Yeongjo
Yeongjo is the Northern Commander of the Imperial Palace, a trusted escort whose reputation as a palace swordsman proves insufficient against the supreme martial figures drawn into the imperial succession crisis.
Biography
The hidden escort confrontation
Yeongjo answers the Guards Supreme Commander's summons and reacts quickly enough to catch the officer after a stronger fighter throws him across the chamber. The Emperor presents Yeongjo as one of the palace's formidable escorts and praises him as its best swordsman, language that embarrasses the commander because the comparison is being made before warriors whose reputations extend far beyond imperial service. He remains with the imperial party as the hidden Guardian Escort, Lim Gyu-hwa, confronts Chun Yeowun. (Chapters 375–377)
When Yeowun defeats the Guardian Escort and places the White Dragon Blade against the Emperor's neck, Yeongjo's loyalty overcomes caution. He draws and advances despite Great Guardian Marakim's explicit warning that one more step will cost him his throat. Marakim reaches his neck before he can attack, then chooses a disabling collision rather than execution because only the Lord can authorize killing a high imperial officer. Yeongjo falls heavily but survives. The exchange clarifies the limits of his title: within the palace he is elite, while against the Dark King he cannot complete a single step. (Chapters 378–379)
Envoy to Yulin
After the palace confrontation, Yeongjo serves as an imperial messenger to the Forces of Justice. Wearing blue armor, he reads the Emperor's scroll before Yulin's assembled leaders and participates in the operation surrounding concealed iron bombs. He later kneels with a West Spear eunuch during the throne-room report, carrying out the political duties that remain after direct force has failed. He is alive at his final appearance in the supplied corpus. (Chapters 388–400)
Appearance and personality
Yeongjo wears blue armor during the treaty mission. He is disciplined, prompt, and intensely loyal to imperial authority. That loyalty also makes him reactive: the sight of Yeowun threatening the Emperor drives him into an attack even after the hidden escort has lost. His embarrassment at extravagant praise suggests that he understands reputation can be situational, though not quickly enough to stop the attempted charge.
Martial arts and abilities
- Palace swordsmanship: The Emperor calls Yeongjo the palace's foremost swordsman, marking him as an accomplished military martial artist. The supplied text does not name his school or exact cultivation rank, so the title should be read within the imperial guard rather than as proof that he rivals Wulin's five strongest warriors. (Chapter 377)
- Reaction and physical control: He catches the airborne Guards Supreme Commander immediately after the man is thrown, absorbing the unexpected movement without allowing a second impact. This demonstrates alertness and trained strength in an escort formation. (Chapter 376)
- Draw-and-advance attack: Yeongjo can draw and commit to a sword attack in the instant he perceives danger to the Emperor. Against Marakim the line is read and intercepted before completion; the failure measures the opponent's superior speed rather than showing that Yeongjo never initiated. (Chapter 379)
- Military and diplomatic command: As Northern Commander he can answer senior summons, protect the imperial party, carry sealed decrees, and speak before Yulin leadership. These duties combine battlefield authority with trust in politically sensitive operations. (Chapters 375 and 388–400)
Relationships
- Chun Yeowun: The Demonic Cult Lord whose threat to the Emperor provokes Yeongjo's failed attack.
- Marakim: Intercepts and disables Yeongjo while deliberately sparing his life.
- Seo Tae-sik: Fellow senior palace officer involved in the same imperial crisis and its reports.
Items
- Unnamed sword: Yeongjo's service weapon. The corpus establishes his use of it but provides no special name or mechanism.
- Blue armor: His visible military equipment during the imperial treaty mission.