

“You, Lightning Flash.”

He looked at Jeong Yeon-shin.

The sharp gaze in his fierce eyes seemed to show powerful inner energy, but Jeong Yeon-shin had said everything he wanted to say even to the Desolate Sect Leader before coming down.

“Yes.”

An ordinary answer. Seeing his unwavering expression, Ma Jin nodded.

“You have spirit. Guys like you don’t die easily.”

They were at the Radiant Demon Wings training ground.

It was an impressive place with a width that could easily accommodate five hundred people and various weapons stuck on one side.

The palace next to it was also incomparably huge compared to the one they used while waiting.

Around them, about thirty men and women were sitting or standing, watching the two newcomers.

“The martial divisions under the Desolate Sect’s Divine Sword Corps are like a clan of the Central Plains. You will learn martial arts and carry out missions here at Radiant Demon Wings. Everyone here is your senior and junior.”

“Lord Ma, I have a question!”

It was Heon Won-chang, who was not overwhelmed by spirit in a different sense than Jeong Yeon-shin. He looked excited and beside himself right now.

“Speak.”

Ma Jin nodded.

Radiant Demon Wings had brought in two of the four new members.

While waiting, Jeong Yeon-shin had heard that Ma Jin was one of the strongest among the seventeen leaders of the Desolate Sect, and seeing him today, it seemed it was not an empty name.

Meanwhile, Heon Won-chang was still excited and spewing out words.

“Thank you for allowing me to ask a question! Does learning martial arts in Radiant Demon Wings mean everyone shares the same martial arts?”

“That’s not the case. Secret family techniques are yours alone. What’s taught and learned are only Radiant Demon Wings’ martial arts. The rest is not obligatory.”

“Ah! In any case, the famous Radiant Demon Formation…!”

An expression full of emotion. The yellow dragon hero’s headband that remained untied even after entering Desolate Sect flutters as if reflecting its owner’s heart.

‘Radiant Demon Formation.’

It’s a martial art Jeong Yeon-shin has heard of too.

To begin with, the Radiant Demon Wing was quite famous even among the Seventeen Great Divisions of the Divine Sword Corps.

This was because of an incident where they clashed with the twenty-four Plum Blossom Swordsmen, the elite masters of the Mount Hua Sect, without suffering a single casualty.

It was an event that added strength to the claims of enthusiasts who called Desolate Sect the greatest in the world.

“You’ll have to train hard if you want to survive.”

Ma Jin said. His face, which looked like it could belong to a general on the northern border, was truly serious.

“Although the Desolate Sect is an imperial sect, attacking a warrior of the Desolate Sect is not considered treason. That’s why you must learn and train here to become stronger endlessly. If you can’t, you die.”

“Why isn’t it treason?”

Jeong Yeon-shin asked. Before Ma Jin could answer, Heon Won-chang spoke first.

“From the imperial court’s perspective, the crime of treason must be detected and the entire clan exterminated. If they don’t do that, the empire’s dignity won’t be established and the absolute nature of the imperial family will be tarnished. At least that’s what they think.”

“…Crazy b*st*rd.”

Ma Jin smirked but didn’t stop the conversation.

“But there are many eccentric people in the martial arts world. There are plenty of people who have lost their minds while practicing demonic arts, or whose lightness skills are so extraordinary and swift that they can touch government officials and still escape to deep mountains and valleys. Therefore, they can’t grant imperial dignity to Desolate Sect warriors, who are not ordinary officials and whose very mission is to clash with martial artists.”

Jeong Yeon-shin nodded slightly.

This Heon Won-chang fellow, unlike his usually frivolous appearance, had moments where he showed flashes of intelligence.

It was usually when talking about the origins of sects or power structures.

Guessing the imperial court’s intentions based on the state of the martial arts world was the same.

Given his hostility towards major sects, he seemed to have a background contrary to his usual light-hearted demeanor.

“Heon Won-chang’s words are not wrong. That’s why you need to become stronger. That guy who came back after getting stabbed by Namgung’s First Sword on a mission could explain it better.”

The person Ma Jin pointed to was a handsome man with a blue headband sitting sprawled out casually.

With remarkably distinct features and a gentle impression.

The atmosphere he exuded was free-spirited, and the tail of the headband at the back of his head was constantly fluttering in the breeze.

He was extraordinary at first glance.

“That Emperor Sword Form was terrifyingly strong.”

He said, waving his hand.

It was impossible not to be surprised.

The Emperor Sword Form was said to be a peerless martial art that only the legitimate successor of the Namgung family could learn, counted among the best in the world.

It was a name that had reached Jung Yeonsin’s ears even while staying in the countryside.

‘Moreover, if it’s Namgun’s First Sword, isn’t he considered one of the strongest masters in South Zhili?’

The man with the headband’s energy itself didn’t seem particularly strong, but upon closer inspection, the energy waves writhing around his body were thoroughly controlled.

The very fact that he returned alive from a peak-master like Namgung’s first sword was proof of his skill.

“Well then, shall we start with Lightning Flash?”

The man with the headband stood up abruptly. As if it had already been discussed, Ma Jin took a step back.

The man strode towards Jeong Yeon-shin. His gaze was strangely drawn to the sword loosely tied at his waist.

He grinned.

“If you came here at that age, it means you have quite some talent. Shall we see? I mean your sword aptitude. I’m very good at checking that sort of thing.”

“Did you say you’re good at seeing talent?”

Jeong Yeon-shi asked reflexively.