Cheol Jiak stared at Zhuge Lin in disbelief.
Zhuge Lin hurriedly tried to explain herself.
"N-no! He kept saying things that made it sound as though he knew something, so I thought he'd figured us out."
"...Fine. But why did you suddenly ask the Deputy Commander what to do with the pirates?"
At Cheol Jiak's question, Cheon Woojin answered calmly.
"I didn't know you belonged to the Martial Alliance, but I could tell that the boatman was a master. I wasn't entirely sure what was going on, though. Just as that broadsword was about to split my head open, you released your internal energy."
"...You noticed that?"
Woojin nodded.
Cheol Jiak pointed toward Zhuge Lin.
"Then what about her?"
"Well, here was a master like you, pretending to be helpless while getting beaten by pirates who were no match for him. Meanwhile, this young lady kept subtly provoking the pirates, pushing them toward a fight they couldn't avoid, all while watching everything as though she didn't want to miss a single detail..."
As Woojin continued, Cheol Jiak's eyes began to shine.
"So you realized we were controlling the situation?"
"Yes. To tell you the truth, I was wondering whether the two of you might be villains. I'm glad you turned out to be from the Martial Alliance."
"Ha! Listen to this brat. And what if we had been villains?"
"I wonder."
Woojin's answer was perfectly calm.
But Cheol Jiak knew.
Had they truly been villains, that Crane Feather Fan would undoubtedly have been pointed at him and Zhuge Lin.
A moment later, Cheol Jiak burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! Excellent! A promising young martial artist of the Orthodox Path ought to have a chivalrous spirit! Why, it's like looking at myself when I was younger. Even our faces bear a certain resemblance!"
Zhuge Lin narrowed her eyes at him.
"I really don't think so..."
"Ahem!"
Ignoring the commander, Zhuge Lin turned back to Woojin with an intrigued expression.
"Your name?"
"Cheon Woojin."
"Which sect do you belong to?"
Woojin considered the question for a moment.
He remembered Black Master's warning never to reveal his background carelessly. His master had made far too many enemies throughout the martial world.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you."
"Well, everyone has their secrets. I like that."
"What do you like?"
"...Never mind. Just sit down. And that goes for everyone, not just Young Hero Cheon. You'd better take your seats. Otherwise, you're going to have trouble keeping your balance."
The passengers exchanged puzzled looks, unable to understand what she meant.
At that moment, Cheol Jiak, Commander of the Black Tortoise Unit, picked up an oar lying nearby.
Woojin quietly took hold of the railing.
The quick-witted Song Yiyeon noticed and immediately followed his example.
Everyone else assumed Cheol Jiak was simply about to start rowing.
Whoosh!
Cheol Jiak swung the oar behind him, unleashing a tremendous blast of sword wind.
No, perhaps oar wind would have been a more appropriate name.
Whatever one chose to call it, the force of the strike propelled the boat forward at astonishing speed, sending it surging across the water.
"U-uwaaaagh!"
Several young martial artists lost their footing and tumbled across the deck in an undignified heap.
Woojin, naturally, did not budge an inch.
Cheol Jiak and Zhuge Lin watched him with increasingly peculiar expressions.
******
The Martial Alliance.
The grand coalition of the Orthodox Path, encompassing the Nine Sects and One Gang, the Five Great Families, and countless other martial factions.
Although it had originally been established to oppose the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the prevailing opinion was that its power had long since surpassed that of the Demonic Cult.
Cheon Woojin, who rarely showed surprise, stood with his mouth slightly open and his head tilted back.
Never in his life had he seen walls so high.
Even the gates were larger than the little hut where he had lived with his two masters. And the number of people coming and going was several times greater than the crowd at a village festival.
He looked around with undisguised fascination.
Among the martial artists passing through the gates, he couldn't see anyone who qualified as a true master by his standards.
Of course, that might change once he ventured deeper into the Martial Alliance.
Still, there was something distinctive about the people here.
Even those with relatively poor martial skills carried themselves with spirit. Their eyes were bright and alert, their movements lively, and their expressions brimming with confidence.
They remind me of White Master.
There were many people within the Martial Alliance who reminded him of White Master, regardless of their age or martial accomplishments.
Yet he could not find a single person who resembled Black Master.
Perhaps that was only natural.
This was the Martial Alliance, after all.
As Woojin surveyed his surroundings, a conversation between his two masters suddenly came to mind.
"Woojin, my boy! Those hypocritical bastards of the Orthodox Path are disgusting enough as it is, but do you know who the worst of them are? The Martial Alliance! They settle everything with their fists, yet they never shut up about peace and fairness..."
"Ahem! And where else in the world will you find an organization that upholds the righteousness of the Orthodox Path as faithfully as the Martial Alliance?"
Whenever the Martial Alliance came up in conversation, his two masters inevitably started arguing.
White Master held the organization in the highest regard.
Black Master, on the other hand, regarded it with undisguised hostility.
And somehow, their arguments always ended the same way.
"Hah! Fine, then! Let Woojin go and see it for himself. He can experience firsthand just how revolting those Martial Alliance bastards really are!"
"Excellent! Woojin, my boy, you must see it with your own eyes. Witness their chivalry firsthand, and you too shall become a righteous hero!"
Remembering their voices so vividly, Woojin couldn't help smiling.
Beside him, Song Yiyeon was openly exclaiming in admiration.
"Young Hero Cheon! Look over there! That's the Martial Alliance's flag!"
A great blue banner, the symbol of the Martial Alliance, fluttered high above them.
Zhuge Lin lifted her chin proudly.
"Impressive, isn't it? Our Martial Alliance."
Woojin could only nod, still gazing about with his mouth slightly open.
The sight drew an involuntary chuckle from Zhuge Lin.
Is this really the same man who severed that pirate's wrist without batting an eye?
Cheon Woojin was a fascinating young man.
When facing the pirates, he had displayed the cold composure of a martial artist so accustomed to killing that taking a life meant nothing to him.
Yet now he looked as innocent as someone who had never so much as stepped on an insect.
Zhuge Lin had never encountered anyone in whom black and white existed in such stark contrast.
"All right, everyone. Enough sightseeing. The first examination is still underway on the other routes, so we'll provide you with temporary accommodations while you wait."
She looked over the five successful candidates.
"Five of you, though... That's more than I expected. I thought perhaps two would pass. I suppose we have Young Hero Cheon to thank for that."
As she spoke, Zhuge Lin directed a pointed glare at Song Yiyeon.
His shoulders twitched.
After all, he hadn't originally intended to intervene either.
"Hehe... Shall we get going, Deputy Commander?"
With an awkward smile, Song Yiyeon hastened forward.
Woojin naturally followed him.
Zhuge Lin watched the two of them walk away, her eyes narrowing.
"That one's practically guaranteed to pass. So why do I get the feeling that good-for-nothing will somehow pass too?"
******
As they made their way toward the temporary residence, Zhuge Lin continued explaining the examination.
"Instructors like the commander and myself have been stationed along every major route leading to the Martial Alliance. Even candidates who take less conventional routes will have to undergo the same first examination you experienced aboard the boat."
She paused before adding, "We've spent an entire year preparing for this. The commander actually worked as a boatman for a full year."
Song Yiyeon nodded thoughtfully.
Until Cheol Jiak and Zhuge Lin revealed their identities, he hadn't suspected a thing.
Cheol Jiak, in particular, had looked exactly like a man who had spent thirty years rowing boats for a living.
No one would have questioned it.
Song Yiyeon glanced sideways at Woojin.
The more I think about it, the stranger this fellow becomes.
He had never heard the name Cheon Woojin before.
Yet here was a young martial artist whose strength he couldn't even begin to measure, and whose judgment was just as impressive.
Where in the world did a monster like him come from?
"Hey! Are you listening?"
Zhuge Lin's sharp voice jolted Song Yiyeon out of his thoughts.
"Ah! Of course!"
He hastily blurted out the first question that came to mind.
"But has the Martial Alliance always conducted its entrance examinations this way? I've never heard of anything like it."
A deep crease appeared between Zhuge Lin's brows.
"You're right. This is a new procedure, introduced on the orders of the Alliance Leader who recently took office. He declared that any martial artist who doesn't understand righteousness and chivalry has no place in the Martial Alliance."
"T-the Alliance Leader? Beili Tian?"
Zhuge Lin nodded.
Song Yiyeon's eyes immediately began to sparkle.
"One of the three greatest swordsmen of the Orthodox Path! Alliance Leader Beili Tian is the martial artist I admire most in the entire world!"
"...Well, you're a swordsman yourself, aren't you? And so is the Alliance Leader."
"That's beside the point!"
Merely thinking about Beili Tian seemed enough to set Song Yiyeon's heart racing.
A man who had risen to become the leader of the Martial Alliance through sheer ability, without relying on family connections or special favors.
And he had accomplished it while barely past forty.
A true self-made man!
The very embodiment of everything the younger generation aspired to become!
"Haah... The more I think about him, the more incredible he seems."
Song Yiyeon shook his head with a dreamy expression, looking almost intoxicated.
Woojin, who had been listening quietly beside him, suddenly spoke.
"What is the Alliance Leader's nickname?"
Song Yiyeon turned toward him in surprise.
"Oh? Since when did our Young Hero Cheon start taking an interest in such things? Don't tell me the Alliance Leader is your idol too! So even the ever-composed Young Hero Cheon has someone he admires, eh?"
He grinned.
"Let's see... What was his nickname again?"
Before he could remember, Zhuge Lin answered in a flat voice.
"The White Egret Sword Saint. You claim he's your greatest inspiration, yet you don't even know his title?"
"Ah! Right, right!"
Song Yiyeon scratched his head sheepishly.
Woojin sighed.
"So it isn't him after all."
The White Egret Sword Saint.
Yes, that sounded like the sort of nickname a renowned martial artist ought to have.
Which only made him wonder all the more.
Does someone with a nickname like Sword Slower Than a Turtle really exist?
Noticing his disappointment, Song Yiyeon asked, "What's wrong?"
"Actually, I didn't come here to take the entrance examination. I came looking for someone."
"Huh?"
A peculiar noise escaped Song Yiyeon's mouth.
He had already been imagining the two of them passing the examination together and going on to become lifelong rivals.
Now Woojin was telling him he hadn't even intended to apply?
Zhuge Lin's expression grew serious.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes. I only boarded the boat because the boatman... no, because the Commander of the Black Tortoise Unit invited me aboard."
"What? But when I checked the applicant list on our way here, your name was definitely on it."
"Hmm?"
Woojin frowned.
How could his name be on the applicant list when he had never registered for the examination?
He considered the matter for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.
There were only two people who would have done something like this.
His masters.
They must have known I would eventually come to the Martial Alliance.
After all, White Master had explicitly instructed him to visit the organization in his final will.
Both masters had wanted Woojin to experience the Martial Alliance for himself, albeit for entirely different reasons.
White Master had hoped he would discover genuine righteousness there.
Black Master had expected him to witness the hypocrisy and wickedness lurking beneath its noble reputation.
"It seems one of my masters registered me without telling me."
Zhuge Lin tilted her head, still looking doubtful.
"Hmm... Well, I'll check again. But does that mean you don't intend to participate?"
She sounded disappointed.
"The commander will be terribly upset. He was delighted to see such a promising young martial artist for the first time in ages."
Song Yiyeon immediately joined in.
"Exactly, Young Hero Cheon! Since your name is already on the list, why not take the examination? Besides, this was your master's wish!"
He raised his voice with growing enthusiasm.
"There's an old saying that a sovereign, a teacher, and a father are to be honored as one! Your sovereign! Your father! Your teacher! All deserve the same respect!"
He jabbed a finger toward Woojin.
"Young Hero Cheon! Are you really going to behave like an unfilial son?"
"..."
Woojin stared at him in disbelief.
Zhuge Lin clicked her tongue.
Throw this fellow into a river and even his mouth would stay afloat.
Still, she wanted Woojin to join the Martial Alliance, so she chose not to voice her thoughts.
Woojin looked from one to the other.
Then, with a weary sigh, he finally relented.
"...Fine. I'll take the examination."
"Excellent! That's the spirit!"
Song Yiyeon beamed.
"By the way, who were you originally looking for?"
Woojin considered whether he should answer.
Since the matter had nothing to do with Black Master's identity, there seemed little reason to keep it secret.
"I don't actually know who he is. But his nickname is Sword Slower Than a Turtle."
"Pfft!"
Song Yiyeon burst out laughing.
"Come on, don't make things up! Who in the world would have a nickname like that?"
Even Zhuge Lin couldn't suppress a chuckle.
"I've never heard of anyone by that name either. But if I learn anything, I'll let you know."
With that, she pushed open the door before them.
Song Yiyeon peered inside and let out an impressed whistle.
"Oh! So this is where we'll be staying? It's much nicer than I expected!"
"It's a temporary residence. Temporary."
Song Yiyeon looked around before turning back to her.
"By the way, Deputy Commander, why do you keep speaking so politely to us? We're only applicants."
"Precisely because you're only applicants."
Zhuge Lin smiled faintly.
"You're not my subordinates yet, after all. But if—and I do mean if—our dear applicant Song Yiyeon passes the examination and gets assigned to the Black Tortoise Unit..."
She trailed off.
Then she raised her index finger and pointed directly at Song Yiyeon.
"...?"
His eyes widened at the unexpected gesture.
Zhuge Lin drew her thumb slowly across her throat.
Then she smiled sweetly.
The meaning was unmistakable.
"W-what did I do...?"
"Because of you, our entire examination nearly fell apart."
Only then did Song Yiyeon remember what had happened aboard the boat.
He had repeatedly insisted that Zhuge Lin belonged to the Zhuge family.
And the worst part?
He hadn't even had any real evidence.
She was intelligent, beautiful, and carried herself with an air of quiet authority.
So he had simply decided that she must be a member of the prestigious Zhuge family.
And then he'd stubbornly insisted upon it.
"To think that would come back to haunt me..."
Song Yiyeon sank to the floor in despair.
At this point, all he could do was pray that, even if he passed the examination, he wouldn't be assigned to the Black Tortoise Unit.
Watching him, Zhuge Lin smiled even more sweetly.
The expression looked distinctly more sinister than her usual cold demeanor.
At least, that was how Song Yiyeon saw it.
"Oh, one more thing!"
Zhuge Lin spoke as though something had just occurred to her.
"Before the second examination begins, each of you will undergo an individual assessment. We'll evaluate your physique, movement techniques, visual tracking ability, internal energy, and external strength."
She waved a hand dismissively.
"Nothing particularly difficult. Just keep it in mind."
Woojin simply nodded.
From his miserable position on the floor, Song Yiyeon muttered under his breath.
"Nothing difficult, my ass."
He turned toward Woojin.
"Young Hero Cheon, don't believe her. The real examination begins with those assessments. You need to give it everything you've got."
"...Would you kindly shut your mouth?"
Zhuge Lin's icy voice cut through the room.
Song Yiyeon immediately closed his mouth and nodded.
Her pleasant smile returned as she stepped outside and began pulling the door shut.
"Well then, get changed and make yourselves comfortable. Young Hero Cheon, that good-for-nothing, and the three of you over there..."
She paused, poking her head back through the doorway.
"Now, what were your names again?"
"..."
"Ah, whatever. It doesn't matter."
And with that, Zhuge Lin disappeared.
The three young martial artists who had been reduced to nameless extras stood there in stunned silence.
They looked as though someone had just informed them that they had failed the examination.
Song Yiyeon approached and patted them sympathetically on the back.
"Cheer up! It's still too early to give up."
Then he tilted his head.
"But seriously, what are your names?"
"..."
Woojin sighed.
Kicking them while they're down.
Of course, Woojin didn't know their names either.
Song Yiyeon soon recovered his spirits and approached him with a dazzling smile.
He casually draped an arm over Woojin's shoulder.
Then, wearing the confident expression of a handsome young swordsman with absolute faith in his own abilities, he declared, "Just wait until the next examination, Young Hero Cheon. I'll finally show you what I'm really capable of."
He grinned.
"I'm actually quite a bit stronger than you might think. Try not to be too surprised."
"I know."
"No, I'm serious!"
But Woojin could already see through Song Yiyeon's level of martial cultivation.
There was nothing for him to be surprised about.
Somehow, the calm indifference in Woojin's eyes left Song Yiyeon feeling strangely wounded.
He quickly changed the subject, as though something had just occurred to him.
"Ah, that's right! About the person you're looking for."
"Sword Slower Than a Turtle?"
The mere mention of the nickname seemed to amuse Song Yiyeon all over again.
He suppressed a smile and nodded.
"Yes, him. I think I might be able to help you find him."
"How?"
"Well, considering I passed the first examination thanks to you, Young Hero Cheon, I suppose I owe you that much."
Song Yiyeon's lips curled into a knowing grin.
"Now, listen carefully."
And with that, he began his explanation.