SGBT Chapter 9: Initiation (2)
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TL: FoodieMonster007 If you see this, you are at the wrong site!
"Yeah, and that's because I'm very sensitive to wind currents," the man with the blue bandana and even bluer eyes laughed. "You see, even a ten-year-old beginner learning the Three Origin Sword Technique can stir the wind. From that, I can discern the details of their sword skills. Oh, right, here at Devil's Wings, there's a person named Baek Miryeo. Her swordsmanship is exceptional. You should definitely learn from her, she's got great instincts."
"I will," Jeong Yeonsin said, but he didn't ask any more questions. He just started to circulate his energy, causing his clothes to flutter slightly.
The martial artists of the Devil's Wings watched with interest as the energy from the Jeong Family Physical Conditioning Method began to manifest.
"My name is Cheong Myeong, and I was born and raised here in Xiangyang," the man with the blue bandana introduced himself.
"I am Jeong Yeonsin, from Xinye."
"Sorry, but I've never heard of such a place. Must be out in the sticks," Cheong Myeong smiled lightly, his aura as clear as his name.1
Jeong Yeonsin reached for the sword that had been given to him at the Desolate Fortress—the Desolate Sword. It was far superior to the iron sword he'd taken from his family's armory, which was now broken. The ring of the blade was so clear and loud that Hyonwon Chang had rushed in from the next room to investigate when he tried to practice with it.
Rumor has it there's a smithy here run by dwarves.
If the rumors were true, it would make sense that the standard issue swords were of such high quality. Unlike the famous and beautiful elves, little was known about the dwarves, except that their blacksmithing skills were unparalleled.
"I'm ready," he said.
"Alright. I hear you're an expert in the swift sword style. Show me."
"Sure."
As Jeong Yeonsin gripped the sword, the familiar resonating tremor after a week's practice returned to him. Observing his opponent, he noticed the calluses on the hands of the handsome man, which were as tough as armor, the well-trained muscles, and the steady stance that was revealed through his sleeves, all of which testified to his immense strength. Even Cheong Myeong's gaze, initially relaxed, now pierced with an overwhelming intensity.
Calm down. I just need to show my skills as best as I can. Jeong Yeonsin cleared his mind, focusing only on the rhythm of Cheong Myeong's breathing.
Inhale, exhale.
Now!
Engaging the Fatebreaker's Codex, the qi that should have gone to his left foot instead went to his right, creating a booming sound as he sprang forward. Shattering the ground beneath him, five paces of distance vanished in a single movement, bringing Cheong Myeong's upper body into sharp focus.
Jeong Yeonsin released his tightly contracted muscles and internal energy explosively, drawing his blade and delivering a swift and decisive sword strike in one motion. The howl of the wind as it whipped past him roared like a drum in his ears, sending a jolt through his lower dantian. Through Sword Unification, he felt his perception rise to a new level.
CRASH!
The two warriors collided with overwhelming force. Seeing an opening in Cheong Myeong's side, Jeong Yeonsin lunged, but his vision suddenly turned white. He wasn't sure when Cheong Myeong had raised his sword, but as he was thrown back, a tremendous shock rippled from his hand to his elbow.
He's much stronger than I thought…but I can do this.
Just before he was thrown, he had concentrated his qi in the Liangqiu, Xuehai, and Qiyangguan acupoints in his right knee, causing the muscles there to flex like those of a beast. Planting his right foot firmly on the training ground, he exploded the qi from the Yongquan acupoint in his heel and pivoted, fluidly moving behind Cheong Myeong.
The trajectory of the Desolate Sword formed a semicircle, slicing through the air like a curtain, targeting Cheong Myeong's neck.
However, Cheong Myeong's form blurred, and Jeong Yeonsin's vision turned white again. The next thing he knew, Cheong Myeong's sword had closed in.
Amazing, he's using rotational force perfectly to speed up his strike.
At that moment, Cheong Myeong's words about feeling the wind currents sparked a moment of enlightenment, advancing Jeong Yeonsin's Sword Unification technique. He hadn't seen how Cheong Myeong had swung his sword at all, but rather felt it through the humming sword in his grip.
CLANG!
A sound like a bell being struck echoed as the two swords collided yet again. Watching as his arm was forced upwards with tremendous power, Jeong Yeonsin marveled at his grip on the sword, still firm despite the impact.
Suddenly, his instincts screamed. Immediately, he bent his body over backward, preventing himself from falling by engaging his muscles according to the Iron Bridge technique. Thankfully, the right foot he had planted on the ground earlier made the move easier.
WHOOSH!
Cheong Myeong's blade narrowly missed his nose and sliced off a few strands of his hair. A shiver ran down his spine, but Jeong Yeonsin shrugged off his relief and smoothly executed a roundhouse kick. He knew his opponent would dodge, but the kick was enough to prevent him from taking advantage of his moment of weakness.
As expected, Cheong Myeong somersaulted to avoid the kick and landed a few steps away.
Jeong Yeonsin gripped his sword tightly, his clear eyes fixed on Cheong Myeong. Something had caught on his foot when he kicked; it was Cheong Myeong's bandana.
Long, pointed ears and golden blonde hair, things that humans can never have. So, he was an elf after all.
Thinking nothing of the unexpected revelation, Jeong Yeonsin readied his sword again. He had seen too many elves lately to be surprised now.
Next, I'll combine the qi control from the Fatebreaker's Codex with the Desolate Sword…huh?
"……"
Abruptly awakening from his trance, he noticed the silence around him. Everyone was staring at him in shock, and even the formidable Cheong Myeong was looking at him with a bewildered expression.
Jeong Yeonsin didn't think Cheong Myeong's identity was a secret, so he didn't understand the reason they were reacting like that, but he sensed that the duel was over.
Carefully sheathing his sword, he asked curiously, "So, how was I? You said you wanted to evaluate my talent, right?"
"……"
"I know you held back. Be honest with me."
"Uh…" Cheong Myeong's voice trailed off, seemingly not knowing what to say.
Similarly, the masters of the Devil's Wings who had faced the Plum Blossom Swordsmen seemed to have forgotten how to speak. They just stared blankly at Jeong Yeonsin.
After a moment, Ma Jin, his scarred face twitching, finally asked, "How old are you again?"
What's the point of discussing my age when my life is at stake? Jeong Yeonsin frowned, but replied, "Fifteen. Is that important though? My skill, not my age, is the only thing that matters here."
However, it seemed that no one heard his whole line or cared much about his personal opinion about age and skill. His opponent Cheong Myeong suddenly tossed aside his sword in incredulity, and the martial artists of the Devil's Wings started making shocked comments.
"He's a monster."
"No, he's a mistake of the heavens."
"I've been to the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament, but I've never seen anything like this. Even if he's a legendary prodigy who can sense qi from birth, this is crazy."
"In my hometown, I was the unrivaled prodigy."
"Unrivaled, my ass. You're just a frog in a well."
Ma Jin didn't bother to silence them and signaled Hyonwon Chang, saying, "Next. Hyonwon Chang, from Shanxi."
"Me? Now?"
"Come forward. I'll oversee your evaluation."
Hyonwon Chang stepped forward to fight Ma Jin, yet none of the martial artists of the Devil's Wings paid any attention to their duel.
All except for Jeong Yeonsin, who watched intently to see if there was anything he could learn.
Whenever a Desolate Fortress warrior set out on a mission across the vast Central Plains, it was common for them to be gone for months at a time. Upon their return, they would usually take at least a month's rest. However, Ma Jin began instructing his new juniors within days of his return.
"The Devil's Light is a martial art that doesn't discriminate between weapons," he explained.
Right now, Jeong Yeonsin and Hyonwon Chang were starting their training in the Devil's Light. For Jeong Yeonsin, this marked his first encounter with a formal martial technique, and his heart thumped with excitement.
"Swords, knives, spears, fists, palms, and all other myriad weapons. All can be wielded in conjunction with the Devil's Light."
"How is that possible? If there's such a thing as a universal technique, then swordmasters wouldn't need to specialize in swords," Hyonwon Chang asked, sporting a bruised eye for some reason.
Ma Jin, surprisingly patient and wise when teaching, responded calmly, "The principles are different. The Devil's Light focuses on optimizing the use of the body, exploring everything that can be done with human limbs and joint movements. Except for bows, it covers everything from hand-to-hand combat to medium-range spears. As you pointed out, it's indeed less specialized than the techniques that focus solely on swordsmanship, but it's not like we're Wudang Sect Taoists who use willow-engraved swords with the goal of celestial ascension."
That's how he's describing the Wudang Taiji Sword? What an interesting point of view, Jeong Yeonsin mused, making a mental note to delve deeper into Wudang swordsmanship someday.
"The Desolate Fortress's martial arts are all about maximizing our fighting ability, because even solo missions require us to engage in chaotic combat. However! A fight is a collection of variables! Would you cling to your sword even when your stance is compromised? Learning the Devil's Light means you won't hesitate to abandon your sword at that moment. It's about making choices that increase your chances of survival."
Pausing for a moment, Ma Jin glanced at Jeong Yeonsin, perhaps recalling the kick that had dislodged Cheong Myeong's bandana. In turn, Jeong Yeonsin remembered how Cheong Myeong had casually discarded his sword after their duel, as if it held no emotional value to him.
"Oh… indeed," the self-proclaimed Desolate Enigma Hyonwon Chang, who had been listening intently all along, murmured.
Ma Jin's eyes twinkled with a mischievous spark as he caught the unsuspecting young man's gaze. Grinning, he continued, "However, the Devil's Light requires innate adaptability and insight. If you lack these, you must train hard enough to engrave it into your muscle memory. But don't worry, that's why I'm here, and one of the roles of the Devil's Wings is to help you grow stronger. Passing the Desolate Exam already proves your potential. Work hard, and you can join us on the next mission."
Thus began Hyonwon Chang's torturous ordeal.
"Ugh…"
The following morning, a figure resembling a corpse stood motionless on the Devil's Wings training ground. Clearly, Ma Jin had not been exaggerating about engraving his teachings so deeply that it became muscle memory. Through practical duels, he had been refining Hyonwon Chang's grasp of the Devil's Light.
"I am very good at using the Devil's Light for hand-to-hand combat. That's why I know you can still move, and I'll commend you simply for the fact that you're not sprawled on the ground. Stay there and reflect on what you've learned," Ma Jin instructed Hyonwon Chang before turning to Jeong Yeonsin.
Unlike the battered and exhausted Hyonwon Chang, Jeong Yeonsin appeared unscathed. Clad in a white martial arts uniform that fluttered in the breeze, with a black Desolate Sword at his waist, he already looked like a seasoned Desolate Fortress martial artist, despite his youthful face.
"As for you, I think that's enough for now. Have you grasped the core principles?" Ma Jin asked.
Without hesitating, Jeong Yeonsin answered, "Adaptability and fluidity."
"…Correct. The Devil's Light focuses on preserving the seamless flow, fluidity, and continuity of your movements through insight, creativity, and adaptability, ensuring you can always respond effectively, no matter the situation. Okay. Now that you've grasped the principles, you must understand the essence of the technique."
"The essence of the technique?"
"Talking about it is useless. Seeing is believing."
Ma Jin stood in front of a brick tower in the training grounds. Due to the elven magistrate's preferences, it was rare for the Desolate Fortress personnel to use wood, so their structures were all made of stone, lacking even the traditional training logs.
"Watch," Ma Jin commanded, exuding a powerful aura. Then, he struck the tower with a calloused fist.
BOOM!
The brick tower crumbled, and Jeong Yeonsin involuntarily clenched his fists as he observed. The loud sound and force generated were a testament to the toughness of Ma Jin's skin.
"The optimal moment and perfect strike. That's the essence of our moves. It might appear similar to Sight Arts, but the principle I'm conveying is distinct. Sight Arts emphasize seeing the opponent's attack, but our movements originate from instinct," Ma Jin explained, without even brushing off his hands, as he turned to face Jeong Yeonsin, who was still gazing at the remnants of the tower.
The servants must have a hard time, Jeong Yeonsin thought briefly, wondering if they were being paid enough for all the trouble, before dismissing the irrelevant thought to refocus.
The Devil's Light is about using my body at the precise moment, recognizing when and where to unleash power.
Nodding in understanding, Jeong Yeonsin relaxed his hands.
"Don't worry, you'll improve with practice. Seeing it once isn't enough. The more you train, the more easily you'll discover the optimal moves. It's a lifelong endeavor."
"Is it…?" Jeong Yeonsin murmured.
It doesn't seem that way to me.
A flash of inspiration struck him like lightning.
I think I can do this, even right now…
Jeong Yeonsin slowly raised his hand, a sky-blue light flickering in his eyes.
Translator's Note: Regrettably, due to an unintended conflict with another translation group releasing at the same time, we have decided to drop this series after a friendly discussion.
Not that I can keep up with anyone else when it comes to releasing chapters quickly.
Thank you for reading.
Footnotes:
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Cheong Myeong means "clarity". ↩
If you see this, you are at the wrong site!