Chapter 8: Recognition (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 8: Recognition (4)
The real challenge began after his unconscious opponent was dragged away, and it was time for the second and final duel.
There are truly many monsters in this world, Jeong Yeon-shin thought.
He felt as if he were facing a martial artist destined to one day become an absolute master, like the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect.
A man clad entirely in pure white walked toward him with steady steps.
His slender jawline was so finely chiseled it brought to mind the blade of a precious sword, and his sharp, pitch-black eyes reflected a resolute will, exuding the aura of a true swordsman.
His flawless skin, as pristine as his snow-white robes, combined with his high-bridged nose to radiate an air of nobility.
He was, without a doubt, a peerlessly handsome young man, perhaps around twenty years of age.
The White Qilin, Namgung Hwa-shin.
He didn't even need to ask. There was no one else here who could possibly fit that description.
Even the experts of the Desolate Fortress, seated in a wide circle, showed interest.
"I wonder which unit will take him. The unit commanders are going to fight over him."
"He seems stronger than us, doesn't he? As expected of the Namgung Clan."
"Are we going to witness the Azure Sky Boundless Sword today?"
They spoke as if his passing were a foregone conclusion. Those waiting in the opposite garden even looked at Jeong Yeon-shin with pity.
He looks about five years older than me, but he doesn't seem like an insurmountable mountain.
He could feel the aura radiating from Namgung Hwa-shin. The flow of his true qi was incredibly refined. He had clearly completed the Great Heavenly Cycle, circulating his internal energy through the finest meridians of his body for several years. Combined with the spirit medicine he had likely consumed, a truly formidable power breathed within him.
The admiration of the Desolate Fortress experts was endless.
"It’s no easy feat for a rumor to cross several provinces."
"He truly lives up to his reputation."
Jeong Yeon-shin had to agree.
Only my body is better. Everything else is still lacking.
Namgung Hwa-shin approached to within five steps. In his polite fist-and-palm salute, one could feel the untouchable dignity of a prestigious clan.
"I am Namgung Hwa-shin of the Namgung Clan. I train in my family's arts, the Azure Sky Boundless Sword and the Infinite Steps. I look forward to our duel."
"I have trained in the Jeong Family Dynamic Art at the Jeong Family Manor of Henan," Jeong Yeon-shin replied, clasping his hands and bowing politely.
Returning the gesture with a slight bow, Namgung Hwa-shin drew his sword.
With a clear ring, the brilliant gleam of the blade unfurled into the cool morning air.
It was dazzling.
Drawing and sheathing a sword are often used as measures of a swordsman's skill, and Namgung Hwa-shin's silver draw, which sliced diagonally through the air, was nothing short of beautiful.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not draw his sword.
The core principle of the sword move he had been practicing was unpredictability. The key lay in striking with a single blow from an unexpected breath. If executed well, he could catch this rising dragon off guard.
Standing still, he circulated the true qi within his body.
"Begin," said the examiner, the only one among the Desolate Fortress martial artists who had stood up to evaluate them.
At that exact moment—
Clang—!
Before anyone realized what had happened, Jeong Yeon-shin's arm was extended to the side. Half of his sword, snapped in two, flew through the air.
Holding the broken hilt, he slowly lowered his arm.
A clamor erupted like wildfire from the gardens on both sides.
"What just happened...?"
"What was that? Did you see it?"
"Did the boy lose?"
"The White Qilin. What a terrifyingly fast sword!"
While the applicants buzzed with confusion and self-assured declarations, the experts of the Desolate Fortress were dead silent.
"..."
These men, who had previously seemed lax and unbefitting of warriors from the world's greatest power, were now enveloped in a solemn, heavy aura.
Without a word, not a single expert took their eyes off Jeong Yeon-shin. They stared only at him.
Lowering his sword, the White Qilin, Namgung Hwa-shin, spoke.
"I lost."
A declaration of defeat. The Desolate Fortress martial artists began to speak one by one, their expressions suggesting this was only natural.
"Jeong Yeon-shin, was it? A truly terrifying fast sword."
"I heard Namgung Hwa-shin has just barely reached twenty."
"The boy looks at least five years younger."
"A hidden dragon was in Henan. His age makes him all the more terrifying."
"It seems he hasn't learned how to channel true qi into his sword. Shall I teach him?"
Everyone's gaze snapped to the martial artist who had just spoken.
"Thread-Annihilation Unit, don't be so rash. Is there any unit that wouldn't covet a kid like that?"
"Don't order me around. It would be far better for him to join the Thread-Annihilation Unit than to rot away in your Demonlight Wing."
"Enough," the examiner said.
As silence fell over the area, Jeong Yeon-shin found it unexpected. He had assumed the one handling such tedious tasks would be the lowest-ranking among them, but that wasn't the case.
The higher-ups handle the responsibilities? He felt he was beginning to understand the nature of the Desolate Fortress.
"Namgung Hwa-shin, prepare for the next duel. And you. Did you say you were Jeong Yeon-shin of Xinye?"
"Yes."
"If you head north, you will find another garden. Wait there."
"Understood."
Jeong Yeon-shin turned and gave Namgung Hwa-shin a fist-and-palm salute.
"I hope we can exchange pointers next time."
"...That is exactly what I wanted to say. Until then."
Namgung Hwa-shin smiled. His expression was peculiar; far from harboring any dark emotions, only interest and amusement seemed to linger at the corners of his mouth.
He is a far cry from those bastards who called themselves my brothers. His character was on a completely different level from the Jeong siblings.
The moment the duel began, Jeong Yeon-shin had struck Namgung Hwa-shin's sword with the absolute limit of his fast sword technique. He had done so because he knew he stood no chance in a drawn-out battle.
However, Namgung Hwa-shin had already infused his sword with true qi, as if intending to give his all even against a mere boy.
That was how Jeong Yeon-shin's sword had broken.
It could be considered his defeat for recklessly unleashing a fast sword, yet Namgung Hwa-shin had conceded instead. He seemed to believe he had lost because his draw was far too slow.
Life in the Desolate Fortress will be much better than at the Jeong Family Manor.
Gathering the fragments of his broken blade, Jeong Yeon-shin headed north.
* * *
He arrived at the garden where those who passed the Desolate Fortress Entrance Exam gathered and was met with the astonished stares of those already present.
Paying them no mind, Jeong Yeon-shin recalled his single strike. The center of gravity in both feet, the overlapping of true qi from the Scripture of Initial Overcoming, the explosive release of contracted muscles—for now, he could see no way to improve it further.
As expected, the sword was the problem.
Did they say he was from the Demonlight Wing? That martial artist was right.
During the bloodbath at the Jeong Family Manor, he hadn't clashed swords directly. The rogue martial artists he faced on the road from Xinye to Xiangyang were not of a level where he had to worry about true qi.
But the Desolate Fortress was different. He had now stepped into the heart of the martial world.
The fruit of the World Tree.
He had to eat it. He couldn't die young like this.
I haven't learned how to channel true qi into a sword?
It was only natural. The Jeong Family Manor was merely a third-rate sect masquerading as a prestigious martial clan in Xinye County. He had never met anyone from the Jeong family who could keep their mouth shut. If there had been anyone in the household capable of such a technique, there was no way he wouldn't have known.
Now that I know, it's enough.
Hearing that such a thing existed was sufficient. The moment he knew of it, he understood the method.
True qi flowed from his hand, down the hilt, and into the broken sword. But that wasn't the end. He realized that internal energy could roam freely through the iron of the blade. Following this new sensation, his true qi enveloped the sword entirely.
Simply channeling energy into the sword? No. He went further, realizing he could become one with the sword through the medium of true qi.
Before he knew it, his consciousness, entirely absorbed by the single blade, flowed naturally.
The sword was calling to him, a sensation from a higher dimension.
Hummm.
The sword vibrated. It was a sound like it was crying out on its own.
"A sword ring!"
The martial artists in the garden leaped to their feet. Jeong Yeon-shin kept his eyes closed. Unbothered by the sudden commotion, he savored the sensation of the sword crying out in his palm.
So this is the Unity of Body and Sword. It literally feels like it has become one with my body.
Performing sword techniques in this state would be entirely different. What kind of power would his fast sword formula unleash now that it possessed true precision?
Ever since passing the entrance exam, he had done nothing but gain. Although the fruit of the World Tree was still far off, this achievement alone was deeply satisfying.
The Desolate Fortress. It really is a wonderful place.
When he opened his eyes, he saw Namgung Hwa-shin smiling warmly at him. His gaze fell to Namgung Hwa-shin's hand, which was resting on his sword hilt. It seemed he had stood guard nearby to prevent anyone from disturbing his enlightenment. He had acted as his dharma protector.
"Congratulations on your breakthrough." He bowed slightly to Jeong Yeon-shin. It was almost hard to believe a person could be so upright.
"I didn't realize you were standing guard for me. Thank you. And..."
"...?"
"Congratulations on passing the entrance exam as well, Young Hero Namgung."
For the first time, a blank look crossed Namgung Hwa-shin's face, but he soon burst into hearty laughter.
Though some watched them with envy, wishing they could converse so easily with the White Qilin, Jeong Yeon-shin's gaze had already drifted back to his sword.
* * *
After waiting for half a shijin, he finally saw Heonwon Chang. Having taken the exam multiple times, he too had passed. The way he tapped the dragon pattern on his hero's headband was quite amusing.
"I've already decided on my moniker. What do you think of 'Divine Hero of the Desolate Fortress'?"
"The Divine Hero of the Desolate Fortress? Do people usually choose their own monikers?"
"Why not? The martial world is full of thick-skinned people who introduce themselves by their own titles. If I introduce myself as the Divine Hero of the Desolate Fortress, then that becomes my moniker."
"If that were the case, wouldn't every swordsman in the world already be a Divine Sword or a Sword Star?"
Heonwon Chang pretended not to hear. Jeong Yeon-shin let out a chuckle.
A moniker.
A name bestowed by the people of the martial world when one demonstrated sublime martial prowess or became the center of a major event. Unless one committed evil deeds, a moniker was a martial artist's identity and a great honor. Just as it was for the Cliff-Severing Sword, the Pacifying Fist, and the White Qilin.
"It seems people are already calling Young Master Jeong by another name," Namgung Hwa-shin said.
"Me? All I did was take the exam."
"Flash Art. If the martial artists of the Desolate Fortress are calling you that themselves, then it is already your moniker in the martial world."
"Flash Art? Aren't they just treating it like a parlor trick because a young kid's sword is a bit fast?"
Namgung Hwa-shin smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth.
"A bit fast? If you put it that way, what does that make me, who was completely caught off guard? Besides, it is not uncommon for a moniker to reflect a warrior's potential. Congratulations."
"...Thank you," Jeong Yeon-shin replied with a slightly awkward expression.
Jeong Yeon-shin, the Flash Art. It was a name he could never have imagined back when he was practicing horse stances at the Jeong Family Manor.
Beside him, the self-proclaimed Divine Hero of the Desolate Fortress looked on with envy.
"Everyone, gather round!"
It was the examiner from the training ground.
"Now, you only need to pass one final trial to become martial artists of the Desolate Fortress. To those who will pass, I tell you this in advance: you will learn, train, perform missions, and live together in this fortress that stands tall and solitary in the martial world. Maintain your dignity and become warriors worthy of your status."
The reaction of the twenty applicants was subdued. Jeong Yeon-shin could guess why.
Passing the second exam was a joyous occasion, but the final trial was said to be an interview with the Lord of the Desolate Fortress—a peerless master who was a living history of the Great Ming Empire and often spoken of as the strongest under heaven.
Meeting such a mythical figure face-to-face was no light matter, even for Jeong Yeon-shin.
No one spoke as they passed through the cluster of magnificent pavilions under the examiner's guidance. It was the same even after they entered the main fortress, a structure of overwhelming scale situated at the very center of the vast Desolate Fortress.
One by one, they were called up, only to return with dazed, soulless expressions. Although it was called an interview, the intervals were so short it seemed they were just showing their faces before coming right back down.
Finally, it was Jeong Yeon-shin's turn.
He felt as if the stairs leading upward wound endlessly in a spiral.
They told me to go all the way to the top.
He reached the summit after taking what felt like well over a hundred steps. An ancient, massive door opened on its own as he approached.
The spacious office inside was bizarre. It was filled entirely with wood, branches, and foliage. Massive tree trunks twisted and rose naturally to form what appeared to be desks, tea tables, and beds. The entire room was a living, giant tree. Clear sunlight streamed directly through a large opening in the wall.
"I am Jeong Yeon-shin," he announced, showing no agitation.
There was a figure whose very martial uniform was the light green hue of fresh leaves. Her face was slightly obscured by leafy twigs as she sat leaning against a tree. She slowly raised her head.
Their eyes met. Something transcending a mere shiver rushed to the crown of his head. It was an emotion he couldn't define—perhaps wonder, or awe that such a being could exist in this world.
The strongest under heaven, the Lord of the Desolate Fortress.
Her ears, pointed like the tip of a divine sword, and her beauty, rare in the mortal realm, were not her true essence.
Her deep green eyes were overwhelming. To meet her gaze was to feel his very soul being drawn in—eyes that seemed to contain the principles of all creation.
He felt a strong conviction that even the Lord of the Hegemon Sword Sect, the absolute master from his memories, would be unable to escape those eyes. She was a being of such a different dimension that it was a wonder the interview took any time at all.
Rustle—
A gust of wind brushed past her long green hair and caressed Jeong Yeon-shin's cheek.
The Lord of the Desolate Fortress tilted her head slightly.
"You... are of that child's bloodline," she said.