The Sword Emperor's Way of Establishing the Namgung Clan

Chapter 34 - The Rank Advancement Test (2)

Namgung Jun looked at the paper held in his hand.

“Based on the clue written on this paper, you must head to the testing ground within the time limit.”

“And if I fail to do so?”

“Naturally, your rank advancement will be impossible.”

The scribe performed a traditional fist-and-palm salute.

“Time is flowing even now, so you must move quickly. I wish you martial luck.”

“How much time is left?”

“My apologies. I cannot tell you.”

The scribe who had handed over the paper immediately turned his back and disappeared.

“Hmm.”

From the back of the departing scribe and the texture of the paper felt in his hand, Namgung Jun could clearly feel it.

That the Rank Advancement Test had begun.

He had to head to the testing ground with only the clue written on the paper. The act of arriving at the testing ground was itself the test.

‘So it’s not a test that simply evaluates one’s Martial Arts.’

The Ten Halls were the elite of the Azure Sky Society.

When one set out on the paths of the Martial World, there were matters that could not be solved with martial arts.

Furthermore, due to the nature of the Ten Halls, which were always short on hands, individual missions were also handed down not infrequently.

For that reason, the Clouds who belonged to the Ten Halls polished their abilities in various fields.

The branches they trained in were also diverse, such as investigation, tracking, infiltration, escorting, medicine, and assassination.

This test, too, must have been for the purpose of confirming whether one possessed the minimum ability to set out on a mission alone.

Namgung Jun muttered the clue written on the paper.

“The Diligent Works Pavilion.”

One of the Five Pavilions under the Ink Scent Division.

It was an organization that managed and supplied materials like weapons and clothing, and was in charge of the repair of facilities such as formations and pavilions.

Namgung Jun, who had arrived at the Diligent Works Pavilion, slowly looked around.

The artisans and workers of the Diligent Works Pavilion did not show any interest even after seeing Namgung Jun. Everyone seemed busy with their own work.

‘Do I have to find a clue in this place?’

Namgung Jun calmly evened out his breathing and widened his field of vision. The Sword Emperor of his past life, who had dedicated his life to only the sword, would not have known what to do.

But now was different.

For the sake of today’s Rank Advancement Test and his future activities as a Cloud, he had received various teachings from his seniors, including Heo Il.

Namgung Jun focused on the numerous tracks on the ground of the Diligent Works Pavilion.

Footsteps, the tracks of cart wheels, the marks of a box being dragged.

Various tracks remained. Among them, Namgung Jun was able to find the tracks of a cart wheel that had been made relatively recently.

Though various tracks were mixed together, one that was exceptionally deep and clear came into his view.

‘Which means something that heavy was moved.’

Namgung Jun recalled the only subject of the Two-Cloud Rank Advancement Test that had been made public.

‘The Blue Jade Stone.’

The Blue Jade Stone was quite heavy, as much as its hardness was outstanding. If they had been transporting a Blue Jade Stone, the tracks would have been left just as deeply.

Having finished his judgment, Namgung Jun threw his body forward just as he was.

‘If there were any other rank advancement candidates, I would try to join forces with them, but I don’t see any. Did the examiner intend this?’

Namgung Jun, who had been moving through the main fortress following the cart wheel tracks, hesitated in his steps. It was because the wheel tracks had come to a sudden stop at the end of this road.

‘It’s not as if it could have suddenly flown into the sky or sunk into the ground.’

Namgung Jun calmly surveyed his surroundings. As he did, he was able to discover tracks that went simultaneously to the east and the north.

“One of them is a fake.”

Namgung Jun looked closely at the two sets of tracks and realized. The depth and shape of the tracks were subtly different.

Namgung Jun personally extended his hand and confirmed the tracks.

‘The wheel tracks heading north are minutely different. The east is the real one.’

It was the moment Namgung Jun was about to throw his body forward.

RUMBLE!

A deafening roar erupted from a site right beside him where a pavilion was being expanded. Following that, the sound of people murmuring could be heard.

“Someone help us!”

“A person is pinned!”

Namgung Jun looked at the tracks heading east for a moment, then immediately shot off toward the construction site.

When he went to the construction site, a worker was pinned under a fallen wooden pillar, and others were struggling to lift the wooden pillar.

Though the workers were combining their strength and struggling, perhaps because the wooden pillar was fundamentally thick, it showed no signs of moving.

Namgung Jun, who had grasped the situation, shot forward without any particular hesitation.

“Stand aside.”

Slice!

Namgung Jun, who had drawn his sword in a single breath and cut the wooden pillar into three pieces, personally pulled the worker up.

“Fortunately, it seems you are not badly hurt.”

Namgung Jun, who was observing the worker’s body, suddenly felt a sense of doubt.

If one were pinned under such a heavy wooden pillar, it would not be strange for one of their limbs to be broken, but the worker appeared to be perfectly fine.

It was then.

“Thank you, Young Hero. It was because I was so exhausted from moving the Blue Jade Stone to the Twin Principles Peak yesterday. For a moment, the strength left my body, and this happened.”

Namgung Jun’s head tilted slightly.

“The Twin Principles Peak, you say?”

“That’s right. I’m alive thanks to you, Young Hero.”

The Twin Principles Peak was the name of the peak to the west of this location.

‘It’s the complete opposite of the tracks I found earlier.’

Namgung Jun, who had been contemplating for a moment after hearing the worker’s words, kicked off the ground not to the east, but to the west.

Not long after, starting from the path that led to the Twin Principles Peak, the tracks of the Blue Jade Stone being moved appeared again.

“So the eastern tracks were also a fake.”

If he had been rushed by the time limit of the Rank Advancement Test and had pretended not to see the worker, he would have surely headed east.

Namgung Jun, who had realized the trap of the test, ran straight for the Twin Principles Peak. And so, he continued to advance through the mountains, continuously finding tracks.

Thanks to the various teachings he had received from Heo Il while chasing the wild boar the other day, he was able to move his steps straight ahead without getting lost.

Namgung Jun, who had crossed through the thicket and continued to climb the mountain, was able to reach a hidden clearing on the mountainside.

In the center of the clearing, a giant stone monument that appeared to be a Blue Jade Stone was embedded.

“You’ve arrived the fastest.”

A middle-aged man revealed himself from behind the Blue Jade Stone monument. He had a slender body, but it gave off a stronger feeling of being solid rather than being thin. And his exceptionally long legs were impressive.

He was the Flying God Hall Master, who was in charge of this Rank Advancement Test.

“Greetings to the Flying God Hall Master.”

“So you’re already challenging the Rank Advancement Test. Very fast.”

The Flying God Hall Master looked Namgung Jun over with an interested eye, then let out his admiration.

“The Heavenly Sword Hall Master’s report was true. How long has it been since you learned martial arts, yet you’re already at the threshold of the Peak Realm? Your growth rate is to the point where it reminds me of our Hall’s Lightness Skill.”

“It is thanks to having received good teaching.”

“Giving the credit to your master. The Heavenly Sword Hall Master has gotten herself a good disciple.”

The Flying God Hall Master licked his lips with a look of envy. At that, Namgung Jun asked about something he was curious about.

“If I had headed east, would I have failed the test?”

“That’s right. When the Clouds of our society are on a mission, they must decide their priorities with certainty. Otherwise, they are no different from the other swordslingers of the Martial World who cast aside their responsibilities.”

It was as he had expected.

The commotion at the construction site just now was, in essence, a skit prepared for the Rank Advancement Test.

“Though it is a childish and simple trap, if you set it up well without being awkward, there is nothing more certain than this. For a momentary judgment shows a person’s character.”

Namgung Jun nodded his head.

An unclear time limit.

A number of choices given in sequence.

It was certain that it was designed to make the test-taker impatient and force a quick judgment.

“Then, do all the other test-takers experience the same trap?”

“We have prepared various things for today. What you have experienced was merely one of them.”

While he was talking with the Flying God Hall Master, other Clouds began to appear one after another from other directions.

In total, four people had arrived at the Twin Principles Peak testing ground. The Flying God Hall Master confirmed the burnt position of the incense he had stuck in a rock, then nodded his head.

“Time is up. The five who have still not arrived have failed.”

“Yes.”

At the Flying God Hall Master’s words, a scribe who was on standby behind him wrote down the names of those who had failed, without hesitation.

In that time, the Flying God Hall Master approached the stone monument.

Ting!

As the Flying God Hall Master flicked the Blue Jade Stone with a finger laden with internal energy, a clear ringing sound erupted.

“As you all know, the second test is to leave a mark of one chi or deeper on the Blue Jade Stone.”

Namgung Jun observed the shape of the monument.

The monument was uneven and had been carved roundly, like a natural, bizarre rock. It would be twice as hard to leave a mark on it than if it had been carved smoothly in a straight line.

“Internal energy is, of course, allowed, and if you have the ability, you may use Sword Qi as well.”

The majority of the Clouds taking the Two-Cloud Rank Advancement Test were still at the First-Class level.

However, there were occasional cases of those who, because they had started their initiation late or because their martial arts accomplishment was fast, had risen to the Peak Realm and were taking the Rank Advancement Test.

For that reason, the use of Sword Qi was permitted.

At the Flying God Hall Master’s words, there were those whose faces lit up. They were the ones who had entered the threshold of the Peak Realm.

“The order is up to you. Challenge it as you please. You have a total of three chances.”

“Yes.”

As soon as the Flying God Hall Master’s permission fell, there was a man who immediately stepped forward.

He looked to be close to thirty, and judging by the bearing he exuded, it seemed he had reached the threshold of the Peak Realm.

Vwoom!

The man used Sword Qi without hesitation. A slashing strike that thrust out diagonally just as it was. It seemed he was trying to aim for a gap between the unevenly protruding parts.

KAANG!

But it was deflected just as it was. It only left a small scratch.

The Flying God Hall Master, as if he had predicted the result just by seeing the sword strike, did not bother to try and confirm the mark.

“If you just trust in your Sword Qi and try to draw your sword with all your power, you don’t stand a chance. Be faithful to the basics.”

As the swordsman retreated with a sullen face, the others also stepped forward in sequence.

The saber user who stepped up second was somewhat better.

It seemed he had not yet reached the Peak, as he could not generate Saber Qi, and he stopped at the level of faintly infusing his weapon with internal energy.

Despite this, he left a deeper saber mark than the preceding swordsman.

‘He did not focus only on his internal energy, but has faithfully polished his basics.’

Namgung Jun also nodded his head. However, the saber mark was somewhat too shallow to pass.

“A shame. Compose yourself and challenge it again.”

Though the other Clouds also stepped forward spiritedly, there were none who passed on their first try.

At that, the gazes naturally fell upon Namgung Jun, who had not yet made a single attempt.

Not only the other challengers, but also the Flying God Hall Master looked on with eyes full of anticipation.

Everyone in this place knew.

He was the rising star of the Azure Sky Society, the disciple of the Heavenly Sword Hall Master.

Namgung Jun, who had received the gazes of all, stepped forward with an indifferent face.

Namgung Jun did not stop separately to assume a stance. The only thing he did was to naturally place his hand on the hilt of his sword as he walked toward the Blue Jade Stone.

He did not even draw up his Sword Qi. It was merely a pure sword strike. The sword, which was struck upwards diagonally, let out a sharp sound of tearing air.

Following that, a clear sword path was drawn, cleanly penetrating the Blue Jade Stone. At the sword strike, which rushed in so softly, the eyes of the other Clouds widened all at once.

Click.

From the single sword strike that soared to the sky simultaneously with the drawing of the sword, to the immediate sheathing of the sword that followed, the entire process was perfectly natural. It was so fluid that it was unbelievable that he had even extended his sword toward the Blue Jade Stone.

When the blade had completely hidden itself inside the scabbard, the Blue Jade Stone slowly split along the cross-section where the sword path had passed and tilted to the floor.

THUD!

Though the Blue Jade Stone monument split in half and a thick cloud of dust rose up, it could not hide the cleanly split monument.

While the gazes of everyone were shaking in turmoil, only the indigo blue sleeve of Namgung Jun settled down tranquilly.

At Namgung Jun’s single sword strike, a silence flowed over the clearing.

“Huh?”

Even the Flying God Hall Master was simply staring blankly at the fallen monument and wiggling his toes.

As the Flying God Hall Master said nothing, Namgung Jun, who had been waiting, asked first.

“Is it a pass?”

The tip of the brush of the scribe, who was the first to come to his senses, headed for the blank space where the name of the one who had passed would be written.