Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 73

Sang Yeo-rak met Pa-cheon’s gaze and felt a chill run down his spine.

‘I have to kill him. If I don’t, I’ll be the one who dies.’

It was an instinctive feeling. Right now, Pa-cheon wasn’t someone he would have much trouble killing. That was why he had been toying with them, trying to vent the frustration he had built up. But now, that look in his eyes made even that feel precarious. It was then, just as Sang Yeo-rak was momentarily lost in thought, that Pa-cheon straightened his sword and charged forward. In response, a burst of fire erupted from Sang Yeo-rak’s palm. Pa-cheon, who they expected to attack with sword energy, instead activated a sword barrier, turning to a defensive stance. The palm force that Sang Yeo-rak unleashed struck Pa-cheon’s sword barrier head-on.

*Kwaang!*

Using the force of the impact, Pa-cheon bounced backward and leaped into the air. His movements were as swift as lightning.

“What? That guy?”

Sang Yeo-rak, who hadn’t expected him to flee, could only watch, unable to react for a moment. When he recalled the last look in Pa-cheon’s eyes, he became frantic.

“I can’t, I can’t let him get away.”

The area was already surrounded, so it was impossible for Pa-cheon to escape without any resistance. He skillfully evaded attacks, trying to break through the encirclement, but it wasn’t easy. Moreover, Sang Yeo-rak was already hot on his heels.

“You bastard!”

Without slowing his pace, Sang Yeo-rak unleashed another palm strike, which Pa-cheon blocked with his sword. Using the force, Pa-cheon fled even faster…

Sang Yeo-rak was furious, steam practically rising from his head. Pa-cheon’s movement technique was incredibly skillful and swift. No matter how hard he tried to block him, Pa-cheon changed direction each time, slipping away like a squirrel. It was only because his subordinates were pushing him a little from the front that his speed was somewhat reduced; otherwise, it seemed it would have been difficult to catch him. Compared to his internal energy level, Pa-cheon’s agility was more than enough to surprise Sang Yeo-rak, who was chasing him.

As dusk began to fall, Sang Yeo-rak grew impatient. He was gripped by the fear that he might lose him completely if it got completely dark. Pa-cheon, who had been running from the mountains towards the plains, stopped because he had encountered an unavoidable barrier. It was three old men. They had somehow arrived here and were blocking his escape route.

“Heh heh, this is the end. They call you the Heavenly Demon Scholar? For someone who dares to use the name ‘Heavenly Demon’ in his title, you’re not very impressive. All you could think of was to run away.”

The three old men encircled Pa-cheon, gradually closing the distance. Only then did the subordinates, who had arrived at the scene, completely surround the area under Sang Yeo-rak’s orders.

“Now, give up and just hang your head. Dying peacefully is much more dignified and less unsightly, wouldn’t you say?”

“I’ll kill you all. You vile bastards, using such petty tricks, you can’t even be called martial artists. I’ll kill you all.”

Pa-cheon shouted, agitated. His usual, excessively calm demeanor was nowhere to be seen. One of the three old men took something out of his pocket. It was a golden ruler.

It was about a foot and a half long, and it was rarely used as a weapon by ordinary martial artists.

“Heh heh, I’ll shut your rough mouth. Consider it an honor to die at the hands of an elder.”

He took a step forward as he spoke. His hunched back straightened with a cracking sound, and the dullness in his eyes vanished, replaced by a sharp glint. He pointed the golden ruler at Pa-cheon, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“Heh heh, this is my unique weapon. It’s called the Death Golden Ruler. Let’s see how many times you can dodge it.”

Then, without any preparatory movement, he threw it into the air. The spinning golden ruler gradually increased its speed, eventually looking like a disc. When its speed reached its peak, it was launched at Pa-cheon.

Pa-cheon raised his sword, holding it in front of him, and intently watched the movement of the golden ruler. It was spinning so fast that the sound of it tearing through the air was deafening, and its movements were so mysterious that it was difficult to predict its path.

*Gooooo*

*Kang!*

Pa-cheon managed to block it with his sword, but he was still pushed back. The force of his feet on the ground caused the earth to give way, creating a small trench. But this was just the beginning. The golden ruler immediately swept towards Pa-cheon’s upper body without pause.

*Kang!*

“Ugh!”

The force was so great that his wrist, which was holding the sword, throbbed. The golden ruler returned to the old man’s hand, and this time it flew low, skimming along the ground. Pa-cheon sidestepped it as it approached, but at that moment, it shot upwards, grazing his shoulder.

*Thwack!*

“Umm.”

Pa-cheon groaned. The area where the golden ruler had grazed was torn open, instantly soaked with blood. Even the sword he was holding felt heavy. It was clear that he couldn’t defend against this kind of attack in his current state.

The old man, holding the retrieved golden ruler, sneered at Pa-cheon with an arrogant expression.

“If all those called the Five Greats of the Martial World are as weak as you, conquering the Central Plains wouldn’t be so difficult.”

He was more annoyed than angry. How could they not say a word about how they had gained the upper hand through trickery, and instead act as if they were legitimately defeating Pa-cheon with their own strength? It seemed they were completely devoid of shame. Well, he had to blame himself for giving them the opportunity, not anyone else.

Pa-cheon didn’t even bother to respond, showing no reaction. Only a burning rage and a slight sense of weariness were visible.

“It seems you’re tired of living. Very well, I’ll kill you.”

The surroundings were shrouded in darkness, and the golden ruler was raised into the air once more. Again, the golden ruler would torment Pa-cheon.

“You should be careful this time. It will take your life in an instant…”

*Swoosh!*

With those words, the golden ruler flew again. As he had said, it didn’t circle in the air but shot straight towards him. Pa-cheon gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. This time, he was determined to deflect the golden ruler and charge forward.

“Come!”

The words that Pa-cheon spat out, biting his lip, were spoken just as another golden ruler separated from the fiercely spinning one and shot towards two of Pa-cheon’s vital points. Because they had separated so close to him, it seemed impossible to block one of them.

*Kang!*

“Cough!”

*Thud!*

Pa-cheon barely managed to support his collapsing body by planting his sword on the ground. He had managed to deflect one of the golden rulers. The other one tore a chunk out of his side as it passed. He tried to stop the bleeding with his hand, but it was no use. He tried to stop the bleeding by pressing on his pressure points, but it was no use. His strength was fading, and his vision was blurring.

His mind was clear with anger, but his body wouldn’t obey. He had reached a limit that he couldn’t overcome with his own will. Even so, Pa-cheon didn’t give up. He pushed himself up with his sword, his whole body trembling from the strain. Tears streamed from his eyes. They weren’t tears of sadness. They were tears of resentment. Tears of bitter anger that had no outlet. He wanted to kill them. Had he ever felt such a strong urge to kill before? It was too unfair to die like this.

‘I have to kill them… Heavenly Demon, Dokgo-mu… I’m sorry. It seems I won’t be able to avenge you. It’s too unfair to die like this. Do I really have to die so meaninglessly?’

“Nooooo!”

Pa-cheon shook himself and stood up. He didn’t know where the strength came from, but he suddenly rose to his feet and ran towards the old man.

“Aaaaaaaah!”

He raised his sword to the sky and ran blindly. When he was two steps away, he stomped his foot and leaped, bringing his sword down with all his might. It was the only thing he could do. The old man sneered, sidestepping to the left, and then thrust the golden ruler into the path of the sword.

*Thwack!*

Too fast and skillful, the golden ruler bypassed Pa-cheon’s sword and buried itself deep into his right shoulder. The old man, who had been wearing a triumphant smile, was shocked and quickly pulled out the golden ruler, leaping backward.

*Tear!*

Even though he had suffered a severe shoulder injury, Pa-cheon’s sword didn’t stop, rushing towards him. The old man was surprised and moved back. The hem of his clothes was torn by Pa-cheon’s sword, leaving a thin line of blood. If he had moved even a moment later, he might have been cut in half by the sword. Pa-cheon, who was barely standing, his body staggering, showed an astonishing will.

‘No, I can’t die like this.’

“Aaaaaaaah! I can’t die like this!”

He charged at the old man again. It was a reckless struggle. He was just swinging his sword through the air. The people in the area watching him felt a strange atmosphere. Everyone had a strong attachment to life. But the actions of the man before them were too desperate to be explained by that alone.

The old man deflected Pa-cheon’s sword with the golden ruler and thrust it again. This time, it was aimed at his heart. It was to take his life in one blow. Even the old man, who was attacking, felt a chill at Pa-cheon’s raging momentum.

*Thud!*

It was the sound of the golden ruler piercing flesh. The old man, who had thrust the golden ruler into Pa-cheon’s body, was surprised. At the last moment, Pa-cheon instinctively twisted his body, and the golden ruler pierced through the side of his heart. The old man pulled out the golden ruler and struck Pa-cheon’s right ribcage with his left hand.

*Thump!*

“Ugh!”

Pa-cheon screamed and flew through the air, spitting out black blood that splattered in the air. Pa-cheon, who had crashed to the ground, was silent. Pa-cheon’s head, which was lying face down, was lifted with difficulty, and he struggled to get up again. But he couldn’t. He no longer had the strength to lift his body. He was just unconsciously thrashing. Each time his body twitched, black blood gushed from his mouth, and the ground was soaked with blood from the wounds all over his body. Now, only death would give him peace.

‘I can’t die like this. Please… Heaven, give me strength… If I die, many people will die. I can’t leave those who trust me in pain…’

Ah! Was that why he was so desperately resisting death? His heart was filled with warmer blood than anyone else. From the experience of losing everything once, his desire to protect the people entrusted to him was exceptionally strong, and that had forced him to become even more ruthless.

The obsession that he couldn’t lose anything more was dominating his consciousness. He was cold to his enemies, but all his actions were based on the simple goal of not letting the people who followed him fall into misfortune. He still vividly remembered the vassals and palace maids who had taken their own lives in front of him, worrying about his safety with tears in their eyes… Did he have to disappear so meaninglessly again? Did a place for him to breathe truly not exist under this sky?

“Heh heh heh.”

Pa-cheon’s self-deprecating laughter was so empty.

“Cough, cough.”

More blood gushed out. He didn’t know that being alive could be so difficult. His chest hurt. Yet, his consciousness seemed to be getting clearer. What kind of messed up situation was this?

“Yeo-rak! You finish it off.”

“Yes, Master.”

Sang Yeo-rak drew the sword from his waist. It was a gleaming sword that shone in the moonlight. Sang Yeo-rak approached Pa-cheon with a satisfied smile. He was going to cut off his head. One of the Five Greats of the Martial World, a super master who had appeared in the martial world as a rising star of the demonic path! If he was called one of the Five Greats of the Martial World because of his position as the leader of the Martial Alliance, this man was called one of the Five Greats purely because of his own ability. The thought of cutting off the head of such a master with his beloved sword made him excited. Sang Yeo-rak stood at Pa-cheon’s head and looked down at him.

“Heh heh, lament that you were born in this era. You’re not dying because you’re weak. It’s just bad luck. How many masters have died without ever blooming? The martial world is like that. Who can you blame? It’s just bad luck. Human will alone cannot conquer the martial world. Such an absolute being cannot exist, and shouldn’t exist. You were too strong. And decisively, our paths were different. Farewell. I sincerely mourn your death.”

Sang Yeo-rak raised his sword.

“Heh heh heh.”

Pa-cheon’s laughter erupted again. As if he was mocking everything. It was as if that was the last thing he could do. Listening to that laughter, Sang Yeo-rak felt ashamed… He felt as if he had been stripped naked and exposed to the world, and he swung his sword down forcefully as if to hide that feeling.

“Heh heh heh.”

*Clang!*

“Ugh!”

Sang Yeo-rak staggered backward.

“Who is it?”

It wasn’t him who shouted. It was the old man with the golden ruler. The members of the Blood Demon Clan in the area turned their heads and looked around. But there was no sign of anyone. The one who had struck Sang Yeo-rak’s sword was a small pebble, and the impact had pushed Sang Yeo-rak back three steps. The shock that Sang Yeo-rak received was even more severe than that of the three old men who had been watching.

‘Who the hell is it…’

When people experience something absurd, they become dazed. In that sense, Sang Yeo-rak’s condition was exactly that. He gritted his teeth and swung his sword at Pa-cheon’s neck again. This time, he had raised his internal energy to the extreme, so he thought he wouldn’t be easily repelled.

*Clang!*

“Ugh!”

The shock he received this time was even more severe, and he was pushed back about two yards. It felt as if the end of the world would come if he cut off his head. Sang Yeo-rak even felt a fear as if a supernatural being was intervening. This time, the thing that struck his sword was a clod of dirt the size of a walnut.

“Wh-who is this great master?”

Sang Yeo-rak cupped his fist in greeting [a traditional gesture of respect in martial arts] and looked around. It was then. A thunderous voice was heard from afar.

“Don’t move an inch, all of you. Anyone who moves will die.”

It was a sound like a thousand bells ringing at once, and the subordinates who were lined up around the area vomited blood and collapsed. When the first sound was heard, it seemed to be coming from far away, but by the time the sentence was finished, it sounded close by…

‘Then, does that mean that he stopped my sword from that far away? Th-this is impossible…’

He trembled with fear. It was something that couldn’t be described as a human ability. The foolish old men hadn’t even thought of that and were still shouting.

“Who the hell is it, playing these tricks?”

Sang Yeo-rak quickly considered his options. Judging from the person’s actions, it didn’t seem like they were friendly. Then? … He was conflicted. Should he run away? Or should he join forces with the old men, who were strong, and gamble on the winning side? He didn’t want to take a risk that wasn’t certain, as it was a matter of risking his only life. Just as he was organizing his thoughts, it happened.

*Whirrrrr*

A sandstorm rose from the ground and soared into the sky, and as if descending on top of the sandstorm, a figure appeared, bathed in moonlight.

Oh! What was that? Sang Yeo-rak had never seen such a terrifying scene in his life. Sang Yeo-rak, with his mouth wide open, didn’t even realize that he had lost the time to execute his last thought. His disheveled, bright red hair was soaring into the sky, and his face was glowing blue. His pupils were empty white, which was also terrifying. He didn’t look like a human at all. Sang Yeo-rak, forgetting that he should run away, asked the figure that had appeared in the area.

“Wh-who are you?”

The strange being, whose identity was still unclear, didn’t even glance at Sang Yeo-rak and instead looked at Pa-cheon, who was lying on the ground. The strange being had landed next to Pa-cheon. When he reached out his hand, Pa-cheon’s body floated up and into his arms. He then touched, massaged, and poked various parts of Pa-cheon’s body for a while. No one in the area reacted to the strange being for about a quarter of an hour. The unconfirmed fear that they would be the first to die if they uttered a single word was desperately sealing their mouths. As if he had finished his task, the strange being put Pa-cheon back on the ground and looked at them. His pupils flashed white, and it wasn’t clear where he was looking, so everyone shuddered, thinking that he was looking at them.

“Wh-who are you?”

The old man with the golden ruler barely managed to speak. Sang Yeo-rak thought that his master was very brave. Clearly, the being’s head had turned in his direction, and he was speaking.

“Heh heh heh, you have done something you shouldn’t have. You dared… you dared to touch someone you shouldn’t have. You must be prepared, right?”

Oh! Could that be called a human voice? It was a sound like scraping rusty metal with a sharp stone, mercilessly assaulting their ears. Sang Yeo-rak’s prediction was correct. That being was definitely not here with good intentions. He regretted not running away sooner, and he regretted not killing the old men who were getting angry and agitated again. Old people should just die. He really hated the tenacity of those old men who wanted to drag their young nephew to hell with them.

“Shut up. I don’t know if you’re a ghost or a human, but do you have the right to say such things to us?”

He probably didn’t even know what he was saying himself.

“Master, please calm down and assess the situation…”

“Shut up. I won’t call myself a martial artist again if I don’t strip that monster bare.”

“You trash, if this guy dies… I swear, I will not leave a single member of your Blood Demon Clan alive.”

What was he saying? People were still questioning the situation!

“In hell.”

Only then did Sang Yeo-rak nod as if he understood the situation.