Chapter 105: The Imperial Palace (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 105: The Imperial Palace (1)
Zhaoyang, northern Hubei Province.
A house lay hidden, surrounded by steep cliffs.
A middle-aged man with long eyebrows and an unassuming appearance emerged into a blacksmith shop that was still thick with sweltering heat.
As soon as he appeared, masked men who had been lurking in the shadows like ghosts revealed themselves. They had drawn their weapons, but upon recognizing the middle-aged man, they quickly sheathed them.
One of the masked men bowed respectfully.
"You have arrived?"
The middle-aged man addressed him.
"And His Majesty?"
"He said he would be away for a few days."
"Away?"
The middle-aged man furrowed his brows. The Demon Sword was set to be completed in about five days; it was strange for him to leave now. He had expected the man to be waiting with bated breath.
The masked man asked him, "Did you retrieve the sword?"
"It is here."
In response, the middle-aged man handed over a sword wrapped in a leather scabbard that had been slung across his back. In truth, there had been no need to "retrieve" it. He had been the one keeping it safe from the beginning.
"He will be very pleased," the masked man said, his voice tinged with excitement as he respectfully accepted the blade.
The middle-aged man asked, "I have a report to make. Do you know where he went?"
"I apologize, but I cannot disclose that information."
"Hmm."
As expected. No matter how loyal a subordinate was, the Emperor never fully trusted anyone. However, that didn't mean the information was impossible to obtain.
The middle-aged man glanced toward one of the other masked men. That individual subtly sent a message via Sound Transmission as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
[A message arrived stating that the whereabouts of the Divine Healer of Ten Thousand Ailments have been discovered.]
[The Divine Healer?]
[Yes. It seems he has gone directly to the Imperial Palace.]
The middle-aged man’s eyes narrowed. Mongju, the man currently tasked with tracking the Divine Healer within the Imperial Palace, was his own person. If the Golden Emperor had found the healer's location without Mongju informing him, it meant the Emperor had another source of information unknown to him.
He truly doesn't trust me until the very end.
But it didn't matter. The time was drawing near. When that moment arrived, their parting would occur naturally.
Spirit Mountain, Guangxi.
The main headquarters of the Blood Cult.
Inside the private underground training hall reserved for the Cult Leader, three masters were engaged in a fierce duel. The battle was so intense that the training ground—constructed from Blue Jade Stone, which was known to be harder than Generation Stone and capable of withstanding attacks infused with immense internal energy—was being reduced to a shambles.
Flash! Boom!
The three peerless masters fought while keeping each other in check, and none of them seemed to be losing ground. However, one person was clearly at a disadvantage: First Venerable Dan Wi-gang. Although he was a master who had broken through the Wall, he was forced to fight using only his left arm, putting him at a significant disadvantage compared to the other two.
Swish! Slash!
Nevertheless, his swordplay remained incredibly sharp and mysterious. Since he didn't yield an inch, Baek Hye-hyang, who was unleashing sword techniques against him, couldn't help but marvel.
"It seems you've become even stronger than before you lost your arm, First Venerable."
"Hahaha, surely I cannot compare to the Vice Cult Leader."
First Venerable Dan Wi-gang could not hide his satisfaction at Baek Hye-hyang’s martial prowess, which had now stabilized after she surpassed the Wall. He had watched her grow since she was a child.
The previous Cult Leader would be proud.
It was no easy feat to achieve such heights as a woman. Furthermore, having crossed the Wall in her twenties, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.
"It is a great blessing for our cult. Is it not, Third Venerable?"
At Dan Wi-gang’s words, the massive Third Venerable, Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon, laughed boisterously.
"Gwahahaha! With an outstanding Cult Leader and an equally brilliant Vice Cult Leader, our cult will be able to conquer the Orthodox Faction in no time!"
It was no exaggeration to say that the Blood Cult's current strength surpassed what it had been twenty years ago. Even back then, it was considered a golden age because they possessed two superhumans, but the present could hardly be compared to that time. There were already three superhumans gathered in this very spot.
Even more astonishing was the fact that even if these three joined forces, they could not surpass the Cult Leader alone.
"Stop the idle chatter and both of you come at me."
Baek Hye-hyang provoked the two Venerables. Just as they were about to move again with smiles on their faces, a sound came from the entrance of the training hall.
Thump! Thump!
Soon, someone pushed aside the Blue Jade Stone wall at the entrance and stepped inside. It was none other than Second Venerable Seo Gal-ma.
As soon as he appeared, Hae Ak-cheon shouted excitedly, "Brother Seo, will you join us?"
Seo Gal-ma frowned at the suggestion. He wanted to, but the duel inside had already far exceeded his level. If he rashly joined their training, he might end up seriously injured.
"No, thank you. More importantly, Vice Cult Leader, an urgent dispatch has arrived."
"A dispatch?"
As Baek Hye-hyang looked on in confusion, Seo Gal-ma approached her, pulling a letter from his robes. Wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead, she asked, "Has a reply already come from Woon-hwi?"
"No. That news will likely reach the Cult Leader within a day or two."
"Then what kind of dispatch is it?"
At her question, Seo Gal-ma handed over the letter and said, "I'm not quite sure how to put this..."
Seeing him hesitate as if he were in a difficult position, Hae Ak-cheon asked, "Did those Martial Alliance bastards do something?"
"It's not that."
"Then why are you hesitating?"
"It's... it says the Cult Leader has been inaugurated as the Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance."
"!!!"
The three of them stood there, dazed. For a moment, they doubted their own ears. Cult Leader So Woon-hwi had clearly headed to the Martial Alliance to catch the Golden Emperor. What kind of preposterous news was this?
"What does that mean?" Baek Hye-hyang asked, her elegant brows furrowing.
Seo Gal-ma then relayed the details he had received—specifically, how their Cult Leader had ended up being inaugurated as the leader of the Martial Alliance.
Upon hearing this, Hae Ak-cheon couldn't stop himself from roaring with laughter.
"Kwahahahaha! I was wondering why he bothered going all the way to the Martial Alliance to catch that Golden Emperor fellow, but that kid—no, the Cult Leader—had a plan all along!"
It was truly mind-blowing news. He had been unpredictable even as a disciple, but who could have imagined he would pull off such a stunt under the identity of the Lesser Sword Immortal?
What was even more amusing was...
"The leader of our cult is the Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance. Keul-keul."
Hae Ak-cheon was thoroughly entertained, wondering if such a thing had ever happened in the entire history of the martial world. Even the taciturn and stoic First Venerable Dan Wi-gang marveled.
"The Cult Leader is truly audacious."
His boldness was such that one couldn't even guess what kind of catastrophe would erupt if he were caught. However, knowing his true martial prowess, they weren't particularly worried.
"At this rate, it's as if our cult has swallowed the Martial Alliance as well. Since the Cult Leader is the Alliance Leader. Keul-keul-keul, don't you agree, Vice Cult Leader?"
At Hae Ak-cheon’s words, Baek Hye-hyang curled the corners of her lips and muttered, "He's certainly the man I chose."
It was a compliment perfectly suited to her. Though she spoke arrogantly, she seemed quite pleased with the news.
Seo Gal-ma then spoke up cautiously to Baek Hye-hyang.
"Vice Cult Leader... however..."
"What is it now?"
Baek Hye-hyang leaned in, wondering what other interesting news he had to share.
But then...
"It is said that the Cult Leader is currently being called the Number One Sword Under Heaven by the Orthodox Faction."
"The Orthodox Faction?"
The smile on Baek Hye-hyang’s face vanished instantly, her expression twisting.
Two days later.
—The way things are turning out is actually pretty funny.
"Sigh."
A sigh escaped me at the sound of the Lesser Conversation Sword’s snickering. To think the former Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance would stab me in the back like this. Things had deviated from my original intention.
—Your fame has reached the heavens.
My head was starting to throb. He had effectively dumped the responsibility on me. No matter how I looked at it, he had intentionally elevated my status as the Lesser Sword Immortal to that of the world's greatest master. He was a man who would never do anything that disadvantaged the Orthodox Faction.
—Oh, right. He made the identity of the Orthodox Faction's Lesser Sword Immortal the best in the world.
Probably. That way, the position of the Orthodox Martial World would become even stronger. He used his head while dumping the role on me.
—The Blood Cult side is going to absolutely hate this.
I suspected as much. Baek Hye-hyang would probably demand to know what on earth I was doing. It wasn't as the Blood Demon that I had gained the title of the world's best, but as the Lesser Sword Immortal. I might have to put on another performance later to flip this dynamic.
—Well, you achieved your goal anyway. From a spy to the Alliance Leader. Impressive.
Just as it said, I had been inaugurated as the Alliance Leader by a unanimous vote after the former leader, Baek Hyang-muk, forfeited the fight. There was no separate inauguration ceremony. The Council of Elders had already officially proclaimed me as the new Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance in front of the countless Orthodox martial artists who had gathered for the Great Leader election and the Grand Martial Assembly.
It was absolute chaos back then. People were shouting that the youngest Alliance Leader in history had been born. I still can't forget the sight of tens of thousands of martial artists in the stands cheering and chanting my name.
Though, it would have been better if they had called me Jin Un-hwi instead of So Woon-hwi.
—You're going to reveal everything eventually, right?
Not right now, but wouldn't that time come? Regardless, there was something I had to resolve first. Originally, I had planned to round up all of the Golden Emperor's spies within the Martial Alliance and use them to leak information that would lure him out.
However, a more urgent matter had arisen. The whereabouts of the missing Divine Healer of Ten Thousand Ailments had finally been revealed. It was Song Jwa-baek who informed me.
[A message came from the cult. They found the Divine Healer's location.]
According to him, aside from sending me this news, the cult had already dispatched people to the Imperial Palace. But there was a variable. I had intended to leave it to Baek Hye-hyang and the cult, but the Divine Healer's location wasn't discovered by the spies in the palace; rather, he had revealed himself in an official capacity.
[He or the Noejangjo will move personally.]
Seol Baek predicted that either the Golden Emperor or the Noejangjo would move in person. I expected the same. All of the Golden Emperor's plans for Peerless Fortress, the Blood Cult, and the Martial Alliance had failed, and his existence had even been exposed because I revealed his identity. He would definitely try to get his hands on the Divine Healer at any cost.
—The key is to spirit him away first.
Exactly. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to return Baek Ryeonha and Seobok to normal. I had tried to revive the frozen Seobok to find out what the villain had done, but I hadn't achieved any results. I even tried breaking his head to see if he would recover, just in case. In the end, the Divine Healer's help was necessary.
—It's a good thing Seol Baek is here.
True. Seol Baek was using her cold energy to keep Seobok's head from thawing. But it would be difficult for her to stay attached to him and do that indefinitely. Securing the Divine Healer before then was the priority.
I looked up at the magnificent walls of the Imperial Palace. The area was lit up by torches in every direction, a spectacle that couldn't even be compared to the Martial Alliance or Peerless Fortress.
It's been a long time.
Before my regression, I had entered this palace exactly once as part of a Martial Alliance inspection team to have an audience with the Emperor. I hadn't actually met the Emperor and had to return after staying briefly in the Outer Palace, but fortunately, I had enough memory of it to reach the Imperial Capital using the Ground Shrinking Technique.
Since the Divine Healer was said to be treating the Emperor as his primary physician, he would likely be in the palace where the Emperor resided.
First, I'll enter the Outer Palace, disguise myself as a guard or someone else...
Then I would infiltrate the inner palace, secure the Divine Healer, and escape immediately using the Ground Shrinking Technique. It seemed like it would be an easy success thanks to that technique.
—Be careful anyway. You said none of the Blood Cult spies ever managed to successfully infiltrate the Inner Palace from the Outer Palace.
That was indeed strange. Perhaps it was related to the rumors of the Imperial Palace's hidden power. Regardless, it was time to go inside.
—Vwooom!
First, to the Outer Palace reception hall...
Flash!
"Ugh!"
In that instant, my body, which was being pulled into space, was flung back out. I couldn't understand what had happened. I had clearly folded space based on my memories of that time, but I was repelled by an unknown force.
—What's wrong?
I don't know. I'll try again. Maybe the reception hall didn't exist in this time period, so I'll try somewhere else.
—Vwooom! Flash!
"Urgh!"
As I folded space again, my body was once more thrown back. An unknown force was rejecting me, interfering with the act of folding space itself. I tried two more times, but the result was the same.
I guess there's no other way.
I didn't know why, but it seemed there was no choice but to infiltrate directly by using multiple disguises. For now, I would have to leap over the wall and enter the Outer Palace.
Just as I was about to climb...
Huh?
I saw a procession of torches approaching the main gate. There was a luxurious carriage in the center, and in front of it, men who appeared to be the Imperial Guard were carrying the Imperial flag along with another banner.
It was a flag embroidered with the character 'Gyeong' (景).
Ho-oh.
Inside the carriage.
There was Prince Gyeong, dressed in the official robes worn by princes, and a beautiful woman wearing the military attire of a Junior Fourth Rank Guardian Warrior. She was the courtesan formerly known as Yeon-saeng. Originally, she was merely a courtesan trained to protect Prince Gyeong in the shadows, but she had become a Guardian Warrior in the time between falling asleep and waking up.
As Yeon-saeng bit her lip nervously, Prince Gyeong spoke to her.
"Do not be anxious."
"But, Your Highness, I..."
"It is fine. Prince Yeong and the other princes are afraid of the rumors about you, not your actual martial prowess."
Yeon-saeng had never been inside the Imperial Palace before. She was worried that something might happen if she entered under the guise of a Guardian Warrior protecting the Prince.
"Your Highness. If I am discovered, not only will it affect you, but I will be executed for insulting the Imperial family..."
"Haha. I told you it's fine. Anyway, inside the Imperial Palace, no one—"
It was at that very moment.
—Vwooom!
The space inside the carriage rippled, and someone appeared.
"What?!"
"Your Highness!"
Yeon-saeng started to draw her flying sword at the sight of a woman in green military attire, but then she froze in shock.
!?
It was because the woman who had suddenly appeared had a face exactly like her own.
"Y-you..."
Thud!
Before she could say another word, her pressure points were struck, and she collapsed unconscious.
Even after witnessing this, Prince Gyeong didn't look surprised; instead, his face brightened with joy.
"Yeon-saeng!"
"Have you been well, Your Highness?"