Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 69

The young man stepped forward from the group, not even glancing at the Grand Commander, but instead gazing at the moon. His eyes were empty, as if lost in a distant memory. The occasional breeze fluttered his clothes, and he seemed to blend into the wind. For some reason, watching him filled one with an inexplicable sadness, which only made the man seem more mysterious.

The Grand Commander, observing the man’s actions, let out a silent chuckle before addressing him.

“May I ask your name?”

“A name is of no consequence. If you must know… call me Choryang [Transcendent Quantity].”

“Choryang…”

The Grand Commander’s eyes held a meaningful glint as he etched the man’s image into his mind.

“Shall we begin, then?”

“Why the rush? Fear resides within oneself. What is it that you fear so much?”

The man’s sudden words seemed out of place in the current atmosphere, and it was hard to believe he was speaking to the Grand Commander. Yet, the Grand Commander himself felt a shiver run down his spine, his gaze becoming even more profound as he stared at the man.

“What is the substance of that fear?”

Choryang slowly turned his head to look at the Grand Commander.

“There is no substance. It is only those who create it within their own hearts. Everything arises in the mind, forms an image, and then binds the mind to it, making life difficult.

Fear is the same. By trying to avoid the source of fear, you only distance yourself further, eventually binding your own heart and bowing before it.”

“Then… how can one break free from fear?”

“First, you must acknowledge it. It will be difficult, but you must accept all situations. And you must humbly receive them. Only then… can you observe the object more objectively, and that is the minimum strength needed to overcome fear.”

“…Is that so? I am learning much today.”

The two spoke as freely as if they were old friends, revealing their inner thoughts. Others did not know, but they both felt they were peering into each other’s hearts. Smiles appeared on both their faces simultaneously, smiles that were incredibly refreshing.

“Heh heh.”

“Heh heh heh.”

“Let us begin now.”

“Shall we?”

The two, separated by about ten feet, stared at each other with profound gazes. Then, Choryang unfolded his fan with a snap and held it up in front of his chest. That was all he did. The Grand Commander, too, drew his sword from his waist and held it out to his right. Their eyes remained locked, as if trying to find something in each other’s gaze. The silent exchange continued for a long time.

Lee Chong-sa, standing to one side, watched their duel with interest, but then yawned, bored.

‘Crazy fools! They’re putting on all sorts of airs. What are they searching for so long? They’ll find out soon enough when they clash…’

That was the limit of his understanding.

“Your eyes are truly clear. It’s like looking at the sky.”

“I try to capture the sky. But how can one become the sky? The actions of humans are ultimately futile, ending in death. In a short life, all one feels is one’s own incompetence.”

“But I know someone who considers himself the sky. My fear began there. Despair sometimes fuels hope. The point at which new motivation arises is always when facing that fear.”

“That may be so. But one can wish to become the sky, but one cannot become the sky. If someone calls himself the sky, he does not know the true sky.”

“Heh heh, is that so? Perhaps I can overcome that fear.”

“Congratulations.”

The two continued their conversation tediously. No one would have thought they were facing off to fight. They didn’t even reveal the slightest hint of killing intent, simply facing each other. It was only after half an hour of facing each other that changes began to occur in their bodies.

The time was now approaching the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), past the hour of Yin (3-5 AM). Soon, dawn would break. The two, who had been standing face to face as if determined to spend the entire night, began to emanate an overwhelming aura. Their clothes fluttered as if about to tear, yet both wore smiles that could not be brighter.

“I’m going. Be careful.”

“You be careful.”

The Grand Commander’s sword slowly rose, as if supporting the sky, and Choryang’s fan also stood vertically, pointing at the Grand Commander. Then, they slowly moved one foot at a time, turning to the left. Gradually, their footwork quickened, and soon they were moving so fast that even faint afterimages were left behind. In that space, the first clash occurred. It was a force comparable to a thunderbolt.

Kwang!

No one knew what had happened. Only Lee Chong-sa, Chunhyangokbong, and those who had accompanied Choryang could understand their duel. The two men’s swords and fan clashed dozens of times, yet neither yielded, and they continued to collide. The shockwaves they emitted were surprisingly large, forcing the onlookers to quickly increase the space around them. Chunks of earth soared, and stones shattered into dust. Even the branches of distant trees snapped under the pressure and scattered into the air.

Gradually, the radius of their movements increased, and they sometimes soared into the air, exchanging blows. They were using close-quarters combat techniques, almost standing face to face. It was hard to understand how they could exchange attacks with such power at such close range.

Kwang!

With a huge explosion, they each retreated. They were still in their original stances, looking as calm as if they had never exchanged blows. The two, now about fifteen feet apart, gathered their inner energy and faced each other. Anyone could easily predict that the next clash would be different from the previous ones.

The Grand Commander stood with his legs wide apart, his greatsword raised. As he transitioned from the ’embracing fold’ (holding the sword with the hand drawn to the navel, the blade upright) to the ‘forward release’ (pushing out from the embracing fold, a stance often used when using attacks that require a lot of inner energy, like sword energy), the air around him trembled violently, creating sounds of collision and shattering.

His clothes fluttered as if unable to withstand the pressure, and even the darkness seemed to recoil in fear. Seeing this, Choryang gathered his fan into one hand and boosted his power with the force of ‘raising the head and releasing the momentum’. Golden light instantly emanated from his body, then quickly filled his entire being, obscuring his vision.

The two forces of ‘heaven and earth collapsing’ collided at their midpoint, creating a rumbling sound and sparking flames as they pushed against each other.

Fzzzt!

Kukukuku!

The collision of power was so intense that a whirlwind formed, accompanied by strange sounds, making the onlookers’ legs tremble. How could this be called human power? Even the aura alone, before the clash, seemed capable of blowing away a thatched house in an instant.

‘Indeed… my senior brother has become incredibly strong. But who is that guy, and how is he so powerful? He doesn’t seem to be inferior to my senior brother… It’s truly baffling. There aren’t many masters in the Central Plains that I don’t know. Moreover, there’s nowhere that could have produced a master of that caliber… I just don’t understand.’

Frankly, until then, Lee Chong-sa had been secretly looking down on the young man’s skills, thinking that no matter how much he jumped around, he wouldn’t be a match for his three moves. But seeing the aura of his clash with his senior brother, it seemed that even his inner energy was not inferior to his own. Nevertheless, he was unwavering in his belief in his senior brother’s victory.

Regardless of Lee Chong-sa’s thoughts, the duel was beginning. Unlike before, it seemed they were trying to decide the outcome in one go, using all their strength.

“Haa!”

It didn’t matter whose mouth the shout came from first. The sword and fan in their hands left their grasp simultaneously. As if a lightning bolt had struck, piercing the sky from one side to the other, the two energies were launched, one borrowing the sword, the other the fan. Enveloped in golden and dark blue light, they shot towards each other, tearing through space.

“Oh, it’s the Sword Control Technique!”

Even without that exclamation, the people in the area were already sufficiently amazed. They had just witnessed the Sword Control Technique, which they considered the highest level of swordsmanship! Having seen it, they might be able to live the rest of their lives with pride as martial artists. The first clash was so tremendous that it seemed to compress the space itself and then explode all at once.

Kwang!

Kwang!

The sound was not the typical ‘clang’ of swords colliding, but rather like a cannon exploding, causing some people to cover their ears.

The sword and fan did not directly collide, but the sounds were created by the meeting of energies. The two energies intertwined continuously, appearing as a single mass of light from the side.

Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!

Each time, the two men flinched, their bodies shaking. This was because the impact was being transmitted directly to them.

The sounds of the clashes, which should have been weakening, were instead becoming more intense and fierce, indicating the depth of their inner energy. They did not stop there, but narrowed the distance between them and leaped forward. Naturally, the sword and fan sought opportunities, aiming for openings. They unleashed their hand strength, engaging in another battle while still controlling their sword and fan.

“Excellent! I’ve finally met a worthy opponent!”

The Grand Commander’s voice was filled with joy.

“Now, take this!”

The energy emitted from the Grand Commander’s hand took the shape of a crescent moon and advanced towards his opponent. Choryang, not to be outdone, flipped his hand. A golden stream of energy leaped out like a dragon and collided with the Grand Commander’s energy.

Bang!

The two flipped their bodies again, like butterflies freely floating in the air, and charged at each other.

Bang! Bang!

Their weapons were back in their hands, ready to strike again.

“This time will be different.”

“I expect so.”

Choryang opened his fan wide. It had an iron frame and was covered with the skin of a scaled dragon. The price of this single fan was enough to support a family for a lifetime. Choryang let out a clear shout and floated into the air. Was he a crane dancing in the clouds for a thousand years? Or a dragon ascending to the heavens?

His clothes fluttered, and his figure danced under the moonlight, creating a scene as if a celestial being had descended, a dreamlike spectacle. The shadows of the fan filled the air, creating a mesmerizing scene. The slowly rippling fan shadows seemed to gather into one, then split apart again, enveloping the Grand Commander. He exclaimed in admiration.

“Oh, truly magnificent!”

He was truly enjoying this moment. How long had it been since he had felt such a peak of happiness? He was a man obsessed with martial arts. If he could only become stronger, if he could only fight stronger opponents, he would gladly throw away his life. He was naturally excited. He felt as if the sword in his hand was not a sword, but a plectrum dancing on the strings of a zither.

As if responding to Choryang’s fan dance, he too began to dance with his sword… the bold lines of his sword, thrusting, swirling, and piercing, were truly exquisite and clear. But their dance was not just a dance. A strong wind suddenly swept up from the ground, and from their swords and fan, a tremendous force that could shatter even a ten-thousand-year-old rock surged endlessly.

Kwang! Kwaang! Pwang!

The sounds of their collisions even felt like a melody with a steady rhythm, and they fell into a state of oblivion. How could this be called a duel to the death?

Chunhyangokbong found tears welling up in her eyes without her realizing it. Her feelings were no different from the others. Regardless of their positions, as a martial artist, the duel before her was beyond admiration, it was moving. It was a scene that showed just how far the realm of martial arts could reach.

They had never seen such a duel in their lives, and they could not be sure how many more times they would see it in the future.

The duel between the two was gradually transcending the boundaries of life and death, resembling the figures of immortals harmonizing in a painting. Time and space seemed to stop, and they applauded the martial spirit that the two were emitting. The sword energy, cutting through the last vestiges of darkness mixed with the hazy dawn, hesitated as it was blocked by Choryang’s fan, and the writhing of the fan energy, climbing up the sword and striking, created a cluster of light.

The outcome of their duel did not seem to be easily decided. They were giving their all, but neither had gained the upper hand. The two quietly stopped their duel.

Despite the fierce battle, neither of them was out of breath.

“Truly, a skill worthy of admiration.”

Choryang responded to the praise.

“Rather, I am simply in awe of your swordsmanship. It seems my narrow perspective has finally met its match today. I had hoped to test my skills against the Five Great Warriors of the Martial World, but you are someone who would stand shoulder to shoulder with them.”

Choryang looked at the man who had once been the leader of the Martial Alliance, one of the Five Great Warriors, and continued,

“How about we postpone our duel for a while?”

Choryang considered this for a moment. It was a duel where neither could claim a clear victory. Of course, if they continued to the end, one of them might not survive. No matter who it was…

“It can’t be helped. We’ll have to postpone it for later.”

What would happen to Cheonhyang Okbong then?

“You can take Cheonhyang…”

It was an unexpected remark. He hadn’t anticipated it at all, yet his opponent spoke so calmly.

‘As expected…’

“I am deeply grateful for your magnanimity.”

At Choryang’s respectful bow, the Great Commander glanced at Cheonhyang Okbong. Cheonhyang Okbong also looked bewildered by the unexpected turn of events.

“That’s absurd.”

The Second Commander stepped forward, and the Great Commander turned his head towards the voice.

“What do you mean by absurd?”

“It’s not as if you lost, so how can you give Jaun [a term of endearment or a name] to that man? What right do you have to decide that?”

“I couldn’t win, so the condition is met. Don’t say anything more.”

“I can’t allow it. Do you know who those people are, and you’re handing her over?”

“It doesn’t matter who they are. It’s already decided, so don’t bring it up again. If you want to stop it, you’ll have to defeat me.”

“Th-this… this is clearly an act of treason. I don’t know if the Great Commander will stand for this. You will lose everything because of this. Just you wait. I won’t let this go…”

“Do as you please. If I’m at fault, I’ll pay the price… Young Master Choryang! Take her.”

Choryang looked at the Great Commander, genuinely impressed. He bowed respectfully and said,

“I gratefully accept your concession. Then…”

Choryang turned his head towards Cheonhyang Okbong. Then, his subordinates surrounded Cheonhyang Okbong. It was as if they were protecting her. Their swift movements showed that they were masters of the highest caliber.

Whirrr!

The Second Commander blocked their path.

“Where do you think you’re going? Leave that girl behind.”

His murderous intent surged forth, stopping the group in their tracks.

“Yeorak! Can’t you step aside?”

The Great Commander’s roar echoed, but the Second Commander, Sang Yeorak, didn’t budge. Instead, he sneered.

“Don’t be ridiculous. If you won’t do it, I will. If you stop me, I will truly consider you a traitor.”

“Hmm…”

The Great Commander seemed to have lost his words and couldn’t respond.

“Hahaha, what about the Martial Alliance? Why are you raising your voice in a place like this? You, who hold a seat among the Five Great Warriors, are losing all face.”

At his mocking words, Sang Yeorak’s face contorted in anger.

“You bastard! You speak carelessly. You guys, attack them now.”

His order fell upon the Blood Demon Heavenly troops. However, they hesitated, looking at the Great Commander’s reaction.

“Th-these guys? Are you really going to do this, Great Commander?”

“If you want to do it alone, I won’t stop you, but don’t drag your subordinates into this.”

“What? This…”

He couldn’t control his anger and just glared. What could he do? If he had his subordinates, it wouldn’t be difficult to take Cheonhyang Okbong from them, but alone, it was a different story. Having witnessed the duel with the Great Commander earlier, he was honestly not confident. Knowing when to retreat was the mark of a true sage. If he had just stayed quiet when the Great Commander made his decision, he could have saved face, but now that he was retreating, it would be difficult to recover his lost dignity. He had already been disgraced, so there was no more face to lose, but he hesitated. It was then.

“Step aside. Let us pass…”

Of all times, Choryang was leading his subordinates towards him.

‘This bastard! He’s determined to humiliate me. I have no choice.’

“I won’t forget this humiliation.”

He said with great emphasis. And then, he quietly stepped aside…

“Hehe, I will remember this.”

There was mockery and ridicule in his voice. And then, he brushed past the Second Commander and leisurely left the area. It was a truly absurd situation. It felt like he had lost a sure catch, a golden carp the size of his forearm, and his heart ached. Sang Yeorak’s unpleasant gaze landed on his elder brother, the Great Commander.

“You should remember this. After the Heavenly Lord’s seclusion ends, I will surely bring up this matter today…”

“Hehe, I know. I’m looking forward to it.”

“You don’t know the repercussions that the secret manual will bring?”

“You only know one thing and not the other.”

“What are you talking about?”

“A rose with poisonous thorns is for display, not to be kept in one’s bosom. And if I had insisted on keeping Cheonhyang, what do you think the result would have been?”

“Of course, we…”

“Look around. Can you feel the energy of the Demonic Soul Army?”

“I already knew when you appeared. That those guys came here with you…”

“I received a telepathic message from them. That the mysterious people have set up a siege around the Fire Dragon Forest…”

“What? Then?”

“Yes. We are not going to lose to them, but there is no guarantee that we will win. I’m not foolish enough to take such a risk for a single secret manual that we don’t even need.”

Only then did Sang Yeorak understand everything, but even so, he couldn’t accept it. It was always like this. His brother’s way of crushing him and stabbing him in the back was always unpleasant, and it only fueled his animosity towards his elder brother. The Second Commander, Sang Yeorak, stared intently at his elder brother.

The sun had risen, filling the world with light.

★ As soon as Choryang left the Fire Dragon Forest, he immediately headed north. Outside the Fire Dragon Forest, there were nearly a thousand warriors stationed, and as they emerged from the forest, one of the warriors at the very front was seen rushing towards them.

‘Was this man’s words true? I thought it was just empty boasting… Who are these people? And is it right for me to follow them…’

“I greet the Heavenly Martial Grand Duke.”

As soon as he got close, he knelt on the ground and bowed. It was a gesture of utmost respect. Cheonhyang Okbong was inwardly puzzled.

‘Heavenly Martial Grand Duke? There is no sect with such a title in the martial world?’

She felt like she was being drawn deeper into a labyrinth.

“Dismiss all the subordinates. And until there is a special order, wait and stand by. Move the forces to the north and wait for my command.”

“Understood! There was a message that Young Master Lee has entered the Central Plains.”

“That child? Hmm… I understand. You may go.”

“Understood.”

The man said those words and returned to the group. They were all wearing light armor that was rarely seen. What was particularly impressive was the eagle engraved on their backs, which looked as if it were alive and flapping its wings. They spurred their horses and disappeared to the north. The sound of a thousand cavalry moving was so tremendous that it lingered in their ears for a while.

“Well, shall we go too?”

He had the horses that were tied up on one side brought over. There were eleven horses in total that his subordinates brought.

“Miss, you will ride with me.”

Choryang said to Cheonhyang Okbong as he took the reins from his subordinate.

“I have a request for you, Young Master. Would you grant it?”

“What is it?”

“Could you first give me three days? I will find you with the secret manual after that.”

Her gaze, looking straight at Choryang, did not waver at all.

“Hahahaha, you expect me to believe that? You are obligated to fulfill your contract with me. It’s not possible.”

He refused outright.

There was a desperate look of anguish on Cheonhyang Okbong’s face. However, she had no confidence in escaping from them, so she had no choice. Choryang, leading Cheonhyang Okbong to sit in front of him, shouted loudly.

“Let’s go. We have a lot to do.”

Neigh!

Raising its front legs and pawing the ground once, the white horse kicked off the ground and leaped forward. In an instant, they crossed the horizon, leaving only a cloud of dust behind. After they disappeared, someone appeared in the area. It was a beggar. He was a member of the Beggar Clan, with a sash around his waist. He grinned.

“Hehe, should I report that Cheonhyang Okbong was captured? Or should I say she went with a handsome man? By the way, why are there so many suspicious people these days? They’re all strangers… It’s not my business to worry about.”

He yawned deeply and then took a slow step. A strange melody flowed from his mouth, and he even danced, looking every bit like a beggar.