The transparent sunlight spread across the sky.
It was the ti when the shadows of the crowd were at their smallest.
Among them were those whose appearances made it difficult to tell whether they were beggars or wandering vagrants, sprawled lazily on the ground. Others, standing with their arms crossed atop high tree branches, were seasoned martial artists of the Martial Observation Sect. There were even those draped in silk robes, seated within ornate palanquins, flanked by personal guards.
Yet, there was hardly anyone displaying signs of boredom.
As the sun climbed higher, the excitent on their faces only deepened.
And then—
“They're coming! They’re coming!”
“What? Finally...!”
“Where? Who?!”
A formidable presence spread from below the distant mountain road. The synchronized clanking of iron armor echoed as it collided at regular intervals. The sound grew louder.
The crowd buzzed like a swarm of bees.
“The Tenfold Gate! The Ten Thousand Soldiers Heavenly Lord is here, leading his disciples!”
“He really accepted... I wasn’t sure if he would.”
“The leader of the Tenfold Gate displaying his martial prowess in broad daylight…!”
“We’re going to witness the Ten Thousand Bell Convergence Technique with our own eyes.”
The heads of great sects were figures that were rarely seen, even over a lifeti.
Not only for commoners, but even for renowned martial artists in the wulin, it was the sa.
These were beings of such status that they rarely moved unless the circumstances were fitting. Even if they did happen to be on the sa land, laying eyes on them was akin to trying to glimpse the sun in the sky.
For martial artists, their presence held an even deeper aning.
It was said that every movent of a supre grandmaster carried the essence of a higher martial realm. Just witnessing them in action could broaden one’s knowledge and bring about great enlightennt.
“This ans we’ll see the Dark King of Huazhong too? They say he’s so handso even Song Ok and Ban-ak would weep!”
“There’s no way. Rumors are always exaggerated.”
“Move! I can’t see! Move aside!”
“Stop shoving! I said, stop pushing!”
“The gangho fighters have ford a periter! If we move any closer, it'll be chaos—just stop already!”
The endless ridge was densely packed with people.
Fights were breaking out within the crowd.
Those who wanted to move forward craned their necks, while those with blocked vision jumped in place, struggling to catch a glimpse of the highest peak.
For a chance like this might never co again.
To witness the martial prowess of supre grandmasters.
To be the first to relay the results of today’s duels to their respective factions.
Many shared the sa thought.
Even if they could not clearly witness the fight, they had to be here.
It was a historic event.
Staring blankly at the cracked, barren ground was far worse.
How could they turn their backs on the legendary masters they had only ever heard of in rumors and admired from afar?
Unlike the common folk, the martial artists and high-ranking officials who had secured pri viewing spots looked down below with murmurs of intrigue.
“The Tenfold Gate… They truly ca.”
“What an imposing sight.”
A group ascended the hill with unrelenting steps.
Their armor glead harshly under the sunlight.
The tallic sound of jointed armor moving in unison spread, and the overwhelming military aura they exuded made them seem less like martial artists and more like an elite battalion.
Clank. Clank.
About forty warriors marched behind the Lord of the Tenfold Gate, clad in eerie white armor.
The invisible yet imnse force radiating from them pressed down the grass with sheer presence.
They were rely walking.
And yet, it carried the grandeur of a ceremonial march in Beijing.
Such precision in internal energy control was only possible among those who had cultivated the sa naegong.
“Look at their bearing. Despite clashing with the Bloodfla Cult Leader, they’ve been more active than ever lately…”
“The Lord of the Tenfold Gate is still in his pri. The rumors about him destroying several of the Tang Clan’s defensive formations weren’t baseless.”
“It’s no wonder the Unorthodox Sect of Samae followers are so full of themselves. With power like that, I doubt the duels will be fair.”
“What makes you think so?”
“The average gangho fighter is ignorant of the bigger picture. Unless they belong to a major sect.”
“Hmm…”
“Do you know how many warriors have lost their heads for not recognizing famous martial artists? The Thirteen Heavens have beco the dominant force, so there will be plenty trying to curry favor with them. Not the wisest, but still formidable warriors… Like the branch factions of the Tenfold Gate.”
“Ah! That reminds , the duels today don’t have fixed pairings, do they?”
“Anyone can participate. Even so naless swordsman with polished skills could use an insult as an excuse to challenge Ma Gwang-ik to a duel. Though, not just anyone would dare.”
“It wouldn’t matter. They wouldn’t last beyond three of his techniques, let alone face the Abbesses of Mount Ei or the Head of Qingcheng.”
“You underestimate the Thirteen Heavens. They aren’t just brutes relying on strength. They excel at manipulating circumstances. They know how to sacrifice sothing small for a much bigger gain.”
“I’m not sure I follow what Elder Nangseong is implying…”
“Just watch. I don’t care about the duel’s outco, but I must witness the Ten Thousand Bell Convergence Technique properly.”
As various figures turned their gazes upward—
The procession of the Tenfold Gate, led by the Ten Thousand Soldiers Heavenly Lord, reached the Summit of Converging Stars.
At that mont, the ceaseless clanking of armor abruptly stopped.
“This is quite spacious. A perfect place to display Martial Observation.”
The Lord of the Tenfold Gate murmured with a casual smile.
He glanced around, lightly brushing the hilt of the sword at his left waist. His deanor radiated the unshakable composure of an absolute master.
A subordinate beside him gave a slight nod.
“It is called the Summit of Converging Stars.”
“A hill where the stars gather. I didn’t know Sichuan had such a high and vast peak.”
“It is the burial ground of the Twin Poison Dragons.”
“The Twin Poison Dragons?”
“The direct lineage of the Tang Clan Leader. They were offered as sacrificial pawns in the Golden Dawn Sect’s formation.”
“Ah, I rember now. Their nas once made for good drinking conversation. Young warriors these days certainly have dramatic titles.”
The Lord of the Tenfold Gate nodded slowly.
Then, his gaze suddenly shifted.
“But… soone of your caliber wouldn’t seem out of place bearing such a title.”
He wasn’t speaking to his subordinate.
The warriors of the Tenfold Gate, who had instinctively followed his gaze, stiffened.
Their armor rustled faintly from the sudden movent.
Because in their wide-open eyes, fluttering black robes ca into view.
When had he arrived?
Amidst the dense foliage, faint particles of shattered light glimred.
Shhh—
At the center of the hill, a young man stood.
Tiny fragnts of light, shattered from his movent, slowly dissipated at his feet.
It was clearly the aftereffect of lightweight movent techniques, yet no one in the entire mountain could compare to the air of mystery surrounding him.
The sunlight breaking around him created a dreamlike atmosphere.
Seomye Jeong Yeon-shin.
His expressionless face carried a lonely temperant.
“Ma Gwang-ik.”
A warrior of the Tenfold Gate barely muttered his na in a hushed voice.
Then, a massive roar erupted from the crowd gathered along the mountain ridge.
Even the air seed to shake violently.
WAAAAAHHH—!
“When did he…? What kind of technique is that…?”
“That face… It’s the Dark King of Huazhong! The rumors didn’t do him justice!”
“He’s really that dignified?”
“I’m in love! Please, just look this way once!”
“My eyes have been blessed today!”
The excited voices rang out as people waved their hands in a frenzy.
The heat of the mont was overwhelming.
The Tang Clan’s publicly posted announcents, copied and spread throughout all of Sichuan, were the reason for the excitent.
They had written words no one would have dared to imagine.
And they had done so under the na of Ipwang Fortress’s Black Sovereign, an identity of the highest prestige.
The host of the Grand Martial Duel.
The youngest Leader of the Society of Sacred Swords.
The great master who bestowed the Flowers of Steel Rain Technique upon the Tang Clan.
Alongside these widely known achievents, there was hardly anyone in Sichuan who did not know the na Jeong Yeon-shin.
The fact that the Tang Clan, the most powerful noble household in Sichuan, had taken him as their teacher only fueled the crowd’s admiration.
It was obvious where the majority of the spectators’ support lay.
But none of the duel’s participants paid any attention to that.
Their fates would be decided by their martial skill alone.
Srrng.
The Lord of the Tenfold Gate ran a hand over his wrist, his pristine white steel bracers letting out a cold, whispering sound.
“Why?”
He asked.
“What do you an?”
Jeong Yeon-shin's response was indifferent.
He had swiftly executed Ten-League Radiance to ensure he arrived before Baekyak Sage, yet in the end, he had not even glimpsed the Lord of the Golden Dawn Sect’s hair.
‘What is his plan?’
At that mont, the Lord of the Tenfold Gate pulled his lips into a wide grin.
“This doesn’t match what was written in the proclamation. Where are the two of them? Baekyak Sage and the young head of Qingcheng.”
“Bring your two first.”
“I asked first. You should be the one to answer.”
The Lord of the Tenfold Gate spoke with an insidious smile—distinctly unorthodox in nature.
Jeong Yeon-shin swallowed the words he had almost uttered: A half-dead wreck and the Golden Dawn Sect’s dull-witted fool.
This was a stage where many eyes were watching.
He would not rise by lowering his opponent.
Here, he had to display an innate dignity—only then could he suppress the rabble of Unorthodox Sect followers.
He spoke slowly, his voice flowing from the depths of his mind.
“You live by leeching off the toil of commoners, yet still believe yourself to be a great general? A re traitor dares to act like a noble figure.”
“Are you speaking to ?”
“You simply have no sha.”
Jeong Yeon-shin concluded decisively.
He was not waiting for an answer.
From a young age, he had been adept at asking and answering his own questions—rarely did he find satisfactory responses in others.
Even after stepping into the wulin, nothing had changed. His natural insight ran deep.
I will start by defeating this one.
Neither the Lord of Sunmaryeon nor the Lord of the Golden Dawn Sect would truly abstain. They were watching from sowhere.
Just like the Abbess of Ei and the Sect Leader of Qingcheng, who were surely observing the moves of the Two Lords of the Thirteen Heavens.
“Co.”
Jeong Yeon-shin’s voice rang out.
“Hmm. The Tang Clan was rather regretful about our last eting.”
The Lord of the Tenfold Gate raised an eyebrow, his composure returning.
“This isn’t a bad place to test our martial arts properly.”
Step.
He took a single step forward.
At the sa ti, a fierce gust surged outward, forcing the surrounding air to recoil.
But then—
“This is not a fair match!”
Boom!
A heavy thud accompanied a man stepping onto the hill.
A martial artist, wearing iron knuckles.
He appeared to be middle-aged.
A scar ran diagonally across his face, and faint heat waves shimred around his body—an unmistakable sign of domineering protective energy.
“Iron Demon Fist!”
Several voices from the crowd cried out.
And he was not alone.
Boom! Boom!
“No matter your black-ranking status in Ipwang Fortress, you’re still just a re martial leader. How dare you…”
“The one you face is the Lord of a Grand Sect. You are not worthy.”
A man wielding a massive axe bellowed with laughter, while a woman with a thin, needle-like rapier spoke with cold finality.
Each of them exuded an imnse aura.
Whoosh!
A powerful gust swept through, mingling with the murmurs of the crowd.
Decayed Moon Axe Xing Qizhong.
Piercing Demon Blade Hui So.
Even Jeong Yeon-shin, having spent only a short ti in Sichuan, had heard their nas.
They were among the strongest unorthodox warriors in Sichuan—outside the major sects.
“My reputation has put in an awkward position.”
The Lord of the Tenfold Gate chuckled and stepped back.
When a supre grandmaster of the Unorthodox Sect appeared, lesser warriors often gathered around them like scavengers, masquerading as powerful figures and raiding at will.
Not true disciples—just affiliates.
The strongest among them were called Great Demons—literal giant devils.
A calamity caused by the absolute masters of the Unorthodox Sect.
To the common people, they were feared even more than the Thirteen Heavens Lords.
A famine.
While Ipwang Fortress struggled to fill the ranks of the Society of Sacred Swords, supre Unorthodox masters could easily gather followers and retainers.
Even if such a master were to die, their subordinates rarely returned to the righteous path.
“We’ve been called monkeys, haven’t we? Why don’t we exchange a few blows? I challenge you to a life-or-death duel.”
The Iron Demon Fist slamd his fists together in a resounding clash.
“Ma Gwang-ik, didn’t you summon us as well? From what I read in the proclamation, you seem eager to rid Sichuan of unorthodox warriors.”
Step.
He moved lightly, shifting sideways—ready to retreat at any mont.
“……”
Jeong Yeon-shin did not respond.
Instead, he gazed past the Three Great Demons at the Lord of the Tenfold Gate.
A friendly smile curved at the corners of the Lord of the Tenfold Gate’s lips.
“Well, what now? If Ma Gwang-ik draws his sword, he’ll have to step down under the rules of the Grand Martial Duel.”
A Unorthodox Sect ploy.
Duel matches among supre grandmasters were not fought in continuous rounds.
Even friendly sparring with swords was subject to strict etiquette.
With countless interests and justifications tangled together, any factor that could lead to future disputes or unforeseen repercussions had to be eliminated.
The presence of each individual was as weighty as the world itself.
“These warriors have their own opportunity. They are not under my command, so I can hardly intervene. But if you’d prefer to put forward another challenger to face them instead, that would be fine. A life-or-death match, after all, requires soone willing to risk their life.”
“How excellent. Is there no one else?”
“Since you’ve labeled all Unorthodox Sect warriors as targets, I suppose there’s nothing unfair about this arrangent… Hmm?”
The Lord of the Tenfold Gate’s eyebrow lifted.
At that mont—
From the depths of Jeong Yeon-shin’s mind—
‘Seonryong.’
A dragon rose, clutching a fan in its maw.
Then, it coiled tightly around the sword at his waist.
And the mont his Divine Thunder Sword let out a pure, resonant hum—
Slowly.
“……!”
A single, horizontal line stretched across the ridgeline—an undefined, colorless plane.
Bwooaaahhh—!
As the delayed burst of light streaked in a straight line,
thin lines of blood appeared across the throats of the Three Great Demons.
It had been but an instant.
The protective energy they had raised was torn apart by the Thunder Sword’s lightning-quick slash,
and like paper being ripped apart, their heads simply detached and rolled away.
Their bodies followed, collapsing to the side.
The Divine Thunder Sword curved through the air in an elegant arc before returning.
Srrng—
Jeong Yeon-shin gently placed his hand on the Sword’s Wave as it settled into its sheath.
When he lifted his gaze,
he saw the Lord of the Tenfold Gate, his expression frozen in disbelief.
“You… You planned this from the beginning…?”
The man muttered.
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips.
“The duel continues.”
“What…?”
“Since when were apes considered n?”
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