Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 8

“Haha, well, instead of just standing here, let’s all take a seat.”

However, the place was already in chaos, and there wasn’t a chair to be found, no matter how hard one looked. He awkwardly pointed to the second floor and then tapped the shoulder of the ‘Smiling Blade,’ who was still holding his injured wrist.

“Hey, buddy! Let’s settle our differences and join us. Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

Then, he practically dragged the ‘Smiling Blade’ up to the second floor. The eight members of the Ohryeon Association, who were watching from behind, chuckled in disbelief and followed him. Seol Ju-bong was still half-embraced in Namgung Hye-mi’s arms as they went up together…

The banquet was filled with awkwardness. It was Pa Cheon’s job to laugh, make noise, and play the drums. He kept laughing heartily and offering drinks, and the people around the table, as if forced, drank along with his urging, but they didn’t know if the alcohol was going into their noses or mouths. Especially the ‘Smiling Blade,’ who was rolling his eyes next to Pa Cheon, was restless, feeling so uncomfortable and anxious that he kept fidgeting. However, he also kept glancing at Pa Cheon and downed several drinks he didn’t even want. The surrounding gazes were fixed on this bizarre feast, and they were whispering among themselves.

“The reason I hid my identity was due to unavoidable circumstances, so please don’t blame me too much. However, it is true that I am a novice in the martial world. I’m just a country bumpkin who hasn’t been out for long. Brother Namgung! You’re not holding that against me, are you? Haha.”

“…Master Mun!”

“Why? Do you have something to ask me…?”

“What is your true identity?”

Since it was a question everyone was curious about, the eyes of everyone at the table were focused on Pa Cheon.

“Hmm… Actually, this is not something I can easily talk about… But since we’ve come together like this, it’s a good relationship, so why should I hide it? I am from Shaolin…”

“As expected.”

“Ah.”

“Hmm.”

“I am the direct successor of the Sixth Patriarch of Shaolin, the Great Master Hyeneung.”

“What?”

“What did you say?”

“!!!”

People sometimes become dumbfounded in the face of shocking truths, while others do things they wouldn’t normally do or change drastically. Their reactions varied. Most of them just stared blankly, one was gaping with drool, and another was gulping down alcohol.

-Hahahaha, what a cover-up… Amazing, you’re amazing. You’re getting out of a crisis like this again.

=Amitabha, how can you say such a thing? Hmm… But in a way, that might not be wrong.

“If you are the direct successor of Great Master Hyeneung? I can’t understand it at all.”

Namgung Hye-mi’s words represented everyone’s feelings. The famous Sixth Patriarch Hyeneung of Shaolin Temple was a person from the Tang Dynasty [618-907 AD]. To be precise, he was a high monk who was born in the 11th year of Emperor Taizong [637 AD] and passed away in the first year of Emperor Xuanzong [713 AD]. He was the great successor of the lineage from Bodhidharma to the Second Patriarch Huike, and he was a monk who was no different from the founder of Zen Buddhism, who made Shaolin a great temple of the Linji sect [a school of Chan Buddhism]. The current abbot of Shaolin Temple is the 27th generation, so their doubts were natural.

“I know what you’re curious about. Of course, I have not met him directly. I have never left Mount Tai. One day, in a secluded cave, I found traces and scriptures of him, and that was already more than ten years ago. Great Master Hyeneung once traveled the world, and at that time, he stayed in Mount Tai for about two years, and I was lucky enough to obtain what he left behind, and I also became his successor, though I am lacking.”

Ah, was that so? Only then did they look like they understood, but this time, everyone’s faces seemed to be filled with envy and a strange admiration.

“Ahem… So, I unintentionally deceived you all. I would be grateful if you could understand.”

“That’s absolutely not the case. Haha, it’s truly a blessing for the righteous martial world. From now on, we must be careful when dealing with you, Master.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“One of the most important things in the martial world is seniority. Since you have the heavenly ancestor of Shaolin as your master, how dare we treat you carelessly? Haha, isn’t that right?”

Hahahaha, hohohoho.

The room was filled with laughter, but one person’s face was not so comfortable.

[Cheer up. Why are you frowning so much?]

The ‘Smiling Blade’ was chilled by Pa Cheon’s telepathic message. He had been severely beaten by his immense martial arts, and now he had learned about his even more incredible identity. The thought that such a person might actually be a great villain hiding a ruthless nature made his hair stand on end. He still couldn’t forget Pa Cheon’s gaze. He was proud to be a veteran of the martial world, but he had never encountered such an evil and domineering gaze. Pa Cheon’s telepathic message continued.

[If you dare to run your mouth carelessly, you know what will happen, right?… Oh, you don’t have an answer?]

[Ah… I understand, Master! I will never speak carelessly, absolutely.]

At the last moment, he trembled. He was still chatting with the people at the table, and in the midst of that, he had sent him a telepathic message. It was a high-level telepathic technique that one could not even dream of without mastering two arts. One was the Shaolin’s ‘Wisdom Light Heart Language,’ and the other was the ‘Dual Mind Technique,’ which had been lost and only its name remained. It was an extraordinary skill that allowed one to divide thoughts and actions and do them at the same time. The fact that he was using such an extraordinary skill so casually made him feel a sense of fear, and it was growing too large. His identity as the head of the Yulryeongdae [a military unit] and the protection of the Northern Sword Association no longer gave him any sense of weight.

The atmosphere at the table was gradually becoming more relaxed. It was as if nothing had happened, and they were even exchanging jokes. Only Seol Ju-bong was still depressed, so Namgung Hyeok-ryeon told his sister Hye-mi to arrange a place for her. She was sending a regretful look. It seemed she was regretting that she had to leave Seol Ju-bong’s side. After seeing her leave the tavern, Namgung Hyeok-ryeon looked at the ‘Smiling Blade’ and said,

“Vice-Commander Woo, there won’t be any other mishaps, will there?”

“O-of course not. What mishaps? I guarantee it.”

Pa Cheon was sending him a smirk, and the ‘Smiling Blade’s’ expression looked like he had a mouthful of mustard.

“Well then, Vice-Commander Woo, you can go now… You need to treat your injuries, right?”

“Y-yes, I’d be grateful if you would. I’d love to.”

He probably didn’t even realize what he was babbling. His confident and cunning demeanor was nowhere to be found. It was already past midnight. Everyone was feeling tipsy and in a good mood, and they were treating each other without any formality.

“Then go now. Let’s see each other with a smile tomorrow.”

“Okay, I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

He stood up and bowed to everyone with a fist salute. And as he turned around, his face was filled with relief, making him look even pitiful. How much had he suffered internally to change so much! Pa Cheon did not forget to take one last meaningful look at his disappearing figure.

“Master Mun, have you found a place to stay?”

It was Mo Yong-jung-geol, the second son of the Mo Yong family, who asked. He had a slightly frail appearance and a habit of winking one eye. Even while asking Pa Cheon, he kept winking one eye, which was quite annoying.

“No, I came straight here as soon as I entered Gaebong.”

“Then that’s good. We’ve unpacked at the Jinseong Inn next door, so we can find a place together.”

“Well, whatever.”

Namgung A-yeon had not taken her eyes off him throughout the drinking. On the other hand, Mo Yong-jung-geol’s younger sister, Mo Yong-hwa, and Dang Jeong-woo’s younger sister, Dang So-yoon, only glanced at him once in a while. This alone gave a hint of their personalities. Among the people at the table, Pa Cheon was the youngest. He was only twenty, and everyone else was older than him. Namgung Hyeok-ryeon was the oldest at twenty-five, Dang Jeong-woo and Paeng Jeong-hoo were twenty-four, Namgung A-yeon and Mo Yong-jung-geol were twenty-three, Dang So-yoon was twenty-two, and Mo Yong-hwa was twenty-one. Namgung Hye-mi, who had taken Seol Ju-bong away, was the youngest at nineteen. They were all of similar age, and they were all martial artists, and they were all righteous heroes, so they felt a sense of camaraderie and quickly became close. However, they still knew nothing about Pa Cheon’s true nature, so it was quite curious what would happen in the future.

The Jinseong Inn was located in the center of Gaebong, so it was a relatively clean and luxurious inn. In particular, it had a separate annex in the back for VIPs, so there was no inconvenience for them to stay. Hye-mi and Seol Ju-bong stayed in the same room, and everyone else took separate rooms. They were all close together, so the women gathered in one room and the men in another to chat, and only Pa Cheon went into his room, saying he was tired from the long journey. As he opened the door, the fragrant scent of turmeric filled the room. He took a deep breath and inhaled the fragrance. On the table, there was tea in a teapot, and a classic teacup was next to it. He sat at the table and immediately poured a cup of tea and took a sip. Looking around, it was quite elaborate. The floor was covered with Persian carpets on top of Cheongdan wood [a type of sandalwood], and the furniture was all from Yuguhyeon in Jeolgang Province. Of course, it was nothing compared to what was used in the imperial palace, but they were rare items that ordinary people could not even see. It cost ten silver coins to stay here for one day, which was enough money for a family of three to live without worry for half a month. It was questionable whether martial artists lived such luxurious lives. Where did all that money come from? He was curious because he didn’t know anything about the lives of martial artists yet.

He was now wondering whether to just sleep or take a bath first. Well, he was covered in dust, so he should take a bath. His clothes were as good as new, so he just needed to shake them off. So, he hesitated and went into the bathroom. After a while, the door opened slightly, and clothes came out. And the sound of splashing water was heard loudly. He was coming out, wiping his body with a towel.

“Huh?… Who is it?”

He quickly covered his private parts with a towel and looked ahead. Oh no!

“Oh, it’s you?”

“Master! Please accept me.”

“Oh, you’ve followed me all the way here? You’re quite persistent.”

“If you don’t accept me, Master, I have nowhere to go. I will follow you until you accept me.”

“Do as you please!”

The person who had appeared in the room was Ha Gun-pyo, the Blue-Faced Demon King, who had been saved in Mount Tai. He had hidden his large body and followed Pa Cheon, and somehow found out about this place and entered. In fact, Pa Cheon knew why he was following him, but he had deliberately left him alone. It was not because he didn’t like him, but because he was not in a position to take him with him yet. He had been impressed by his bravery and unwavering spirit when he fought with the Three Swords of Cheonsan, so he had been keeping him in mind.

“Master, I am a body that has already died once! Now, I will dedicate my life to you, my lord.”

After saying that, Ha Gun-pyo bowed without even being stopped! He was truly an unstoppable friend. But Pa Cheon didn’t seem to dislike it.

“Alright, I will accept you as my subordinate.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

“But!… With your current skills, you will only be a burden to me… So, you must go to the place I tell you right now and improve your skills further.”

Then, he took out a brush and inkstone that were prepared in one corner of the room and ground the ink until it was wet. Then, he wrote something on the paper in one stroke, which seemed to be martial arts techniques. He wrote down a few martial arts that would be good for Ha Gun-pyo to learn. Then, he told him the location of the cave where the Twin Elders of Mount Tai were and sent him there. He was the first subordinate he had taken in, except for the Twin Elders. Ha Gun-pyo bowed to Pa Cheon again and went outside.

Only then did Pa Cheon turn off the lights and lie down on the bed. Cheonma was talking to him as he was staring blankly.

-Pa Cheon, what are you going to do in the future?

“All the plans have already been made. I will just make some adjustments as I go… I will become the emperor in this martial world, and I will create a martial empire that no one has ever created.”

At this moment, his eyes were burning as if they would burn away even the darkness.

-To do that, it is most important to completely make our memories your own.

=Benefactor, please think about what is the true path first. Everything flows according to the natural order. Do you know how foolish it is for you to go against the natural order of the world and accumulate karma? When you die, you will return to a handful of soil. Why do you entrust your body and mind to such vanity? Let go of everything and live for the sake of all beings. That is the only way to follow the will of God who gave you this power.

“God? Do you find God in the middle of the road?”

-Don’t pay attention to that monk’s words. You have to live more fiercely. After all, when you die, you become a handful of soil, and when you die, it’s over. So, you should enjoy all the glory while you’re alive, right? The greatest pleasure of a human being comes from the desire to dominate. The power to dominate everything! That is the path a man should take.

“Enough, both of you! It’s my life, and I’ll decide what to do! My thoughts won’t change just because you tell me what to do. But how come your memories aren’t complete? Only the martial arts have been fully transferred, and the rest of the memories aren’t that much. What method should I use to make them complete?”

-That’s because when your internal energy and realm become more mature, it will happen naturally. For example, even if your internal energy reaches 10 cycles, you will be able to completely unite with us, and you will be able to use various subtle techniques.

“Subtle techniques?”

-Yes, for example, if you temporarily kill yourself with the ‘Returning Breath Technique’ before achieving complete unity, we can act instead of you. When you reach 10 cycles, we can be released from you.

“Released?”

-That’s right. We can go anywhere, even to the underworld, or to another body.

“Is that so? I’m a bit tired now… I wish you wouldn’t talk to me anymore. I’m going to sleep. I have somewhere to go early tomorrow!”

-Okay, go to sleep.

=Sleep well, benefactor! I will chant a Buddhist scripture for you. Listen to it as a lullaby.

“Ugh… Be quiet, please. Hey, Cheonma, make that guy be quiet.”

-Okay.

★

“Father, it’s me, Yoon-moon… Can’t you recognize me?”

Why can’t you recognize me? Father’s face was gradually changing strangely. His eyes were becoming narrow, his nose was collapsing, and his mouth was disappearing. He was tearing at his body as if he was in pain.

“Father, what’s wrong? Father.”

Tears! He was shedding tears of blood. And his eyes were full of pity.

“Hahahaha, farewell, brother!”

Swish.

“Ugh, ugh, cough…”

Someone was striking Father with a sword from behind. Yoon-moon rushed towards that person with all his might, but his body wouldn’t listen. In the darkness, the man with his face covered was grinning, revealing his white teeth. The body of his father, torn to pieces, was gradually disappearing, and that face! A demonic face was approaching. He was…

“U…Uncle?”

It couldn’t be. It was Uncle Yeon. Why was he? Father!

“Uncle, what are you doing?”

“Hahahaha, I have achieved everything. I have become the emperor, hahahaha.”

“Uncle!”

Yoon-moon’s scream was tearing through the space.

“Pa Cheon.”

“Pa Cheon.”

“Ugh.”

Was it a dream?

-Pa Cheon, what kind of dream did you have that made you struggle so much?

The voice calling me was Cheonma’s.

“Thank you.”

-For what?

“It’s nothing… But why did you wake me up?”

-Hey, lie down again! Someone is coming this way right now.

[What?]

He focused his internal energy and used the ‘Thousand-Mile Hearing Technique’ [a technique to hear sounds from far away]. He was barely catching the sound of someone moving very carefully. The footsteps stopped in front of the door of the hallway and then went back and forth several times! What is it? An assassin? Or who is it? The Blue-Faced Demon King should be on his way to Mount Tai by now… I don’t know.

He carefully lay back down on the bed and listened to the movements outside.

-Judging by the light footsteps, it’s a woman.

[A woman?]

-Yes, a woman! Hehe, I see.

[Really? Who is it? There’s no one who would come looking for me?]

-Why, there are many women who would come looking for you! I don’t know who is so brave, though.

Title: [Serial] Emperor’s Sword 10. Who is She? Related Materials: None [58769]

Sender: Im Samyeol (logos333) 2000-12-21 15:22 Views: 2061

-Emperor’s Sword-