Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 204

204. The Beautiful Lady

Yunhyun quietly gazed at the Young Palace Lord.

Sparkling eyes, a straight nose, glossy red lips, snow-white skin, and long, dark hair that exuded a pleasant fragrance.

The Young Palace Lord, lost in thought, was incredibly captivating.

“Young Palace Lord.”

Was that the reason?

Yunhyun mustered his courage and called out to her.

Swish.

The Young Palace Lord looked at Yunhyun.

Yunhyun slowly opened his mouth.

If he didn’t speak now, he felt he might never have the chance to say these words again.

“May I hear your pipa [a traditional Chinese stringed instrument] again?”

The Young Palace Lord’s pipa that he had heard that day in the starry North Sea.

Yunhyun could not forget that moment when it felt like they were the only two people in the world.

How could he forget that night when they cast aside all pretense and suspicion and revealed their true feelings, that smile of the Young Palace Lord?

However, instead of answering, the Young Palace Lord quietly bit her lip.

After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth slowly, as if having made a decision.

“I will soon ascend to the position of Ice Empress. Not just an Ice Consort in name, but as the true Empress of the North Sea.”

It was a secret that everyone already suspected, but one that she herself should not utter.

“And you will lead the Murim Alliance [a martial arts alliance], or become a key figure. At the very least, you will become someone who represents the pride of the Jianghu Murim [the martial arts world].”

“I….”

Yunhyun wanted to deny it.

That was not the kind of person he wanted to be.

However, the Young Palace Lord was not finished speaking.

“When we meet again, will that place be a battlefield flowing with blood, or the shores of West Lake under the beautiful starlight?”

Yunhyun gritted his teeth.

Perhaps she was right.

She was the most intelligent and clever person Yunhyun knew.

“…There isn’t only one path in life.”

“Indeed.”

The Young Palace Lord smiled quietly.

That smile was so light, empty, and terribly painful.

“But as long as you do not lay down your sword, and I do not abandon my ambition, there is only one path.”

Yunhyun could say nothing.

Lay down his sword?

Could he really do that?

Now that perhaps all that was left for Yunhyun was his sword?

The Young Palace Lord smiled faintly at the silent Yunhyun.

“…Be careful of Moon King.”

It was a sudden, unexpected remark.

“Neither the Mercantile Guild nor the Dark Heaven Demon Emperor will move easily. But Moon King is different. He will not hesitate to kill you.”

“…Young Palace Lord.”

Yunhyun tried to say something, but the Young Palace Lord turned her body.

And slowly moved her steps.

Spat, spat.

Her receding footsteps showed no hesitation.

Then suddenly, the Young Palace Lord stopped.

“Your.”

A small voice was heard.

The Young Palace Lord merely turned her head slightly towards Yunhyun.

Even those beautiful eyes were not visible.

“Your choice was right.”

The Young Palace Lord continued.

“This is the interpretation of the ancient words.”

‘Ah.’

Yunhyun could understand what those words meant.

The energy of the Millennium Ice Crystal he had seen for the first time was beyond enormous, even terrifying.

With that formidable power alone, even seizing the world seemed too easy.

In fact, Yunhyun had neutralized over fifty cavalrymen with just two swings.

But Yunhyun soon dismissed that thought.

You cannot hold the sea in one handful.

What use was power that Yunhyun himself, the vessel, could not handle?

And Yunhyun saw that illusion-like sword dance.

A figure who was not swayed by power, but controlled it, and walked the righteous path.

So, it could be said that the ancient words were telling him that Yunhyun’s choice was right.

Spat.

But the reminiscence was brief.

The Young Palace Lord took her steps again.

Yunhyun woke from his reverie and raised his head.

Her receding shoulders looked particularly frail, but Yunhyun could say nothing.

Spat, spat.

Before he knew it, the Young Palace Lord’s figure had disappeared down the hallway.

Even until the delegation left the North Sea a few days later, the Young Palace Lord did not show her face to Yunhyun.

Thus, the delegation departed from the North Sea.

***

The splendid grand hall was mostly shrouded in darkness.

Only one lamp illuminated the table, and the owner of this place, leaning diagonally on a large chair, concealed his figure in the darkness.

Rustle.

A man dressed in black martial garb suddenly appeared.

He immediately knelt on one knee, lowered his head, and paid his respects.

“The North Sea has fallen silent.”

The white hand that had been waving a fancy silk fan stopped moving.

And after a moment, the clear voice of a young man echoed from the darkness.

“Are you saying that all contact has been severed?”

The voice was seemingly calm, but it contained hidden anger.

The black-clad man with his head bowed continued.

“Yes. All individuals connected to us have either lost their influence or have been eliminated. Currently, all lines connected to the core of power in the North Sea have been cut off.”

“Hmm.”

The white, delicate hand waved the silk fan.

“Who is it? Is it that First Palace Lord, presumptuously asserting the pride of the North Sea?”

The owner of the grand hall, Moon King, reached out with his other hand and picked up a grape.

“No.”

The subordinate in black martial garb answered immediately.

“The First Palace Lord has been expelled from the Ice Palace by the Third Palace Lord. The mastermind behind this is the Third Palace Lord.”

“The Third Palace Lord?”

Moon King’s woman-like delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“She shouldn’t have that much power, though?”

“A Blue Wolf appeared and aided the Third Palace Lord.”

“Blue Wolf? Ah, you mean that figure who is said to come from the boundary between heaven and earth. But isn’t that just a legend?”

“That is correct. However, it is said that the Blue Wolf appeared, received the Ice Emperor’s recognition, and annihilated Tyrant Blade and his fifty-odd cavalrymen with a single sword strike.”

“Nonsense.”

Moon King did not hide his mockery.

“Killed fifty-odd cavalrymen with a single sword strike? That’s an absurd story. It’s either a typical rumor or a deliberate exaggeration.”

Clack.

The fancy silk fan folded under Moon King’s hand.

“An exaggeration with a strong political motive, you mean.”

Moon King swallowed a rather large grape.

After spitting the skin onto a silver tray, Moon King wiped his mouth with silk and continued.

“But at least it’s probably true that he defeated Tyrant Blade.”

“It is reported that the First Palace Lord’s three hundred cavalrymen stepped out to subdue the Blue Wolf, but instead fell into the Third Palace Lord’s scheme and retreated. Afterwards, the three hundred cavalrymen were disbanded, and the First Palace Lord was virtually excluded from the power struggle. It is said that this incident greatly shook the power succession structure of the North Sea.”

“Yes. But how did that result in severing ties with us? Is it perhaps the will of that Blue Wolf?”

Moon King accurately pinpointed the core.

The subordinate lowered his head.

“Yes. He is said to be the successor of the Sword Saint from the Murim Alliance.”

Moon King’s white hand paused.

In the end, the North Sea had chosen the Murim Alliance.

But that was not important to Moon King right now.

“The successor of the Sword Saint?”

There was no way Moon King wouldn’t know that name.

“Are you talking about the guy the Demon Emperor was looking for?”

In fact, rumors about the Sword Saint’s successor were outside of Moon King’s interest.

But if it was someone that the Dark Heaven Demon Emperor, the Demon Emperor whom Moon King was so intensely jealous of, was interested in, then the story was different.

“Interesting.”

Moon King’s slender eyes gleamed in the darkness.

“The Sword Saint’s successor became the Blue Wolf and took over the North Sea in one fell swoop? The very North Sea that the Esteemed One even went to visit in person?”

A bitter smile deepened on his red lips.

“What did the Esteemed One say?”

There was no way the Esteemed One wouldn’t know what he knew.

The subordinate bowed his head deeply and said.

“He said nothing about the affairs of the North Sea. However, he showed interest in the Blue Wolf.”

“Because he might be the owner of the Document?”

Moon King said with a sneer.

And this time again, his guess was correct.

“Yes. He seems to think that the Azure Dragon Sword Lord and the Blue Wolf are the most likely candidates.”

“Heh heh heh. Of course, he would.”

Moon King laughed.

“Isn’t my father’s interest always directed only at the owner of the Document? The Demon Emperor only seeks out the strong, and Bi-ryeon only follows behind him, so in the end, the only person interested in the world is….”

Thwack.

A small fan with dragon and phoenix embroidered in gold thread on red silk unfolded and covered Moon King’s mouth.

“Just me, then.”

Silence flowed.

After a moment, the subordinate carefully opened his mouth.

“What should we do about the North Sea?”

“Leave it be. Since the Esteemed One is not interfering, there’s no need to step in unnecessarily. There’s something more urgent than that right now, isn’t there? But once things here are settled….”

Moon King’s thin lips smiled bitterly.

“I must see the North Sea groveling at my feet.”

After savoring his words for a moment, Moon King asked his subordinate again.

“How is the preparation of the Green Forest and the Waterway Camp going?”

“The number and power of the Waterway Camp have greatly increased ahead of the Inauguration Ceremony. The Green Forest’s mountain fortresses are also showing progress as expected. However, the preparation of the materials needed to manufacture the pills is being slightly delayed.”

Moon King’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Are those who call themselves the Three Great Mercantile Guilds so incompetent?”

“It seems that it is not easy to obtain them secretly because of the large quantity. However, we have once again received their promise that they will definitely complete it within the deadline, no matter what.”

“Of course, they should.”

Moon King said firmly.

“If there is even the slightest disruption, make sure to set a clear example.”

The subordinate clearly understood the meaning of those words.

“Understood.”

Answering in a heavy voice, the subordinate raised his head again.

There was still something to report.

“And problems have occurred in some mountain fortresses and waterway camps.”

“What kind of problems?”

Bad reports were continuing, but Moon King did not get annoyed.

He gets angry at incompetent people, not those who report problems.

“It is the act of attacking and plundering wealthy people or influential figures in the vicinity, and massacring their families, by some mountain fortresses and waterway camps that have completed preparations earlier than planned.”

“Kekeke.”

A bitter laugh flowed from Moon King’s lips.

“Of course, they would. Once trash like that gains power, how could they not wield it?”

“What should we do?”

Moon King leisurely waved his fan.

“What about the government?”

“They have not moved. Some regions have launched investigations, but they are merely formalities.”

“I see.”

The government is originally a group that does not move easily.

Unless an order comes down from above, that is.

But since Moon King’s connections already reach high-ranking officials, there will be no orders coming down from above.

“The mountain fortresses and waterway camps are originally scattered in their bases.”

Moon King said in a light tone.

“Even if there were accidents in some areas, it wouldn’t seem like an organized movement, so reprimand the person in charge, but wrap it up at an appropriate level.”

Rustle.

Moon King put away his fan and stood up.

But his figure was still mostly hidden in the darkness.

“When the Green Forest and the Waterway Camp are ready, everything the Esteemed One has ordered will be finished.”

Moon King looked down at his subordinate and said in a low voice.

“Then soon, the world will be in my hands. The Dark Heaven Demon Emperor will disappear under the dark night sky as his name suggests, and I will become the master of the bright world.”

Crack.

The red silk fan crumpled in his hand.

“Soon, that is.”

Moon King’s voice was full of ambition.

However, his face hidden in the darkness was terribly distorted with anger and pain.

The subordinate saw Moon King’s face clearly.

But there was nothing he could say.

Swish.

The subordinate bowed his head deeply and submitted to Moon King’s will.

The owner of the splendid grand hall, Moon King, dreaming of becoming the master of a new world, was still immersed in darkness.