Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 37

38. The Southern Alliance of Muchang!

Due to the alcohol consumed throughout the night, no one woke up until almost noon. It was only when the sun was leaning towards the west that they had a late meal, and soon after, Ssangno, Punggae, and Cheongmyeon Mawang left first. Dokgo Seolran accompanied Ssangno, expressing her regretful farewell. The newly joined So Wang seemed very pleased to follow Punggae, his face beaming with smiles.

Pa Cheon could have traveled with them, but he felt burdened by the large group and was also conscious of the eyes of martial artists who might recognize Gae Wang. So, he deliberately sent them ahead first. Soon after, Pa Cheon’s group also left Hangzhou. Although Pa Cheon could have ridden Geumeung, he chose to travel by boat along the canal heading west from the Yangtze River to avoid people’s attention.

Each time they docked, they stayed in the towns, continuing their leisurely journey. For this reason, it was well over three days later when they arrived in Muchang. Pa Cheon came to Muchang not only because it was the headquarters of the Southern Alliance but also because it was the place where the most martial artists had gathered recently.

Among the martial arts enthusiasts, a verse that succinctly expressed the recent state of the martial world had spread throughout the Jianghu [the martial world], and people called it the ‘Hero’s Song.’

The Five Heavens of the Martial World play in the sky,
The Four Overlords ignite the lands of the Nine Provinces.
When their swords and spears shine,
The Seven Wonders awaken from their slumber,
And when the Four Dragons and Two Phoenixes respond,
With whom will the Twin Emperors pair?

The Five Heavens of the Martial World referred to the leader of the Martial Alliance, the Great Master of the Demonic Path, Jang Sam-pung Jin-in of Wudang, Cheonma Seosaeng, and Ok Myeon Sinryong [Jade Faced Divine Dragon]. The Four Overlords were the leaders of the outside world: the North Sea Sword King, the Qinghai Envoy, the leader of the Sasa Blood Cult who was said to have unified Tianzhu [ancient name for India], and finally, the legendary martial artist of the Daldan (Mongol) Heavenly Emperor’s Palace. The Seven Wonders referred to the best among the masters of the Nine Great Sects, the Five Great Families, and the 36 Righteous Sects, who were traditional powers in the martial world. The Four Dragons and Two Phoenixes were the relatively prominent figures among the younger generation of martial artists. The Twin Emperors were a separate nickname for the leaders of the righteous and demonic forces among the Five Heavens of the Martial World.

While the others were not particularly surprising, the fact that the Sasa Blood Cult and the Heavenly Emperor’s Palace were known to the martial artists was truly astonishing, and the source of this rumor was very intriguing.

In any case, Pa Cheon had to hear countless rumors of the Jianghu while traversing the Central Plains, and most of them were about the figures in the Hero’s Song. In particular, the interest of the Jianghu people in the Five Heavens of the Martial World and the Four Overlords was immense.

Upon entering Muchang, Pa Cheon immediately headed to a tavern. It was the most common place to learn about the movements of the martial world, so he wanted to find out the current situation in Muchang. On the west side of Sasan (Snake Mountain) in Muchang, along the Yangtze River, stood the famous Yellow Crane Tower.

It was a place bustling with people all year round, but today it was particularly crowded. The three-story pavilion was packed with people, with no room to step, and a third of them were martial artists. This alone showed how many martial artists had gathered in Muchang.

“We don’t have any seats right now.”

The waiter apologized to Pa Cheon’s group. There was no reason for him to apologize, but it was a gesture of consolation to the guests who had come all this way and had to return without any reward. Some people could be seen outside, looking down at the river while enjoying some drinks and snacks.

Pa Cheon looked at his group as if there was nothing he could do. They had not expected that there would be no seats. Since he was currently in his guise as Ok Myeon Sinryong, he could not cause a disturbance. Behind him were the three transformed figures using the Transformation Technique and So Gun, who had concealed her original appearance with a human skin mask.

Gwangmajon was disguised as a middle-aged man in his mid-40s, Muyeongjon as a handsome young man in his 20s, and Murin as an ordinary-looking woman in her late 20s with a dark complexion. So Gun also had a common appearance that was not noticeable, with a face full of freckles.

Pa Cheon, still seeing people entering and exiting, asked the waiter,

“No, who are those people? And doesn’t someone leaving mean that a new seat is available?”

“That’s not the case. The guests entering have reservations, and even when guests leave, there are already people waiting, so there are no seats available. Seats will be available in about two hours. Would you like to get a waiting ticket?”

“There’s no need for that. Instead, give us an empty reserved seat. We won’t be long, so it should be fine for a short while, right?”

With that, Pa Cheon placed a silver tael in the waiter’s hand. The waiter quickly checked it, looked around, and said to Pa Cheon,

“This is… I shouldn’t be doing this… But you only have about half an hour. If that’s okay, please come in.”

The place they followed the waiter to was the tavern on the third floor, which was an expensive spot with the best view. About ten seats were empty by the window. Pa Cheon ordered food and drinks and looked around. There were surprisingly many martial artists, as well as merchants and scholars in fancy attire.

Pa Cheon overheard a conversation between martial artists on the boat. They were also heading to Muchang, and the entire martial world’s attention was focused on Muchang. Pa Cheon listened to the conversations of the surrounding martial artists while eating the food brought by the waiters.

“Well, it’s amazing what happens in life, isn’t it? All the young guys in the Central Plains who think they’re strong are gathering here, so there’s no better spectacle to see.”

“But what on earth is the reason for offering such incredible conditions?”

“Who knows? Rumor has it that the prodigal son has gone half-mad and become a hopeless wreck, beyond any possibility of recovery.”

“Even so, is he really going to hand over such a huge power to a complete stranger? Wouldn’t it be better to choose a successor from among his disciples?”

“There must be some hidden reason for that. Anyway, such an opportunity doesn’t come often, does it? Guys like us are just here to watch, but there will probably be a lot of new masters appearing.”

“That’s right. But have you ever seen Cheonhyang Okbong, one of the Two Phoenixes? I heard that her beauty is comparable to the beauties of the Central Plains.”

“Hey, come on, how can you compare her to the beauties of the Central Plains? The Two Phoenixes have gained fame for their martial arts skills, so they may be strong, but their beauty is not comparable to the beauties of the martial world.”

Pa Cheon, who had been listening intently to their conversation, had a rough idea of the situation but did not know the details. To summarize their conversation, the prodigal son of the Southern Alliance of Muchang had become a wreck, and they were looking for a successor from outside, and it was related to Cheonhyang Okbong, one of the Two Phoenixes. Even when he listened to other conversations, most of the martial artists were talking about the same thing and discussing the Southern Alliance.

“The Southern Alliance is looking for a successor from outside? Does that make any sense?”

Gwangmajon asked, hearing Pa Cheon’s mutterings.

“The Southern Alliance… are you talking about the force that you mentioned… one of the Four Great Righteous Sects?”

“That’s right.”

“For such a large force to recruit a successor from outside, I don’t understand it either.”

“There must be a reason they can’t reveal to the outside world. Interesting. What could be the reason for entrusting such a large force to someone else? Or is there a reason they need to draw the attention of the martial world here?”

Pa Cheon made various guesses, but nothing came to mind. After having a few drinks and listening to the conversations around him, the waiter from earlier came up.

“Um… young master! I’m sorry, but you have to… vacate your seat.”

“What? It’s only been two quarters of an hour, already?”

“Yes… the guests arrived earlier than expected…”

“Hmm… well, there’s nothing we can do. Everyone, get up.”

With a displeased look, they got up from their seats, and at that moment, reserved guests were entering the third floor. They were a group of about ten martial artists, a mix of men and women, mostly young.

“Oh, isn’t that Master Moon?”

“You are! … It’s been a while.”

“What brings you here? Where have you been all this time? I haven’t seen you.”

“Haha, I’ve been traveling around. So, what brings Young Master Namgung here?”

“I came here because of the Southern Alliance.”

It was Namgung Hyeokryeon from the Oryeon Association, whom he had parted ways with in Gaebong. Among his group were also Namgung Ahyeon, Namgung Hyemi, Cheolhyeol Kwon Paeng Jeonghu, and Dang Jeonghu and Dang Soyun of the Sichuan Dang Clan, all of whom Pa Cheon knew.

“Master Moon, it’s been a while.”

“It’s good to see you again.”

“How have you been?”

They all greeted each other. Pa Cheon responded to them, but he felt a pang of guilt when Namgung Ahyeon glared at him. Strictly speaking, he had done nothing wrong, so he didn’t need to feel guilty, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had left something unfinished.

“Were you about to leave? Well, don’t. Why don’t you join us?”

Namgung Hyeokryeon was as friendly to Pa Cheon as ever. The waiter, who had been watching from the side, interjected.

“Um… then, will you be joining them?”

“Yes, bring a few more seats here.”

“Yes, I understand.”

As they exchanged greetings without even sitting down, the eyes of the people around them were immediately drawn to them, but no one dared to say anything unpleasant to them.

“So, where have you been all this time that we haven’t heard from you? I didn’t know you were such an inconsiderate person. Moreover, you promised to visit the Oryeon Association, but you didn’t come. Do you know how much I and my friends waited for you?”

Seeing Namgung Hyeokryeon’s exaggerated words, Pa Cheon looked genuinely apologetic, no matter what he felt inside.

“I had to go far away, so it turned out that way.”

“Then, did you also come for the Southern Alliance matter?”

“I heard about it in passing. What exactly is going on? Do you know the details?”

“We don’t know the details either. We’ll find out when we go to the Southern Alliance. Anyway, it’s a huge event. All the masters under 40 in the entire martial world who are confident in their martial arts are gathering…”

“Hmm? Under 40?”

“You didn’t know?”

“This is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“The Southern Alliance is holding a martial arts competition among the masters of the Jianghu under the age of 40, and the winner will marry Cheonhyang Okbong, the adopted daughter and disciple of the Alliance Leader, and will also become the next leader of the Southern Alliance. The entire martial world is in an uproar because of this. Not only young masters under 40 but also senior masters who are curious about the reason for this are flocking to Muchang.”

“Then, are you also here to try your luck, Young Master Namgung?”

“Haha, how can I compete with my skills? If I could, I wouldn’t mind, but it’s obvious that there will be many strong contenders, so I should just give up early.”

As they were talking, Pa Cheon noticed a few unfamiliar faces who were watching them closely. Judging by their expressions, they seemed a bit uncomfortable. It was then that Namgung Hyeokryeon realized his mistake and introduced them.

“This is… I was so happy to see you that I forgot… This is Master Moon Yoon, the Jade Faced Divine Dragon, one of the Five Heavens of the Martial World, who is famous in the martial world.”

“What?”

“Jade Faced Divine Dragon!”

The four people, excluding the six whose faces were already familiar, were two young masters and two young ladies. They seemed to range from their early 20s to their early 30s, and their aura suggested that they were disciples of prestigious families.

“I am Moon Yoon.”

“It is an honor to meet you, Master. I am Je Okpung of the Mount Hua Sect. And these are all my fellow disciples.”

“I am Han Woomoon.”

“I am Ham Juryeon. I have admired your reputation, Master, and I am very pleased to meet you like this.”

“I am… Cem Myoun.”

“Master! These are the four swords of Mount Hua, the beloved disciples of the Mount Hua Sect’s Plum Blossom Sword, Chae Jeongik.”

“Oh, is that so? I’ve heard of your reputation. Ah, and these are all my subordinates. Introduce yourselves.”

“I am Damdae Chugwang.”

“I am Bukgung Hwanju.”

“I am Damdae Murin.”

“I am Bukgung So Gun.”

As they formally introduced themselves, the people who were watching them had expressions that said, ‘As expected!’ It was a look of admiration that only the Jade Faced Divine Dragon could have such subordinates.

The four swords of Mount Hua looked like they were in a dream, facing Pa Cheon. It showed how exaggerated the rumors about him were. Of course, with Pa Cheon’s current skills, it wasn’t an exaggeration, but the skills he showed at the Junghwa Tower were only about half of his true abilities. This alone showed that the rumors of the Jianghu were not always reliable.

“I heard that two of the Four Dragons have also officially announced their participation, so it will be worth watching.”

Namgung Hyeokryeon led the conversation back to that topic.

“The Four Dragons?”

“They are not comparable to you, Master, but they are the best among the younger generation. Two of them are from unknown sects, and the other two are from sects affiliated with the Martial Alliance, but they do not participate in the affairs of the Martial Alliance.”

“Even if they are the Four Dragons, wouldn’t they yield if you participated, Master?”

It was Je Okpung, the eldest of the four swords of Mount Hua, who spoke.

“Come to think of it… are you not going to participate this time, Master?”

“Participate? Haha, I’m not interested in such things. I’m not old enough to get married yet, and I’m not interested in power, so I’m not interested.”

“That’s a shame. If someone like you, Master Moon, were to take over the Southern Alliance, you could keep the leader of the Martial Alliance in check…”

It seemed like it would never end if they continued like this, so he changed the subject.

“Who came from the Martial Alliance?”

“I heard that the strategist himself is coming. In addition, the leader of the Jeomchang Sect and Lord Paeng have come. They have already settled in at the Southern Alliance.”

“Then, does it start tomorrow?”

“That’s right. I think it will probably take a few days, but if two of the Four Dragons participate, wouldn’t one of them win? They won’t participate from the beginning, so it will take a few days.”

Their conversation continued for a long time. Pa Cheon, having learned enough, was starting to get tired of being with them. However, he couldn’t just get up and leave, so he made a suggestion to them.

“Shall we move to the Southern Alliance?”

★ At the Southern Alliance, Pa Cheon’s group was treated with the utmost respect. The people of the Martial Alliance who had already arrived and the masters of the Southern Alliance greeted them directly and even held a small banquet. However, for some reason, the Alliance Leader was nowhere to be seen.

“Hwanju! If you fully deploy the Cheonma Concealment Technique [Demonic Heavenly Stealth Technique], there will be no more than ten people in the martial world who can find you. Here, it would probably be the Alliance Leader. So, thoroughly investigate the Southern Alliance. Pay special attention to the young Alliance Leader and the residence of the woman who is said to be the Alliance Leader’s disciple.”

“Understood!”

Swish, swish, swish.

Pa Cheon smiled contentedly as he watched Muyeongjon disappear before his eyes.

“So Gun! Come here.”

“Yes, Master.”

Pa Cheon checked her human skin mask again.

“No matter how exquisite this is, it’s useless against supreme masters. We have no choice but to use it now, but I can’t take you to the Martial Alliance. So… go to Punggae in Gaebong when you go to the Martial Alliance after visiting the Demonic Alliance. So Wang is there too, so you won’t be bored.

In the meantime, practice your martial arts diligently…”

Pa Cheon spoke as if he was admonishing her, but So Gun had no reaction.

“What’s wrong?”

“I… I have to follow whatever Master orders anyway! It’s not like I can do whatever I want just because I don’t like it…”

“Okay, go to bed now.”

“Yes… Good night, Master.”

She said with a sullen look. Pa Cheon quietly meditated, watching her leave.

-Pa Cheon. The time is coming.

[…]

-What are you planning to do?

=Amitabha, everything will happen according to the natural order.

[Was it uncomfortable for you to be with me?]

-It’s not that. The important thing is that we are not of any help. Your level has already reached the stage where you can achieve everything on your own. You are going beyond the Formless Sword and understanding the meaning of the Natural Sword, aren’t you?

[That has nothing to do with it. Lately, I have doubts about my own life. At first, the longing and obsession for a place that no one had ever reached led me… but now I’m just going through the motions. What will I do next? This thought torments me. But if I’m with you, I feel less lonely…]

=Master! You already have the foundation to transcend everything. If we stay with you in this unstable state, it will eventually affect you in some way, and that is not desirable for you or the martial world.

[So, you’re saying you’re going to leave?]

-We cannot leave your side unless you allow it.

[If… if I ask you to stay by my side…]

-Hmm, then we have no choice.

=Amitabha!

-Haha, how long do you think you’ll live? 100 years? 120? 150? Okay, let’s say 200 years at most. Can’t we stay for that long?

[I’m sorry.]

-…

=…

It was a conversation whose meaning was not yet clear.

★ Thud!

“Hwanju! What happened?”

“I… I was ambushed.”

Dan Janghwa was treating Muyeongjon’s injured shoulder. Gwangmajon, who was watching, gritted his teeth.

“Does this make any sense? This guy is one of the top 20 masters of our sect, a Jizonma [Earthly Demon]. But he was defeated by a mere woman…”

Pa Cheon remained silent.

“Muyeongjon! Tell me in detail.”

“She was a… formidable woman. I found out the location of the young Alliance Leader’s residence and infiltrated it, but there was no one there. So, I infiltrated the residence of the woman named Cheonhyang Okbong, and it was a veritable dragon’s den. There were masters hidden everywhere, and there were at least 300 of them. I don’t think they were the warriors of the Southern Alliance…”

“Why do you think so?”

“First of all, their weapons. The other warriors of the Southern Alliance all use swords. But those guys had all kinds of weapons. And the atmosphere they gave off seemed like they had mastered evil demonic martial arts.”

Muyeongjon sighed and continued.

“I was able to infiltrate inside safely. When I entered the inner room, the woman was there. She was naked, with only her face covered by a veil, and it seemed like she had just finished bathing. I was holding my breath and observing her, and she approached the place where I was hiding. Without any suspicion, she turned back and then suddenly turned around and attacked. I was so surprised… so I thought it wouldn’t be good to stay there for too long, so I ran away and got injured like this…”

“Were you pursued?”

“Yes, but I shook them off. Still, just in case, I went outside and then came back in.”

“So, you didn’t find out anything… and just came back injured.”

“Jizon…”

He got up from where he was lying and knelt on the floor. Pa Cheon watched him without saying a word. His eyes were gray and sunken. Anyway, it was the first failure he had experienced since entering the martial world. Even though it was his subordinate’s fault, it was a new meaning for Pa Cheon.

“Huhu, that’s more like it. I thought it was too easy. If there’s no resistance, there’s no value in conquering. Good. I’ll go myself.”

Gwangmajon was surprised by his words and asked again.

“Surely you’re not going back there… There’s already heavy security there, and that woman won’t let her guard down…”

“That’s enough. That’s why it’s even more reassuring, isn’t it? No one would think that someone would infiltrate again. Even if they are on guard, I am… the Cheonma Jizon [Heavenly Demon Earthly Demon]. There is no place in the world that I cannot go if I set my mind to it.”

At that moment, a suffocating aura emanated from Pa Cheon, overwhelming the surroundings. Even Gwangmajon seemed to be gasping for breath.

Swish, swish, swish.

It was the ultimate Cheonma Concealment Technique. It was only after Pa Cheon disappeared that Gwangmajon was able to finally exhale the breath he had been holding.

Subject: [Serial] Emperor’s Sword 39. Cheonhyang Okbong Ju Ja-un! Related Materials: None [60000]

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-Emperor’s Sword-