Chapter 543: The Jianghu Roster (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 543: The Jianghu Roster (9)
Beijing, the Forbidden City.
A profound silence hung in the air, as if the entire palace complex were completely deserted.
Indeed, it had been quite some time since many of the imperial experts had departed for Mount Zhongnan, following the new Emperor.
Yet, the golden roofs within the palace walls were still shrouded in a translucent wave of energy, making every tile appear hazy, as if coated in frost.
It was not a formation.
It was the wave of internal power emanating from living experts.
Hundreds of imperial experts, who had marched to the northern Jianghu to repel the invading demonfolk, had already returned.
They were the force that preserved the Great Ming Empire in a land ruled by the strange, violent, chaotic, and supernatural forces of the Murim. Yet now, the imperial court was truly in a state of pandemonium.
Deep within lay a garden blooming with five-colored flowers.
The scenery unfolded as if completely untouched by the worsening famine ravaging the land. This was the vicinity of Cining Palace in the Forbidden City, the most secretive path in the imperial court.
For it led directly to the residence of the Grand Empress Dowager of the Great Ming.
Step.
A gentle breeze, stirred by the footsteps of two figures, tickled the flower petals along the path to Cining Palace.
One wore the black robes of the Desolate Fortress, while the other was clad in blue. Among them, the youthful man in the blue robe suddenly spoke up.
"For a place that's supposed to be bustling, it's strangely lifeless. It's heavy, even terrifying... and it feels oddly lonely without any of those fat-bellied high officials strutting around," the blue-robed warrior, Yeon So-ha, whispered.
A master who formed a wing of the reorganized Divine Sword Squad, he had been the youngest Blue Rank before Jeong Yeon-shin's promotion.
Born into a noble family of Beijing, his steps were exceedingly cautious, but in contrast, his mouth moved incessantly.
"The imperial experts have definitely lost their swagger. I wonder what on earth happened in the north... I'd love to see even a trace of it from afar. To see what kind of ruin was left of the battlefield where the late Emperor and the demonfolk leader fought."
"They say that land has become a demon realm where wind, rain, and scorching sun clash constantly. With your level of martial prowess, you would barely be able to set foot there."
It was the cold reply of Jin Myeong-jo, the Vice Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
His stride was lofty, even in the middle of the Forbidden City. The heels of his leather shoes clicked sharply against the ground.
But his hair was different.
Swoosh—
As Jin Myeong-jo drew closer to Cining Palace, his white hair gradually turned black. It was a transformation technique to conceal his lineage as a Blood Ghost. His snow-white hair prematurely took on the color of the night sky.
He rarely used this technique unless he was likely to encounter commoners. Doing so now proved he was on extreme alert regarding what was about to unfold.
"Well, of course it would be tough for me. I heard it's not just the weather changing, but thunder and lightning striking constantly too."
"Are you always this talkative?"
"Yes, well. Anyway, I only heard he was strong, but I never imagined the late Emperor's martial arts would be at that level... Do you think even the Fighting God vanished without leaving a corpse? Is that why even the monsters of the north can't find any trace of him?"
"That is not for you or me to speculate. Now, shut your mouth."
Before they knew it, they stood before a massive palace.
In front of the main gate, it was supported by eight red pillars as thick as ancient trees.
It was Cining Palace.
The companion of the Great Ming's dynastic founder was inside.
For some reason, she had not shown herself even when Emperor Geonreung marched out to war, but she had reportedly made her presence felt during his funeral and the new Emperor's coronation.
By sending a massive flow of True Qi, like a natural disaster, that subtly shook the entire Forbidden City.
Because of this, rumors were circulating that the Grand Empress Dowager would once again intervene in state affairs.
This was why the imperial experts were keeping a low profile. In fact, it was said that all kinds of letters flew out of Cining Palace on their own every day, delivering themselves to various parts of the Forbidden City.
No one knew their contents except the officials who received them directly.
For they kept their mouths strictly shut.
Creak—
The doors opened on their own.
The heavy friction of large hinges followed.
Yeon So-ha flinched slightly. He felt as if the space around him had suddenly been packed tight. He had already been wondering why there were no guards nearby.
Step.
The moment Jin Myeong-jo stepped forward.
'Huh?'
Yeon So-ha blinked, only to find himself suddenly standing in the middle of a quiet, serene room.
His memory of crossing the threshold and entering Cining Palace had been completely erased.
It was the price of wading through an absurdly overwhelming presence.
"..."
He stared blankly ahead.
A wide, closely woven bamboo blind hung before them.
Beyond it, a silhouette was visible, resembling a statue carved from wood.
The dark shadow wore garments of an unfamiliar style, which looked almost like a court dress made of leaves.
'Or perhaps a monster fused with a tree...'
Yeon So-ha thought, inhaling the fragrant scent of leaves.
She was a Brightfolk of particularly noble birth, much like the Lord of the Desolate Fortress.
She had founded the Ming Dynasty alongside Taizu, and she had once clashed with Perfected Zhang Sanfeng. Despite her defeat, she had survived to this day.
In terms of age, she was not much different from the Dark Sky Emperor, the Master of Taemo Mountain Fortress. Even without sensing any peculiar energy, one could not help but be overwhelmed.
It was then.
"I greet the Founding Ancestor."
Jin Myeong-jo knelt on one knee and rested his elbow upon it.
An unusual gesture by any standard. To Yeon So-ha's eyes, this was not the etiquette of the Ming Dynasty, yet the figure beyond the blind accepted it as natural and replied.
"You must know the price of my time. Do not beat around the bush."
Yeon So-ha had never heard such a low voice. Though clearly a woman's voice, it rumbled like wind passing through the bark of a massive, ancient tree.
And it pressed heavily upon the listener's mind, as if trying to block the natural flow of thought.
'What is this?'
Just in case, Yeon So-ha began to recite the mnemonic of the Divine Sword Corps: Vast Art Formula in his mind.
—I was wrong.
A martial art he had recently begun to practice. It was none other than the one Commander Jeong had left in the Gold-Piercing Martial Library before departing for Mount Wudang. Like the Desolate Shin Clan's Martial Scripture of the Great Sage, it was a form that wove a Heart Cultivation Art and offensive forms together.
Perhaps because his Baihui Point warmed with a slight heat at this moment.
'I think my mind is clearing up a bit...?'
It allowed rapid progress like a domineering art, yet remained as stable as orthodox martial arts.
Proof that it was a divine ultimate technique. Unlike the lineages of Bodhidharma and Zhang Sanfeng, it might be vulnerable in prolonged one-on-one battles, but it meant he no longer had to cling to Great Hero Yong, who did nothing but make excuses about how the Dragon Ring Sect's martial arts didn't suit humans.
Meanwhile, Jin Myeong-jo bowed his head slightly and spoke in a low voice.
"There are too many things in this country that restrict the movements of our fortress's Flash Art of the Jeong Clan. That is why I requested this audience. I ask that you grant boundless freedom to the Divine Sword Corps of the Desolate Fortress in this turbulent world."
It meant that from now on, the Desolate Fortress would place the imperial court's orders second.
"...!"
Yeon So-ha snapped to attention.
He had thought their mission was to free the Lord of the Wish-Fulfilling Spring and the Commander of the Dragon-Treading Unit from Beijing's Thunder Prison, but hearing this now, it was completely different.
Come to think of it, the Main Fortress Chief Steward's Office had only told him to assist the Vice Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
He cursed inwardly in dismay. Those damn scribbler bastards.
'This was a suicide mission!'
Just as Yeon So-ha's face turned pale.
The Grand Empress Dowager's voice seeped through the bamboo blind, chillingly.
"Yu-geuk is a child starved for imperial power. Since the late Emperor sat on the throne for seventy-two years, even if I were to permit it, Yu-geuk would never accept it."
Emperor Yungjeong Ju Yu-geuk.
The son of the late Emperor Geonreung, he had been appointed Crown Prince early on and lived for seventy more years. Over time, he had gradually deteriorated, earning the contempt of the civil and military officials.
Naturally, he could not help but be extremely sensitive about his current imperial authority. He was sensitive about everything.
"He is a man who cannot stand on his own without relying on legitimacy. As long as you, Grand Empress Dowager, are here, he will remain in the shadows forever. He is different from the late Emperor."
Jin Myeong-jo's voice was quiet.
By now, Yeon So-ha was screaming internally. The Commander of the Bloodkeeper Unit he knew was someone who prioritized his own safety, but right now, he seemed to have lost his mind.
'Wasn't self-preservation your top priority, unless commoners were involved?!'
Thud!
The sound reverberated within Yeon So-ha's body. The air grew heavy. The Grand Empress Dowager's internal power had permeated the palace, and a thick, woody scent suddenly wafted from all directions.
"Rumor had it that you are the right hand of the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, which is why I granted this meeting."
"..."
"Your spirit is formidable. Is it because the imperial court, having lost the late Emperor, appears incompetent to you?"
"The Desolate Fortress is not a place that protects imperial authority, but a sect that looks toward something far more fundamental."
And so it began.
The Grand Empress Dowager's voice, as cold as the rustling of leaves in the dark dawn, tangled with Jin Myeong-jo's smooth tone.
Every single word threatened to choke the breath out of Yeon So-ha.
"I understand your Lord is absent. Setting everything else aside, do you even have the authority to make such decisions in the first place?"
"Our fortress has only one martial unit. Therefore, the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps is the Desolate Fortress."
"How arrogant. The imperial court cannot help but worry about you overstepping your bounds. The Divine Sword Corps of the Desolate Fortress... if the nation lets you loose, will you still fulfill your proper duty?"
"I will not ask for what reason you, Grand Empress Dowager, have cast aside the duty of the strong to live in seclusion here in Cining Palace. However..."
Then, Jin Myeong-jo's red lips curled slowly.
"Because of the imperial court's dignity, two of our Unit Commanders have been imprisoned, dragging down the prestige of our fortress's Black Ranks. Furthermore, the late Emperor's will is so ambiguous in its scope that it holds back the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps. The roofs of the Forbidden City are such that any accusation can be made to look plausible, so we have no way of knowing when we might be framed for treason next."
"Your words go too far. The Flash Art of the Jeong Clan is upholding the late Emperor's will, which is something to be grateful for, not something that holds him back."
"With all due respect, the imperial court is in our way."
Yeon So-ha's breath caught.
Flutter!
Letters came flying from all corners of the palace. For a moment, Yeon So-ha thought the Grand Empress Dowager had flown into a rage, but the oldest figure in the Ming imperial family did not make her move so easily.
"It is the journal of a certain scholar."
Along with her words, sheets of paper floated in the air. A crude handwriting caught Yeon So-ha's eye.
—The sun has set. Giant monsters with distorted faces dragged people away. The screams of the dying can be heard outside the door. The fires raging within the fortress walls seep through the cracks of the window along with the smoke, making it hard to breathe. I feel like sneezing, but I must hold it in. Even if only to keep moving this brush.
—I watched through the window. By afternoon, the corpses had piled up like mountains. Today, I lost my brother, my sister-in-law, my younger sibling, and my nephew. Their faces were skinned alive, and their ribs were stacked into a bizarre tower. Now, only Artisan Jang, myself, and my wife are left. I feel completely detached from reality.
—Artisan Jang. To think my drinking buddy from across the market stall was a blue-robed warrior of the Desolate Fortress's Netherflow Unit... It's a wonder I've lived long enough to see such a thing, but even he is holding his breath now. Yet, he is by no means pathetic. Artisan Jang had the chance to escape with his swift legs, but he chose to stay to protect us.
—The northern demonfolk. To those creatures with distorted faces, our faces all look the same. So they either slaughter all the fortress residents, or kill the elderly and children, leaving only the young and healthy men and women.
—A question suddenly occurred to me. Aren't they said to be the martial artists of the north? If so, they must surely possess a sense of Qi.
—Do the beings slaughtering people outside the door right now know of our presence, or do they not?
That was all.
The Grand Empress Dowager spoke.
"This is what is happening all over the north, and it is the reason you must exercise self-restraint. Only when the imperial authority is firmly established can the imperial martial arts army fully follow. The world is vast, but your Desolate Fortress is very small. Therefore, you must not think the new Emperor is merely scrambling to save face."
Yeon So-ha suddenly caught the scent of ink. It smelled as if it had only recently been written. This should have been impossible if it had been penned in the distant north.
'What is this?'
Then, Jin Myeong-jo muttered as if to himself.
"...Some Brightfolk experts can command the spirituality dwelling within natural Qi at their will. It seems you, Grand Empress Dowager, have made a friend of the wind king."
In the presence of such a Grand Empress Dowager, Yeon So-ha whispered cautiously.
"Like the Commander of the Demonlight Wing or Senior Moon-Shooting Bow Ghost?"
"Those two are useful, of course, but the scale of her vision is on a different level. It seems the wind of Cining Palace moved in tandem with the brushstrokes of some unknown northern scholar."
In short, she had copied the original text as it was being written at this very moment, right from where she sat. Yeon So-ha's eyes widened in shock.
"Then, she is monitoring the entire world...?"
His voice trailed off, and the Grand Empress Dowager's voice slipped into the gap.
"It is merely one of the duties assigned to me; I cannot keep track of the movements of elusive masters. At any rate, yes... how about the correspondence being written by the soldiers at the Great Wall? Would you like to see it?"
A person who allowed no secrets even to her allies.
There was no need to wait for the correspondence.
By now, Yeon So-ha was completely overwhelmed. Needless to say, the focus in his eyes grew hazy.
"..."
The lively wit typical of a Beijing noble-born youth had vanished without a trace.
As a member of the Divine Sword Squad, his assigned role was scouting and close-quarters brawling, but now, with a fundamental terror on the verge of becoming a Heart Demon, there was no telling what would happen to him.
Shhh—
A brush boldly swept strokes across a blank sheet of paper floating horizontally in the air.
A bleak rustling sound echoed continuously throughout the wide-open hall.
In the silent palace, characters gradually began to take shape.
Was it a draft of a report? It was written in a cursive script, completely different from the handwriting shown earlier. The text itself was unorganized.
—The Lingering Thunder sword owned by the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps has marched to the north. To restate, the Lingering Thunder has marched to the north.
—The Lingering Thunder has annihilated the demonfolk's Hocheon Fortress. Freed the captives from the said stronghold.
—The Lingering Thunder shattered the crescent blade of the Hocheon Fortress Lord, Ma Ma-gwang-myeol, and blasted him back over a hundred Zhang along with his Body Protection Qi. According to the estimation of eye technique masters, it was one hundred and twenty-three Zhang.
—A force of three thousand demonfolk from the military camp in the hilly area marched south.
—Suddenly annihilated. This occurred immediately after the Lingering Thunder deflected the crescent blade of the military camp's commander. The hilly area was transformed into a basin. Suspected to be the work of Sound Arts.
—The Lingering Thunder passed Hocheon Fortress and broke through Seulhae Pass. Clashed again with the Hocheon Fortress Lord, Ma Ma-gwang-myeol. A battle cry like thunder. Ma Ma-gwang-myeol fell into a canyon three hundred Zhang away. It appears Sword Kinesis ignored the repulsive force of the Heavenly Silk Light Armor...
—If the Grand Governor permits our march, a radius of five hundred Zhang around the Seulhae point of the Great Wall will be incorporated into our nation's territory.
—The Flash Art of the Jeong Clan does not move...
The last sentence seemed to have been scribbled unconsciously. Suddenly, Jin Myeong-jo's voice echoed low within the palace.
"It seems to be a spy of a Beijing noble, reporting the Grand Governor's every move."
"..."
Swoosh—
In the dark silence, Jin Myeong-jo's black hair was dyed snow-white once more. It did not take long for his hair to return to its natural white.
He said,
"My business remains unchanged."
The separation of the imperial court and the Desolate Fortress.
Complete liberation.
"..."
While the silence of Cining Palace deepened, Yeon So-ha's eyes gradually regained their sharp focus.