37. Sword Queen

37. Sword Queen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sword Empress bossed around Yoo-i and the others, searching every nook and cranny of the cave.

And they couldn’t find anything.

 

 

“How strange. For beings who sought to devour the world, their base has no defensive formation at all.”

 

Yoo-i also agreed with her question.

No, even if it wasn’t the Blood Cult’s main headquarters but just a branch, it’s absurd for it to be this sloppy.

Even the Namgoong Clan (南宮世家), a mere noble family (though excessively large to be called just a family), would scour the world for someone skilled in defensive formations to fortify their main and branch families. When noble families and sects are gathered in a ‘League,’ it becomes almost ridiculously thorough.

 

 

But the Blood Cult, which tried to turn the entire Murim upside down, has no defensive formations at its main headquarters?

It’s beyond strange.

 

 

 

 

Just as everyone was sighing in disappointment, the Sword Empress discovered something.

An ordinary rock wall.

A plain wall with no discernible features or energy.

 

 

An average person wouldn’t even notice it and would simply pass by. Even the Sword Empress almost did.

 

 

“Hehe.”

 

 

The Sword Empress covered her mouth with her sleeve and chuckled.

 

 

“I knew it. There’s no way there wouldn’t be something.”

 

 

The Flower Transformation Art (花化功), which she created herself and uses most frequently, is a type of energy sword control (以氣馭劍) that simultaneously manipulates dozens of small swords (about the size of a finger).

Although each sword is small, the level of internal energy control required to coat each of the dozens of swords with sword energy (劍罡) and manipulate them freely is unimaginable. Therefore, even if she’s lacking in other areas, everyone in Murim, including the Ten Great Masters of the World (天下十代高手), unanimously acknowledges Yeo Serin’s (余勢躪) skill in manipulating internal energy.

 

 

“If it weren’t for this lady, I would have missed it.”

 

 

She was still smiling faintly behind her sleeve when the sword she wore at her waist came out of its scabbard on its own and charged toward a specific point on the rock wall.

 

 

 

 

Kiiiiing!!

 

 

 

 

Only then did the barrier reveal itself.

It showed a strong will to absolutely block external intrusion, but as dozens of small swords emerged from the small bag on her right waist and slammed into it, it eventually shattered.

 

 

“A barrier broken by force…?”

 

 

Originally, the basic way to break a barrier created by a defensive formation is to reverse-engineer the formation.

It’s not impossible to do it by force, but it requires an absurd amount of internal energy, so unless you’re an incredibly powerful expert, it’s common to just bring a formation expert.

 

But the Sword Empress not only crushed it with force but also did it easily without much effort.

 

 

‘Is this the power of the greatest master in Murim?’

 

 

Yoo-i trembled secretly but also felt fear.

He had clearly heard stories circulating in Murim that she was one of the worst murderers, but would he really be able to survive the Sword Empress?

It’s not that he’s afraid of dying as a martial artist. But the desire not to die meaninglessly is something everyone has.

 

 

‘But there’s also a rumor that she doesn’t kill female martial artists often… should I believe that for now?’

 

 

 

 

 

Kugu gugugu gu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The hidden formation was shattered, and what was thought to be a single rock wall became a door that split open to the sides.

Inside was a passage leading somewhere.

Judging by the tremendous energy felt, there seemed to be something extraordinary inside.

 

 

 

The Sword Empress let out a wry smile.

 

 

“Now, let’s go in.”

“Are we… going in too?”

 

Sseueuk.

 

 

The Sword Empress turned around.

It was impossible to tell whether the corners of her mouth hidden behind her sleeve were raised or lowered, but her eyes were definitely smiling. Fiercely.

 

 

“Of course, you’d ask something so obvious. If you go back and bring those 잡것 (japgeot, 잡것 = insignificant things/trash) here, it’ll become troublesome. Follow quietly.”

“….”

 

 

The Sword Empress left those words behind and entered another cave.

Escape is impossible.

It’s impossible to escape from the greatest master, who is so far beyond reach with just a first-rate skill.

 

Instead, Yoo-i quickly scribbled a coded message on a piece of paper and dropped it in a visible place.

Although he had ordered Sohong to chase Yoo-eun, he knew that if the members didn’t return by late, they might realize something was wrong and come looking. It was a precaution for that time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+++

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yoo Sohong, who even dressed as a man but was blocked by Seiko and couldn’t enter the Hwa Wol Inn.

She thought about bringing the rest of the members to try again, but shook her head, thinking it would be pointless to bring weaker members than herself.

 

 

Instead, she asked around the people near the inn and found out what had happened.

The result was shocking.

 

 

A gang of evil men had captured the madam and the courtesans, and the martial artists who stepped forward to save them were all brutally slaughtered.

The identity of the evil gang was clear under the circumstances.

 

 

They were clearly friendly and greeted each other when they first met yesterday, but something didn’t match her perception of them.

But it was only a connection of a little over a day.

She revised her thinking.

 

 

‘Right… they don’t necessarily have to be righteous people. If they came from Goryeo, they would basically like looting.’

 

 

It was a kind of prejudice, but it was almost an accepted theory in the Central Plains, so Sohong thought so too.

 

 

 

 

She returned to the inn, dispatched the members to the Hwa Wol Inn, and headed to the Blood Cult cave to meet the leader, who still hadn’t returned.

However, contrary to her expectation of meeting him halfway, she arrived at the cave, and Sohong felt uneasy in the eerie cave.

 

 

Originally, a strange sense of fear is bound to be felt if it’s just large and empty, but apart from that, she had a bad feeling.

It felt like something had happened.

 

 

“Leader-nim? Where are you!”

 

Sohong drew her sword and searched the surroundings.

Since there weren’t multiple paths to get here, he should be here if they didn’t meet halfway.

 

 

But if no one is here?

 

 

There’s definitely something going on.

 

 

 

 

She looked around nervously and discovered an open door and a passage inside.

 

 

“What’s that?”

 

 

She hadn’t seen it until yesterday.

Then did the leader and the members go inside there? She felt a strong energy.

 

 

As she was thinking that, she saw a piece of paper lying on the floor.

It was what the search party used for contingency arrangements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

– Searching with the Sword Empress. Passage discovered. Assistance requested.

 

 

 

 

 

The coded message, hastily written, was short but gave a great shock.

 

 

“The Sword Empress?”

 

 

She didn’t know why the Sword Empress suddenly appeared, but she came out of the cave for now.

If it’s a master like the Sword Empress, she might notice her presence unless she’s very far away, so she can’t stay long.

 

 

“Why is the Sword Empress…?”

 

Isn’t the Sword Empress a palace lord who leads a minor sect, yet wanders around causing all sorts of atrocities? Her behavior is similar to that of a third-rate villain, but her martial arts are ultimate skills that are on a different level from those of 잡것 (japgeot, 잡것 = insignificant things/trash). There’s a reason why she’s called the 잔살마 (jansalma, 잔살마 = Brutal Killing Demon). Unless it’s a group of the Demonic Sect, they usually don’t attach the title ‘Demon (魔)’ to someone. It’s attached because she’s like a demon in terms of skill and personality.

 

 

“Whatever the reason, if she even requested support…”

 

Anyway, it was hard to believe that the Sword Empress was here, but it was what the leader said. As a member, she had no choice but to follow.

 

 

Sohong immediately ran to the city.

She wanted to help directly, but with the Sword Empress there, it wouldn’t make any difference if she, a mere first-rate martial artist, was added.

 

 

Now it was important to return to the city and convey this fact to the League, whether by using a messenger pigeon or a messenger.

 

 

‘Wait… that person from earlier seemed quite strong too?’

 

 

Seiko suddenly came to mind.

A strong person that she, a first-rate martial artist, couldn’t even grasp.

Even if she’s not on the level of the Sword Empress, she’ll at least be much better than the trash in this area.

 

 

 

 

Sohong’s mind began to spin wildly.

 

‘Assuming that the other members of the Harem Palace are as skilled as that woman, they might be able to buy at least some time.’

 

 

They’re still acquaintances.

First, she’ll go back and request support, and if they happen to offer support, she’ll immediately send Yoo-eun and the others to the cave.

In the meantime, Sohong will request support from the Murim League and nearby sects.

 

 

It could be seen as a sacrificial pawn, but she had already defined the Harem Palace as an evil force, so she was fearless.

 

 

‘Right. It’s better this way. Whether they’re the vanguard of Goryeo or a group of the Demonic Path, they won’t be able to beat the Sword Empress, so if they disappear here, that’s the end of it. Furthermore, if support arrives at the right time, maybe even the Sword Empress…!’

 

 

She respects her as a fellow female martial artist, but she didn’t give her a good evaluation because she had a bad reputation and was a member of the Demonic Path. She thought it would be more beneficial for Murim if someone like the Sword Empress disappeared.