Chapter 10 :

Chapter 10

Act Three: The Grand Martial Path Entrance Examination (3)

“The latter are more common—and more dangerous—than the former. So whenever you encounter a cultivator who doesn’t belong to the Grand Martial Path, run away and report it to the main sect immediately. That’s the policy I learned from my family.”

Yise did not fully understand.

His only goals were to exterminate every demon and complete his revenge, then become a demon hunter worthy of his teacher’s expectations.

He had learned that cultivators pursued the Way and accumulated virtuous karma.

Why, then, did they constantly compete, plunder, and restrain one another?

Could that behavior truly be called cultivation?

When Yise displayed a complicated expression, Hae Unchan attempted to lighten the mood by drawing something on the stone floor with his finger.

Auspicious energy emanated from his fingertip.

It seemed he could already manipulate spiritual energy.

The moment his fingertip touched the solid stone, the surface caved in as though it were crumbling sand.

“Yise, have you ever seen a map of the world?”

“A map? No.”

“I thought as much.”

With a confident expression, Hae Unchan drew lines, circles, and several shapes that were only barely recognizable.

Honestly, Yise thought a four-year-old child could have drawn better.

“Now, this is the continent where we live. More precisely, it’s called the Eastern Continent.”

“It looks like a half-eaten fried egg.”

“Quiet. Don’t talk about food. You’re making me hungry.”

Hae Unchan cleared his throat and tapped the drawing.

“This protruding region contains Tavaro, Suari, and Gamori, where we live. Together, they are known as the Three Kingdoms of the Peninsula.”

He then drew an enormous landmass above the Three Kingdoms of the Peninsula.

“This is the Jeong Empire. It’s a far greater country than the Three Kingdoms of the Peninsula.”

“...It’s enormous.”

“There are also smaller and weaker countries, such as Sihan and Taira, but most are vassal states of the Jeong Empire. The Three Kingdoms of the Peninsula are the only ones that don’t belong to it.”

Yise noticed something peculiar in the explanation.

Even if the three kingdoms were united, the difference in power between them and the Jeong Empire appeared overwhelming.

In a world ruled by the strong, the weak were inevitably devoured by the powerful.

“Why haven’t the Three Kingdoms of the Peninsula become vassals of the Jeong Empire?”

“Oh, that’s a good question. It’s because of cultivators.”

“Cultivators?”

“Yes. More precisely, it’s because of the Grand Martial Path. The rulers of the Three Kingdoms of the Peninsula and the Grand Martial Path maintain a relationship of mutual nonaggression. But if a country launches a large-scale war of conquest, cultivators will inevitably intervene.”

“Why?”

“Because war accumulates negative karma and resentment.”

Yise immediately understood.

The accumulation of negative karma and resentment increased the amount of demonic energy in the world.

Demonic energy created demons and disrupted the balance of nature.

The Grand Martial Path despised demons and considered restoring nature’s balance through demon extermination its calling.

It would never tolerate such a war.

When Yise slowly nodded, Hae Unchan pointed at his drawing again with a satisfied expression.

“Since we’re discussing it, would you like to hear an interesting old story? The Eastern Continent is blocked by the Great Wall of Ten Thousand Li and the Cheonyo Great Mountains to the north, the sea to the southeast, and deserts and wastelands to the west. They are natural barriers ordinary humans could never cross. But cultivators who reach the Core Formation Realm and can fly without ritual implements are supposedly able to travel beyond them.”

“What lies beyond?”

“Other continents. Places called the Western Regions, the Frozen Land, and the Archipelago.”

Hae Unchan’s eyes sparkled with curiosity and anticipation as he spoke.

“My dream is to travel across every continent and complete a map of the world.”

Yise thought it was an admirable dream.

He also envied Hae Unchan for having discovered a dream of his own and pursuing it.

For that reason, Yise decided not to mention that Hae Unchan’s drawing ability was far too terrible for someone aspiring to create maps.

“But I asked about cultivation sects.”

“You’re less interesting than I expected.”

Hae Unchan clicked his tongue and drew eight circles on the map.

Except for one, most of them were located within the Jeong Empire.

“Three great cultivation sects and five prestigious cultivation clans are currently competing for supremacy on the Eastern Continent. Only the Grand Martial Path is based in the Three Kingdoms of the Peninsula. All the others are located in the Jeong Empire.”

“Are none of them allied with the Grand Martial Path?”

“Not at all. The cultivation organizations of the Jeong Empire sometimes form alliances with one another, but the Grand Martial Path is everyone’s common enemy. We’re practically treated as a demonic sect. You know what demonic sects are, don’t you?”

“Fallen cultivators who practice demonic arts. They are wanted criminals and public enemies of the continent.”

“Correct. They normally operate underground. The most famous is the Iron-Yang Thunder Sect.”

Yise had briefly encountered the name in the Grand Martial Path Basic Handbook.

The Grand Martial Path apparently clashed with the Iron-Yang Thunder Sect so frequently that the handbook described its countermeasures against them in detail.

With most of his curiosity satisfied, Yise sincerely expressed his gratitude.

“Thank you. You’ve greatly broadened my knowledge.”

“What are friends for? Let’s continue helping each other.”

Friends.

Yise tried to smile as warmly as possible.

The word reminded him of the young Spirit Kin he had left behind at Spirit-Guarding Temple.

“But you already rejected me as a dining companion. What kind of friends does that make us?”

“...You’re pettier than you look.”

Just then, news arrived that the room assignments had been completed.

The applicants’ first night at the training institute drew to an end.

Early the following morning, tension hung over the faces of the applicants gathered in the waiting hall.

The second test was about to begin.

Chief Examiner Kang Yitae slowly walked forward with the Hakjo perched upon his shoulder.

“We will now begin the second test.”

He immediately addressed the matter without even offering a greeting.

Yise felt he was beginning to understand the personality of Kang Yitae, Master of the Qilin Hall.

“The second test is the creation of a spiritual root.”

The murmuring applicants swallowed nervously.

Anyone seeking to walk the path of cultivation would know what a spiritual root was.

Nevertheless, Kang Yitae kindly continued his explanation.

“A spiritual root is both the foundation and constitution required to become a cultivator. Just as blood circulates through blood vessels, spiritual energy circulates through spiritual meridians. A spiritual root encompasses the attributes, quality, and capacity of those meridians. A spiritual root is an innate talent. If you weren’t born with one, you cannot create one, nor can you alter its predetermined quality.”

Kang Yitae carefully stroked the Hakjo’s back.

The Hakjo flapped its wings in pleasure.

“Only the Grand Martial Path can change the destiny ordained by heaven, and it is all thanks to this being.”

That was why thousands of applicants gathered every year to enter the Grand Martial Path, even though countless cultivators died while hunting demons.

The Hakjo was the companion bird of the Grand Martial Path’s founder, who led them to victory in the Great Cheonyo War three hundred years ago and practically created the modern cultivation system.

It was a divine beast capable of creating spiritual roots—a bird that inspired fighting spirit within soldiers marching to war.

“However, some people are rejected by heaven even after receiving the Hakjo’s blessing. Don’t be overly disappointed. Even if you fail to awaken a spiritual root, good results in the other tests may allow you to enter the Grand Martial Path as an outer disciple and perform an important role of your own.”

In other words, anyone wishing to become an inner disciple and join the Grand Martial Path’s primary fighting force had to obtain a spiritual root.

This was not something effort alone could accomplish.

It depended entirely upon heavenly destiny.

They had no choice but to entrust themselves to the fate granted by heaven.

“Those who already possess spiritual roots, step forward.”

A considerable number of applicants stepped forward.

Most were in their late teens.

“Excluding those retaking the examination, first-time applicants should take one more step forward.”

Nine people, including Hae Unchan, stepped forward.

Most wore splendid clothing.

They probably came from noble families or secular branches of the Grand Martial Path.

The other applicants called them “preselected candidates,” since their admission was considered virtually guaranteed.

Kang Yitae began examining their spiritual roots individually.

“A three-attribute spiritual root of Water, Wood, and Metal.”

“A dual-attribute spiritual root of Fire and Wood.”

“A five-attribute spiritual root.”

Meanwhile, Yise recalled the information he had read in Spirit-Guarding Temple’s library.

A spiritual root could possess anywhere from one to five attributes.

The techniques a person could learn depended upon those attributes.

Having more attributes provided greater versatility in battle but slowed cultivation.

Since advancing to higher cultivation realms was already extremely difficult, fewer attributes were generally considered better for anyone with ordinary talent.

Spiritual roots with fewer attributes were correspondingly rare.

Kang Yitae stopped in front of Hae Unchan.

“Oh?”

After examining Hae Unchan’s spiritual root, the corners of Kang Yitae’s mouth rose.

“A single-attribute Water Spiritual Root. You also possess a constitution blessed by heaven. It has been a long time since I last saw the Heavenly Root Physique. Your current cultivation is already approaching the Third Star of the Energy Refinement Realm. Your name is... Yes, Hae Unchan.”

Kang Yitae stroked his beard and continued with apparent interest.

“You are Hall Master Hae Il’s nephew’s great-great-grandson.”

“Yes. I am an inadequate descendant, but that is correct.”

Yise asked the dazed applicant beside him a question.

“What is a nephew’s great-great-grandson?”

“Um... Your nephew’s grandson’s grandson’s grandson? Something like that?”

“That’s practically a stranger.”

Just how old was this person named Hae Il?

Yise had heard that the lifespans of high-ranking cultivators increased exponentially.

It appeared that the claim was true.

Once the preselected candidates with spiritual roots returned to their places, it was time for the applicants who had not awakened one.

“Everyone, sit down in the lotus position.”

The process was simple.

The applicants closed their eyes and assumed meditative postures.

The Hakjo then approached them individually and pierced their hearts with its beak.

Its entire beak entered each applicant’s heart before withdrawing, yet not a single drop of blood was shed.

The applicants did not even scream.

They merely remained seated with stunned expressions.

“For those who already possess dormant spiritual roots, this process will help awaken them. Even those without spiritual roots will receive another opportunity to create one. Naturally, the time required will depend upon individual talent. You may awaken spiritual energy today, or it may not happen until the final day.”

With his eyes closed, Yise heard Kang Yitae’s voice gradually approaching.

“If you fail to awaken spiritual energy during the remaining six days, then heaven has rejected you, or your talent has been abandoned by heaven. Accept it. Giving up will be in your best interest.”

At last, Yise’s turn arrived, and auspicious energy rippled before him.

The Hakjo stared directly at him.

Suddenly, the Hakjo’s beak plunged into his heart.

Rather than pain, Yise felt a warm and comforting energy enter through its beak and circulate through his body like blood.

His mind grew calm and peaceful.

At the same time, however, the demonic energy already residing within him began thrashing violently.

“Caw! Caw!”

The Hakjo abruptly began trembling.

It then flapped its wings furiously.

“This boy has demonic energy inside his body!”

A strange voice, markedly different from a human’s, thundered through the hall.

Cold killing intent descended upon Yise, and he felt the chill of metal against his neck.

Kang Yitae had moved like lightning, drawing his sword and pointing it at Yise before he could react.

“Move, and I’ll cut you down.”

Kang Yitae questioned Yise with something resembling a growl.

“You—are you a spy from a demonic sect?”