SGBT Chapter 6: Recognition (3)
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TL: FoodieMonster007 If you see this, you are at the wrong site!
"Are you questioning the nature of this assessment?"
"No, not at all."
"So, you're curious about how we'll conduct the test? Just show us the fastest sword draw you can. One strike will do. I'll be watching and judging," the examiner stated indifferently.
That's surprisingly simple. Jeong Yeonsin, having braced himself for a more complex challenge, breathed a sigh of relief. In real combat, there are countless variables. Compared to that, showing one's skill with a quick draw is downright forgiving. Perhaps this first test is just a filter to weed out the obviously unskilled.
"May I begin now?" he asked.
The examiner gave a nod.
"Wait, I-I'll go first!" Hyonwon Chang suddenly blurted out, shooting Jeong Yeonsin an apologetic glance. Sorry, I'm just too nervous, his expression seemed to say.
Jeong Yeonsin nodded in understanding and stepped back to make room for his companion.
Clutching his sword, Hyonwon Chang eyed the examiner who stood with his arms crossed, indicating that he could start whenever he was ready. He then assumed a serious starting posture.
It's a basic stance, yet I sense a surge of powerful surge of energy coming from him. Moreover, his qi is far more refined than that of the thugs who ambushed me earlier, Jeong Yeonsin mused. The purer a martial artist's energy was, the more efficiently it could be infused into their weapon.
"Wow! That swordsman is something else."
"I didn't see a thing."
"I only saw a blur."
While Jeong Yeonsin was lost in thought, Hyonwon Chang's blade cut through the air, eliciting gasps and murmurs of surprise from nearby onlookers. A few even hastily placed bets on the outcome of his test.
"Not bad," the examiner noted, nodding.
A grin spread across Hyonwon Chang's face as his number tag was returned to him.
Rejoining Jeong Yeonsin, Hyonwon Chang whispered, "If you get your tag back in this first test, you pass. If they keep your tag, you fail."
"Have you passed this test before?"
"Uh, it's the second one, the duel, that always gets me."
"Is there a third?"
"Yes, an interview with the Desolate Fortress Magistrate. Some come to Xiangyang just for that, seeking enlightenment."
"I see." Jeong Yeonsin nodded and then stepped forward.
The crowd, having shown mixed reactions to Hyonwon Chang's performance, now eyed Jeong Yeonsin skeptically.
"Isn't he a bit young?"
"Seems a brave young swordsman is among us."
"When else would an outsider showcase his sword skills before a Desolate Fortress martial artist?"
"Even a single piece of advice here is priceless."
This time, no one wagered on Jeong Yeonsin's success. Some even smirked as if they were about to watch a street performance.
Silently, Jeong Yeonsin placed his hand on his sword hilt and looked at the examiner.
"You may begin," the examiner instructed.
"……" Silence engulfed the crowd.
All of them could see that Jeong Yeonsin's sword was now fully drawn, but the problem was, no one had actually seen him draw it. His movement was so fast that it seemed as if he had teleported!
Only the examiner nodded, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. "It seems the future of the Desolate Fortress is here."
It was a significant commendation, one he had bestowed on no one else. The crowd, including Hyonwon Chang, stared in disbelief. People gaped or exchanged bewildered looks, especially Hyonwon Chang, whose astonishment was particularly evident.
Jeong Yeonsin was just as surprised. I can't even see my own sword, but the examiner caught it. He must have employed a technique that involves observing and predicting an opponent's attack… Could that be what they call Sight Arts?
"Hand me your tag."
"…Here."
"Hmm… Number Thirteen."
The examiner traced the characters on Jeong Yeonsin's tag with one hand and studied him with mixed emotions. After a minute, he closed his eyes, nodded, and gestured for the young man to leave.
"Thank you." Sheathing his sword and bowing slightly, Jeong Yeonsin exited the Desolate Fortress.
Hyonwon Chang quickly followed him, examining him anew.
Annoyed by the close scrutiny, Jeong Yeonsin asked, "What are you doing?"
"Hey, are you by any chance from a prestigious clan?" Hyonwon Chang asked tentatively, as if walking on eggshells.
Jeong Yeonsin smiled. "Would it change anything? Once inside the Desolate Fortress, aren't martial arts prowess, character, and dedication what truly matter?"
"Wow… So you really came here intending to pass the Desolate Exam."
"Why else? Aren't you here for the same reason, Hyonwon-hyung?"
"…Yeah, you're right." Hyonwon Chang whispered.
For the rest of the journey, Hyonwon Chang was uncharacteristically silent. Finally, when they reached the upscale inn where he was staying, he said goodbye and disappeared inside.
Watching him leave, Jeong Yeonsin hoped the kind and talkative man would overcome the next challenge.
The second test of the Desolate Exam took place three weeks after the first.
During this gap, Jeong Yeonsin poured all his energy into training, practicing the Jeong Family Physical Conditioning Method and his swordsmanship in the mountains beyond the city, while the Fatebreaker's Codex was reserved for quieter moments within his inn room.
A duel. This is my chance to prove my martial arts to myself and to the world. Although the allure of creating new techniques was strong, he thought it wiser to refine what he already mastered, especially with the sparring test looming.
Throughout this time, Hyonwon Chang never showed up.
"Wow…" Jeong Yeonsin whispered to himself on the day of the test, finding himself in a new part of the Desolate Fortress.
The horizon stretched into another realm, flanked by vast gardens and dotted with ornate pavilions. Each passing martial artist carried an imposing aura that warned others not to disturb their work.
Following the front counter's guidance to the test area, Jeong Yeonsin couldn't help but notice the awe on the faces of his fellow examinees.
"So this is the cradle of the world's best martial arts…"
"I have heard that a white martial arts uniform signifies a novice, but how can their presence be so commanding?"
"Isn't that only natural, though? Even those in white are destined for a bright future in Xiangyang."
"I wonder what hidden dragons will emerge this time…"
"I, Cho Mulyang from Huangshan, am about to become a dragon reaching for the sky!"
Suddenly, a familiar figure caught Jeong Yeonsin's eye. As always, for reasons he could not comprehend, this person mingled with strangers with ease and comfort.
He approached, and Hyonwon Chang soon noticed him.
"Mr. Jeong! You seem to have grown even taller!" the young man greeted cheerfully.
"You look well too, Hyonwon-hyung."
Still wearing his distinctive golden dragon headband, Hyonwon Chang stroked his chin and mused, "Well, I think I've improved a bit since we last met… but it's tough to say, right? Winning isn't everything here. Just participating in one of the duels might catch a Desolate Fortress expert's eye… That's the real challenge."
"You mean one could win a duel and still fail?"
"Exactly. Plus, the judges are extra discerning today."
"Why is that?"
"Didn't you hear? They say the White Kirin from the Namgung Clan is taking part in today's Desolate Exam."
"The White Kirin, from Nanjing's Namgung Clan?"
"Yes. I heard that he wiped out a notorious bandit group and bested the mafia swordmaster, the Fog Assassin, before turning fifteen… And by eighteen, he had already surpassed all his peers from the Eight Great Clans at the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament. With no one disputing these stories, they must be true."
Jeong Yeonsin's eyes widened. No wonder people named him after the mythical Kirin.
His heart pounded. The murim stories he occasionally heard back in Xinye County suddenly seemed very real, reminding him once again that he, too, was now an adventurer in the jianghu.
"If he's a prodigy of the Namgung Clan, wouldn't he lack nothing? Why come to the Desolate Fortress?"
"He's a concubine's son, so he can't become the patriarch," Hyonwon Chang whispered into Jeong Yeonsin's ear.
Jeong Yeonsin reflexively stepped back from the warmth of the young man's breath, grimacing slightly in disgust.
Laughing as though Jeong Yeonsin hadn't just recoiled, Hyonwon Chang added, "Even reaching the rank of Captain here is as coveted as any Patriarch's role among the Eight Great Clans. No, the influence of a Desolate Fortress captain might even be greater since it involves orchestrating the order of the murim from the heart of the Central Plains."
"Is that so?"
"Absolutely. The Desolate Fortress's reach knows no bounds in the vast jianghu. Wait, did you really not know that? Are you actually from some super backwater village?"
Jeong Yeonsin stayed silent and kept walking, choosing to ignore the question. Hyonwon Chang, wearing an expression of fond amusement, followed closely.
"Wait here. When called, proceed to the training hall," an attendant instructed, leaving the hopefuls behind in a small, pretty garden next to a vast training yard.
However, the group ignored the sprouting greenery and sporadic flowers, focusing entirely on their upcoming duels. Some meditated with closed eyes, while others simply stared into the distance.
Jeong Yeonsin used the time to subtly practice the Jeong Family Physical Conditioning Method.
Soon, the participants were summoned one by one to a dueling ring in the center of the training yard, surrounded by the Desolate Fortress martial artists. When the fights were over, those heading north strutted with pride, while the southbound group's shoulders slumped in defeat.
"How can they bear it?" Hyonwon Chang gulped, his anxiety apparent. "Every martial artist here has passed the first test that sifts the ordinary from the skilled. Even in my county, I was hailed as a martial arts prodigy."
Jeong Yeonsin shook his head, finding Hyonwon Chang's attempt at lightening the mood almost pitiful.
"How cruel and harsh it is to be judged like this, especially by the experts of the Desolate Fortress," Hyonwon Chang continued to mutter.
"Isn't it thrilling, though?" Jeong Yeonsin remarked.
"Hmm?"
"Being recognized for your talent is exhilarating. Surely, it's better than being dismissed as nonexistent."
Sensing something off about the boy's words, Hyonwon Chang began, "Mr. Jeong? Did something…"
"From Henan province, Nanyang! Xinye County's Jeong Yeonsin, come forth!" interrupted a messenger sprinting into the garden.
"Let's meet again. Here, in the Desolate Fortress," Jeong Yeonsin said lightheartedly. Resting his left hand on the sword at his hip, he walked out of the garden with a relaxed stride.
Behind him, Hyonwon Chang called out, "Yeah, definitely!"
The first duel was unremarkable.
From his opponent's thick accent, it was clear he had trained alone in some secluded village, far from the bustling centers of martial learning.
While the world offered classic martial arts open to all and various sects eagerly shared their teachings, many jianghu dwellers lacked formal training and led insular lives, guided by the brutal principle of survival of the fittest. Regrettably, this often meant that trust, honor, and civility were scarce commodities.
"You flail like a moth blindly seeking the bonfire!" the rural swordsman taunted, his yellow teeth flashing in a sneer.
Jeong Yeonsin rolled his eyes and smacked his opponent's mouth with his sword scabbard.
If you see this, you are at the wrong site!