The Sword Emperor Transmigrates

Chapter 162

“From the olden days, it has been believed that anyone who slays a dragon will be cursed. Even Sigurd, who covered himself in dragon’s blood to become invulnerable, died a tragic death,” Demian began quietly. “Ancestor Cardenas was born a dragon, so she was not cursed to die an untimely death like mortals were. However, she took on the price of slaying dragons in the place of the founding emperor. She lost her transcendental powers and her original form, and she was given a human body and a human lifespan.

“If she had remained a dragon, Ancestor Cardenas would likely be alive today. The average lifespan of a dragon is close to ten thousand years, enough time to see civilizations rise and fall. However, the hate and malice left behind by her dying kin physically wore her down, and she ended up passing away before the first emperor. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“The descendants she left behind prospered, and the Archducal House of Cardenas gradually expanded. And here we are, centuries later. But not everyone knows this story.”

The true secret came after this.

Paradoxically, Ancestor Cardenas had been able to reach the Demigod Tier because she gave up her superior, non-human body. Even though she lost her original form, she retained the same organs, which gave her far more power than the incomplete dragon traits they had now. Possessing all six abhijna,[1] she was able to look into the future and forewarned of the ruinous end to come.

“Ragna, my death will leave this young empire extremely vulnerable. There will be enemies that descend from the sky and crawl out of the ground, remnants of gods who refuse to be forgotten, and an army of spirits who misinterpret and miscarry the World Tree’s grudge. My children will need time to grow in order to face them.”

Audrey said, “Even before the Seven Great Orders were founded, Ancestor Cardenas knew of all the perils to come. Though it took a few years to convince him, the founding emperor eventually followed her wishes, and they created a ‘ceremony’[2] that would protect Arcadia. That’s all I can say. I am not allowed to say a single word about this ceremony.”

“Well, we can say it indirectly, but that wouldn’t explain why we’re telling you all this,” Demian added.

“You can continue from there. I feel a little uncomfortable saying anything more,” Audrey said. It was hard to believe that she would say that, considering that she had spent her whole life as an absolutist when it came to the family’s rules.

Demian stepped closer to Leonard than Audrey had. “The Golden Dragon’s mission is to complete that ‘ceremony.’ Though Ancestor Cardenas sacrificed her soul to protect the empire, her final wish is still unfulfilled. It is only about halfway complete, but she bought us enough time for the Three Noble Houses to grow as strong as we have and fight on multiple fronts.”

Demian said with a bitter smile, “We weakened the Void Deities by destroying records of the ancient days and built strongholds to block off the Celestials and the Demoniacs. But the Three Noble Houses still suffer from heavy losses.”

Even the Seventh Hellgate, which he had just witnessed, was often dangerous despite the countless preparations they set up. The only reason Skanda’s Demon Felling Sword affected the battle as much as it did was because the two sides were already on even footing. The fighting force was made up of the finest knights and mages equipped with Class 9 magic arrays and equipment made out of rare metals, and even then, the Demoniacs didn’t budge.

“At this rate, the battlefronts will collapse within a century. And once that happens, none of us expect that we will be able to do anything,” he said. “If even a single one gives out and the rest of the world finds out about our supernatural enemies, the countries that have been waiting for an opportunity will jump on the Arcadian Empire and focus only on their own gain. The Middle Realm will become a living hell. The Golden Dragon Knights aim to prevent such a catastrophe by completing the ritual before it happens.

“That’s also why they keep transferring talented family members into their own order. If they think someone has the potential to fulfill her wish, they take them in right away. Not just anyone is chosen, however. They must be a seasoned knight and give their consent to participate, or so we’re told. However, every single person who has been selected agreed to carry out the ceremony, and every single one of them failed, never to be heard from again.

“At first, all the Knight Commanders supported the Golden Dragon’s mission, but after centuries of doing nothing but sacrificing talented kinsmen, our opinions have changed. Those lunatics keep putting down chips on the gambling table when there’s no chance they’ll win. I am grateful for the Ancestor’s service and her achievements, but this is our generation. The idea of clinging onto her for help is disgraceful.”

Leonard nodded in agreement. “I think so too. A martial artist must pave their path with their own efforts, and if they follow one that is laid out by another, they will only grow idle.”

The two commanders’ eyes widened in surprise. He sounded so mature that it felt as if they were speaking to someone their own age.

“...Seriously, there’s no way you’re sixteen,” Demian muttered.

But their surprise was mixed with pride. Sure, they hadn’t told him the details of the ceremony, but it was hard to believe that he was this calm after finding out that he could become Ancestor Cardenas’ successor.

Leonard’s words weren’t empty, either. His answer reflected his attitude. He would rather create his own path than follow in someone else’s footsteps.

“That mindset of yours is very commendable. However, you must keep any abilities that could attract the attention of the Golden Dragon hidden, including Draconic Words. They say that they respect the wishes of the selected, but there are extremists in our family who revere the Ancestor above all else,” Audrey warned.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Leonard took her words seriously. He’d encountered all sorts of people in his past life.

The House of Cardenas probably has some bad apples too, he thought. Nothing was ever as it seemed, and he’d met countless people who justified their evil deeds in the name of their beliefs. They preached about sacrificing the few for the sake of the many, but when they found themselves among the few, their attitudes quickly changed, pathetically enough.

“The many”... He knew just how easily that word was taken for granted. Right and wrong were two sides of the same coin, and those who were sincere about their cause wouldn’t force their beliefs onto others. But if they couldn’t convince people to join their side, they couldn’t call themselves “the many.”

Based on Audrey’s and Demian’s words alone, Ancestor Cardenas was an extraordinary woman, but that only made it all the more likely that she would be idolized. The elitism and sense of duty that came from being her descendant could very easily become fanaticism.

The ancient sages had warned them. They used to say that self-righteousness was the foundation of violence.

There was no small number of people who offered their children or relatives as tributes in order to join the Blood Cult. It was said that the road to hell was paved with good intentions, and those who blindly believed in their own righteousness became the most wicked.

“That should be enough for you to know about the Golden Dragon,” Audrey said, pulling Leonard out of his old memories and into the present. She had seen the disturbed look in his eyes. “We should discuss something more productive instead of ruminating on something that has yet to happen. That technique you taught us, Demon’s Bane, has proven its value. Our top priority should be teaching it to all the Black Dragon Knights as soon as possible to stabilize all nine frontiers. Wouldn’t you agree?”

For Audrey, there were more important things than the Order of the Golden Dragon.

It didn’t actually make much of a difference if Leonard fought Void Deities with the White Dragon Knights, and it was hard to say right now if he would be as helpful to the other knightly orders.

However, his contribution to the Black Dragon was immeasurable. Even if all seven Knight Commanders charged into battle together, it wouldn’t be enough.

“...I assume that you have already spoken with Commander Demian,” Leonard commented, noticing the obvious irritation on Demian’s face. Still, Demian wasn’t scowling like before, and he conceded to Audrey’s suggestion.

For some reason, the boy felt that something was off. “Sir, are you injured? The way you’re standing...”

Startled, Demian fumbled for an answer. “Huh?! Um, well, yes. Something like that.”

“No wonder they sent for another commander. If another brain Demoniac appears, we must be cautious.”

“Um, yes, it would be wise to practice caution.”

Though it didn’t seem like his injuries were serious, the fact that the monster was able to leave a Demigod Tier with noticeable wounds spoke to their immense power.

At least that was how Leonard interpreted it, unaware of the truth. Since he was focusing on Demian, who was standing closer to him, he didn’t see Audrey staring daggers into the other commander’s back. But even if she gave something away, for the sake of his pride, Demian would never admit what had truly happened.

“I’ll do as you wish,” Leonard said, turning to Audrey and meeting her eyes. “But I think it would be inefficient for me to go to each individual base to teach the technique. Could we do it my own way?”

“I wish to hear what it is before I give my permission,” Audrey said.

Knowing her personality, she would never make such an allowance, but Audrey had become much more lenient toward Leonard. She was intrigued by him. She never would have pretended to go along with Demian’s little plot if she hadn’t already considered the boy an exception.

“We’ll recruit a small number of knights from each of the nine—no, eight—divisions, excluding this one. The only unique parts of the technique I taught you are the movements and the way to manipulate aura. It won’t take long for Transcendence Tier knights to master it.”

“Ah, I see. You intend to share your knowledge as if through little streams.”

“Yes. Also, there are a few other things I discovered aside from that sword technique.”

Just as they thought that there was nothing else that could surprise them, their eyes widened again. Demon’s Bane was already significant enough that it would go down in Cardenas history, but there was more? Of course it was hard to believe. Leonard didn’t notice their shock and proceeded to explain his thoughts.

“There is a way of setting a complex pathway for one’s aura to flow through so that one can infuse the energy with elemental attributes or other forces that Demoniacs are weak to. This one would be better taught through a book than through demonstration, so I think people would learn it faster if I wrote a booklet.”

“Circulating aura in a certain manner will infuse it with elemental energy? How?” Audrey asked.

“Allow me to demonstrate.” Leonard created a flame in his palm using the Blazing Sun Art. “See? Like this.”

Of course, it was possible to create fire by concentrating one’s aura, but the amount of mana he consumed and the way he manipulated it were completely different. The two Demigod Tier knights immediately noticed, and their eyes grew even wider.

“It can do more than create fire, right?” Demian stuttered.

“It can create cold too.” Leonard couldn’t use anything as powerful as the North Sea Ice Palace’s signature hidden art, the White Frost Palm, but he could at least use the cultivation method for Freezing Yin Qi upon which the hidden art was based.

As the flame continued to flicker in his right hand, a cold chill emanated from his left. He looked just like a mage. Since they could see the way mana flowed through his body, the commanders copied him.

Fwoosh. Fire lit up in Demian’s palms.

Shoo. A cold wind flowed from Audrey’s hands.

Though they were merely manifesting elemental energy using the simplest of the simplest cultivation methods, Profound Realm masters could cut a mountain in two using the Three Aspects Art alone, so Leonard wasn’t surprised at all that they could do this. The commanders, however, were shocked.

“Th-This is...! This is revolutionary!” Demian cried.

“How could you speak of it so casually?!” Audrey exclaimed.

Leonard had learned 80,400 cultivation arts developed by others, so he naturally saw it in a different light.

The human body had countless energy vessels. Even aside from the eight extraordinary meridians and the twelve main meridians, there were countless others. There were the meridians, of course, which technically weren’t even vessels. Adding small veins to the number, they were innumerable.

There were certain pathways one could direct internal energy through to create an effect, and then one refined it until it was complete. That was all cultivation arts were.

...Oh dear. I didn’t think this through, Leonard belatedly realized. He clicked his tongue.

Just because the warriors in this world were stronger than in murim didn’t mean that everything was superior. They were born with all their meridians open, and they overflowed with natural energy, but since they didn’t do much research on martial arts at a philosophical level, they didn’t know these sorts of things. And the commanders had instantly recognized the value of his knowledge.

Demian and Audrey exchanged silent glances, each understanding what the other was thinking.

Now we really can’t let the Golden Dragon have him. I would sooner die.

Agreed.

So what if the Golden Dragon had spent centuries trying to fulfill the Ancestor’s dying wish? Considering the weight of Leonard’s findings, it would be a waste to put him on such a gamble. If he continued to grow at his current rate, he would make the family several times stronger.

“Teach us, Leonard,” Demian implored.

“I never thought I would see the day when I would be a student again,” Audrey mused.

Cold sweat trickled down Leonard’s back at the prospect of instructing two Profound Realm masters, but he didn’t let it show. He feigned calm.

“In that case... let me begin by explaining the twenty core pathways.”

This was monumental. The first lecture on cultivation in Cardenas history was about to begin.

1. Mystical powers in Buddhism obtained through virtuous living and meditation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81 ☜

2. Can also mean consciousness ☜