Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 235 – The Disregard for the Embroidered Uniform Guard (4)

The internal energy measurement, the start of the Embroidered Uniform Guard selection process, began.

Six Commanders lined up in front of the platform in the training grounds, and dozens of thick stone slabs were placed in front of them.

Commander Chae Ho-seong addressed the trainees lined up in six rows,

“Do you see? What is placed in front of you are stone slabs made of Gyeokse Stone. Transcending Stone [1].”

-Murmur murmur!

At the mention of Gyeokse Stone, the trainees buzzed with excitement.

-Oho. So many Gyeokse Stones. The palace budget must be overflowing indeed.

At Cheong-ryeong’s words, Mok Gyeong-un asked curiously,

-What is Gyeokse Stone?

-You don’t know about Gyeokse Stone… Aah. Mortal, there’s no way you would know about such things. There are stones processed from specific materials to withstand internal energy.

-Withstand internal energy?

-Yes.

-There must be a purpose for creating them.

-Of course. If high-level internal energy masters train in an ordinary training room, do you think anything would remain intact? Most of the training rooms in renowned martial arts families or sects are made of Danse Stone, Severing Stone[2] or Gyeokse Stone.

-Danse Stone?

-Although its material and durability are inferior to Gyeokse Stone, it can easily withstand first-rate internal energy, and it requires at least a pinnacle-stage of Peak Realm of internal energy to shatter it.

-Oho. Then Gyeokse Stone must be even tougher.

-Obviously. Gyeokse Stone is tailored for internal energy masters who cultivate advanced martial arts. Its durability is incomparable to Danse Stone.

In other words, Gyeokse Stone could withstand internal energy from the peak to the transcendent realm.

Hearing this, it seemed understandable why Cheong-ryeong was surprised.

Without the financial resources of the palace, who would dare to use such a large quantity of Gyeokse Stones for examination purposes?

At that moment, Commander Chae Ho-seong continued,

“Silence! How can you become Embroidered Uniform Guards if you’re intimidated by just this much?”

“…”

“The test is simple. Whether you use swords or fists, it doesn’t matter. Create a mark with a minimum depth of one cun (approximately 3.33 cm) using your internal energy. Those who fail to do so will be eliminated. Understood?”

At those words, the trainees’ expressions darkened.

Gyeokse Stone was said to be first-rate, but it was impossible to leave a scratch unless one approached the pinnacle of that level.

Yet, they were asked to leave a mark of at least one cun deep, making the difficulty level of the test extremely high.

“Why is there no response?”

“Yes, sir!!!”

At his urging, the trainees responded vigorously.

The selection process began under the supervision of the Commanders of each office.

The trainees came out one by one and took turns attempting to leave marks on the Gyeokse Stone slabs, quickly separating the failures from the successes.

“Gwak In-myeong, fail!”

“Heo Juk-ye, fail!”

“Han Myeong-cho, pass!”

Whenever a result was announced, emotions varied.

Some of the failed trainees were disappointed, while others even wept.

There were even some who couldn’t accept the result and clamored for another chance.

However, the supervising Commanders handled them coldly.

“You entered with such a mediocre level of internal energy? Get lost.”

“Sob.”

“If you’ve just reached the first-rate level, it’s best to give up early.”

“I-I apologize.”

The difference between the early and late stages of the first-rate realm was clear.

Those with internal energy who had just entered the first-rate level could only leave a mark of about half a cun.

However, those who were close to the pinnacle or approaching the Peak Realm clearly left marks of more than one cun in an impressive manner.

At that moment, someone’s attempt went nearly one and a half cun deep.

“Joo Sangjae, pass!”

‘I did it.’

Joo Sangjae, who had created a sword mark more than one and a half cun deep on the Gyeokse Stone slab, cheered in delight upon passing.

With this, he had taken a step closer to becoming a Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Joo Sangjae, who had joined the waiting line of successful candidates, looked at the trainees undergoing the measurement with a triumphant expression.

“The Embroidered Uniform Guard is indeed the elite force even within the palace. To think the standard for new recruits requires reaching the minimum stage of First-Rate.”

Seop Chun clicked his tongue in a low voice.

He had heard that in the past, the palace didn’t have many martial arts experts.

As a result, several embarrassing incidents had occurred, which was why the palace was putting effort into cultivating martial arts experts.

Mong Mu-yak, who was standing behind Seop Chun as he expressed his admiration, spoke,

“Don’t make a fuss over such things.”

“What fuss are you talking about?”

“Even if internal energy is important, the core of combat power is practical ability. Increasing the number of people who can’t fight is meaningless.”

“My, aren’t you quite something?”

He could have just acknowledged it appropriately without making a fuss.

Seop Chun provoked Mong Mu-yak,

“Since you’re so great, how about we make a light bet?”

“A bet?”

“Yes. Let’s see who can leave a deeper mark.”

“…The stakes?”

Seop Chun lifted the corners of his mouth.

He thought this fellow would definitely accept the bet.

Even while denying it, this guy considered him a rival, so he would easily fall for such provocation.

“Although I’m bound to lose, how about the loser calls the winner ‘big brother’?”

“Big brother?”

Seop Chun was originally older than Mong Mu-yak.

Of course, that didn’t mean Mong Mu-yak disliked being treated like a friend by him.

He just wanted to see this guy’s uncomfortable expression while calling him ‘big brother’.

“Are you scared?”

“…Who’s scared?”

In the end, Mong Mu-yak accepted the bet.

In the meantime, it was the turn of Yeom Gyeong, a disciple of the Huashan Sect and one of the trainees the senior-grade focused on.

Yeom Gyeong took a deep breath and thrust his sword toward the Gyeokse Stone slab.

-Thud!

The sword infused with internal energy soon penetrated the stone slab.

But at a glance, the depth was extraordinary.

Even at a glance, it had penetrated more than two cun deep.

“Ooh!”

Many couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

No one had exceeded two cun among those who had taken the test so far.

Commander Mak Myeong-bo of the Fourth Office, who was supervising in front of Yeom Gyeong, shouted with a satisfied expression,

“Trainee Yeom Gyeong. Two and a half cun. Currently first place.”

‘Huh?’

Up until now, they had only announced pass or fail, but this time, they announced the depth of the mark along with the rank.

Saying he was currently in first place meant he had the highest score so far.

With this, Yeom Gyeong walked to the line of successful candidates with a satisfied expression.

‘It’s nothing special.’

Joo Sangjae, who had left a mark of one and a half cun, gritted his teeth in frustration at Yeom Gyeong’s triumphant demeanor as he walked over.

The Huashan Sect wasn’t called one of the Nine Great Sects for nothing.

At that moment, a shout was heard.

“Trainee Namgoong Chunghyeon. Four cun. Currently first place.”

‘What?’

‘Four cun?’

Joo Sangjae and Yeom Gyeong were startled and looked at Namgoong Chunghyeon, who had taken the test in the third row.

It was a truly overwhelming result.

It was almost as if he had penetrated the stone slab.

The other trainees who had yet to take the test looked at him with awe-filled eyes as he calmly sheathed his sword and walked out.

‘As expected of one of the seven great clans of the martial arts world.’

He was the best trainee acknowledged by everyone in the senior grade.

The Commanders on the side also clicked their tongues inwardly at the result.

‘The Namgoong Clan is indeed…’

‘Namgoong Chunghyeon…’

Even Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak, who had shown no interest in others, reacted uniquely to the result Namgoong Chunghyeon had achieved.

He was the grandson of Namgoong Jin, one of the Eight Stars of the martial arts world, known as the Heavenly Sword.

Befitting the grandson of such a person, he was indeed true to his reputation.

Yeom Gyeong and Joo Sangjae, who considered Namgoong Chunghyeon as their rival, looked at him with envious eyes.

At that moment, another result was announced.

“Trainee Geum Jong-hyeon. Three cun. Second place!”

‘Damn it!’

‘No way. That bastard Geum Jong-hyeon got three cun?’

Geum Jong-hyeon walked out with a yawn, looking bored and indifferent.

Seeing his demeanor, Yeom Gyeong and Joo Sangjae gritted their teeth.

Especially for Yeom Gyeong, being instantly pushed out of the ranking was a huge blow to his pride.

‘…Tsk. The real competition starts now.’

What they had just done was merely an internal energy measurement.

The difference of one or two cun in internal energy couldn’t be ignored, but it wasn’t significant enough to determine the wheat from the chaff.

At that moment, it was Seop Chun’s turn.

The trainees around focused their attention on him.

That was because it was an opportunity to gauge the level of the late-stage disciples from the Heaven and Earth Society, whom they had only heard about.

-Swish!

Seop Chun grabbed the hilt of his saber at his waist and released it.

This was because the Bright Dance Saber, a unique weapon, was a treasure saber, and using it might yield results beyond internal energy.

Although it was a bet, Seop Chun focused his aura on his hand blade to compete fairly.

And he slashed the Gyeokse Stone slab with his hand blade.

-Slash!

The result was soon revealed.

“Trainee Seop Chun. Three and a half cun. Second place!”

-Murmur murmur!

The trainees buzzed at the incredible result once again.

He seemed to be a swordsman who mainly used sabers, but he achieved three and a half cun with his bare hands.

Didn’t that imply he could have achieved even better results if he had used his saber?

“He’s in second place, but isn’t he almost on par with Namgoong Chunghyeon?”

“…The three great powers aren’t just in name.”

“What a monstrous guy.”

While those around him expressed admiration, Seop Chun himself was utterly indifferent.

He thought he should have just used the Bright Dance Saber.

Still, as a martial artist, he had his pride, and because he had scored lower than Namgoong Chunghyeon of the orthodox sect, he wasn’t in a particularly good mood.

However, Namgoong Chunghyeon felt the same way.

‘…Did he refrain from using his weapon out of consideration for me?’

Namgoong Chunghyeon’s sword was just an ordinary one that could be obtained from a common blacksmith’s shop.

However, the difference between using and not using a weapon couldn’t be ignored.

Because of this, Namgoong Chunghyeon inwardly reprimanded himself, thinking he shouldn’t have used a weapon either.

At that moment, another result was announced.

-Thud!

A heavy fist strike that resonated through the Gyeokse Stone.

The stone slab was deeply dented by that single fist strike.

‘Look at this guy. Was he at this level?’

Seeing this, Commander Oh Mu-gi of the Third Office lifted the corners of his mouth and announced the result,

“Trainee Wi Bu-cheong. Three cun. Tied for third place!”

Many couldn’t help but be surprised by the result.

Especially Yeom Gyeong of the Huashan Sect, who had instantly been pushed out of the ranking, was gritting his teeth.

Although Wi Bu-cheong seemed dissatisfied with the result, he snorted at someone as if to show off.

‘Did you see that? This is the gap between you and me.’

That someone was none other than Joo Woonhyang.

Faced with Wi Bu-cheong’s attitude, Joo Woonhyang let out a soft sigh without a word.

“Hoo.”

He knew well why Wi Bu-cheong was treating him this way.

Wi Bu-cheong seemed to believe that Joo Woonhyang had used connections to be promoted despite not being able to use internal energy.

Shaking his head at this, Joo Woonhyang stepped forward.

It was finally his turn.

At that moment, a shout was heard.

“Trainee Mong Mu-yak. Three and a half cun! Tied for second place!”

-Murmur murmur!

“Another three and a half cun.”

“This is crazy.”

“Are the Heaven and Earth Society guys just a bunch of monsters? What is this?”

The trainees clicked their tongues in admiration, going beyond surprise at Mong Mu-yak’s test result.

The vast majority of the hundred senior-grade trainees struggled to exceed one cun, so three and a half cun was an astonishing level.

It was no exaggeration to say that they were in a different class from the start.

‘Damn it!’

Even Wi Bu-cheong, who had been somewhat satisfied with his own result, couldn’t hide his frustration.

Seeing Seop Chun from the Heaven and Earth Society achieve the result with his bare hands, he too had used his fists, which he had learned as a subordinate technique, instead of his main martial art, the sword.

Thanks to that, he had achieved a result of three cun, but with another person from the Heaven and Earth Society achieving a high result, it seemed to give the impression that the Evil Alliance, one of the three great powers to which he belonged, was the most inferior.

“Tsk.”

Mong Mu-yak, who had heard the result, moved to the successful candidates with a dissatisfied expression.

For the sake of his pride, he too had refrained from using a sword.

Nevertheless, he had aimed to take first place, but the result was a tie with Seop Chun.

The bet ended in a draw.

“Phew.”

Seeing Mong Mu-yak like this, Seop Chun let out a sigh of relief and wiped his chest.

He had been inwardly anxious, wondering if the guy would use a sword or achieve a higher result with internal energy to win the bet, but fortunately, it was a tie.

At that moment, it was Joo Woonhyang’s turn.

A significant number of trainees closely observed this.

It wasn’t a gaze filled with anticipation.

‘Tsk tsk. He got greedy for no reason.’

‘Since he got promoted using connections, let him be properly humiliated.’

‘Do you think a guy who can’t use internal energy can even leave a mark?’

They hoped that Joo Woonhyang, who couldn’t cultivate internal energy, would fail miserably and be humiliated.

Joo Woonhyang took a deep breath and stood in front of the Gyeokse Stone slab.

Commander Mak Myeong-bo of the Fourth Office, the assistant supervisor in front of him, looked at him with eyes that held no great expectations.

‘I don’t know why Commander Seo Yerin bet on a fellow like this.’

He had even used his perception to see if Joo Woonhyang was hiding his skills.

However, as expected, this fellow seemed to have not cultivated internal energy at all.

Gyeokse Stone, let alone Danse Stone, wasn’t a material that someone who hadn’t cultivated internal energy could leave a scratch on.

‘He will only feel the limitations of his connections and leave.’

-Swish!

Joo Woonhyang, who had not received much expectation, placed his palm on the stone slab.

He didn’t strike it or make any movement, just placing his hand on it. Seeing this, Commander Mak Myeong-bo of the Fourth Office frowned and warned,

“Trainee Joo Woonhyang. Properly respond to the internal energy measurement…”

Before he could even finish his words,

-Kwadududuk!

Wind pressure surged around Joo Woonhyang’s palm and began to fiercely rotate.

At that moment, cracks formed on the Gyeokse Stone slab in a whirlpool pattern, and unable to withstand the force, the slab shattered, sending fragments flying in all directions.

-Papapapak!

“Gasp!”

Startled by the sudden event right in front of him, Mak Myeong-bo hurriedly blocked the fragments and leaped backward.

The same went for those on either side of him.

They urgently shielded the trainees taking the test and blocked the flying fragments.

‘!!!’

In an instant, the hall was engulfed in silence.

‘This can’t be.’

‘The Gyeokse Stone slab…’

‘He completely shattered it.’

Every trainee’s mouth was agape, unable to close it.

The Commanders of the Six Offices Officials were equally perplexed by this astonishing result.

It was a shock in itself.

The only one who showed a reaction of it being natural despite this tremendous result was Commander Seo Yerin, who quietly lifted the corners of her mouth.

***

Everyone in the hall couldn’t hide their astonishment.

Among them, no one had imagined that Woonhyang would shatter the Gyeokse Stone slab.

‘Didn’t that guy lack internal energy?’

‘This is unbelievable.’

Beyond the result that had occurred, everyone questioned it.

They had thought that Joo Woonhyang, who couldn’t cultivate internal energy, had been promoted to the senior grade due to his connections.

‘How can this be…’

Naturally, they had expected him to fail miserably in the internal energy measurement, but when he completely shattered the slab, Wi Bu-cheong was at a loss for words, finding it absurd.

How could such a thing happen?

‘Ha…’

‘My goodness…’

The Commanders of each office in the Six Offices Officials were equally dumbfounded.

They had examined the trainee records prepared in advance.

The record about Joo Woonhyang written there was an utter mess.

But now, he had demonstrated something incredible.

‘…This is not the level of a trainee.’

To shatter a Gyeokse Stone, one needed to have pure internal energy at the pinnacle-stage of Transcendent Realm.

This was something that even the Commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who were the assistant supervisors of each office, could hardly do.

‘What on earth?’

‘Has he been hiding his skills all this time?’

The Commanders’ minds couldn’t help but become complicated.

Just like them, Commander Chae Ho-seong, one of the two overall supervisors of the Embroidered Uniform Guard selection process, was also quite surprised and couldn’t take his eyes off Woonhyang.

Without looking at Commander Seo Yerin beside him, Chae Ho-seong casually asked,

“Did you know?”

At this, Seo Yerin only showed a faint smile.

Seeing her reaction, Chae Ho-seong’s eyes narrowed.

Even he hadn’t noticed that Joo Woonhyang had been concealing his martial prowess until now.

But the fact that she had noticed meant,

‘…Seo Yerin, are you saying you’re one step above me?’

Until now, he had estimated her martial prowess to be on par with or slightly below his own, so this was even more shocking to him.

As a Embroidered Uniform Guard aiming for the position of the next Southern Commander-in-Chief, he couldn’t help but be wary.

“Commander Mak. Announce the result.”

Commander Chae Ho-seong shattered the silence and spoke.

At this, Commander Mak Myeong-bo of the Fourth Office, who had been brushing off the fragments of the shattered Gyeokse Stone slab right in front of him, shouted loudly,

“Trainee Joo Woonhyang. Complete destruction of the Gyeokse Stone. First place!”

At this result, the trainees who were waiting, those in the elimination group, and those in the successful group all looked at Joo Woonhyang with astonished eyes, still unable to shake off the lingering impact.

“Ha… There was a monster-like fellow in the palace too. Don’t you think?”

“…”

Mong Mu-yak said nothing in response to Seop Chun’s tongue-clicking remark.

He, too, was quite shocked.

He had thought that there would be almost no one who had reached such an incredible level at an age not even close to his lord, Mok Gyeong-un.

But the world was truly vast.

To think that such a monstrous fellow was here in the palace of all places.

Then, Seop Chun nodded his head and said,

“It’s our lord’s turn.”

“Ah.”

As he said, Mok Gyeong-un was walking towards the slab for his turn.

Some trainees watched with interest.

Because Mok Gyeong-un was also a late-stage disciple of the Heaven and Earth Society.

However, those who showed interest were the eliminated trainees with no skills or those with lower levels of internal energy. The reactions of the supervisors and the top-performing trainees were different.

‘This fellow is the most ordinary among the Heaven and Earth Society’s late-stage disciples.’

‘He’s weaker than those two.’

‘He’ll pass without issue, but he doesn’t seem to be at the level to stand out.’

That was the majority of the reactions.

That’s because the Mok Gyeong-un they sensed with their perception was merely at the pinnacle-stage of Peak Realm at best.

Of course, even that was superior to most senior-grade trainees.

It’s just that compared to the Heaven and Earth Society and the top-ranking trainees, he was considered inferior.

In that manner, Mok Gyeong-un stood in front of the Gyeokse Stone slab.

“Begin.”

Commander Si Wooryang of the Second Office, who was assessing Mok Gyeong-un’s group, spoke.

‘It will probably be around two cun to two and a half cun.’

That was his estimation.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un looked at the Gyeokse Stone slab and spoke,

“Is there any significant meaning in leaving a mark on a lifeless and unmoving stone?”

At these words, Commander Si Wooryang snorted and said,

“Save such words for after you properly leave a mark on the slab, trainee.”

It was extremely presumptuous for a fellow who couldn’t even reach the level of the top-ranking martial prowess to say such things.

Such words would have been understandable if it had come from someone like Joo Woonhyang, who had completely shattered the slab.

‘Tsk tsk.’

But then, Mok Gyeong-un placed his hand on the upper part of the slab, not the slab itself.

Commander Si Wooryang warned,

“Do it properly. Not there, but on the front side of the slab…”

Before he could even finish his words,

Mok Gyeong-un, who had placed his hand on the slab, grabbed it from the top and slowly dragged his five fingers downward.

-Creak creak creak.

At that moment, something astonishing happened.

The Gyeokse Stone slab was being dug out as if it were made of compacted dirt.

‘!!!!!!’