Chapter 120 :

Chapter 120. The Black Flame Dragon in Golden Robes (5)

"They say a woman is innocent of any crime for transforming herself, but at this level, I think you should be declared guilty."

Come to think of it, Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran were both renowned beauties in Anhui Province.

Their journey with me had simply been so harsh that they never had time to dress themselves up.

If they truly put effort into their appearances, there was no one in this year's academy class who could compare with them.

At my teasing remark, Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran covered their mouths and laughed.

Even that sight looked like a painting, and quiet gasps could be heard from all around us.

"What a hurtful thing to say."

"This is what we normally look like."

I unconsciously nodded at Seong Moran's words.

She closely resembled the way she had looked when I first met her at the Iron Sword Sect.

It was simply difficult to imagine now because the image of her casually chewing mud-covered jerky was still fresh in my mind.

"By the way, is the woman behind you part of your group?"

When I pointed toward the other beauty standing behind the two of them, not only Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran but even the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers gave strange smiles.

"You do not recognize her?"

"You really do not know who she is?"

Including my previous life, I had seen many beautiful women from a distance.

Even so, I had never seen a woman who suited a red cloak and golden ornaments as perfectly as the beauty before me.

"It's me, Eldest Senior Brother."

"...Huh?"

My mouth fell wide open.

The voice clearly belonged to the girl I knew.

"Saryeon?"

The beauty in the red cloak nodded.

"Huh?"

"No, but your manner of walking was clearly that of a complete stranger."

I possessed an absolute memory and could remember people in many different ways.

There was no possibility that I would forget the gestures or walking habits of someone with whom I had spent two separate childhoods.

Despite that, Saryeon's gait clearly did not belong to the Saryeon I knew.

Her cloak concealed her body, making it difficult to be certain, but even her bone structure and physique seemed different.

"Young Master Jin, is the first thing you ask a junior sister you have not seen in half a year really about the way she walks?"

Seong Moran clicked her tongue.

"It is fine, Sister."

"Eldest Senior Brother has always been so insensitive that he cannot understand a woman's heart in the slightest."

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Should I tell them about the time you confessed to Uncle Heo's youngest daughter and were rejected?"

As though taking revenge, Saryeon brought up the past and immediately sealed my mouth.

At Saryeon's story, Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa widened their eyes as though they had discovered an exciting new subject and began talking animatedly.

However, Saryeon should have entered the academy before the conflict with the Iron Sword Sect was resolved.

When had they become so close?

"Are you truly not going to tell me what happened?"

Far too much had changed for this to be explained by a simple growth spurt.

Like me after drinking Mita Divine Water, Saryeon's physique had transformed into something closely resembling a martial god physique.

Hong Saryeon exchanged a meaningful glance with Namgung Seonhwa.

"I met the Divine Sword recently."

"The Azure Emperor Divine Sword?"

"Yes."

"When he saw me, he said it would be a waste to let such an opportunity pass and performed marrow cleansing upon me."

"Huh?"

"At the time, I still had not fully absorbed those things."

Saryeon did not explain directly, but I immediately understood what she meant.

They were the various elixirs she had received from Wang Soso after Soso no longer needed the ice crystal.

Perhaps it would have been different if Saryeon had cultivated the Taeul True Scripture, but it appeared that dissolving them with the Great True Art had been too difficult.

"And thanks to that, I became like this."

Saryeon proudly spun once in place.

Even that small movement released a strange fighting spirit.

"That is truly wonderful."

"Did you properly thank the Divine Sword?"

"Of course."

"Good."

"I should also thank him separately later."

Namgung Seonhwa looked around before speaking to me.

"But why is it so quiet here?"

"We assumed Young Master Jin would naturally be surrounded by people, so we deliberately came a little later."

The cheerful atmosphere created by the three women's entrance quickly subsided.

Eunho briefly summarized what had happened, and all three women frowned.

"That truly happened?"

"These people need to be taught a lesson."

Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa looked even angrier than we did.

"Judging by how deliberately they are ignoring us, I do not think this will be easy."

Namgung Seonhwa widened her eyes.

"Young Master Jin, do you not know who I am?"

"..."

"I am Namgung Seonhwa of the Five Great Families."

"Just trust me."

Namgung Seonhwa strode forward, and we followed her.

Those who had avoided us as though we carried a plague remained frozen like stone statues when the three women accompanied us.

"Senior Brother, was Young Lady Namgung always this fiery?"

Saryeon approached me and whispered.

Remembering when I had first met Namgung Seonhwa at Dongting Lake, I answered.

"No."

"I think she was somewhat calmer back then."

"...Then it is true."

"They say one must choose one's friends carefully."

"This makes me feel terribly apologetic toward the Divine Sword..."

Saryeon muttered something I could not understand.

"Brother Jeonggi!"

At Namgung Seonhwa's loud call, a man who had been watching us quickly turned his head away.

"Why are you pretending not to recognize your own younger sister?"

Namgung Seonhwa placed a hand on her waist and spoke angrily.

The man who had turned away gave an awkward smile and rose from his seat.

"I kept wondering who that beautiful woman was because my gaze was constantly drawn toward her."

"So it was Sister Seonhwa."

"Why are you avoiding my eyes?"

"Have you done something wrong to me?"

"Haha, what are you saying?"

"I heard that you suffered greatly during the official examination."

"Ah, there is someone I would like to introduce."

"He was with me throughout those hardships—"

Before Namgung Seonhwa could finish, the man named Jeonggi nodded.

"I know him."

"Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect."

The atmosphere became even more strained than before.

The man studied me for a moment and nodded.

"I am Jegal Jeonggi of the Jegal Family."

"Although we have no direct relationship, I have heard many stories about you."

He was none other than Jegal Cheon's elder brother and Jegal Hyeonun's second son, Jegal Jeonggi.

He looked at me with strange eyes before turning away.

"Ahem... Sister Seonhwa."

"I do not believe this is a good time for us to speak."

"What do you mean?"

Jegal Jeonggi's gaze turned toward the nearby table.

Namgung Gipo, a man with a weasel-like face, was glaring at us with vicious killing intent.

"This is a symbolic occasion."

"Trying to restore broken trust by relying on old friendships in a place like this can only be seen as shallow thinking."

Unable to endure any longer, Seong Moran stepped forward.

"Brother Jeonggi, are your words not too harsh?"

"Whew..."

Jegal Jeonggi sighed briefly and changed his expression.

Even the faint trace of goodwill he had shown until then completely dried up.

"Why have neither of you joined the White Path Association?"

"That is..."

"Not only Namgung Gipo but everyone from the Namgung Family has joined the White Path Association."

"The Iron Sword Sect could originally have joined as well, but it chose not to."

"Does that not mean you decided not to stand with us?"

"That is..."

"Of course, the people of the Taeul Sect may join us as well."

"But why have they chosen not to?"

"Are you saying we must obey the orders of the White Path Association?"

"Whose will is this?"

"Is it the will of the elders of the White Path Association?"

Jegal Jeonggi shook his head in frustration.

"This is not the will of any single person."

"If it were, the Righteous Path Association and even the Twelve Peaks Fortress could not have united with us."

"All of this is simply to prevent chaos."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think the people of the murim world will say if a disciple of the Taeul Sect stands alone above the Nine Great Sects, the Five Great Families, and the Hundred and Eight Peaks?"

Namgung Seonhwa became so agitated that veins bulged at her temples.

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"Young Master Jin must also belong somewhere."

"If he does not want that, it would be better for him to step down voluntarily."

"Otherwise, we will drag him down ourselves."

"..."

"It may not be pleasant, but enjoy the banquet."

Saying that any further conversation would only lead to raised voices, Jegal Jeonggi turned away.

Namgung Seonhwa grew even angrier and tried to rush at him, but we restrained her and returned to our seats.

"..."

No one could bring themselves to speak.

"...I am sorry, Young Master Jin."

"I was unable to help."

"Why are you apologizing, Young Lady?"

"Please do not take it to heart."

My choices were to be dragged around by the Nine Great Sects, the Five Great Families, and the Hundred and Eight Peaks, or to give up the position of representative.

"Academy Student Jin Sowoon."

I turned toward the voice calling me and saw one of the senior instructors approaching our table.

I rose and faced him.

"As expected, my prediction was correct."

He was Lee Jagon, who had once visited the Taeul Sect as a Talent-Assessment Envoy.

"Were you not affiliated with the Education Pavilion?"

"The official examination has ended, so I will have no work as a Talent-Assessment Envoy for some time."

"I was recently appointed as a senior instructor and came here."

The children of the Taeul Sect were already acquainted with him, so they made eye contact and offered small fist-and-palm salutes.

However, nothing more followed.

Our current circumstances were not comfortable enough to brightly greet someone merely because we knew him.

"Judging by the atmosphere, things do not seem to be going well."

"...You also waited until now before acknowledging us, Senior Instructor."

"Haha, you noticed?"

"If I said I did not, that would be a lie."

"Try to understand."

"Unlike a Talent-Assessment Envoy, a senior instructor has many people whose reactions he must consider."

"Even so, your position is at least better than that of the instructors, is it not?"

Senior instructors were effectively the martial arts masters of the academy students.

One could only become a senior instructor by possessing not only sufficient martial skill but also a background and career comparable to those of the students.

"Your tongue remains as sharp as ever."

"I apologize."

"I am simply in a poor mood today."

"That is understandable."

Lee Jagon looked around as though he understood.

"Do you know something?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know that you deliberately yielded your special admission opportunity."

"..."

"It is not completely unheard of."

"Among the Hundred and Eight Peaks, especially among those belonging to the Twelve Peaks Fortress, there are occasionally people who make such a choice."

"However, someone who possesses nothing, like you, would never normally make that decision."

I had no choice but to agree.

From a third party's perspective, my decision had been close to suicide.

"Even so, for some reason, when you gave up that privilege, I expected to see you again at the academy."

"...What do you mean?"

"I realized it while watching you resolve the matter involving the Blood Explosion Pill."

"You do not do things that ordinary people would think of doing."

"I do not know what you think, but even now, I cannot imagine anyone else serving as representative."

"I have a feeling that you will continue holding the position."

"I do not know what method you will use, however."

After saying that, Lee Jagon patted my shoulder and headed toward another table.

It was the table occupied by the Twelve Peaks Fortress.

I quietly looked around and reflected upon myself.

I had become so blindly focused on entering the Martial Academy that my vision had narrowed.

'Haah...'

When I considered why I could not focus upon the present, the answer came surprisingly quickly.

"Young Master Jin?"

I walked toward the center of the banquet hall.

I stood there without speaking and slowly looked around.

The commotion in the hall gradually faded, and more people began staring at me.

"What is he trying to do?"

"Is he going to step down as representative?"

"Is his outfit not far too extravagant for that?"

"Hahaha."

Perhaps I had expected this life to differ from my previous one.

After seeing Namgung Seonhwa, Seong Moran, Moyong Jaehwa, and Jegal Cheon, perhaps I had believed that the others could change as well.

I infused my voice with internal energy and spoke.

"Greetings, fellow academy students."

"It is a pleasure to meet you."

"My name is Jin Sowoon, and I have become the academy representative for this class."

I looked around and offered a light fist-and-palm salute in every direction.

"Some of you know me, while others do not."

"Some of you may like me, while others may not."

"However, I have no intention of concerning myself with such things."

"As academy representative, I intend to do my utmost to fulfill my responsibilities."

No one responded.

I continued speaking.

"Throughout history, it was likely customary for the academy representative to come from the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Families."

"In recent years, a representative has occasionally emerged from the Twelve Peaks Fortress, but that history is not particularly long."

"And this year, the position has fallen to me."

Even if they refused to change, what did it matter?

That too was merely their choice.

Their current behavior was nothing more than the same petty conduct I had despised so deeply in the past.

"As all of you already believe, I am merely a disciple of a powerless sect."

"I belong to neither the Nine Great Sects, the Five Great Families, nor the Twelve Peaks Fortress."

"Nor do I intend to place myself beneath any of them."

Hostile gazes flew toward me.

Mocking laughter erupted from every direction, asking how much someone like me could possibly accomplish.

"Therefore, I have decided to disregard such affiliations and think only of the students of this class."

I was merely offering them an opportunity.

I did so because I believed it was my duty as someone who knew the tragic future.

"I will do my utmost so that when all of you graduate, you will leave this academy as people on an entirely different level from when you entered."

"Furthermore, I will move forward without favoring any particular faction."

"The best method would be for you to disappear."

People nearby chuckled at someone's remark.

I calmly nodded.

"Of course, according to the natural order all of you prefer, the best solution would be for me to leave."

"However, if I did, all of you would simply remain satisfied with your current condition."

"A mere disciple of the Taeul Sect certainly speaks grandly."

"First, I will appoint several members of the executive staff here and now."

"First, Young Lady Namgung Seonhwa of the Namgung Family."

"Young Lady Seong Moran of the Iron Sword Sect."

"And my junior disciples, Hong Saryeon and Lee Eunho."

"He has lost his mind."

"Fine."

"Enjoy playing house among yourselves."

"It will all end soon enough."

The opposition was fierce.

Even those who had just been appointed could not conceal their shock.

"And now, four positions remain."

"Why bother leaving four positions open?"

"You might as well hand all of them out however you please."

"I will fill the remaining four positions with those willing to sacrifice themselves for the other academy students."

"For reference, it will be first come, first served."

"The first person to approach me will become the fifth executive."

"He is insane."

I was merely fulfilling my duty.

Whether they chose to follow was their responsibility.

"It does not seem as though anyone will follow you."

"Are you certain this is all right?"

"It does not matter."

"..."

Those who followed would live.

Those who did not—

"I possess no authority to force anyone."

"Everything is your choice."

They would have no choice but to die according to the original course of history.