Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 236 – The Disregard for the Embroided Uniform Guard (5)

Creak creak creak!

The Gyeokse Stone slab crumbled and dug down as if it were kneaded clay.

Commander Si Wooryang of the Second Office, the assistant supervisor who hadn’t held any particular expectations, couldn’t hide his shock at the sight unfolding before his eyes.

‘W-What is this?’

Based on his perception, Mok Gyeong-un’s martial prowess was at the pinnacle-stage of Peak Realm.

Therefore, even at his best, he had expected about two and a half cun.

However, the result completely deviated from that expectation.

‘!!!!!!’

He wasn’t the only one surprised.

The Commanders of the other five offices also couldn’t take their eyes off this sight, stopping the test midway.

-Creak creak creak!

How was this possible?

Mok Gyeong-un’s five fingers, which had been relentlessly kneading and digging down the stone slab, eventually passed through it completely, dividing the Gyeokse Stone slab into six long pieces.

-Thud! Thud thud!

Commander Si Wooryang of the Second Office, whose head had lowered following these Gyeokse Stone fragments rolling on the ground, was at a loss for words, dumbfounded.

The training grounds, which had been engulfed in silence for a moment, soon buzzed with murmurs here and there.

“…This is crazy.”

“D-Did he just do that to the Gyeokse Stone slab with his bare hands?”

“How strong must his internal energy be to go beyond leaving a mark and do that?”

From the trainees’ perspective, it truly felt monstrous.

And this admiration naturally led to a comparison with someone.

It was none other than,

“Both Joo Woonhyang and that guy, what the hell are they?”

“Are they complete monsters?”

“Even the assistant supervisors are dumbfounded, can’t you see?”

“That’s true. But still, doesn’t Joo Woonhyang, who completely shattered the Gyeokse Stone slab, have stronger internal energy than that guy?”

“You’re right. Joo Woonhyang completely destroyed it.”

“Then, does Joo Woonhyang remain in first place?”

It was utter chaos.

However, the reactions of the Commanders were even more serious than those of the trainees.

When Joo Woonhyang had shattered the Gyeokse Stone slab, they were surprised that his internal energy had reached the level of an Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander or above, not a trainee.

But this was even more shocking.

‘What a monstrous fellow.’

All the Commanders of the six offices shared the same thought.

About half of the Commanders gathered here could shatter the Gyeokse Stone slab like Woonhyang did if they unleashed their ultimate techniques or pushed themselves to the limit.

However, to do it like Mok Gyeong-un, advanced techniques were required.

The internal energy had to be controlled to prevent it from dispersing in all directions, allowing it to dig down the Gyeokse Stone while maintaining the shape of the five fingers.

This was a high-level advanced technique.

While the Commanders recognized this, there were also trainees who couldn’t help but be in awe of Mok Gyeong-un’s advanced technique.

They were Namgoong Chunghyeon of the Namgoong Clan and Geum Jong-hyeon, a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect.

Unlike the trainees whose level was inferior, they were as dumbfounded as the Commanders by the advanced technique Mok Gyeong-un had displayed.

‘…It’s definitely not the level of a late-stage disciple.’

‘I think only Taoist Priest Geon Mun-ja, the Grand Preceptor, or the Sect Leader could do this.’

Because they possessed outstanding martial arts and keen insight, they clearly realized the gap between Mok Gyeong-un and themselves just from this one advanced technique.

Of course, there weren’t only those who were purely in awe like them.

Wi Bu-cheong, who had learned martial arts from Gwi Sa-man of the Evil Alliance’s Evil Sword Sect, felt strong jealousy towards Mok Gyeong-un, who was receiving the focus of attention following Joo Woonhyang.

-Grr!

‘Why are these guys appearing one after another…’

His plan to receive high scores in the Embroidered Uniform Guard selection process regardless of being preselected and gain the attention of everyone, including His Highness Prince Gyeongjin, was gradually falling apart.

As a result, his anger towards Joo Woonhyang and Mok Gyeong-un, whom he considered to have ruined it, naturally grew.

‘I’m amazed. To think they reached such a level at that young age.’

Commander Chae Ho-seong, one of the overall supervisors, clicked his tongue.

Even he, who had reached the pinnacle-stage of Transcendent Realm, could forcefully display the advanced technique shown by that late-stage disciple from the Heaven and Earth Society if he tried.

However, it was questionable whether he could do it with all five fingers like that.

It was an advanced technique that required the ability to control internal energy as naturally as breathing.

‘To have cultivated such monsters…’

Indeed, it was characteristic of the Heaven and Earth Society, one of the three forces holding hegemony over the martial arts world.

No one present could assess the level of that fellow.

Perhaps even Commander Seo Yerin had a similar thought…

‘Huh?’

Looking beside him, he saw Seo Yerin frowning and staring at the disciple from the Heaven and Earth Society.

It was the first time he had seen her with such a serious expression.

At this, Commander Chae Ho-seong carefully called out to her.

“Commander Seo.”

“Ah… Yes.”

She replied, slightly startled and trembling.

To her, Commander Chae Ho-seong clicked his tongue and said,

“It’s truly absurd, isn’t it?”

“…It is.”

“It seems another monster has entered the Six Offices Officials. It’s as shocking as when you and the Commander of the Fifth Office joined.”

Commander Seo Yerin had also amazed everyone at the time.

At the mere age of her early twenties, as a woman, she had demonstrated such incredible capabilities to secure the position of Commander, the pinnacle of the Six Offices Officials.

However, that monster sent by the Heaven and Earth Society was even younger than them.

He hadn’t even reached his early twenties yet.

That meant his potential for development was boundless.

Half-listening to Commander Chae Ho-seong’s exclamations, Commander Seo Yerin shifted her gaze somewhere.

It was none other than Joo Woonhyang, who was in the successful group.

‘As expected, you felt it too.’

Just like her, Joo Woonhyang also had a serious expression.

Joo Woonhyang couldn’t take his eyes off the chilling sensation rising from his spine.

This sensation of his fingertips turning cold was a first for him.

‘What was that just now?’

The moment Mok Gyeong-un from the Heaven and Earth Society placed his fingers on the stone slab, the energy within his body reacted extremely sensitively and activated on its own.

As if it were being vigilant of something.

‘It’s like pitch black.’

It was difficult to explain this sensation.

Nothing came to mind except that it was sinister and dark.

While being engrossed in the unpleasant feeling, Mok Gyeong-un from the Heaven and Earth Society slowly turned his head, and before he knew it, he was looking at him.

As a result, their eyes met directly.

‘!?’

Joo Woonhyang immediately furrowed his brows.

That was because that fellow named Mok Gyeong-un was looking at him as if he found him interesting.

Why was he looking at him with such eyes?

It was a moment of puzzlement.

Then, Commander Si Wooryang of the Second Office, who had been assessing him, shouted the result.

“Trainee Mok Gyeong-un. Five-point segmentation of the slab. First place!”

At the result that instantly replaced first place, the trainees buzzed with murmurs, unable to hide their confusion.

“Huh? What?”

“First place?”

“It’s incredible, but isn’t Joo Woonhyang even more amazing?”

“Why did this result come out?”

It was difficult for ordinary trainees who didn’t know how challenging this advanced technique was to understand the result.

Among the trainees, only a few top-ranked individuals could comprehend this outcome.

Mok Gyeong-un, who had passed, calmly walked towards the successful group.

And as he passed by Joo Woonhyang, he whispered as if muttering,

“You had it hidden tightly in your middle danjeon, not your lower danjeon.”

‘!?’

Hearing those words, Joo Woonhyang’s pupils trembled slightly.

He tried his best not to show any reaction, but Mok Gyeong-un didn’t miss this fleeting moment.

However, there was no time for a lengthy conversation now, so he just said that much and walked past him.

-Clench!

On the other hand, Joo Woonhyang clenched his fist tightly the moment Mok Gyeong-un passed by him.

Seop Chun, who had been in front of Mok Gyeong-un, who had stood in the last row of the successful candidates, quietly slipped back and whispered to him,

“Well done, my lord.”

“There was no hardship.”

He had merely crumbled a stone slab.

To such Mok Gyeong-un, Seop Chun asked in a low voice, as if puzzled,

“But my lord… Didn’t you showcase your skills too much?”

He had been curious about this anyway.

Of course, to pass the Embroidered Uniform Guard selection process, one had to be among the top-ranked.

However, if Mok Gyeong-un had wanted to, he could have been among the top-ranked without necessarily displaying such an advanced technique, by adjusting his performance to a certain extent.

But because of this, he was worried that he had unnecessarily drawn great attention.

To his words, Mok Gyeong-un replied,

“A troublesome matter has arisen.”

“A troublesome matter?”

“Yes.”

Mok Gyeong-un recalled something that had happened a moment ago.

***

Just a moment ago,

As Mok Gyeong-un approached the Gyeokse Stone slab to take the test, a voice reached his ears.

-So you’re the one who fearlessly tried to harm that person.

‘!?’

It was none other than the Voice Transmission Technique.

Mok Gyeong-un moved his eyes with narrowed eyes without showing any reaction.

Were there people in the palace who could use the Voice Transmission Technique?

While he was puzzled, the voice continued,

-You’re composed. Quite impressive for your young age.

‘…A man.’

The voice belonged to a man, but he was using a quite feminine way of speaking.

Usually, such a way of speaking was characteristic of eunuchs.

Mok Gyeong-un opened his perception and tried to trace where this sound was being transmitted from by moving only his eyes.

-Do you think you can find me by looking around?

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed even further.

The sound dispersed in all directions, and the energy that contained it also spread out as if bouncing around, making it impossible to trace.

It was different from the Voice Transmission Technique he knew, the general voice transmission.

At that moment, the voice was heard,

-It’s useless to search. I’m speaking using the Six Directions Voice Transmission.

Six Directions Voice Transmission?

What was that?

Did it refer to a technique that manipulated energy and sound in this way?

-Rather, according to Elder Beom’s words, you have crossed the wall, but the energy I sense from you is merely at the Peak Realm at best.

Elder Beom?

From these words, Mok Gyeong-un could make two inferences.

‘They moved quickly.’

The only elder with the surname Beom that Mok Gyeong-un knew was the one he had seen at the inn in the heavy downpour.

Since he had fully read that elder’s energy, Mok Gyeong-un could discover that an elder named Beom was alive in the palace and that he was a eunuch from the Western Depot.

He had noticed him being startled upon seeing him yesterday and hurriedly heading somewhere, but it seemed he had moved faster than expected.

‘This person must also be a eunuch.’

He didn’t know about other things, but eunuchs couldn’t easily change the way of speaking ingrained in their mouths.

That meant this person was likely a colleague or superior of Elder Beom.

‘…Hmm.’

He had expected it to become troublesome, but they had moved faster than anticipated.

Even before Mong Mu-yak could resolve it.

At that moment, the voice transmission continued,

-If that’s the case, it means you’re hiding your true martial prowess, right? This is perfect. If you have truly crossed the wall, show the skills befitting of that.

Mok Gyeong-un slightly furrowed his brows.

Show his skills?

Here?

‘…’

Originally, Mok Gyeong-un had intended to leave marks on the Gyeokse Stone slab at a level similar to Seop Chun or Mong Mu-yak.

There was no need to reveal his skills here.

However, the other party made this request, and it truly started to become troublesome.

‘What should I do?’

The other party’s intention was clear.

It was literally to confirm his martial prowess.

Of course, nothing good would come from being dragged along by this.

However, the other party was also not someone to be taken lightly.

-If you ignore my words, you will immediately be disqualified from the Embroidered Uniform Guard Warrior Examination for the crime of attempting to harm that person.

‘!?’

-If you don’t want that, show the skills befitting of your level.

At this voice transmission, Mok Gyeong-un’s lips twitched with an expressionless gaze.

It was no different from saying they would forcibly interfere with his affairs if he didn’t showcase his skills.

***

“Isn’t it the one sent by that old eunuch from the Western Depot and the woman he serves?”

“Most likely.”

“Ha…”

Seop Chun couldn’t hide his concern at Mok Gyeong-un’s words.

Although he had hoped it wasn’t the case, it seemed the woman that eunuch served held a high position.

Otherwise, how could she mobilize an expert skilled enough to conceal his location from his lord using the Voice Transmission Technique?

If that were the case, that expert might be one of the top masters in the palace.

If so,

“…My lord, if it’s an expert of that level, we might be able to identify who it is. I’ll have Mong Mu-yak investigate once the first round of the Warrior Examination is over…”

“Investigating is fine, but there’s no need to do anything.”

“Pardon? But if we just leave them be, they will surely interfere even more…”

“They’ll approach us on their own anyway.”

“Approach us?”

“If they had thought of retaliation first, they wouldn’t have come out asking to see my skills.”

“Ah!”

***

Two walls away from the senior training grounds where the Embroidered Uniform Guard Warrior Examination was being held.

There, a middle-aged eunuch in a red official’s robe with elaborate patterns appeared, his hands clasped behind his back.

As soon as he saw him, Eunuch Beom Jeung, who had been waiting, clasped his hands together in a polite gesture.

“Chief Eunuch Ho.”

Chief Eunuch.

It was an honorific used to address high-ranking eunuchs.

There were only a few eunuchs who could be addressed as Chief Eunuch, and one of them was the Chief Eunuch of the Western Depot, the highest position.

Eunuch Beom Jeung, who held the position of Chief Eunuch just below that, asked,

“What do you think after seeing it in person? Although it was rude, his martial arts were so outstanding that it was difficult to approach.”

At those words, Chief Eunuch Ho frowned.

Did it upset him?

At this, Eunuch Beom hurriedly bowed his head and carefully said,

“Of course, I don’t mean to the extent of Chief Eunuch Ho, who is acknowledged as the best master in the Western Depot…”

“No. He was much more outstanding than I expected.”

“What do you mean?”

“He managed to find me.”

“Pardon?”

Chief Eunuch Ho of the Western Depot turned his head away from the questioning Eunuch Beom and looked towards the training grounds.

He still couldn’t forget those eyes.

Before he withdrew after confirming the fellow’s skills and expressing admiration, he sent just one message using the Six Directions Voice Transmission.

-Indeed.

At that moment, the fellow accurately looked at him, who was hiding under the tiled roof of the building.

‘!?’

The moment their eyes met, Chief Eunuch Ho couldn’t hide his surprise.

When using the Six Directions Voice Transmission, the sound and energy resonated identically from front, back, left, right, up, and down, making it impossible to determine the location.

However, that fellow named Mok Gyeong-un had accurately discerned his location.

This was the first time he had experienced such a thing.