Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 64

“What? What on earth are you talking about?”

“Those women came and asked if they could stay here with us…”

“That woman is really persistent. What is she up to? Are there any empty rooms here?”

“There are no empty rooms. Even the rooms used by the servants are full.”

“Then just tell them that and send them away, right?”

“That is… they said they couldn’t find any inns, so they came here. They are begging for leniency… and they are insisting on meeting the Great Commander.”

“Unbelievable. She seemed like a very proud woman… Namgung Hyukryun.”

“Yes, Great Commander.”

“Go to their group and ask if a storeroom or warehouse would be okay. If they still want to, bring them in.”

“Understood.”

Pacheon’s words were intended to prick the woman’s pride and make her retreat on her own. Now, only he and Dokgo Mu were left in the room.

“Hey, Dokgo Mu.”

“…”

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“My name is not Dokgo Mu.”

The Heavenly Demon answered listlessly. His cheeks were puffed up, as if he was very displeased.

“You’re not upset because I separated you from those women, are you?”

“Cut it out. You’re being petty… You can’t stand to see others doing well. I didn’t think you were like that… I’m very disappointed.”

‘So that’s what it was.’

“You should have some conscience. After what they went through, do you think they want to see your face right now? They are only holding back because they are martial artists. Otherwise, they would probably be crying and making a fuss. Besides, with so many people moving together like this, do you think you could do something like that?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I really don’t feel like living. I thought there would be many interesting things when I came to the Central Plains, but it would have been better to stay in the Demonic Sect.”

“Let me ask you something. Do you know anything about something called the Nine Yin Demonic Palm?”

“Nine Yin Demonic Palm? Are you talking about the Nine Yin Demonic Palm from the Nine Yin True Scripture?”

“Nine Yin True Scripture? I don’t know about that. Do you know about the Nine Yin Demonic Palm?”

“I do. It’s a powerful palm technique. It’s considered the best among the extreme yin martial arts.”

“How powerful is it when mastered?”

“Mastered? It’s difficult to master. The Nine Yin True Scripture itself was created ignoring the human body. No human is purely yin or purely yang. Even women have yang energy, and men have yin energy. The martial art of the Nine Yin True Scripture ignores this and is a martial art for men with strong yang energy.

It suppresses the yang energy and reverses the amplified power and the yin energy accumulated over decades… In short, it’s a martial art from imagination. Therefore, if you fall into a demonic state at the moment of reversal, you will lose your reason, become a cripple, or even freeze to death. Of course, if a genius with heavenly luck masters it, its power would be immense. It would freeze anything…”

“It seems like it has appeared.”

“Is that so?”

He didn’t seem very interested.

“Pacheon,”

“What?”

“There’s something I need to tell you. At your current level, you don’t need to be afraid of someone who has mastered the martial arts of the Nine Yin True Scripture. No, you still have unlimited potential for growth. When I look at you, I wasn’t at your level at your age, or even when I was a hundred years old. At your current level, you can only be matched by someone who has mastered the three great demonic arts of the Blood Demon Sect, the Soul-Stealing Hand of the Black Dragon from Tianzhu [a legendary martial arts technique], or someone who has mastered the Nine Yin True Scripture.

And even if there are martial arts of that level among my descendants, you can still face them. You are now in the realm of the early demon, and soon you will be able to reach the true realm.

You have entered the stage of the Formless Sword, which is like a stream of water that has flowed through the great river and reached the sea.

It was water that was called by different names and passed through different regions, but when it reaches the sea, its shape is indistinguishable, and its properties are not divided. Your current state is exactly like that. You have entered the stage of the Formless Sword, so you are no longer bound by forms or the nature of martial arts. Rather, if you are not free from such things, you will not be able to enter the true realm.”

‘He’s definitely different. How can a person change so much? His usual appearance is so frivolous that I can’t bear to look at him, but when it comes to martial arts, he becomes a different person…

That must be the source of power that made the Heavenly Demon what he is.’

“Explain the correlation between inner energy and the realm of martial arts.”

“Inner energy and realm… that’s a very easy and difficult topic. Shall we think about the nature of inner energy first? As I said before, inner energy is nothing more than harmoniously keeping the energy of the universe in the human body, which is a small universe. The energy flows through the meridians [energy channels in the body] and stays in the dantian [energy center]. The energy of the universe is infinite, but there is a limit to the amount that can be received and stored in the body.

Reaching a higher realm means that the constitution of the meridians has changed over a long period of time, rather than having stored a large amount of inner energy, and that you have become more familiar with managing and using inner energy. Of course, your inner energy will naturally increase as well. The nature of the meridians changes depending on the order and method of circulating each acupoint, and it becomes fixed. This is the first general stage.

Then, the fixed meridians gradually change in quantity due to the circulation of energy, and are sometimes affected by the power of elixirs or the degree of familiarity with energy circulation, and gradually mature. This corresponds to about 3 cycles of 60 years. After that, by using the nature of inner energy, the innate true energy is drawn out, and the conflict and harmony of these two forces lead to a new improvement in the meridians. Only then can the foundation for the free circulation of the hundred meridians and the subtle meridians be laid. From 3 cycles of 60 years to 10 cycles of 60 years can all be explained by this stage.

The next stage is when the stage of directly supplying the energy of the universe to each acupoint through the pores, not just through breathing, opens. The stage of the true realm of the early demon opens from here. My body is no longer a place to store inner energy. Rather, it is almost empty. Only the meridians that circulate the energy of the universe are unified, and power freely arises and disappears anywhere. Everything is harmonized by will.

From this point on, the increase in inner energy becomes meaningless. Only when enlightenment occurs, will the will arise, and the energy of the universe will freely circulate and manifest through the thousand subtle meridians. This is the true meaning of the unity of heaven and man. Since there is nothing to be bound by, there is no need for forms, and the true great power of martial arts is manifested. The reason I said that my inner energy would be 36 cycles of 60 years stems from this.

However, humans are beings with the weakness of the physical body. The limit of inner energy that the human body can accept is 36 cycles of 60 years. To go beyond that, there must be spiritual communion. When a communion that transcends time and space is achieved with the universe, the great power of the universe can be manifested through our bodies. This is a realm that even I do not know. I don’t know if that explanation was helpful.”

“I think I understand the gist of it. Then, what stage are you at now?”

“It’s very strange, but the inner energy in my body is less than yours. However, I am more familiar with receiving and using inner energy. So, the moment it exceeds 10 cycles of 60 years, amplification occurs instantly, and I immediately shoot up to the true realm of the early demon. It’s possible because I understand all of that, but my body hasn’t laid the foundation for it yet. Do you understand what I mean?”

“But, it’s truly mysterious that martial arts seem to progress from knowledge to familiar experience, and then to wisdom. The reason I can’t progress from the early realm to the true realm seems to be because my body can’t break free from the framework it’s already accustomed to.”

“That’s right, that’s it. Before your will arises, your body already reacts. That can be an advantage before the early demon stage, but it becomes a poison in the later stages. You have to kill your body. Only by having a single, pure mind can you taste the true realm.”

“The true realm is also…”

“Great Commander.”

A voice was heard from outside. It was Namgung Hyukryun.

“Come in.”

Behind him, the woman wearing a bamboo hat was still visible.

“Huh? What is it? Haven’t you left yet?”

Pacheon’s words were intended to make the other party feel ashamed.

“Young master, if it’s okay, please give us a place to stay. We will repay you later.”

“Hmm…”

Pacheon glared at her.

“Why are you following us? And if you have money, it wouldn’t be difficult to rent a private house for a day, would it? I can’t understand it at all.”

“I know what you mean. We’re not necessarily following the young master’s group. It’s just a coincidence that our paths have aligned, and it’s only because you’ve taken all the empty rooms here that we have no choice. There’s no other meaning.”

“Hyukryun, give them a room. However, let them stay in the rooms where the commanders are staying. We cannot assign separate rooms for you. Keep that in mind and go.”

He spat out a word as if he was annoyed and closed the door with telekinesis.

“Let’s go, miss.”

The woman followed Namgung Hyukryun. His twenty subordinates had already entered the mansion. The commanders came out of their rooms and were staring at them. Namgung Hyukryun dispersed the twenty of them into several rooms, and led the woman to the female commanders’ room.

“Welcome. It may be uncomfortable, but it should be enough for a night’s stay.”

The white-clothed woman nodded at Namgung Hyemi’s words. There were five other women in the room, and they had expressions that weren’t very welcoming. As she entered the room, she went to a corner and sat quietly. Since she couldn’t expect a bed to be available for her, she sat on the floor. She was still wearing her bamboo hat even though she was indoors. Namgung Hyemi, who found it strange, asked her.

“Why don’t you take off that hat? Make yourself comfortable. It seems like fate that we’re together like this, so let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Namgung Hyemi.”

Her bright voice showed that she was fond of the white-clothed woman. Only then did the white-clothed woman take off her bamboo hat and put it on the floor. As her face was revealed, the faces of the five women in the inner room simultaneously showed surprise. She was a person of mixed race. It wasn’t easy to see a mixed-race person with blue eyes, so their faces were filled with curiosity. She was a peerless beauty that was not easily seen in the Central Plains. However, because of her very different atmosphere, it was difficult to guess her age.

“My name is Sarah, and my hometown is Parsa.”

“Really? Your companions seemed like people from the Central Plains…”

“Yes. But even though they are from the Central Plains, they are not people of the Central Plains. Most of the people where I am from are from the Central Plains. There are only a few people from Parsa like me.”

“I see…”

“What position does that handsome young master have in the Martial Alliance?”

Namgung Ahyeon, who was sitting on one side, reacted to Sarah’s words.

“He is the Great Commander of the Martial Alliance. He is the second highest-ranking person in the Martial Alliance.”

“Ah… He’s a great person. It wouldn’t be easy to reach that position at that age… His sect must be amazing.”

“Well, you could say that. But Sarah, what brings you to the Central Plains?”

“I’m here to take someone back. He’s a very precious person to me. But it’s not easy for me to take him with my own power. Unless I have the help of someone like the Jade-Faced Divine Dragon or the Heavenly Demon Scholar?”

“I don’t know what it is, but it won’t be easy to meet the Heavenly Demon Scholar. That person has only appeared in the martial world once, so nothing about him has been revealed, such as who he is, where he lives, or where he is from.”

“Does that mean that the Jade-Faced Divine Dragon can be met?”

At Sarah’s words, the eyes of the female commanders in the room met each other. How should they explain this? They couldn’t reveal what the Great Commander had hidden. But they didn’t feel good about making excuses.

Namgung Ahyeon looked at her and said,

“He is a person like a divine dragon, so it’s not easy to meet him, but if you decide to find him, it won’t be difficult. He has a relationship with the Shaolin Temple, so it would be faster to inquire there.”

Namgung Hyemi and Dang Soyun shook their heads at her words. They thought it was too much.

“Thank you. Haa…”

She quietly closed her eyes. Even though she had entered the Central Plains, it was so unfamiliar and vast that the traces of the person she was looking for were not easily found. Then, she discovered the first trace. But she couldn’t see that person anywhere. Even if she did meet him, she wasn’t confident that she could take him.

As she closed her eyes and became immersed in her own thoughts, the other female commanders also took a comfortable posture and rested. They were all descendants of prestigious families. The reason why they were putting themselves through such hardships was because their way of thinking was fundamentally different from that of ordinary women and female martial artists.

They also had a place in the martial world and were successors to their sects. Therefore, as members, they had a duty to revive their sects and make their names known. In that respect, just being a member of the Righteous Path Command of the Martial Alliance was the highest honor. They were at least the chosen ones who were the object of envy for the younger generation. Nevertheless, the loneliness that sometimes washed over them was something that they couldn’t help as women.

The martial world was not an easy place for women to navigate. Of course, there were some women who became supreme masters to the point of becoming the head of a sect, but they were quite rare. Most women in the martial world get married to a descendant of a decent prestigious family at the right time and focus on giving birth to and raising the next generation. In doing so, they play a role in achieving harmony and prosperity between sects.

Even within the current Righteous Path Command, these movements were visible. Most of the female commanders had feelings for the Great Commander or the Vice Commander, but it would only remain a dream, and they would choose their partners among the same commanders. They were also talented individuals of the martial world, so in about twenty years, they would become the heads of their own sects.

“Jongak, what’s going on?”

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Commander Jongak!”

Thump, thump, thump!

A commotion that completely shattered the silence of the night broke out. They were also startled by the noise and jumped up, bursting out of the door. When they went outside, they saw that all the hundred or so commanders were out. And in the center, they could see the figures of the Great Commander and Dokgo Mu.

“What’s going on?”

Pacheon asked urgently, holding the body of the man called Jongak.

“Big trouble… a monster… everyone is in danger…”

With those words, his head fell back. He was dead. Pacheon, seeing that he was dead, didn’t hesitate any longer and leaped up. His body soared into the darkness in an instant. As the Divine Evasion Technique [a high-speed movement technique] was unleashed, the people in the mansion stared blankly at the scene, and Dokgo Mu followed behind him.

He also soared up with the Divine Evasion Technique. The people’s surprise was immense. It was understandable for the Great Commander, but how could Dokgo Mu have such martial arts? Sarah and her group were also agitated. Just then, Pacheon’s Thousand-Mile Transmission [a telepathic communication technique] was heard.

“Everyone, stay put. Under Hyukryun’s command, do not leave the mansion and wait.”

That was the end of it. Sarah, who had already put on her bamboo hat, also ran outside. Three old men followed behind her, and seventeen monsters followed behind them.

The people in the mansion, who were staring blankly at the scene, became anxious. What on earth had happened? In their view, the dead Jongak stood out prominently. This was reality.

When Pacheon found the inns in Jinha, they were already in ruins. The first place he went to was Dowon Inn, which was close to the Jin family mansion. Here and there were already collapsed, and only the smell of blood dominated the area. Pacheon quickly entered. There was no one alive. There were almost a hundred corpses lined up, and most of them were commanders.

Some were alive, but their injuries were so severe that they seemed beyond saving. He quickly searched the inside of the inn, but there was no one. He immediately went to Jinsong Inn. It was the same there.

Fortunately, there were a few people with minor injuries, and some who could be saved if treated.

“What happened? Where are the Vice Commanders and the rest of the commanders?”

“They went to chase the monster… It happened so suddenly that we were helpless.”

“Where did they go?”

[It seems to be that way.]

The Heavenly Demon, who had already arrived, sent a telepathic message to Pacheon. He had already found traces of people moving. Pacheon’s head turned sharply, and he met the Heavenly Demon’s gaze. The Heavenly Demon looked calm, but Pacheon’s eyes were burning fiercely. Seeing that, the Heavenly Demon spoke to Pacheon telepathically.

[Pacheon, calm down. You can’t get excited.]

Pacheon’s murderous intent was starting to stir again. It was a phenomenon that occurred when Pacheon’s personality, which had become unusually attached to his own things, was damaged or infringed upon.

Shuaang!

Bang!

Pacheon’s body pierced through the roof of the inn with the Evasion Flight Technique and shot off in one direction. It was like the speed of a comet. Seeing that, the Heavenly Demon shook his head. He also followed Pacheon. After a while, Sarah’s group arrived.

“It seems like they’ve already left.”

“Princess! This trace is…”

“Yes. We have to follow quickly… Look here. Do you know where the Great Commander went?”

She shook the injured man. He opened his eyes with difficulty and pointed in one direction. It was the roof. There was a hole where one person had passed through.

“He disappeared that way?”

He nodded.

“It doesn’t seem easy to find them. What should we do?”

“We have to find them. Maybe if it’s the Great Commander…”

“I’m afraid of how many masters there are like this in the Central Plains. If we carelessly provoke the Central Plains, we might leave behind a regret for eternity…”

“Anyway, let’s split up and look. And whoever finds a trace should set off a firecracker as a signal…”

“Understood.”

They said those words and ran out of the inn, dividing into three groups and running in all directions except the direction they came from. Sarah was looking at them. The village was as quiet as a mouse. Only two inns and a few private houses were destroyed, and the other houses were intact. Perhaps they were trembling in fear inside their homes. They might be desperately praying for the sun to rise.

Pacheon was flying in the air, about a meter above the ground. His eyes caught the occasional corpses. Sometimes, there were more than ten people dead in a pile. They were all commanders of the Righteous Path Command. Wasn’t it absurd? How could masters of their level be killed so absurdly by one person? Pacheon’s anger surged at the rashness of the Vice Commanders. If they felt that they couldn’t handle it, shouldn’t they have given up the pursuit?

‘That damn Righteous Path’s useless stubbornness…’

That’s right. They were angry at the deaths of their comrades, and they would not back down even if they all died. Pacheon doubled his speed. The distance between Pacheon and the Heavenly Demon, who was closely following behind, widened in an instant. Seeing that, the Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue.

‘That monster, I need to raise his inner energy quickly… The Heavenly Demon’s reputation is ruined.’

He also exerted all his strength and chased after Pacheon.

“Don’t back down. There’s only one of them.”

It had been a long time since that cry began to sound hollow. Of the 400 commanders of the Righteous Path Command, there were now less than a hundred survivors. An impossible thing had happened. Cheongunhak and Kwak Woonseong, who had relatively minor injuries, were also torn here and there, and the area was covered in what looked like white frost. Some had an arm explode like an ice sculpture and fall off, and some had their heads freeze and explode. Now, no one dared to attack first. They were only surrounding the monster.

“Damn it… that guy isn’t even human. How can a human be so strong?”

“It’s clear that this guy is the one who annihilated the Nanyoung Branch.”

Kwak Woonseong and Cheongunhak looked at each other and gritted their teeth. In the center of the encirclement stood a monster. He was looking at the moon. His eyes did not show black pupils. It was as if they were filled with moonlight. The red robe was torn here and there, and it was easy to see that it was not due to injuries. It could be seen that the clothes were worn out and torn from a long life of sleeping outdoors. When the commanders didn’t attack, he just looked at the moon and didn’t move easily. It was at that moment. A strange sound of air being torn began to echo from somewhere in the sky, and the monster’s body visibly tensed and looked up at the sky.

Gooooooo…

“The, the Great Commander is here.”

“Dokgo is here too.”

“We greet the Great Commander.”

The voices of the surviving commanders of the Righteous Path Command were filled with resentment and sorrow. It was like the whimpering of a little kid who had been beaten up for no reason while playing in another neighborhood, as if he was spitting out his feelings when he met someone from his own neighborhood.

Pacheon’s divine presence, descending through the air, shone even more mysteriously in harmony with the moonlight, and the monster’s face, looking at him, clearly showed a sense of vigilance that could be called tension. As soon as Pacheon’s gaze landed on the ground, the monster seemed to be nailed in place and couldn’t move. The Heavenly Demon, who was behind him, also looked at the monster. The Heavenly Demon’s telepathic message followed.

[He’s mastered the Nine Yin Manual. A madman. I thought he was quite something, but he’s just a brat.]

Indeed, those were words befitting the Heavenly Demon. How many people in this world could call the monster before their eyes a brat?

[Even if he’s a brat, things change if he wields a terrifying weapon. That guy will meet a miserable end. How dare he so brutally kill subordinates who could have been used for a long time…]

“Gwak Woon-sung, Chung Woon-hak.”

“Yes, Great Commander.”

“We obey your command.”

“What on earth are you two?”

“Pardon?”

“Under whose orders did you so carelessly squander the lives of the Righteous Path Command? And shouldn’t you know when to retreat if the opponent is too strong? Did you intend to drive everyone to their deaths with your stubbornness?”

At Pacheon’s roar, their heads lowered further and further, never to rise again. Two of the Four Dragons, and both were inheritors of the supreme lineages of Shaolin and Wudang. His words, treating them like scolded children, might have seemed excessive, but no one thought so. Not even they themselves felt that way.

“The Righteous Path Command, retreat. If there are any wounded, administer first aid, and watch carefully. See what martial arts truly are. If I see such weakness from the Righteous Path Command again, I will disband it myself.”

Pacheon took a step towards the monster. The monster, in turn, stepped back. The commanders of the Righteous Path Command were astonished, their mouths agape. They had never seen it retreat before. The monster, too, instinctively sensed it. That the opponent was an overwhelmingly powerful being.

“How should I kill you? You dared to kill so many of my subordinates; your one life won’t be enough. What should I do?”

He continued to approach, and the monster continued to retreat. It was a truly bizarre scene unfolding.

“I will break you into as many pieces as there are people who died. You will die and be revived hundreds of times, reflecting on your mistakes.”

*Puhwak*

Pacheon’s body blurred for a moment, and then he was suddenly in front of the monster. His right palm struck the opponent’s Qi Gate point [a vital point near the chest], followed by his left hand striking the Juque point [a vital point on the chest], and then his right hand again striking the Yutang point [a vital point on the chest] in quick succession. It felt like a flash of light, but he had struck the opponent’s pressure points without fail.

“Kyaak!”

Letting out a strange cry, the monster flew back about three yards and rolled on the ground. Yet, it stood up again, seemingly unharmed.

“Krrr…”

Emitting a strange sound reminiscent of a wolf’s low growl, the opponent raised its eyes, which had no black pupils. Pacheon tilted his head at the sight.

[Pacheon, six meridians won’t be enough. That thing’s body is nearing Vajra Indestructibility [a state of extreme physical resilience]. Ordinary energy won’t even leave a scratch.]

Only then did Pacheon seem to understand, nodding his head.

“Then, how about this?”

The moment Pacheon’s body seemed to move,

“Kyaa!”

It cried out and shook its hand. It was as if a white pillar of cloud was pouring out. Even the commanders who were far away shivered from the cold. But Pacheon was already behind the monster, and when his foot stepped on the monster’s Weizhong point [the back of the knee], the monster’s body slumped. At that moment, his right hand was placed on the Dazhui point [below the trapezius, shoulder area].

*Puhwak*

From Pacheon’s palm, a surge of cold energy erupted, tearing through the opponent’s tough skin. It burst open without fail. Even if the monster’s body was Vajra Indestructible, it could not withstand Pacheon’s current attack. The energy, which had surged in, destroying nerves and muscles, had exposed the shoulder bone, leaving it white.

“Kyaak!”

Screaming in agony, it collapsed. But the monster instinctively twisted its body and swung its arm back to strike Pacheon, but Pacheon was already standing in front of the Heavenly Demon.

“I told you, I’d break you into hundreds of pieces. This is just the beginning. I’ll kill you when you’re tired of the pain.”

The commanders who were watching trembled incessantly. They had faced the monster and deemed it a monster beyond human power, but now Pacheon was toying with it like a child. Just how far did the Great Commander’s martial arts reach? And what was the nature of that overbearing energy and cruelty?

The monster massaged its right shoulder with its left hand. Blood poured out. It looked at it and kept massaging. Its hand turned pure white. And then, a pure white mist rose, and soon the wound began to heal.

“Huh?”

“No way, how can that be?”

Everyone’s surprise was immense.

“That thing has an amazing skill?”

[It’s the effect of the Nine Yin Manual. Unless it suffers an injury that cannot be healed at once, it cannot be killed. You’d have to cut off its head, destroy its heart, dismember it, and bury the pieces separately to be safe. Hehehe.]

The Heavenly Demon laughed continuously, finding it amusing.

[Damn it! What kind of monster is that? No choice. I have to reveal my trump card.]

“Kyakyakyakya!”

It was probably the monster laughing. What a truly unpleasant laugh. Pacheon’s face contorted and crumpled.

“I’ll change that laugh into a cry.”

Pacheon extended his hand. A pure white sword soared up. As the shining form of the sword appeared, the arena was in an uproar.

“It’s… the legendary Formless Sword.”

“Formless Sword?”

“Ohh…”

Their astonishment was truly great. The Formless Sword, something every swordsman who had mastered the sword dreamed of, but had never appeared in the martial world. Of course, there might have been people who had reached that level, but perhaps even they had no reason to use the Formless Sword. Seeing Pacheon’s Formless Sword,

The monster stepped back, seemingly afraid.

“Heh, so you can heal yourself? Good, do it as much as you want.”

*Shwoong*

Pacheon’s Formless Sword left his hand. The moment it felt like it had left his hand, it had already pierced through the monster’s body. It had pierced through its thigh.

“Kyaak!”

It didn’t stop there. The Formless Sword, circling in the air, was shot at the monster again, and the monster confronted it. From its palm, the usual white pillar of cloud shot out, opposing the Formless Sword.

*Pyoook*

The Formless Sword pierced through it so easily. It seemed to pass through the air without feeling any resistance, and this time, it pierced through the monster’s left thigh.

“Kyaak!”

The monster, rolling on the ground, was screaming in pain, but no one pitied it.

By now, the Formless Sword had disappeared. Pacheon carefully observed the monster, which was screaming in pain.

The wound was so large that it did not heal easily, but it was gradually healing.

“Heh, amazing. I never knew such a secret technique existed in this world.”

He slowly extended his hand towards the monster. A brilliant light shot out from his fingertips, and it pierced through the monster’s writhing thigh again.

*Thud*

*Thud*

*Thud*

As if playing a game, Pacheon’s Vajra Divine Finger [a powerful finger strike technique] strikes were fired in succession. The monster rolled on the ground in pain, but Pacheon’s Vajra Divine Finger strikes did not stop. It was as if he was saying, ‘Try to heal if you can.’ At the sight, the people in the arena frowned.

“Great Hero!”

*Whiriririk*

It was Sara. She stood in front of the monster and looked at Pacheon.

“What is it? Why are you blocking my way?”

At Pacheon’s cold words, Sara felt her whole body tremble. It was as if she was facing a different person.

“Could you… hand this person over to me?”

“No.”

It was a curt refusal, as if it was not worth considering.

“The person I’m looking for is this person. I will accept any request…”

“Get out of the way. Or I’ll kill you all too.”

“G…Great Hero…”

*Pshoo*

Pacheon’s Vajra Divine Finger blew off Sara’s bamboo hat. It was the moment her face was fully revealed under the moonlight. Pacheon seemed momentarily surprised by her appearance, but he soon regained his composure and became even colder.

“If you want to save that person, you can kill me. Before that, that guy will die by my hand no matter what. I’ll say it again. Get out of the way.”

“Great Hero, please show mercy…”

An old man stepped forward and spoke.

*Paang*

“Ugh!”

The old man’s figure, flying away covered in blood, was miserable. Pacheon’s palm strike showed no mercy. Sara shed tears with a sorrowful expression. She was despairing in the face of a situation she could not control.

“That guy killed 300 members of the Righteous Path Command. Not only that, but he also annihilated the Southern Branch of the Martial Alliance. Knowing that, how dare you ask me to spare him? Get out of the way. Whether you came to find him, whether he is someone precious to you, it has nothing to do with me. There is no reason for me to show you any consideration.”

Sara knelt down. And with a tearful face, she raised her head and let out a pitiful voice.

“He deserves to die a hundred times. But I cannot bear to see him die before my eyes. Please, kill me too.”

Sara’s subordinates also knelt down, shedding tears and begging for death.

‘What ridiculous people. Do they think I won’t kill them if they ask me to?’

[Pacheon, calm down. The brats of the Righteous Path are watching you. If you kill them all… who will see you as a righteous person?]

‘Damn it…’

“What is your relationship with that guy?”

“He’s… my only brother.”

“Brother? Hmm… So you know that guy has mastered the Nine Yin Manual.”

“Yes…”

“And you also knew that your brother was the one who annihilated the Martial Alliance branch, and that you followed us for a reason. But there’s one thing I’m curious about. How did you know that guy would attack us?”

“Currently… my brother’s condition is not normal. He only craves blood instinctively, and he appears wherever there are many people to kill. When I traced my brother’s path, he was lingering not too far away, and I thought your group would naturally attract his attention.”

It was truly absurd. She had predicted everything, asked to be included in the group without a word, and achieved her goal. And then, she was asking to spare him just because he was her brother. What a shameless woman. If the commanders weren’t behind him, he would have killed the group in front of him right away.

“Do you think I will spare that guy?”

“There’s no way you would spare him. But… if you still want to kill my brother after hearing everything I have to say, then I can’t help it.”

“I don’t want to hear it. Disappear quickly. Before I show you that I am not such a merciful person…”

Sara looked up at Pacheon and, with her blue eyes wide open, sent a telepathic message.

[I am the young palace lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.]

[What? One of the Three Outer World Families…]

[Yes, if you spare my brother, I will grant you one request. The Palace Lord, the Northern Sea Sword King, my father, has only one son. If you kill my brother for whatever reason, the Northern Sea Ice Palace will immediately draw its sword against the Central Plains Martial World. In a complicated time like this, making the Northern Sea Ice Palace an enemy would not be good for you or the Martial Alliance, would it?]

[Aren’t we enemies anyway?]

[Absolutely not. If you spare my brother, the Northern Sea Ice Palace will help you with any request for the next three years. Isn’t that worth the lives of 300 commanders?]

She was a truly audacious woman. But the important thing was that Pacheon was intrigued by her words. Since the dead could not be brought back to life, what good would it do to kill that madman? But if he could use the Northern Sea Ice Palace for three years… it was an enormous temptation. And it was a no-brainer. But he couldn’t just accept it so readily.

[Hmm… Your brother committed an unforgivable act. But… everyone makes mistakes. And since he is not in a normal state, he might be forgiven. But from my perspective, I have to compensate for the unjust deaths of the commanders. Therefore, I will have to take over all the authority of the Northern Sea Ice Palace for three years, and you must leave proof of that. And for the next three years, I will keep your brother with me. How about that?]

[Okay.]

She answered with a bright smile, as if there was nothing to think about.

‘The Northern Sea Ice Palace… an unexpected gain…’

Pacheon struggled to suppress his laughter. The problem was how to smooth things over at this moment. If he suddenly said he would spare the guy he had been trying to kill just moments ago, it would raise suspicion.

Moreover, since he was the cause of the commanders’ deaths, he had to give a reason that the commanders could agree with.

“Everyone, tell me. What do you think I should do with him?”

Pacheon’s words were unexpected, and a strange sense of unease rippled through the command.

“While the young lady’s situation is sympathetic… we must clearly consider the cause and effect of all this. The monster’s senseless killings cannot be forgiven for any reason. Therefore, he should either be sent to the Martial Alliance or executed on the spot by the Great Commander’s authority.”

It was Gwak Woon-sung who spoke. At his words, everyone nodded, and some glared at the monster with murderous intent.

‘It’s going to be difficult.’

[Hey, Heavenly Demon. I need to spare this guy, do you have any good ideas?]

The Heavenly Demon had already sensed the situation. In exchange for sparing that madman, Pacheon must have been offered something that he couldn’t refuse. The intelligent Heavenly Demon was not someone who couldn’t guess that much.

“May I say a word?”

When Dokgo Mu stepped forward politely, everyone’s attention turned to him.

“His actions are clearly unforgivable. However, since he has lost his reason, it might be too unfair to kill him without him knowing his own wrongdoings. Therefore, I believe it is right to treat him and make him realize his mistakes before holding him accountable. The Martial Alliance is the only force that protects the righteousness of the martial world. It must always act fairly and impartially, and the Righteous Path Command must lead the way. Therefore, executing him now is not right, and it is right to hold him accountable after his treatment is over.”

At his words, the command stirred again, and some nodded. Chung Woon-hak, in particular, deeply sympathized with his words.

“I also think so. Killing him now is no different from making the deaths of the commanders meaningless. Rather, if he is treated and becomes normal, and then acknowledges his mistakes and receives punishment, it will be a way to comfort their souls.”

Pacheon did not miss this opportunity.

“Hmm… very well. I think so too. Emotionally, we would tear this guy apart, but we are the last bastion of the righteous path, aren’t we? Therefore, we must make a judgment befitting that. I will follow the will of Dokgo Gongja [a respectful title for a young master] and Vice Commander Chung Woon-hak.”

Gwak Woon-sung was about to protest, but since the Great Commander’s final decision had been made, he hesitated and then firmly shut his mouth.

[Now, it’s your turn to keep your promise. Let’s go back to the residence for now.]

“Dokgo Gongja. Take that madman by his pressure points and bring him.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Vice commanders, gather the commanders, treat the wounded, and collect the bodies. And immediately report this news to the Martial Alliance.”

“Understood.”

They immediately returned to the Jin family manor. The 100 or so commanders who were staying at the Jin family manor trembled with anger after hearing the whole story, and the atmosphere was somber due to the deaths of the commanders who had shared their hardships. But there was no time for that. Following Pacheon’s orders, they were busy collecting the bodies and treating the wounded.

———————–

Did you have a good holiday? Happy New Year.

After resting for a few days, my body feels light. It was very difficult at first…

The promise of daily updates has been broken with chapter 62.

I feel rather relieved.

I will try to upload daily in the future. (I might not be able to.)

If you have any criticism, questions, or suggestions for me, there is a new homepage that has been created recently. There are eight people who are sharing my work, and it is one of those places.

If you come to the chat room there, I will answer you sincerely. The time will be mainly around midnight. Thank you.

www.megapass.co.kr/∼cjsdidwl Baek-gun, you did well? Invincible Swordsman, I’m sorry I disappeared quickly yesterday.

Because of the writing…