Just momentarily surprised by the tremendous swift sword, the Zhongnan disciples were about to grit their teeth and draw their swords.

“Enough!”

The bushes trembled in unison with the jade-like voice. An enormous true energy was felt.

Rustle.

She descended like a celestial maiden with an overwhelming presence.

The realm of transcendence was here too.

Jeong Yeon-shin stared at the woman standing in the middle as if mediating.

‘She’s strong.’

Her rarely beautiful appearance did not even register in his eyes.

Her delicate body was surrounded by an imposing energy that seemed to overshadow her frail physique.

Just standing there, her extraordinary skills could be felt.

“Look at this. These actions are hardly befitting Zhongnan disciples. Let’s go back and discuss this.”

The guards bowed their heads at her soft-spoken words.

It looked like a senior was pointing out their misconduct.

They seemed to realize their impropriety and blushed.

“We apologize, Great Senior.”

“We are ashamed to show our faces.”

The woman nodded at their apologies and turned to Jeong Yeon-shin and Hyeon Won-chang.

“Truly.”

She moved her lips.

The leaf that brushed against her floating robe’s hem was cleanly split.

The realm where the energy of her entire body took on sharpness. It seemed not inferior even to Desolate Sect’s blue-level.

“I am ashamed before the honored guests of Desolate Sect.”

“……”

Hyeon Won-chang seemed completely overwhelmed.

Because he looked blankly standing there in disbelief, Jeong Yeon-shin spoke.

“I am Jeong Yeon-shin, belonging to Radiant Demon Wing. Hyeon Won-chang, this young master here, is also the same.”

“Zhongnan Sect, Wei Ji Myo-hwa.”

Her soft words carried an oppressive feeling. Jeong Yeon-shin definitely felt it.

It wasn’t particularly imbued with energy. It naturally approached with inherent dignity.

Only now did he truly feel the power of the Nine Sects.

“Wei Ji Myo-hwa…? Ah, the Sword Dragon of Zhongnan Sect!”

With Hyeon Won-chang’s exclamation, her identity was revealed.

It was said she had beheaded the leader of evil sect forces in the battlefield.

She was already a master who had raised her name in the world.

The Sword Dragon, Wei Ji Myo-hwa.

Rumors spread that she was a genius who descended due to heaven’s mistake.

Mount Hua’s Yu Hyeon was sixteen like Jeong Yeon-shin this year, but if he were to undergo harsh closed-door training for about five years, he might become like her.

‘Born and raised in Zhongnan, she became a great master at such a young age.’

Jeong Yeon-shin, who was at least four years younger, had no intention of thinking about that.

Short-lived constitution. It had become a habit to exclude his own age.

“It’s an honor to meet the Sword Dragon who has brought glory to her name, Lady Wei.”

Hyeon Won-chang clasped his fists.

Wei Ji Myo-hwa had scolded her own fellow disciples right in front of them.

How could one not like her? Jeong Yeon-shin felt the same.

As if meeting a true Nine Sects martial artist he had only heard about, he clasped his hands after Hyeon Won-chang.

“We have rudely come to the  Zhongnan main mountain. I am ashamed before the Great Hero Wei.”

He did not call her a female hero or lady but a “great hero”.

She was someone who obtained a dragon’s nickname despite not being male.

A senior who roamed the martial world with a sword, with incomparably rich experience and high achievements.

Wei Ji Myo-hwa’s eyes softened.

She was so beautiful that Hyeon Won-chang’s foolish exclamation became somewhat understandable.

“Although Young Master Jong swung his sword first, my fellow disciple took the initiative. I saw everything. On the contrary, I apologize on behalf of Zhongnan.”

Warmth was present in her expression looking at Jeong Yeon-shin, and her representation of the famous Zhongnan Sect was surprisingly natural.

She was the most intense after Cheon Ju, the Sword Saint of Mount Hua, who was considered Ma Jin’s rival.

Her demeanor was thought to be first.

“We’ve kept our honored guests standing too long. I’ll guide you to our main sect. We’ll hear your purpose after going up.”

“Thank you.”

As he raised his head after greeting again, a familiar face appeared in Jeong Yeon-shin’s view.

His second brother, Jeong Jung-san, was standing with a stunned expression.

* * *

“Hye-ah is being taught by the Zhongnan Sword Immortal?”

“She hasn’t officially become a disciple, but she’s receiving teachings almost equivalent.”

He couldn’t help but be surprised by Jeong Jung-san’s words as they climbed the mountain together.

The Zhongnan Sword Immortal was said to be a swordsman surpassing Elder Yeo Il-sin, a famous clan member.

He rarely came down to the secular world, but his reputation was known throughout the world.

His niece Jeong Hye had been recognized for her talents.

While feeling relieved, Jeong Jung-san looked at Jeong Yeon-shin with a complicated expression.

“More than that, you… have become incredibly strong. A formal martial artist of Desolate Sect.”

“Strong? I’m still far from it.”

Jeong Yeon-shin was sparing with his words even to his brother.

Only the Desolate Sect Lord knew about his lifespan.

He had no desire to extend it further in any way.

“Master Jeong’s ambition is brilliant. You must have already received a blue robe over the white uniform of Desolate Sect.”

Wei Ji Myo-hwa seemed to like Jeong Yeon-shin very much.

Jeong Jung-san’s expression changed moment by moment with each of her words, and it seemed even difficult for a Zhongnan disciple like him to witness.

‘It’s not ambition, but desperation.’

When he thought it was difficult to even show courtesy to words that didn’t resonate, the group who had been companions for a while arrived at the Zhongnan Sect’s mountain gate.

“Welcome to our main sect.”

Behind Wei Ji Myo-hwa, who turned around with a slight smile, was an array of antique pavilions.

Compared to Desolate Sect, it was modest, but the main mountain of the Nine Sects, where the power of tradition was directly passed down, was different.

The pavilions harmonized with the overwhelming mountain terrain were extraordinary at a glance.

“The sect leader and the great elder have gone to battle the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader. If the guest is from Desolate Sect, we should meet the highest elder remaining in the sect.”

As she spoke, recalling the absolute being’s sword that annihilated the Jeong family, Jeong Yeon-shin and Hyeon Won-chang arrived at the Seeking Pavilion.

After climbing several rugged mountain peaks.

They coincidentally encountered an old man and a young girl walking out from the martial training ground beside them.

The girl’s eyes widened.

“Uncle!”

Perhaps because she had lost her parents overnight.

He embraced Hye, who ran to him as if heartbroken.

“Hye, have you been well?”

“Uncle…”

While reuniting with the sobbing Jeong Hye, Hyeon Won-chang, who was watching from the side, sniffled.

After putting down the child who didn’t want to let go, he faced the old man who was watching him with a strange gaze.

“He’s from Desolate Sect,” Wei Ji Myo-hwa said. Her tone was like addressing a maternal grandfather.

After Jeong Yeon-shin and Hyeon Won-chang first clasped fists and introduced themselves, the old man with his hands behind his back slowly opened his mouth.

“I am Jong Yeo-il.”

“The Zhongnan Sword Immortal!”

Hyeon Won-chang, who had been making an incredulous expression, shouted almost like a scream.

At the same time, his action of covering his own mouth was quite childish, but no one in the room blamed him.

“I pay my respects to the Sword Immortal.”

Jeong Yeon-shin clasped his fists again calmly.

He had seen the Desolate Sect Lord from a distance.

Although he felt reverence for his reputation, it did not approach him with shock like Hyeon Won-chang.

They exchanged simple conversations.

He conveyed that they had climbed Zhongnan Mountain officially to observe the civilians caught in the fight between large sects, and privately to confirm the safety of his blood relatives.

Jong Yeo-il, the Zhongnan Sword Immortal, who had been staring at Jeong Yeon-shin, suddenly asked.

“How old are you?”

“…Sixteen this year.”

“Hmm…! Would you like to see something?”

Regardless of Jeong Yeon-shin’s inner bewilderment, the Zhongnan Sword Immortal raised his hand and pointed to one side.

It was a place that had been bothering him anyway.

Various lines were drawn on the rough surface of a cliff covered in a faint mist.

“Elder Jong?”

Wei Ji Myo-hwa called him with an incomprehensive expression.

“What are you saying to an outsider? The restoration of the lost Nine Yang UnifiedTechnique is our sect’s sole desire.”

“The Sword Master is not a member of our sect. He was a guest invited to Zhongnan by the previous patriarch who befriended him as a companion. He only carved his martial arts into Zhongnan Mountain in his later years, and cannot be considered our sect’s true mountain technique.”

“Even so…”

She gathered her beautiful eyebrows, unable to understand. The Zhongnan Sword Immortal laughed.

“My remaining days are few. If I can see the Sword Master’s sword again, what can I not do? Although you are the only talent capable of reviving the Nine Yang Unified Technique, I cannot entrust my last regret to your hands alone.”

His tone was incredibly firm. Everyone could feel how powerful his last obsession was.

“I can’t understand. I can’t even grasp it myself. What did you see in a young master whom you’re meeting for the first time…”

“Look.”

Following the Zhongnan Sword Immortal’s chin gesture, Wei Ji Myo-hwa’s eyes widened.

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had gone to the mountain peak’s edge, was staring at the opposite cliff with his neck stretched out.

Hyeon Won-chang, standing behind him as if ready to pull him back immediately if he were to fall, was anxiously fidgeting.

He was clearly in a state of complete absorption. Anyone could see that.

‘Sword traces.’

Jeong Yeon-shin thought. The multiple trajectories carved on the cliff contained sharp sharpness.

They looked like overwhelming sword traces that had even overcome the weathering of time.

Were they marks left by the sword immortal?

The sword traces that ran long across the cliff did not feel like human skill at all.

It was impossible unless one could step on empty air.

“The Sword Master, who passed away fifty-nine years ago, carved these,” the Zhongnan Sword Immortal, who had approached beside him, said. Hyeon Won-chang was startled.

“Sword Master Ou Yang Chuan!”

“Do you know him?”

Jeong Yeon-shin asked while keeping his gaze fixed on the cliff.

“The sect disciple that was expelled by him established the Tyrant Sword Sect! In other words, all sword techniques of the Tyrant Sword Sect originate from the Sword Master!”

“He was the one who competed with your sect leader and yet climbed Zhongnan Mountain holding my young hand. If not for the Desolate Sect Lord who is neither god nor demon, there was almost no one in the world who could rival him.”

This meant he was an absolute master of unprecedented strength.

The Zhongnan Sword Immortal spoke of his regret.

An old swordsman standing at the end of life, scattering everything in his life futilely.

He said only the Sword Master’s sword remained. He was not offended by the Desolate Sect Lord being called a demon.

“Did the Sword Master bring you into the Zhongnan Sect?” Jeong Yeon-shin asked. The Zhongnan Sword Immortal nodded coolly.

“Yes. He carried a starving, useless orphan and climbed the main mountain. He suddenly handed me over to the previous patriarch to raise.”

“You said ‘Sword Master’. Why couldn’t you learn his sword?”

“…My connection did not reach that far. That’s life. I also lacked talent.”

The Zhongnan Sword Immortal looked at Jeong Yeon-shin with a strange expression and pointed to the cliff.

“Many of our sect’s swordsmen tried. However, it was not a sword path that could be taken just because one had broad knowledge or high martial arts. The masters of our sect who had some understanding of swords gathered and agreed. Only a flash of inspiration could trace the Sword Master’s sword path.”

Jeong Yeon-shin followed the old man’s finger with his eyes and slightly furrowed his brow.

To see it more clearly.

There was a phrase written in one stroke within the cliff’s mist.

‘Who is worthy’. The worthy shall obtain it.

“It’s completely in the realm of talent. The sect’s expectations are gathered on Myo-hwa. I know even if I don’t show it. It must be burdensome.”

Only then did Jeong Yeon-shin take his eyes off the cliff and turn his head.

Wei Ji Myo-hwa was making a strange expression. She, called the unprecedented genius of Zhongnan Sect, did not deny it.

But that was all. Their eyes met briefly, but she still looked unconvinced.

She could not understand the situation itself, beyond personal disposition.

Jeong Yeon-shin thought that perhaps this Zhongnan Sword Immortal might be a master beyond his maternal grandfather Ma Yeon-jeok.

Because only the Desolate Sect Lord had ever seen through his essence.

‘Even with such a master, they can’t defeat the Tyrant Sword Sect in one go?’

Whether Ma Yeon-jeok’s martial arts had rusted compared to his prime, or the Zhongnan Sword Immortal’s martial arts were beyond the evaluations of enthusiasts.

He was just grateful to have obtained another opportunity to become stronger.

It was when he was stroking Hye’s head, who had come running and was looking up at him.

“What did you see?” the Zhongnan Sword Immortal asked. Jeong Yeon-shin silently drew his pure white Desolate Sword.