Surviving as a Cripple in Murim – Chapter 54

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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The relationship between the martial world and the imperial court was both simple and complex.

During the reign of the first emperor of the Deng Dynasty, Huo Guang, when he was still a general of the Song Dynasty,

he found himself surrounded by enemies on all sides.

Before him stood the Jurchens and the Mongols. Behind him lurked the Song imperial court.

To the Emperor, Huo Guang was merely a hunting dog, a tool to be used to repel the Jurchens and the Mongols, and a potential threat to his throne.

Despite being a demigod, descended from divine blood, he stood alone, without allies in the imperial court.

Even his own mother, the Empress, distanced herself from him, wary of his divine heritage.

His only companion was his own shadow, reflected in the flames.

It was only a matter of time before he was discarded, like a hunting dog boiled alive after its usefulness had expired.

So, Huo Guang decided that if he was going to be branded a traitor and executed anyway, he might as well actually commit treason.

“Hey, look! Your boyfriend’s here!”

“Oh, you’re dead! I swear!”

The cold stares, the insults he had endured since childhood, fueled his rage, fanning the flames of resentment within him.

“I haven’t done anything wrong… and yet they discriminate against me. Fuck those bastards, I will rebel.”

Even the strongest warriors needed to eat, sleep, and shit. They were vulnerable.

So, Huo Guang first sought allies, those who would become his confidantes, his protectors.

He found them in “religion.”

While not all religious figures were the same, many monks and priests were scholars and skilled martial artists who could be valuable assets in times of war.

The ancient sages had all been powerful figures, and studying their teachings had naturally led to the development of powerful martial arts techniques.

Huo Guang invited a Daoist priest from Quanzhen and a Buddhist monk from Shaolin, two of the most prestigious and influential religious sects at the time, to become his teachers.

Flattered by the renowned general, a demigod no less, seeking their guidance,

Quanzhen and Shaolin praised Huo Guang’s virtuous nature.

And other martial artists from the Daoist and Buddhist sects, drawn by the rumors, flocked to his side.

But… it wasn’t enough.

While the Daoist and Buddhist martial artists were powerful, their religious beliefs limited their understanding of strategy and military tactics.

And since Huo Guang’s officers had been appointed by the Emperor, he had little real control over the army. He was a commander in name only.

He needed advisors skilled in politics and strategy, and experienced in commanding private armies.

And there were warlords in the provinces, taking advantage of the chaotic times, seizing control of territories under the guise of suppressing bandits, collecting taxes, and raising private armies.

These were the martial families: the Nangong Family, the Hwangbo Family, the Jegal Family, the Sichuan Tang Family, the Hebei Peng Family, the Jinju Eon Family, and others.

“Hey, you guys, join my crew.”

The danger of fire was that if left unchecked, it would consume everything in its path, growing into an unstoppable inferno.

It became an irresistible force, an inextinguishable blaze.

“The Emperor is hereby deposed.”

After a series of events, a not so pleasant rebellion, Huo Guang succeeded in overthrowing the Emperor and installing a puppet ruler.

He filled the imperial court with his own loyal followers.

And later, after conquering the Jurchens and the Mongols, Huo Guang received the throne from the puppet emperor, who declared that Huo Guang’s virtue had reached the heavens.

On the day the Song Dynasty’s banner was lowered and replaced with the banner of the Deng Dynasty,

Huo Guang, seated on the imperial throne, addressed the court officials and the martial artists who had helped him seize power, a smile on his face.

“I owe my position to my teachers and my brothers.”

Having experienced firsthand the betrayal of the Song Emperor, Huo Guang refused to purge his supporters, instead rewarding them generously with titles, lands, and exemptions from punishment.

It was a declaration from the Emperor himself that they would be protected, no matter what.

This marked the beginning of the era of the martial artists, a time when they were above the law.

Therefore, even though the divination ritual, conducted to determine the fortunes of the imperial family, had produced the prophecy “The daughter of Nangong shall become king,” it was impossible to simply eliminate all the female children of the Nangong family.

It would be unseemly, illogical, to massacre the descendants of his loyal supporters based on a single prophecy.

And besides, weren’t titles like “Sword King” and “Fist King” common in the martial world?

While the Huo Dynasty was wary, they decided to overlook the matter, not wanting to stir up trouble.

And the Nangong family, eager to appease the imperial court, raised their daughter, Xiaoshao, as a boy.

Nangong Xian, the young head of the Nangong family, and Seol Wol-ha, the princess of the North Sea Ice Palace, hoped that

when Xiaoshao was older, when the ominous prophecy had faded from memory, she could finally live as a girl again. They waited patiently for that day to arrive.

But… when Xiaoshao turned twelve,

she drew a sword she shouldn’t have drawn, and the prophecy became her destiny.

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Thankfully, the downpour had been brief, and the play was scheduled to resume in the evening.

However, there was a problem.

In the next scene, Sakra Devanam Indra, having defeated the dragon, would ascend to the heavens with a celestial maiden.

And the rope mechanism used for the ascension scene was broken.

“Excuse me, are you martial artists? Would you be willing to… perform in the play?”

The festival guide, whose theatrical attire wasn’t just for show,

being a member of the acting troupe herself, bowed deeply and asked if they would be willing to participate.

With their martial arts skills, they could easily replicate the ascension scene using light footwork, eliminating the need for the rope mechanism.

“Sure, it seems like fun. As long as we’re compensated, we’re willing.”

The guide’s face brightened at his ready agreement, and she looked expectantly at Xiaoshao, awaiting her decision.

Xiaoshao, who had been listening quietly, her eyes shining with anticipation, her cheeks slightly flushed, spoke.

“Does that mean… I could play Sakra Devanam Indra?”

The guide’s eyes widened in surprise at Xiaoshao’s eager request, a request uttered despite her obvious embarrassment, to play the leading role. She had been planning to cast Xiaoshao as the celestial maiden.

Ultimately, Mancheon played the role of Sakra Devanam Indra, and Xiaoshao the celestial maiden.

None of Sakra Devanam Indra’s costumes fit Xiaoshao.

She looked adorable in the ill-fitting clothes, like a girlfriend borrowing her boyfriend’s shirt.

The guide had been worried Xiaoshao wouldn’t agree, but Xiaoshao, believing it was wrong to renege on her promise to help, accepted the role of the celestial maiden.

However, she refused to wear women’s clothing, agreeing only to wear the hair ornaments.

Xiaoshao seemed pleased with her role as the celestial maiden, fiddling with the red silk hair ornaments as she looked around backstage.

She looked like a child on a tour of a movie set.

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Their scene involved Sakra Devanam Indra, having defeated the dragon, refusing to return to the heavens, instead lingering in the hot springs with the village women.

The celestial maiden, seeing this, performs a seductive dance under the moonlight, hoping to lure him back. Captivated by her beauty, Sakra Devanam Indra follows her, and they ascend to the heavens together.

Fortunately, it was a masked opera performance, so there was little risk of being discovered, as long as they didn’t speak.

They simply had to appear on stage after the actors finished their dialogue, perform a short chase scene like stunt doubles, and then fly away.

It was a simple task.

But… his plan went out the window the moment he saw Xiaoshao dance.

Under the bright moonlight, bathed in the audience’s rapt attention, the sword dancer, a celestial maiden seeking to seduce a god, spun gracefully, her blade tracing intricate patterns in the air.

It was a graceful, melancholic, yet powerful performance.

Was it the festive atmosphere? Or the seductive dance of the sword dancer?

His mouth went dry, a heat rising within him, his heart pounding.

‘Why am I… just standing here?’

He gripped his staff. He moved. He approached Xiaoshao.

He heard someone backstage telling him to wait, that it wasn’t his cue yet, but he didn’t care.

Dog Beating Staff Technique – Lifting the Dog to the Heavens – An upward strike with the staff.

Staff and sword clashed.

His upward strike sent Xiaoshao’s sword flying,

and Sakra Devanam Indra reached out towards the celestial maiden.

But… the celestial maiden was unfazed. She executed a footwork technique, creating distance.

She danced around him, a teasing, playful movement, as if daring him to catch her.

Staff and sword clashed again.

They circled each other, pursuing and pursued, their weapons meeting in a shower of sparks.

Two white cranes, dancing in a circle.

His mind, cleared by the physical exertion, finally registered the signal from backstage. It was time to leave.

The scene was over. It was time to revert from the lustful Sakra Devanam Indra back to the sensible Sima Mancheon.

Xiaoshao also saw the signal and drew back her sword, preparing to exit the stage.

And in that moment, Mancheon’s left arm shot out, wrapping around Xiaoshao’s slender waist, pulling her into his embrace.

He looked at Xiaoshao, her eyes wide with surprise, and dropped his staff.

Clatter-

The sound of the staff hitting the stage echoed through the silent amphitheater, drawing the audience’s attention.

“Y-Young Master Sima, this isn’t… in the script… and… everyone is watching… Please… let go…”

Xiaoshao whispered, her cheeks burning with embarrassment, but Mancheon simply raised his mask slightly, revealing his face, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

“Let them watch,” he said.

A play was always more exciting with a little improvisation.

“The moon hangs low in the sky, it is the third watch (月沈沈夜三更).”

A sweet whisper echoed through the moonlit stage.

“Two hearts, two minds, entwined as one (兩人心事兩人知).”

That night, Mancheon stole the show.

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An extra time huh?😏