Chapter 71 – The Imperial Family (3)

She had never once imagined a day would come when she would be forced upon by another man.

Among those with the power to do so, none would stoop to such a futile act. But the world was not as simple as she had thought. She had never dreamed that a man more wicked than the Heavenly Demon could exist.

“He is a wonderful man….”

She no longer had the confidence to tell another lie. Even with the power of the Yin-Yang Lust Arts consuming her entire being, she was the only woman who had managed to retain her sanity.

It was a feat that neither the Demonic Empress, the Moon Empress, nor the King of Assassins could accomplish. Of course, it meant nothing to her. However, the wise Emperor immediately sensed that something was amiss.

“I thought you had simply brought him as a friend. I never imagined it would be like this.”

The fact that Yu-jin had entered the Imperial Armory had long since reached the Emperor’s ears.

“I will meet him myself and then make my decision!”

“Oh, brother! Th-that’s—!”

Fearing that the wicked man might lay his hands on her brother, Ju Yun-hui hastily tried to stop him, but the Emperor ignored her.

Before being an emperor, he was a brother, and he needed to know who his sister’s man was. And if he did not approve….

‘The Emperor’s wrath will fall upon you, nameless man.’

The Emperor vowed to himself.

* * *

The Phantom Grandmaster looked at Yu-jin and withdrew his hand. He then fell into thought for a moment. He couldn’t know what the Emperor would think of the man, but he, at least, approved of Yu-jin becoming a member of the imperial family.

He couldn’t be sure of Yu-jin’s character, but since Princess Ju Yun-hui, an excellent judge of people, had chosen him, he was certain to be reliable(?). On top of that, the part that pleased him most was Yu-jin’s skill.

‘A level similar to my own. That’s what I like most.’

They had only exchanged a single blow, but that was more than enough to gauge his skill.

Even if he were to attack with all his might, Yu-jin was not an opponent he could easily subdue.

If the two of them were to clash seriously, they would have to be prepared to destroy more than half of this vast imperial palace. There was no reason for him to oppose such a powerful master willingly becoming a part of the imperial family.

‘Perhaps he could even accomplish what I have been unable to do.’

His sense of duty to protect the Emperor had kept him from ever leaving the palace grounds. In terms of weaponry, he was a shield. A sturdy shield that no one could break.

But if Yu-jin became a member of the imperial family, they would gain a spear. A spear stronger and sturdier than any other.

Then, they might easily handle matters that had been impossible until now. Naturally, the Phantom Grandmaster’s gaze toward Yu-jin had to change. He had transformed from an enemy to be defeated into a treasure.

‘I must speak well of him to His Majesty the Emperor.’

As the Phantom Grandmaster withdrew his hostility, Yu-jin let out a sigh of relief. He was confident he would win even if they fought, but battling such a powerful master was an exhausting affair.

Just as Yu-jin felt that relief, a eunuch entered to deliver a report. Seemingly unaware that the Phantom Grandmaster was present, the eunuch was startled to see him and quickly bowed his head.

“What is it?”

“His Majesty has summoned this man.”

‘The time has come.’

Normally, Yu-jin wouldn’t be nervous at all, but this situation was different.

His current worry was that, in the original story, events in the imperial palace were never mentioned. The original protagonist, Kang Yong-hoon, operated exclusively within the martial world and never formed a beautiful and deep bond with the Shadowless One as he had.

Therefore, Yu-jin now had to rely on his own wits to navigate the situation. The only certainties from the settings he had written were that the Emperor was a wise and benevolent ruler.

“Is that so? I shall accompany him. You may leave.”

At the Phantom Grandmaster’s words, the eunuch nodded and withdrew. Watching the eunuch leave, Yu-jin prepared himself mentally for his imminent meeting with the ruler of the empire.

Before long, Yu-jin arrived with the Phantom Grandmaster at the Emperor’s location.

The two eunuchs at the door announced.

“The Phantom Grandmaster and Kang Yu-jin, entering.”

However, the Phantom Grandmaster told Yu-jin to wait at the door and entered alone.

As the Phantom Grandmaster entered instead of Yu-jin, the Emperor looked at him with a puzzled expression.

The Phantom Grandmaster glanced back and forth between the Emperor and Ju Yun-hui before speaking.

“Your Majesty, the princess has done a great service for the empire.”

“A great service?”

The Emperor looked at the Phantom Grandmaster with a curious expression. He then shifted his posture and waited for him to continue.

The Phantom Grandmaster had guarded the imperial family for decades, observing countless people. As such, even the Emperor needed to listen carefully to what he had to say.

“I do not know how the princess met him, but he is a master whose skills are in no way inferior to my own.”

Hearing the Phantom Grandmaster’s words, a look of astonishment crossed the Emperor’s face. Although he disliked the martial world, he was not ignorant of it.

He himself had not practiced martial arts, but having witnessed a master who had reached the Profound Realm from up close for a long time, the Emperor clearly understood what such a being was capable of.

So for his own sister to have met a young man who was such a remarkable master, it was no wonder that astonishment appeared on the Emperor’s face.

“Is that truly so?”

He knew that the Phantom Grandmaster had mastered a unique ocular art, allowing him to observe martial artists better than anyone, but the Emperor still had to ask again.

“It is true. I, too, was skeptical, so I exchanged a blow with him, but he did not yield to me in the slightest. He is undoubtedly a master who has reached the Profound Realm.”

“And he is a young man? Could he be someone who has undergone that… what is it, age reversal?”

In all the Emperor’s knowledge of the martial world, there was no precedent for a young man reaching the Profound Realm.

But the Phantom Grandmaster shook his head again. Another of his duties was to monitor the martial world, which was why he knew very well about Yu-jin, the grand young master of the True Dragon Sword Clan.

“Not at all.”

“Hah, that is truly remarkable.”

Ju Yun-hui could sense a note of favor in the Emperor’s tone as he spoke.

The Emperor usually regarded martial artists as ruffians, but if one who had reached the pinnacle of those ruffians were to become a member of the imperial family, it was a different story.

Indeed, for an Emperor who had been worried about his lack of useful pieces to play, this could be of great help.

“Indeed, this is just like you, Yun-hui. Although I am still not entirely at ease, you have brought a talent most needed by the empire at this time. You have done very well.”

At the Emperor’s praise, Ju Yun-hui forced a smile. No matter how helpful he might be to the imperial family, she still despised him.

However, she felt that the time to let go of this hatred was not far off.

The Emperor praised Ju Yun-hui and then looked at the Phantom Grandmaster.

“However, the court officials will not accept him easily. There has never been a connection between the imperial family and a martial arts clan, and if it becomes known that he is a master of the Profound Realm, they will oppose it completely. They already disapprove of my favoring the shadowy factions, so they are bound to resist someone who would make those factions even stronger.”

Normally, an imperial son-in-law is merely an honorary position with no real authority. But if that son-in-law is a martial artist, and a very powerful one at that, the story changes.

It would be unlike an emperor not to make use of such a person, and an imperial son-in-law in an honorary position would have no choice but to operate in the shadows—that is, within the intelligence organizations.

And the officials who operated in the light despised those who worked in the shadows.

This was because many who worked for intelligence organizations held no official rank, yet in some respects, wielded more power than the high-ranking ministers of the court.

The Eastern Depot was a prime example, and indeed, the court officials had to tremble before them.

“That is certainly true. But there is no need to worry greatly. Such things can be overcome with results—that is, with achievements. If he demonstrates proper results, the officials will have no choice but to hold their tongues.”

After saying this, the Phantom Grandmaster added a few more words, and the Emperor laughed heartily.

“Have Kang Yu-jin enter!”

At the Emperor’s command, the two eunuchs nodded.

* * *

Finally, the doors opened, and Yu-jin saw the figures of two people.

The Emperor was seated on the high seat, looking down at Yu-jin, while Ju Yun-hui sat below him, averting her gaze. Seeing this, Yu-jin frowned and sent a telepathic message.

[You’d do well to put on a more pleasant expression. You know full well what will happen if I stimulate the power within your body right here, don’t you?]

Hearing Yu-jin’s telepathic message, Ju Yun-hui’s face darkened. Though she was resisting him mentally, her body had long since been tamed by the Yin-Yang Lust Arts.

Even now, she could feel the power of the Yin-Yang Lust Arts within her.

If Yu-jin were to activate this power, she would undoubtedly go into heat right in front of the Emperor.

She had no choice but to turn her head and give Yu-jin a bright smile.

“Are you Kang Yu-jin?”

The unsuspecting Emperor, seeing Ju Yun-hui’s expression, thought their relationship was much deeper than he had imagined and smiled faintly. The closer the two were, the more it benefited him.

“I greet Your Majesty, the Emperor. I am Kang Yu-jin.”

This was the moment the Divine Sword Dragon, currently making a great name for himself in the martial world, met the ruler of the empire. However, the age difference between them was not that great. The Emperor was in his early thirties, and Yu-jin was twenty-five.

But the Emperor naturally exuded the aura of a sovereign, and Yu-jin could tell he was no ordinary man. The Emperor, in turn, was satisfied with Yu-jin’s composure, who did not lose his presence even before him.

“I heard from the Phantom Grandmaster that you have reached the Profound Realm, the same as him. Is that true?”

“It is.”

Since it was already known, there was no point in lying.

“Astonishing. I understand the Profound Realm to be that of an absolute being who has transcended humanity, yet you have reached such a state at an age younger than my own sister. If there is such a thing as a heaven-sent genius, it must be you.”

“You praise me too highly.”

Yu-jin showed a humble attitude, but the Emperor shook his head. The Emperor believed it was actually wrong for someone who had reached such a level to be modest.

“I am fond of capable people. It is wrong for someone with ability to lower themselves.”

Humility cannot be a virtue. That is what the Emperor was saying. Yu-jin was taken aback by his unconventional words.

Were those not words that truly appealed to him? Yu-jin acknowledged that the Emperor was a far more impressive man than he had thought.

“What do you think of Yun-hui?”

“I love her deeply.”

Yu-jin answered the Emperor’s question without a moment’s hesitation.

Hearing those words directly, Ju Yun-hui felt her heart inexplicably waver, but she quickly denied it.

‘That man is only after my body. I must not fall for it.’

Ju Yun-hui ignored her own reaction and looked at the Emperor and Kang Yu-jin.