SGBT Chapter 8: Initiation (1)
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TL: FoodieMonster007 If you see this, you are at the wrong site!
"My lineage…"
"It seems you know about it, but you didn't mention anything in your application. You're quite bold," the Desolate Fortress Magistrate remarked, her green eyes glittering.
Jeong Yeonsin nodded slowly. "The former Divine Sword Legion Commander is my maternal grandfather."
"Even though he's about to become the Head Elder, he's a stubborn man, and it seems that you are too. Am I right in assuming that you're estranged from your mother's family?"
"That's not something you need to worry about, Magistrate. It's just a trivial family matter."
"Things like that aren't trivial, you just have an unusually strong and independent mindset for someone who's only around fifteen. However… it's true that outsiders shouldn't meddle. Family matters should be resolved within the family."
"Nevertheless, I apologize for concealing my lineage," Jeong Yeonsin replied, showing no signs of remorse or discomfort. He had no intention of turning to his maternal family for support.
Sensing his thoughts, the corners of the Desolate Fortress Magistrate's lips curled up slightly. "I like you. You came here because you desperately wanted something, but you don't give in to temptation or bend under pressure."
She saw right through me, Jeong Yeonsin thought, unsurprised. Even he had noticed his unique constitution, so it wasn't strange that a supreme master like the Desolate Fortress Magistrate could see through his condition at a glance.
"Can someone like me survive by consuming the fruit of the World Tree?" he asked.
"There is some exaggeration in its efficacy, but yes. You can achieve what you desire."
"Will it be possible for me to obtain it?"
The Desolate Fortress Magistrate's smile widened. "That depends on you," she replied.
"For now, that's enough. Thank you." Jeong Yeonsin bowed in thanks, then asked again, "Am I now a martial artist of the Desolate Fortress?"
"Yes. You may leave now, future Divine Sword Legion Commander."
Leaving behind a playfully grinning Magistrate, Jeong Yeonsin left the office. He wasn't sure if she was just teasing him or if she really recognized his potential, but it sounded like she was telling him that if he became the Divine Sword Legion Commander, he could receive the fruit of the World Tree.
When he descended to the ground floor, Hyonwon Chang greeted him excitedly, "What happened up there? Please, tell me! You took especially long, Mr. Jeong. What did the Desolate Fortress Magistrate say? Did you pass?"
"We talked about my personal affairs, so I can't give you the details, but yes, I passed. Anyway, why are there so few people here now?"
"Everyone who failed the exam left while you were up there! Ahh, I'm really nervous!"
Jeong Yeonsin looked around. Of those who had finished the interview, only the White Kirin Namgung Hwasin remained.
Namgung Hwasin smiled and nodded at him, and he nodded back. Then, turning back toward Hyonwon Chang, he encouraged, "Don't worry, it's not as bad as you think it is. Good luck."
Hyonwon Chang waved weakly in response, looking like his soul had left his body.
"Hahaha! I passed! Say hello to the Desolate Enigma of the Desolate Fortress!" Hyonwon Chang roared with laughter.
How fearless does one have to be to make such a racket right next to the Magistrate's office? Jeong Yeonsin wondered. While it was good news given his and Hyonwon Chang's brief acquaintance, he couldn't discern the criteria for passing at all.
"The Desolate Fortress is more broad-minded than I thought," he blurted out loud.
"What do you mean?" Hyonwon Chang blinked.
Instead of answering, Jeong Yeonsin looked at an approaching middle-aged man with a scholarly air.
"Welcome to the Desolate Fortress. I am Gi Daeseung, an attendant under the chamberlain's command. I'll guide you to your temporary accommodations, where you will stay until your platoon assignments are decided. Please follow me."
"How long will that take?" Jeong Yeonsin asked.
"The captains will need to discuss it between themselves, so it usually takes about seven days. As for why it takes so long… Ah, let's talk as we go."
Jeong Yeonsin, Namgung Hwasin, Hyonwon Chang, and another swordsman who had passed followed Gi Daeseung.
"Do you know what the Desolate Fortress primarily does?" Gi Daeseung asked.
"Preventing rebellions among murim martial artists?" Hyonwon Chang suggested.
"That's part of it, but more than that, we prevent or suppress jianghu conflicts of a certain scale. Master Namgung should know this well, as the Namgung Clan's activities have often been thwarted by the fortress."
"Yes," Namgung Hwasin nodded briefly.
Jeong Yeonsin glanced at him, puzzled by how composed Namgung Hwasin seemed when his family's shameful history was mentioned. Well, leaving a prestigious family like his must involve complex circumstances unknown to outsiders. Also, Gi Daeseung, who dares to speak so bluntly, is no ordinary person.
Gi Daeseung sighed and explained, "The nature of murim conflicts is unpredictable. It would be one thing if those in search of the ultimate martial arts secrets and elixirs fought only among themselves, but the damage and disruption to law and order caused by the fighting itself is problematic, affecting not only other martial artists but also ordinary people. Taking the famous Tomb of the Heavenly Demon incident as an example, it feels like a world apart from the Great Ming Empire when you see the hellish scenes those crazy bastards create. It was like they'd summoned the King of Hell himself."
"The Tomb of the Heavenly Demon incident…" Hyonwon Chang murmured, looking somewhat somber.
Gi Daeseung nodded. "It was seventeen years ago, but the memory of its consequences remains. Additionally, the problem is not limited to the unorthodox sects. Power struggles and conflicts for profit are also common among the Nine Sects and the Eight Great Clans, as well as the smaller sects. As diverse as these groups are, the individuals within them are even more diverse. Left unchecked, they frequently cause harm to the people, disrupt the people's livelihoods, stir unrest through tribute demands, all of which will reflect negatively on the government."
"……"
"That's why the Desolate Fortress was created. In exchange for receiving immense resources, elixirs, and martial arts manuals from the royal family, the warriors here are expected to eliminate the martial artists who disrupt public order."
"I expected as much, but why the long explanation? Weren't we just talking about our platoon assignments?" Hyonwon Chang asked.
"We have a severe manpower problem. Specifically, our warriors are all promising and reliable, but the work is neverending and extremely demanding. I'd like you four to understand this thoroughly."
"Okay?"
"That's why it takes time to allocate the new talents appropriately. About seven days. Oh, here we are." Gi Daeseung pointed to a grandiose building.
Compared to this, the Jeong Family Estate might as well be a horse stable, Jeong Yeonsin thought.
"Good luck. Once inside, the servants there will guide you," Gi Daeseung bowed in farewell.
The pavilion where the newcomers stayed was even more luxurious than it appeared. Each person occupied an opulent room, a testament to the royal family's immense support. Behind the pavilion was a martial arts training ground, perfect for their practice.
Unknown to the four of them, however, strange rumors soon began to circulate around the Desolate Fortress.
"I heard that the captains who watched the recent Desolate Exam actually fought a duel over the White Kirin and Lightning Flash," one servant whispered to another.
Regardless, seven days and nights later, the time came for the newcomers to move into their respective platoons' designated quarters and training grounds.
"Good luck."
"You too, Master Namgung."
The four newcomers said their goodbyes and went their separate ways, with Jeong Yeonsin and Hyonwon Chang walking together toward the Devil's Wings dormitory.
There, Ma Jin, the captain of the Devil's Wings, one of the Divine Sword Legion's seventeen platoons, greeted them.
"You, Lightning Flash," he said, sizing up Jeong Yeonsin with a piercing gaze and a rough, formidable presence. A terrifying scar ran diagonally across his face from left to right, adding to his intimidating air and making one question how he was still alive.
"Yes, sir," Jeong Yeonsin replied coolly, showing the composure of a boy who had expressed his opinion even to the Desolate Fortress Magistrate herself.
Ma Jin nodded in approval. "Good, I see spirit in you. Guys like you don't die easily."
The two men stood in the training ground of the Devil's Wings, surrounded by about thirty men and women. The vast area could hold five hundred people, with various weapons arrayed on one side. Adjacent to the training ground stood a much larger dormitory than the one they had used before.
"Welcome to the Devil's Wings. As the Divine Sword Platoons are like the sects of the Central Plains, you can think of everyone here as your Senior Brother or Senior Sister. From now on, you will learn martial arts and perform missions with us," Ma Jin said.
"Captain Ma, can I clarify something?" Hyonwon Chang asked loudly, showing he wasn't intimidated either.
"Speak." Ma Jin nodded.
Barely containing his excitement, Hyonwon Chang continued, "Thank you! When you say we'll learn martial arts with the Devil's Wings, does that mean we have to share our martial arts?"
"No, your unique martial arts are your own. What we teach and learn here are only the martial arts of the Devil's Wings."
"Ah! So, does that mean we will learn the famed Devil's Light…!" Hyonwon Chang gasped, thrilled. The yellow dragon headband he never took off fluttered, reflecting his chivalrous heart.
The Devil's Light, huh. Jeong Yeonsin had heard of this martial art. The Devil's Wings were quite famous among the seventeen Divine Sword Legion Platoons, as they had once clashed with the twenty-four elite Plum Blossom Swordsmen of the Mount Hua Sect without any casualties, reinforcing the claim that the Desolate Fortress was the best in the world.
"Yes, but you'll need to train hard to survive," Ma Jin said seriously, his expression resembling that of a military general. "Though the Desolate Fortress serves the government, attacking our martial artists is not considered treason. That's why you must endlessly learn and grow stronger here. If you can't, you die."
"Why is it not considered treason?" Jeong Yeonsin asked.
Before Ma Jin could reply, Hyonwon Chang explained, "In the eyes of the royal family, treason must be thoroughly punished to the point of executing the traitor's entire family according to the nine familial extermination rule.1 Otherwise, the empire's prestige and the absolute authority of the imperial family would be damaged. At least, that's how they see it."
"This kid…" Ma Jin chuckled, but didn't interrupt the explanation.
"However, the jianghu is full of strange people. Those who lose their sanity practicing demonic arts or have such exceptional movement and camouflage arts that they can evade officials and hide in remote mountains are numerous. Thus, the royal family had to draw a line somewhere, and it just so happens that even though we serve the government, we're not actually important members of the government."
Jeong Yeonsin nodded in understanding. Hyonwon Chang, despite his usual frivolous demeanor, occasionally displayed flashes of insight, especially when discussing the origins and power structures of sects and guessing the royal family's intentions based on the state of the jianghu.
"You're right, Hyonwon Chang. That's why you guys must become stronger. If you fail, you'll die. Well, I think this guy who came back after taking a hit from the Namgung Swordmaster can explain it better," Ma Jin said, pointing to a handsome man in a blue bandana lounging nearby.
The man's distinctive features and relaxed demeanor stood out, and the ends of his bandana fluttering in the breeze gave him an air of freedom. "The Emperor's Sword is seriously terrifying," he waved his hand as he spoke, as if to ward away the memory.
The Emperor's Sword, a supreme martial art learned only by the direct descendants of the Namgung Clan, Jeong Yeonsin recalled. The martial art was so famous that even he, who had lived in a remote village, had heard of it.
Moreover, the Namgung Swordmaster is one of the top masters in Nanjing Province.
Although the man with the blue bandana didn't seem particularly strong at first glance, closer inspection revealed that the qi around his body was meticulously controlled. Plus, just the fact that he survived an encounter with an absolute master like the Namgung Swordmaster was a testament to his skill.
"Well then, shall we see what our Lightning Flash can do?" The man in the bandana suddenly said, standing up abruptly.
Ma Jin proceeded to step back as if they had already discussed this, and the man walked towards Jeong Yeonsin, the loose sword hanging from his waist drawing the boy's gaze.
Grinning, he said, "You must have considerable talent to pass the Desolate Exam at your age. Let's see your swordsmanship. I'm very good at evaluating talent."
"Is that so?" Jeong Yeonsin blurted out without thinking.
Footnotes:
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Nine familial extermination rule: Killing all of one's relatives until the third cousin. ↩
If you see this, you are at the wrong site!