Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 10

11. Is This the Divine Sword?

Thud.

“Cough… Cough… This humble servant… Poong Cheon-ho… requests an audience… Please forgive my disloyalty…”

Tears like chicken droppings were falling from his eyes, and his shoulders trembled slightly, showing how agitated he was. Pa Cheon couldn’t hide his surprise at his words. He hadn’t expected it, but he never imagined that even the Supreme Union Leader of the Beggars’ Union was a subordinate of the Great Ancestor.

★ Pa Cheon, having moved to the Supreme Union Leader’s residence, was having a conversation with him.

“Is Ssang-no healthy?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Please, speak casually.”

“No, this is more comfortable. And besides… I’m no longer the Emperor, so please treat me without formality.”

“Then, this humble servant… will follow Your Majesty’s wishes… Ssang-no and I are all that remains of the forces the Great Ancestor planted in the martial world. I know that Ssang-no has been building his forces separately. I believe they are hiding and training somewhere deep. The Great Ancestor said that he foresaw this would happen after you left the world… I can’t believe it’s actually happening.”

“It’s all in the past. What’s the point of dwelling on it? I’m more comfortable and better off now. There are many ways for a person to live, and this way doesn’t seem so bad. Rather, I can roam freely in this chaotic world… Isn’t that a blessing? I didn’t know when I was stuck in the stuffy palace… The world is truly vast and strange.”

“…”

“From now on, I will decide my own path… Isn’t that the true meaning of life? The Great Ancestor lived a life of soaring ambition and laying the foundation for the Great Ming. Of course, his legacy is important, but it’s all futile. I have no intention of getting involved in politics anymore. Uncle… he is a hero of our time. Frankly, I don’t want to engage in another bloody conflict with my own flesh and blood. So, Poong-gae, don’t bring up such things to me anymore.”

“What are your plans for the future? … Whatever it may be, I will do my best to assist you.”

“What if… I were to tell Poong-gae to start a bloodbath in the martial world?”

“That too would be fate, and I would have to follow it. The reason I haven’t joined the Nine Sects Alliance is because I didn’t know how to act in the future… All I’ve prepared is to make our Beggars’ Union into my own dictatorship. The leadership is composed only of disciples who will follow my orders, even if they are wrong. If you give any order, I will follow it without question.”

‘The Great Ancestor truly had good subordinates. With such deep loyalty, what regrets could he have had… The foundation of the Great Ming today must have been built by people like them.’

“I haven’t decided on a clear course of action yet… but there will definitely be times when I need Poong-gae’s help. Don’t hesitate to help me then.”

“Yes, I understand. By the way, I’ve heard that your reputation is already widespread in Kaifeng. How did that happen? And I also heard that you use Shaolin martial arts. How did that come about?”

“Haha, that’s a long story. You can hear it directly from Ssang-no later. Well then, I should be going now. Oh, and Poong-gae, will you be attending the Great Righteous Gathering?”

“My disciple will be participating. But since you are there, I will come and see you later.”

“Then, see you later.”

The two of them stood up together.

“Your Majesty, I have something to give you.”

“Hmm?”

“Please follow me.”

★ “Oh, this is truly an amazing place.”

Pa Cheon was making a fuss, genuinely impressed. This was a kind of armory, a secret space behind the Supreme Union Leader’s residence. It was filled with weapons that emitted an aura that made one’s heart chill, all of them treasures that had once dominated an era.

The passage was about ten yards long, and along both walls were hundreds of weapons, each showing off its own brilliance. Poong-gae was leading him to the innermost part. There was a dark iron case with a red cloth draped over it, and underneath it were several dust-repelling beads.

“Here it is. Please open it. It was something the Great Ancestor acquired by chance, and I’ve been keeping it. There are two items, please choose one.”

He approached the iron case, calming his trembling heart.

Creak.

The lid opened with an unpleasant sound, and Pa Cheon’s face was illuminated by the aura emanating from inside the iron case.

-What is this?

=Oh, Amitabha.

Cheonma and Hye-neung reacted first. It was a sword. About four and a half feet long (1m35cm)? The edges were red, and the blade was dark. The hilt had a clear relief of a celestial dragon ascending to the sky, and a gold tassel was attached to the end. The scabbard was made of ancient dragon leather and was also embroidered with gold thread. The sword and scabbard were placed side by side, and next to them was another sword, its blade hidden inside its scabbard.

“Which one will you choose?”

-Choose the dark one.

=No, benefactor! Choose the white sword next to it.

Why are these guys making such a fuss? What does it matter to them what I choose!

Pa Cheon’s hand hesitated, reaching for the black sword. Gae Wang Poong Cheon-gae, watching him, had beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Why was he so nervous?

Pa Cheon’s hand then reached for the white sword. The scabbard had no patterns, but it had a mysterious aura. His hand hesitated again! Each time, Poong-gae’s face changed.

-No, no, yes, yes.

=That’s right, benefactor, not that one…

Both of them were in a frenzy. He moved his hand quickly back and forth over the swords as if playing a game, and their voices grew louder and louder. Then, he finally withdrew his hand.

“Poong-gae… can’t I have both?”

“Yes? … Haha, why not? Both of these are yours anyway, so why wouldn’t it be possible?”

-Tch, greedy bastard!

=Amitabha, one is already too much…

‘What are these swords that they’re making such a fuss about?’

He was curious.

“Poong-gae! Do you know anything about the origins of these swords?”

“Yes! Of course, I do. The black sword is the legendary… Cheonma’s Cheonma Sword…”

“Cheonma!!”

“Yes.”

[Is that why you were making such a fuss?]

“But it hasn’t been confirmed, it’s just an assumption. It matches the description of Cheonma’s sword in the Martial Arts Chronicles too closely…”

-It’s mine.

“He says it’s Cheonma’s…”

“Yes?”

“Ah, no, continue.”

“The other one is the legendary divine sword, Ganjiang, one of the swords of Ganjiang and Moye (also called Moye).”

“Ganjiang Sword?”

Why not Doenjang [a type of Korean soybean paste]?

“Yes, it’s the Ganjiang sword, the last one made by the greatest artisan of the Warring States period, Ganjiang.”

“Really?”

“There are many legends surrounding it, but they are just legends. It also has the nickname ‘The Emperor’s Sword.’ That’s why people who start new countries put in a lot of effort to find this sword.”

“I’d like to hear the legend.”

“I just heard it, so I’m not sure how reliable it is, but…”

His story was as follows:

There was an artisan named Ganjiang in the Warring States period, and his wife’s name was Moye. One day, the queen of the country became pregnant and gave birth to a child. But instead of a child, a lump of iron came out! So, the king was troubled and ordered Ganjiang, the best artisan of the time, to melt the lump of iron and make the greatest sword of all time. So, he divided the lump of iron into two and made two swords, which were Ganjiang and Moye. He gave one of them to the king, but he could not return. The king, knowing it was the greatest sword in the world, killed Ganjiang, fearing that such a sword would be made again. But the king’s thoughts were futile, as another sword already existed. Ganjiang’s wife, Moye, was already pregnant at the time and gave birth to a son. She hid in the mountains to avoid the king’s reach and trained her son in martial arts every day. And when her son grew up, she gave him the Moye sword and asked him to avenge his father, and then she ended her life full of sorrow. So, the son set out on a path of revenge with the Moye sword, the greatest sword in the world. It was not known whether he succeeded in his revenge or not.

“Okay, I’ll take them both.”

‘Is this how the Great Ancestor’s prophecy is coming true again? He said that I would have both swords and use them to pacify this land. Moreover, the Great Ancestor said the whole world… does that include the imperial power? I really don’t know.’

He strapped the two divine swords to his waist. With his outstanding looks and two swords, he was so dazzling that it was hard to look at him.

The two of them talked for a while and went outside. The Supreme Union Leader came out to the gate of the Guan Yu Temple to see them off and bowed politely. The Beggars’ Union members were busy looking at them with questioning eyes.

★ Pa Cheon, having returned to Jinseong Inn, didn’t need to go back to his room. The rest of the group were already having a meal in the inn’s dining hall. When he entered, they all stood up and asked what had happened.

“Haha, I was just feeling stuffy, so I went for a walk.”

Their gazes were all focused on the two swords hanging on Pa Cheon’s waist.

“Ah, I happened to get these swords… Why are you all looking like that?”

“They don’t look ordinary. They seem like great treasures.”

Namgung Hye-mi’s words were filled with admiration.

“Really? These… then they must be too much for a small person like me to possess?”

“No, if the world’s most talented person cannot possess them, then who would dare to be qualified? You’re making us feel ashamed by saying such things.”

“Okay, everyone, please sit down and finish your meal.”

Only then did the people sit down! It was clear that after last night’s incident, their attitude towards Pa Cheon had changed a lot. Although he was younger than them, they treated him as if he were their superior.

‘Hmm? Why is she staring at me so intently? It’s making me uncomfortable since this morning…’

The one staring at Pa Cheon with a meaningful gaze was none other than Namgung Ah-yeon. The intruder from dawn was none other than her. She was sending him a look that was a mixture of regret and affection. Whether she did or not, Pa Cheon was busy eating his newly served meal. However, he couldn’t help but be bothered by it. But he couldn’t show it. He couldn’t let others notice.

“Ahem, Miss Namgung, did you sleep well last night? Your face looks a bit rough, do you have any worries?”

“Yes?…”

Everyone’s attention was immediately focused on her, making her flustered! But she soon smiled and dealt with it naturally.

“Hoho, why would I have any worries? I slept very well… It was a very… very pleasant night.”

Her exaggerated explanation made the people around her look at each other strangely. Especially the other three young ladies were sending her a persistent gaze to find something, but it was useless. But it was only for a moment, and they soon began to discuss the Great Righteous Gathering that would be held today.

Moyong Jung-geol, who didn’t talk much, still spoke with his unique winking eyes. It almost seemed like he was seducing him, which didn’t make him feel good.

“Your reputation has already shaken Kaifeng, so many people will be paying attention to you at this Great Righteous Gathering.”

They had only learned this morning how famous Moon Yoon (as they knew him) had become, being called the Jade-Faced Divine Dragon. They had witnessed his divine power firsthand, so they didn’t think it was an exaggeration.

“I’m also burdened by that. It’s an honor that you think so highly of someone as insignificant as me.”

-Tsk, the saying ‘improving day by day’ is perfect for you. The way you handle things and the schemes you come up with, who would believe that you’re a newcomer to the martial world? Even if you called yourself the Cheonma Scholar, probably no one here would believe you. Just take the whole world.

[Take the whole world? Oh, that’s a very nice phrase… I’ll keep that in mind.]

★ The group left as soon as they finished their meal. Yunhyeon Road, which ran north-south through Kaifeng, was bustling with people. The group of ten, including Seol Ju-bong, were all on horseback. As they came out of the inn, the innkeeper came out to see them off, which wasn’t a bad feeling. Martial artists who seemed to have come to attend the Great Righteous Gathering, which would begin this afternoon for three days, were seen here and there, and those who recognized them greeted each other. The group heading to the Northern Sword Society, located in the north of Kaifeng, were so outstanding that they stood out wherever they went. Especially those who recognized the already famous Pa Cheon exchanged glances and whispered to each other.

Following the flow of the Yellow River, which flows north of Kaifeng, to the east, there was a low hill, and there was the Northern Sword Society, one of the Four Great Righteous Sects.

The Northern Sword Society!

It was the undisputed leader that had unified most of the Gangbuk region, where martial arts sects were concentrated. They claimed to be righteous, but their actions were extremely domineering. Therefore, they had a slightly different character from the Southern Alliance in Wuchang, Huguang Province (which was divided into Hubei and Hunan provinces in 1667, with Dongting Lake as the border), the Oryeon Society in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and the Nine Sects Alliance of the Nine Righteous Sects. The Northern Sword Society boasted the largest number of members among the Four Great Righteous Sects. There were three protectors under the leader, and under them were the military advisor, the commander-in-chief, and the chief inspector. There were the Guardian Hall, the Demonic Sword Hall, the Blood Sword Hall, and the Celestial Sword Hall directly under the protectors, and the Iron Cavalry Corps under the commander-in-chief, and the Law Enforcement Unit, the Shadow Assassination Unit, and the Secret Shadow Unit under the chief inspector. In addition, there were 10 inner halls, 22 outer halls, and 20 general halls. The total number of members exceeded 15,000, making it the largest single force. The problem was the Demonic Sword Hall and the Blood Sword Hall directly under the protectors. These were people who had been recruited by the Northern Sword Society from the demonic path, and their cruel nature remained even after joining the Northern Sword Society. In particular, the Southern Alliance and the Oryeon Society had raised this issue many times, but each time the Northern Sword Society had taken no action and had simply brushed it off. The Oryeon Society even openly said that they suspected their intentions, so their relationship with the Northern Sword Society was not good.

The road to the Northern Sword Society was crowded with martial artists. Some were riding horses or carriages, and there were groups moving together, as well as individuals participating. Apart from the Four Great Righteous Sects, there were hundreds of sects that had not joined these four forces. While there was oppression of demonic sects that had not joined the Demonic Alliance, there was no oppression or coercion of these righteous sects. It was the Northern Sword Society that was at the forefront of suppressing the demonic path, and sometimes the other three forces would unite.

The huge castle of the Northern Sword Society was beginning to appear in the distance. A 20-mile outer wall was built around it, and inside was another wall that divided the inner and outer courtyards. Inside, hundreds of huge buildings were spread out without knowing the extent of the land, and they soared high without knowing the height of the sky. In particular, the nine-story pavilion of the Divine Sword Pavilion in the center of the inner courtyard was enough to make one’s liver chill just by looking at it.

“Tch, they must have spent a fortune.”

Pa Cheon’s words brought faint smiles to the faces of those around him.

“How much money would it take to have such a majestic appearance?”

It was a soliloquy, but someone answered his words.

“According to rumors, the money spent on building just the Divine Sword Pavilion alone was 10,000 taels of gold (which would be about 5 billion won today), so what more can be said?”

“Then where does all that money come from?”

At his question, Namgung Hyeok-ryeon answered carefully, looking around as if he was being cautious.

“The most important source of income is, of course, the transport of goods. In addition, they operate inns, taverns, gambling houses, and pawnshops. As they expanded their businesses, the demonic sects became a thorn in their side. Those businesses were mostly run by demonic sects, so they are so desperate to suppress them. When the sects fall, their revenue becomes their own.”

“Oh, then… if they dominate the entire Central Plains, their income would be enormous.”

“Yes?”

“That’s right.”

Namgung Ah-yeon, who was right next to him, chimed in. No, why is she sticking so close again? Please stay away if you can. It already looked like the other young ladies were giving him strange looks, but is she determined to make it obvious? I even gave her a hint, is she stupid or just persistent?

Thud thud thud thud.

“Get out of the way… Hyah!”

Urgent hoofbeats were heard from behind. As if there wasn’t enough space on this wide road for a horse to pass?

They didn’t budge.

Title: [Serial] Emperor’s Sword 12. The Beginning of the Great Righteous Gathering Related Materials: None [58830]

Sender: Im Samyeol (logos333) 2000-12-22 01:25 Views: 2025

-Emperor’s Sword-