Chapter 88: True Intent (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 88: True Intent (2)
“Huu… huu…”
Rough breaths escaped my lips.
I had expended a considerable amount of strength to shatter the power of the Dharma Tool, an object that could only be described as otherworldly.
Thunder Sword Cheondun combined with Essence-Energy Unity…
The Thunder Sword Cheondun itself consumes a vast amount of True Qi. By unifying my internal energy with Innate True Qi, my power had surged, but the physical toll was incomparable to any other technique.
“Ugh…”
“Aaargh.”
“My leg… my leg…”
Groans of agony erupted from all directions.
The True Chasing Return Sword of the Thunder Sword Cheondun, which had torn through the tent and surged outward, had turned the Imperial Army’s camp into a wasteland. The fan-shaped storm of lightning had left a trail of blood and absolute carnage in its wake.
At a glance, there appeared to be hundreds of casualties.
“……”
This was the first time.
The first time I had killed so many with my own hands.
I had faced many enemies before, but I had never crushed them like ants. I finally understood why my Master had warned me never to abuse the Thunder Sword Cheondun and the Thunder Wall Cheondun. Even if it was to destroy the Immortal Wall, a strange bitterness settled in my chest.
—Are you blaming yourself?
No.
I had to show them clearly at least once. Only by suppressing them with overwhelming strength would they lose the will to crawl back up. If I had shown even a hint of mercy, they wouldn't be staring at me now with faces twisted in such abject terror.
As I took a step forward, I felt something squelchy beneath my boot. Looking down, I saw fragments of what appeared to be internal organs scattered about. They likely belonged to the man who had acted as the Emperor’s double.
—When you unleashed the Chasing Return Sword, his body swelled up like a balloon and then suddenly burst like that.
Is that so?
It was likely due to the pressure. There was no way a mere mortal’s body could withstand the clashing forces of the Immortal Wall’s repulsion and the power I had drawn forth. A miserable end for a body double.
I lifted my head and walked forward.
“You survived.”
The most prominent figure was Ghostly Bow Chosa. His body was covered in wounds, but he seemed to have narrowly escaped the brunt of the technique. He was using his massive bow as a crutch to keep himself upright. As I approached, his entire frame trembled.
“You… you monster…”
I felt no need to respond. My interest lay elsewhere.
I reached out my hand, and the Token of the Immortal Wall True Prison, which had fallen to the ground, was pulled into my palm via Void Object Retrieval.
Snap!
The Golden Emperor must have dropped it while being swept up in the lightning storm. Upon touching it, I confirmed it was the real thing. With this, I had recovered one of the Dharma Tools stolen by Ja-gyeongjeong.
My business here was finished; it was time to return.
The Golden Emperor hadn't died, had he?
—He’s over there, to the front right.
Following the Lesser Conversation Sword’s words, I looked in that direction and saw the Golden Emperor staggering, holding a broken sword. In front of him stood a corpse, hacked to pieces and charred by lightning—it appeared to be Wondrous Moon Yang Myeongshin. Judging by the fact that the ground behind him was less gouged, it seemed he had died protecting the Emperor until the very end.
—Even for a martial artist, he was remarkably loyal.
As the sword said, it was unexpected. I thought he had simply succumbed to the Golden Emperor’s policy of eradicating the martial world, but seeing him sacrifice his life for the Emperor, his loyalty was undeniable.
I looked at the Golden Emperor, who was staring at me with trembling eyes while clutching his broken blade. He, too, looked at me as if I were a monster.
—He’s got a tenacious grip on life.
It seemed he wasn't destined to die today. He had survived a direct encounter with the Thunder Sword Cheondun’s True Chasing Return Sword, amplified by Essence-Energy Unity at such close range.
—…To have the enemy of my former master before me and have to leave like this. It’s infuriating, Un-hwi.
I felt the same.
However, if I killed him now, the history that was meant to unfold would change. The birth of the Flying Moon Hero Sect and my meeting with you, Namcheon, would vanish.
—Aaaaah.
The Namcheon Iron Sword couldn't hide its lamentation. Still, I couldn't just leave him be, not knowing what he might do next.
I turned and walked toward the Golden Emperor. With every step I took, the cold sweat on his face seemed to multiply. He had likely never experienced such fear in his life. After all, as the Emperor—the supreme ruler above all—and possessing martial prowess rivaling the Twelve Peaks of the World, when would he have ever faced such a thing?
‘Namcheon.’
As soon as I spoke, the Namcheon Iron Sword left my hand. It flew at an incredible speed, aiming to pierce the Golden Emperor’s chest. Paralyzed by sweat and extreme tension, the Emperor desperately tried to parry with a martial technique using his broken blade.
However—
Grip!
Having already circled behind him, I grabbed the Golden Emperor by the head.
“You… you insolent wretch!!”
His pride was even greater than his fear. The moment I laid hands on his imperial person, he erupted in fury and tried to counterattack.
‘Thunder Sword Cheondun.’
Crackle! Spark!
“Aaaaaagh!”
Blue lightning erupted from my hand, coiling around the Golden Emperor from his head to his toes. He convulsed and screamed as he was electrocuted. The lightning was so intense that the smell of burning flesh filled the air, and foam began to leak from his mouth. I could see his pupils shaking.
The fear of death, experienced for the first time, must have made his knees buckle.
Shhhhh!
When I stopped the technique, the Golden Emperor’s screaming ceased.
“Ugh… huff…”
The tip of the Namcheon Iron Sword was pressed against his throat. If the sword applied even a fraction of force, it would slide right through his neck. The Golden Emperor stared at the blade’s tip with a face full of terror.
I spoke to him.
“Your Majesty. Abandon your futile desires for immortality and the like.”
“Uuuugh…”
“Return and care for your people as their father. If you attempt this 'martial world eradication' nonsense again, I won't stop at this next time.”
The killing intent laced in my voice made the Emperor’s back shiver. This should be warning enough.
‘Namcheon.’
—Understood.
The Namcheon Iron Sword pulled away from his throat. It then floated beside me, blade flat, so that I could mount it. I released the Emperor’s head and stepped onto the sword. Before flying off, I gave one final warning.
“I shall take my leave now. Do not forget, Your Majesty. As long as you draw breath, I will be watching. I hope you do not lose your one and only life by catching my eye again.”
Whoosh!
As soon as I finished, the Namcheon Iron Sword soared into the sky.
*
“How can this be?”
“He’s flying on a sword!”
“S-Sword Flight!”
The soldiers of the Imperial Army watched in a daze as Jin Un-hwi flew away. Having witnessed the legendary Sword Flight Art with their own eyes, their shock was natural. However, they couldn't speak of it openly. They had just seen their master, the Golden Emperor, suffer an indelible and massive humiliation.
With skin burned by lightning and clothes reduced to rags, his dignity had utterly collapsed.
“Insolence!”
“Prostrate yourselves! Who dares to look upon the Imperial Countenance?”
At the generals' shouts, the soldiers turned away and threw themselves onto the ground. No one could be permitted to stare at the Emperor’s disgrace.
It was then that a frantic cry, mixed with sobbing, erupted from the Golden Emperor.
“AAAAAAARRRRRGH!!!”
The internal energy infused into his voice caused those with weak cultivation to cover their ears. Some ordinary soldiers even collapsed. Blood-red tears streamed from the Emperor’s eyes, which were stained crimson from ruptured vessels. He could not endure the humiliation and fear—emotions he was experiencing for the first time in his life.
After screaming in madness for a long while, the Emperor spoke.
“Special Forces, listen.”
“Loyalty!”
About three thousand soldiers wearing the armor of Centurions and Thousand-Man Commanders near the ruined tent answered the call.
“Kill every soldier except for the Special Forces.”
“!!!”
Even the Special Forces who received the order couldn't hide their bewilderment. Who could have imagined an order to massacre their own comrades? Despite the disgrace he had suffered, the Emperor’s command was absolute. After a moment’s hesitation, the Special Forces drew their weapons and charged at the regular soldiers.
“Y-Your Majesty!”
“Please, spare us!”
“Aaaagh!”
Once again, pandemonium broke out within the Imperial Army. No matter how well-trained they were, ordinary soldiers were no match for the Special Forces who were trained in martial arts. The Golden Emperor’s bloodshot eyes were filled with venom.
No one must know of this.
He did not want this humiliation to spread to anyone else, even if the regular soldiers were entirely innocent.
As the slaughter continued, a general called out to the Emperor.
“Y-Your Majesty, look at this!”
Puzzled, the Golden Emperor looked at what the general was pointing at and was struck with amazement. It was a bizarre sight: muscles and veins were growing from a severed ankle, reforming into its original shape. This was entirely different from the concept of healing. It was in the realm of regeneration.
The Emperor approached the man whose leg was regrowing and muttered as he looked down.
“Jwa Si-rang.”
It was Jwa Si-rang, the imperial official who had been wearing a black veil. Perhaps caught in the lightning storm, even the black cloth covering his eyes had been torn away. While no one else was unscathed, he didn't have a single scratch on him, save for his torn and half-burnt clothes.
The corners of the Golden Emperor’s mouth, previously twisted in rage, curled into a sinister smile.
“I didn't need to look far after all.”
*
Four li away from the Imperial Army.
A strange phenomenon was occurring in the forest there. The mist covering the woods was swirling and surging into the sky like a vortex. The mist, rising like a dragon ascending to heaven, grew thinner as if it were about to dissipate at any moment.
Rumble—
Inside the misty forest.
This was Dohwaseon, the paradise of Taoists. Usually filled with peach blossoms, lakes as beautiful as a celestial maiden’s eyes, and immortal scenery, the interior of Dohwaseon was now riddled with cracks, as if someone had struck the sky itself.
“Subdue them!”
“You cannot stop us!”
Taoists, who would normally be focused on their cultivation, were split into factions and fighting. It wasn't a mere spar. They were wielding weapons and threatening each other’s lives. How had Dohwaseon, the paradise of Taoists, come to this?
Rumble!
A massive roar echoed from somewhere. The fighting Taoists turned their gaze toward the sound. From the source of the roar, a red heat like a volcanic eruption was surging upward.
Crack, crack!
The soaring heat created even larger cracks in the sky of Dohwaseon. It looked as if the heavens would collapse at any moment.
“Master!”
The Taoists cried out as they looked toward that spot. It was the center of Dohwaseon, the place where the Thirty-Six Celestial Scripture was kept. The reason the Eight Masters of Dohwaseon had not appeared despite this crisis was that they were all gathered there.
“You wretches! Is this how you betray your Masters!”
“It is for the greater good! We are not betraying our Masters!”
“Nonsense!”
“The Taoists and people of the secular world are in danger because of a tyrant! Do you think it is right to stay cooped up here practicing the Tao?”
“If you want to involve yourselves in the secular world so badly, then leave Dohwaseon!”
“Selfish fools who don't understand the greater good!”
After a heated argument, they drew their weapons and resumed their battle. The sounds of their fighting reached even the cavern in the center of Dohwaseon where the Thirty-Six Celestial Scripture was located.
A youth with a pale face and long hair glanced toward the entrance of the cavern and spoke.
“Do you hear them? So many of my brothers share my vision.”
“Ja-gyeongjeong, you… you traitorous wretch!”
The youth was Ja-gyeongjeong, the disciple of the Sword Immortal who had betrayed Dohwaseon. The one rebuking him was a Taoist with a flute tucked into his waist. Even as he failed to hide his fury, the Taoist could not move his hands from where they were directed.
They were aimed at a sphere in the center of the cavern that looked like a small, glowing sun. Though called small, it was over a dozen jang in size. This sun-like sphere was swelling slightly as if it were about to explode, and its heat was surging upward.
“Junior Brother Han. Concentrate.”
“Urgh!”
A massive amount of energy was pouring out of the sphere. If they were even slightly negligent in containing it, it would go berserk immediately. The seven Taoists, including Great Immortal Jeongyang, were pouring all their primordial energy into preventing it from exploding.
The consumption of energy was so great that the Taoists' hair was turning white and their wrinkles were deepening. They seemed to be aging rapidly. This was true for the Sword Immortal as well. His grey hair was gradually becoming snow-white.
Ja-gyeongjeong approached him and said, “Master. Give up. Are you going to let my junior sister’s sacrifice for the greater good be in vain?”
At those words, the Sword Immortal spoke as if in despair.
“……How did you change so much? Did you not say with your own mouth that you loved Yang-seon?”
Ja-gyeongjeong replied with a bitter face.
“I do love her. More than anyone.”
The Sword Immortal rebuked him with a flushed face.
“And yet you put a Dharma Tool inside your junior sister’s stomach and detonated it!”
It was a shocking truth. Until just two hours ago, Yeoyangseon had been alive—until her body was blown apart by the Dharma Tool she had detonated to destroy herself. The Sword Immortal could not forgive him.
Despite his Master’s rage, Ja-gyeongjeong did not waver.
“You Masters have the power to protect the people. So why do you risk your lives just to protect this place while countless people are dying?”
“You…”
“Dohwaseon must disappear. If it does, the oaths you Masters swore upon your Primordial Spirits will become nothing but ash.”
“You are determined to cause a catastrophe.”
“It is not a catastrophe. I am trying to free you from your shackles.”
“What you are doing is harming the world!”
Unable to listen any longer, the Taoist carrying a gourd bottle shouted. Ja-gyeongjeong snorted as he looked at him.
“How selfish. Is it right to prioritize your own Tao and turn your backs on the suffering of the secular world?”
“Ja-gyeongjeong, what you say is mere sophistry.”
The female Taoist with a veil and a lotus flower tucked behind her ear scolded him. Ja-gyeongjeong shook his head.
“Is the Tao only for oneself? Is it not the true Tao to kill the tyrant, abolish his power, and create a world where everyone can live in peace?”
At that, the Taoist with a broken Yin-Yang plate tucked under his arm shouted, “That is exactly why it is sophistry!”
“Sophistry?”
“If someone steps forward with even greater power to suppress others for the sake of the 'peace' you speak of, what is that if not another form of oppression?”
Though the logic was sound, Ja-gyeongjeong remained unmoved. Instead, he shouted back at the Taoist with the Yin-Yang plate as if debating.
“That would be true if power were in the hands of a tyrant, a villain, or one who walks the path of evil, but that is not the case for you Masters, is it? If the Taoists here join forces, we can create a righteous world. Can you not see that this is the Truth?”
“The Truth? Hah.”
“Right now, the tyrant Golden Emperor and his army are marching toward this place. They will arrive before long.”
The Sword Immortal frowned and asked, “Just what are you plotting?”
“The tyrant Golden Emperor dreams of immortality. If he enters this place and takes the Dragon-Tiger Golden Pill created by Great Immortal Jeongyang, he will achieve that dream.”
“!!!”
Everyone was struck with dismay at Ja-gyeongjeong’s words. If the man called a tyrant achieved immortality, the worst possible situation would unfold. Even the problems that time could solve would become permanent.
Ja-gyeongjeong smiled thinly and spoke in a meaningful voice.
“It is time to choose. Will you let the tyrant achieve his dream of immortality while you struggle to prevent the destruction of this measly Dohwaseon? Or will you give up on Dohwaseon and join me in stopping the tyrant and his army?”
The faces of the eight Taoists darkened. No one had imagined Ja-gyeongjeong was plotting such a massive scheme. Stealing the Dharma Tools and fleeing was only the beginning.
The female Taoist wearing only one shoe sighed and said, “Gyeongjeong… Gyeongjeong. You are truly bringing calamity upon Dohwaseon and the world.”
“If you wish to hold me accountable for these sins, I will gladly accept. I have long been prepared to throw away my life for the greater good.”
The Sword Immortal muttered hollowly, “I have misjudged you. All of this is my failure.”
“How could this be your fault, Senior Brother? They say you can know the depth of a thousand-fathom sea, but you cannot know the heart of a man.”
Ja-gyeongjeong clicked his tongue at their conversation. Then, he reached out his hand. The flute tucked into the Taoist’s waist was pulled into his hand. The startled Taoist shouted at him.
“Stop!”
“You Masters are barely managing to contain the explosion of three Dharma Tools, but will it still be possible when one more is added?”
“Ja-gyeongjeong, you wretch!”
“Stop this instant!”
“Cease!”
The Taoists shouted in unison to stop him. But Ja-gyeongjeong had no intention of stopping. He smiled and said, “Everything is for the greater good. No one can stop my Tao.”
With those words, Ja-gyeongjeong threw the flute with all his might toward the sphere burning like a sun.
Whoosh!
“NOOOOOO!”
The eight Taoists turned pale. The moment they let go, they wouldn't be able to stop the explosion.
It was at that very moment.
Spin, spin, spin!
The flute flying toward the sphere stopped in mid-air, spinning in place. Ja-gyeongjeong’s face twisted at the sight.
That’s impossible…
The eight Taoists didn't have the strength to spare to let go of that sphere. Then who could have stopped it?
“Hmph!”
It didn't matter. Aside from the eight Masters, there was no one who could stop him. Ja-gyeongjeong reached out toward the flute spinning in the air. He intended to push it forward with his profound internal energy.
However—
Whir, whir, whir, whir!
The flute began to spin even faster, showing no sign of moving from its spot.
What on earth is this…
Then, the spinning flute suddenly flew toward something. It was toward the entrance of the central cavern.
Clap!
With a sharp sound, someone caught the flute.
“!?”
The darkened faces of the eight Taoists brightened as they watched. Ja-gyeongjeong’s expression twisted into a terrifying scowl as he turned his head.
There stood Jin Un-hwi, holding the flute as he walked inside.