Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 83

Pa Cheon and Cheonma were huddled together, deep in discussion. The content of their conversation was serious, an unusual expression for Cheonma.

‘Hmm. That sounds like a good idea… but, I don’t know. If they don’t move as you intend, wouldn’t it just be a waste of time?’

Pa Cheon nodded at Cheonma’s words.

‘That could be the case.’

‘But it’s worth a try. Alright. Let’s start when our people come in.’

‘Okay. Go ahead and stir things up. This operation is only possible because of you.’

Pa Cheon praised Cheonma, who puffed out his chest and raised his head.

‘Of course. I could wipe them out in one go, but I’ll follow your plan. Then, maybe the alliance between the Murim Alliance [Martial Arts Alliance] and the Demonic Cult will happen soon.’

‘We have to make it happen. The Four Imperial Stars [powerful martial artists] have already started moving, and the Heavenly Emperor’s Palace and the Blood Demon Heaven are also in Murim [the martial world]. Now, all that’s left are the Sasa Blood Sect, the Bukhae Ice Palace, and the Shinsoo Palace. If they join in, the rivers and mountains of Murim will never be free from blood.’

‘In a way, Murim hasn’t shed blood for too long. It’s time to transfuse new blood. The weak will be eliminated, and the uncompetitive forces will not survive. The times are demanding a new wave.’

‘I should head to the Murim Alliance. Things are urgent there, so if I delay any longer, I’ll miss the timing. I need to meet with the military and Gwangmajon and leave immediately.’

‘Who are you taking with you?’

Pa Cheon answered without hesitation.

‘I’ll take Muyeongjon and Yulguk, except for Gwangmajon. You can come with us to Gaebong, and then act separately from there, but for now, let’s go together.’

‘Alright.’

★ Luoyang, located in the Luoha River basin in western Henan Province, a tributary of the Yellow River, is one of China’s seven ancient capitals. It is a small basin along the Luoha River and has long been a transportation hub connecting the North China Plain and the Wei River basin. It originated when King Cheng of the Zhou Dynasty built it as a base for managing the East and was called Luoyi at the time. Later, after the Zhou Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyi, it flourished as the capital of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Later, the Later Han, Wei of the Three Kingdoms, and Western Jin also established their capitals here. From the Later Han Dynasty, the scale of the capital was 9 li (1 li = 0.5 km) from north to south and 6 li from east to west, so it was also called Jiuliucheng.

Later, it was called Luoyang during the Former Han Dynasty and was renamed Luoyang, the current name, when the Later Han Dynasty made it the capital. Later, when the Northern Wei Dynasty conquered North China, Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital from Datong in Shanxi to this place, expanding the city area to 20 li east-west and 15 li north-south, centered on Jiuliucheng. When the Sui Dynasty unified China, a new city of almost the same size (69 li in circumference) was built 40 li (32 li) west of the ruined Luoyang city of the Northern Wei Dynasty due to the war. It was made the secondary capital of Chang’an and called Dongdu (Eastern Capital), which is the predecessor of present-day Luoyang. Luoyang flourished as a commercial city and a distribution center for goods from Jiangnan transported along the Grand Canal. However, after the An-Shi Rebellion, it declined and remained a local city. Recently, it has become the center of the storm in the Central Plains commercial world as the headquarters of the merchant guilds.

The merchant guilds were a coalition of Central Plains merchants. They were originally in competition with each other due to the nature of merchants who could not unite, but they formed a coalition to counter the Murim Alliance’s encroachment on their commercial rights. Recently, they moved their headquarters to Luoyang, creating a fierce rivalry with the Murim Alliance located in Gaebong. Since ancient times, there has been nothing as fierce and raw as a fight over livelihood. At first, they engaged in normal competition while maintaining commercial ethics, but now they openly resorted to displays of force. Of course, it was done secretly, so ordinary people could not feel it.

‘Ho, this is quite a scale. You’ve been living in luxury, holed up in such a lavish place.’

These were the words of a black-clad man who called himself the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord. He was entering the inner compound of the merchant guilds, and the one leading him was a middle-aged man wearing the usual black light armor. The eagle drawn on his back was very impressive. He left his subordinates in the outer compound and walked into the inner compound. The scale was so vast that it was hard to see, and it was even complex. Each of the buildings looked large and magnificent, making one feel intimidated. The middle-aged man in front did not look back once and hurried on his way. The Blood Hand Heavenly Lord looked around and followed him. When they reached what seemed to be the innermost building, the middle-aged man turned around and spoke politely to the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord.

‘The Heavenly Martial Grand Duke is here. If you go in, the attendants will guide you.’

The Blood Hand Heavenly Lord nodded arrogantly and entered without hesitation. After he disappeared, the middle-aged man who was left alone let out a soft sigh.

‘Lee Gong’s arrogant personality is still the same. It’s only because the Grand Duke cherishes Lee Gong, otherwise… he would have lost his life a long time ago.’

He disappeared to a certain place with light steps, as if he had done his job.

‘Grand Duke, Lee Gong has arrived.’

Behind the attendant’s voice from outside, another voice rang out provocatively.

‘Get out of the way.’

Bang!

The man who forcefully pushed open the door entered without hesitation, regardless of who was inside.

The Blood Hand Heavenly Lord entered and sat down on the chair in front of the table as if it were natural, placing his feet on the table in an arrogant posture. Then, he spoke to the man with his back turned.

‘Your habit of tending to orchids is still the same. Senior Brother, why did you call me?’

It was unusual to speak informally to a senior brother. It seemed to be a habit from a long time ago, as it flowed naturally from his mouth, which made it possible to guess what their relationship was like. The man who turned around at the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord’s words was none other than Cho Ryang. The mysterious person who had taken the Heavenly Fragrant Jade Peak from the Grand Commander of the Blood Demon Heaven was the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord’s senior brother. He slowly stepped towards the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord. As always, a smile lingered around his lips, like a dream.

‘You’ve had a long journey. I called you to convey our master’s order.’

‘Master’s order? When I left, he didn’t say anything. What order is it?’

Cho Ryang gently pushed the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord’s feet off the table with his hand.

‘It’s a message that the Blood Demon Heaven and we have formed an alliance.’

‘You’re crazy. An alliance with the Blood Demon Heaven… when we could devour the Central Plains alone, are we going to share it? What were you thinking when you made that decision?’

Cho Ryang picked up the teapot on the table and poured tea into the teacups. He placed one in front of the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord and one in front of himself. His delicate gestures were reminiscent of a woman’s.

‘We don’t need to know such things. We just need to be faithful to the orders given. I will convey our master’s order to you.’

The Blood Hand Heavenly Lord’s eyes slightly narrowed and trembled.

‘From now on, you must contribute to the task of seizing the Central Plains commercial rights under my command. If you disobey the order, you will be immediately recalled to the headquarters.’

As soon as Cho Ryang finished speaking, the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord got up and glared at him with burning eyes.

‘Are you serious? I have to listen to your orders? I am the Patrol Commander-in-Chief who can oversee all the disciples of the headquarters. How can I listen to your orders? I can’t believe it. There’s no way Master would have given such an order.’

Cho Ryang did not lose his composure and took a sip of tea, then placed the teacup on the table without a single flaw. It was a natural, flowing attitude. His gaze turned to the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord, who was standing up and growling.

‘It is a fact without a single error. Do you need to see the order with our master’s seal to believe it?’

The Blood Hand Heavenly Lord knew. When his senior brother spoke like that, it was definitely true. The senior brother he knew was a person who did not know how to lie.

‘Damn it…’

The Blood Hand Heavenly Lord slumped back into his seat as if he had no choice. Cho Ryang’s calm voice continued to irritate his nerves.

‘From now on, the fight with the Murim Alliance will proceed secretly. First, we must aim to seize the commercial rights of the Central Plains. Only after that will we enter the Murim hegemony. Never forget this. Our ultimate goal is not only in Murim… That’s why your strength is even more necessary. From now on, you must stay here and focus on dismantling the Murim Alliance’s commercial rights. I will assign people to you, so attack the lower organizations of the Murim Alliance. Currently, the Murim Alliance is intervening in commercial rights through its branches, so they will be deployed first to problematic areas or areas with fierce competition. No complaints or questions will be tolerated. Until now, I have treated you as a senior brother, but from now on, I will treat you as a superior. So, I hope you will not make any mistakes. You may leave now.’

Cho Ryang got up from his seat and, as if nothing had happened, calmly approached the orchids again. The Blood Hand Heavenly Lord glared at him with hatred, as if he would burn his whole body. He gritted his teeth, got up from his seat, and turned around without saying a word.

‘Grand Duke. We have brought Lady Ja Woon.’

The attendant’s voice from outside broke the awkward silence. Cho Ryang was officially called the Heavenly Martial Grand Duke, and some of his close friends called him the Grand Duke. The door opened, and a beautiful woman entered the room. Her face was full of worry and looked a little haggard, but she was still beautiful. It was the Heavenly Fragrant Jade Peak. As she entered, Cho Ryang’s face brightened naturally, and a soft smile appeared.

‘Welcome. I asked you to come so we could have a meal together.’

Cho Ryang’s voice revealed an undeniable liking for her. At that moment, the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord’s face twitched strangely. He approached the Heavenly Fragrant Jade Peak, who was entering, and blocked her path, examining her from head to toe. His mouth twisted, leaving a strange aftertaste.

‘Who is this woman? Hah, now I see, it seems Senior Brother has added another hobby.’

At the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord’s cold, mocking words, Cho Ryang was flustered and quickly approached him, and Ja Woon’s face also frowned at the other’s excessive words.

‘What are you doing?’

Cho Ryang’s hand grabbed the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord’s shoulder, but he shook off the hand and continued to speak.

‘Knowing that our junior sister’s heart is with you, you’re keeping a woman in the Central Plains? Is that why you haven’t sent a single message? I wonder what Binghwa’s expression would be if she knew. That woman’s beauty is top-notch.’

Whack!

The Heavenly Fragrant Jade Peak raised her hand and slapped the rude man in front of her. However, her hand was easily caught by the rough man’s hand, and he grinned, revealing his yellow teeth.

‘I don’t know who you are, but you’ve made a great choice. If you have the Heavenly Martial Grand Duke in your arms, you’ll have nothing to envy. Hahahaha.’

‘You rude man. Can’t you let go of that hand right now?’

Cho Ryang grabbed the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord’s wrist, which had grabbed the Heavenly Fragrant Jade Peak’s wrist. As Cho Ryang applied force, the Blood Hand Heavenly Lord’s hand slowly loosened, and only then was the Heavenly Fragrant Jade Peak able to pull her hand away. She frowned, whether from pain or humiliation. The Blood Hand Heavenly Lord, still with his wrist held by his senior brother, turned around and faced Cho Ryang.

‘Senior Brother. I can forgive everything else… but there’s one thing I can’t forgive. If you make Binghwa cry, I will kill you. This is not a joke, so you’d better keep that in mind.

Huhuhu.’

Cho Ryang released his junior brother’s wrist. A pain, the meaning of which was not clear, lingered in his eyes for a moment, then disappeared faster than that moment. The two men glared at each other. Their gazes revealed their complex feelings, which contained colors that could not be understood by anyone other than themselves. But that was only for a moment. The Blood Hand Heavenly Lord kicked open the door and disappeared outside. Cho Ryang, who had watched him, smiled awkwardly and looked at Ja Woon. Ja Woon deliberately avoided his gaze and approached the table. After she sat down, he also sat down facing her. An unresolved silence weighed heavily between them, and it soon stimulated them with strange feelings. Unable to bear it, the Heavenly Fragrant Jade Peak spoke first.

‘I am grateful for your consideration, Gongja [a respectful title].’

‘I’m doing it because I want to, so don’t take it too seriously.’

Cho Ryang’s gaze naturally went to her reaction. She lowered her calm eyes and stared at the empty teacup. Cho Ryang opened his mouth again to try to change the awkward atmosphere.

‘This is all in exchange for the martial arts manual, so don’t feel too burdened.’

‘Is that so? I have a request for you, Gongja.’

When she unexpectedly looked directly at him, Cho Ryang looked back with joy.

‘Please tell me anything. If there is anything uncomfortable, I will take immediate action.’

‘It’s not that… please let me go now.’

His face clearly lost its light, and the voice that came out of his open lips was heavy and low.

‘Why… are you uncomfortable here?’

‘No. It’s too comfortable. I feel burdened being here… and more than that, there is someone waiting for me.’

‘Hmm… as soon as you leave this place, you will be caught by the Blood Demon Heaven. I cannot guarantee your safety. Will you still go?’

She bit her lip tightly. And she uttered a bold statement.

‘If it’s a path I have to take, I have to go. I’ve already prepared myself for death once. I have no more regrets. There is someone I want to keep in my eyes even if I die… that’s why. My longing is so strong that my heart is burning, and even if I’m alive, I don’t feel alive. Rather, excessive hospitality is nothing but uncomfortable.’

Cho Ryang looked disappointed. He himself could not understand this state of mind. Until now, the only value he had pursued was the sense of accomplishment in martial arts. Even when his only junior sister sent him loving glances, he could calmly ignore them. He had faced countless beautiful women, but his heart had never wavered even once. He knew that the heart could not be bound by cold reason, so his pain was even more extreme.

He thought he could reach her if he just reached out, and he thought she would come into his arms someday, but it was just his own delusion. He thought it was fate, so his waiting was not boring, and it would continue to be so. He expected that a vague moment would surely come someday, but was all of this just a dream that could never be realized? His expectations crumbled into pain, and his heart seemed unable to withstand the pressure of the throbbing blood vessels. Just looking at her made his heart feel at ease, so he wanted to keep her by his side, like tending to an orchid. Even at this moment, he wanted to ignore the language conveyed by her gaze.

‘I… can never let you go.’

Cho Ryang turned away from her longing gaze and barely uttered these words. Even without looking, it seemed as if her disappointed expression was clearly imprinted on his eyes.

‘If your safety is guaranteed… then I will let you go without any regrets. But right now… it’s not possible.’

The Heavenly Fragrant Jade Peak’s head naturally drooped. Like a branch that has dropped its petals, her head was full of endless sorrow. Cho Ryang felt as if he had committed a sin when he saw her like that, and his heart ached and stung. Nevertheless, he hardened his heart.

‘Perhaps my existence does not hold any weight in your heart yet, but in the near future, you will know. My love is no less than your longing… But if you still want to leave, I will not hold you back. But until then, I cannot let you go. If you leave like this, I don’t think I can bear it. I’m sorry, Ja Woon.’

The sound from outside, which was focused only on each other’s feelings, pulled them out.

‘Dinner is ready.’

Cho Ryang got up from his seat and led Ja Woon.

‘Let’s go have dinner. Sometimes, delicious food can make you forget everything.’

He knew how empty his words sounded to the other person. Cho Ryang and Ja Woon left the room, dragging the loose ends of the knot that had not yet been untied.