Chapter 217

Chapter 217: An Unexpected Grudge (2)

Duung-.

[Sudden Quest]: Encounter with the Heavenly Yin Sect

The road to salvation is invariably paved with lingering animosities. Unresolved grievances pile up and crash down without warning, like a sudden downpour in the heat of midsummer.

Yet, a true champion must integrate even these trials into their journey. Whether you sever this knot with a blade or untangle it through dialogue, the choice rests entirely with you.

• Objective: Resolve the confrontation with the delegation from the Heavenly Yin Sect.

• Progress: 0%

• Reward: Heroic Legend +3, Establish a connection with the Heavenly Yin Sect.

The system notification materialized with its usual promptness.

Typically, an ordinary martial artist experiences a brief pause between recognizing a threat and deciding on an action—a fleeting window where adrenaline spikes, caution takes over, or the pulse quickens. Dong Bongsu, however, simply scanned the glowing text with total composure.

‘Whether you sever this knot with a blade or untangle it through dialogue.’

Interpreting Lumina’s phrasing, it was clear that both diplomatic arbitration and lethal force were acceptable paths.

‘Establish a connection.’

The reward specification caught his eye.

1. Establish a connection with the Heavenly Formation Dao Alliance.

2. Establish a connection with the Vast Heaven Infinite Sword Sect.

3. Establish a connection with the Heavenly Yin Sect.

This marked the third occurrence of this specific phrasing. It did not promise an ill-fated rivalry or a righteous alliance, but explicitly used the word connection. This repeating pattern in the narrative design was worth noting. Reflecting on his past experiences, this did not mean a new mission would trigger immediately; rather, it guaranteed that his path would inevitably become intertwined with that specific organization in the future.

‘Data recorded.’

Any missing details would naturally flesh themselves out as he analyzed the unfolding circumstances and subsequent tasks. Dismissing the notification, he redirected his focus entirely to the perceptions of his Super True Qi Field.

He detected a total of ten distinct presences. They were making their approach from the southwestern periphery of the Hero’s Sect, just outside the formal boundaries. They were still a fair distance away, and their velocity suggested they were advancing at a deliberate march rather than utilizing high-speed lightness skills.

Nevertheless, the precision with which they suppressed their inner reserves, masked their respiration, and quieted their strides was elite. It was a level of stealth that would remain utterly imperceptible to anyone lacking a transcendent awareness like his Super True Qi Field.

Nine of these presences exhibited remarkably uniform energy signatures. Evaluated by his previous encounters in the River Capital, each would comfortably rank at the absolute pinnacle of local experts. How would they fare against the Patrol Sword Corps he had recently clashed with?

‘They match the caliber of the standard rank-and-file within the Patrol Sword Corps.’

Dong Bongsu’s mind ran the tactical computations instantly, arriving at an immediate assessment. Taken as a collective group, those nine posed no significant threat.

‘The true variable is the remaining one.’

The tenth presence was the anomaly. The outer boundary of his Super True Qi Field was experiencing a subtle, persistent vibration. This was fundamentally different from the mechanical strain caused by Myo Jinheo’s structural field arrays; this tremor was driven by raw, unadulterated internal power.

‘An incredibly dense reserve.’

The sheer volume of this person’s energy belonged to a martial titan. This individual was actively bending and warping the surrounding atmospheric currents just by existing. A straightforward comparison placed this intruder safely above Sang Gwanhwi.

‘Fascinating.’

He instantly summoned his tactical minimap. He was well aware that the system accurately mapped out the exact coordinates of relevant targets the moment a quest went live. Confirming his suspicions, ten amber markers were advancing toward the Hero’s Sect, holding a rigid, spaced formation.

Click-.

As the interface dissolved, his analytical mind locked the pieces into place.

Heavenly Yin Sect.

The Jade Pendant.

Jeon Rahwa.

In a single heartbeat, those three separate entities aligned into a flawless logical sequence. The heirloom pendant worn by Jeon Rahwa had functioned as a homing beacon. They had simply charted its energetic trail. Their path converged on the relic, which meant their target was Jeon Rahwa herself.

His eyes drifted out the window toward the quiet layout of the estate.

Jeon Rahwa remained deeply asleep in her private pavilion. The younger disciples were likewise breathing in peaceful unison. Over by the training grounds, Yan Bilyeong was still engrossed in night training, the defensive arrays casting faint, shimmering vectors into the night air. In the guest quarters, Myo Jinheo was perfectly still—a silence that could indicate deep sleep or a highly disciplined vigilance. Beyond that, the perimeter remained undisturbed.

‘What is the optimal play?’

The solution was obvious: neutralize the complication before it could spill over into the sect grounds. Keep the operational parameters tight. Intercept them on the neutral outskirts before they could breach the perimeter.

Dong Bongsu rose from his mattress and stepped toward the exit. Yet, right before his fingers clamped down on the handle, he hesitated for a fraction of a second.

With practiced ease, Dong Bongsu adopted the physical persona of Kim Rae-won. The edges of his mouth curved upward into a mild expression, and his eyes softened with a characteristic droop. The rigid tension drained from his shoulders, replaced by an air of effortless self-assurance. It was a seamless transition, akin to donning a formal silk robe over functional undergarments—a brief, personal transition that drew a sharp line between his internal calculations and his external mask. He painstakingly reconstructed the gentle, non-threatening demeanor he had dropped while watching over Jeon Rahwa.

Thread by thread.

Within the span of a single second, the youthful Sect Leader Kim Rae-won was back. He turned the handle and stepped out.

The estate lay entirely serene under the silver moonlight. He pushed off into a swift lightness skill, glidind through the courtyard. He moved by synchronizing his momentum with the natural ambient currents of his Super True Qi Field. His boots skimmed the terrain so lightly that not a single grain of dirt was disturbed.

He executed a sweeping arc to entirely bypass Yan Bilyeong’s defensive grid. Although the outer boundaries of those wards stretched to the very edges of the training fields, his absolute familiarity with the structural geometry made it trivial to slip through unnoticed. He found the natural blind spots between the energy lines and shot through them like a blade cutting empty air.

Leaving the outer perimeter of the Hero’s Sect behind, the sprawling expanse of the River Capital at night opened up before him—deserted thoroughfares and a completely dark, silent marketplace. The profound quiet of midnight held the entire metropolis in its grip.

Dong Bongsu maintained his course toward the southwestern avenue, directly shadowing the approach vector of the Heavenly Yin Sect. Reaching a massive, ancient tree that had weathered several centuries, he leaned casually against its trunk. He projected his Super True Qi Field outward, expanding its density and reach to its absolute limits.

The sensory feedback from the ten approaching targets grew incredibly sharp, almost as if he could feel their distinct pulses clicking against his fingertips. Nine of those hearts maintained a disciplined, rhythmic tempo. The tenth, however, possessed an entirely unique cadence—a sluggish, massive, and freezing vibration that felt like the dark depths of an oceanic trench.

Fresh opposition was always welcome. All that remained was to bide his time. Like a predator blending into the brush, he waited.

The midnight hours in the River Capital were utterly devoid of activity. The absolute silence was uncharacteristic for a settlement widely notorious as a haven for criminals.

Bing Ye entered the city limits, commanding a contingent of nine elite operators. It had been quite some time since they had departed from the Deep Lake of Dark Abyss. The midnight air of the Central Plains felt uncomfortably parched and tepid compared to the freezing atmosphere of their home territory.

‘…We are right upon it.’

The energetic resonance from the tracking relic was unmistakable. The pendant granted to a designated Dharma Maiden was a specialized mystical tool imbued with the unique Yin Qi of the Heavenly Yin Sect. A trained disciple of their order could easily trace its distinct energetic signature across hundreds of miles. The signal carried a frosty essence; it grew sharper and colder the closer one advanced, and turned muted at a distance.

Right now, it was freezing.

The source was fixed at a precise coordinate within this district, almost dead ahead. However, a jarring anomaly troubled her perception. The exact quality of the feedback had shifted. The current signature was entirely different from the spiritual imprint left when Cheol So-ah had carried the item. While it undeniably utilized the foundation of the Heavenly Yin Sect’s internal arts, the current method of cultivation and circulation completely deviated from the orthodox training of a Dharma Maiden. The liquid essence remained identical, but the containment vessel had altered drastically. It felt profoundly unnatural, as if pristine glacial water had been violently forced into a fractured clay pot instead of a finely crafted porcelain vase.

‘Just as I surmised, the artifact has fallen into alien hands.’

The logical deduction was simple: Cheol So-ah had either been stripped of her birthright, or she was dead.

Bing Ye’s eyes hardened into icy slits. The absolute directive of the Sect Master replayed in her thoughts.

She remembered the Stalactite Cave of Dark Abyss—the exact instant when the concentrated Yin Qi radiating from behind the grand veil warped the fabric of reality itself, causing scores of ancient stone spires to fracture and rain down from the cavern ceiling. Bing Ye could still feel the phantom sting against her throat where a flying stone splinter, guided by an invisible intent, had scraped past her skin.

“Depart and verify. Discover who possessed the audacity to lay hands on a Dharma Maiden of our Heavenly Yin Sect without our sanction.”

The Sect Master’s delivery had been quiet, but its weight was absolute and impossible to challenge.

—You shall handle this personally.

Personally. Whenever the Sect Master invoked that specific condition, the word failure ceased to exist as an option.

“Sisters,” Bing Ye called out in a muted tone.

The nine operatives closed ranks instantly, their movements making no sound against the pavement.

“The tracking array locates the pendant directly ahead. It appears stationary, situated within a compound to the north.”

“Commander, do we launch an immediate assault?” inquired the youngest member of the squad. She was the junior operative of this expedition, possessing wide eyes and a voice that had not yet acquired the hardened, sharp edge of the veteran killers.

“We do not act blindly.” Bing Ye adjusted her gaze toward the distant skyline where the Hero’s Sect lay. “There is an ambiguity we must resolve first.”

Bing Ye could not yet articulate the exact nature of that ambiguity. It was simply that her instincts, forged through decades of black-ops operations for the Heavenly Yin Sect, were registering a faint discordance. A premonition warned her that something far more formidable than a stolen pendant awaited them.

She checked her speed, evaluating the surrounding avenues of the River Capital. By all accounts, this city was supposed to be a chaotic nest of vice where the lanterns of night markets, illegal gambling dens, and pleasure houses burned until dawn. Yet the reality before her was completely inverted. The streets were meticulously organized, the commercial stalls were dark, and the alleyways were entirely clear of vagrants. This total transformation was not merely a consequence of the late hour; the very energy of the municipal district had shifted. An unknown force had thoroughly rewritten the operational laws of this city.

‘The Hero’s Sect, if the intelligence holds true.’

According to the reports gathered during their march, a brand-new martial power had established dominion over the River Capital. The previous rulers, the Iron God Gang, had been completely wiped out. That was the exact same criminal syndicate where the young mistress Cheol So-ah had embedded herself. In the wake of their destruction, this new organization called the Hero’s Sect had built its foundations on the ruins.

The homing signal from the jade pendant led directly to that precise location. It was impossible to dismiss as a mere coincidence.

The moment that realization solidified, Bing Ye ground to a sudden halt.

‘…What is this pressure?’

An inexplicable sensation washed over her. It was far too ghostly to classify as standard martial Qi, yet it lacked the distinct texture of a mechanical formation array. It wasn’t a visible barrier, a tripwire, a localized field, or a defensive screen. It completely evaded every category of martial arts within Bing Ye’s extensive knowledge. The entire perimeter felt subtly managed, as if a microscopic film of oil had been stretched evenly over a body of water.

She elevated the specialized senses of a Heavenly Yin Sect shadow operative to their peak capacity, but the phenomenon defied analysis. It wasn’t Yin Qi, nor was it Yang Qi. It shared no common ground with Immortal Qi, and it was light-years removed from Evil Qi. It possessed no elemental alignment whatsoever; it was an exercise in pure, unadulterated spatial dominion over energy itself—as if the conceptual framework of Qi had been thoroughly hollowed out, leaving only an absolute shell of control.

Bing Ye’s brow knit together. Was this an exotic branch of esoteric arts she had never encountered? Or did it represent a realm of martial cultivation so vast that her own mind couldn’t comprehend it? Regardless of the answer, it was an explicit warning to pause.

“Hold positions.”

The nine operatives froze in perfect synchronization.

“An active domain lies directly ahead of us.”

The expressions of her subordinates shifted instantly. A domain. Though they couldn’t perceive the exact mechanics, they fully grasped the tactical danger: a master of terrifying caliber—one capable of drawing such a serious assessment from Bing Ye—was waiting for them.

“I shall scout the perimeter alone. Maintain a rear guard.”

“Commander!”

“This is a direct order,” she commanded, her voice dropping to a heavy register that mirrored the irresistible authority of the Sect Master.

The junior operative fell silent.

Bing Ye took a single, deliberate step into the uncharted domain. Instantly, the air pressure shifted. It brought no change in temperature, but the atmospheric density altered completely. The air itself exerted a tangible drag against her form, precisely like stepping neck-deep into water. It was subtle, but undeniable.

‘My exact vector will be monitored within this space.’

It was pure martial intuition. The architect of this zone would know the precise second she crossed the threshold. They would register the weight of her steps, the rhythm of her breathing, and the exact acceleration of her heartbeat.

Since stealth was entirely redundant, Bing Ye abandoned her specialized footwork and walked forward openly.

The avenue cleared ahead of her, revealing a desolate outer road illuminated by the unbroken moonlight. At the far end of the path, leaning casually against an ancient tree that looked centuries old, stood a solitary figure.

Was he even of age? The individual sporting long, dark hair was undeniably young. Furthermore, he was actively yawning.

Bing Ye halted her advance.

‘He is the architect of this domain.’

There was zero room for doubt. This youth stood at the absolute epicenter of the invisible pressure. The surrounding space was subtly warping and radiating outward from his exact position. Yet, curiously, her internal energy tracking registers returned a complete blank. It was as if he was entirely devoid of inner force. She could detect no circulation of internal energy, nor the slightest tremor of True Qi.

To the standard diagnostic arts of the Heavenly Yin Sect, this person scanned as nothing more than an ordinary youth. And yet, the ambient energy throughout this entire sector was distributed with impossible symmetry, as if someone had meticulously smoothed it out in every direction. Within the doctrines of the Heavenly Yin Sect that Bing Ye had mastered over a lifetime, no theory could rationalize this paradox.

Breaking the silence, she demanded directly, “The Seventh Dharma Maiden… where is Cheol So-ah?”

Without bothering to interrupt his yawn, the man—Dong Bongsu—casually extended his middle finger and pointed directly at the earth beneath him.

“Right here.”

Then, with an amused flick, he inverted the gesture, pointing straight toward the sky.

“Actually, maybe up there?” He flashed a sharp grin. “Could be both, honestly. The physical shell is down here, but the spirit has departed up there.”

In that exact heartbeat, the entire environment froze over into a stark, brilliant white.

That description was no poetic exaggeration. A layer of crystalline frost rushed across the earth. The sheer intensity of this cold was entirely different from standard techniques; it didn’t merely glaze the surface of the grass blades, it thoroughly froze the soil itself. The ancient tree’s thick bark turned pale and began to split open under the sudden drop in temperature. Visible ice sheets raced across the brickwork of the nearby walls. The vapor exhaled from Dong Bongsu’s breath grew dense and heavy, and jagged ice crystals began to claw at the outer boundaries of his Super True Qi Field.

This display operated on a completely superior level of power compared to their previous clashes. If the initial drop in temperature felt like a wave lapping against a sea wall, this was a massive tidal wave intent on burying the barrier entirely.

He responded by elevating the density of his Super True Qi Field by a single increment.

The encroaching frost was instantly repelled, driven back across the pavement. Yet, fresh layers of ice instantly materialized to claim the vacated space. A massive, grinding load began to weigh down on the entire zone claimed by his field.

‘Incredible power.’

The silver moonlight overhead seemed to warp, refracting and focusing exclusively down onto Bing Ye.

The Heavenly Yin Sect was an order that specialized in harvesting the raw Yin Qi of moonlight, refining it into their own personal internal reserves. At this precise moment, the entire celestial output over the River Capital existed to serve a single practitioner. The terrifying absolute zero radiating from Bing Ye’s form was rapidly transforming a humid midsummer night into the depths of a polar winter. If Cheol So-ah’s technique resembled a delicate ice sculpture, this woman was a shifting glacier.

Bing Ye took a step forward. The ground beneath her boot instantly turned to solid ice, radiating outward in a perfect frozen circle.

A second step.

A third step.

With every forward movement, a brilliant ice blossom bloomed on the pavement in place of a footprint.

“…Your name,” Bing Ye commanded.

Her vocal delivery had completely transformed, stripped of its cold, measured control. It resonated from a lower, deeper, and far more ominous register.

“State your name before you die.”

Whenever a shadow operative of the Heavenly Yin Sect formally requested an adversary’s name, it was the final protocol executed prior to termination.

Dong Bongsu’s teeth gleamed white under the concentrated moonlight as he bared them in a wide, mocking expression.

Because he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

“Kim Rae-won,” he replied, a sharp smile carving across his face. “I am the Sect Leader of the Hero’s Sect.”