Chapter 146: Black Rank (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 146: Black Rank (4)
A few people chuckled at the words of Heonwon Chang, who stood guard beside Jeong Yeon-shin.
The majority, however, simply let out a quiet sigh.
Such was the way of the Black Rank experts. The lips of the six masters standing guard by their respective Unit Commanders didn't so much as twitch.
They simply stared blankly at Heonwon Chang.
Just as Jeong Yeon-shin had brought his own escort, the auras of those standing beside the Unit Commanders were uniformly heavy.
“Ahaha!”
Only the girl sitting near the empty seat of honor laughed without restraint.
Clutching the spear propped against the armrest of her stone seat, she shook her single, braided ponytail from side to side.
There was no malice in her laughter; she seemed to be laughing simply because she found it amusing.
‘Senior Ak.’
She was a familiar face to Jeong Yeon-shin.
Ak Su-rim, the Divine Spear of the Desolate Fortress. She was the Deputy Unit Commander of the Divine Sword Squad within the Divine Sword Corps.
She was an old master who had briefly worked with him during the martial duel against the Namgung Clan.
It was said that a certain heart cultivation art of hers had reached the Pure Blue Fire (State of Perfection), reversing the age of her physical body.
Her youthful appearance, so close to Jeong Yeon-shin's own age, was proof of her formidable power—she was a master of Rejuvenation.
“Hee-hee, he’s hilarious! Just a White Rank, but his guts are incredible! He’s certainly fit to assist the Flash Art, the one who challenged the Azure Qilin. Hey, Do-un. When was the last time anyone treated you like that?”
She spoke, wiping the corner of her eye with a slender finger. In a world with little entertainment, she seemed to have laughed to the point of tears.
“That is enough,” said Ha Do-un, Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing.
His composure had faltered for only a brief moment; his expression was now perfectly calm.
An eminent swordsman's composure was, by nature, as clear and tranquil as Clear Mirror, Still Water.
If his swordsmanship was rumored to rival the saber techniques of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, then the mastery of his heart cultivation art was surely proportional to his mental discipline.
Regardless of his sharp personality, his mind was a fortress.
‘The Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing... he saw through it. He’s an incredibly powerful expert.’
The boy thought to himself.
The Black Rank was truly on another level. Through a combination of sharp wits and his sense of Qi, he seemed to have instantly deduced the technique's origin.
The Castle Lord's feint. It's a technique to be handled with care, one that would bring no benefit if it became widely known.
Jeong Yeon-shin calmed his briefly startled heart, careful not to let it show.
Accompanied by Heonwon Chang, he walked slowly to his seat beside Ma Jin, who had arrived earlier.
His maternal uncle was attending the meeting as a Unit Commander. He was still the Commander of the Demonlight Wing.
—Was that a move you learned from the Castle Lord?
The voice was Ma Jin's, transmitted via telepathy.
—It seems to be a remarkably profound method for easily utilizing wave energy. To draw that kind of reaction from an expert... and not just any expert, but the Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing.
—It is incomplete, Jeong Yeon-shin replied succinctly.
He had been genuinely surprised when the wave-based feint succeeded.
He had only started learning the technique yesterday, and his opponent was a Black Rank expert.
He hadn't expected it to work at all. It had to be considered a stroke of luck.
For now, it didn't seem to have much practical use, as Ha Do-un's reaction had been extremely brief.
‘It's hard to use in real combat.’
Even if he executed the technique perfectly, the opponent's momentary lapse wasn't deep enough to be considered a proper feint.
With the amount of concentration he'd just exerted, he could have unleashed another ultimate move in a real duel.
‘I can't let this become like the Northern Light sword. That was a vicious cycle—I kept falling behind because I only ever used the Desolate Fortress Sword, the style my hands were used to.’
Just as he resolved to dedicate time to practicing it, Ak Su-rim spoke up again.
A faint smile lingered on her lips, her eyes shining with a hint of warmth as she looked at the boy.
“Ma Jin's recommendation of you as the next Commander of the Demonlight Wing has been accepted. If not for you, Cheong-myeong, the Blue-Eyed Demon Sword, would have been the prime candidate, but that fellow, as supple as a flexible sword, said he would step aside. He even refused to compete.”
Surprising words flowed from her grinning mouth.
Jeong Yeon-shin fell silent for a moment.
He had no idea such discussions had taken place. Cheong-myeong was the greatest swordsman of the Demonlight Wing.
He was more than qualified to be considered for the position of the next Unit Commander. In terms of accumulated years and popularity, Jeong Yeon-shin couldn't compare.
There was no need to overthink the reason.
The boy bowed his head slightly. Cheong-myeong knew about his constitution. That had to be why.
‘What can I possibly give back to my seniors?’
A mixture of self-reproach and gratitude flickered behind his lowered eyelids.
The six Unit Commanders and their six escort warriors watched the boy for a moment.
Every single one of them had already lived long lives as the swords of the Desolate Fortress at the heart of the Jianghu.
The emotions reflected on their faces were diverse: curiosity, interest, indifference, boredom...
“The Grand Steward has already personally assessed and approved of your achievements and character. It seems he’s even finished privately questioning those who went on missions with you. He’s a fast-moving old fox, as always. All that’s left is to prove your martial power in front of the people of the Main Fortress,” Ak Su-rim said.
The boy nodded. “I understand.”
“Yes. But there's one more thing. A Black Rank promotion is different from the affairs of the lower ranks.”
“What do you mean?”
“It is not a duel between equals. As a Blue Rank, you must be recognized by a Unit Commander. Your level of martial arts, that is. A Black Rank will face you in front of everyone.”
“I am aware.”
“There is a reason you, who are not even a Unit Commander, were invited to this meeting. We were taking volunteers to face you in the duel. They all unanimously said they wanted to see you—to see how well-tempered your body is, what kind of martial arts you've trained in, and for those who already know you, how much you've grown.”
Clang—
Ak Su-rim flicked the shaft of her spear with her finger.
With a tilt of her chin, she gestured across the meeting hall toward the faces of the six Unit Commanders.
“They’re the type who find it bothersome to lift a finger if they aren't interested. All of them.”
The boy's eyes followed the slight movement of her chin.
The slender-bodied swordsman was the Commander of the Azure Sky Unit, and the middle-aged man with a gaunt frame and terrifyingly sharp eyes was the Commander of the Thread-Annihilation Unit.
He had crossed paths with them several times, but this was the first time he had seen them since the Hwangbo Clan mission.
The way they stared at him was peculiar. Both of them. Through the aura exuded by the young expert, they could sense his advanced cultivation.
“The personal feelings of the Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing are of no importance,” the Commander of the Thread-Annihilation Unit spoke up. “I personally oversaw the Flash Art's Blue Rank promotion. I believe it is only fitting that I witness the fruits of his labor. I shall take on this trouble on behalf of the other Unit Commanders.”
He was offering to step forward.
Three seats away, the Commander of the Azure Sky Unit opened his lips.
“Those words belong to this junior. I believe it is only right for the Commander of the Thread-Annihilation Unit to rest, having just returned from a mission.”
“Hmm.”
“I, Han, have contributed to the Flash Art's achievements. Upon his entry, I passed a spirit elixir to him through the Commander of the Demonlight Wing, though I never expected him to train in such astonishing martial arts.”
“State your true intentions, Commander of the Azure Sky Unit.”
“I merely wish to ease my senior's burden. Since I personally watered the seeds of his great foundation, it is my responsibility to verify whether the martial arts the Flash Art has trained in are upright.”
“I have heard of that matter. Was it not because you lost a bet to Ma Jin? I understand it was nothing more than that.”
“...”
They were volunteering to take on the "trouble" of dueling the boy.
The Commander of the Azure Sky Unit and the Commander of the Thread-Annihilation Unit.
They were the very individuals who, along with Ma Jin, had annihilated the Hwangbo Clan.
The way they cloaked their greed in archaic, polite language wasn't amusing. Jeong Yeon-shin was simply bewildered.
‘What is this?’
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a new voice cut in.
“I would like to wrap this up quickly. This is not a matter that should be dragged out for so long.”
The speaker was the Brightfolk woman sitting ramrod straight in the corner.
Pointed ears, sharp as fine blades, rose from above her long, flowing jet-black hair.
Her calm expression perfectly suited her beautiful features.
She was a Unit Commander who had maintained absolute silence and indifference until now, but Jeong Yeon-shin knew who she was.
‘The Commander of the Law Enforcement Unit.’
She looked exactly like the portrait he had received upon entering the Demonlight Wing.
She was the head of the martial unit that enforced the laws of the Desolate Fortress.
It was said that she was close to no one. In the Main Fortress, she was an object of both dread and respect.
‘I heard it's hard to even count the number of people she has arrested within the fortress.’
No warrior of the Main Fortress liked the Law Enforcement Unit or its Commander.
Their relationship was much like that between the Righteous Faction of the Jianghu and the experts of the Desolate Fortress.
While they admired her upright character and profound sword arts, they shunned the duties she held as her calling. It was inevitable.
The Commander of the Law Enforcement Unit slowly opened her lips.
“If you covet the opportunity to exchange blows, request a private duel. It would also be wise for the Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing to take his hand off his sword. We can overlook it as a mistake once, but do not draw your sword again here in the Wish-for-Peace One Sword Hall. If I witness such behavior again, I will have no choice but to arrest you and bring you to our unit.”
Ha Do-un's hand, which had been caressing his sword hilt while staring at Jeong Yeon-shin, froze.
It seemed he had intended to use his authority as the Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing to intervene in the debate between the other two commanders.
“That...”
Ha Do-un, Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing, stopped mid-sentence and closed his mouth.
“Words and actions that stifle discussion are also improper,” the Commander of the Thread-Annihilation Unit said calmly.
“It is an honor to witness the profound martial arts of a junior before the warriors of the Main Fortress. Please be understanding,” the Commander of the Azure Sky Unit added.
Thump—
Ak Su-rim raised her index finger and tapped the armrest of her stone seat. The sound, seemingly infused with internal power, spread through the hall as if the stone were hollow, and silence fell.
As the supreme expert closest to becoming the next Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, she took control of the meeting.
She spoke again.
“From what I hear, all three of you have a connection with the Flash Art, one way or another. The Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing seems to be leaning toward an ill-fated relationship with you. Well, if it were the White Qilin, even I would covet him.”
“...”
“All of you, back off. Personal feelings must not interfere with a promotion test. That goes for Ma Jin, and of course, for me as well, since we carried out a mission together, even if only once. Let the Commander of the Law Enforcement Unit face him.”
“I accept,” the Commander of the Law Enforcement Unit replied immediately.
No emotion was visible on her beautiful face. She did not seem to find Jeong Yeon-shin particularly interesting.
She seemed to be that kind of person by nature.
Her expression showed no inspiration whatsoever, which was precisely why Ak Su-rim seemed to consider her the perfect fit.
To anyone watching, it was the right decision.
The Unit Commanders did not object. Even Ha Do-un, Commander of the Heaven-Aligned Wing, slowly nodded.
“Settle your grievances with me after you become a Unit Commander.”
He spoke, looking directly at Jeong Yeon-shin. The boy silently nodded once, then turned his gaze to the Commander of the Law Enforcement Unit.
She was the first to rise from her seat, holding a single sword.
Her ebony hair swayed indifferently as she walked away without a backward glance.
“This is trouble,” Ma Jin muttered beside him. Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze shifted to his uncle.
Speaking now not as a commander but as an uncle, his tone was much more relaxed.
“Why is that?”
“The Law Enforcement Unit’s entire purpose is to police the warriors of the Main Fortress. They have the authority to freely enter and exit all floors of the Gold-Piercing Martial Library. They do it to develop counters and solutions for the martial arts used within the fortress.”
“And?”
“I heard your martial arts were recently classified as high-level. They are treated as superior martial arts that lower-ranking warriors cannot learn. The Scripture of Initial Overcoming, the Radiant Wing Step, the Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand, the Infinite Flower of Time Fist, the Radiant Brilliance Sword Style... these are secret manuals worthy of being considered peerless in the Jianghu. There is no way the Law Enforcement Unit hasn't thoroughly analyzed them.”
“Ah...”
A small sound escaped the boy's lips. His voice was somewhat dazed.
Ma Jin, his scar-covered face etched with worry, turned to look at Jeong Yeon-shin and flinched.
So did Heonwon Chang, who had leaned in to listen to the Commander of the Demonlight Wing’s explanation.
“Unit Commander,” Heonwon Chang said. “Your nephew is smiling.”