Emperor's Sword [EN]: Chapter 18

He had finally reached the bottom. Though, it couldn’t really be called a bottom, as it connected to other branches, and the cliff face twisted and continued into another mountain. Strictly speaking, the cliff that started from Victory Peak had ended.

“Damn it, what now? I think I’ve searched enough… Does that mean it’s not here either?”

-Let’s just give up and go. If those guys are still somewhere, 250 years would have been enough time for them to grow strong, and they would have already returned to the martial world.

“Giving up here would make all my efforts so far a waste. Alright, let’s take one last look.”

Pachaen’s tenacity was remarkable.

“If only there wasn’t so much snow… It’s hard to find…!!!! That’s it.”

-What are you talking about? Suddenly,

=Amitabha, I think I can understand the benefactor’s thoughts. [Amitabha is a Buddhist term, often used as a salutation or expression of understanding.]

“Haha, good. Let’s try it.”

He immediately shot upwards. About halfway up the cliff, he stopped his ascent. Then, he gathered all his internal energy. He bent his back halfway and then sprang forward.

“Woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!”

From his mouth came a roar that would make even the heavens tremble. It was a force that seemed capable of collapsing the entire mountain. The echo of his shout reverberated across the mountains.

*Rumble, rumble, rumble*

It was collapsing. The snow that covered the entire mountain was collapsing. The snow clinging to the cliff face was cracking under his roar, causing a massive avalanche. Snowballs large enough to cover even Mount Tai were falling below. [Mount Tai is a famous mountain in China, often used as a metaphor for something large and imposing.]

*Rumble, rumble, rumble*

It fell continuously. The avalanche began to grow even larger. It fell for a long time, and below, it looked as if a huge snow mountain had been created.

He began to scan again from the bottom. He flew up in a zigzag pattern, examining everything carefully. The shape of the cliff face was clearly visible, so it seemed like it would be visible from far away, but he was meticulously checking, just in case he missed something. It was about half an hour after he started his re-investigation that a cave came into his sight. About 50 yards below Victory Peak, a cave about 3 yards wide was gaping open. He was so glad that he quickly entered it. And he began to carefully examine the surroundings. The entrance looked like a natural cave. He didn’t give up and went further inside. It was after he had gone 200 yards into the cave that his eyes began to shine for the first time. The cave was larger and wider than he had expected, and it was winding, so even after going in a little, he could feel a warm temperature.

“Ho, look at this. This is a place where human hands have been.”

The wall he touched was smoothly cut, and there was a hollow indentation that seemed to have been used as a support.

He continued to go in. Such indentations continued every 3 yards, and further in, the floor was cleanly swept. What was initially about 3 yards gradually widened. When he reached the end, it had widened into a plaza of over 20 yards. As he carefully examined his surroundings, a look of doubt spread across his face, and soon, a look of disappointment. There was nothing there. There were clear signs of people, but there was nothing inside. No traces of people living there, no smells, no tools. He looked at the walls, but there was nothing unusual, and he slumped down on the floor. He was truly exhausted now.

-Hehe, are you giving up now?

“Yes, I give up! I give up! Those bastards, why couldn’t they just stay in one place? Where did they go again?”

He thought that the descendants of the Heavenly Demon had left this place. But the Heavenly Demon’s next words were enough to give him new strength.

-You’ve found everything, and now you’re giving up?

“You?… What are you talking about?”

-Can’t you see that?

“What? Where? What is there?”

-To the left, yes, up there, see that protruding rock? Look below it.

“That? It looks like some kind of pattern…”

-It’s my mark. All the descendants of the Heavenly Demon know it.

“Then?”

-Yes, you managed to find the right place. There’s probably a mechanism within a yard of it.

“A mechanism?”

-Yes. Look carefully. Ah, there it is.

“Where, where, where?”

There were seven small lines drawn haphazardly, and in the middle, there was a round full moon. The lengths of the lines were all different.

-Among the lines, you must press the leftmost, then the rightmost, the third, the fifth, the fourth, the second, and the sixth, and then press the half-moon in the center. You must be careful not to get the order wrong.

“What is this anyway?”

-Just do as I say. The order is determined by the length of the lines. You wouldn’t know even if you saw it. There’s a complex signal here. Only the people of the Heavenly Demon Cult would know it.

“I understand. I just need to press them without using internal energy, right?”

-Yes.

As he was told, Pachaen pressed the seven lines and the full moon in order.

*Rumble, rumble, rumble*

It was truly an amazing mechanism. The entire wall was rising upwards. And below it, a never-ending staircase was steeply descending. He went down without hesitation. He had finally found the headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Cult. What exactly was there was still unknown.

“I wonder who will win?”

A cute girl in blue was speaking to a girl in fiery red.

“I don’t know. No matter who wins, won’t it all be according to Elder Red Yang Demon’s will? It seems like the power is already leaning that way…”

“That’s not certain yet. We don’t know which side the three Dharma Protectors, including the Supreme Elder, or the seven elders of the Elder Council will take. And the Four Empresses and Four Flowers are still unknown, and the twelve Demon Princes, who are the best of the later generation disciples of the cult, don’t necessarily support Red Yang Demon… We’ll have to wait and see, but maybe they’ll support whoever wins this time?”

“Maybe. Anyway, I hope Elder Red Yang Demon wins so we can get out of this stuffy place.”

“Sohwa! You too? Well, most of us younger ones hope Elder Red Yang Demon wins, but is Elder Blood Demon someone to be taken lightly?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about. If Elder Blood Demon wins and our advance into the Central Plains is thwarted again… maybe we’ll be grandmothers before we get another chance, right?”

The two girls were doing laundry by the stream. They looked like great martial artists.

Were they eighteen or nineteen? The girl in blue with dimples had a dreamy expression.

“Ah, if only I could roam the martial world with Jade Kirin…”

“Tch. You too?”

“Then you too?”

“Well, there aren’t many women in the cult who don’t admire Jade Kirin.”

Someone was watching the two girls doing laundry. It was Pachaen.

‘This is truly amazing. To think there would be a place like this underground.’

He had been surprised several times as he descended the stairs. He was surprised by the unfathomable depth, and then again by the sturdiness of the intricately connected passages, and finally, when he reached the end of the stairs, he was so surprised that he couldn’t close his mouth. The end of the stairs led to another cliff. And below it, there was a lush forest like a primeval forest, and he was shocked by the humid weather, as if he had come to a tropical rainforest in the south. The tropical rainforest below the cliff was about 20 miles wide, and in the middle, there was a huge palace that seemed to pierce the sky.

[This seems to be the Heavenly Demon Cult… Heavenly Demon, what do you think?]

-Hehe, as expected, my descendants are different. To think they would have such a magnificent headquarters in a place like this. Isn’t the power of the cult amazing?

[Judging from what those girls said, there seems to be quite a number of them… and it seems like they are going through some turmoil because of the decision to advance into the Central Plains.]

-Those kids, they’re so cautious after failing a few times. Pathetic.

[Hehe, well then, shall we start moving in earnest?]

“Hoh ho ho, even if Red Yang Demon loses, everything is already decided. If what you say is true, the twelve Demon Princes will side with the winner? Well, if they join, things will be different. So, Red Yang Demon must win unconditionally to eliminate any noise.”

She was a beautiful woman. But it was a bewitching beauty, a beauty that was daunting to look at. The woman, who was probably in her mid-twenties, was leaning against the bed, showing off her forbidden beauty. In front of her, a man in his thirties was sweating profusely as he reported something to her.

Her name was Flame Empress (炎后) Yael Young-ryung (耶律英靈). There were only people from five surnames in this Heavenly Demon Cult. The first was Danmok (端木), which was also the surname of the first Heavenly Demon, and the next were Bukgung (北宮), Yael (耶律), Damdae (澹臺), and Guyang (歐陽), which were the surnames of the Heavenly Demon’s four disciples. Among these, Danmok was rare, with only a few people, and the most common was Bukgung, followed by Yael, Damdae, and Guyang. This woman, who looked to be only in her mid-twenties, was the Flame Empress, one of the four empresses of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

And her actual age was over 60, but she looked young because she had mastered the art of rejuvenation.

“In any case, Bukgung’s Red Yang Demon is going to take control of everything. As long as our Yael supports him. Moreover, the Damdae and Guyang families aren’t that close. In the end, the Bukgung family will take control of everything.”

“This subordinate also thinks so.”

“Go and tell my brother, Soul Thousand Demon (魂千魔), that everything will go according to plan…”

“Yes, I understand, Flame Empress.”

And then he was about to get up and leave.

“Wait… what is your name?”

“My… my name is… Yael Jung-woon (耶律政運).”

“Oh? If you have the ‘Jung’ character in your name, then you’re my nephew… Come here and massage your aunt’s legs.”

“Yes?… I, that is, if I don’t return quickly, the Demon Lord…”

“Ah, it’s okay. I’ll tell your brother… Hurry!”

“Yes!”

He was trembling. It was easy to see that he was not trembling with excitement or joy. Sweat was forming on his forehead and dripping down, and his palms were quickly getting wet. He began to massage the Flame Empress’s legs with his sweaty palms.

“Get out of here… Ugh, you’re useless… A grown man sweating so much just from massaging a woman’s legs? These days, there’s no one worthwhile… I don’t want to see you, so go away.”

“Yes, Flame Empress. Then this subordinate will take his leave.”

He was sweating profusely as he hurried out of the main hall.

“Idiot.”

“How about me?”

“Huh? Who is it?”

“It’s me!”

*Swish, swish, swish*

“Oh? No! Hoh ho ho, is there such a handsome man in our cult? You seem even more handsome than Jade Kirin.”

“Is that so?”

“Hmm? But what is your affiliation? And what is your name?”

“What does a name matter when massaging a leg? Isn’t that right?”

“Hoh ho ho, I suppose so. I don’t know who you are, but I like you very much. Come here and massage me.”