Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 11

Is This the Divine Sword?

“Can’t you move?”

Woo-oong.

The sound, imbued with inner force [qi or internal energy], made their ears ring. Those with weak inner energy who were passing by the road covered their ears and collapsed, while some others sat down to circulate their energy to heal their internal injuries. Pa Cheon’s face was severely contorted. How could someone be so reckless as to ride a horse so urgently on a road with so many people, and even shout so loudly? He wondered who else besides himself could be so arrogant. He and his group turned their heads back, and they saw a black horse galloping towards them. Behind it, a mushroom-like cloud of dust was swelling, and if they fell behind, they would be covered in it. A mischievous thought sparked in Pa Cheon’s mind. He grabbed his horse’s reins, turning it around and facing the oncoming horse head-on. Everyone was shocked and opened their mouths, and Namgung Ah-yeon even screamed.

“Young Master, it’s dangerous!”

But Pa Cheon was not one to change his mind once he had decided on something. A mischievous smile kept appearing on his face, and the distance between him and the black horse was rapidly closing.

-Well done, acting like a child.

[A child? Isn’t this also a Bodhisattva act for the benefit of all sentient beings? Isn’t that so, Hyeneung?]

=Amitabha [a Buddhist invocation].

Before he could even hear the word ‘Buddha,’ the black horse, which had been three lengths away, didn’t ‘bang’ but rather

Whoosh!

jumped over him!

What the heck? Because he hadn’t loosened his grip on the reins, Pa Cheon was still galloping forward!

-You idiot.

Only then did he pull on the reins.

Heeheeheeing.

“Damn it, what was that? Does it think it’s a flying horse? Hah, this is embarrassing…”

Pa Cheon turned his horse around and came back, and the group pretended to be uninterested! But inside, they were struggling to hold back their laughter! It was then.

“Hohhohohohoho.”

It was Namgung Ah-yeon.

Following her,

“Hahahahahaha.”

“Hohhohohoho.”

Pa Cheon felt awkward! In times like this, it was best to laugh along.

“Hehehehe….hehe.”

‘But it was definitely a woman. She was wearing a veil, but… I clearly saw it when she jumped over. Let’s see. I’ll meet her eventually.’

★ The front of the Northern Sword Association was bustling with people. They were registering in the guestbook in the order they arrived before entering. There were about twenty lines, but because there were so many people, it was slow, and they had no choice but to stand at the very end of the line. The Northern Sword Association looked even more magnificent up close. The height of the fortress wall alone was five lengths [approximately 15 meters], and for that reason, the inside could not be seen. The guards on the ramparts, holding spears, were standing in formation without even moving their eyes, as if they were well-trained, and the guards belonging to the outer hall in front of the gate also looked disciplined. But they were probably all the same…

At this rate, they wouldn’t be able to register until sunset.

“Ugh, what is this? They invite people and then make them suffer like this?”

Namgung Hyuk-ryun gave an awkward smile at Pa Cheon’s grumbling. It wasn’t like they could just go in first. But wherever there was a place, there were always shortcuts and special treatments, and this place was no different. Several middle-aged men appeared from inside the gate, and the last one to come out was… ah!

“Hey, Great Hero, over here, over here!”

It was none other than the head of the Yulryeong Unit! Somen Salgeom, Woo Hyun-chung. Of course, it was Pa Cheon who shouted… Somen Salgeom, who turned his head towards the sound, contorted his face miserably and then hurriedly ran over. He was very tense.

“O-o-oh, please come in. I should have come out to greet you… Please, come in.”

“Haha, Great Hero Woo, I’m always causing you trouble.”

“A-a-ah, no, it’s nothing.”

When would the day come when he wouldn’t stutter in front of Pa Cheon? Perhaps the miracle of that happening would never occur in his lifetime.

Since they were being personally escorted (?) by Somen Salgeom, who was ranked 17th in the Northern Sword Association, no one stopped them. Those who were lined up were full of complaints. But what could they do? They could only lament their powerless and unbacked situation! Woo Hyun-chung even grabbed the horse’s reins, which was a truly pathetic sight. They were still on horseback, so if people didn’t know, they would think he was a servant, wouldn’t they? But his face didn’t show any of that, and he was shining with a sacred light as if holding the horse’s reins was his life’s mission.

The inside was even more magnificent. There were rows of huge pavilions, and the outer and inner courtyards were paved with bluestone. Here and there, gardens were placed with charm, and there was even a floating pavilion on the artificial lake. Rare fish were dancing in the pond, and rare birds were chirping in the artificial mountains. At this point, Pa Cheon even wondered if this place was the imperial palace. No, in some ways, it was even more splendid than the imperial palace.

Somen Salgeom was very faithfully carrying out the guidance he had started. In the middle of the outer hall, there was a large building used as a reception hall, but he just passed it by. And the place he guided them to was the Subin Pavilion, located deep in the inner courtyard. This was where the leaders of the sects who visited the Northern Sword Association stayed, so it was a very generous treatment for them. Cheon Gong-soo, the person in charge of the Subin Pavilion, initially expressed his reluctance, but because the head of the Yulryeong Unit ordered so firmly, he had no choice but to arrange their accommodations.

The place designated for Pa Cheon was the widest and most luxurious, perhaps due to Somen Salgeom’s special request. It had a bedroom, a living room, a bathroom, and even a study. There was nothing that wasn’t rare, and nothing that wasn’t expensive. For example, even the water tank in the bathroom was made of ivory, so what more could be said?

He was sitting on a chair. It was so soft that his weight sank into it, as if it was filled with cotton. He was deeply immersed in some thought.

-Pa Cheon, why? Do you have any worries?

[Thinking about it, that guy I let live in Mount Tai… that guy… ah, right, was it Cheonsan Sword? The guy who had his right arm cut off and went back alive. That guy knows my face. I heard he’s the head of this place… that’s what’s bothering me.]

-So what if he’s the head? It’s not like you’ll run into him… and even if you do, just deny it! Isn’t that right, Hyeneung?

=Amitabha.

-Is your ‘Buddha’ your answer?

=Amitabha.

-Ugh, you’re so frustrating! I shouldn’t have said anything.

[Or should I just shut his mouth first?]

-How?

[Find him first and take care of him before he starts blabbing.]

-That’s a good idea… but aren’t you thinking too far ahead? For example, he might not recognize you, or you might not meet, or even if you meet, he might not remember you? And you have a very good shield, don’t you?

[Ah, forget it. If it gets exposed, I’ll just push through with force.]

-That’s right, that’s it.

“Young Master Moon! Let’s go!”

Namgung Hyuk-ryun’s voice was heard from outside.

“Okay, wait a moment.”

He put his sword back on, which he had taken off for a moment.

‘Nothing will happen.’

He came out with Namgung Hyuk-ryun, and the rest of the group was waiting outside. They were going to attend the opening ceremony to announce the start of the Righteous Gathering. They didn’t know the inside of the Northern Sword Association well, so they slowly asked for directions. Again, it was really big. This building looked like that building, and that building looked like this building, so if you didn’t know, you would easily get lost. They had to wander around several times because they didn’t know where the opening ceremony was being held, and they were only able to find it after asking. By then, it had already started. It was the largest training ground in the Northern Sword Association, and it seemed to be 100 lengths [approximately 300 meters] in all directions. There, countless heroes were gathered, looking at the people on the platform. The leaders of the Northern Sword Association and the representatives of the other three righteous sects were sitting there with dignified appearances, and next to them were people from other prestigious orthodox sects. Below them, 7,000 swordsmen of the Northern Sword Association were surrounding the heroes as if they were besieging them, and inside, there were at least 30,000 people gathered. He thought that a lot of people had come, and he wondered how many martial artists there were in total.

One person was standing on the platform, speaking with inner force.

“This time, the Northern Sword Association has invited all of you martial artists to hold this meeting to discuss two things. The first is… to annihilate the forces that threaten the righteous energy of the martial world, and the second is to appoint a talented person to take on the central task. Now, the Demonic Path is temporarily holding its breath and crouching due to the rising spirit of the righteous path, but they will surely grow stronger and cause chaos in the martial world again someday. Therefore, I, representing the Northern Sword Association, propose that we take this opportunity to eradicate them completely and lay the foundation for the thousand-year plan of the righteous path. I dare to ask for the opinions of all of you martial artists on this matter.”

In short, they want to crush the Demonic Alliance, right? And then they plan to take over the martial world… well, the conclusion is obvious. Why are they talking about it so roundaboutly? And a thousand-year plan? They can’t even live for a hundred years, and they’re talking about a thousand years? Pa Cheon’s face was severely contorted. He asked Namgung Hyuk-ryun, who was next to him.

“Who is that person?”

“He’s the strategist of the Northern Sword Association.”

“Strategist? So he’s the one who’s good at scheming, huh? It’s all good, but his words are too transparent.”

“But they won’t be able to oppose him easily. The groundwork has already been laid for most of the sects, and this is just a formality. The only variable is how the other three righteous sects will react, but they can’t openly oppose it… so it will end up as they want.”

“Is that… so?”

‘Look at this, if things go well, the opportunity might come sooner… anyway, the more chaotic the martial world is, the easier it will be to conquer. That’s right, that’s it. You guys fight each other to the death, and I’ll just watch from the sidelines and swallow you all up.’

The strategist’s speech was coming to an end. As soon as he finished, the heroes responded with enthusiastic cheers. It was like watching a well-rehearsed play. They even mobilized a clapping squad?

An old monk with a dignified appearance came out, and his small but occasionally flashing eyes showed that he was a truly great person.

“Who is that person?”

“He’s the head of the Disciplinary Hall of Shaolin, Great Master Ji Gong.”

“Shaolin?”

[Hyeneung, he’s your grand-disciple.]

=Hehe, I heard that too.

-You must be happy. But what happened to those guys that they disappeared without a word?

He was talking about their descendants. He had been secretly expecting it. When he first came out into the martial world with Pa Cheon, he had expected that the Heavenly Demon Sect he had founded would still be dominating the martial world. But there was no news about them, and some riffraff were gaining power? It was infuriating to him.

“I am… Ji Gong of Shaolin.”

“Oh, that’s Great Master Ji Gong.”

“The head of the Disciplinary Hall, a Shaolin elder?”

“I have a slightly different opinion. Of course, I don’t want to deny that the Northern Sword Association’s proposal comes from a sincere desire to help the martial world, but there is a natural order to everything! The Demonic Path is being careful and crouching down, so there’s no need to provoke them. Peace in the martial world is maintained when the Demonic Path and the Righteous Path are balanced. The idea of recklessly punishing them or even eradicating them completely is quite dangerous. And then, you want the Righteous Path to rule the martial world forever? Hehe, as time passes, a tyrannical path and a demonic path will emerge again. Everything comes from the human heart! Rather, I am worried about the Northern Sword Association’s excessive oppression. They won’t be able to eliminate all of them anyway, so what will you do when their descendants grow stronger in 30 or 40 years and seek revenge against the righteous martial world? We must give them at least a minimum way to survive. Even in the old days when the Heavenly Demon ruled the martial world, the Righteous Path was able to survive because of their minimum tolerance. The Demonic Path was like this, so how can we, who call ourselves righteous, commit such foolishness? Therefore, I and our Shaolin, and the Nine Great Alliances, oppose it.”

=Amitabha, the power of Shaolin is still alive.

-Hmm, that guy! He’s smart and has a good grasp of me. I am a great man after all.

‘They’re playing around. That won’t do…’

“Ho, I didn’t expect the Nine Great Alliances to express their opposition so clearly… it’s unexpected. Then, only the Southern Alliance’s opinion is left. Since our Five Alliances are clearly opposed…”

Then what happens? It’s all for nothing, isn’t it?

“Then what happens?”

“They will gather the opinions. Since there has already been opposition, the leaders of the sects that participated here will gather and vote, and they will follow the decision.”

Really? Then there’s still hope, right?

“The majority will probably vote in favor. In the end, it will be as the Northern Sword Association wants. But the reason for opposing is to delay their hardline stance even a little bit, and it’s also for the sake of checks and balances.”

“Even the martial world is complicated.”

“Rather, the martial world is where the most primitive forms of human desire are revealed. That’s why the martial world sometimes becomes hell.”

As he said, the Five Alliances were strongly expressing their opposition, and they were even using some excessive language.

“…That’s why we, the Five Alliances, oppose it. Of course, the Demonic Path did something terribly wrong. They dared to displease the Northern Sword Association. So, I was thinking of suggesting a change of business to the Demonic Alliance. Maybe then the Northern Sword Association would show some generosity? I was even thinking such useless thoughts. To be honest, did they want to become the Demonic Path? Their parents were the Demonic Path, so their children just follow that path. Of course, I’m not talking about the truly bad guys. Most of the Demonic Path people might be more righteous than us in some ways. I am unconditionally opposed. If… if the decision to conquer the Demonic Path is made at this Righteous Gathering, our Five Alliances will declare our withdrawal from the Righteous Alliance at this very spot.”

Buzzing, buzzing.

Woo-woo-woo.

Wow!

Cheers erupted, but the jeers were also considerable. The person who spoke was the head of the Peng family, who attended this Righteous Gathering as a representative of the Five Alliances. He was attending as an elder of the Five Alliances. Now, only the Southern Alliance was left. If they also opposed, it would be easy for the decision to be without justification even if they won the vote. If the three righteous sects did not participate in the conquest of the Demonic Path, it would be only half-hearted, and the conquest of the Demonic Path itself could become difficult.

The person who attended here as a representative of the Southern Alliance was Gu Ryung-jin, the head of the Elder Council and the chief elder of the Southern Alliance, the Heavenly Seal Illusion Blade. He was a master of the previous generation who was already over 80 years old. He was once called the best swordsman in Gangnam, and he was the one who had won 286 battles with his unique style, the Heavenly Seal Illusion Blade Technique, after entering the martial world at the age of 30. But he had joined the Southern Alliance after losing to the current leader 27 years ago, and now he was the chief elder. He was an absolute sword master that anyone who wielded a sword would want to compete with at least once.

He was silently sweeping his gaze over the crowd. His mustache, which curled up at the ends, was swaying handsomely in the wind.

“I… personally oppose it… but the consensus of our Southern Alliance… is to support the Northern Sword Association’s proposal.”

With those words, he went down from the platform, but there seemed to be something fishy. Something completely unexpected had happened. They, who were not on good terms with the Northern Sword Association along with the Five Alliances, had supported them?

This was something that no one had expected. He closed his eyes tightly even after returning to his seat. It seemed that no one could make him open his closed mouth. There was some suspicion, but no one dared to ask questions at this spot. A triumphant smile was spreading on the face of the Northern Sword Association’s strategist. It must mean that everything had gone as planned. Now, it depended on the results of the vote of the representatives of the righteous sects in the evening. Conquest of the Demonic Path! Perhaps this was becoming a fait accompli before their eyes, along with the ambition of the Northern Sword Association!

Title: [Serial] Emperor’s Sword 13. Following the Night Walker! Related Materials: None [58920]

Sender: Im Samyeol (logos333) 2000-12-23 00:20 Views: 1836

-Emperor’s Sword-