Cheers erupted from afar soon after.

Even the masters trained in the Nine Sects, who were usually dignified and maintained appearances, did so.

They were mainly young martial artists who had formed friendships with Jeong Yeon-shin.

Those who had seen him protect Jeong Hye seemed to be the main figures.

“His title was Lighting Flash, right? A very fitting name.”

“Radiant Wing Sword Style. Just as we heard.”

“Truly a mysterious and magnificent sword technique. And powerful too.”

“For Wei Wu-hyeok, who was a rising talent the Tyrant Sword Sect had staked their fate on…!”

A decisive battle was before them. Even their masters and elders remained still.

Along with the endlessly rising morale, Jeong Yeon-shin’s nerves focused straight ahead.

‘Tyrant Sword Sect.’

The front was completely different. Small murmurs arose.

Though the disturbance wasn’t large, they couldn’t hide their bewildered expressions.

The sect leader’s disciple had lost his head in just two exchanges. Moreover, his opponent was a peer.

“This is impossible in the world.”

“How could Wu-hyeok not even resist…”

“Kill them all.”

The last words flowed from the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader’s mouth.

A resonance that wouldn’t tolerate lowered morale brushed across the Guanzhong Plain. An enormous true energy was spread out.

“Yeon-shin! Come back!”

How urgent must it have been for Hyeon Won-chang to call out his name like a friend.

His eyes met the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader’s. He remained motionless with his sword thrust into the ground.

He seemed unmoved even by his disciple’s death. Jeong Yeon-shin formed his lips widely.

‘I’ll take one of your arms. Somehow, I will.’

How absurdly reckless. Jeong Yeon-shin knew too. It would only be taken as entertainment.

For the first time, a faint smile formed on the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader’s face. He even snickered.

Simultaneously, a vibration like a military flag spread from the Tyrant Sword Sect’s camp.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s Radiant Wing Sword Style had sparked the war between sects.

The Zhongnan Sect also rose like clouds and rushed forward as if to protect their vanguard.

Ahhhhh-!

Among those who folded space with tremendous lightness techniques without a word, there were also those who shouted.

Voices carrying true energy echoed in all directions. The plain felt like a gorge.

Amidst the rampant energy waves, Jeong Yeon-shin tried to maintain his focus.

‘So this is a group battle of masters.’

He retreated while keeping his eyes fixed on the Tyrant Sword Sect’s side. The distance seemed about to disappear instantly.

At the front was a master making the ground thunder with tremendous momentum.

His elegant beard fluttered, and his bearing was large with a tyrannical energy wave.

‘This isn’t ordinary.’

One could tell at a glance he was an elder-level master.

Someone who had trained rising martial arts for decades with top talent in the Tyrant Sword Sect.

He was a martial artist Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t handle yet.

“I’ll kill you-!”

He seemed to be Wei Wu-hyeok’s grandfather. Light blazed from his glaring eyes.

As a master of the evil sect martial world, he wouldn’t show leniency just because Jeong Yeon-shin was young.

“If you had taught him well, it wouldn’t have been just two exchanges.”

“How dare you!”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s words were like fire lit to a fuse. Tremendous killing intent transmitted.

This was enough. He had deliberately provoked to focus his nerves.

‘This is now a battlefield. Any method is permitted.’

He turned his body sideways to create space. From behind, the Zhongnan Sword Immortal flew past, brushing his clothes.

“Thanks to you, we’ve taken the initiative in this battle.”

“Kuheo!”

With the Sword Immortal’s words, the Tyrant Sword Sect elder’s body flew backward.

The tremendous energy wave that burst from the Zhongnan Sword Immortal’s palm swept across all directions.

The brutal collision announces the start of the sect war. At last, the great battle between the Tyrant Sword Sect and Zhongnan Sect had begun.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes swept left and right of the front. From now on, to achieve merit, he needed to find opponents he could handle.

‘There are many.’

Fortunately, there were many young masters rushing in, unable to contain their passion.

Jeong Yeon-shin immediately stomped the ground toward the side.

“You!”

Having already drawn tremendous attention, he was the Tyrant Sword Sect’s main target.

The number of enemies drawing their swords and rushing in wasn’t just one or two.

‘I can handle this.’

They were all young. It was natural.

Just as their lives’ accumulated and constantly refined martial talent seemed futile.

The other elder-level and veteran masters seemed to sense each other’s energy waves and clashed among themselves.

If they let even one slip through, their disciples could be annihilated.

Whoosh!

As he operated Jeong Family Dynamic Technique’s true energy, a fairly powerful energy wave arose.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s clothes fluttered as if proving his endless growth.

He wasn’t wearing the Desolate Sect martial uniform today to participate as a Zhongnan Sect guest.

If there was a second battle, he would wear it then.

The first one to strike used a spear.

The energy gathered on the blade even contained killing intent. It was on a different dimension from the Praying Mantis Sect martial artists.

Clang!

The rotating energy wave imbued in the spear strike was cut off by the Desolate Sword’s strike.

The moment confusion filled the guy’s eyes, the dim light of the Radiant Wing Sword Style brushed past his neck.

‘Two.’

Once immersed in the battlefield, Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t treat enemies as people.

Achievements are measured in numbers. If caught up in ethics and compassion, one cannot survive here.

Clang! Splash!

Along with the sweeping dust wind, white sword light flashed in all directions.

The upper dantian emitting formless light from the crown didn’t allow blind spots.

Even when swift sword strikes came from behind, he immediately deflected them and cut necks.

A feeling of surveying all directions of space. The sense gained from the Praying Mantis Sect greatly contributed to group battle.

“Coordinate! Don’t rush in recklessly!”

“Even his footwork is mysterious! Watch his legs properly!”

The Tyrant Sword Sect disciples finally faced him with coordinated attacks as a premise. The harmony between Rotational and Radiant Wing Sword Style was tremendous.

Radiant Demon Wing’s Lighting Flash was becoming complete as a martial artist, equipping unique martial arts one by one.

Before they knew it, with Hyeon Won-chang covering the rear as support, Jeong Yeon-shin’s battle record was overwhelmingly dominant among the young Zhongnan Sect disciples.

The Desolate Sword didn’t stop spilling blood. Until the great battle between the two sects reached a lull.

* * *

The first battle was Zhongnan Sect’s victory. They said taking the initiative at the start made a huge difference.

Jeong Yeon-shin had now become a celebrity at Zhongnan Mountain. All Zhongnan Sect martial artists showed goodwill and treated him with courtesy.

“I have some fruit wine hidden from my master and senior uncles, would you like a drink?”

“Are there that many sparring promises piled up? I came too late.”

“The sisters at Poetry Rhythm Pavilion seemed interested in you, but I firmly cut them off. Our sword discussion comes first, right? Hahaha!”

It was even difficult to respond. Jeong Yeon-shin walked along the path while recalling his conversation with Yeo Il-sin.

She had answered that she would tell him the reason for the Jeong family’s annihilation now if he wanted.

She also said his second brother already knew and understood.

There was a reason why Jeong Jung-san deliberately didn’t tell his younger brother, and why Yeo Il-sin herself hesitated to bring it up.

It would be better to hear it after the big fight was settled.

‘There probably won’t be much shock.’

He thought it was an unnecessary worry.

Though he was desperately running away from approaching death, unknowing people often treated him like a child.

The enemies were the same. If anything, it was pleasing that he could easily kill difficult opponents like the Blood Snake Sword and gain achievements.

“Just in case.”

He released his thoughts in a murmur.

He decided not to create anything that would prevent him from focusing on momentary battles.

The weight leaned more toward future revenge than the already occurred annihilation.

They said inner demons come unexpectedly. It would be enough to hear when leaving Zhongnan Mountain.

“Sir Jeong!”

Hyeon Won-chang waved from afar. Jeong Yeon-shin approached with a small smile.

“Did you perhaps have connections with Zhongnan Sect’s veteran masters?”

“What happened?”

“Two renowned masters from Xi’an came. They asked if you’d like to train together. They said they have an interesting training method.”

He recalled the martial artists who had come with Yeo Il-sin at the Jeong family house.

Those who had nodded as if it was natural when she proposed Jeong Yeon-shin join the Zhongnan Sect.

They were masters who had helped even with handling the Jeong family’s corpses. He had briefly seen them in the first great battle.

“Are their titles Precipice Sword and Shadowless Fist?”

“Ha, your reputation is considerable. You won’t die a meaningless death in the wilderness. The Sword Immortal treats you like his own grandson, and even the Mount Hua Sword Saint discussed making you a Mount Hua guest…”

Hyeon Won-chang spoke with an envious expression.

Come to think of it, this murim journey was very different from his first outing.

He had made many connections with Nine Sects masters who were said to be hard to even see in civilian areas.

“It’s been a while since seeing them.”

Jeong Yeon-shin took what appeared to be a leisurely step.

White clouds shining in the sunlight approached gently.

It was like that until the second great battle occurred.

* * *

Three days later. The Tyrant Sword Sect they encountered again in the Guanzhong Plain had come with sharpened swords.

One could feel it just by looking at their camp.

Even for an evil sect, the expressions of many martial artists couldn’t be seen.

“This won’t be easy. All the old men from the few elder council members have come out.”

The Zhongnan Sword Immortal spoke gravely. Ou Yang Chen slowly nodded.

“If we win here, it will end.”

“Myo-hwa, take good care of the disciples.”

“Yes, Elder.”

Wei Ji Myo-hwa’s complexion was different from before as she calmly replied.

Her white face was in full bloom.

As if she had thrown off the anguish she had been bearing, power surging through her entire body could be felt.

It was an upright burning energy wave.

Thanks to achieving great merit, Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes, standing with them, met hers.

Wei Ji Myo-hwa’s lips curved up.

“I wish you martial fortune, Sir Jeong.”

“I hope the Sword Dragon stays safe as well.”

Jeong Yeon-shin calmly replied and turned his head.

It wasn’t time to worry about masters whose martial prowess exceeded his own.

That’s when the Zhongnan Sword Immortal touched his shoulder.

“Beware of the Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword. He’s the grandfather of Wei Wu-hyeok whom you killed.”

“You mean that Tyrant Sword Sect elder from before?”

“Yes. I had to face the Elder Council Leader before I could finish him off. Though his stance quickly crumbled, he seemed to be mindful of you even while receiving my sword.”

“Though his status is higher than the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader’s, they say he acts as his limbs on the battlefield. They commonly call him the right arm.”

Wei Ji Myo-hwa added with a worried expression.

“Thank you for your concern.”

As Jeong Yeon-shin nodded, the second great battle began.

There was no vanguard battle this time. The Tyrant Sword Sect came rushing with lightness techniques, showing momentum to charge without looking back or forth.

A war staking a sect’s survival was different from the romance of the martial world that enthusiasts talked about.

The battle involving rights, honor, and survival instantly compressed the martial artists’ perception of space and time.

Clang! Boom!

“Poetry Rhythm Pavilion gather! Form a sword formation on this side!”

“Ahhh!”

Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly became aware of himself raising the Radiant Wing Sword Style in the realm of fierce battle.

The smell of blood had become familiar. How many had he cut down among the masters’ energy waves sweeping from all directions?

“No need for long words!”

An old man who emanated tremendous momentum even in tattered clothes as if having fought through battles.

The Zhongnan Sword Immortal’s advice was right. The Tyrant Sword Sect elder, Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword, approached with fierce eyes.

“Is that how all evil sects are? You know no shame.”

“I’ll teach you a lesson.”

Jeong Yeon-shin instinctively knew. There was no more effective method than provocation in a melee.

Though he must have tremendous murim experience as an elder of the Thirteen Heavens, he took large steps like a lion eyeing its prey, seemingly intoxicated by his own martial prowess.

His vision had completely narrowed.

He felt the presence of Hyeon Won-chang and Zhongnan Sect masters rushing from both sides as if to assist.

He raised his full-body internal energy to the extreme.

Clang-!

The sword force he barely deflected was tremendous. The ground cracked with a thud without even being touched by the sword tip.

As if a major sect elder’s moves never break, the Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword continuously unleashed stance techniques.

Jeong Yeon-shin deployed Rotating Strike and brushed against his side.

“You!”

Puhk!

The moment the Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword’s eyebrow twitched, Jeong Yeon-shin’s body was sent flying far after being hit by a palm.

Tremendous force exploded from the oblique muscle near his ribs.

Though it wasn’t an internal force technique, he couldn’t instantly raise power.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes widened.

‘Jeong Family Dynamic Technique!’

The slightly activated middle dantian assisted his internal energy.

The Jeong Family Dynamic Technique’s true energy broke through the impact and rose.

It instantly dissipated the energy wave that was about to spread throughout his body and restored his entire body.

Meanwhile, Wei Ji Myo-hwa, Shadowless Fist, and Precipice Sword arrived and blocked the Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword.

The sight of four high-level masters exchanging blows reflected in Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes.

At that moment, his upper dantian blazed and began engraving all of the Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword’s moves in his mind.

‘He’s enraged. Easy to analyze.’

How he gripped his sword, how his muscles moved when applying sword force – it all became imprinted in his eyes.

Not stopping there, he dissected every subtle principle.

Down to the smallest habits in his footwork directions and body movements raising foot force.

The Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword, who seemed to be pushed back until reaching fifty moves, used a technique of mutual harm.

He sacrificed his left arm to Wei Ji Myo-hwa’s sword while striking her abdomen.

Shadowless Fist and Precipice Sword also fell after taking his right-hand sword strike.

The old man’s appearance was in tatters. He had become a one-armed swordsman with crimson blood forming at his mouth. His internal injuries seemed severe.

Nevertheless, the Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword was a renowned elder of the Tyrant Sword Sect.

“Hah!”

Hyeon Won-chang rushed in but was miserably thrown aside. What had irritated him?

Just before Hyeon Won-chang’s head would fall to his sword as he rushed in with a true step.

Jeong Yeon-shin was already standing at the Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword’s side.

“I’ve been waiting!”

A smile tinged with killing intent appeared on the old man’s lips. His sword stance changed dramatically.

A tremendous swift sword technique sprang from his wrinkled hand.

It was when the diagonal upward sword strike reached Jeong Yeon-shin’s body.

‘I can feel it.’

It wasn’t a sword that could be seen with Jeong Yeon-shin’s eye technique achievement. This was the realm of foresight.

His crown felt white-hot. A burning energy like the sun falling into his head was exploding in his upper dantian.

He factored in all the Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword’s techniques he had seen so far. He entrusted everything to his talent and heavenly luck.

Just one move – he thought the Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword’s first strike that would burst forth from this stance at this moment wouldn’t be different from what he had anticipated.

He was already drawing out the sword path to destroy that move.

The Desolate Sword in his hand extended as if meandering.

It was a technique that martial artists called “destruction.”

The light cluster of brightly falling sunlight distorted on the sword blade, and the white trajectory flowed past the Rakshasa’s sword like water and passed the shocked old man’s neck.

Splash-!

“……”

In the battlefield where all kinds of energy and wind were swirling, only where Jeong Yeon-shin stood was quiet.

He captured in his sight the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader fighting the Western Heavens Sword Lord Ou Yang Chen.

He had heard Ou Yang Chen was being pushed back by half, bu it now it was different. He had clearly looked this way.

While staring at the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader whose expression showed bewilderment for the first time, he grabbed the corpse’s hair.

“Tyrant Sword Sect Leader. I said I would take it.”

As he lifted the Eight Fierce Rakshasa Sword’s head high, he imbued true energy in his voice.

Following the resonating voice, masters of both sects turned their heads this way. Everyone’s movements began to stop one by one.

Jeong Yeon-shin calmly asked.

“Is this your arm too?”