Chapter 1272
The Emperor's eyes widened sharply.
"Troops?"
He leaned closer toward Na Baek-hu before speaking again.
"Explain in detail."
"Since three days ago, unidentified forces have begun appearing on the outskirts of Beijing," Na Baek-hu continued, his head bowed.
"At first, it was a small group of about ten or so, but by yesterday, their numbers had swelled to a hundred. Today, they number five hundred."
Just as the Emperor's brow furrowed, Na Baek-hu spoke again.
"They wear no official uniforms and raise no clear military banners, yet their movements are highly organized, and their martial prowess appears to be considerable."
"Hmm."
"Within four days, they will likely transform into a full-fledged army and march upon the Imperial Palace."
"Order the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Five Military Governor's Office to encircle them in the outskirts. Uproot them completely—leave not even a seed behind."
The air in the chamber froze.
Na Baek-hu immediately lowered his head deeply and delivered unexpected words.
"Your Majesty, deploying troops may instead invite disaster."
The Emperor's gaze sharpened.
"What do you mean?"
Na Baek-hu steadied his breath and spoke cautiously.
"That group has no fixed encampment or dwelling. The moment they detect signs of troop movements, they scatter like mist... only to regroup elsewhere as if nothing happened."
"Hmm."
"They must have a secret language and signaling system to identify one another... The moment we mobilize our forces, they will likely disperse among the commoners, erasing all traces of themselves."
Na Baek-hu kept his head bowed as he continued.
"If we deploy a large army to tighten the encirclement, they will scatter among the populace... Without slaughtering tens of thousands of innocent people, there will be no way to single them out and eliminate them. If we act rashly, the Imperial Palace will only be in greater danger."
The Emperor said,
"So they are deliberately increasing their numbers day by day, making themselves conspicuous?"
"Precisely. It may be bait to lure out the Imperial forces."
"You mean that the moment we deploy a large army to the outskirts, the defenses within the palace and key strongholds in the city will weaken."
"That is correct."
In short, those troops could overthrow the Imperial Palace at any moment.
They might be sacrificial pieces, deliberately drawing attention.
Until they actually march upon the palace, we cannot recklessly engage them.
The air in the bedchamber grew heavy.
"Elite soldiers disguised as civilians, their identities and movements utterly untraceable."
The Emperor slowly walked toward the window.
"There is only one group like that."
The distant sky outside the window was tranquil.
Beneath it, the countless palace roofs shimmered silver under the moonlight—a peaceful scene.
Yet in his eyes, it seemed as though the interior was already stained crimson.
"The Nine Nether Demon Army."
The forces of the Empress Dowager, long kept under watch.
She had clearly decided to send in an army wielding supernatural power—one that could seize control in an instant, unstoppable in its march upon the palace—to devour everything.
"So this is how she intends to end it."
The Emperor paced back and forth across the bedchamber, its floor inlaid with smooth jade, lost in thought.
Tap, tap, tap.
Yet his footsteps were perfectly measured, his stride without the slightest deviation.
Proof that even in an unconscious state, his body was under flawless control.
The Emperor was known to possess immense courage but was not thought to have properly trained in martial arts.
But now, faced with a grave crisis,
he had inadvertently revealed that he had reached an extraordinarily high level of martial prowess.
"Where is the Heavenly Might Secret Army?"
The Heavenly Might Secret Army—an elite unit secretly established by the previous Emperor to protect the royal family.
Officially, they did not exist, but in truth, they were composed of the strongest elites, capable of annihilating tens of thousands of troops in an instant.
When crisis struck the Imperial family, the Heavenly Might Secret Army would emerge like shadows to eliminate the enemies.
"The Heavenly Might Secret Army is not responding."
Na Baek-hu's face darkened.
He remained silent for a long moment before finally answering in a grave voice.
"We have been sending signals for three days, but not a single branch has replied."
"That cannot be."
The Emperor, recalling something, sat down on a nearby chair.
The chair, carved with golden dragons, creaked under his weight.
"All the martial artists reported to have been killed by the Shadowless Assassin... were elites belonging to the Heavenly Might Secret Army."
Na Baek-hu spoke in a heavy voice.
"According to our investigation, nine of the twelve commanders have already been killed, and the remaining three are severely injured and unable to move."
A heavy silence filled the bedchamber.
For a moment, the wind flowing in through the window made the candlelight flicker, casting shadows.
The distorted shadows on the wall twisted like the form of a demon.
"Was the Shadowless Assassin also part of the Empress Dowager's scheme?"
After a brief moment of contemplation, the emperor spoke again.
"Summon the Dragon Scale Guard commander."
Then he commanded:
"Activate the Heavenly Emperor Command with his Dragon-Phoenix Ring. Along with the Dragon Scale Guard's elite soldiers, mobilize the Heavenly Emperor Secret Guard and have them take command of the four forces—the Hidden Heaven Shadow, the Heavenly Secret Guard, the Heavenly Protector Forbidden Guard Division, and the Grand Guardian Shadow Division."
The Dragon-Phoenix Ring.
It was not merely a royal treasure but a sacred artifact passed down through generations of the imperial family—a key to commanding the secret forces of the Heavenly Emperor Secret Guard under the Heavenly Emperor Command.
"He still has not recovered."
Na Baek-hu spoke with a troubled expression.
"Countless people, including his subordinates, have visited to console and persuade him, but he remains unresponsive, like a man who has lost his soul."
"Still?"
"Indeed. Even if we summon him, it will not resolve the matter."
Na Baek-hu continued,
"Even after revealing the truth that those killed by the Shadowless Assassin were members of the Heavenly Might Secret Army, he remained dazed, as if he heard nothing at all."
A heavy silence once again filled the bedchamber, and only the shadows of the candlelight danced upon the walls.
"It seems the Empress Dowager has won completely."
Na Baek-hu spoke in a stifled voice.
"Ever since people began calling the Martial Soul Lord a righteous Great Demon, or an orthodox figure within the Demonic Path... it was as if he had revealed his weakness—his sentiment."
"I believed he would surely overcome that weakness. But I never imagined he would break so easily."
The emperor let out a deep sigh before raising his head.
"Commander Na."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The emperor approached the window and gazed at the night sky.
The moon was a crescent.
It would take several more days for it to become full—but would he even live to see it again...?
"Prepare for the final battle."
The emperor's voice was resolute, his eyes burning with intensity.
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is to seal all palace gates of the Purple Forbidden City—not a single rat is to escape. Mobilize all Imperial Guards, summon the Five Army Camps, and even the artillery units of the Divine Machine Battalion."
Then he added solemnly:
"Anyone who draws a blade without my permission—regardless of status—is to be executed on the spot. Even if they are of royal blood, there will be no exceptions."
Na Baek-hu bowed deeply.
"I shall carry out Your Majesty's command."
After saluting, Na Baek-hu turned and left the bedchamber. Left alone, the emperor approached the window once more.
The moon still shone coldly—as if foretelling the bloody battle to come.
Whoosh.
In an instant, the candles inside began extinguishing one by one. Darkness swallowed the Qianqing Palace.
From afar, the sound of the night watchman announcing the hour could be heard.
Though it was merely the clacking of dry wood, to the emperor's ears, it sounded like the final toll of a funeral bell—a warning of the imperial court's impending doom.
Shuuk.
But then, a faint shadow formed in front of the emperor's bedchamber.
Yet the guards stationed outside, holding their breath in tense readiness, failed to detect it.
By the time the dazzling lantern procession in the afternoon stretched all the way to the Meridian Gate of the Purple Forbidden City...
Dozens of carts, mingled among peddlers and merchants, seamlessly flowed into the inner square.
Above the palace gate, a eunuch in charge of the warehouse waved a prearranged red cloth.
At that very signal, the foremost cart toppled over, spilling bundles of documents in a cascade—
And beneath them, gleaming steel spears and heavy Peach Wood Swords were revealed.
"Now."
The hunched old woman pushing the cart raised her head.
A black haze rose over her wrinkled skin, and then—shining black eyes emerged.
At the same time, the guards at the gate staggered.
The Dream-Confusion Drug mixed into the meat soup they had for lunch had just begun to take effect.
Creeeak.
With the sound of the heavy bolt loosening, the main force of the Nine Nether Demon Army surged through the Meridian Gate—opened by a forged imperial decree.
The square before the Meridian Gate.
What filled the streets as darkness fell was not just shadows—but people.
Their appearances were bizarrely diverse.
Peddlers still carrying their bundles on their backs, farmers gripping dirt-covered hoes, even vegetable vendors with aprons tied around their waists.
They looked like people one might see in a bustling marketplace at noon, yet they moved in eerie silence, their steps unnaturally synchronized, as if bound by some unspoken pact.
Whoosh.
With every step, black miasma seeped from their entire bodies.
There was no trace of vitality left in them—only bloodshot eyes, unfocused and glazed over, flickering with nothing but a ravenous hunger for slaughter.
If the Emperor had the Heavenly Might Secret Army—the shadows sworn to protect the imperial family—
then the Empress Dowager had her own army, one she had nurtured in the darkness for far longer.
Outwardly, they appeared as ordinary civilians.
In truth, they were weapons of slaughter, having mastered the essence of imperial martial arts and evil demonic techniques.
The Nine Nether Demon Army was slowly surging toward the imperial palace.
Upon the throne in Cining Palace sat a woman clad in resplendent robes.
The Empress Dowager.
Her crimson lips twisted faintly, spreading into a meaningful smile.
—Kill them all.
Slaughter every last one of the Emperor's loyalists and armed guards within the palace.
With that single command, everything was as good as over.
Because they could blend seamlessly among the common folk, no one could mobilize troops against them until they had already infiltrated the palace.
And with the Heavenly Might Secret Army gone and the Heavenly Emperor Command impossible to summon...
There was no force left within the imperial family capable of stopping them.
"Now, this is the end," the Empress Dowager murmured, slowly swirling her teacup as her smile deepened.
"How long did you intend to use me as your shield?"
In truth, she had been brought to the imperial palace by the late Emperor himself—precisely to protect the royal family.
But those who knew this secret were long dead, and the Empress Dowager had not the slightest intention of sharing the imperial family's fate.
Instead, she had driven the Emperor into a corner, skillfully walking a tightrope, weaving her schemes solely for her own ends.
What she desired was one thing:
To seize control of the imperial palace without triggering the Heavenly Emperor Command—and to obtain the same Dragon Qi that the Emperor possessed.
Only then could she finally grasp the greatest secret hidden within the imperial family.
"The moment I gave that brat the Dragon-Phoenix Ring, the conclusion was already set in stone."
There had only ever been one reason she couldn't directly strike at the Emperor until now.
The Heavenly Emperor Command.
An elite imperial force created alongside the founding of the dynasty, one that wielded the power of Dragon Qi.
As long as they existed, no one could lay a finger on the Emperor.
However, there was a rule: the Heavenly Emperor Command must never remain in the Emperor's possession. Instead, it had to be passed to someone outside the imperial bloodline, one who could bear the Dragon Qi.
For if the Heavenly Emperor Command fell into the Emperor's hands, the Dragon Qi would run rampant, transforming him into an avatar of power and desire.
Thus, it had to be entrusted to someone unbound by the imperial bloodline—someone relatively free from the temptations of Dragon Qi.
Moreover, if ownership of the Heavenly Emperor Command remained within the imperial family, every royal descendant would fight to claim its authority.
This would inevitably plant the seeds of civil war.
And so, the founding Emperor's will decreed that it be passed to an outsider—
creating a neutral arbiter, separate from the power struggles within the palace.
Before selecting a successor for the Heavenly Emperor Command, the Emperor had entrusted the Dragon-Phoenix Ring to Princess Hui-jeong.
If the imperial family were attacked while the ring's owner remained undecided, the Heavenly Emperor Command would activate automatically.
But as a woman, she would eventually have to choose a new master for the Dragon-Phoenix Ring upon reaching adulthood.
The Empress Dowager, well aware of all this,
suppressed her ambitions and waited silently for the moment the ring's owner would be chosen.
And when it was finally passed to Bu Eun-seol—a mere martial artist from the Martial World—
she devoted all her efforts to eliminating him.
Because if she could just destroy the master of the Dragon-Phoenix Ring,
she could seize the imperial palace safely and decisively.
And once that happened...
"Then I can shatter every taboo and pry open that tightly sealed gate."
Her gaze, brimming with madness, turned toward the darkened Qianqing Palace.
"I have no need for the Emperor or the imperial palace. All I need is to take that gate into my grasp."
Her low laughter reverberated through the chamber.
Beyond the black miasma engulfing the imperial palace, the crimson moon slowly sank into the horizon.
The earth screamed.
Rumble—
From beyond the horizon surged a tide.
They wore the faces of ordinary civilians, but upon closer inspection, their ashen skin and hollow, unfocused eyes revealed the truth.
Beings forged solely for slaughter, stripped of pain and fear.
This was the Nine Nether Demon Army—a legion of malice meticulously cultivated by the Empress Dowager to devour the Imperial Palace.
Deng! Deng! Deng! Deng!
The tranquil silence of the Purple Forbidden City was torn apart as deafening bell tolls erupted from the clock tower.
—Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Seal the gates!
The Meridian Gate, the Gate of Supreme Harmony, the Gate of Divine Might—all were swiftly shut as guards rapidly took their positions atop the palace walls. Layer upon layer of defensive lines formed within the palace grounds.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The Nine Nether Demon Army advanced relentlessly, arriving before the vast plaza of the Meridian Gate, the main entrance to the Imperial Palace.
Just as the inevitable battle was about to begin—
Krrrrumble!
From the distant sky, countless shadows surged upward before plummeting down like meteors.
—Heaven!
—Guard!
—Secret!
—Army!
The shadows, pouring in from all directions, roared with a war cry that shook the heavens the moment they landed.
As the dust settled, the figures revealed were martial artists clad in diverse uniforms.
Though their appearances were unkempt, their eyes shimmered with an eerie brilliance—a stark contrast to the Nine Nether Demon Army, who wore the guise of ordinary civilians while exuding a sinister black mist.
"Those are—"
The Nine Nether Blood Left Commander, leading the demonic legion, widened his eyes to the point of tearing.
"The Heavenly Might Secret Army?"
Were they not the elite martial force directly under the Emperor's command?
"How?"
The Left Commander furrowed his brow.
Hadn't they been reported to have been annihilated—one by one—by the Shadowless Assassin, Heuk-pyo, after falling into the Empress Dowager's scheme?
How could the dead appear here, unharmed?
"No matter."
The Left Commander smirked coldly.
Even if the Heavenly Might Secret Army was intact, crushing them would not be difficult.
The only real threat was the four organizations under the Heavenly Emperor Command, capable of wielding Dragon Qi.
The Heavenly Might Secret Army was nothing more than warriors well-trained in Imperial Court Martial Arts.
Wiping them out would be no trouble at all.
—Annihilate!
At his command—
Zzzzzzt—
The front lines of the Nine Nether Demon Army suddenly opened their mouths.
Oooooooon...
A grotesque sound instantly filled the plaza.
The Empress Dowager had spent years researching a counter to the Imperial Palace Secret Arts—and the result was the Nine Nether Demon Army.
The sound they unleashed was a sonic attack of the Nine Nethers and Corruption—one that nullified the Imperial Court Martial Arts used by the Heavenly Might Secret Army...
And sealed away the Secret Arts they had mastered.
Oooooooon...
As the cursed sonic waves spread, black mist unfurled, and the Heavenly Might Secret Army's momentum instantly withered. They began to stagger, their movements sluggish.
Slash! Shatter!
The Nine Nether Demon Army rained down attacks upon the immobilized warriors.
The Heavenly Might Secret Army's artifacts, weapons—even their bodies—were torn apart like paper.
At this rate, they would be wiped out without even getting a chance to fight back.
Kiiiiing—
But then, something bizarre happened.
A massive, transparent ripple suddenly swept through the surroundings—
And the Nine Nether Demon Army's absolute sonic attack began to fade away.
At the same time, the black mist shrouding the battlefield vanished as if washed away by an unseen force.
—Now! Strike!
With the demonic army's power gone, a blue aura surged from the Heavenly Might Secret Army's bodies.
Every one of them wielded weapons imbued with purifying energy.
Now that the sonic attack was nullified, they could finally unleash their true strength.
Crash! Clang! Shatter!
Chaos erupted.
If the Nine Nether Demon Army was a colossal dragon, the Heavenly Might Secret Army became swift tigers tearing into its flank.
With their power restored, they ruthlessly slaughtered the defenseless demonic soldiers.
"Grahhh!"
As the tide of battle reversed in an instant, the Nine Nether Blood Left Commander, watching from the rear, widened his eyes in shock.
This was incomprehensible.
Why had the Nine Nether Demon Army's absolute sonic attack—capable of suppressing even Dragon Qi—failed?
Rumble...
Meanwhile, the first wave of the demonic army collapsed.
As the battle momentarily lulled, the Heavenly Might Secret Army solemnly reformed their ranks.
Whoosh—
Suddenly, the forces parted to either side—and two men in black robes stepped forward slowly.
The Left Commander's eyes nearly burst from their sockets.
"How—?"
What he saw was beyond belief.
The two men walking forward—
Were none other than the Martial Soul Lord and the Wandering King, Heuk-pyo.