Chapter: 692
After parting ways with Wi Seol-ah, it was Ban Shi-jin’s moment of regret.
I had to look around and feel a deep sense of regret.
‘What a blunder.’
The reason is quite simple.
The line was way too long.
Although it didn’t appear long at first glance, I had to wait for quite a while since I arrived late.
I should have been in line ages ago.
I blankly looked around and ended up in this predicament.
I should have come earlier when the line was just starting to grow; however, now I ended up waiting for half a shichen.
“Gu… Yangcheon. Confirmed.”
The Meng personnel who checked the registration card paused for a moment.
Why does everyone freeze up just seeing my name?
‘I feel a bit strange.’
It’s not like I’ve done anything bad… yet. What could possibly be the issue?
Anyway.
After waiting in a line that felt like a half shichen, I moved on after verifying the registration card, following the signs.
As I entered, a spacious field, organized in an unnatural way, greeted me.
By the time I got there, there were already countless people gathered besides me.
Well, I suppose that’s to be expected since I was in line for so long.
Even just a quick glance at the number, it was over a hundred.
We split it over three days and even separated by color; just how many people were there in total?
Not to mention.
‘What on earth are they trying to accomplish?’
No matter how you divide them, can this many people possibly get sorted in just one day?
Although it’s a preliminary round, and they mention it has two or three rounds, I couldn’t help but feel curious about how they’ll pull it off.
There was already a line forming inside, so I conformed to the queue as well.
After waiting a tad longer…
“White Group. A total of one hundred seventy-two people. All have arrived.”
A voice rang out from the swordsman standing at the front.
‘…Wow, that’s a lot.’
There are nearly two hundred warriors gathered in one group.
Just looking at it made me chuckle in disbelief.
What exactly are they planning to do?
Are they thinking about starting a mass brawl or something?
‘That would definitely be the easiest way.’
It’s a method I often resorted to, both in my past life and in this one.
While it’s the easiest way to thin the numbers…
‘These folks won’t dare to do that since they have to maintain appearances.’
For all their talk about being righteous, they won’t resort to ‘violent’ methods.
And as one would expect…
Hissssss—!
I heard something being dragged.
“What’s that?”
“Eh? Something’s coming!”
The warriors’ eyes widened as they turned to the source of the sound.
Several swordsmen were hauling some massive object.
Seeing that, my eyes widened too.
“What’s that… and why…?”
Why is that suddenly popping up here?
Many were confused about what that object was, but I already knew.
How could I not?
‘It’s something I brought. How could I not know?’
It’s something I had grubbed through down in Guangdong, brought out and sold.
Thanks to that, my pockets were overflowing with cash, so how could I possibly not recognize it?
The identity of the item was none other than—
‘Eternal Iron.’
The hardest material among all metals in the Central Plains.
It was the fabled Eternal Iron, said to have disappeared long ago.
“Did you say it’s Eternal Iron?”
It seemed someone else also caught on and gasped in disbelief.
“Are you saying that pillar is made of Eternal Iron…?”
“That massive thing?”
“Of course, it’s probably just mixed with some lesser metals, right?”
It looked about fifteen feet long.
Everyone thought it was nonsense to assume that all of it was Eternal Iron.
And who could blame them?
‘If all that was indeed Eternal Iron, how rich would that make someone?’
Eternal Iron is simply that valuable nowadays.
Even the Tang Sect, known as the Iron Clan, is so miserly with their iron reserves that they only use a bit when crafting their famed weapons.
Surely, all of it cannot possibly be Eternal Iron.
Just as everyone entertained these thoughts, came the moment of reality.
“This is Eternal Iron mixed with about half other metals.”
As the swordsman began to explain, everyone inhaled sharply.
As expected, there was other iron mixed in.
Only.
“Half? That’s all…? That’s absurd…!”
Even half comprises a staggering amount.
“Just where did they acquire this quantity…?”
“Did they discover a stash somewhere?”
“…Ahem.”
Someone coughed, feeling a bit out of sorts.
‘Oddly enough, I received word that someone bought off a large quantity. Was it the Murim Alliance?’
I knew about it because that was reported back to me.
Turns out it was the Murim Alliance.
‘What on earth are they buying that much for…?’
The commission I was entrusted with was only a third of what I stumbled upon.
The remaining stockpile was stored elsewhere.
While it would be great to sell it all and line my pockets,
‘Eternal Iron does have its uses, after all…’
Given its value, I can’t sell every last piece.
“The Murim Alliance must have made some massive preparations.”
“Their expectations for the martial arts competition seem to be high.”
Others stirred in excitement at just the sight of Eternal Iron.
Had the Alliance predicted this and set everything in motion?
‘Probably.’
To bewitch the audience and sway political power.
This was the game they played best.
While everyone was occupied with thoughts of Eternal Iron…
“Thank you all for gathering.”
Someone appeared and spoke.
Everyone’s attention fixated on the voice that resonated with authority.
“The author—!”
“Great Daeju…! It’s the great Daeju!”
A man wove through the crowd, his white robe billowing behind him.
Though he donned an obscure mask, he gave off an unmistakable aura of someone not just an ordinary warrior.
He easily swept past them, manifesting a skillful martial presence.
His inherent weightiness and presence were crystal clear.
“I am the leader of the Red Dragon Corps under the Alliance, Song Yu.”
‘Ah.’
Only upon hearing the introduction did it click.
‘The famed archer, isn’t he?’
The Red Dragon Corps consists of eight battalions within the Alliance.
This particular one is where specialists wielding unique weaponry gather.
The chief of these battalions, Song Yu, the great archer, is noted for his prowess in archery.
I heard that he’s a sharpshooter capable of hitting targets even in total darkness.
Not that I have any real connection to him.
‘Didn’t he die when the Celestial Horse appeared?’
When the Celestial Horse descended upon the heart of the Murim Alliance, four leaders fell, and among them was also the famous archer.
“This time, I will oversee the preliminary rounds of the White Group, so I hope for your understanding.”
The crowd stirred through whispers after Song Yu’s announcement.
“The great commander appearing right from the preliminaries!”
“All this, along with the Eternal Iron, means the Alliance is taking this very seriously this time.”
The eight mighty lords who uphold and protect the Alliance—
This was regarded as an immense honor by the righteous sect.
Only those who excel to the point of being listed among the top hundred and wield great influence could occupy such a position.
That a grand lord would preside over the preliminary trials… what on earth does he intend to do? Everyone focused on the archer with curiosity.
So when the archer finally spoke,
“The first trial is prepared simply enough, given that it’s a preliminary round.”
Tap tap.
The archer reached out to the Eternal Iron pillar before him.
“Step forward one by one and leave a mark on the Eternal Iron.”
‘Hmm?’
Hearing that, I scrunched my brows.
It sounded all too familiar.
“If the depth of the mark exceeds the standard, you will be deemed successful.”
‘Well, well.’
Hearing Song Yu’s explanation made me internally scoff.
What would they do with this Eternal Iron?
‘Looks like we’re recycling old tricks.’
It reminded me of the test I experienced back in Shinryonggwan. The context was strikingly similar.
The primary difference being that there was a minuscule amount of Eternal Iron mixed in back then.
Still, they had enough metal on hand to allow for countless repetitions.
‘So they only prepared that one single pillar…’
Does that imply they’re wholly confident that the Eternal Iron won’t break?
‘I guess with Eternal Iron, that might just be plausible.’
Even just half of it is still Eternal Iron.
It suggests that even a modest force wouldn’t even leave a scratch.
‘Just when I thought this would kick off with some intense action, it’s turning out to be straightforward.’
Instead of assessing martial prowess, the aim was to gauge efforts based on skill level and technique.
“Alright.”
Like that.
“Now, we shall commence the preliminaries for the Shinryong Martial Arts Festival. Step forward one by one.”
With the archer’s words, the trial to shatter the Eternal Iron began.
Boom—! Crack—!
Huung—!!
By the time the clock marked noon,
A tremendous sound echoed across the vast wide plains.
“Uuaahhh!”
A hefty man swung his fist with all his might.
Bang—!!
An astonishing noise burst forth, sending waves of force scattering.
In terms of sheer energy, he wielded enough strength to smash rocks with ease.
“Eliminated. Next.”
The evaluation was strikingly cold.
Not the slightest mark was left on the section of iron where the fist collided.
“What? No way…!”
The man, looking utterly incredulous, couldn’t wrap his head around what just happened.
“I must have made some error…! Just one more… please!”
He pleaded with Myeonggung, the examiner, genuinely distressed.
“I stated it clearly.”
The archer’s voice rang out as sharp as ever.
“I said there would be only one chance. Once you’ve touched the iron, no second opportunities will be granted.”
The determination in his words turned the man’s face a furious shade of crimson.
“What kind of absurd rule is that? This is outrageous! There’s no way I can fail from the preliminaries—! Gak!”
The shout transformed abruptly as the man lost consciousness and collapsed.
Those witnessing only gasped in shock.
In that flicker of a moment, the archer struck the man’s jaw, knocking him unconscious.
Most likely, the majority didn’t even notice such movement.
As the fallen warrior was taken away by the Alliance’s men,
“Next. Number ninety.”
The archer coolly addressed the line, not even sparing a glance.
As he spoke, a warrior stepped forward with a grim expression.
An air of tension began to fray across the faces of those waiting in line as well.
“If he’s got money… he’s not the famous Mochalmun from Guangdong, is he?”
“They say he’s about to unlock his peak… but how could he have not even left a scratch?”
“Over ninety have stepped up, yet barely twenty have passed… Is that what they refer to as Eternal Iron?”
One hour had passed since the preliminaries commenced.
Close to a hundred challengers had faced the test, yet only nineteen had emerged successful.
Not even half of them.
‘Among them, two are near Hwagyeong, six near the peak, eight at average peak, and three at the brink of the top level.’
Out of those, the three at the first-class level were potentially using concentrated forms of martial techniques.
I too only just scraped by thanks to using a martial method that gathered all energy into a single point to unleash it.
At that moment, I noted,
‘The benchmark is set at peak-level reach.’
This test clearly indicated that it was based on skill and everything applicable aligned to that peak.
‘Let’s see how this plays out.’
I subtly scanned around, calculating in my mind.
‘A total of one hundred seventy-two, huh?’
And estimating based solely on skill…
‘Around fifty should be good enough for passing.’
I sensed a resonating sound and nodded in affirmation.
Clink—! Thwack—!!
An annoying reverberation rang out, I recognized it from afar.
‘That’s a pass.’
Just listening to the noise indicated success as I turned to look at the Eternal Iron.
A slender-looking man had drawn his sword, gathering a clear, strong energy within it.
Additionally, on the cross-section of the iron, a faint scar appeared to reflect a two-inch sword mark.
Upon noticing that, the archer declared,
“Ninety-six. Passed.”
“Thank you.”
The successful candidate replied, bowing and moving to join the gathered participants.
“Well, of course it’s the ‘Innate Blade of Light’… I knew he would pass.”
“They truly seem different, those with promise. Just look at that sharp swing!”
I raised an eyebrow, pondering the nickname I just heard.
‘Why does that sound familiar? Ah.’
A recollection popped into my mind.
I remembered hearing that name buzzing around when I registered.
They said he’s a renowned fighter from Cheonghae.
Given the nickname was absurdly lengthy, I kept it in mind, seemingly he’s in the same group now.
‘Looks like he’s at an advanced peak level now.’
There was sure merit to their fame.
His solid stance bore signs of intense training.
Not bad indeed.
The very moment I acknowledged the prowess of that innate talent there came time for the next.
“Next, number one hundred… one.”
The archer hesitated for a heartbeat while calling out the number.
Everyone else felt the same pause.
“…Here we go.”
“Why does this have to be the same group as the author…?”
As the man stepped in front of the Eternal Iron, a voice tinged with fear and awe began to emerge.
The Sword King, Peng Zhou.
He was in my group after all.
That too, the competition number right before mine.
He was number one hundred.
And I, number one hundred-one.
As I stood staring at the backs of the Sword King.
“You’ve really got rotten luck.”
I shifted my gaze as the words came from behind.
A man with an unassuming but wiry figure strode in.
He was in the position behind me.
“Why did it have to be right after the Sword King?”
I nodded along with the man’s sentiment.
“What do you mean by that?”
The moment I queried, the man eagerly added his thoughts.
“Well, that Sword King! I’m sure he’ll obliterate the Eternal Iron without a hitch… Being the next number right after him means you’ll be subject to endless comparisons.”
“Hmmm.”
“Judging by your youth, even if you falter in the test, think of it positively—you’re in for a splendid show.”
I already figured I’d probably get eliminated anyway.
That tone oozed confidence.
“Compared to you, I’m the lucky one. At the very least, I’ll manage to save face.”
And then, he insidiously scratched his head.
What’s the deal with this guy?
“Do you think you can swing at this?”
“Ha. You really don’t know who I am?”
“Do you think I know who you are?”
“…You?”
The man’s expression soured at my casual tone.
“You’re quite blunt, aren’t you?”
“You’re no different.”
“After all, I’m much more experienced than you, so of course—”
“Fine, do you at least know who I am?”
“…I don’t even know.”
“Then how would I know who you are?”
This light banter made the man’s forehead crease slightly.
And at that moment, resigned, he finally replied,
“I am the Sword of Justice from the Long Way, active in Xi’an.”
Ah, so that’s who he is.
“Noted, but?”
“…Huh? Are you feigning ignorance after I disclosed my nickname?”
I genuinely didn’t know.
‘Long Way, just what?’
Even rethinking it yielded no clue. It was a title I had never heard.
The man’s patience began to wear thin at my obliviousness.
“This kid really lacks polish…”
Just as the man was about to utter more with a defeated sigh.
Woooooo—!!!
“Huh!”
“Ugh!”
A sudden whirlpool of energy began to swirl around.
It emanated from Peng Zhou, standing directly before the Eternal Iron.
“Hah.”
Taking a deep breath, he gripped his massive sword and assumed a stance.
In mere moments…
Guuuuuuuuuuuu—!!!
An immense surge of energy aggregated around his sword. The Sword King’s might. The Dark Great Sword gleamed with ferocity.
“Whoa… what an intense pressure.”
“This… This is the Sword King’s aura.”
Startled gasps dispersed through the crowd as they reacted to the Sword King’s presence.
The vibrations trembled and the air rippled with energy as the warrior’s force thrummed through.
Then finally.
Hah!
Peng Zhou launched into the Eternal Iron with a sweeping cut.
BAM! KWAAGHUUU—!!!!
Upon the heavy force striking the Eternal Iron, it exploded outwards in all directions.
Kuuuuung—!!
Kuwhhhaaaa—!!
The shockwave had the nearby warriors stagger as the winds whipped ferociously.
Those still weak of disposition were swept away entirely.
And so what remained was—
“Huh!! Ha, the Eternal Iron…”
“Unbelievable….”
“Did Eternal Iron break?!”
It was the deepest gouge left by any warrior to date.
A long, horizontal blade mark had cleaved through the pillar.
The archer simply stood there, momentarily stunned, as he surveyed it.
“…Passed.”
He declared the result, almost in a state of disbelief.
As expected, the Sword King acknowledged the outcome and walked ahead.
Even as he departed, the energy surrounding those waiting only intensified.
“The blade and steel are so exceptionally fine. Clearly, that’s the difference of a master family leader.”
“This! If this continues, does it not mean victory is already determined? If it’s the Sword King, that’s a given.”
“I’m satisfied just having witnessed that sword strike. The world truly is vast.”
Could what I just witnessed really be that impressive?
The warriors were hotly buzzing in excitement, akin to a divinity having graced them.
‘Here comes the buildup.’
Looking at it, the atmosphere emanated perfect tension.
“As anticipated of the Sword King… Were it not for you, I would have lost my composure. This I deeply appreciate…”
I kept ignoring the chatter of the fool behind me.
I let it wash over me as I stepped forward.
“Next, number one hundred.”
When the archer called for me, I was already standing in front of the Eternal Iron.
It felt as if the chaos behind me continued unabated.
“Peng Clan is seriously the same.”
“If the Sword King wins, then what happens to the Dragon Martial artists…?”
“The preliminaries are….”
The mumbling was loud and incessant.
I paid no mind as I slowly reached my hand out.
Thud.
I let my fingertips touch the Eternal Iron.
A cold sensation washed over me.
“Hmm?”
The archer took note, reacting.
“Number one hundred. You’ve made contact with the Eternal Iron.”
At his words, the loud chattering around subsided momentarily.
“I thought I had mentioned it before, didn’t I? Touching means it’s over.”
If you touch the Eternal Iron, it’s game over.
There are no second chances.
This was a crystal-clear rule laid down by the archer, yet here I found myself in contact with the Eternal Iron.
“What’s with that guy? Is he nervous, perhaps?”
“To make such a blunder… Tsk, tsk. It’s not like this is the first time he’s had an opportunity, so he just ruined it.”
“Even so, after watching something like that up front, how could you remain unscathed?”
“Hey young fighter, it’s okay—! I understand it all!”
Hahaha!
Their sympathy and mockery echoed around me.
I felt utterly unfazed, not a thought crossed my mind.
Such reactions I’ve endured all my life.
If I were to be rattled by something trivial like that, I ought to have met my end ages ago.
“It’s regrettable, but rules are rules. Number one hundred…”
Just as the archer was on the verge of declaring my elimination,
I felt.
I wrapped my energy around my hand and exerted force.
In that blink of a moment.
Crack.
“Wait…?”
My fingertip pierced through the iron.
CLANK—!!!
Not just my fingers but my palm too tunneled through. The chilly, hard sensation engulfed me.
And then…
Drrrrrrrrr—!!!
I yanked my hand back, taking with me a full grasp of iron.
Thud. Thud.
As my hand popped out, a piece of Eternal Iron fell to the ground.
“Hmm.”
I found myself holding a solid handful of iron.
As for the Eternal Iron, a clear mark remained, leaving a fist-sized cavity.
The din around me suddenly ceased.
Nobody spoke a word.
Even the sound of breaths became cautious in the thick silence.
Feeling this unsettling aura, I turned towards the archer and inquired,
“So, is this… a pass?”
“…”
The archer’s response was drowned out, yet—
I already knew the outcome.
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