Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 44

Gwangmajon’s tongue technique was truly formidable. How many women could retain their sanity after being swept from head to toe by such power? Cheonhyang Okbong, who had lost even the last thread of her consciousness, was now nothing more than a beautiful butterfly caught in a spider’s web, a far cry from the praying mantis that devoured males until yesterday.

Gwangmajon was aware of this. He had known about it but had never tried it before, so he had been worried about its effectiveness. But now that he had used it, its power was truly immense. Perhaps Gwangmajon’s belated realization would unleash a new lecher upon the Central Plains. Such concerns crossed his mind.

‘Heh heh, it’s done. Now it’s time to use the technique the Lord taught me.’

Pa Cheon’s words when he taught him this technique still echoed in his mind.

[Gwangmajon, this is different from other soul-capturing techniques. It only works when paired with the ‘Thousand Mysteries of Joy for a Burning Maiden’ and must be used when the target’s reason is scattered at the peak of pleasure. Even if the target resists, they cannot escape once it has begun. The only weakness is that it cannot be used on someone with stronger internal energy than oneself.]

Pa Cheon’s last words were completely irrelevant to Gwangmajon’s current situation.

‘The Supreme One said that the Demonic Ancestor created it… It seems the Demonic Ancestor was quite the womanizer.’

How could he know that the Demonic Ancestor had once even seduced an imperial concubine with this technique, and had struggled greatly because she refused to leave him until her death?

‘Alright, shall we begin?’

[Cheonhyang Okbong, look at me.]

Cheonhyang Okbong trembled all over at the sudden command and slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot and unfocused.

[I am your master. Cheonhyang Okbong, repeat after me. I am your master.]

A disturbing darkness swirled in Gwangmajon’s eyes, with a small white dot like a seed in the center.

‘I am your… mas… ter…’

Eh? That’s not it.

[My apologies, let me correct myself. You are my master. Repeat after me.]

‘You are my master.’

[I will be loyal forever.]

‘I will… be… loyal…’

Her will was putting up a strong resistance. She was holding on with her last remaining bit of consciousness. She was a more resilient woman than she appeared. Gwangmajon further increased his internal energy, and his hands meticulously caressed her body.

‘I will… be loyal forever.’

[Done.]

‘Done.’

He released the Demonic Eye. And then, he began to ravage the already broken Cheonhyang Okbong to his heart’s content.

★ Meanwhile, at this time, Pa Cheon had infiltrated the Lion King’s bedroom. There were a considerable number of guards around, but from Pa Cheon’s perspective, they were as good as nonexistent.

[Lion King, I have come. Ah, just lie there. I will temporarily infuse you with internal energy. Cheonhyang Okbong is already a prisoner of my subordinate, body and soul, unless something unexpected happens. It is difficult to completely cure your poison right now. I will temporarily restore your internal energy… just stay still.]

Pa Cheon’s hand infused true energy into the Lion King’s Mingmen acupoint [a vital point on the lower back]. His internal energy surged like a powerful wave, reviving the suppressed and extinguished internal energy. The blocked meridians opened, and power began to surge through his channels.

After about a quarter of an hour, he could feel a faint power in his dantian [energy center below the navel], and Pa Cheon guided it through a full cycle. After half an hour, even after Pa Cheon withdrew his internal energy, he could circulate it on his own. It was only a small amount of internal energy, less than sixty years’ worth, but it was enough.

[Do not move, and speak only through telepathy.]

[Benefactor. Thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, the Southern Alliance would have been used as a tool by a group of monsters and destroyed as an enemy of the martial world. How can I ever repay this kindness?]

[It’s fine. Our work is a contract between us, so there’s no need to thank me. What is their identity, and how many forces have infiltrated the Southern Alliance?]

[I do not know the extent of their main force or their true identity. One thing is clear: they have been cultivating their ambition for the martial world for decades and have been carrying out preliminary operations.

In my opinion, there are probably few places in the martial world where their forces are not planted.

Within the alliance, there are over ten disciples in the leadership who act as their henchmen, and twelve of the eighteen divisions are under their command. In addition, there are over 500 people operating secretly within the alliance, and about 2,000 more are waiting outside. And although I don’t know who exactly, it is suspected that a high-ranking figure in the Martial Alliance is also involved.]

[They are truly formidable. Very well. Tell me specifically who I need to deal with and who I need to recruit.]

[First…]

★ The sunlight tickled his face, and the fresh scent of skin made his heart feel cozy. Gwangmajon was waking up from a deep sleep, a rare occurrence for him. When he opened his eyes, his vision was blocked, and he couldn’t see anything.

‘Huh? What is this?’

What was in front of his eyes was Cheonhyang Okbong’s bosom. Only then did the events of last night come back to him, and a satisfied smile spread across his face. As he gently pulled away, Cheonhyang Okbong unconsciously wrapped her arm around Gwangmajon’s neck and pulled him towards her chest.

Gwangmajon remained still. He remained quiet even through the suffocating pain, and then a smacking sound echoed. Oh dear. Even at that moment, Gwangmajon was engrossed in exploring Cheonhyang Okbong’s chest.

As Gwangmajon sucked on her chest, Cheonhyang Okbong opened her eyes.

‘Ugh, yawn. I slept well.’

She stretched and got up, then looked at Gwangmajon next to her and smiled brightly.

‘Did you sleep well?’

Could this really be Cheonhyang Okbong? Or was she just a fake? She wasn’t even embarrassed as she sat up without covering herself, and Gwangmajon’s gaze was fixed on her chest.

It seemed even bigger than last night.

‘From now on, I should call her Cheonhyang Six Peaks instead of Cheonhyang Okbong.’

He couldn’t understand why such treasures were covered with cloth. As he reached out again to grab her chest, she gently pulled away.

‘Hey, get up already. We need to eat, take a walk, and greet people. Come on, get up.’

She stood next to the bed and pulled Gwangmajon out of it. He got up reluctantly, but with a lingering look of regret.

★ As the two entered the dining hall side by side, Pa Cheon and his group stared at them with surprise. Cheonhyang Okbong bowed her head when she saw Pa Cheon, and a clear, melodious voice rang out.

‘Did you sleep well?’

He looked at her and nodded formally. Then, his gaze sought out Gwangmajon.

[Was it successful?]

[Yes, Supreme One. Your subordinate has fortunately completed your command.]

[Hmm, I didn’t expect it to be this powerful.]

The Demonic Eye’s soul-capturing technique did not affect a person’s memories or habits, but only drew out endless loyalty and affection for the caster. Gwangmajon’s one command to treat the Supreme One like the heavens was what caused this behavior.

They didn’t say anything during the meal. Everyone was in shock. How could they not be, seeing Cheonhyang Okbong affectionately feeding Gwangmajon! Who could find the old Cheonhyang Okbong in that scene?

‘Ah, open wide.’

‘Ah~~’

Pa Cheon wanted to tear apart Gwangmajon’s mouth, which was gaping wide open. Pa Cheon looked at the two of them with a disgusted expression, and Muyoungjon was no different, but Danjanghwa’s expression didn’t change. And So-gun giggled. Given this atmosphere, it was understandable that they couldn’t eat properly.

After the two finished their private feast, they moved to Pa Cheon’s quarters. Pa Cheon used his Thousand-Mile Eye technique [a technique to see far distances] to survey the surroundings, but he didn’t sense any presence. He heard the sounds of a few maids passing by, but there was nothing suspicious. He immediately used his internal energy to block the sound from escaping the room.

‘Gwangmajon, you’ve done well.’

‘Thank you, Supreme One.’

‘Cheonhyang Okbong?’

‘Yes.’

‘Who am I?’

‘You are my husband’s Supreme One, so you are also my Supreme One.’

‘Oh, is that so? Then, if I told you to die, would you die?’

‘Yes.’

At her immediate response, Pa Cheon said,

‘Then die.’

‘Supreme One!’

Gwangmajon called out to Pa Cheon in surprise, but he didn’t react. His gaze was still fixed on Cheonhyang Okbong, as if he wouldn’t miss a single detail.

She brought her hand to her crown chakra [top of the head] and was about to shatter her skull. Her hand stopped an inch from her target. Pa Cheon had stopped her. Now that he knew there was no more room for doubt, Pa Cheon quietly spoke.

‘What is your affiliation and rank?’

‘I am the third disciple of the Heavenly Lord under the Blood Demon Heaven.’

‘Blood Demon Heaven?’

‘Heavenly Lord?’

Their surprised voices followed, and Pa Cheon’s still cold voice continued.

‘What is your rank?’

‘Above me are the Heavenly Lord, two senior disciples, the Grand Commander, and the Second Commander. And there are three protectors and twenty elders.’

‘So what? There are twenty-eight of them?’

‘Yes, that is correct.’

‘How many people are in your group?’

‘A total of 34,000 people.’

‘What?’

‘Hmm…’

‘That’s a lot.’

‘How many are in the Central Plains?’

‘3,000 in the South of the River, 5,000 in the North of the River, a total of 8,000 people.’

‘Tell me about the Grand Commander and the Second Commander.’

“The Grand Commander is essentially the commander of the Central Plains invasion. I don’t know what kind of person he is. I’ve never even seen his real face… I know he is a disciple of the Heavenly Lord along with the Second Commander. I only know that the Second Commander is also in charge of the north, but I don’t know where or what he looks like.”

“Is that so? Tell me about the Heavenly Lord.”

“The Heavenly Lord is my master, but… in the Blood Demon Heaven, he is almost like a god. He has been in seclusion for ten years, so I haven’t seen him recently. However, he will soon emerge from seclusion, and then the invasion of the Central Plains will begin in earnest.”

“What is the Heavenly Lord’s martial prowess?”

“I don’t know. He went into seclusion to master the three great demonic arts of our sect, so if he succeeds, I don’t think anyone in the world will be able to stand against him.”

“Is that so? Good. He seems like a formidable one. Even while under the control of the Heavenly Demon Eye [a technique that controls the mind], you still don’t forget to use honorifics for him?”

“Supreme One. They don’t seem like people you can carelessly provoke.”

“I suppose so. I need to make a complete revision of the plan.”

“What should we do with her? If we leave her like this, the enemy will become suspicious.”

“If we educate her well, it won’t matter. Let’s leave her as she is for now. As you said, if the Southern Alliance suddenly changes, it will be difficult to avoid their focused scrutiny. Let’s maintain this state for now.

However, we will restore the Southern Alliance Leader’s martial arts and maintain our power by working with her. Then, when the time is right, we’ll have a use for her.”

“Yes.”

“Why do you seem regretful? You’ve suddenly become so obedient, it seems to bother you.”

“It’s not that. It’s just that I was wondering if it was really necessary to kill her.”

“I didn’t say anything about killing her. I just said we’d use her appropriately. And don’t even think about developing any feelings for her.”

“Understood!”

“To completely cure the Alliance Leader’s illness, we need the Physician of Righteousness. Immediately, Mu Youngjon, go and bring the Physician of Righteousness on the Golden Eagle [a type of fast transport].”

“Understood.”

★ After Mu Youngjon disappeared, Gwang Majon took Cheonhyang Okbong back to their residence. Dan Janghwa also remained locked in his room, not thinking of coming out, and Pa Cheon went for a walk with So Gun. Now, many warriors within the alliance recognized Pa Cheon and greeted him. He acknowledged their greetings formally and said to So Gun,

“You haven’t been neglecting the sword techniques I taught you, have you?”

“No.”

“If there are any parts that are difficult or you don’t understand, ask me anytime.”

“Master!”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Why do men and women meet, get married, have children, and live like that?”

Her question was somewhat bold, but it was an honest question based on her short experience in the Central Plains, so he pondered his answer.

“Honestly, I don’t think I can give you a clear answer. Men and women, that is, people, also fall into the category of animals, but if there is something that distinguishes humans from ordinary animals, it is…”

“…”

“It’s that we love.”

Having said that, the words felt so awkward.

“Love?”

“Yes, love. That’s why people want to develop a confirmed and recognized relationship with the person they love, and that is marriage. Naturally, new offspring are born between them, and this is how human society continues without interruption.”

“You can have children without love, and you can make them without getting married. So why do people bother to love and get married?”

So Gun had actually been worrying about this quite a bit. It had only been a few days since she came to the Central Plains, but she had seen quite a few people like that, and seeing them made her feel strange. So Gun found that feeling so foreign and unfamiliar, and she didn’t like it. She wanted to sort it out somehow, so she asked her master.

“If love is a natural emotion, then marriage is a way to formalize that love and confirm it. Of course, in a way, it’s a concept of ownership, and it’s a decision and responsibility beyond emotions. Not everyone loves, and not everyone gets married. Especially for us martial artists, love can sometimes be like poison.”

Pa Cheon’s words were his current thoughts and also thoughts he was trying to instill in himself.

Recently, Dokgo Seolran’s face had occasionally come to mind. He deliberately treated her coldly. It was a minimal defensive attitude, not wanting to be hindered by anything on his path.

“Haat, heeyah!”

“Hahaha, how’s this?”

“Hmph.”

Clang

Clang

So Gun’s attention was drawn to the sound coming from somewhere. And before Pa Cheon could stop her, she was running towards the sound. There, a few young people were sparring. They were none other than Namgung Hyukryun’s group. When they saw Pa Cheon and So Gun approaching, they all bowed in greeting.

“Great Hero, welcome.”

It seemed that Namgung Hyukryun and his younger sister, Namgung Hyemi, had been sparring. They each held a sword in one hand. In fact, it might have been rude for visitors to another sect to engage in sparring like this, but they didn’t care. They were constantly striving to improve their martial arts, aiming to reach the ranks of the best martial artists in the future. Their only concern was how to improve their martial arts.

“Don’t mind me, continue your sparring.”

“Yes, then.”

As soon as Namgung Hyemi thought Pa Cheon was watching, her sword moved even more nimbly. The Namgung family’s swordsmanship was famous for its precision. The reason they were able to become the core of the Five Great Alliances was because of the precision of their forms, combined with the appropriate use of change and speed. Namgung Hyemi’s swordsmanship was in the familiar form of the family’s style, but Namgung Hyukryun’s swordsmanship seemed a little different.

The sword was wide and large, and the blade was thick. It was a swordsmanship focused on weight and strength rather than speed. It was unheard of that there was such a swordsmanship in the Namgung family. Usually, in front of masters from other sects, they would not reveal the names of their forms, and they would deliberately not show the forms they considered their secret techniques. They also seemed to have these thoughts implicitly.

“Haat!”

As Namgung Hyemi’s sword created a sword flower while thrusting at the center, Namgung Hyukryun’s sword immediately slashed diagonally.

And then, he thrust three times, aiming for the shoulder point, quickly disrupting Hyemi’s posture and making her breathing ragged.

Namgung Hyukryun followed Hyemi as she retreated, extending his sword energy, the end of which was sharply split like a snake’s tongue. Each strike was powerful and disciplined, yet aimed only at the opponent’s weaknesses, quickly putting Hyemi on the defensive.

So Gun, who was watching their sparring, had a somewhat indifferent expression. Well, it was so different from the swordsmanship she had seen, so she didn’t seem very interested. The swordsmanship she had learned, except for what Pa Cheon had taught her, was all practical swordsmanship for killing, focusing on power, speed, and sharpness rather than flamboyance and technique. Therefore, there were relatively few variations, and once a form was unleashed, it would be a series of continuous forms, making it difficult for the opponent to block.

The sparring had already ended. Such sparring between close friends was not about defeating the opponent, but about showing one’s own forms, observing the opponent’s responses, and comparing each other. So, naturally, it might have seemed insignificant to So Gun.

“When will you be going to the Martial Alliance?”

“I don’t know. There are still places I want to visit…”

“Is that so? Whenever you come, please be sure to look for us. We will be leaving right after lunch.”

“Are you leaving for the Martial Alliance together?”

“Yes, it seems we will be living in the Martial Alliance from now on. There will be a life-or-death battle with the Demonic Alliance soon, and the movements of the outside world are also unusual, so reinforcements from each sect are inevitable. Especially since masters from the Wudang and Shaolin of the Nine Great Sects, who have never sent anyone before, are also being reinforced, it will be a great help.”

“Then, let’s see each other later. It was nice meeting you.”

“Rather, it was an honor for us to accompany you, Great Hero. Then, we’ll see you at the Alliance.”

Namgung Ayeon’s eyes looked at Pa Cheon with a longing heart, but he didn’t even glance at her. As Pa Cheon turned away and disappeared, Namgung Hyukryun sighed.

“Isn’t he amazing? To be able to become such a supreme master at that age… I always feel it, but I’m truly ashamed. I learned a lot from watching the sparring of the Four Dragons [a group of powerful martial artists]. How much I’ve been boasting about my insignificant martial arts…”

Namgung Hyukryun’s words made everyone feel ashamed. Among them, Namgung Hyukryun was the most skilled, so when he said that, everyone’s face turned red.

Pa Cheon and So Gun were heading back to their residence.

“So, what did you feel after watching the sparring just now?”

“I felt that the martial arts of the Central Plains are truly insignificant.”

“If you saw it that way, you saw it wrong. The martial arts of the righteous sects of the Central Plains all demonstrate their power when practiced for a long time. Although it is true that their forms are not yet precise and their strength is lacking, if they continue to practice diligently, they will all become supreme masters in about 30 years.

What you have learned may have quick achievements, but it cannot surpass the extreme. See and learn a lot from Chu Gwang and Mu Rin. Their swords are rather similar to the martial arts of those righteous sects. In the end, they all lead to one, and to surpass the extreme, you must know the way of the sword, and that cannot be achieved through forms… You will gradually understand. From now on, only practice the sword techniques I have taught you. Discard everything else and repeat it over and over again. If you do, you will realize something.”

So Gun had not yet realized how great the sword that Pa Cheon had taught her was. It was only three forms, but each one consisted of 24 continuous forms, so if you unfolded it from beginning to end, it was no different from unfolding 72 forms.

★ It was an hour after the masters of the Martial Alliance had left that Mu Youngjon brought the Physician of Righteousness.

Pa Cheon ordered Cheonhyang Okbong to temporarily withdraw the surrounding surveillance forces and secretly entered the Alliance Leader’s chamber with the Physician of Righteousness. Meanwhile, Cheonhyang Okbong left the Southern Alliance with Sa Woo to inspect the Blood Demon Heaven’s Gangnam branch forces.

“So, how is it?”

“The poison has penetrated deep into the bone marrow, and if left untreated, not only will he never recover his martial arts, but he will also be unable to live a normal life. If he lasts more than a month, he will gradually develop spinal paralysis, and the function of all his organs will significantly decline, making it difficult to avoid death.”

“So, can he be cured?”

“Yes, fortunately, his vitality has not yet been damaged, so it seems that treatment is possible with acupuncture, tonics, and then a miraculous pill. Moreover, with the internal energy that you… my lord, have given him, treatment is not that difficult.”

Saja Dowang, who had thought he would never recover, felt like he was flying on clouds when the Physician of Righteousness said it so casually.

“Then start the treatment. Do you need anything?”

“No. Just make sure the surrounding area is thoroughly guarded for about an hour.”

“Understood. Then, please do your best.”

[Gwang Majon]

[Yes, Supreme One.]

[Thoroughly guard the surroundings. Although Cheonhyang Okbong has already given instructions, just in case…]

[Understood]

————————————————–

I have now finished today’s serialization.

I couldn’t write even one chapter yesterday, so I’m writing three today.

These two chapters may be a bit racy and explicit, so I was careful, but I couldn’t just skip over them, so after much deliberation, I tried to touch on them in a slightly comical way, but I don’t know how it turned out.

I wonder if anyone will feel uncomfortable or if it’s so bad that it needs to be deleted or revised…

So far, it has been the narrator’s unnecessary rambling.

It seems that moderation is good in everything.

Even beautiful snow can make people unhappy if it is excessive.

Extremes are the most terrifying thing.

How wonderful would it be if we all loved and understood each other?