Chapter 16
First Trial (1)
A dozen or so gates were layered within a massive castle gate.
This uniquely shaped gate was created through a meticulous design.
At a glance, one might wonder what it was, but looking at its joints revealed countless, intricately linked mechanical devices.
“Pant, pant! Dammit!”
A large-bodied boy was in front of the gate, straining and exerting all his strength.
The gate in front of the boy was about 7 cheok in size.
It was the smallest of the massive gates before him, but contrary to his build, the boy couldn’t budge it at all.
“Hey! If you’ve tried that long, just give up! Other people are waiting.”
Behind the boy, a crowd of people had formed a semicircle.
They were all people who had gathered to take the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy’s Academy Entrance Exam and were waiting for their turn.
Watching this from the roof of a carriage on her tiptoes, Mo Il-hwa clicked her tongue and spoke.
“So that’s the First Trial of the Academy Entrance Exam?”
To her question, Haeryang, who was below the carriage, replied.
“Yes. It seems to be a method they devised because they don’t have the capacity to manage everyone while conducting the Academy Entrance Exam, given how many people gather.”
“So you just have to open the gate?”
“That’s right. The problem is that the gate isn’t easy to open.”
“Is it because it’s heavy?”
Just by looking at it, the gate’s weight seemed extraordinary.
Moreover, with the intricately linked mechanical devices, it didn’t seem like it could be opened with ordinary strength.
“I heard it’s specially made not to open unless a certain amount of internal energy is applied. Even that smallest seven-cheok gate has mechanical devices and weighs four hundred geun, so it can’t be opened with the internal energy of a third-rate martial artist.”
At Haeryang’s words, Jin-hyeok furrowed his glabella and muttered.
“So they won’t even accept those at the third-rate level.”
Those called Third-rate Warriors were still individuals who had learned martial arts.
They were much stronger than ordinary people, so excluding them certainly showed the high standards of the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy.
‘It is, after all, a place meant to produce Rising Stars who can become competent masters within two or three years. They wouldn’t allow mediocre brats to get an Academy Enrollment.’
Then he glanced over at Mumu.
From the sound of it, the first trial seemed to be a test to measure one’s internal energy.
The gate’s mechanical device also seemed to react to that to open, and while I know that guy is a strongman, will the gate really open with strength alone?
Curious, Jin-hyeok discreetly asked Haeryang.
“By any chance, can it be opened with just strength, not internal energy?”
To this question, Haeryang chuckled and replied.
“Strength? Hah hah. If it could be opened that way, anyone would have passed this First Trial.”
“Is that so?”
If Haeryang’s words were true, it could be fatal for Mumu.
Feeling much better at this, Jin-hyeok’s lips twitched as he looked at Mumu.
Mumu, who had somehow climbed onto the carriage roof, was watching the gate.
‘If things go well, we might part ways soon.’
After all, Mumu was strong, but he hadn’t learned internal energy.
Just then, Haeryang came closer and whispered in his ear, as if telling a secret.
“This is important information. I’ve heard the gate’s mechanical device was created by Old Master Manbakja and the Grand Patriarch of the Zhuge Clan, and it was made so it won’t even react without a certain level of internal energy.”
Just as expected from the Haomun Information Sect.
This was information that most Murim martial sects wouldn’t know.
As he said this, Haeryang made a circle with his index finger and thumb and spoke.
“This information is actually worth one hundred silver nyang. Let’s just say this is my gift to you, Jin-hyeok-nim, as a way to build a connection. If you have any other questions, please ask anytime. However, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, so you just need to pay a suitable price.”
‘…Payment.’
Jin-hyeok fell silent as he watched Haeryang’s gesture.
The information he had shared so far was just a sample to build a rapport.
It was very typical of the Haomun.
‘One hundred silver nyang…’
It was expensive.
Although his family’s finances had improved since his Hyung achieved Rising to Fame and Glory, it was an amount he couldn’t spend carelessly.
Just then, Mo Il-hwa, who had jumped down from the carriage, asked with a puzzled look.
“What’s worth one hundred silver nyang?”
In response, Haeryang whispered the same words into her ear.
She then went “Hoo, hoo,” and said.
“That’s not so expensive. I’ll be using your services often from now on.”
‘Not expensive?’
Jin-hyeok clicked his tongue inwardly.
It seemed that for the daughter of the Minister of Punishments’s family, one hundred silver nyang didn’t even fall into the expensive category.
“Aigoo, thank you. Please use our services anytime.”
At her spirited words, Haeryang bowed his head deeply as if serving a VIP customer.
The glint in his narrow eyes suggested he now recognized her as a main client.
About two shichen had already passed since Mumu’s group arrived at the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy’s gate.
In that time, nearly ten thousand people had challenged the gate.
Though it seemed to be conducted autonomously, a middle-aged man stood on the wall above the gate, observing the applicants’ movements.
This middle-aged man, who had a dignified beard, was named Hakgyu.
In the Murim, he was a master of Fist Arts known as the Solid Fist Hegemon.
He served as the Fist Arts Master for the Second-year Martial Students of the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy and was now in charge of supervising the first trial for this year’s class of New Martial Students.
Hakgyu gracefully brought a liquor cup to his lips and, looking at someone, spoke.
“Nam-gyeong. Are you taking good notes?”
“Yes, yes. I’m taking good notes.”
The one taking notes was a sturdy nineteen-year-old youth with thick eyebrows; he was Yeon Nam-gyeong, a Second-year Martial Student at the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy.
He had been drafted by Hakgyu to assist him here.
‘One person gets to drink and watch while another works until his palms hurt.’
He was grumbling inwardly.
He was enduring it for the sake of his grades, but his complaints were piling up.
Regardless, Hakgyu tilted his cup and critiqued the applicants.
“Tsk tsk. There aren’t many useful guys in this class. To think only thirty out of ten thousand people have opened the Second Gate.”
Opening the Second Gate required internal energy approaching that of a first-rate master.
In truth, reaching that level of internal energy at the age of seventeen or eighteen was already quite outstanding.
However, because of its prestige, the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy wanted applicants with even greater martial talent.
Yeon Nam-gyeong, who was still taking notes, spoke bluntly.
“Still, three people opened the Third Gate, didn’t they?”
As he said, there were three who had opened the Third Gate.
Outstanding talents like Hong Sim-yeong, the successor of the Beggars’ Sect; Namgung Tak of the Namgung Clan; and Cheong-jeong of the Wudang Sect had appeared.
Opening the Third Gate meant that their internal energy had reached the Entrance to the Peak Stage.
“Those guys were within expectations, weren’t they? If they’re from the Nine Sects and One Beggar’s Sect or the Six Great Families, they should at least be able to do that much.”
Hakgyu made a cold judgment.
As he said, the Nine Sects and One Beggar’s Sect and the Six Great Families, due to their prestige, sent their own internally selected Rising Stars to the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy.
As talents cultivated with various elixirs, Forcing Ki Through Acupoints, and the full devotion of their own sects, it wasn’t strange for them to have reached the Entrance to the Peak Stage.
Most of them were enrolling to distinguish themselves within the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy, which was acknowledged by the era, and thereby enhance the prestige of their own sects.
However, what Hakgyu wanted were new talents, not those from such prestigious families.
“How great would it be if another one like that Yu Jin-seong appeared.”
“Isn’t Yu Jin-seong Senior a truly special case? It’s not as if a dragon rises from a stream all that often.”
“Well, that’s true.”
With those words, Hakgyu drained his liquor cup.
Even thinking about it now, Yu Jin-seong was a really likable fellow.
Among the guys he had taught, it was rare to find one who possessed such outstanding martial talent and was also diligent.
He could truly be called a Crane in a Flock of Chickens.
“Come to think of it, Master. I think I heard that Yu Jin-seong’s biological younger brother is taking the Academy Entrance Exam this year.”
“Yes. That seems to be him over there.”
Hakgyu pointed to someone in the distance with his liquor cup.
He had recognized Yu Jin-hyeok, who was approaching the gate, at a single glance.
He noticed immediately because his face was quite similar to Yu Jin-seong’s.
“I wonder if he has as much talent as Yu Jin-seong Senior?”
“Well now. We’ll know if we watch.”
‘Whether it’s a tiger or a cat, that is.’
Hakgyu, who fundamentally believed that a younger brother is never as good as the older one, didn’t have high expectations.
“More than that, I’m more excited because I heard the successors of ‘That Person’ are finally joining this year.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“You know, them! The much-rumored daughter of the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle and the third disciple of the Eastern River Sword Saint.”
“Hmph. This guy is more interested in the side benefits.”
“They say she’s beautiful enough to turn the Three Flowers of Changcheon into the Four Flowers, so of course I’m interested.”
Yeon Nam-gyeong answered honestly.
He was more curious about her looks than the fact that she was the successor of the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle, one of the Four Great Grandmasters.
Hakgyu, on the other hand, couldn’t possibly be interested in the looks of a girl young enough to be his daughter.
He was more interested in the fact that the successors of the Four Great Grandmasters were gathering in one place for the first time.
‘Last year, the grandson of the Northern Heaven Fist Hero and the daughter and son of the West Wind Poison Kick were enrolled, so this year marks the gathering of all the successors of the Four Great Grandmasters. This will be an interesting picture.’
Even just last year, the competition had been extremely fierce.
Befitting the successors of the Four Great Grandmasters, they were monsters, plain and simple.
He was curious to see if the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle’s daughter and the Eastern River Sword Saint’s third disciple would also fall into that category.
However, he had only heard rumors, so it was difficult to know who they were unless they shouted their own names in front of the gate.
Just then, a cry that sounded like rolling jade beads came from below the gate.
“Hong Hye-ryeong. Age seventeen. I have inherited my family’s ultimate techniques and received the teachings of my father, the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle, Hong Hwa-ryun. I will now take the first trial’s exam.”
“Hut!”
Startled by the voice, Yeon Nam-gyeong hurriedly looked down from the wall.
The area in front of the gate became clamorous, causing a stir.
“It’s the successor of the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle!”
“M-Move, let me see.”
“Let me see her face too!”
They were pushing and shoving in excitement, creating an uproar.
After all, one of the most anticipated individuals of this year’s class had appeared, unlike before.
However, a moment later, sighs of disappointment escaped from the mouths of many men.
“Ah…”
Her face was not visible.
She was wearing a bamboo hat and a face veil, so they couldn’t see her even if they tried.
Yeon Nam-gyeong let out a sigh, seemingly disappointed.
Hakgyu urged him on.
“Stop staring and hurry up with the records.”
“…Yes. I understand.”
As Yeon Nam-gyeong grumbled and sat back down at the makeshift table, Hakgyu looked down with interested eyes.
Hong Hye-ryeong, who had identified herself as the daughter of the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle.
Her face couldn’t be seen, but his eyes were naturally drawn to the large blade at her waist.
That blade, engraved with a mysterious emblem, had to be the famed named sword of the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle Hong Hwa-ryun, the Fire-Spirit Greatblade.
‘Did he pass it down to his only daughter?’
He had heard that the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle, Hong Hwa-ryun, had no other children.
But it was a truly interesting sight.
The sight of such a large blade hanging from that slender waist.
‘I wonder what level she’s at?’
She was the successor of the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle, whose style was called the Heartless Path of the Hegemon.
His expectations were high.
He guessed she would at least open up to the Third Gate.
Just then, Hong Hye-ryeong, wearing a bamboo hat and face veil, stood before the gate of the First Trial.
Then she placed her open palms on the gate.
Everyone held their breath and watched.
Kiiiiiiiiik!
Soon, the gate began to move.
The gate would operate in stages, corresponding to the internal energy flowing from her hands.
“Ooooh. It’s already about to open to the Third Gate.”
“Does that mean Hong Hye-ryeong is at the Third Gate level?”
“Her internal energy isn’t as strong as I thought…”
At that moment, everyone’s jaws dropped.
Until now, no one had opened more than the Third Gate.
But suddenly, the Fourth Gate began to open, and even the Fifth Gate was creaking and moving.
“Ha!”
A gasp of admiration escaped Hakgyu’s lips as he watched.
While the Fourth Gate could only be opened by one who had reached the complete Peak Stage, the Fifth Gate required one to have reached the Entrance to the Transcendent Stage.
‘Did she reach the Entrance to the Transcendent Stage at only seventeen?’
If that were the case, her internal energy level could be said to be nearly on par with the Training Masters of the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy.
He was about to swallow dryly when the moving Fifth Gate stopped.
Seeing Hong Hye-ryeong’s face veil flutter, it seemed her breathing had become rough, as if she were slightly exhausted.
‘Aaaah.’
It was a shame.
It seemed she hadn’t reached the Entrance to the Transcendent Stage.
It would be more correct to say she possessed internal energy nearly equivalent to it.
Thud!
As if proving his prediction correct, Hong Hye-ryeong gave up on opening the Fifth Gate and easily threw open the Fourth Gate.
Of course, that alone was enough to make the crowd erupt in cheers.
“Waaaaaaaaaah!”
“Awesome!”
“As expected of the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle’s daughter.”
“She almost opened the Fifth Gate, so her internal energy is unbelievable.”
“The Four Great Grandmasters aren’t called that for nothing.”
No one could hold back their admiration.
Hakgyu also acknowledged it.
That among this year’s class, there would be no one who could surpass her in internal energy.
The only possibility was the third disciple of the Eastern River Sword Saint, who, like Hong Hye-ryeong, could be called a successor of the Four Great Grandmasters.
‘Huhu. This makes the liquor taste even better.’
Even if no unexpected talent appeared, this in itself was quite interesting.
Meanwhile, Hong Hye-ryeong stood below, having thrown open the Fourth Gate.
She could have entered immediately, but she was enjoying the cheers.
‘Aah. Scream more for me. This is so thrilling.’
Behind the face veil, her face was flushed red, unable to hide her excitement.
