Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 47

Lee Shi Myung, captain of the Thousand Blade Unit, moved swiftly through the Demonic Alliance, relaying the Demonic Overlord’s commands. This immediately ignited a frenzy of excitement throughout the entire organization. The news that the individual appointed Overlord by the Great Elder was none other than Pa Cheon, the Thousand Devil Scholar, one of the Five Great Warriors of the Murim [martial arts world], that he had entered the Demonic Alliance without resistance, and that he had immediately summoned the Thousand Blade Unit and ordered all officers to gather, all at once, shook the Demonic Alliance to its core.

“What is he planning? He’s still the Overlord in name only…”

“Don’t talk such nonsense. What Overlord? We’ve never acknowledged him as such.”

“Still, he’s the one who became Overlord according to the Demonic Alliance’s laws. It wouldn’t look good to openly defy his orders from the start.”

“Nonsense… It’s a good thing, rather. This is an opportunity to make that brat realize our existence. To show him that he’s just a scarecrow with a grand title.”

This was the Elder Council. Although the Demonic Alliance was officially established only about ten years ago, the Demonic Great Elder and his organization had existed long before that. In fact, they had been active for over 40 years. Because their movements were so secretive, the orthodox sects had not noticed them. From the beginning, they had been building this underground headquarters centered around the Great Elder and had secretly begun to gather their forces.

The reason why the activities of the demonic cultists had been infrequent in the martial world was because they were gathered here.

Finally, ten years ago, the Eight Demonic Gates joined, and they officially called themselves the Demonic Alliance. Only then did the orthodox sects begin to pay attention to them. What was visible on the surface was the Demonic Alliance’s headquarters in Hangzhou, but that was just a facade. These elders were the veterans of the demonic path who had been assisting the Great Elder since the beginning.

They were all over 80 years old, and the oldest chief elder was 122 years old. Now, the Elder Council had established itself as the central body that effectively led the Demonic Alliance, and the forces that followed them were also considerable. There were 48 elders in the Elder Council, and it was rare to see them all in one place unless it was a special occasion. Now, they were all gathered.

“It’s absurd. For a brat who has just taken office to order even us around…”

“That’s why I’m saying, let’s just expel the Great Elder and put Han Dang in his place.”

“Do you think the followers of the Great Elder will just stand by? In the end, the main alliance will be split in two, and if that happens, we will be annihilated before we even face the Murim Alliance.”

“Perhaps the Great Elder is watching our movements closely. He might be trying to stir things up by putting this so-called Overlord in the front and then try to clean up the mess later.”

They were arguing back and forth, unable to reach a consensus. In front of them was a slightly large chair, but the person sitting with their back turned was not visible.

“Everyone, be quiet.”

It was the person in the chair. His voice was low, but the room quickly fell silent.

“Old Man Yu-ryung.”

“Yes.”

The one called Old Man Yu-ryung was a gaunt figure wearing a loose black robe, with his pupils completely white.

“What do you think?”

“In my opinion… it would be better to ignore him.”

“Why?”

“He must have already heard about the existence of our Elder Council from the military advisor, so it would be better to take a hard stance from the start…”

“Thousand Hands Divine Devil, what is your opinion?”

“I agree. There is no need for us to bow down to him. Even if he is one of the Five Great Warriors of the Murim, he is alone anyway. There is nothing he can do.”

“Iron Palm Demon Emperor, do you agree with them?”

“I have a slightly different opinion. The fact that he has already issued a summons has spread throughout the entire Demonic Alliance. There is no need to deliberately cause trouble at this time. However, it would be disrespectful to the other party if we all went together, so how about sending three or four representatives…”

“I, Venomous Dagger Yama, would like to say something. I don’t think so. The very act of responding to his summons means that we acknowledge him as the Overlord. Therefore, it could become a weakness in our future actions. It would be better to ignore him altogether.”

“Is that so? It seems that the majority opinion is to ignore him.”

With a turn,
The chair spun around, revealing a middle-aged man in his mid-40s. He had a somber aura and a faint blue glow in his eyes. This was none other than the head of the Elder Council and the chief elder, Hell Demon Emperor Man Ak-cheong. He was a figure considered a legend in the demonic path and was like a father to the Demonic Great Elder. Nevertheless, the reason why their relationship had deteriorated like this was due to the succession issue. The Elder Council’s position was that a successor should be appointed as soon as possible and that all authority should be transferred to him, but the Great Elder had no intention of doing so.

What started as a minor conflict gradually deepened, and now it had become an irreversible relationship. The elders of the Demonic Alliance were all former great demons who had made a name for themselves in the demonic path, but among the 48, there were those who held a special position, and the demonic cultists called them the Seven Demonic Gods. They were Hell Demon Emperor Man Ak-cheong, Old Man Yu-ryung Dong Sa-hae, Iron Palm Demon Emperor Hwa Cheon-ri, Thousand Hands Divine Devil Pung Cheong-ryang, Yin-Yang Twin Demons Po Cheon-ri and Po Cheon-so, and Venomous Dagger Yama Do Wi-jong.

“Alright. If we are going to clash anyway, it would be good to make our position clear from the start. Ignore him completely. No one, absolutely no one, should respond to the summons.”

Iron Palm Demon Emperor said.

“What should we tell the leaders of the Eight Demonic Gates?”

“It’s okay to let them do as they see fit. They will be bystanders anyway… Tell Han Dang not to attend either.”

“Understood.”

★ Pa Cheon was sitting in the chair in the Hall of Reverence for the Demonic. He was slumped deep in the chair, yawning as if bored, and on either side of him were Crazy Demon Lord, Shadowless Lord, Dan Jang-hwa, and So-gun. In the center of the hall, the original chairs had been removed by Pa Cheon’s order, and only dozens of cushions were laid out.

Only Military Advisor Je Gal-cho Hong and Lee Shi-myung were sitting there. There was only about an hour left before half an hour had passed.

“Military Advisor.”

“Yes, Overlord.”

“How many people are supposed to gather here?”

“There are 48 elders from the Elder Council, myself, your four disciples, the leaders of the Eight Demonic Gates, two inner and outer hall masters, the captain of the Thousand Blade Unit, and the captain of the Demonic Eye Unit, for a total of 65 people.”

“Is that so? But not a single one of them is here? Isn’t the Black Tiger Gate out in Hangzhou?”

“About half of the Black Tiger Gate’s forces are out in Hangzhou. And the Killing Sword Unit is under the Demonic Eye Unit. The Demonic Eye Unit has three more units besides the Killing Sword Unit, with a total of 2,000 members.”

“So, to put it simply, the forces directly under the Great Elder are the 3,000 members of the three disciples, and the 3,000 members of the Demonic Eye Unit and the Thousand Blade Unit.”

“That’s correct.”

“Then those guys will at least come…”

Pa Cheon’s words confused Je Gal-cho Hong. From the beginning, nothing had gone according to her predictions. It was unexpected that he had summoned the Thousand Blade Unit and the officers as soon as he arrived, and it was also incomprehensible that he was not angry even though no one had appeared despite the summons.

“How much time is left?”

“Only a quarter of an hour is left.”

“Good, I’ll wait until the end.”

He said with a smile, so it was impossible to know what he was really thinking.

-Huhu, Pa Cheon, how do you feel now? You were trying to use these guys, but it seems like that will be difficult, won’t it?

[Nonsense… Everything is within my control. At least these guys are human. Fear of death takes precedence over ambition and self-interest. I will make them feel it deeply. I will show them how foolish it was to dare to oppose me.]

Some people were seen hesitantly entering.

“Military Advisor, who are those people?”

“Yes?”

She turned her head towards the entrance and explained.

“They are the Great Elder’s disciples, the two hall masters, and the leaders of the Green Forest and the 18 Caves of Dongting.”

“That means they are the ones who were summoned.”

Pa Cheon and Je Gal-cho Hong were talking, and they were listening. They each sat down on the cushions where they were supposed to sit, but they did not even look at Pa Cheon.

“Hey, you.”

Pa Cheon’s finger pointed at one person.

“Why do you call me?”

The one pointed out by Pa Cheon’s finger was the leader of the Green Forest, Black Death God Hwangbo Yeom. He had a cold expression, and his face was covered with scars.

“Why, you ask? Hmm, it’s going to be quite tiring to clean up this house. Get up now.”

Black Death God slowly stood up, as if dissatisfied with something, and stood facing forward without looking at Pa Cheon. His face was full of discontent.

“Who told you to sit there?”

“?”

Not only Black Death God, who was just standing there with a blank look, but also those who were sitting in their seats were embarrassed.

“I’m asking you, you fool, who told you to sit there?”

“What? Your words are too harsh.”

“Kukukuk hahahahahaha”

Pa Cheon’s laughter echoed, and the faces of those who were listening turned pale.

“This is a very nice place. Military Advisor.”

“Yes, Overlord.”

“Recite my rank and authority.”

He did not even look at Je Gal-cho Hong, but stared intently at Black Death God as he spoke.

“The Overlord is… the second-in-command of the Demonic Alliance, and even the Great Elder cannot give orders to the Overlord. The Overlord’s authority includes the inspection of all members of the Demonic Alliance, and if necessary, he can execute them immediately.”

“Huhu, did you hear that? I’ll ask you just one thing. Do you… acknowledge me as the Overlord?”

Black Death God was trembling, and the others were still sitting in their seats, but only the leader of the 18 Caves of Dongting, Tabletop Heavenly King Geo Yeo-pae, was awkwardly standing up with his large body.

“I… acknowledge you.”

“Is that so? Huhu, but you still have that kind of attitude? Shim-eo [a term of address implying a subordinate]”

Everyone was bewildered and looked at each other.

“I said, bow your head.”

Only when his shout was uttered did they understand the meaning, but they doubted if he was in his right mind.

“What? Are you out of your mind…”

Thud

“Ugh”

It was Crazy Demon Lord. His movements were so fast that no one knew when he had moved. Following Pa Cheon’s orders, the beating began. Black Death God tried to resist fiercely, but it was like a child fighting an adult. Before he could even gather his internal energy, his body was being struck relentlessly, and soon he was slumped over like a wilted cabbage. Crazy Demon Lord was dragging Black Death God, who had staggered far back from being hit, back again.

Everyone was filled with fear and shock at the sight. Who was Black Death God? He was still the leader of the Green Forest, a supreme master, yet he was being treated like a child… Only then did everyone awkwardly stand up from their seats.

The military officers and the Thousand-Man Commanders were no exception.

Crazy Demon Lord tossed Black Death God onto the cushion where he had been sitting and stood beside Pa Cheon.

“Can you breathe?”

“Y-yes…”

He was barely managing to stand, his arms trembling as he pushed himself up from the ground.

“Ah, it’s fine. No need to get up. Everyone, bow your heads, except for the military officers and the Thousand-Man Commanders…”

Even after he said that, everyone just looked at each other, hesitant to obey the order.

“From now on, if you don’t bow your heads within three counts, you will be executed for disobeying orders. One.”

There was no need to count any further. The person they were dealing with was not someone who could be reasoned with. Could such a ridiculous situation even exist? They were, after all, prominent figures in the Demonic Path of the Central Plains, yet they were being treated like this. They had never imagined such a thing could happen to them.

‘Hmph, when a crowd is scattered, their reliance on each other crumbles. At that point, your numbers and power mean nothing. It’s as if you’re all facing me one-on-one.’

“Listen carefully to what I have to say in that position. I have been appointed as the Grand Commander by the Demonic Path Grand Master. I am also a member of the Demonic Path of the Central Plains, just like you. When I first came here, I had expectations. Yes, I thought, our Demonic Path is not dead yet. If I had ten thousand troops, it wouldn’t be a dream to crush the Righteous Path [a term for the orthodox martial arts sects].

But the moment I arrived here, that hope was shattered. You are not members of the Demonic Path. You are trash. Is anyone who is alive and can bark considered a person? Have you already forgotten the humiliation we have suffered? While the Righteous Path swaggered through the martial world, we had to nurture our resentment in the shadows.

What were you doing when our brothers and sisters were being ignored and brutally murdered by them? At the very least, if you are a member of the Demonic Path, or even a martial artist, shouldn’t you return what you have received? But all you do is form factions, divide yourselves, and fight for power… Isn’t that truly pathetic?

Therefore, from now on, I will treat you like dogs. If you bark, I will beat you, and if you forget your place, I will peel your skin off.”

Zegal Cho Hong and the Thousand-Man Commanders were standing. They were also subdued. At first, they were uneasy, thinking that Pa Cheon’s actions were too harsh, but now they no longer felt that way.

“You can choose whether to be treated like dogs by me or as fellow members of the Demonic Path. Only those who are willing to become true comrades and wash the Righteous Martial Alliance in blood should stand up.”

Everyone stood up. Whether they truly thought that way, or whether they stood up because they agreed with Pa Cheon’s words, was unknown. The only important thing was that they recognized Pa Cheon as someone to be feared and not to be trifled with.

“Good. Everyone, sit down.”

Only then did they sit back down. They looked at Pa Cheon.

“What is your name?”

“I am Hwangbo Yeom, the Black Death God,” he said in a barely audible voice.

“I’m sorry. I treated you that way because I believed you were a true member of the Demonic Path.”

Those words might have seemed meaningless to some, but they were a considerable shock to the person who heard them, and it was easy to see that in his expression.

“The people gathered here are qualified to be the pillars of the Demonic Path’s revival. Those who are not here will bitterly regret it later. I promise this in the name of Cheonma Scholar [Heavenly Demon Scholar], Pa Cheon.”

Everyone’s bodies trembled violently. The person in front of them was a giant they could not measure with their small standards. They could feel it, and it was as if they were seeing the ideal image of a member of the Demonic Path that they truly desired.

“Lee Si-myung.”

“Yes, Grand Commander.”

“I need you to do some work again. Tell all the executives that they don’t need to come… Tell them that I will let them rest forever. They are no longer members of the Demonic Path Alliance, and they have been expelled as of this moment, so they should go their own way. That is all.”

It was shocking. Those words were an enormous declaration. They had never imagined he would go this far.

It was obvious what their reaction would be.

Lee Si-myung conveyed Pa Cheon’s words to the executives who were still in their quarters, anxiously waiting, at the fastest speed he could muster.

About a quarter of an hour later, the entrance to the Venerable Demon Hall became noisy. They were, of course, the 48 elders, Han Dang, the Grand Master’s chief disciple, the inner and outer faction leaders, and the heads of six of the eight Demonic Path sects. Their faces were all filled with murderous intent, and they were agitated with anger. The Demonic Eye Commander was not present because he had been sent elsewhere by the Grand Master.

They rushed in and glanced at those sitting on the floor. Then, their gazes all turned to Pa Cheon.

“Have you come?”

He was relaxed.

“Why did you resist coming when you were going to come anyway? What makes you so special?”

His words were rude and completely inconsiderate.

“Should we call you Grand Commander? Or should we call you Cheonma Scholar?”

“Hmph, are you the chief elder? You should be quiet when you’re old. What kind of glory are you trying to see by still running around?”

“What, this, this bastard?”

“Wait.”

The chief elder stopped the other elders.

“Whether you have become the Grand Commander or the Martial Arts Five Heavens [a title for the top five martial artists], it is of no concern to us. We have never recognized you as the Grand Commander. Therefore, we have no reason to follow your orders.”

He was calmly expressing his intentions.

“So?”

Even with Pa Cheon’s arrogant attitude, the Hell Demon Emperor seemed to be barely holding back his anger.

“Yet, you have presumptuously declared that you will expel us. Therefore… we will remove you from that position as of this moment.”

“Hahahaha, good. That’s fine too. But you, or who? No, that’s right. Since a pack of dogs always moves together, you’ll all attack at once.”

At Pa Cheon’s words, several people could not hold back and were about to attack. What was his intention? What did he hope to gain by provoking them? The Hell Demon Emperor’s words, barely suppressed, leaked out from between his clenched teeth.

“You are truly arrogant and have no manners. You seem to think that the false reputation you gained in the martial world will work here in the Demonic Path’s headquarters, but you are mistaken.”

“Is that so? Hmph, to me, you all just look like scarecrows… You have no backbone, but you’re full of pride, barking like dogs. Because of weaklings like you, who can’t say a word in front of those they should be showing their teeth to, but make a lot of noise at home, the Demonic Path is in this state.

If you are not planning to forever clean up after the Righteous Path, then you should be quiet and show the younger generation an example, even if it means throwing away your last bit of passion. You say you will remove me? If you are not hesitant to disregard the orders of the one you have made your master, then go ahead. One thing… I have no mercy. I won’t go easy on you just because you’re old and frail.”

“Y-you… you bastard, I’ll tear you apart!”

“Do you know what’s going on in the martial world right now? The Martial Alliance has already become one, and the Three Outer Worlds have finished their preparations. On top of that, the Heavenly Emperor’s Palace and the Four Evil Blood Sects are eyeing the Central Plains, and the Blood Demon Heaven, which boasts a history of thousands of years, is encroaching on the martial world.

The Demonic Path Alliance? Hmph, sadly, I would say it is the most behind. Do you think those who can’t even withstand the power of the Righteous Martial Alliance can fight them when they are divided? Listen carefully. As long as you old fools are blocking the way, the Demonic Path Alliance will have no place in the martial world. How does it feel to play such a great role in ending the Demonic Path of the Central Plains?”

Pa Cheon’s words poured out, piercing the elders’ hearts. His words revealed the state of the martial world that they had not been aware of, and it pressured them with a serious sense of crisis.

If his words were all true, then the Demonic Path Alliance might truly have no place to stand.

“So, what will you do? Will you end it here? Or will you just follow me without a peep? Make a decision. If you want, I will show you why I am called one of the Martial Arts Five Heavens. The moment you attack me, I will abandon all hesitation. And I will end the Demonic Path Alliance with my own hands. Decide quickly.”

His words were making their hearts heavier and heavier. The imposing demeanor they had at the beginning had vanished, and no one could speak. The Hell Demon Emperor let out a heavy groan.

“Hmm… Even if the state of the martial world is as you say, our Demonic Path Alliance is not so weak.

If we decide on the successor of the Grand Master and reorganize our forces, we can be reborn. Acknowledging you means acknowledging the Grand Master’s authority, and that is not what we want. Just leave. We will take care of our own affairs.”

“Hahaha, you’re kidding yourselves. You’re still far from waking up. I really didn’t want to do this, but…

Lee Si-myung.”

“Yes, Grand Commander.”

“As of this moment, no one is allowed to enter or leave the Venerable Demon Hall. Close it immediately. And Black Death God.”

“Yes, Grand Commander.”

When he answered Pa Cheon, the faces of the elders and the new people who had entered the Venerable Demon Hall were filled with surprise.

“You will take the remaining people and support the Thousand-Man Commanders. Execute.”

“Understood.”

“Understood.”

Except for the military officers, the Thousand-Man Commanders, the Green Forest Chief, the 18 Cave Lords of Dongting, and the Grand Master’s three disciples rushed out. The people inside the hall were dumbfounded at the sight.

“Those who don’t listen must be punished. Is that weakling the one you’re thinking of as the Grand Master’s successor?

It seems like you old fools plan to do as you please after putting such a weakling in the position of Grand Master… In short, it’s ridiculous. I’ll show you how absurd your thoughts are. Mu-young.”

“Understood.”

“Step forward.”

When Mu-young stepped forward, the elders’ faces showed confusion.

“I have a subordinate here. I’ll show you how insignificant that kid named Han Dang is.”

“Yes, I don’t know how strong your subordinate is, but he can’t beat Han Dang. Han Dang.”

“Yes, Chief Elder.”

A man in his thirties stepped forward. He was missing one arm. He had a blade of grass in his mouth, which he was chewing on. His eyes were gray, and his clothes were the color of a conference robe.”

“Fight him.”

The Hell Demon Emperor’s mouth was twisted in a sneer as he said those words.

[Mu-young, can you do it?]

[Don’t worry. I won’t lose if I’m determined. May I use the sect’s martial arts?]

[It doesn’t matter. It’s no exaggeration to say that there are hardly any who recognize our sect’s martial arts in the Central Plains. You should finish it cleanly if possible.]

[Understood]

—————————————–

I’m a little late.

I think I need to sleep right now.

I caught a bad cold, and it’s a nasty one. I took some medicine that I don’t usually take, and it’s making me so sleepy…

Even if I’m sleepy, I hope it goes away soon.

Everyone, take care of your health.

And they say you don’t get colds if you’re in love.

That was the speaker spouting baseless nonsense.