Chapter 544: Chapter 544

Beijing, Forbidden City.

A heavy silence filled the air. As if the entire palace compound had been abandoned.

And indeed, most of the elite warriors had long since departed to Mount Zhongnan in service of the new emperor.

Yet inside the palace walls, the golden roofs remained veiled beneath semi-translucent tiles, casting a blurred, water-stained glow over the entire skyline.

It wasn’t a formation.

It was the ripple of power from living martial masters.

Hundreds of imperial elites who had gone north to repel the invasion of the Demonic Clans had now returned.

They were the power that preserved the Ming Empire within the chaotic martial world. The imperial court had truly become a fortress of monsters.

Deep within lay a garden in full bloom with five-colored flowers.

A scene that defied the worsening famine outside. Near the Forbidden City’s Palace of Benevolence, it was said to be the most secretive path in the empire.

Because it led directly to the residence of the Grand Empress Dowager of the Ming Dynasty.

A breeze stirred as two figures walked along the garden path, brushing against the flower petals.

They were dressed in the black and blue uniforms of Ipwang Fortress. The younger one in blue, still youthful in appearance, suddenly spoke up.

“It’s strange. For all this grandeur, it feels lifeless. Heavy, even a little frightening... I almost miss seeing the pompous nobles waddling around with their chests puffed out.”

This was Yeon So-ha of the Blue Rank, whispering softly.

A top warrior of the newly reorganized Divine Sword Division—he had held the record as the youngest Blue Rank until Jeong Yeon-shin’s promotion.

True to his noble birth in Beijing, every step was taken with caution. But his mouth never seemed to stop moving.

“The arrogance of the imperial warriors seems completely dead. I wonder what exactly happened in the north... I wish I could’ve seen at least a trace of the battlefield between the late emperor and the leader of the Demonic Clans.”

“They say that land has become a hellscape, where storms and sunlight clash by the minute. You wouldn't even survive setting foot there with your level of skill.”

The reply was cold—spoken by Jin Myeong-jo, Vice Leader of the Divine Sword Division.

Even in the heart of the Forbidden City, he walked with an unshakable air. His boots struck the ground with a loud, deliberate sound.

But his hair was changing.

The closer he drew to the Palace of Benevolence, the darker his white hair turned. A transformation technique to conceal his identity as a blood clan descendant. His snowy hair gradually took on the hue of the night sky.

It wasn’t a technique he used often—only when he sensed an imminent threat.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t last long. I heard the weather isn’t the only thing that changed. Thunder and lightning, too.”

“Are you always this talkative?”

“Pretty much, yeah. Still, who knew the late emperor’s martial arts were that monstrous... What if even the War God didn’t leave a body behind? Maybe that’s why no one can find any trace of the monsters from the north.”

“That’s beyond what you or I can speculate on. Quiet, now.”

They had reached an enormous palace.

A grand gate with eight thick crimson pillars, as wide as old trees.

The Palace of Benevolence.

Inside resided the consort of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

She had remained hidden even when Emperor Gunreung departed for battle. But at his funeral, and during the new emperor’s coronation, she finally made her presence known again.

And with such power that the entire Forbidden City trembled under the invisible weight of her qi.

That alone had sparked rumors that the Grand Empress Dowager would reassert her control over state affairs.

The imperial masters were keeping their distance for that reason. Reports said messages had begun flying from the Palace of Benevolence to every corner of the Forbidden City—literally, flying scrolls.

No one knew what those letters contained except the officials who received them.

And those officials weren’t speaking.

The door opened on its own.

A deep grinding sound echoed from the heavy hinges.

Yeon So-ha flinched. For a moment, it felt like the entire world had become dense and full. And he had already been wondering why there weren’t any guards nearby.

Jin Myeong-jo stepped forward.

Yeon So-ha blinked—and then suddenly realized he was standing in the middle of a quiet, spacious hall.

He had no memory of crossing the threshold into the Palace of Benevolence.

He had just barely pushed through an overwhelming presence.

He stared blankly ahead.

A wide curtain of finely threaded beads hung before him.

A silhouette appeared behind it—so still it could’ve been a wooden statue.

The dim shadow wore garments of an unfamiliar style. It looked almost like a palace robe made of leaves.

Or perhaps a creature that had merged with a tree...

Yeon So-ha inhaled the fragrant scent of fresh leaves as the thought crossed his mind.

She was not unlike the Master of Ipwang Fortress—one of the most exalted among the imperial bloodline.

A founder of the Ming Dynasty who had once dueled the legendary Sambong Zhenren and lived, despite her defeat.

Her age was nearly equal to that of the Dark Heaven Emperor of Taemo Fortress. ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Even without any visible aura, her presence was overwhelming.

“I greet the founder of the dynasty.”

Jin Myeong-jo knelt on one knee and rested his elbow on it.

It was a strange gesture. Even Yeon So-ha could tell it wasn’t part of the imperial court’s proper etiquette. Yet the silhouette behind the curtain responded as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

“You know the price of my time. Speak directly.”

Yeon So-ha had never heard a voice like that before. It was clearly a woman’s, yet it echoed like wind passing through ancient bark.

It pressed down on the listener’s head, as if to smother the natural flow of thought itself.

‘What the hell is this?’

Yeon So-ha instinctively began reciting the incantation for the Divine Sword Division’s Art of Expansive Mastery in his mind.

A martial technique he had only recently begun training in. One left behind by Division Leader Jeong before his departure to Mount Wudang, written in golden ink within the secret manual.

Like the Divine Scripture of the Jeong family, it combined mental training and attack forms into one.

Either way, his Baihui Acupoint began to warm slightly.

‘Feels like I can think a little more clearly now...’

Its progress was rapid, like a demonic technique, but its structure was as stable as orthodox martial arts.

A sign of divine martial study. Unlike Damo or Sambong lineages, it might falter in long, drawn-out duels—but it meant he no longer had to beg that windbag of a hero for guidance.

Meanwhile, Jin Myeong-jo, head bowed, spoke softly.

“The Jeong Family’s Seomye is under restriction. This nation has placed chains upon his movements. I ask your permission to release him. In this turbulent world, allow the Divine Sword Division of Ipwang Fortress to act freely.”

It was a declaration that Ipwang Fortress would no longer consider imperial orders their highest priority.

Yeon So-ha snapped to attention.

He’d thought this mission was about freeing the Heavenly Lord and the Celestial Dragon from the imperial dungeons—but that clearly wasn’t it.

Come to think of it, the General Administration had only told him to assist the Deputy Leader.

He cursed inwardly. Damn those scheming bureaucrats.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

‘This was a suicide mission!’

Just as Yeon So-ha’s face drained of color—

The Grand Empress Dowager’s voice crept through the curtain like a whisper of death.

“Yougeuk is a child starved for power. His father held the throne for seventy-two years. Do you think he would ever accept, even if I permitted it?”

Emperor Yungjeong—Zhu Youge.

Son of the late Emperor Gunreung, he had been Crown Prince for over seventy years. In that time, he gradually slipped into ruin, treated with disdain by both civil and military officials.

Naturally, he would be hypersensitive to matters of imperial power. He was sensitive to everything.

“He cannot stand on his own, so he clings to legitimacy. As long as you remain, Grand Empress Dowager, he will forever remain in your shadow. He is not the late emperor.”

Jin Myeong-jo’s voice was soft.

Yeon So-ha was now screaming internally. He knew Jin Myeong-jo to be a man who always put his own safety first. But now, it was like he had gone mad.

‘Weren’t you always about saving your own skin over anyone else—?!’

The sound had come from Yeon So-ha’s own body. The air had grown heavier. The Grand Empress Dowager’s inner power had seeped into the palace, and with it, a sudden rush of tree-scented air flooded the space.

“They say you're the right hand of the Acting Leader of the Divine Sword Division. That’s the only reason I permitted this meeting.”

“You’ve got spirit. Perhaps because the imperial court seems powerless after the death of the late emperor?”

“Ipwang Fortress does not exist to protect the imperial throne. It seeks something far more fundamental.”

That was the beginning.

Like the sound of leaves brushing in the chill of pre-dawn, the cold voice of the Grand Empress Dowager intertwined with Jin Myeong-jo’s smooth tone.

And each word crushed the breath from Yeon So-ha’s lungs.

“I understand your leader is currently absent. So tell me—setting aside all else—do you truly have the authority to make such decisions?”

“There is only one martial division within the Fortress. That means the Divine Sword Leader is Ipwang Fortress itself.”

“How arrogant. The imperial court cannot overlook this overreach. Even if your division is given free rein, will it still fulfill its duty?”

“I won’t presume to ask why Your Grace has set aside the role of the strong and secluded herself within the Palace of Benevolence. However—”

Jin Myeong-jo’s red lips moved slowly.

“Two of our division leaders have been imprisoned under imperial dignity, and the prestige of the Black Rank has been dragged through the mud. The late emperor’s will is vague, and it’s become a leash that holds the Acting Leader back. In the Forbidden City, every roof can make any action seem treasonous—no one knows when accusations will fall again.”

“You go too far. Seomye of the Jeong Family upholds the will of the late emperor. It’s not a leash, but a blessing.”

“Regrettably, the imperial court is an obstacle.”

Yeon So-ha stopped breathing.

Scrolls suddenly scattered from all corners of the palace. For a moment, Yeon So-ha thought the Grand Empress Dowager had erupted in fury, but such a thing would not happen so easily—not from the oldest soul in the imperial family.

“That’s merely the diary of a scholar.”

The papers floated in the air at her word. The crude handwriting caught Yeon So-ha’s eye.

—The sun has set. Hideous monsters with twisted faces are dragging people away. I hear the screams of the dying just outside the door. The fire that broke out inside the city lets smoke seep through the cracks. It’s hard to breathe. I want to sneeze, but I must hold it in. I must keep writing.

—I looked through the window. By afternoon, the corpses were piled like mountains. Today I lost my brother, his wife, my younger sibling, and nephew. Their faces were flayed, and their ribcages were stacked like grotesque towers. Only Mr. Jang, my wife, and I remain. I feel as if I’m floating.

—Mr. Jang. Who would’ve guessed the man who drank across from me was a Blue Rank warrior of Ipwang Fortress? Strange how life plays out. Even now, he holds his breath. But he was no coward. He could’ve fled with those nimble legs, but stayed to protect us.

—The northern Demonic Clans. In the eyes of those twisted creatures, our faces are indistinguishable. So they either kill every citizen, or they spare only the healthy young men and women after slaughtering the elderly and children.

—A question came to mind. Aren’t they said to be martial artists from the north? Then they must possess ki sensitivity.

—The beings outside the door right now... do they sense our presence? Or not?

The Grand Empress Dowager’s voice followed.

“This is what’s happening throughout the north. And why you must restrain yourselves. The imperial power must be reestablished first—only then will the imperial martial forces be able to act in full. The world is vast, but your Ipwang Fortress is very small. So do not assume the new emperor acts out of vanity.”

Yeon So-ha caught the scent of ink. It was fresh, written just moments ago. If this came from the distant north, it should have been impossible.

Then Jin Myeong-jo murmured quietly.

“...Some of the noble imperial masters can manipulate the spiritual essence within natural energy. It seems the Grand Empress Dowager has made the King of Wind her companion.”

Such was her power. Yeon So-ha whispered carefully,

“Like Lord Ma Gwang-ik... or Senior Sa Wol-gungwi?”

“They’re both capable, yes. But the scale is entirely different. The wind of the Palace of Benevolence has followed the brush of an unknown northern scholar.”

In short, the original had just been copied here, in this very moment. Yeon So-ha’s eyes widened in horror.

“Then... she’s watching the entire world?”

His voice trailed off, and the Grand Empress Dowager's reply slipped through the silence.

“That’s just one of the tasks laid upon me. I cannot track the movements of masters who vanish like ghosts. Still... Yes. Shall we take a look at the military missives being passed through the Great Wall’s command lines?”

One who allowed no secrets even among allies.

There was no need to wait for reports.

Now Yeon So-ha was completely overwhelmed. His eyes had already lost focus.

The sprightly cleverness of a Beijing noble was gone without a trace.

As a member of the Divine Sword Division, his role was usually scouting and rapid skirmishes, but right now, with dread nearly breaking into heart-devouring fear—he wasn’t sure what he’d become.

A brush sliced across an empty floating page in the air.

A rustling sound filled the open hall, echoing through the silent palace.

Characters began to form.

Perhaps this was the draft of a report. The handwriting was now cursive, flowing completely differently from the crude script earlier. The content wasn’t even fully organized.

—Acting Divine Sword Leader’s Lightning Blade has departed for the north. Repeating for emphasis: Lightning Blade has entered the northern front.

—Lightning Blade annihilated the Demonic Clan stronghold Hocheonseong. Freed all prisoners held there.

—Lightning Blade shattered the crescent blade of the Lord of Hocheonseong, known as the wielder of the Demon Annihilation Blade and pushed back over a hundred zhang of reinforced qi barrier. Imperial tacticians estimate the displacement at one hundred and twenty-three zhang.

—Three thousand Demonic Clan soldiers began moving south from the fortress in the hills.

—Suddenly annihilated. The moment Lightning Blade deflected the fortress lord’s crescent blade, the entire terrain collapsed into a basin. Presumed cause: sound-based martial technique.

—Lightning Blade passed through Hocheonseong and breached Seahae Pass. Another clash with Demon Annihilation Blade. The resulting roar was like thunder. Demon Annihilation Blade was launched three hundred zhang across a canyon. The sword technique Yi Gi Yu Geom ignored the rebound resistance of Heavenly Armor.

—If the Supreme Commander gives the order to advance, the area five hundred zhang around Seahae Pass may be absorbed into imperial territory.

—Jeong Family’s Seomye... remains still......

The last line was scribbled almost unconsciously. Then Jin Myeong-jo’s voice echoed through the palace.

“Looks is the work of a noble-born spy reporting every move to the capital.”

In the growing dusk, Jin Myeong-jo’s black hair slowly turned white again. It didn’t take long for it to return to its natural snowy hue.

“My request remains unchanged.”

The separation of Ipwang Fortress from imperial control.

As the silence within the Palace of Benevolence deepened, Yeon So-ha’s eyes gradually began to focus once more.