Chapter 234
Chapter 234
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 65
>Chapter Title: Escort Division Sparring (2)
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"Even I couldn't handle that monstrous bastard. How could those young punks possibly beat him?"
"Pardon?"
Hanlin Academy's rank-6 reader, Jang Chan, wore an incredulous expression at the shocking words from West Depot eunuch Supervisor Fan.
Though he hadn't served Prince Jing for long, by all accounts, Supervisor Fan—also known as Fan Zhong—was one of the top five masters among the eunuchs of the East and West Depots who had cultivated martial arts.
He couldn't grasp their exact terminology, but with his internal energy at the pinnacle of the transcendent realm, few even in the martial world could match him.
Yet this unparalleled expert was saying he couldn't defeat the opponent? What on earth did that mean?
Moreover, these so-called later-generation disciples were just kids in their early twenties at best.
"Supervisor Fan, are you perhaps mistaken?"
"Mistaken?"
"Yes, later-generation disciples or not, they're just young, inexperienced juniors. How could they stand against a seasoned master like you?"
"Hoo."
Supervisor Fan sighed at his disbelieving attitude.
If even he, who had experienced it firsthand, felt that way, it was only natural for someone clueless to react similarly.
But now wasn't the time for explanations.
'He hasn't recognized me yet, so I need to hurry and get out of here.'
And he had to report this to Prince Jing immediately.
He had hoped never to cross paths again, but with that demon-like fiend appearing in the imperial palace, he had to inform His Highness and prepare some countermeasures.
His liege was already sleepless over that day's events; seeing this man again might leave him unable to recover from the shock.
With that, Supervisor Fan said quietly,
"I'll explain the details later. If you truly can't believe this old man, then let them spar. But those ones..."
As he spoke, Supervisor Fan trailed off.
"Why stop mid-sentence?"
"This is..."
"Pardon?"
Jang Chan, puzzled by Supervisor Fan's twisted expression, looked where he was staring.
'!?'
Jang Chan frowned.
And for good reason—one of the confronting group had turned his head to look right at them.
They were about thirty paces away, too coincidental to be chance.
But to Supervisor Fan, it was no coincidence.
'...Monstrous bastard.'
Even at this distance, he had sensed their presence.
With so many people around and no energy being emanated, it was hard to pinpoint someone specific from this far unless deliberately focusing.
Yet that fiend was staring straight at him.
Just how sensitive and expansive was his energy sense?
Was this the difference between one who had surpassed mortal limits and one who hadn't?
'...But he hasn't recognized me.'
The distance was considerable, and he looked nothing like he had in that rain-soaked inn.
Different attire, and no eunuch makeup either.
So if he didn't give anything away here, the fiend wouldn't recognize him...
'!!!!!'
In that instant, Supervisor Fan's pupils trembled wildly.
Having lived as a eunuch for so long, he had mastered lip-reading, allowing him to discern words from mouth shapes.
Of course, at this range, it was hard to be precise, but that much was crystal clear.
[You're alive, huh.]
Supervisor Fan's legs nearly gave out.
The fiend had recognized him perfectly.
* * *
"You're alive, huh."
"My lord?"
Seop Chun looked puzzled as Mok Kyung-un suddenly stared somewhere, so he followed his gaze.
Two officials stood at a distance; one, seen only from behind, was limping away in haste, as if fleeing.
Seop Chun had no idea what was going on, but
"He must be a eunuch."
"What do you mean?"
"That limping official over there."
"Do you know him?"
"Seop Chun knows him too."
"Me?"
"The old master from that village inn where we tried to hire the carriage."
"Ah! You mean the old master guarding that wench? Wait, does that mean he was an imperial eunuch?"
"His red uniform was from the West Depot, so yeah."
Mok Kyung-un replied nonchalantly.
Mong Mu-yak, who had been listening, furrowed her brow and whispered,
"My lord... if that's true, then the woman he served might not be some high official's daughter, but imperial clan."
"Imperial clan?"
"Yes, eunuchs serve only the imperial family. And for a master of that caliber to guard her, she's no ordinary status."
At that, Seop Chun exclaimed in surprise,
"No way. Does that mean the wench is actually a princess or something...?"
"Shh!"
As his voice rose, Mong Mu-yak pretended to cover his mouth to hush him.
They weren't alone here.
After silencing Seop Chun, Mong Mu-yak said worriedly,
"My lord, if she's truly high-ranking imperial clan, we should prepare countermeasures for the future."
Mong Mu-yak had assumed they were surely dead.
But surviving that asura field might have pushed their hatred and thirst for revenge against Mok Kyung-un and them to the extreme.
That could disrupt their mission in the palace or drag them into troublesome affairs.
"Countermeasures... well, can't hurt. So, Mong Mu-yak, can you handle those preparations?"
"Me?"
"Yes, you're the one saying we need them."
"...Indeed."
"Then I leave it to you."
"Understood."
Mong Mu-yak's eyes filled with resolve as she replied.
This was surely a test of her abilities from Mok Kyung-un.
Unlike Seop Chun, she had pledged loyalty late, so she needed to prove herself here to earn her lord's trust.
As she steeled herself inwardly, the scar-faced Embroidered Uniform Guard captain serving as exam proctor stepped to the center for the certification.
Addressing both sides waiting at a distance, he said,
"We can wait no longer. With the observers late, we'll proceed with the senior class promotion spar without further delay."
* * *
The spars didn't take long.
They all ended in about half a gak.
The results were a one-sided rout.
The scar-faced Embroidered Uniform Guard captain's name was Maek Ha-gyun, commander of the Fifth Division—the most secretive among the six divisions.
Having volunteered as proctor to gauge their level, Maek Ha-gyun inwardly clicked his tongue.
'...They went all out.'
These cadets, backed by Consort Seo, faced the Heaven-Earth Society's later-generation disciples for the first time, so he wanted to assess their caliber.
But the spars made it pointless.
The gap in skill was too vast.
The four recommended by Prince Jing were barely second- or first-rate at best—utterly outmatched.
They were suited only as junior Escort Division cadets.
In contrast, the Heaven-Earth Society's later-generation disciples had skills sufficient for immediate Embroidered Uniform Guard duty.
No—even he, a captain, couldn't fully gauge their prowess.
By energy sense, they seemed his equal or superior.
Thus, Maek Ha-gyun figured the Heaven-Earth Society had sent their elite younger disciples this time.
'Heaven-Earth Society... as expected of one of the three great martial powers. Even their weakest is at the peak of mastery.'
Mok Kyung-un, was it?
He seemed the weakest of the three, but his striking beauty made his face memorable.
The spars ended anticlimactically, but he was rather looking forward to it now.
For this Escort Division sparring to select Embroidered Uniform Guards, notable orthodox sect later-generation disciples were participating too.
Like Geum Jong-hyeon of the Zhongnan Sect or Namgung Cheong-hyeon of the Nangong Clan.
He was curious what results they'd yield.
* * *
Escort Division training ground.
Three hundred cadets trained here.
But simultaneous training for so many was impractical.
Thus, they were divided into three grades—upper, middle, lower—with a hundred each.
Naturally, the upper grade consisted of the Escort Division's top trainees.
Most were first-rate or better in skill, exceptionally talented.
Aiming for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, most upper-grade cadets...
"Hoo. Hoo."
Even late afternoon, they sweated profusely, immersed in training.
It was for tomorrow's Escort Division sparring.
Only eight of the hundred would be finally selected for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and knowing some were pre-selected, they had no choice but to prepare desperately.
The Escort Division sparring was that fierce.
As the cadets trained diligently, their gazes suddenly turned somewhere.
-Thud thud!
To the platform at the training ground's front.
Escort Division commander Seok Jeon-ung approached the platform, followed by unfamiliar faces.
"Ha! Look at that."
"What the hell are they?"
The cadets' reactions weren't favorable.
They looked openly displeased.
And rightly so—with the Escort Division sparring tomorrow, three strangers in upper-grade uniforms appeared out of nowhere.
The existing cadets, guessing what it meant, couldn't help but feel resentful.
-Thud!
Standing before the platform, Commander Seok Jeon-ung spoke.
"Attention!"
Though he said it, all upper-grade cadets were already watching.
Raising his voice, Commander Seok Jeon-ung pointed at the three behind him.
"These three promoted today. From the left: Mok Kyung-un, Seop Chun, Mong Mu-yak."
-Pop!
No sooner had he finished than someone raised a hand.
As if expecting it, Commander Seok Jeon-ung let out a faint sigh.
Many upper-grade cadets were sons of high officials, quick to voice opinions.
"Speak."
"Cadet Lee Choong here. The last promotions ended five days ago. Promoting the day before the Escort Division sparring feels too deliberate."
Then another cadet stood, raising his voice.
"Cadet Lee Choong is right. We don't know who they are, but promoting unvetted people like this? Please reconsider."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through.
Commander Seok Jeon-ung drew a deep breath and opened his mouth.
"Quiet!"
His short, sharp shout silenced the training ground.
Then he addressed the cadets.
"They've already passed the promotion exam under an Embroidered Uniform Guard captain's verification. Do you deny it?"
'Embroidered Uniform Guard captain proctored it?'
'Is that true?'
The cadets buzzed again.
Promotions were normally under the Escort Division commander.
But with an Embroidered Uniform Guard captain involved, questioning it denied the Guard's authority.
Then Commander Seok Jeon-ung drove the point home.
"And they're Heaven-Earth Society later-generation disciples. No doubt about their skills."
'Heaven-Earth Society?'
A few who had ignored the proceedings now turned to the platform.
They were orthodox Justice Alliance later-generation disciples.
* * *
Having introduced the promoted cadets, Commander Seok Jeon-ung left as if his duty was done.
The mood turned awkward after he departed.
The Heaven-Earth Society was one of the three great martial powers—and at odds with the Justice Alliance, the orthodox world's core.
Yet the upper-grade cadets included many righteous sect later-generation disciples.
They led the mood, so cadets subtly eyed Mok Kyung-un and his group with wariness.
'So this is the vibe.'
Mok Kyung-un smirked.
Confined to the Heaven-Earth Society before, this seemed how the orthodox world viewed them.
Of course, Mok Kyung-un didn't care about such gazes.
These people were irrelevant anyway.
The truly important ones were on the lists from East Depot eunuch Supervisor Jang.
Mok Kyung-un naturally spotted them.
'Is that Yeom Kyung?'
Matched the memorized appearance.
Huashan Sect disciple and son of the Left Vigilance Bureau vice minister, Yeom Kyung.
Affiliated with Second Prince Zongwang's faction, skilled as befitting a great sect heir.
'Hmm.'
The squinting youth with arms crossed seemed Geum Jong-hyeon, son of a Hanlin Academy rank-5 instructor and Zhongnan Sect disciple.
He belonged to Prince Jing's faction.
'Squinting eyes...'
Hard to tell if open or closed.
Turning, Mok Kyung-un saw Mong Mu-yak in a fierce staring contest with someone.
The target: a tall, thick-browed youth.
'Is that Namgung Cheong-hyeon?'
Second son of the Nangong Clan, one of the Seven Great Families.
Allied by marriage with Grand Preceptor Hang Yun-pa—holding Three Dukes title and Central Vigilance Bureau admiral—faction.
'Most hostile.'
As a core Nangong Clan member of the Justice Alliance pillar, Namgung Cheong-hyeon glared openly with enmity.
A fight might erupt before the Escort Division sparring.
But,
'What is it?'
Since entering the upper-grade training ground, Mok Kyung-un felt an odd sensation.
Hard to articulate, but something irritatingly stimulated his senses.
He traced the irksome energy.
In a corner of the training ground, he found someone handstanding on one arm, doing push-ups.
'!?'
Mok Kyung-un frowned.
He couldn't read any energy from him.
Normally, a cultivator's energy form was detectable, but nothing from this one.
As if utterly devoid of martial arts—no, internal energy.
'Weird.'
Without internal energy, why was he in the upper grade?
And why did something persistently grating emanate from him?
He'd need to inspect with his third eye's power.
Then a voice called.
"Hey. That guy bothering you too?"
Mok Kyung-un turned.
A sharp-faced youth with slit eyes stood behind.
'Ho.'
Interest gleamed in Mok Kyung-un's eyes.
Unknown, but his energy ranked top five among upper-grade cadets.
Appraising him, Mok Kyung-un asked,
"You seem to know him well."
"Nope."
"No?"
"Yeah. But no one in upper grade doesn't know him."
"Pretty famous, huh?"
The slit-eyed youth snorted at the question.
"Ha! Famous? Yeah. A guy who can't even cultivate properly promotes from junior to upper in just five days outta nowhere."
[End of Chapter 65: Escort Division Sparring (2)]