Chapter 540: The Jianghu Roster (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 540: The Jianghu Roster (6)
It was a warm room.
Though a fierce wind battered the walls, the midwinter chill could not pierce the sanctuary. It merely howled in vain, creating a cozy sense of detachment.
The large window blocked the northern wind like a great fortress wall, bathed in the soft glow of lanterns. Like a canvas, it captured the silhouette of two raised arms trembling intermittently.
Suddenly, a young woman's firm voice rang out.
"Sasuk, your arms are dropping. To think you might have to execute sword techniques for much longer than this one day."
Two small hands crept back up. The woman's voice softened.
"There. Well done. I know you can do even better, Sasuk."
"Sect Leader Niece, I'm tired," the young child, barely eight years old, mumbled. She was kneeling in an impeccably neat posture, her short arms held high in the air.
Yet, the expression of the woman sitting across from her remained unchanged.
"That is how difficult it is to carry out one's will in the Jianghu. Sasuk, you committed a rudeness before several renowned masters without possessing the strength to back it up, yet you paid no price. Therefore, I must teach you the ways of the martial world. If I do not, our sect might lose you at any moment. This is different from when you broke the schoolhouse last time. Do you understand?"
"Yeees..."
The response of Jeong Hye, a child with exceptionally distinct features, trailed off. She looked more dejected than convinced.
The feather ornament pinned in Wiji Myo-hwa's pitch-black hair swayed slightly.
Soon, strength returned to her beautiful, sharp eyes.
"Without great strength, you must never rashly reveal your inner thoughts. That is the Jianghu. Your uncle... Young Hero Jeong's shadow cannot protect you forever. The nameless fields and mountain paths of the Jianghu may be quiet in the light of day, but they turn into abysses when darkness falls."
There was a reason she was lecturing her like this.
Jeong Hye had clashed with the current Peng Family Head.
To be precise, the child had suddenly lunged at her as she was passing by.
It had happened in the marketplace of Xi'an. She had lunged at the Blade Marquis of the Peng Family, who had been leading a group of stout Peng clan members and harshly criticizing the character of the Acting Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
— Is this child that child? How absurd. I only said we should be careful of the Wilderness Sunfall...!
— Wilderness Sunfall is a bad word!
— It is indeed a mind-boggling epithet, whoever came up with it.
The Blade Marquis of the Peng Family laughed heartily like a middle-aged man and handed Jeong Hye, who had been forcibly held in her arms, over to Wiji Myo-hwa.
She did not seem to care in the least that the child was biting her arm.
— Are you the Cloud Sword Dragon? You must be my equal at the very least. Seeing the sword qi surrounding your body, your reputation is indeed well-deserved. As fellow young leaders, we must have much in common. Let us have a drink together sometime.
— ...Thank you for your kind offer.
— It was a bit chilling, though. What kind of disaster would I have invited upon myself by touching the niece of one of the Five Great Swords of the World? Especially when my own clan has already had its leader replaced.
Though, of course, that was quite a welcome turn of events for me.
With those whispered words, tinged with amusement, the Peng clan members departed.
The process of bringing this minor yet significant incident to a close was that brief. For Wiji Myo-hwa, it was an event that chilled her to the bone.
It is fortunate they are a noble family that understands reputation and weighs gains and losses. If it had been a rogue cultivator who only looks at what is right in front of him, or a prideful expert...
In the guest room provided by the imperial family, Wiji Myo-hwa ignored the sight of her young Sasuk's arms trembling violently. Jeong Hye needed to be disciplined, even if it meant asserting the authority of the Zhongnan Sect Leader to this extent.
"You may lower your arms when it reaches the Hour of the Pig. I will be visiting the Peng clan's quarters."
"The Peng clan...?"
Jeong Hye slowly raised her head, which was no larger than the fist of a renowned boxer. Wiji Myo-hwa stood up.
"The Peng clan must also pay a price, just like you, Sasuk. Since they insulted our sect's benefactor in broad daylight, I intend to extract an apology. Unlike you, Sasuk, I possess the strength to do so."
As she finished speaking in her gentle voice, the child's face brightened. Despite grimacing from her aching arms, her mouth curved into a goofy grin.
Wiji Myo-hwa fought down the urge to smile back at Jeong Hye. Then, she quietly left the room.
* * *
The Heavenly Scripture Martial Arts Examination.
It was a martial arts tournament open to the entire world, as well as a highly unique conscription event, promising all kinds of vested interests.
The public notices posted by the imperial family were filled with lists of rewards.
Grain to withstand famine and rare, fertile lands were listed first. The details were so enticing that even the great merchant guilds, who kept martial arts experts as guests, coveted them.
There was even a guarantee that the disciples and blood relatives of those who passed the Heavenly Scripture Martial Arts Examination would be fully protected.
This was no mere regional Jianghu event.
The scale was entirely different.
In these times, when people would draw swords over a single grain of rice, the martial world of the entire realm had no choice but to gather.
To Mount Zhongnan, where the Heavenly Scripture Martial Arts Examination was being held.
"Are you saying you cannot allocate quarters for our sect? You said skill comes first, but isn't this just judging by empty reputation?"
"This official is a palace martial artist who studied the Golden Immortal Eight Methods. There is also the option of proving your qualifications by clashing hands with me. If you lack confidence, then ascend on the designated date."
Minor squabbles were a daily occurrence.
Meanwhile, the Taoist temples and pavilions that had once lain in ruins were restored to grandeur by the hands of the Beijing Ironfolk.
The village at the foot of the mountain overflowed with unprecedented crowds. Naturally, countless inns and taverns were erected in a short span of time.
Some even rumored that the new imperial family regarded the Zhongnan Sect as the next Shaolin and Wudang.
"Why Mount Zhongnan of all places? What is the reason? Is it because of the Wilderness Sunfall's niece after all? I heard the new Emperor and the Crown Prince had close ties with him."
"No matter what, surely not! It is more likely they are desperately searching for traces of the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan, to the point of drawing in martial artists with all kinds of bizarre eye techniques..."
"Who knows? Even if some fellow obtained the Sword Immortal's fated encounter, they would swallow it whole rather than present it to the imperial family, wouldn't they?"
"This is the Zhu imperial family we are talking about. Even if they cannot find the deceased Sword Immortal of Zhongnan, you can bet every single martial artist on this mountain is captured within their gaze. Hasn't the imperial family possessed the world's greatest eye technique for generations? It would be difficult to deceive those eyes unless one were the God Thief or Ju Gwang-singae."
"True, since the Crown Prince lawfully succeeded to the throne... there shouldn't be any lost martial arts. Except for the sect-exclusive martial arts of the Three Masters of Reverent Rites."
People whispered all across the vast mountainside and the village.
The nights on Mount Zhongnan were no longer quiet.
They were incredibly noisy, regardless of whether a side door of some pavilion on the mountainside opened or not.
Creeeak—
It was the quarters assigned to the person of the highest generation rank in the current Zhongnan Sect. It was also the dwelling of a child who had recently been deeply studying the influence of intent on martial arts.
"Tread lightly, tread lightly."
Jeong Hye startled herself with her own voice while executing the stealthy steps of the Unified Martial Transcendence.
She quickly covered her mouth with hands like maple leaves and scurried along. She had not yet reached the realm where her intent resonated naturally.
It was a chaotic time.
The few remaining Zhongnan disciples, including Jeong Jung-san, were running around day and night, skipping sleep. There was simply too much to handle.
Children pushed forward by all sorts of powerful figures to be taken in as disciples, merchant group leaders visiting in the dead of night to secretly establish connections, and guests with all kinds of bizarre requests.
Furthermore, even Wiji Myo-hwa had gone to the Peng clan to settle a minor grudge.
An opportunity like this would never come again for Jeong Hye. The child felt this intuitively.
And so, she climbed the mountain.
Rustle.
The young girl scurried along, warily scanning her surroundings.
Fortunately, Mount Zhongnan was currently filled with children around Jeong Hye's age. Most of them were geniuses brought from the noble families of Beijing.
Naturally, no one paid any mind to a small presence. Everyone was busy with their own affairs, whether preparing for duels or holding secret meetings.
I have to go today, too.
For some time now, a whisper had been reaching Jeong Hye's ears every night. It was something flowing in through her Baihui Point, which had originally been opened only to a very small degree.
Naturally, the child had told Wiji Myo-hwa about it, and Wiji Myo-hwa had not ignored her young Sasuk's words.
However, there was nothing at the place she reached by following that strange voice. It was merely a spot halfway up Mount Zhongnan where a boulder called Hyoryeong Rock stood, facing a sheer canyon.
[ Come here. ]
Even so, the dreamlike pull did not vanish. Jeong Hye continued to climb the mountain, and by now, all the Zhongnan disciples simply overlooked her climbs.
Leaving handprints on Hyoryeong Rock for no apparent reason was merely seen as part of her palm technique training. As long as she did not climb alone, everything was fine.
The path had become so familiar to the child.
But today was different.
Swoosh—
Darkness flickered like smoke on both sides of the mountain path. The movement was stealthy and drawn out.
It continued until the child finally let out a deep breath of internal energy, hoo-ah, in front of the massive boulder.
Suddenly, raspy voices drifted from all directions.
"There is nothing here. Was it a wasted trip?"
"No way. We've managed to secure the best position to complete the request."
"Do not covet the Brilliant River for yourself. Rather than killing each other, it is better to receive our designated reward and disperse."
Jeong Hye flinched.
One of the three voices was familiar to her.
— I am Ban Mu-il of the Zhongnan Lay Sect. I shared a deep friendship in Kaifeng with the late Ban-ak... and Dae-myeong. Fate is indeed a mysterious thing. At any rate, seeing the highest elder of our current sect so well-versed in martial arts puts my mind completely at ease...
It was the leader of the lay sect who had once paid his respects to the child. He had even held her hand tightly, claiming to be a close friend of her grandfather, Jeong Pan-ak.
Though the voice was distorted by internal power, Jeong Hye's senses pierced right through the distortion.
The young girl's shoulders trembled slightly. The reaction of a child encountering the raw, unvarnished martial world was incredibly pure.
Jeong Hye called out his name.
"Uncle Mu-il...?"
Immediately, a distorted voice replied.
"...We must send this child to the side of the old master, the Sword Immortal. To the Sanzu River, that is."
"Are you out of your mind? Can you even handle the consequences? The Wilderness Sunfall of the Divine Sword Corps will turn the entire Jianghu upside down. I object."
"I do as well."
Step.
The owners of the voices emerged from the dark underbrush. They were three middle-aged men, each slowly exuding an invisible, creeping aura.
The grass beneath their feet flattened on its own. It was, without a doubt, an aura worthy of being called experts.
One of them spoke calmly.
"Do not be frightened by things that will not happen. A simple Internal Heavy Hand Technique will make her forget today's events. A small shock will suffice."
"In any case, with the Heavenly Silk Light Armor, you wouldn't even envy the Brilliant River. Above all, that martial art, the Brilliant River, has only been proven in the hands of the Wilderness Sunfall. I have never heard rumors of anyone else mastering it and displaying peerless palm force. On the other hand, the martial arts of the northern monsters... need I say more?"
The finger of the figure who mentioned the Heavenly Silk Light Armor flicked. He had discharged a burst of finger wind.
Thud!
The innocent dirt ground exploded. Jeong Hye had already hopped a step backward.
It was a defensive footwork born of sharp intuition. Surprise flickered in the eyes of the three men.
"An Upper Dantian talent...?"
"This is bad. We'll have to turn her into an idiot."
Whoosh—
The figures of two of the three stretched like ghosts, forming a circle. They placed Jeong Hye at the center of their encirclement. Only then did a faint trace of fear appear on the child's face.
"Uncle, why...?"
Ban Mu-il, the middle-aged man with the elegant appearance of a scholar, replied slowly.
"There is an entity who desires the fated encounter that the Sword Immortal of Zhongnan might have left behind. I wondered what they saw in you to order us to pursue a mere child, but seeing you now, I understand a little. With a natural Upper Dantian capability and Zhongnan martial arts... you are a child who would have discovered whatever is here long ago."
His tone sounded as if he were being pursued by something.
The one who had commissioned the task was approaching from afar like a northern wind.
Ban Mu-il spoke quickly with a reluctant expression.
"That is enough. We will search for it ourselves. I am sorry... granddaughter of Ban-ak. Fortunately, your achievement in Body Protection Qi does not surpass the techniques of the northern Jianghu, so your passing will not be painful."
The swelling aura suddenly expanded outward.
Because it was forced, the killing intent flared up like a wildfire. The surrounding grass flattened in a massive concentric circle, and immediately afterward, every single leaf stood back up and flipped in the opposite direction.
As if they had encountered a wind incomparably more powerful.
"......!"
Astonishment washed over the faces of the three middle-aged men.
The surrounding area had suddenly grown bright, and the number of people who had appeared out of nowhere to surround them was close to a hundred.
Moreover, every single one of them wore brilliant golden martial uniforms. It was the attire of experts directly affiliated with the Beijing imperial court.
Ban Mu-il's eyes darted frantically. Even within the massive encirclement, there were individuals who stood out exceptionally.
The Zhongnan Sect Leader, the Peng Family Head, the Jegal Clan Leader, the Acting Gongson Clan Leader, a Shaolin monk, the Deputy Commandant of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and that man... the Head Eunuch of this country...!
They were Jeong Hye's Body Protection Qi.
Rustle!
Suddenly, a tall boy descended between Jeong Hye and Ban Mu-il. His robe, embroidered with plum blossoms, and his expressionless face left a striking impression.
Meanwhile, translucent, colorless petals fluttered sharply as if teasing their eyes. Many of them continuously shielded Jeong Hye's eyes.
The young Taoist spoke.
"We can afford to lose one, right?"
A thin red line was etched across Ban Mu-il's neck. A moment later, his head fell with a thud and rolled dismally across the ground.