The words had escaped him in a surge of emotion. The scholars’ murmurs had struck not his ears, but his heart.

'They couldn’t find them? Any of them?'

For the first time, the boy acted rashly. Exclude the Radiant Demon Squad from their available fighting strength? That was hardly something one could say without assuming they had been wiped out. Even if every circumstance pointed that way, Jung Yeonshin could not allow himself to reach the same conclusion. The Jeong Clan Estate meant nothing. The Radiant Demon Squad was his home.

“Young Master Lightning Genius.”

“Oh dear...”

“You should never have had to hear this.”

Several scholars rose from their seats. These were men who regarded Jung Yeonshin favorably. They offered clasped-hand salutes or silent bows, but their expressions were uneasy despite their upright bearing. The only available blue-robed expert of the Radiant Demon Squad had heard the strategists’ assessment. Anyone would have been at a loss.

“Excluding myself, Shin Sobin, and the Supreme Flame Dragon, our squad currently numbers twenty-five.”

Jung Yeonshin spoke, struggling to keep his voice level.

“I heard Scholar Geum Jomun speaking earlier. He said two white robes had fallen in battle. Were you referring to the Radiant Demon Squad?”

He had distinctly heard it. They had said they were recovering two bodies.

“...”

“Please tell me.”

Jung Yeonshin gazed steadily at a scholar some distance away. Beside him, the Chief Administrator looked grave. At his slight nod, the middle-aged Scholar Geum reluctantly answered.

“... They report finding the bodies of Clear Cloud Sword Yu Euneun and Scattering Fist Do Myeong. The unranked disciples of our Sichuan branch sent word that they had recovered them.”

The boy fell silent. He knew the Radiant Demon Squad’s Clear Cloud Sword and Scattering Fist well. How could he not? Along with Heon Wonchang, they were among the squad’s few white-robed warriors. When Jung Yeonshin had first arrived in white martial robes, they had shown him around the fortress with conspicuously excited faces. After his promotion to blue robe, they had playfully addressed him with deference.

WHOOOSH!

His qi emissions wavered slightly. It was not that the Movement Art had escaped his control. Rather, the qi he had already raised was distorting of its own accord in response to his unsettled heart. Jung Yeonshin repeated a passage from the Diamond Formula.

'Let the mind arise without abiding anywhere.'

Let the mind flow where it will. He had first heard those words while creating the Demon-Slaying Gentle Flowing Strike. They had come from the teachings of Shaolin’s Little Divine Monk and Master Won Jong, and had struck him with particular force at the time. Thus, he had made them one of the guiding principles of the mental cultivation method he had recently begun devising.

The boy contemplated his pounding heart. Never since entering the martial world had he felt such an inner tempest. Grief and anger raged like a torrent. No. If he was to take revenge, he could not let himself be swept away. He stepped back inwardly and observed his own feelings. It was familiar work, for this was also how he turned his gaze away from the fear of his limited lifespan.

'I can avenge them. If they’ve already passed on and I’m too late, taking the enemy’s heads comes first.'

The boy thought as a martial artist, shutting Jung Yeonshin the person out of his mind entirely. At the same time, he felt his qi emissions withdraw into his body. He spoke again.

“The remaining twenty-three. By missing, do you mean there has been neither a messenger pigeon nor a courier from our squad, including its captain? For more than seven days and nights?”

“... That is correct.”

The Chief Administrator answered with inward admiration. This was a world where mental cultivation methods and internal martial arts were regarded as ways to accumulate qi. It was no exaggeration to say that only the Nine Great Sects practiced qi circulation and breathing as genuine cultivation of the mind, as the words implied. How many scoundrels in the martial world had mastered sublime mental cultivation methods?

'He is far too composed for his age.'

He thought this as he watched Lightning Genius. He could not tell how deep the boy’s mind ran, but he could sense a temperament honed as cold and keen as a blade. What power would that blade unleash when joined with the boy’s martial talent? Even amid the deluge of ominous reports, he felt satisfaction as the Desolate Fortress’s Chief Administrator.

It was then that the boy spoke.

“Chief Administrator.”

“Please, go ahead.”

Chief Administrator Im Jinmyeong answered the Fortress Master’s young direct disciple. Jung Yeonshin turned his head at once, meeting his eyes.

“Jung Yeonshin of the Radiant Demon Squad requests permission to depart for Sichuan.”

“I thought you might say that.”

The Chief Administrator stroked his beard, his face reluctant. Undeterred, Jung Yeonshin continued.

“Assign me a scouting mission. Three of the Nine Great Sects, three of the Thirteen Skies, and the Tang Clan are all vying for power there. Surely the Heavenly Squad and Suncheon Wing stationed there have their hands full merely holding their positions?”

“We have no forces to spare.”

The Chief Administrator shook his head.

“Only two of the Divine Sword Squad’s combat units are currently in the fortress. Neither can be withdrawn.”

“...”

“A few members of each of the other units remain here, but all are taking their rightful rest. A martial artist’s abilities reach their peak through rest as well as tempering. Most of them returned from missions within the past month. Even this Command Bureau has no authority to conscript them again immediately. Such is the law.”

His words were as clear-cut as a blade. Both his tone and his meaning were unmistakable. Finally, the Chief Administrator concluded with a sigh.

“At present, we cannot form a separate combat unit.”

He was right. The time of martial artists on leave was protected by law. It was a distinctive feature of the Desolate Fortress. The experts returning from missions did not, he had heard, devote themselves solely to martial training. A martial artist’s life might end at any moment, so many spent time with their families in the fortress.

“...”

Jung Yeonshin closed his mouth. This was no matter for rash bravado. Not just the white robes, but every blue- and black-robed fighter, including the captain of the Radiant Demon Squad, had vanished. This was not some simple affair where he could talk of roaming the martial world alone. He could not go by himself, nor would the Command Bureau permit it. But was he to sit idly by? No.

“If an available force can be assembled, will you authorize the mission?”

At Jung Yeonshin’s question, the Chief Administrator raised his eyes and readily nodded.

“It is something we, too, must find a way to accomplish.”

“I know.”

In truth, he desperately wanted to call upon the Desolate Fortress Master. But hers was a name he dared not bring up. As the guardian of the world tree, the sacred treasure of the noble race, she was the most exalted person in the fortress. No one dared presume to discuss her movements. The Desolate Fortress Master never acted lightly, all the more so without a clear and momentous target such as the Blood Flame Cult’s headquarters.

'Her treating me specially doesn’t give me the right to overstep.'

With that thought, the boy forced himself to abandon his desire to rely on that absolute power.

“I will assemble the personnel.”

Perhaps he had expected those words. The Chief Administrator nodded once more.

STEP.

That was all. Jung Yeonshin turned at once, the hem of his long blue robe sweeping sharply around him. The Command Bureau scholars watched without a word and saw him off in silence.

* * *

He did not head for the Radiant Demon Squad’s hall. Instead, he turned in the opposite direction. The Supreme Flame Dragon, who had been standing sulkily outside, asked in puzzlement,

“Where are you going... sir?”

“The Desolate’s Ma Clan.”

His answer was brief.

Upon their return to the fortress, Ma Yeonjeok had asked something of him: to visit the Ma clan and hear Ju Yeonjeong’s apology. Now the boy set off, willing to grasp at even a straw.

“Looks like something pretty serious happened. That’s quite an expression. Ah, just talking to myself.”

The Supreme Flame Dragon grinned as he fell into step beside him. Jung Yeonshin spoke indifferently.

“Your assignment has been confirmed. You may return to the hall.”

“No, no. Let’s go together. I can’t stand boredom, and this looks more entertaining.”

The Supreme Flame Dragon answered with laughter in his voice, looking thoroughly intrigued by Jung Yeonshin. The boy ignored him and walked in silence. He had no attention to spare for bickering with the Supreme Flame Dragon.

After a long, silent walk straight ahead, he reached the main gate of the Desolate’s Ma Clan. Jung Yeonshin looked up at the antique signboard. It read “Ma Clan Villa.”

'The last time I saw this...'

It had been when Heon Wonchang had devised a scheme to put Ju Yeonjeong in a difficult position. Chung Myung and Baek Miryeo had been with him.

Every familiar place carried traces of the Radiant Demon Squad. His heart was already in Sichuan. The boy resolved to use whatever means he could.

“Young Master Jung.”

The speaker was one of the gatekeepers who had been whispering among themselves with bewildered faces. He approached Jung Yeonshin cautiously and gestured behind him. His manner was exceedingly respectful.

“We have orders to show you in immediately whenever you arrive. Please come inside. But the gentleman beside you...?”

“A servant.”

“Ah, I see. Of course you may bring him along.”

The gatekeeper spoke with a faintly nervous smile. Jung Yeonshin nodded silently and stepped forward, ignoring the Supreme Flame Dragon’s incredulous stare.

The Desolate’s Ma Clan estate looked no different from usual. Its regularly tended gardens were green, and the halls of the inner courtyard stood in neat rows. Jung Yeonshin advanced without hesitation. He had already asked for the elders of his maternal family to be summoned.

“Yeonshin!”

Word had traveled quickly. A boy had already come out: Ma Se-In, the heir of the Desolate’s Ma Clan, with his sharp eyes and handsome face. The stern bearing peculiar to a great house vanished the moment he saw Jung Yeonshin. His radiant smile was almost picture-perfect.

“I heard you were back! It’s only been a few days, so I’ve been waiting to see how things stood. I imagine everyone else has been doing the same.”

He was warmly welcoming. Was it because Jung Yeonshin had offered him good wishes at his coming-of-age ceremony, which he could now barely remember? Quite apart from the overbearing interference of Ju Yeonjeong, a member of a collateral imperial line, Ma Se-In’s affection seemed to grow by the day. There was even a hint of admiration in his regard for Jung Yeonshin.

“You have no idea how much interest there is in the Radiant Demon Squad’s Lightning Genius lately. You’re the talk of the fortress. Give it a few more days and people will start visiting your hall themselves, looking for advice on their martial arts.”

He spoke with a smile. Jung Yeonshin nodded silently. After looking him over with smiling eyes, Ma Se-In glanced at the Supreme Flame Dragon. The man had paused in following Jung Yeonshin and was surveying the Ma clan’s halls.

“Who is the gentleman behind you? He has an extraordinary presence.”

“A servant.”

“Hmm... Right. Why don’t we talk as we go inside? As you know, the elders here don’t take long getting dressed and ready.”

“All right.”

Jung Yeonshin began walking beside Ma Se-In. His gaze suddenly fell upon the piece of jade in his distant cousin’s hand. It was blue jade the size of a small child’s fist, with a peculiar energy and a beautiful sea-blue hue. Noticing his gaze at once, Ma Se-In gave a small chuckle.

“It’s called Spirit Treasure Jade. It lets you check how pure the power you’ve accumulated is. Our clan’s martial artists mainly use it when practicing internal martial arts, to check the density of their internal energy.”

“I’ve never heard of such an object.”

“It’s made by the iron race, sir.”

The Supreme Flame Dragon abruptly interjected. Speaking like a servant with a mocking look directed at Jung Yeonshin suited him remarkably well.

“No wonder my master doesn’t know of it. You can’t obtain one without connections to the iron race. And what’s more, I hear they’re consumable.”

“Consumable?”

“You are remarkably well informed.”

Ma Se-In smiled faintly. He did not seem to have believed the claim that the Supreme Flame Dragon was a servant in the first place.

“Yeonshin, this is how you use it.”

It happened in an instant. The Spirit Treasure Jade held between Ma Se-In’s fingers cracked. Fine lines spread over the entire stone like drought-parched earth.

“You just send a single strand of internal energy into it, keeping to the prescribed amount so that no qi emissions occur. The purer the energy, the more cracks appear. That’s why they call it consumable.”

“I see.”

Jung Yeonshin answered. Ordinarily, the object would have piqued his curiosity. Not now. His eyes took in only Ju Yeonjeong, the various elders of the Desolate’s Ma Clan, and his maternal grandfather Ma Yeonjeok approaching from a distance.

“I’ll give you one. Examining its interior should be quite interesting.”

As he spoke, Ma Se-In pressed another piece of Spirit Treasure Jade into Jung Yeonshin’s hand. Did he feel indebted to Jung Yeonshin for having relinquished his claim to the succession so early? He seemed eager to give him something, anything.

Meanwhile, Jung Yeonshin came face-to-face with the elders of the Desolate’s Ma Clan. Ma Yeonjeok spoke with an expression that suggested he might embrace him at any moment.

“Yeonshin. Thank you so much for coming. I see Se-In has already given you some Spirit Treasure Jade. What a lovely sight.”

“Grandfather.”

As Jung Yeonshin offered a formal clasped-hand salute, the creases around Ma Yeonjeok’s mouth drooped. He seemed disappointed.

It was then that another voice spoke.

“Lightning Genius.”

A woman in a pitch-black court dress parted her lips. Her beautifully aged face radiated supreme refinement. Ju Yeonjeong, a woman of imperial blood and Ma Se-In’s mother. She was a martial artist who had mastered the imperial family’s Eight Methods of the Golden Immortal to their utmost extent.

Even her gaze was lofty. The bearing of the Desolate’s Ma Clan elders arrayed behind her was no less imposing. Each gazed steadily at Jung Yeonshin. The pressure was tremendous. Even without intent, their waves of qi bore down like a tidal wave.

“My respects to the elders of my maternal family.”

After greeting them as well, the boy glanced at his right hand. Moonlight gleamed on the Spirit Treasure Jade he held loosely.

“I have come to make a demand, as is my right as a neglected blood relative.”

Jung Yeonshin spoke calmly. At the same time, he raised a strand of core energy to withstand their presence. He thought that showing them something might make matters a little easier.

Without the slightest emission of qi, the Movement Art’s internal power penetrated the Spirit Treasure Jade. The stone reacted immediately. It did not crack as Ma Se-In’s had. It simply vanished.

SHHHH...

It scattered upward like dust. Soft moonlight shimmered in the powder that rose like vapor above Jung Yeonshin’s hand.