Chapter 25 :

Second-Rate Warrior Preparing to Soar (3)

The head disciple appointment ceremony was held.

I woke up early in the morning, washed myself neatly, took out my cleanest clothes and put them on, then tied my hair properly and applied a little oil so it would not scatter.

After paying my respects to the patriarchs in the Patriarch Hall, I bowed one by one to the elders who were making preparations.

The hall masters were also dressed differently from usual today, each wearing their cleanest clothes.

Most of them were new clothes made from the fabric Wang Geumsan had brought, so it was hard to hold back my laughter inside.

After finishing my greetings to all the hall masters, the final step was to bow to Jin Taesan, the hall master of the Outer Hall and my father.

“…”

Jin Taesan was silent for a long while, his gaze filled with distant emotion.

“The sect leader is waiting.”

“Among the elders and hall masters, I was the only one who opposed appointing you as head disciple.”

“…”

“Were you disappointed?”

“What is there to be disappointed about? It is not as if Father underestimating me is something that happened only once or twice.”

“If you take on the duty of head disciple, you do not merely gain the authority to lead the disciples.”

His distant gaze soon became tearful, changing as if he were recalling a faraway memory.

“You become the person who always stands at the very front of the disciples, and the person responsible for their lives.”

Was Father looking at me now, or was he looking at my childhood?

“From now on, you must take care of your junior brothers and junior sisters before your own life. Can you shoulder that heavy weight?”

“…”

What parent in the world could gladly let their child take on a role where their child’s life would be pushed behind others?

I had never had children in my previous life, but I had subordinates who were like blood family, so I could understand it indirectly.

“Father.”

“…Yes.”

“I will survive no matter where I am.”

“…”

“And behind me, my junior brothers and junior sisters will always be together.”

Jin Taesan, who looked as if he might shed tears, finally turned his head away and waved his hand.

I deliberately gave him space and stepped forward before Hong Mungi.

“Disciple Jin Sowoon. Do you swear before the patriarchs to do your utmost for the development and glory of the Taeul Sect?”

“Twenty-eighth-generation disciple Jin Sowoon swears before the patriarchs who came before us. I will become the foremost disciple leading my junior brothers and junior sisters for the development and glory of the Taeul Sect.”

Sect Leader Hong handed me a black cloth with both hands, the same kind as the one wrapped around his own head, and I too raised both hands while kneeling and received the cloth.

On the black cloth, the Taeul Sect emblem proving that I was the head disciple was embroidered in silver.

I slowly wrapped the cloth around my head and approached my fellow disciples.

Waaaaah.

From all around, my fellow disciples rushed in while cheering, and each of them offered congratulations.

I answered each of them one by one and shook their hands.

After one round of greetings ended like that, I approached Gye Cheolyeong and Gye Yeonseok, who were standing to one side.

“I look forward to working with you from now on, Senior Brother.”

“…”

Gye Cheolyeong was in the middle of not knowing whether he should extend his hand or not.

At that moment, Gye Yeonseok bared his teeth and growled.

“This is not over yet.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Did you think I would not know that you are trying to steal our Cheolyeong’s place in the Martial Academy?”

“Are you not misunderstanding something? The special admission is a place where the Seeing Nature Envoys choose the most outstanding disciple through objective evaluation.”

“Hmph! We shall see.”

Gye Yeonseok urged Gye Cheolyeong on and left the Taeul Sect.

I was once again surrounded by the disciples’ hands and began responding to their chattering conversations.

#

“Damn bastard.”

“Father, what do we do now?”

Worry had now appeared on Gye Cheolyeong’s face as well.

Feelings of injustice and anger piled up inside him.

At the Iron Sword Sect, he had attended from the position of the Gyeryong Merchant Guild, so when the incident happened, he could not step forward.

Of course, if he had known the chief strategist would ultimately side with the Taeul Sect, he could have stepped forward as well.

But even setting such things aside, the Iron Sword Sect was the second most powerful sect in Anhui Province after the Namgung Family.

From the position of the Gyeryong Merchant Guild, which did business based in Anhui Province, he absolutely could not step forward.

Namgung San of the Namgung Family visiting made him feel even more wronged.

Whatever the case, had Namgung San not shown mercy with his hand at the very end?

If Namgung San had simply pulled his sword back at that moment, all of Jin Sowoon’s fingers would have flown off, and victory would ultimately have gone to Namgung San.

He was furious at the foolishness of those who saw that as the Taeul Sect’s victory.

On top of that, what was with the Wang Family Estate suddenly appearing…?

His plan to enter the Martial Academy through special admission, form connections with the talents of the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families, roam the murim world with them, and later make the Gyeryong Merchant Guild the number one merchant guild under heaven had all become a complete mess.

“There is no need to be disappointed. Even if they use tricks so ungratefully, in the end, the special admission talent will be you.”

Gye Yeonseok’s vague words did not enter his ears.

“Do you not know? Even if he becomes head disciple, if he falls short in the overall score, he cannot be selected for special admission.”

“What do you mean?”

“Special admission is divided into three tests in total. First, there is a test on martial arts and general knowledge of the murim world. Second, they test understanding of techniques and internal energy. Lastly, there is even a sparring test for practical combat.”

“If we do not know what those tests are in the end, does that not mean I am in the same position as those fellows?”

“You brat! Who are you?”

Gye Yeonseok flared up and shouted.

“You are! The legitimate heir of the Gyeryong Merchant Guild! Do you still not realize that from birth and from the starting line, you are different from those half-baked fools of the Taeul Sect?”

“…”

Just then, three figures entered the grounds.

There was a scholarly-looking man, a warrior-looking woman, and in the center, a middle-aged man carrying a sword and giving off a dignified air. They were people with varied atmospheres.

“Guildmaster. It has been a long time.”

“Oh my! You have finally arrived! I have been waiting so long my neck nearly fell off.”

“I do not know what to do with myself, being welcomed so warmly by you, Guildmaster. Is that child over there Gye Cheolyeong, the famous talent?”

“Haha, talent? He is merely a little outstanding. What are you doing? Offer your greetings.”

Gye Cheolyeong looked at Gye Yeonseok with a dumbfounded expression at the sudden situation.

“You have heard the title One-Drag Instructor, have you not?”

Gye Cheolyeong’s eyes grew as wide as chestnuts.

“Surely…”

“Yes, this is Jang Sagun, the One-Drag Instructor, who served as a Seeing Nature Envoy for no less than fifteen years and recently sent all the students he taught through pinpoint tutoring to the Martial Academy.”

Jang Sagun looked at Gye Cheolyeong with a proud gaze.

“I have never failed to send even the dullest person to the Martial Academy. If it is an outstanding talent like you, this matter will instead become easier, so I am even more pleased.”

Along with his confident tone, and the fame Gye Cheolyeong had heard about until it made calluses form in his ears, the feelings of injustice he had carried suddenly melted away.

‘Jin Sowoon, you hateful bastard, just wait and see!’

#

“Is someone talking about me?”

“How could it be only one or two people?”

I, who had been picking my ear, tilted my head and asked Saryeon.

“I do not think I have ever done anything to deserve being cursed by anyone?”

“But you have done plenty of insane things that would make people curse.”

“…”

“Do you know what the children come running to me to say whenever training ends? ‘Senior Sister, please tell us the story of what happened at the Iron Sword Sect.’ I have told it so many times that I could do it even if I woke up from sleep.”

“Come on, how is that insane? It was just… that my resolve was different.”

“And what about the sparring with Great Hero Namgung San?”

“…”

“The hall masters gather the children every day and say, ‘You must never grab a sword with your hand!’ Is this something a normal martial sect should be teaching?”

“…Ahem, they will understand once they grow a little.”

Glare.

Saryeon’s gaze grew even sharper, and in the end, I turned my head and avoided her eyes.

“So, why did you tell me to come here? You did not bring me here to build a hideout with you, did you?”

The place I had brought Saryeon to was Hwaun Mountain near the Taeul Sect.

It was a place where I had gone up and down almost every day to play when I was young.

Among its spots, in a wide clearing halfway up the mountain, the clumsy hideout that I had built with a few of my junior brothers still remained.

“Soon, the Seeing Nature Envoys will come.”

“That is right.”

“We must prepare too.”

“We?”

“When people apply to the Martial Academy through an outer disciple like Gye Cheolyeong, they usually invite someone who knows well about the tests given by the Seeing Nature Envoys as a teacher and receive private instruction.”

“Pardon?”

Saryeon looked as if she had heard something wrong.

“These methods were born because the decision of the Seeing Nature Envoys proceeds independently of the sect’s decision. By now, someone who once served as a Seeing Nature Envoy has probably been invited to the Gyeryong Merchant Guild as a teacher and is giving Gye Cheolyeong private instruction.”

In my previous life as well, Gye Cheolyeong’s habit of liking to brag had appeared as nasty behavior in front of the junior brothers who had fallen into despair after failing to enter the Martial Academy.

Jang Sagun, the One-Drag Instructor, who had supposedly never once failed in the Martial Academy special admission process.

It was said that his accuracy in predicting exam questions was seventy to eighty percent.

“Th-Then this is unfair.”

“Yes, it cannot be called fair. But most Martial Academy exams throughout history have been like this.”

Saryeon’s face became gloomy, like a dispirited puppy.

“That is really too much.”

“There is no need to be so disappointed. We can use the same method too.”

“Pardon?”

“Did I not say it? Preparing for the exam in advance is not subject to punishment by the Murim Alliance.”

“But we do not have the money to invite such a teacher…”

Even though the Wang Family Estate had improved their finances, they were not in a position to spend an enormous amount of money on private lessons for the children.

“I expected that, so I picked out predicted questions.”

“You did, Senior Brother? With what ability?”

I handed Saryeon a book.

“Do you not know how good my memory is? When I went out last time, I visited an old bookstore in Hefei, memorized every question that had appeared in past exams, and organized them.”

Of course, that was a lie.

I had simply taken the exams that appeared in my previous life and applied them by changing a few sentences and words.

At the very least, as long as they memorized the entire book, there would be no chance of failing the written exam.

“Senior Brother… can I trust this?”

“How can you not trust your senior brother?”

“…Well, because you are too childish?”

“Ahem. This is my first order as head senior brother. Have all the junior brothers copy this book and memorize it thoroughly.”

“…Understood.”

In the end, Saryeon nodded.

Still, thanks to having the book, she thought she no longer had to feel vague anxiety.

Then I began the real reason I had called Saryeon here.

“What is that box?”

I opened and showed her the box I had received from the steward of the Wang Family Estate.

“Ugh, how cold. What on earth are these? Why is there such cold energy… cold energy?”

As she was speaking, Saryeon felt something strange and moved closer to the items inside the box.

“Senior Brother, c-could these be…”

“Yes, they are elixirs.”

“They are just elixirs? I do not think so. There is clearly cold energy…”

Even among elixirs, there were ranks.

Things at the level of ordinary tonics had no effect on increasing internal energy and only boosted the energy inside the body.

Most such elixirs were not very different from ordinary food.

However, elixirs that carried special energy, such as cold energy or heat, produced several times greater effects than ordinary elixirs.

Of course, there were just as many restrictions on consuming them, but if they met the right owner, they would certainly give that person wings.

“The Wang Family Estate gave them to me.”

“The Wang Family Estate? That makes no sense. No matter how rich they are, such precious elixirs… and not just one, but three.”

“…”

At the words “three,” I felt a slight prick of conscience.

Out of the five, the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng and White Snake Divine Gall that I could consume had already entered my mouth.

Saryeon stared blankly at the elixirs for a long while, then smacked her lips and raised her head.

“Did you call me here to brag about these?”

Saryeon seemed like someone who lacked even the thought that she herself might eat them.

“No. I called you here to feed them to you.”

“Pardon? Me? Why? Senior Brother, you should eat them instead.”

“These elixirs have an extreme yin nature. If I ate them now, at minimum I would suffer qi deviation, and if I were unlucky, I might die.”

Most of the internal energy forming my dantian was pure Taeul energy.

Even someone filled with yang-hard energy would not carelessly eat elixirs of extreme yin, so if I, who had not even properly grown my vessel, ate them incorrectly, something would definitely go very wrong.

That was why I had already consumed only the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng and White Snake Divine Gall, which possessed both yang-hard energy and extreme yin energy.

‘Thanks to that, my internal energy has now surpassed sixty years.’

In addition, my whole body was still filled with the energy of elixirs that had not yet been properly absorbed.

However, to absorb all these elixirs, the moment had arrived when I desperately needed a higher martial art.

“…No. Even so, I will not eat them. Rather, rather… if we tell the sect leader and give them to the other junior sisters…”

“I called you out on purpose because I knew you would say that.”

“Pardon?”

I had deliberately not revealed the existence of the elixirs that came through the Wang Family Estate.

Right now, we needed someone who could lead the disciples of the Taeul Sect.

For everyone to grow equally together would take far too long, and if that happened, before anyone could lead, they would likely be caught by the ankles and swept away together.

‘At least three.’

That was the minimum number of people I expected would need to enter the Martial Academy.

Including me, two more were needed. Right now, the only people who had any chance of entering the Martial Academy were Saryeon, Dongryong, who had once left me rice cakes several days old, and his brothers Geumpyo and Eunho.

Moreover, these elixirs had an extreme yin nature that only women could consume.

If I informed the sect leader, they might be divided through a fair process, and if that happened, the amount that returned to Saryeon would clearly be reduced.

“Even so…”

“I will do my best in this Martial Academy exam.”

“…?”

“And if I fail, I will enter the Martial Academy even if I have to take the official exam.”

“Pardon? Why go that far?”

“If we do not enter the Martial Academy, we cannot become shields for the junior brothers who will have to serve mandatory duty in the Murim Alliance. In the end, we will also be swept away together with them.”

“…Come on, Senior Brother, in such peaceful times, what are you talking about… They will just struggle for a few years and return.”

Saryeon’s face, which had been taking it like a joke, slowly twisted as she saw my stiff expression.

“What exactly are you thinking?”

“Even if it is a peaceful era, battles with the dark faction happen every day on the westernmost front line. And the higher-ups of the Murim Alliance do not care much about the disciples dying on the front line. Do you want to entrust the lives of our junior brothers to them?”

“Of course not!”

“Then eat them.”

“!”

“Eat them, and by any means necessary, enter the Martial Academy. Only then can you protect the junior brothers.”

After thinking deeply, Saryeon looked at me with wavering eyes, as if moved.

“Understood. I will eat them, so stop saying scary things.”

“You have learned the Great True Art, correct?”

The Great True Art was a higher martial art within the Taeul Sect that one could only learn after entering Kuaehwa Hall.

Saryeon had pestered her father, the sect leader, and it had already been quite some time since she learned the Great True Art and the Flashing Thunder Sword Art.

After hesitating briefly, Saryeon nodded.

“Just how much do you know?”

“Eat the inner core of the Snow Carp and the Snow Lotus Seed.”

“Two of them?”

“I heard that Gye Cheolyeong bought another Plum Blossom Pill. Can you avoid being pushed behind Gye Cheolyeong in internal energy?”

“…”

“And give the remaining Spirit Blue Stone Mushroom to the junior sister you think has the strongest attachment to the Taeul Sect. Of course, you must hand it over secretly.”

“This is all for the Taeul Sect, right?”

“Yes.”

Saryeon placed one elixir into her mouth, sat cross-legged, and began circulating her energy.

I watched her for a moment, then turned around and began standing guard.

‘I have done everything I can.’

One plans, but heaven decides the outcome.

I had changed many things from the past, but this was the first time I had changed a massive flow.

I looked at the setting sunset while resolving that I would not repeat the same life.

One month later.

The Seeing Nature Envoys visited the Taeul Sect.