Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 20

21. The Heavenly Demon Cult’s Supreme Elder

Pa Cheon began to fully utilize the Heavenly Demon Concealment Technique. According to the Flame Empress, the guardians of the Law Enforcement Hall were called the Sword Emperor’s Ten Guards, and the Elder Council was guarded by the Bodyguard Ten. These were all highly skilled individuals secretly raised by the protectors and elders. Each one was a formidable expert, and it was said that if three of them combined their strength, no one could stand against them.

Pa Cheon couldn’t enter immediately and was circling the area. He had a rough idea of their positions, but whether he could completely deceive their eyes was uncertain.

[Heavenly Demon! Isn’t there a better way? Should I just go in boldly? And settle things with the Supreme Protector. Aren’t the protectors your descendants?]

-That doesn’t sound like a good idea. And yes, they are my descendants, but there’s no way I can help you, so what’s the point of talking about it?

[True, the only connection I have with you is my martial arts, but would they believe that? What if they mistake me for a spy from the Central Plains?]

-There’s no need to be afraid beforehand. Why are you being so timid, unlike yourself?

[Who’s afraid? There’s no place in this world that can scare me. I’m just being cautious…]

-Always loud even when you’re about to die.

[Alright. If it’s something I have to do anyway, then let’s not hesitate…]

His body was already slipping into the Law Enforcement Hall. Because he had maximized the Heavenly Demon Concealment Technique, it was impossible to detect him visually. The problem was his energy. The only way he could be discovered, even with his breathing suppressed, was if there was an expert who could sense the minute energy he emitted. So far, he had never been discovered while using the Heavenly Demon Concealment Technique at its peak.

Sss sss sss

A subtle flow of air was moving through the corridor of the main hall. It was so faint that even if you put saliva on your finger and held it up, you wouldn’t feel anything.

‘Heh heh, I thought the Sword Emperor’s Ten Guards were something special, but they’re nothing much.’

Pa Cheon chuckled to himself.

“Who’s there?”

‘Damn it!’

Sss sss sss

‘That’s the Heavenly Demon Concealment Technique! Was I discovered?’

Subtle currents swirled around him, and five black-clad masked figures appeared. Pa Cheon remained still, not moving an inch.

“Huh? That’s strange. There was definitely a subtle flow of air… Return to your positions.”

Sss sss sss

‘Those damn bastards! They felt it? Well, they’ve also learned the Heavenly Demon Concealment Technique. Though it’s just an imitation.’

He accurately sensed their positions. Five were stationed outside the main hall, and five were hiding in the corridor, ceiling, and floor, holding their breath.

‘How do I get past them?’

Pa Cheon moved very slowly. Moving an inch every few minutes was incredibly difficult.

[Hey, Heavenly Demon! Got any ideas?]

-Don’t blame me! It’s your fault for having such low internal energy…

[Damn it, I’d have to raise my internal energy by at least twenty cycles to avoid hearing that from you.]

It took him half an hour to completely evade them.

“Left Protector, how is the martial arts progress of the young ones?”

“Yes, they have now passed the sixth stage, so they will be ready for practical deployment in about five years.”

“Right Protector!”

“Yes, Supreme Elder.”

“How is the Red Yang Demon’s movement?”

“That guy has been in closed-door training and hasn’t moved an inch. In fact, wasn’t the Blood Demon superior in terms of martial arts? He must know that, so he must have been working incredibly hard for the past six months.”

“Heh heh, is that so? Everything will go as planned. Without surpassing the Blood Demon, we can’t even dream of conquering the martial world.”

“Then, does the Supreme Elder intend to make the Red Yang Demon the commander-in-chief?”

“Unless there’s someone else, he’s the one who should take the lead when the conquest of the martial world is decided.”

“The Blood Demon won’t stand idly by.”

“No, that’s not the case. That’s why I ordered this duel. The Blood Demon is a true demon hero. If he loses to the Red Yang Demon, he will accept and acknowledge everything. The problem is when the Red Yang Demon loses… That’s when things get complicated. The Red Yang Demon will still push for the conquest of the martial world, and the Blood Demon will try to stop him…”

“What do you plan to do in that case?”

“What else can I do… I’ll have the elders move quickly to arrest and imprison the Red Yang Demon. So he can’t move at all. That’s the only way to preserve our Heavenly Demon Cult… Who’s there?”

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

The Left and Right Protectors looked bewildered at the Supreme Elder’s reaction.

“Why don’t you come out? How dare you sneak in here? Sword Emperor’s Ten Guards!”

Sss sss sss

“Yes.”

Ten black-clad masked figures appeared.

“What were you doing to let an outsider get this far?”

“Huh? What are you talking about…”

“Come out already… Are you still going to cower there?”

“Hahahaha, you’re quite something. This is the first time I’ve been humiliated like this.”

It was a young man. A handsome one, with eyes that could make anyone’s heart flutter. The fact that the opponent was unexpectedly young and a face they had never seen before made the Supreme Elder’s eyes flash. He remained seated, and the Sword Emperor’s Ten Guards quickly surrounded Pa Cheon. The Left and Right Protectors were surprised that the opponent was a master who could deceive even their eyes and that he was so young.

“Who are you? You seem to be an outsider. How did you get here?”

The Supreme Elder’s words made the faces of the Sword Emperor’s Ten Guards and the Left and Right Protectors change drastically. An outsider! In the past 200 years, while the cult’s disciples had gone in and out to gather information about the martial world, there had never been an intruder from the outside.

“Haha, that’s not important… Are you the Supreme Elder?”

“That’s right. I am the Supreme Elder.”

(Supreme Protector Gu Cheonmaje [Nine Heavens Demon Emperor] Danmok Cheong-un is over 200 years old, and his level is immeasurable. No one knows his true depth. It is said that one of the Twelve Demon Princes is his disciple, but it has not been revealed who it is.)

Pa Cheon recalled Flame Empress’s words.

‘As expected, he’s a great master, just like Flame Empress said. He noticed my presence right away…’

Though it wasn’t visible on his face, Pa Cheon was feeling nervous for the first time since entering the martial world. The opponent was someone who might be stronger than him.

“I am Pa Cheon, the Heavenly Demon Scholar.”

“Heavenly Demon Scholar?”

“Heavenly Demon?”

“How dare you use the title of Heavenly Demon? You’ve got some nerve.”

It was the Left Protector, Golden Masked Buddha Demon Danmok Hu, who shouted. Whether they were ordinary martial artists or experts of the Heavenly Demon Cult, no one willingly used or accepted the title of Heavenly Demon. Of course, they revered the Heavenly Demon, while ordinary martial artists feared him and were reluctant to even mention his name.

“I certainly have nerve, but I am also definitely the Heavenly Demon.”

“Th-that crazy bastard…”

The Right Protector, Golden Eyed Demon Lord Danmok Seong, was trembling with excitement, his long beard shaking.

However, the Supreme Protector, Gu Cheonmaje, remained calm and composed. He began to scrutinize Pa Cheon from head to toe.

‘Hmm, a truly remarkable young man. It’s amazing that he got this far, but his true power might be beyond my imagination.’

“Crazy bastard? …You! How dare you, as a protector of the Heavenly Demon Cult, call the Heavenly Demon Sovereign a crazy bastard?”

The Right Protector’s face was contorted in a grotesque manner, and he was trembling with anger. This was almost an art form of brazenness. The Sword Emperor’s Ten Guards were eagerly waiting for the Supreme Elder’s order, trying to restrain themselves from rushing out.

“You’re the Heavenly Demon Sovereign?”

If it hadn’t been for the Supreme Elder’s heavy voice, the Right Protector would have probably attacked.

“That’s right. Supreme Elder! If you want proof, I can show you as much as you want.”

The Supreme Elder’s expression briefly showed surprise at his confident demeanor, but it quickly disappeared. He was a cautious man, even if he didn’t take the other’s words at face value.

“Proof? Alright, what kind of proof will you show?”

His tone had changed. Of course, he wasn’t taking the other’s words at face value, but he was still a cautious person.

“Look at this.”

One of the two swords hanging from his waist was drawn by Pa Cheon.

“Th-that’s the Heavenly Demon Sword!”

“Oh! The Heavenly Demon Sword has appeared…”

The people in the hall were making a fuss, and the Sword Emperor’s Ten Guards were taking a step back.

“Hmm… It’s definitely the Heavenly Demon Sword. Of course, it being the Heavenly Demon Sword doesn’t make you the Heavenly Demon Sovereign. If you’ve come to return the Heavenly Demon Sword to our cult, we can welcome you as a guest, but if you try to claim to be the Heavenly Demon Sovereign… I can only hope you won’t blame or resent us for persecuting you.”

His words were firm. He would recover the Heavenly Demon Sword and punish Pa Cheon for trespassing.

“Hahahaha, the authority of the Heavenly Demon has become as worthless as toilet waste to his descendants… Heavenly Demon! What do you think?”

-Damn bastards! They can’t even do a full prostration, how dare they…

He couldn’t finish his sentence. They were momentarily bewildered by Pa Cheon’s incomprehensible behavior.

“Young master! What will you do? Will you accept our hospitality? Or shall we treat you as an intruder?”

“I am the Heavenly Demon Scholar. If you dare threaten me, I will have no choice but to demonstrate the authority of the Heavenly Demon…”

‘What is that confidence? Of course, he’s a master who has reached the pinnacle of martial arts, but that alone can’t explain such confidence. Especially not here, in the main headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Cult.’

The Supreme Elder was racking his brain. He was facing a situation that he couldn’t understand with his common sense.

“Alright. Even if that is the Heavenly Demon Sword, it could have been obtained by chance. If you are the Heavenly Demon Sovereign, you must know the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts.”

‘Heh heh, it’s done.’

“Is that even a question? How could the Heavenly Demon not know the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts?”

“Then show us. Among the Heavenly Demon Ancestor’s martial arts, there are a total of 17 that have been passed down without being lost. And 11 that have been lost! There are 3 that have not been passed down at all. If you can demonstrate one of those three, I will acknowledge you.”

“Supreme Elder!”

“Why would you say that?”

The two protectors seemed to be asking why he would say such a thing, but the Supreme Elder remained calm.

“Those three martial arts were not even passed down to your four disciples! Is there anyone in this land who would know them?”

Only then did they understand his intention and show a sign of relief.

“Heh heh, you know it well. There were a total of 30 Heavenly Demon martial arts. Among them, the ones that were not passed down are the Heavenly Demon Soaring Steps, the Asura Obliteration Palm from the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, and the Heavenly Destruction from the Three Heavenly Destruction Swords. Am I wrong?”

What he said was completely accurate. Heavenly Destruction was the third move of the Three Heavenly Destruction Swords, so he said there were 30 Heavenly Demon martial arts. If you were to separate them, as the Supreme Elder did, there would be 31. The fact that Pa Cheon knew even these details made the faces of the people in the hall show signs of unease. However, the Supreme Elder’s face showed more anticipation than unease. What was his true intention?

“This is indoors, so it’s not suitable to demonstrate the Asura Obliteration Palm or the Heavenly Destruction. I will demonstrate the Heavenly Demon Soaring Steps, so open your eyes wide and watch carefully. If you try to deny it later, the Heavenly Demon’s curse will wipe you out.”

Their spines tingled at his arrogant declaration.

Pa Cheon didn’t rush and put the Heavenly Demon Sword back into its scabbard. Then, as if telling them to watch, he put his hands behind his back and began to demonstrate the Heavenly Demon Soaring Steps. His body quickly multiplied into 12 figures, moving around the wide room in a dizzying manner. Later, it became difficult to even catch a trace of him, and he seemed to be teasing the Sword Emperor’s Ten Guards as he moved between them. The eyes of the three protectors, who were watching this, widened as much as they could, and the Left and Right Protectors even stood up from their seats.

The Heavenly Demon Soaring Steps were the symbol of the Heavenly Demon. When it appeared, all demons would submit. That’s why it was called Soaring Steps, wasn’t it? Although the incantation was not passed down, they knew the phenomenon of the Heavenly Demon Soaring Steps better than anyone. Before they knew it, Pa Cheon was back in his original position, and the hall was filled with a suffocating silence.

Pa Cheon didn’t speak. They were all silent as well. The time of a single breath felt like an eternity. The Supreme Elder was getting up. His face was as stiff as a stone statue, and his eyes were burning like flames. As he rose, the scenery in the hall seemed to shrink and cower under his suffocating demonic energy. He was approaching Pa Cheon step by step. Pa Cheon was inwardly tense. He was facing a master who was no weaker than him! Perhaps even stronger, the strongest opponent he had ever faced.

The pressure emanating from him was enough to make even him flinch. However, Pa Cheon’s outward appearance was as unwavering as a mountain that had weathered countless storms, and his expression was calm. The Supreme Elder stopped a foot away from Pa Cheon, and Pa Cheon was inwardly tense. He was ready to strike at any moment.

“This subject, Supreme Protector Danmok Cheong-un, wholeheartedly congratulates the descent of the Heavenly Demon Sovereign.”

His knees were pressed against the floor, and he was performing a full prostration, his whole body touching the ground. This was shocking. The Supreme Protector of the Heavenly Demon Cult, a person of such high status, was bowing his body and mind to a young man.

“I pay my respects to the Sovereign.”

When the Left and Right Protectors and the Sword Emperor’s Ten Guards also performed a full prostration, Pa Cheon finally let out a sigh that only he could hear.

‘Is it a success for now?’

The Sword Emperor’s Ten Guards disappeared from the room, and the three protectors and Pa Cheon were sitting together.

“How did the Sovereign learn the Heavenly Demon Ancestor’s martial arts?”

This was the first question. Pa Cheon told them everything honestly. Of course, he didn’t reveal that he was the Jianwen Emperor, the Emperor of Ming.

“So… the Heavenly Demon is with the Sovereign?”

“That’s right.”

“How can such a strange thing happen…”

“It’s all thanks to the Soul Transfer Great Art, a unique technique of the ages.”

“Are you talking about the Soul Summoning Technique of the Betrayers?”

“Supreme Elder, you knew about that?”

“But it was already incomplete and abandoned even within the Betrayers themselves…”

“It was completely successful due to the eternal loyalty of two people. Of course, it wasn’t perfect…”

“Ah, so there was such a connection. Then, where is the Heavenly Demon now…”

“He’s been grumbling and cursing you guys since earlier. No, from the beginning. In fact, the Heavenly Demon was greatly disappointed. When he first entered the martial world, he expected that his descendants, the Heavenly Demon Cult, would have taken over the martial world. But no matter how much he looked, he couldn’t find them… So, following the Heavenly Demon’s instructions, I came here.”

Now all the questions were answered. The three protectors were extremely cautious at the mention that the Heavenly Demon was with Pa Cheon. After all, wasn’t he their grandfather?

“The Heavenly Demon has something to say.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll convey it as it is… I am the Heavenly Demon.”

“We pay our respects to the Heavenly Demon Ancestor.”

They were prostrating on the floor again.

“You pathetic things! Is this the state of my proud descendants? What have you been doing to be hiding in such a deep place?”

“We apologize. Our descendants are inadequate…”

“I know that, so it’s fortunate. This guy here! Pa Cheon is like my alter ego. He still has many shortcomings, but… he’s a usable guy.”

Pa Cheon’s face was contorted at those words.

‘Tch, if you’re going to praise me, you should do it properly. Thanks, Heavenly Demon. Thank you…’

“So, you guys should treat this guy as you would treat me and make sure that our Heavenly Demon Cult completely takes over the martial world. Do you understand?”

“We obey!”

“We will follow your orders.”

“You can all get up now.”

At Pa Cheon’s words, the three of them finally got up from the floor.

-Hey, Hye-neung, did you see that? This is the level of my descendants. Isn’t their respect for me amazing?

=Amitabha! It’s not respect, but rather a vague fear.

-What? Now I see that you’re also capable of jealousy.

=Amitabha.

-Oh, right, Pa Cheon! Ask them where the Heavenly Demon Ring is.

“Supreme Elder, he’s asking where the Heavenly Demon Ring is?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you know the Heavenly Demon Ring?”

“The Heavenly Demon Ring is in the vault, but there hasn’t been anyone worthy of wearing it yet.”

-What? You’re keeping that precious thing locked away?

“Hey, Heavenly Demon, what is the Heavenly Demon Ring?”

-It’s a ring I used to wear. It’s my relic, but it’s also a hidden weapon and a weapon with unimaginable power.

“Really? Supreme Elder, can you bring the Heavenly Demon Ring?”

“That… the Heavenly Demon Ring is impossible to retrieve.”

“What does that mean?”

“That is…”

It was clear that there was some story behind it.

“About 50 years ago, the Four Demon Sovereigns at the time were different from the ones now. They were the strongest of all the Four Demon Sovereigns, and one of them, in particular, was one of the five strongest in the history of the Heavenly Demon Cult. As you know, the Heavenly Demon Ring is the Heavenly Demon Ancestor’s relic and also symbolizes the cult leader. It was rumored to contain a secret method to reach the Transcendental Demon Realm, which all of us in the demonic path dream of obtaining. In fact, among the past cult leaders, only a few could suppress the demonic energy of the Heavenly Demon Ring, so it spent most of its time dormant in the vault. Then one day, that guy became greedy and… went to the vault and took the Heavenly Demon Ring.

He then went into closed-door training for five years, practicing with the Heavenly Demon Ring. But before he could complete five years, after about three years, he went mad and started rampaging. He was strong before, but at that time, even I couldn’t dare to face him. After about 300 of our cult’s disciples died trying to stop him, he was finally subdued, and the Heavenly Demon Ring was recovered from him and put back in the vault. But then, that guy escaped from prison and went back into the vault, locking the door from the inside. That was already 50 years ago.”

“But why haven’t you opened the vault?”

“To be honest, we were scared. At the time, it was difficult to open the vault, and we were afraid of facing him again if we delayed. So, we kept putting it off, and 50 years have passed.”

“So, you don’t even know if he’s dead or alive?”

“Yes, that’s right. He was so strong that even the three Demon Sovereigns at the time lost their lives to him… He might still be alive.”

-That guy must have been something! If he couldn’t even control the demonic energy I planted, then there’s not much to expect…

“Ugh…”

“What’s wrong, Sovereign?”

“No! There’s someone who’s endlessly showing off… But I can’t just leave the Heavenly Demon Ring there… I’ll go in myself.”

“Yes?”

“…”

His words were like a bolt of lightning to the three protectors.

“What is his name?”

“He’s called the Mad Demon Sovereign.”

“Mad Demon Sovereign! A very fitting title! Alright! Lead me there.”

‘Mad Demon Sovereign! First, I’ll recover the Heavenly Demon Ring, and then… the Twelve Demon Princes. Then the Four Demon Sovereigns. I’ll make them submit one by one. If I can’t fully realize my ambitions here, then I’ll give up on conquering the martial world altogether.’

Title: [Serial] Emperor’s Sword 22. The Heavenly Demon Vault! Related Materials: None [59340]

Sender: Im Sam-yeol (logos333) 2000-12-28 01:15 Views: 2050

-Emperor’s Sword-