SGBT Chapter 4: Recognition (1)
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TL: FoodieMonster007 If you see this, you are at the wrong site!
"You're mad!"
"Kill him!"
Shouts erupted from the comrades of a nearby man, their faces contorted with rage as they charged forward. Despite this, Jeong Yeonsin stood motionless, his sword anchored in the earth, his gaze never straying from the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader.
Whether I die now or later makes no difference.
This realization marked the moment he confronted the harsh truth of his impending fate, and the moment a vital pillar of his sanity was shattered.
"Stop," commanded the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader, his voice resonating deeply as if echoing from the depths.
The men froze in their tracks.
The Tyrant Sword Sect Leader peered into the boy, his gaze as deep as an abyss. Jeong Yeonsin, defiant, bared his chest as if inviting a fatal strike.
"Your spirit…it surpasses everyone else in this estate combined," the giant commended.
The martial artists from the Tyrant Sword Sect flinched, visibly shaken. Their master seldom offered praise.
"Dead men tell no tales! Not even the Desolate Fortress will be able to track us down once he's dead!" a voice shouted, hinting at murder.
Rather than the Tyrant Sword Sect, the speaker, a man with short-cropped hair and a crimson martial arts uniform, seemed to be a member of the Blood Cult and a comrade of the red-haired woman.
I hope they don't realize that I have no real connection to the Desolate Fortress, Jeong Yeonsin prayed. Only now did the overwhelming supremacy of the Thirteen Heavens dawn upon him.
The ambush was meticulously planned, a testament to the efficiency of the world's greatest sects. Even the seemingly unimportant Jeong Family Patriarch's connection to the Fortress was investigated.
"Chamberlain!" Jeong Yeonsin suddenly shouted, his voice echoing across the estate.
A man sprawled near the main house, feigning death, flinched at the call and staggered to his feet, revealing that he was no ordinary civilian.
"Y-Young Master," the chamberlain stuttered.
Jeong Yeonsin scoffed, "You talked about establishing an information network that encompasses Xinye, yet we were caught off guard by a bunch of fools who tried to raid the estate with only a dozen ragtag thugs. Is Xiangyang so far from here that the eyes and ears of the Jeong Family Patriarch failed to reach there?"
"N-No, sir. Xiangyang is close."
The city of Xiangyang, located at the northern tip of Hubei, was only a hundred miles away from Xinye County in Nanyang. It was a distance that a messenger skilled in movement arts could cross without much difficulty.
Perhaps a messenger was sent out without my knowledge.
Whether his family planned to involve his maternal relatives in a crisis, Jeong Yeonsin had no idea. However, it was a relief to see that the Tyrant Sword Sect had apparently not discovered the true extent of the Jeong Family's relationship with the Desolate Fortress.
I can use this to my advantage.
Jeong Yeonsin tightened his grip on his sword and pulled it from the back of the dead man, blood spurting from the wound. "If you dare not kill me, then stop this and leave," he declared.
Silence fell over the estate. It was an absurd sight; a fifteen-year-old boy had seized control, commanding the attention of a Sect Leader and his followers.
A Blood Cult martial artist screamed in fury, "We've already earned your enmity! It's obvious you'll tell on us, so how can we not kill you?"
His words, though directed at Jeong Yeonsin, seemed more like a protest to the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader.
I can't hesitate any longer. I need to fully seize this moment where the balance of power has seemingly flipped, Jeong Yeonsin thought, sneering as he spoke, "You fool. Even though the Desolate Fortress is the murim's strongest sect, do you think they would attack the Thirteen Heavens just because a former commander's grandson seeks revenge? Does that make any sense?"
If he were the grandson of the Desolate Fortress Magistrate, it might be plausible. After all, as the official protector of the colossal World Tree, which bore fruit rumored to grant immortality, the Desolate Fortress Magistrate was recognized by the Emperor himself as equal to a prince.
Unfortunately, Jeong Yeonsin was not related to the Desolate Fortress Magistrate. Had he been, the Jeong Family would not have been swayed by the superstitions surrounding his birth.
"A former commander's grandson? Are you referring to the former Divine Sword Legion Commander of the Desolate Fortress?" the Zhongnan Sect's Shearing Cliff Sword exclaimed.
If the grandson of a retired military figure of the Desolate Fortress were to be killed, the potential consequences were incalculable. Surely the Thirteen Heavens, prominent figures who claimed supremacy over the entire world, understood the risks. Harming such a person was akin to taking the family of an elite scholar at the royal capital's Hanlin Academy hostage.
"Hmph, those guys are merely a group created by the royal-affiliated elves to interfere with the murim. Truly a troublesome bunch," grumbled the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader. "However, my decision to spare you is not based on rationality or fear."
"Sect Leader!" the Blood Cult warrior protested.
BOOM!
His head exploded, struck by invisible sword qi.
"Blood Cult. Don't say I didn't warn you," the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader remarked to the corpse. The remaining red-haired martial artist trembled, but the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader had already lost interest in him and turned his attention back to Jeong Yeonsin.
"I like you. Your talent and spirit. You have the potential to become a great murim warrior. If not for your ties to the Desolate Fortress, I would have taken you as my disciple."
Gasps and murmurs of shock rippled through the crowd, and even the experts of the Zhongnan Sect couldn't hide their surprise.
Unfazed, the Tyrant Sword Sect leader continued, "If you seek revenge, challenge me to a duel anytime."
Jeong Yeonsin sheathed his sword. Without a word, he turned and walked towards the surviving members of his household.
The Tyrant Sword Sect Leader watched the boy curiously for a while, before looking toward the martial artists of the Zhongnan Sect. "This land will no longer welcome other sects. You have one day. Leave," he decreed.
Yeo Ilsin's face paled in despair.
"Young Master."
"Chamberlain."
The greetings between the two men were brief, for this was no time for pleasantries. They needed to find those who could still be saved.
For a moment, Jeong Yeonsin thought about summoning physicians, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Without Hua Tuo's divine skills, none of the severely injured could be saved. All he could do for the dying was to listen to their last words and ease their passing. As for the corpses, well, they would have to wait.
Jeong Yeonsin looked over at the corpses of his eldest brother, Jeong Namsan, and his sister-in-law. Carefully, he moved their bodies aside and stomped hard on the ground beneath them. The ground rumbled, revealing a hidden cellar.
Years ago, we often played in here, pretending it was our secret base… Jeong Yeonsin reminisced, entering the cellar. There, a five-year-old girl lay curled up with her eyes closed. Her sleep acupoint had been sealed, forcing her into a deep slumber.
"Hye-ah," he called softly, cradling his niece in his arms and exiting the cellar.
A young man, who had been conversing with the chamberlain, turned toward Jeong Yeonsin. It was Jeong Jungsan, the second eldest in the Jeong Family, and the one chosen to become a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect.
Their eyes met for a moment, but Jeong Jungsan quickly looked away in shame. Unlike his younger brother, he had chosen to hide instead of fight.
However, Jeong Yeonsin couldn't care less about his brother's disgraceful behavior. He thrust Hye-ah into Jeong Jungsan arms, saying, " Use whatever means necessary to raise her in Zhongnan."
"W-What about you?" Jeong Jungsan stammered.
"I have my own path to follow," Jeong Yeonsin replied firmly.
"You want me to raise her in Zhongnan? That's impossible…" Jeong Jungsan mumbled, doing his best to avoid making eye contact with his brother.
He watched me fight, Jeong Yeonsin realized. Wiping blood from his cheek, he explained, "Don't you understand the Nine Sects better than I do? Only children groomed from the age of five can become the core disciples of the sects. Beg them if you must. Hye-ah's talent easily surpasses yours, I'm sure they'll accept her."
"O-Okay," Jungsan replied, glancing at his niece with newfound determination.
Jeong Yeonsin watched him, noting the shift from shame to a sense of responsibility.
Just then, the Zhongnan Sect martial artists approached. As usual, Yeo Ilsin led the group, followed by the Shearing Cliff Sword and the third warrior, Silencing Fist. Despite their pallid faces and still open wounds, they had helped clean up, demonstrating the dignity of orthodox martial artists.
"Master Jeong," Yeo Ilsin greeted, her expression a tangle of complex emotions.
Just the day before, she had called him "young master," but now her tone was laden with both self-reproach and a newfound reverence for Jeong Yeonsin's extraordinary potential.
"Are you going to the Desolate Fortress?" she asked.
"I must. I need shelter and strength, and I have nowhere else to go."
"Your future doesn't necessarily have to be in Xiangyang."
"Huh…?"
"Why not come to the Zhongnan Mountains with us? I extend this invitation to you with all sincerity."
Both the chamberlain and Jeong Jungsan gasped in surprise. In contrast, the Shearing Cliff Sword and Silencing Fist displayed only eagerness for such a prodigious young swordsman to join their ranks.
"I am deeply honored to receive such an honor from a great elder of the Nine Sects," Jeong Yeonsin replied calmly, his mind already set on his destination.
Sensing that things weren't going according to plan, Yeo Ilsin hastily added, "I intend to recommend you to our Sect Leader as a direct disciple. He can make it happen."
This time, the surprise was universal. Becoming the direct disciple of the Zhongnan Sect Leader meant gaining access to unparalleled martial arts techniques and the immense support of the Nine Sects. Moreover, the current Zhongnan Sect Leader was one of the top ten swordsmen in the world and a hero whose chivalrous exploits were witnessed by many.
I've heard that the Shaanxi people even praise him as the strongest of the Central Plains's Five Supremes! The chamberlain silently screamed. Jeong Yeonsin must go.
Despite the grandeur and strength of the Desolate Fortress, Jeong Yeonsin was just the grandson of a retired military commander. No matter how he thought about it, being the disciple of the Zhongnan Sect Leader was far better.
Young Master! Please! he prayed, but his silent plea did not reach Jeong Yeonsin. In the end, his mindset was the same as the Jeong Family Patriarch, who valued being the head of a snake over the tail of a dragon.
But Jeong Yeonsin had far greater ambitions.
"I will remember your generous offer," he said politely, but it was a clear refusal.
A look of resignation crossed Yeo Ilsin's noble face, but she seemed to have anticipated this outcome and accepted it quickly. "I see. In that case, I wish you all the best, Master Jeong. With your abilities, I believe that you'll do well in the Desolate Fortress."
"……"
"You possess great potential. Even the Tyrant Sword Sect Leader noticed it."
"I am sorry."
"No need to apologize. Just remember, the gates of Zhongnan are always open to you."
Gazing at Yeo Ilsin, Jeong Yeonsin hesitated for a moment. Then, gathering up his courage, he asked, "Great Elder, you are known to be one of the eldest among the elves. Do you know how to obtain the fruit of the World Tree?"
"The fruit of the World Tree! So, Master Jeong's aim is indeed…!" Yeo Ilsin exclaimed, a realization dawning on her, followed by a tone of regret. "I'm sorry. As a young elf who has not even lived half of my allotted lifespan, I do not have any authority over the World Tree. Only the Desolate Fortress Magistrate has the power to grant the fruit to others."
"Then I must go to the Desolate Fortress."
"It will not be easy. That fruit is sacred even among us elves."
"There is no other way. I must try to achieve great merits and become the Commander of the Divine Sword Legions."
"I will support you from afar," Yeo Ilsin replied, giving Jeong Yeonsin a slight but dignified bow.
"Farewell," Jeong Yeonsin said, returning the bow.
From now on, their paths would diverge. As the one most proficient in movement arts among the three Zhongnan masters, she had to leave immediately to deliver the news to her sect, and the Zhongnan Mountains in Shaanxi was in the opposite direction from Xiangyang City.
As for the other two, they planned to leave the next day with Jeong Jungsan after a night's recuperation.
Having settled the matters of the living, Jeong Yeonsin walked over to the Patriarch. His father was still breathing, but only barely. He would not survive the night.
"It is I, your third son," he said, kneeling on one knee and supporting the Patriarch's back. When he saw the gruesome sword wound on his father's abdomen, however, he couldn't help but tremble.
I know you didn't love me, so I never cared for you as a son. Still… I suppose I can be a little kinder to you at your deathbed.
"Why…are you so strong? How did you…" the Patriarch whispered, his lips trembling as his energy waned.
Time was running out. Suddenly, Jeong Yeonsin had a premonition that Patriarch Jeong Daemyung would die after a few more words.
"It's because of the Jeong Family Physical Conditioning Method that I created," he answered simply.
Instead of venting resentment or sorrow, Jeong Yeonsin boasted of his creation. How the Patriarch would take it was beyond his concern. He had long been disillusioned with this family. Whether it was a gift or a final act of defiance, he left it to the Patriarch's conscience to decide.
"The Jeong Family Physical Conditioning Method. I see," the Patriarch murmured. "It is a divine art created by a Jeong. The third son of this foolish and incompetent Jeong Daemyung, of this unworthy Patriarch, has created a divine art."
"……" Jeong Yeonsin listened silently as his father spoke his final words.
"You have…the potential to become a grandmaster."
If you see this, you are at the wrong site!