Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 49

50. I am Pa Cheon.

Immediately after completing the send-off ceremony for the four units departing on their mission to destroy the Murim Alliance branches, Pa Cheon headed to the training hall. As it was part of the Jonma Palace, access for others was strictly restricted.

Until now, Pa Cheon had relentlessly charged forward. What had driven him was curiosity, a desire to forget the past, and a need to control his urge to destroy and curse everything. However, now all of that was gradually losing its meaning, and a clearer, more definite reason was being demanded by his consciousness. This was constantly pushing his ego into a hazy expansion, and sometimes into a state of limitless rampage.

If things didn’t go his way, his instinct for destruction would coil up and rear its head. It would shatter the control that demanded justification and acquire the legitimacy for its rampage. It was the same when he killed the elders. Reason tried to stop their deaths with clearer reasons, but a weak yet tenacious and persistent instinct broke down the firm values of his reason, reaching the surface of his consciousness, taking over, and giving him orders.

Only then did his reason release the conflict of the rapidly spreading state of persuasion, coercion, and command, and finally agree with that power. It was conveyed as a simultaneous impulse in a brief moment, leaving a very clear impression, and perhaps it remained as a remnant of desire to recreate a similar moment. In any case, at that moment, he was enjoying a thrill that came from an unknown fear, as if he had stepped into a forbidden zone that he should not have crossed.

Pa Cheon closed his eyes. The lingering sensation of killing still remained on his hands and as the last image captured in his vision, so he recalled it again. He felt numb. He felt nothing at all.

-Pa Cheon, calm your mind. And organize your thoughts in some way. Don’t worry about how what you believe is right will be perceived by others. Just do what you want to do, and go the path you must go.

=Master, that is not so. Life is precious to everyone. No value in the world is more precious than life. The path you are taking is a path that invites death. If you do not turn back, you will greatly regret it.

-Enough, Hye-neung. His life is his own.

=Others are the same. Each has their own unique life and precious opportunity. Sacrificing that for the sake of one’s own life’s purpose is unacceptable.

-So? Are you saying that Pa Cheon should give up everything for the sake of others? Moreover, this is Murim [the martial arts world]. It is a world where all of that is implicitly agreed upon from the beginning. They too would have stepped into this world with that resolve, and it is a place where killing and being killed is commonplace when they are considered enemies. If we were to follow your words, Hye-neung, even ten lives would not be enough.

=But you have reached the level of an absolute being. You can reach your goal even if you show mercy, can’t you?

-Hmph, why? Why should Pa Cheon care about such trivial things?

[Both of you, stop it. I will decide my own affairs. What I am suffering from now is not the shock of killing. I have already killed many people, and if I have to kill many more in the future, I will not suffer. The problem is that very moment when the urge to kill dominated my consciousness. I was not myself at that time. It was as if something was controlling me. It was an inexplicable, unpleasant moment.]

-That is the true nature of the Demonic.

=To overcome the Demonic, you must cultivate your mind. It is never separate from the mind. It is a distorted aspect within the mind. Every time our choices deviate from the right path, it raises its head. And it leads us to greater stimulation. At first, we react sensitively, but then we become numb, and eventually, we become slaves to the Demonic. If you cannot overcome it from the beginning…

[That’s enough. I understand… stop it.]

Pa Cheon quietly focused his consciousness. At first, countless thoughts tormented him with their gestures, but gradually his mind stabilized, and no distracting thoughts arose.

‘In the end, everyone is alone from the moment they are thrown into this world. It is my own life that no one can live for me or choose for me. I must choose for myself and bear the consequences of that life alone. I have already decided on the shape of my life. Whether it is right or wrong is a matter for later. It is enough to be faithful to the decision I have made.

Let’s not look back. Yes… I no longer have a choice. Even if the world does not want me, I am already part of that world, so there is no need for worry. It is about clashing fiercely. Let’s break what binds me and shake off what oppresses me. I am now becoming a free man that the world cannot handle. Let’s become a true dreamer who assimilates everything into my own dream. Nothing can stop me. Nothing…’

Pa Cheon opened his eyes quietly while still sitting. The Heavenly Demon Sword was vibrating. It slipped out of its scabbard on its own and hovered in the air. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, it danced in the air, drawing countless lines. Even though Pa Cheon’s eyes were closed, the sword circled in the air on its own, enveloped in sword energy. Gradually, the light grew stronger, and later it felt like a pure crystal of light.

The sword moved on its own according to all the sword techniques that Pa Cheon knew. Of course, Pa Cheon’s consciousness was behind it. The level he was showing now was the realm of the Sword Heart of the Sword Control. The sword paths that completely dominated the space of the training hall and moved were truly miraculous. How much time had passed? The sword returned to its place and hid its magnificent form in its scabbard.

Pa Cheon’s hand reached out into the air. A pure white sword was soaring. It was emitting a light that could not be brighter, and it was floating on Pa Cheon’s palm. Gradually, it floated into the air and began to circle, and no sound of tearing through the air was heard. It began to decorate the air like a dream, like an illusion.

‘This is my limit. I have reached the true realm of the Transcendent Demon, but there is no further progress. According to the Heavenly Demon, if you enter the true realm of the Transcendent Demon, you can create up to 12 formless swords… My internal energy is now close to 10 giaps [a unit of internal energy]. Once you obtain thousand-year internal energy, the numerical meaning is lost. It is definitely not a lack of internal energy achievement.

Achieving a new realm is something you reach with your heart, and internal energy naturally follows. Then what is the problem? In my head, I seem to have surpassed all the key points of the formless sword and am looking at the beginning of the natural sword… But when I actually try to use it, why doesn’t it work?’

Pa Cheon was frustrated. Then something flashed through his mind. His eyes were filled with a new light.

‘Good. If it doesn’t work, make it work. If you don’t have teeth, you can chew with your gums… All that matters is achieving the goal.’

Pa Cheon did not withdraw the formless sword and immediately used the Heavenly Demon Overlord Steps. He divided his will with the Yang Division Technique, and each of the 12 clones began to use the formless sword in the same way. In front of the 12 clones that had spread in all directions, a faint formless sword began to float, one for each. They were each showing different movements. The power of each was inferior to the formless sword of the main body, but if the 12 attacks were combined, they would exert much greater power.

-Ha, really. You’re a guy who can’t be beaten when it comes to resourcefulness. Since you can’t enter the true realm, you use such a trick… But if you are satisfied with the power itself, it will hinder your progress.

[I know, Heavenly Demon! Wait… then if I enter the true realm, the 12 formless swords will become 12 clones again… Ugh]

As many as 144 formless swords would dominate the space. Thinking about that, Pa Cheon’s heavy heart lightened a little. He couldn’t help but feel good just thinking about it. The only time he could find peace of mind was when he was immersed in martial arts. He didn’t have to worry about complicated things, and he could focus his will on one thing and make progress, so there were no distracting thoughts and there was a clear goal.

Pa Cheon lay down on the floor of the training hall. Many people’s faces came to mind. The confident face of the Gyeongbyeong Gate! The ambitious appearance of Lee Gyeong-ryung! The unapproachable aura of his uncle, Yeon-wang! The benevolent face of his father, Pyo! The court ladies who committed suicide before his eyes! The many people he had met on his way to Mount Tai.

Ssangno, Punggae, the subordinates of the Heavenly Demon Cult, his disciple So-gun, and another face, a face smiling at him.

So beautiful. The pain behind that beauty, it was similar to his own.

Hidden sadness, he hated this side of himself. Pa Cheon lay on his side, covering his face with his arm. The image still wouldn’t leave!

Dokgo Seol-ran! She was crying. With a pitiful face, she was looking at him with a resentful expression. He didn’t have the courage to face her. He tried to look away, but…

Pa Cheon jumped up. Suddenly, he started acting like a person who couldn’t bear not doing something that had come to his mind. As soon as he left the training hall, he quickly moved to one place.

Although the Demonic Alliance was underground, it had various facilities inside due to the gathering of tens of thousands of people. There was always about half a year’s worth of supplies in the warehouse, but various daily necessities were brought in about twice a month. If you go west along the 3rd Plaza, you will find a huge stone chamber, and the area in front of it was always crowded and noisy. This was the only pub in the Demonic Alliance headquarters.

Of course, they didn’t charge money for the basics, but you had to pay for anything over a certain amount. That’s where Pa Cheon came. He entered the room, but no one looked at him, and everyone was busy emptying their glasses. Fortunately, no one recognized him. After all, only the core members or the Thousand-Man Unit knew his face, so there was no way that lower-ranking warriors would recognize him. This place was mostly used by lower-ranking warriors, and the entry of executives was rare.

He looked around. The room was so crowded that there were not many empty seats. There was no way there would be a server in a place like this. He went inside, ordered drinks and snacks, and sat down at an empty seat with them in his hands. There were already two men and women drinking next to him, but they didn’t seem to care even when Pa Cheon sat down next to them. As soon as Pa Cheon sat down, he began to drink. He put the bottle to his mouth and poured it down.

“Gulp.”

He tore off a piece of jerky and brought it to his mouth.

“Hahaha.”

“Hehehe.”

The surrounding noise was tremendous, but it rather calmed Pa Cheon’s mind.

“Look here, Yeo-rang. Aren’t you being too aloof? You were so affectionate with Po-sam, but why are you so cold to me?”

“Shut up. Just drink. I came along because you said you needed a drinking buddy, but why are you talking such nonsense?”

“Yeah, you’re great. Oh, Gwak-ju, how did you end up in this situation?”

The two men and women sitting next to Pa Cheon seemed to be very close, joking with each other and drinking. They seemed to have drunk quite a bit, with empty bottles scattered everywhere, and their faces were pleasantly flushed.

“Hey, mister! Why are you drinking alone? Come over here and let’s drink together.”

It was the man who said that. He had a friendly face and wrinkled his nose as he made the offer to Pa Cheon, and Pa Cheon stared at the man.

“It’s okay.”

“Oh, that guy, come on, drinking is best when you share it. Come over here.”

In the end, unable to resist his persistence, Pa Cheon sat down with them.

“What’s your name?”

“…Jeong Geo-i,” he blurted out whatever came to mind.

“I’m Gwak-ju. This is Shim Yeo-rang…”

“Shim Yeo-rang.”

She was clearly a woman, but she didn’t give off any feminine vibes. Her face was expressionless and ordinary. She had no makeup on her face and even had a thin scar, so if you saw her outside, she would attract people’s attention. But one thing, her eyes were so clear and transparent. It was not the look that a warrior in her mid-30s could have. In a way, she had a very unique impression. She was ordinary, but there was a sense of warmth in her, and she seemed to have a relaxed attitude as if she had transcended the world.

“Where are you from, mister?”

“Why are you asking such things? Just drink.”

At Shim Yeo-rang’s words, Gwak-ju seemed embarrassed and quickly emptied his glass.

“I’m from the Thousand-Man Unit.”

“Thousand-Man Unit!”

The two showed surprise at Pa Cheon’s words. If there was a place that was most envied in the Demonic Alliance, it was the Thousand-Man Unit and the Demonic Eye Unit. They were composed of relatively young people and were directly under the Great Ancestor. They were in the core of power, so they were naturally treated well. In addition, they were quick to get various information, and if they were lucky, they could get promoted or advance quickly. They also had relatively more opportunities to see the Ascending Secret Techniques, so it was a place that any warrior belonging to the Demonic Alliance would dream of at least once.

“If you’re a warrior from the Thousand-Man Unit, you should be on high alert right now… How did you get out?”

“It just happened to be my day off… I just felt like having a drink.”

“Is that so?”

Gwak-ju’s face had a suspicious look as he said that, but it seemed to pass quickly. It was customary not to reveal one’s rank here. It was to allow people to relax, at least at the drinking table. However, even if they knew the other person’s rank, they would not be rude, nor would they make it difficult for the other person by not revealing it.

“Yeo-rang and I belong to the Outer Sect. But I heard that the Great Lord killed all the elders… Is he that strong?”

At Gwak-ju’s words, Shim Yeo-rang stared at Pa Cheon with a curious look.

“He was amazing. He slaughtered the elders with one sword… He didn’t seem human.”

“Oh, really. I can’t believe it even after hearing the news. I heard he was the Heavenly Demon Scholar of the Murim Five Thousand… He must be amazing. Oh… How could a third-rate life like me ever dream of that? By the way, if you’re from the Thousand-Man Unit, you must have seen him in person, right? What kind of person is he?”

“Well, he was just ordinary. In his mid-20s, with a cold impression. There was nothing special about him.”

“How can someone become so strong in their mid-20s? Even if I’m not that strong… I’d be happy just to be at the level of the elders.”

“But in the end, isn’t death the same for everyone?”

“Well, we’re all like flies, but still, wouldn’t it be nice to live with your head held high for a while? Since we’ve stepped into Murim, death is always with us. Sometimes I think about this. If I lined up all the people in Murim, where would I be? Probably way back. But even I had dreams of success and burned with ambition in my 20s… As time goes by, I realize my place, don’t I?

Now I’m used to my current life, and I think it’s not so bad, but what should I say?

Is it regret? Something like that. I don’t have any lucky encounters or connections, so I’ll probably live like this until I die, but one thing I regret is that I haven’t been able to get married or have children like everyone else. Well, that’s it. I’ve been talking nonsense. Let’s have a drink.”

Clink.

They just drank without saying anything. They were each absorbed in their own thoughts, and the alcohol was leading them well.

“Hey, you bastard. Do you really want to die? How dare you talk to me like that? What are you looking at, you bastards?”

It was a voice coming from behind. Gwak-ju glanced at that side and said,

“That guy’s starting again.”

Pa Cheon also turned his head. It was a sturdy man with a height of 7 cheok [approximately 2.1 meters] and a tanned body. He was glaring around with his bulging eyes.

“Who is that man?”

“Don’t mind him. He’s a real blockhead. I’ve become so used to him now that I’d feel strange if I didn’t see him acting like that for a day.”

“He seems like quite a figure…”

“Well, he did have his days. Jang Woong, the Mountain-Crushing Giant, was quite well-known in the Demonic Path. Though he’s in that state now.”

“Tell me more about him.”

“But how can you be a member of the Demonic Alliance and not know him?”

“I’ve been working in the outer branch for a long time.”

“Is that so? Well, then you might not know. He was once a renowned master in the Shanxi martial world.

He joined the Demonic Alliance over ten years ago, and his position at the time was Deputy Head of the Inner Court. He was strong in martial arts and had a strong character, so he was trusted by the Great Master. It must have been about five years ago when he was the commander of the Demonic Eye… Wasn’t the Demonic Eye the Great Master’s closest force? Because of that, he had several conflicts with the Elder Council, and due to his rigid personality, he never yielded.

So, the elders couldn’t just leave him alone. But they also couldn’t touch someone so close to the Great Master, so the scheme they came up with was a honey trap. There was a granddaughter of Man Dok-gwe, one of the elders, and she approached Jang Woong. She was incredibly beautiful and used aphrodisiacs to seduce him, so he was completely caught. In the end, Jang Woong assaulted her, and when he woke up, he was tied to a torture rack. Well,

that’s the gist of it, but according to rumors at the time, the woman who was actually assaulted wasn’t the elder’s granddaughter but her maid, but there’s no way to confirm it. In the end, his inner energy was destroyed, and he was dismissed, reaching the worst possible state.

Since then, he’s been practically living in this tavern, drinking. If you think about it, the reason he’s so miserable is probably because he’s resentful that the Great Master, who knew his loyalty, didn’t take any action.”

“Get out of my way, you bastards! I’ll burn you all to ashes. You trash! Get out of my way!”

His shouts continued. Yet, no one stopped him.

“But why leave him like that? The elders or even someone who got into a fight with him while drinking could have killed him…”

“There’s a reason for that too. The Great Master gave a strict order that anyone who kills him, whether by accident or intentionally, will be executed without question. So, who would dare to pick a fight with him? When you think about it, it’s a very pitiful life.”

‘Hmph, interesting. It’s true that his martial arts are destroyed, but his eyes aren’t those of someone drunk on alcohol. There’s something there. Those eyes want to say something.’

It was then. A man was approaching Jang Woong.

“Hey, you! Here’s some liquor, so drink it moderately and go hide in a corner to sleep. You’re so big, but all you do is…”

And then, the man splashed the liquor from the bottle near Jang Woong’s mouth. Jang Woong, as if the liquor was precious, licked it with his tongue, and not satisfied, he clung to the man’s hand. The people in the tavern who were watching this burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha, that guy can’t resist liquor.”

“Oh, you poor thing! You should have poured it properly into his mouth.”

“Hehehehehe.”

Despite the people’s laughter, Jang Woong’s expression didn’t change. Rather, he clung to the man, asking for more liquor.

“Liquor, buy me some liquor. Huh?”

“Get away. When did you know me well enough to ask me to buy you liquor? If I had liquor to give, I’d feed it to my dog.”

“Hahahaha.”

Jang Woong’s eyes momentarily flashed with a blue madness, and the man flinched.

“Y-you bastard, I’ll kill you.”

Swoosh.

His fist cut through the air, but the man easily dodged it, turned around, and pushed him in the back. Jang Woong fell into a corner in an unsightly manner.

“Hahahaha.”

“Hehehe, that guy is so funny.”

“He’s putting on a show in front of the elders…”

“Stop it, don’t you feel sorry for him?”

One of his colleagues, unable to watch any longer, tried to stop him.

“Sorry for him? Why should I be sorry? If a man is so useless, he’d resort to assault. That kind of guy is just…”

He couldn’t finish his sentence. He saw someone approaching Jang Woong.

It was Pa Cheon. He had approached Jang Woong and was now holding his hand, helping him up.

“Hey, who are you? You bastard.”

That was what the man said to Pa Cheon. Pa Cheon didn’t even acknowledge the man and remained turned away, causing the man’s face to contort.

“Are you alright?”

Pa Cheon said to Jang Woong.

“Hehe, are you going to buy me liquor?”

“Liquor? Yes, I’ll buy you some.”

“Really? Hehehe, you’ll buy me liquor? Great. I’m happiest when someone buys me liquor. Hehehe.”

The man behind them, seeing that Pa Cheon didn’t respond to his words and was buying liquor for Jang Woong, turned red in the face and shouted.

“Hey, you bastard, are you ignoring me? Hey!”

Pa Cheon ignored his words and led Jang Woong to order liquor.

“We… we don’t have any liquor to give him. We’ve already given him all the liquor he’s allowed to have today, so we can’t give him any more.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a set amount. There’s an order not to give him any more than that…”

“Who gave that order?”

“The Young Master…”

“It’s alright. I’ll take responsibility, so give him the liquor.”

“Hey, who do you think you are, telling us to give him liquor?”

It was that man. He was truly persistent. Even his group had joined him and were now behind Pa Cheon.

“Look here, you know what happens if you start a fight here, right?”

It was Gwak-ju. He was approaching Pa Cheon with Shim Yeo-rang.

“Oh, now I see, you’re from the outer branch. Wow, since when did the outer branch become so arrogant, huh?”

The man looked at his companions and laughed loudly.

“You lowlifes! I knew you’ve been bullying Jang Woong. He was once a high-ranking officer, even the commander of the Demonic Eye, isn’t this too much?”

“Oh my, look at the hero here. Don’t talk nonsense and get out of the way.”

“Be quiet.”

It was Pa Cheon’s voice. As he spoke in a calm tone, everyone’s attention focused on Pa Cheon.

“You, what branch are you from?”

“Hahaha, are these guys funny? What branch are we from? We’re from the Sasa Branch of the Demonic Eight Gates. Why? I was going to let it slide, but it seems I can’t. You guys are going to get a beating today.”

The man, filled with murderous intent, approached Pa Cheon. Pa Cheon looked at him, dumbfounded.

“The rules are a mess. If you’re from the Sasa Branch, then Ma Young-cheon must be the head. Is that how he taught you?”

It was a quiet remark, but its meaning was so immense that the faces of everyone in the tavern were filled with shock.

“W-well, how can you say such harsh words…”

Gwak-ju’s voice was trembling. He was shaking all over with the fear that they might be putting themselves in danger.

“Just… who are you to… our branch head?”

“Shut your mouth and quietly disappear if you want to live. If you mess around, your branch head might get punished too…”

With those words, Pa Cheon turned his body and spoke to the tavern’s owner, Old Jang.

“Give me the liquor. I am… Pa Cheon.”

“Huh?”

Old Jang still didn’t understand what he meant.

But the others were different. Gwak-ju and everyone else in the tavern had clearly heard Pa Cheon’s words, and they knew exactly who that name belonged to. Without anyone telling them to, their bodies all fell to the floor, and loud voices echoed from everywhere.

“We greet the Great Lord!”

“The Great Lord…”

Gwak-ju, Shim Yeo-rang, and even the men who had been so arrogant just moments ago began to tremble, and their trembling gradually became uncontrollable. Especially the man who had harassed Jang Woong and spoken rudely to Pa Cheon was shaking with fear, looking pitiful.

No one saw it, but a subtle flash appeared and disappeared in Jang Woong’s eyes. Old Jang, finally realizing who his guest was, was giving out the liquor with trembling hands. Pa Cheon took the liquor and led Jang Woong to a table. No one raised their head, and the tavern was as silent as a tomb.

“Gwak-ju, Shim Yeo-rang.”

“Yes, Great Lord.”

“You two come here and have a drink too. It’s on me.”