abcnovels
Chapter 233
Chapter 233
Chapter 233 – The Disregard for the Embroidered Uniform Guard (2)
“Even I cannot handle that monstrous fellow, so how can those youngsters possibly win?”
“Pardon?”
Stunned by the shocking words uttered by Eunuch Beom Jeung from the Western Depot, Scholar Jang Chan from the Hanlin Academy wore an expression of disbelief.
Although he had not been assisting Prince Gyeongjin for very long, from what he had heard, Eunuch Beom Jeung was known to be an exceptional master, ranking among the top five of the eunuchs in the Eastern and Western Depots who had cultivated martial arts.
While he couldn’t accurately understand their terminology, he had heard that Eunuch Beom’s internal energy had reached the pinnacle-stage of Transcendent Realm, and even among martial artists, there were not many masters who could rival him.
Yet, for someone with such outstanding martial prowess to say that he couldn’t defeat that opponent, what on earth did he mean?
Moreover, the late-stage disciples were merely young individuals around their early twenties, weren’t they?
“Eunuch Beom, could you perhaps be mistaken?”
“Mistaken?”
“Yes, the late-stage disciples are just young junior brothers. How could such individuals be a match for you, Eunuch Beom, who possesses years of experience?”
“Hoo.”
Faced with his disbelieving attitude, Eunuch Beom let out a sigh.
Even he himself, who had personally experienced it, found it unbelievable, so it was only natural for someone who knew nothing about the situation to react that way.
However, now was not the time to provide explanations.
‘He hasn’t recognized me yet, so I need to hurry and leave this place.’
And he had to immediately report this matter to Prince Gyeongjin.
Although he had hoped never to encounter that man again, now that the fiendish fellow had appeared in the palace, he had to report it and find a way to deal with the situation.
His Majesty, who was already having sleepless nights due to the incident that day, might not be able to recover from the shock if he were to see that man again.
Therefore, Eunuch Beom quietly said,
“I will provide you with the details later. If you truly cannot bring yourself to believe this old man’s words, then let them proceed with the duel. However, with their abilities…”
As he was speaking, Eunuch Beom abruptly stopped.
“Why did you not finish your sentence?”
“Oh my…”
“Pardon?”
Puzzled by Eunuch Beom’s distorted expression, Scholar Jang Chan turned to look in the direction he was staring at.
‘!?’
Scholar Jang Chan furrowed his brows.
Among the individuals in the confrontation, a single person had turned his head and was looking in their direction.
They were about 30 jang apart, so it seemed quite coincidental.
However, for Eunuch Beom, this was no coincidence.
‘…That monstrous fellow.’
Even from this distance, he had detected his presence.
With so many people around and without the opponent actively drawing upon their energy, it was difficult to specifically identify someone from this distance without making a conscious effort.
Yet, that man was accurately looking at him.
Just how sensitive and extensive was his perception?
Was this the difference between someone who had crossed the wall and those who hadn’t?
‘…But he shouldn’t have recognized me.’
There was a considerable distance between them, and his appearance now was very different from when they had met at the inn during the heavy downpour.
Not only his attire but also the distinctive white face paint worn by eunuchs.
So, if he refrained from showing any reaction here, that fellow wouldn’t be able to recognize him…
‘!!!!!’
At that moment, Eunuch Beom’s pupils trembled like crazy.
Having served as a eunuch for a long time, he had learned the art of lip-reading and could understand what the other person was saying by observing the shape of their mouth.
Of course, it was difficult to accurately read from this distance, but he could clearly make out those words.
[So you survived.]
Eunuch Beom felt as if the strength had drained from his legs.
That man had accurately recognized him.
***
“So you survived.”
“My lord?”
When Mok Gyeong-un suddenly looked somewhere, Seop Chun, puzzled, followed his gaze.
Some distance away, two officials were visible, with the one whose back was turned limping away in a hurry as if fleeing.
Unable to understand what was going on,
“It seems he was a eunuch.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The official limping away over there.”
“Do you know him?”
“You should know him too, Seop Chun.”
“Are you referring to me?”
“The old master we encountered at the village inn when we were trying to borrow a boat.”
“Ah! Are you talking about the old master who was escorting that battered young lady? Oh? Then that old master was a palace eunuch?”
“The red official’s robe indicates the Western Depot, so it seems to be the case.”
Mok Gyeong-un replied nonchalantly.
Upon hearing this, Mong Mu-yak furrowed his brows and whispered,
“My lord… If what you say is true, that woman he was escorting may not be the daughter of a high-ranking official but a member of the imperial family.”
“A member of the imperial family?”
“Yes, eunuchs only serve the imperial family. Moreover, if a master of that caliber was escorting her, she must not be of ordinary status.”
At those words, Seop Chun spoke in a startled voice,
“No way. Then, could that young lady possibly be a princess…”
“Shh!”
Mong Mu-yak gestured for him to keep quiet as his voice was about to rise.
They were not the only ones present here.
After silencing Seop Chun, Mong Mu-yak spoke with a concerned tone,
“My lord, if that woman indeed holds a high position in the imperial family, we should make some preparations for the future.”
Mong Mu-yak had assumed they must have surely died.
However, if they had survived that hellish situation, their animosity and desire for revenge towards Mok Gyeong-un and themselves might have reached its peak.
In that case, it could hinder their mission in the palace and even lead to troublesome situations.
“Preparations… Well, it wouldn’t hurt to do so. Then, Mong Mu-yak, can you handle those preparations?”
“Are you referring to me?”
“Yes, didn’t you say we need to make preparations?”
“…That’s right.”
“Then, I’ll leave it to you.”
“I shall follow your orders.”
Mong Mu-yak’s eyes gleamed with determination as he replied.
This was undoubtedly Mok Gyeong-un’s way of testing his abilities.
Unlike Seop Chun, he had pledged his loyalty later, so he needed to demonstrate his capabilities here to gain his lord’s trust.
As he made that resolution inwardly, a scarred Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who had come as an examiner for verification, stepped into the center.
Then, he addressed both sides who were waiting at a distance,
“We can’t wait any longer. Due to the delay of the observers, we will begin the promotion duel for the senior-grade without further waiting.”
***
The duel didn’t take long.
It took less than half a quarter of an hour for all the duels to conclude.
The outcome was a one-sided victory for one side.
The name of the scarred Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was Maek Ha-gyun, and he was the Commander of the Five Bureaus, responsible for the most secretive of the Six Offices.
Commander Maek Ha-gyun, who had taken on the role of examiner for verification, clicked his tongue inwardly.
‘…They deliberately sent them.’
He had volunteered to assess the level of the trainees who had entered through the influence of Imperial Concubine Seo, known to be the late-stage disciples sent by the Heaven and Earth Society for the first time.
However, assessing their level through the duel had become essentially meaningless.
That was because the difference in skill was too vast.
The four individuals recommended by Prince Gyeongjin were merely at the level of second-rate to first-rate at best, so they were no match from the start.
Their caliber was merely that of junior-grade trainees in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
On the other hand, the martial arts prowess of the late-stage disciples from the Heaven and Earth Society was sufficient for them to become Embroidered Uniform Guards immediately without any shortcomings.
In fact, even Commander Maek Ha-gyun himself found it difficult to gauge their martial prowess.
Based on his perception, they seemed to be either on par with him or even surpassed him.
Therefore, Maek Ha-gyun believed that the Heaven and Earth Society had deliberately sent their late-stage disciples this time.
‘The Heaven and Earth Society… Indeed, they live up to their reputation as one of the three great powers in the martial arts world. Even the one with the relatively weakest martial prowess among them has reached the pinnacle-stage of Peak Realm.’
Was his name Mok Gyeong-un?
Although his martial prowess seemed to be the lowest among the three, his exceptional beauty naturally left an impression on Maek Ha-gyun’s mind.
In any case, while the duel had ended anticlimactically, it only piqued his interest.
This Embroidered Uniform Guard Warrior Examination for the selection of the Embroidered Uniform Guard also included the participation of promising late-stage disciples from the orthodox martial arts world.
For example, there were individuals like Geum Jong-hyeon, a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect, and Namgoong Chunghyeon from the Namgoong Clan.
Therefore, he was curious about the outcome that would unfold.
***
Embroidered Uniform Guard Training Grounds.
A total of three hundred trainees were undergoing training.
However, it was difficult for such a large number of individuals to train simultaneously.
Therefore, they were divided into three grades, with a hundred trainees in each grade, and the training was conducted accordingly.
These grades were categorized into upper, middle, and lower, and naturally, those belonging to the upper grade were the most outstanding among the Embroidered Uniform Guard trainees.
Their martial prowess was mostly at the first-rate level or above, reflecting their exceptional aptitude.
The majority of the trainees in the upper grade of the Embroidered Uniform Guard aimed to become members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
“Hoo. Hoo.”
Despite the late afternoon hour, the senior-grade trainees were diligently training, drenched in sweat.
It was due to the Embroidered Uniform Guard Warrior Examination scheduled for the following day.
Out of the hundred, only a mere eight would be finally selected as Embroidered Uniform Guards, and knowing that some of them were preselected candidates, they had no choice but to prepare with their utmost effort.
That’s how fiercely competitive the Embroidered Uniform Guard Warrior Examination was.
As the trainees were immersed in their rigorous training, their gazes simultaneously turned towards a certain direction.
-Tap, tap!
It was towards the platform in the training grounds.
The Head Instructor of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Seok Jeonwoong, was walking towards the front of the platform, and behind him followed unfamiliar individuals they had never seen before.
‘Ha! Look at that.’
‘What the hell are those?’
The reactions of the trainees were far from pleasant.
Their displeasure was evident.
The reason being, with the Embroidered Uniform Guard Warrior Examination starting tomorrow, three unfamiliar faces suddenly appeared, dressed in the attire of senior-grade trainees.
The existing trainees, who had guessed the implications of this, naturally felt a sense of opposition.
-Tap!
Standing in front of the platform, Head Instructor Seok Jeonwoong spoke up.
“Attention!”
Although he said those words, all the senior-grade trainees were already looking at him.
Head Instructor Seok Jeonwoong raised his voice and pointed at the three individuals standing behind him, saying,
“These are the three who have been promoted today. From the left, they are Mok Gyeong-un, Seop Chun, and Mong Mu-yak.”
-Paat!
As soon as he finished speaking, someone raised their hand.
Seeing this, Head Instructor Seok Jeonwoong let out a soft sigh, as if he had anticipated it.
A significant number of the senior-grade trainees were the children of high-ranking officials, so they tended to express their opinions assertively.
“Speak.”
“This is trainee Lee Chung. The last promotion was already completed five days ago. However, suddenly promoting individuals just a day before the Embroidered Uniform Guard Warrior Examination seems too deliberate.”
Then, another trainee stood up and spoke loudly,
“Lee Chung is right. We don’t know who they are, but suddenly promoting unverified individuals like this is unheard of. Please reconsider.”
At those words, everyone seemed to agree, as murmurs of agreement arose from here and there.
Head Instructor Seok Jeonwoong took a deep breath and spoke,
“Silence!”
With a short and loud shout, the training grounds that had been buzzing with murmurs became quiet again.
Then, Seok Jeonwoong addressed the trainees,
“They have already passed the promotion test under the verification of a Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Do you wish to deny this?”
‘A Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard tested them?’
‘Is that true?’
Once again, the trainees buzzed with murmurs.
Normally, the promotion test itself was conducted under the supervision of the Head Instructor of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
However, he had mentioned that a Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had personally tested them, so requesting a reconsideration would be equivalent to denying the decision of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
At that moment, Head Instructor Seok Jeonwoong added decisively,
“And they are the late-stage disciples of the Heaven and Earth Society. There is absolutely no room for doubt regarding their abilities.”
‘The Heaven and Earth Society?’
Upon hearing this, a few individuals who had not shown much interest until now turned their gazes towards the platform.
They were the late-stage disciples from the orthodox martial arts sects affiliated with the Righteous Alliance.
***
After introducing the newly promoted trainees, Head Instructor Seok Jeonwoong left as if he had completed his task.
Following his departure, the atmosphere took a peculiar turn.
This was because the Heaven and Earth Society was one of the three great powers in the martial arts world and had a hostile relationship with the Righteous Alliance, which could be considered the center of the orthodox martial arts world.
Moreover, among the senior-grade trainees, there was a notable presence of late-stage disciples from the orthodox sects.
Since they dominated the atmosphere in the senior grade, the trainees were naturally sending knowing or unknowing glances of vigilance towards Mok Gyeong-un and his companions.
‘I guess this is roughly the atmosphere.’
Mok Gyeong-un chuckled.
Having only been within the Heaven and Earth Society, he couldn’t have known, but this seemed to be the perspective the orthodox martial artists held towards the Heaven and Earth Society.
Of course, Mok Gyeong-un didn’t pay much heed to such gazes.
After all, these individuals were not important.
The truly important ones were those on the list he had received in advance through Assistant Commander Jang from the Eastern Depot.
Mok Gyeong-un naturally found them.
‘Is that guy Yeom Gyeong?’
He matched the memorized appearance perfectly.
Yeom Gyeong, a disciple of the Huashan Sect and the son of the Assistant Commander of the Left Commandery.
He belonged to the faction of Prince Jong, the second prince, and as expected from a disciple of the Nine Great Sects, his skills seemed to be better than the other mediocre individuals.
‘Hmm.’
The youth over there with his arms crossed and narrow eyes seemed to be Geum Jong-hyeon, the son of a 5th rank Lecturer at the Hanlin Academy and a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect.
He was part of Prince Gyeongjin’s faction.
‘Narrow eyes…’
It was difficult to tell whether his eyes were closed or open.
Mok Gyeong-un turned his head and noticed Mong Mu-yak engaged in an intense staring contest with someone.
The individual he was having the staring contest with was a tall and handsome youth with thick eyebrows.
‘Is that Namgoong Chunghyeon?’
He was the second son of the Namgoong Clan, one of the seven great clans that could be considered an orthodox martial arts family of great renown.
If he remembered correctly, the Namgoong Clan had a marital relationship with Hang Yoon, one of the Three Excellencies who held the position of Grand Preceptor and concurrently served as the Admiral of the Central Commandery.
‘The most hostile one.’
In the case of Namgoong Chunghyeon, unlike the others, he was a member of the Namgoong Clan, which could be considered the backbone of the Righteous Alliance, so he was openly glaring and displaying hostility.
At this rate, a fight might break out even before the Embroidered Uniform Guard Warrior Examination.
However,
‘What’s been bothering me?’
From the moment he entered the senior-grade training grounds, Mok Gyeong-un had been feeling a peculiar sensation.
It was difficult to express in words, but for some unknown reason, something was subtly irritating his senses.
So, Mok Gyeong-un went to find the source of that irritating energy.
And in the corner of the training grounds, he discovered someone doing push-ups while standing on one hand in a handstand position.
‘!?’
Mok Gyeong-un furrowed his brows.
The reason was that he couldn’t read any energy from that person.
If one had cultivated internal energy, the form of their energy could be read in some way, but he couldn’t see anything from that person.
It was as if he hadn’t cultivated martial arts or internal energy at all.
‘Strange.’
He hadn’t cultivated internal energy, so why was he in the senior-grade class?
Moreover, for some unknown reason, he kept feeling something irritating from that person.
It seemed he would have to open the power of his Third Eye to investigate.
At that moment, someone’s voice was heard.
“Hey. Looks like that fellow bothers you too.”
Mok Gyeong-un turned his head.
Behind him, a youth with sharp features and torn eyes was visible.
‘Oho.’
Interest flickered in Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes.
He didn’t know who he was, but his energy was almost at the level of the top five among the senior-grade trainees.
Mok Gyeong-un, who had been looking at him as if he was quite something, asked,
“You seem to know that person well, based on what you said?”
“I don’t know him.”
“You don’t know him?”
“Yeah. But there’s no one in the senior grade who doesn’t know that fellow.”
“He must be quite famous then?”
At that question, the youth with the torn eyes snorted and said,
“Ha! Of course he’s famous. A fellow who hasn’t even properly cultivated internal energy suddenly got promoted from the junior grade to the senior grade in just five days.”