Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 60
>Chapter Title: Secret Mission (3)
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There were eighty-seven women dressed in ceremonial silk robes in the Inner Palace of the Imperial Palace.
This also meant there were that many who held titles such as Talenteds, Noblewomen, Consorts, Imperial Consorts, and Noble Imperial Consorts.
Even among this vast number of concubines, there were two who received the Emperor's utmost favor.
One of them was none other than Noble Imperial Consort Seo, Seo Yang-hyo.
The extent of the Emperor's favor toward her was such that her seven-year-old child, born to her instead of the mature Empress's offspring, had been made Crown Prince.
As a result, she had become one of the Four Great Powers wielding unchecked authority within the Imperial Palace.
The vanguard leader, Gam Yang, spread four fingers and folded them one by one as he spoke.
"If we name the four people with the greatest power in the current Imperial Palace, they are His Majesty's younger brother, Prince Jingqin; Prime Minister Hang Yun-pa, who serves concurrently as Grand Preceptor among the Three Dukes and Admiral of the Central Inspectorate; the Emperor's second prince, Prince Zhong, who was once the most likely candidate for the throne; and Noble Imperial Consort Seo, mother of the current Crown Prince."
He enumerated them so slowly because Mok Kyung-un had said he knew nothing of the power structures and factions within the Imperial Palace.
Mok Kyung-un, who had lived only in the mountains, had learned much from books, but he knew little of how the martial world or the present Central Plains operated.
"So, one of those Four Great Powers in the Imperial Palace is Noble Imperial Consort Seo."
"Correct."
"Then why would someone like her help us?"
Mok Kyung-un raised a puzzled question, unable to comprehend.
He had heard that relations between the Imperial Palace and the martial world had improved somewhat, but the non-aggression pact remained intact, and active exchanges were limited to the orthodox martial world.
So why would Noble Imperial Consort Seo, one of the palace's powerhouses, aid the Heaven-Earth Society, which had once stood in opposition to the Imperial Palace and the orthodox martial world?
As he wondered, Yu Bong spoke in a hushed voice as if revealing a secret.
"Because we've been supporting her ever since her days as a Noblewoman on her way to becoming the current Noble Imperial Consort."
"The Heaven-Earth Society supported Noble Imperial Consort Seo?"
"Yes. That's right."
'Hoo.'
It seemed their claim of having a plan was no empty words.
If Noble Imperial Consort Seo had reached her current position with the Heaven-Earth Society's backing, she couldn't easily ignore a request for help.
At that moment, the Defiant Monk Ja Geum-jeong, who had been sipping from his gourd with arms crossed and a displeased expression, spoke up.
"Hmph. She might grant minor favors, but would she really heed a request that could jeopardize her own position?"
"......"
No one from the vanguard contradicted him, remaining silent.
Then Gam Yang spoke.
"The Defiant Monk is right. People who reach the heights tend to forget the hardships they endured climbing up."
"So there's a chance she'll refuse?"
"I won't deny it. The current Noble Imperial Consort Seo is no longer the Seo Consort of old. As the Crown Prince's mother, she's ascended to a position where even we can't pressure her lightly."
When a rear palace consort becomes the Crown Prince's mother, the "Imperial" title is added to her rank of Noble Consort.
From that point on, she effectively wielded near-absolute power.
From the Heaven-Earth Society's perspective, it wasn't entirely welcome that the woman they had long supported had reached such a height—it meant she had slipped beyond their control, in a sense.
"We must align our interests, then."
"Exactly. That's why we need to meet with Noble Imperial Consort Seo in advance. Fortunately, your group as the rear guard fits her conditions perfectly."
"Conditions? You mean talks have already taken place?"
Seop Chun asked, puzzled.
Yu Bong answered the question.
"Yes. We can't just demand that the top figure in the Inner Palace, a Noble Imperial Consort, fulfill our requests on the spot."
"......Then what are those conditions?"
"She asked us to dispatch proper young talents nurtured by the society, just like the major and minor sects of the orthodox martial world."
At Yu Bong's response, Mong Mu-yak clicked his tongue.
Mok Kyung-un asked him.
"Why is that?"
"She's no ordinary woman."
"Pardon?"
"Asking for proper young talents from our society is tantamount to demanding we move openly in the light, through agents or not."
Seop Chun chimed in, incredulous.
"Ha! Even when helping, she ensures no harm comes to herself in advance."
"So it seems."
In the case of agents, they could cut ties if things went south.
But officially dispatching society's young talents changed everything.
Problems arising would make disavowing responsibility difficult, forcing them to bear the consequences.
-What do you think?
Cheongryeong asked Mok Kyung-un.
He smirked in response.
-She's a clever woman.
-It seems so. Forcing official involvement means the ones begging for favors must tread carefully. And if things go wrong, they bear the responsibility. She's securing that.
-That's not all.
-Not all?
-Yes.
-She's full now.
-Full?
-Yes.
-Ah, I see. That's what you meant.
Cheongryeong understood what Mok Kyung-un intended.
The starving speak humbly out of hunger, but once sated, things change.
They no longer wish to beg or be leashed.
Considering that, the question wasn't whether the now-empowered woman would simply comply.
Mok Kyung-un spoke up.
"We raised her, but she's no longer a piece we can control at will."
Gam Yang agreed.
"That's why we must cajole her somewhat to get what we want. That's the crux of this mission."
Yu Bong added with a smile at Gam Yang's words.
"But no need to worry too much. From what we've observed, Noble Imperial Consort Seo hasn't forgotten the aid from our society. She just wants to avoid anything harming her or the Crown Prince. Assure her of that, and she'll be a great help."
Everyone nodded at his words.
After all, they had no intent to manipulate the Imperial Palace through Noble Imperial Consort Seo.
They simply aimed to complete the society's mission.
As everyone accepted this, Mok Kyung-un eyed vanguard members Gam Yang and Yu Bong alternately with a peculiar gaze.
But he said nothing particular.
Having thus been briefed by the vanguard on how the secret mission would proceed, the rear guard—unable to rest since arriving—decided to take a break of about an hour.
* * *
Exhausted, Seop Chun lay down and slept, while Mong Mu-yak circulated his qi for recovery.
Ja Geum-jeong passed the time sipping from his gourd, using deer meat roasted by the vanguard as an appetizer.
In a quiet spot slightly removed from the shrine, Cheongryeong, who had emerged from the wooden doll for the first time in a while, swung her pipe and showed something to Mok Kyung-un.
It was a sword sequence.
Mok Kyung-un, watching, let out an exclamation.
"Ah!"
The sword sequence Cheongryeong demonstrated was the Moon Sword Form.
But the Moon Sword Form had changed.
It was more refined and flawless than the one she had originally taught him.
Moreover, intricate variations had been added to the form, evolving it into a sword sequence that could deceive and overwhelm opponents.
Having showcased this evolved Moon Sword Form, Cheongryeong asked.
-How is it?
"There are no gaps in the sword sequence now."
-Is that all?
"The variations have increased, making it even more troublesome to face."
Cheongryeong smiled faintly and nodded.
-Right. After seeing that old man's sword sequence on the ship, I realized what the Moon Sword Form lacked. So I took the opportunity to refine it.
"Impressive."
-You've memorized it all, right?
"Yes."
-Then forget the previous version.
"Yes. Of course."
With the refined swordsmanship available, there was no need to retain the flawed one.
Cheongryeong puffed on her pipe, exhaling smoke leisurely, and said.
-But you saw that old man's sword alongside me. Surely you gained some insight?
"Insight?"
-Yes. Did seeing that sword yield no enlightenment?
The old man's sword on the ship had been shocking in itself.
From it, Cheongryeong had filled the Moon Sword Form's deficiencies, refining its sequences to near perfection.
She was confident it now fully surpassed his Heaven Sword Form.
If even she had gained such insight, it would be a lie to say this mortal boy had gained nothing from it.
His talent was beyond even her estimation.
She wondered how that sword had struck him.
Then Mok Kyung-un drew his blade, Yakjeokgeom.
-Shing!
He assumed a sword stance unlike any she had seen.
Cheongryeong asked, puzzled.
-What is that?
The stance Mok Kyung-un took was neither the old man's nor her own Moon Sword Form.
In response, Mok Kyung-un said.
"Originally, the Moon Sword Form required four forms per first sequence. But this time, two more were added, harmonizing six forms."
Cheongryeong's lips curled up.
-Yes. I thought four forms per sequence was ideal and the limit, but that was merely my preconception. If needed, more can be incorporated to diversify changes and cover weaknesses.
She deemed six the most ideal.
That refinement was now the Moon Sword Form.
"Yes. Seeing it, I realized there's no need to cling to fixed ideas."
Light flickered in Cheongryeong's eyes.
-Did you... refine a sword sequence like me?
"No. You know the Moon Sword Form better than I, and it needs no further work from me."
-Then what?
"I just pondered what the most efficient and ideal sword sequence would be."
-Wait... surely you're not saying...?
Was this boy claiming he had created his own sword sequence?
Inventing a sword sequence was no simple feat.
It went beyond mere swinging: harmonizing forms to manifest sequences, infusing sword intent, and optimal qi circulation paths to maximize power—all three elements had to align.
Reaching that level marked entry into the realm of mastery.
'I spent years refining the Moon Sword Form with him after breaking through my wall.'
Yet for a novice who had barely begun martial arts, even after witnessing that extraordinary sword, to invent his own was beyond reason.
However,
-Swish!
Mok Kyung-un began slowly moving his blade.
Like brushing ink with a brush, he executed sword forms in trajectories utterly unlike the Moon Sword Form.
-Slash!
The first form was simple.
A mere horizontal slash, and the second a vertical one.
But as forms progressed, changes became evident.
The Moon Sword Form comprised twenty-four forms, originally combined four per sequence, now six per for greater variation—totaling thirty forms.
-Slash! Sh slash slash!
Mok Kyung-un's forms exceeded ten.
Swords naturally blend thrusts and slashes.
Overlaps were inevitable.
About half of Mok Kyung-un's forms resembled those of the Moon Sword Form.
But at some point, they diverged.
-Sh slash slash! Slash! Slash!
Trajectories veered into utterly unexpected angles.
Watching, Cheongryeong couldn't hide her bafflement.
Each of Mok Kyung-un's forms felt devoid of overlapping paths.
'No need to make them so distinct.'
Lacking experience, the boy seemed to overcomplicate inventing forms.
That would make sequences difficult too.
Excluding the initial ten forms, combinations looked daunting.
-Slash!
"Hoo."
Mok Kyung-un demonstrated a total of twenty-four forms.
Cheongryeong clicked her tongue.
-No need to vary trajectories so much. Inventing forms that way leads to overlaps, wasting the rest.
"No. I'll use them all."
-No need to be greedy, mortal.
"Is that so?"
-Insisting on non-overlapping paths is just another fixation. If you've truly gained insight, don't be bound.
"That's what I'm doing."
-Always hearing only what you want? Tsk tsk.
Stubborn as ever.
Cheongryeong saw no point in arguing further.
Combining those invented forms would eventually prove her right.
Then Mok Kyung-un assumed his stance again.
"This will be the first sequence."
And at that instant—
-Sh sh sh sh sh slash!
Mok Kyung-un flowed through the forms into a sequence.
Cheongryeong's eyes trembled wildly as she watched.
'No?'
She had wondered which forms he would combine.
But what unfolded from Mok Kyung-un's hand shattered all expectations.
Momentarily dumbfounded, she realized.
She had assumed at most four to six from the twenty-four.
Yet Mok Kyung-un's sequence combined—
'All twenty-four forms into one sequence?'
It upended all convention.
Twenty-four non-overlapping trajectories unleashed at tremendous speed, forging into a single sequence—
-Sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh slash!
A flawless, advance-and-retreat-unified sword sequence without a single gap.
After executing it, white breath escaped Mok Kyung-un's mouth.
His sword hand trembled faintly—the strain of simultaneously unleashing twenty-four forms on his muscles.
'!!!!!!!'
Cheongryeong, witnessing it, was speechless.
She had told him not to be bound by preconceptions, and he birthed a sequence defying common sense.
'This madman... he's truly insane.'
End of Chapter 60: Secret Mission (3)