The First Gate of the Hell Official Exam (1)
After splitting the inside of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering in half and coming out, I smiled at Jong Byeokgi’s distant-looking face that I had seen last.
“Since the one left alone has no popularity at all, it will be difficult for him to plot against the Taeul Sect.”
Hwa Jeongsan and Jong Byeokgi were both bastards to me in my past life.
Moreover, it was not as if I had forgotten my grudge against Hwa Jeongsan because of today’s events.
‘A gentleman’s revenge is not late even if it takes ten years.’
In any case, I had split apart those damned man and woman who had worked so well together when doing bad things, so it would take ages just for the two of them to restore their relationship.
In the meantime, the Taeul Sect simply had to prepare step by step.
“Hm?”
I felt a familiar presence and slowly slowed my steps.
“Young Master Jin…….”
Moyong Seol called me with a cautious expression.
I answered gladly.
“Young Lady Seol. Do you need something?”
“Uh…… well…….”
Moyong Seol lowered her head and lightly kicked the ground.
Seeing behavior from her that I had not seen in my past life, a smile formed on my lips without me realizing it.
“You may speak comfortably. You are my guest, after all.”
“I…… wanted to apologize for yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
“Yes…… I said something unnecessary.”
“Hm?”
I looked back through my memories to see if she had made any mistake toward me, but she had merely acted like herself.
She had not done anything wrong to me.
“What are you referring to?”
“……When I asked whether you had not pushed Hwa Jeongsan too hard……. I spoke with shallow knowledge, not knowing how the murim world works. I want to apologize.”
Moyong Seol’s face flushed bright red.
So that was it. When she was shy, her face flushed this red.
I could not hold back my laughter.
“Hahaha, what are you…… Is that not something you could naturally say?”
“……Pardon?”
“Even if I had my reasons, it is true that I pushed him hard. I do not think what you said was wrong.”
“…….”
“Rather, thanks to what you said, I was able not to be disappointed in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. If the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering ignores ideal morality according to the logic of power, would that not mean we are no different from the dark faction?”
Moyong Seol opened her mouth blankly.
Her young face had truly many expressions.
In my memories from my past life, there had only been her weakly smiling expression and the sad expression of trying to hold back tears.
Each one of these appearances made me so happy.
“Young lady, I like that side of you.”
“Pardon? W-What do you mean by that…….”
Moyong Seol was startled as if struck by lightning and opened her eyes wide like a rabbit.
Just seeing her varied expressions was enjoyable.
Was this why the nickname “beauty capable of toppling a kingdom” had always followed her?
When had she lost this side of herself?
If it had been after Moyong Sangwon’s death, then I had already received the full price for saving Moyong Sangwon.
“Ah…… I meant that I like that upright side of you.”
At my words, Moyong Seol somehow looked disappointed.
“Ah…… yes.”
I still had many debts to repay to Moyong Seol.
“I hope you do not feel guilty. Otherwise…… I would feel sorry, as if I had changed you.”
Moyong Seol’s eyes trembled violently.
After wearing that expression for a long time, Moyong Seol suddenly came to her senses and blushed again.
“Ah…… and I heard you saved my father.”
“Ahaha. It would have been fine if you had found out a little later.”
Feeling awkward, I scratched my head.
“I am sorry. I should have thanked you earlier. I did not even know…….”
Moyong Seol lowered her head deeply.
I quickly helped Moyong Seol up and met her eyes.
“Young lady. I merely returned what I once received. If you act like this, I will feel ashamed.”
“……Um, my hand, please…….”
“Oh my, I grabbed it without realizing.”
I regretfully let go of the hand I had subtly held.
“Young lady. Meeting you is very precious to me. That is why I hope we can meet comfortably.”
“Pardon? What does that mean…….”
“But if you feel sorry toward me or carry a burden in your heart, it will be difficult for us to meet comfortably, will it not?”
“T-That is true.”
“So please treat me comfortably. That is better for me as well.”
Moyong Seol, whose face had now completely become a ripe persimmon, barely answered.
“……Yes.”
#
“How much has been completed?”
The next day, I went to find Yu Jiryang with Jegal Cheon-gi.
After exchanging light greetings, Yu Jiryang immediately guided us to the site where the formation was being installed.
Since closing the gates had been decided, completing the formation and mechanism formation was more urgent than anything else in order to stop outside intruders.
The formation was being built by deliberately putting up a wall around an area wider than the Taeul Sect’s original land.
As I had said, Father was buying the blind land around the Taeul Sect, first building walls around that enlarged area, and proceeding with construction by installing the formation there.
“It is only about thirty percent complete.”
“Is that so?”
When I questioned him because the progress seemed lower than expected, Yu Jiryang chuckled.
For some reason, Yu Jiryang looked even more gaunt than when he had come out of Maling Plateau.
“Hmm……. That is later than I expected.”
“Why do you ask?”
“We may have to activate the formation a little sooner.”
“Is that so? ……That will not be a big problem.”
“If it is thirty percent…… is it not still difficult to activate the formation?”
“If we had originally installed only the formation, it would already be more than eighty percent complete…… but this time, we decided to create it using a new method. Thanks to that, even if it is activated in its current state, it should be able to operate to some extent.”
“A new method?”
Instead of answering, Yu Jiryang looked at Jegal Cheon-gi.
Jegal Cheon-gi unfolded a large piece of paper and showed it to me.
“It is a fusion of the formation and mechanism formation I conceived into one.”
“You combined the two into one? Is that possible?”
This was something even the Jegal Cheon-gi of my past life had never done.
After all, he had continued researching mechanism formations that could help in terms of cost-effectiveness.
“Thanks to Great Hero Yu Jiryang, I was able to install a mechanism formation inside the formation.”
At Cheon-gi’s words, I looked at Yu Jiryang, and he gave a bitter smile.
“It is more thanks to Young Master Cheon-gi’s outstanding ability than thanks to me. The practitioners of our sect also questioned it at first, but in the end, they had no choice but to raise both hands at the design Young Master Cheon-gi presented.”
To put it simply, it was like this.
The formation combined into one with a mechanism formation would install a mechanism formation inside the formation and deal with intruders without human intervention.
Those who entered the formation could not escape even if they had knowledge of formations unless they also knew mechanism formations, and the reverse was also true.
“Our sect was amazed by this new method and is also searching for a way to further elevate this concept.”
The Maosan Sect had always been one step behind the Jegal Family.
It meant they had seen the possibility of surpassing them through Cheon-gi’s mechanism formation.
“This is all ……thanks to Young Master Cheon-gi.”
Yu Jiryang was looking at Jegal Cheon-gi with an extremely tired face while smiling.
When I stroked Cheon-gi’s head out of pride, he rolled his head around like a puppy.
At times like this, I forgot that he was an unprecedented genius.
“Furthermore, I also thank Great Hero Jin. Thanks to you, my eyes for seeing the world have broadened.”
“In the end, all of those things will help our Taeul Sect, will they not?”
“……Need you say it? As it is, we are spending every day short on time, studying and improving the formation.”
“Hmm…… Would it be a nuisance if I kept an old promise at a time like this?”
Yu Jiryang’s shoulders noticeably shrank.
On the other hand, Jegal Cheon-gi looked at me with sparkling eyes.
I handed over a book in which I had written down my experiences inside the Soul-Destroying Formation.
“In the latter half of the Infinite Buddha Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation, even though it was not the original path, I was able to return to the original path. I wrote down the enlightenment and records regarding that, so I hope it will be helpful.”
Yu Jiryang’s lips trembled as he looked at the book.
On the other hand, Jegal Cheon-gi quickly looked excited as he read the records.
“Great Hero Yu, now that it has come to this, how about also adding the effects of the Infinite Buddha Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation to the formation?”
“Pardon?”
“I think that would be even better.”
“Pardon?”
Yu Jiryang continued pretending not to hear.
#
At Hong Mungi’s summons, I headed to Daehyeon Hall.
Perhaps the previous day’s celebratory drinking had lasted quite long, because Hong Mungi, Kang Chaeseok, and Father’s faces were full of fatigue.
“I said you needed to prepare to soar, but it seems you are about to lie flat instead.”
At my words, Kang Chaeseok spoke to Hong Mungi as if reporting.
“See this, sect leader. Look at that brat’s way of speaking. Does he not treat a hall master like a dog he raises?”
Hong Mungi knew the relationship between me and Kang Chaeseok, so he only chuckled.
Then he went straight to the main point.
“This time, Great Hero Moyong Gang said he would take exchange disciples. Furthermore, he said he would also assist those exchange disciples in taking the Blue Clarity Pills.”
“I see.”
“Who do you think would be good to send as the two disciples?”
“Two? Did he not say he would give three Blue Clarity Pills?”
Hong Mungi smiled gently.
“Should we not include you, the eldest senior brother of the fourth-generation disciples?”
“Uh…….”
Even at my troubled expression, Hong Mungi merely shook his head.
“Do not yield it for your junior brothers and sisters. Sword Breaker himself said he would personally instruct you. It makes no sense to miss this opportunity.”
“No…… it is not that. I cannot go.”
“Hm? Why?”
“Because I have to take the Martial Academy regular examination.”
“What?!”
“What, you brat!”
Jin Taesan and Kang Chaeseok sprang to their feet.
“The timing would not match, would it?”
At my words, even Hong Mungi looked dumbfounded.
“Did I not tell you half a year ago? That I had a plan for the future of the Taeul Sect.”
#
Early in the morning, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering left.
As the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering greeted the elders, including the sect leader, and left, no junior brothers or sisters clung to them asking for seals.
They only sent gazes full of hostility.
And then Moyong Gang and the three selected disciples prepared to leave.
Hong Mungi opposed the regular examination until the end, but when I said that only by passing through the Martial Academy could I protect my junior brothers and sisters later when they went to the Murim Alliance, he eventually allowed it through silent agreement.
I had thought the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers would go to the Moyong Family, but in the end, Kang Yuseong and two other children were sent as exchange disciples.
It was said that when they also said they would follow me and take the regular examination, the sect leader clutched his head.
I naturally thought the sect leader would not allow the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers to take the regular examination, but when I heard that he had somehow been persuaded to let even them take the regular examination, I did become curious.
“Eldest senior brother…… Is it truly all right for me to go?”
Kang Yuseong spoke anxiously, looking around at the other junior brothers and sisters.
In truth, the one who recommended Kang Yuseong was me.
In terms of seniority and length of time, it was true that Kang Yuseong was at a disadvantage.
However, he had talent and effort that completely surpassed those things.
He had reached the realm of Sword Maniac entirely through self-study.
I could not even imagine what kind of being that Sword Maniac would become if he received instruction from Sword Breaker during his childhood.
“Yuseong. Do you think going as an exchange disciple is a privilege?”
“……Is it not?”
“It is not. Going as an exchange disciple means going to bear responsibility.”
“Responsibility?”
“Yes. The responsibility of going ahead on behalf of the other junior brothers and sisters who could not receive that education. You are going in order to fulfill that responsibility.”
The junior brothers and sisters listening from behind nodded faintly.
“……Ah.”
“So you must not waste even a single day and must devote yourself to training. In the meantime, the disciples left in the Taeul Sect will be learning the Taeul Sword Emperor’s true transmission.”
“I will risk my life and spare every quarter-hour to learn before returning.”
“……No, well, you do not need to risk your life. You have your sisters, do you not?”
While I was speaking like that, Moyong Gang, who had finished greeting all the elders of the Taeul Sect, approached while leading Moyong Seol, Moyong Jaehwa, and Jong Byeokgi, whose broken arm had been splinted.
“The junior brothers and sisters are better than the eldest senior brother. At least the young junior brothers and sisters do not think only of wandering around like the eldest senior brother.”
“Am I wandering around? I am also doing my best.”
“Keulkeul. You will have to work hard. The day when those three children I am taking will grab the eldest senior brother by the hair is not far off.”
Because of Moyong Gang’s playful smile, I could not control my expression.
The Taeul Sect’s most important moment had been ruined emotionally because of Moyong Gang’s prank.
“There is one thing I would like to ask.”
“What is it?”
“If you are beaten by someone during an eccentric act, is that considered being beaten in your eccentric identity? Or do you regard it as being beaten in your true identity as Senior Moyong Gang?”
“Haha, look at this brat. You still have not come to your senses. Sect Leader Hong!”
“Ah! No! I am just asking because I am curious!”
A mischievous expression formed on Moyong Gang’s lips.
“You are beaten in the identity of the eccentric act.”
“Oh! Is that so?”
“But if I feel too displeased, I may be beaten in the form of Moyong Gang.”
“I heard you were truly sincere about your eccentric acts, so I am disappointed.”
“Keuheuheu. It is a shame you cannot come with me.”
Moyong Gang briefly looked at Moyong Seol, then spoke to me.
“I also have something to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Do you have a woman you have promised marriage to?”
“……Why are you suddenly asking that?”
“I am simply asking. Whether your father has already arranged a marriage for you.”
“Senior, we are the Taeul Sect. In Hefei, people say it is better to marry an escort agency porter than to marry a Taeul Sect warrior.”
“So that means you do not. Then is there a woman you have in mind?”
“Why do you keep asking things like that?”
For a moment, without realizing it, I glanced at Moyong Seol’s face.
Moyong Seol was also looking this way with strangely shining eyes, but when our eyes met, she swiftly avoided my gaze.
“Keulkeul, so that means there is none. Well, who would look at a lowly fellow like you?”
“Senior? Where are you going for your next eccentric act? I really want to know.”
“I will be staying at the family for a while. There are children I must teach after a long time. Kkeolkkeol.”
After laughing loudly for a long while, Moyong Gang suddenly spoke with a serious expression.
“You remember that you owe me a debt, do you not?”
“…….”
It was the promise I had made when Moyong Gang stopped Jong Byeokgi.
“I remember. What do you want?”
“I will not use it now. If I use it now, our side will tilt far too much. But remember this clearly. I have already marked you as mine.”
“……?”
Like the eccentric hero he was, Moyong Gang uttered words whose meaning I could not understand.
Seeing that Moyong Gang was about to depart, I quickly clasped my fists toward Moyong Seol and Moyong Jaehwa.
“Please travel safely, and I hope we can meet again.”
“……Ah, yes. I will see you again next time.”
Perhaps Moyong Seol had not yet fully erased her guilt toward me, because she clasped her fists with her face flushed red.
“Great Hero Jin! We could not have a conversation this time, but next time, I, Moyong Jaehwa, definitely want to have a long talk with Great Hero Jin.”
Moyong Jaehwa spoke with sparkling eyes, and I looked at him with a gaze filled with mixed emotions.
‘Now that I think about it, I could not tell him anything.’
His youth had been marked by wandering.
His future was one of spending a long time in frustration and pain, yet I had not said even a single word to him because I had been busy with my own affairs.
I quickly lowered my voice as much as possible and whispered to him.
“Young Master Jaehwa. Listen carefully to me.”
“Yes?”
“Do not cling too much to the sword.”
“……??”
Moyong Jaehwa looked as if he had no idea what I meant.
But with the family head, Moyong Gang, watching with his eyes blazing, this was all I could tell him.
“Not everyone has to achieve greatness through the sword.”
The moment Moyong Gang looked this way suspiciously, I quickly clasped my fists and said.
“I also hope so.”
Moyong Jaehwa still looked bewildered.
After seeing that the farewells were finished, Moyong Gang immediately left the Taeul Sect.
As a bonus, he struck Jong Byeokgi’s head once when he tried to fall behind.
#
I packed my belongings and went out to the training ground.
There stood Kang Chaeseok and Father, whose face was filled with fatigue.
It seemed he found working so entertaining that he did not even realize he had stayed up all night.
What if his body broke down like that…….
“Father, how about taking some tonic medicine?”
“……!”
Moved by my filial piety, Father rushed over as if to hug me, and Kang Chaeseok stopped him after seeing the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers arrive.
They were all wearing the same black martial uniforms and had simple bundles neatly placed beside them.
“Did you match your martial uniforms?”
Geumpyo spoke.
“Are we not the junior brothers of Great Hero Black Flame Dragon?”
“Ah…… I want to say in advance, I do not really like that nickname.”
The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers tilted their heads in the same direction at the same time.
“It is a nickname with dragon in it. Senior brother. You also carry the Black Dragon Sword.”
“……That is exactly why. It is clearly a good nickname, yet I do not like it.”
“You are full from luxury.”
“What, you brat? But why are you insisting on following me? The Taeul Sect now has powerful martial arts. Would it not be better to stay here and learn martial arts? The Martial Academy regular examination is truly no joke.”
Even a single mistake could endanger one’s life.
It was not called the Hell Official Exam for nothing.
“Did you not say it, senior brother? That shedding blood for brothers and sisters is proof of being a true Taeul Sect disciple.”
“……Hm?? What absurd nonsense is that?”
This was the first time I had heard of it.
There was no way I, with absolute memory, would be confused.
“You also said that one must even offer one’s life for the sect to be a Taeul Sect disciple.”
“No, I am telling you I never said anything like that.”
The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers ignored even my memory and nodded among themselves.
“And as for martial arts, can senior brother, who has absolute memory, just teach us directly? Anyway, we did everything senior brother ordered. We went up and down Hwaun Mountain five times every day, and we also matched the sword formation you taught us.”
“I said three times.”
“We thought you would not be able to say you were leaving us behind if we did it five times.”
True to those words, the bodies of the three brothers looked as solid as those of warriors who had trained in external arts.
“That will be clear once I see it. If you do not satisfy me, I will not take you with me.”
“Should we begin now?”
“Go ahead.”
Then the three brothers began rummaging through their bundles and taking something out.
Kang Chaeseok asked.
“Are you trying not to take them?”
“What on earth was the sect leader thinking, allowing those children to take the exam?”
“Do you not know? Those boys said that other sects bring dozens of warriors to take the exam, so would you be able to do it alone? They said they would definitely get their eldest senior brother into the Martial Academy.”
“…….”
No, get who in…….
“Take them with you. Their training until now has by no means been lacking.”
“……What do you mean?”
“Watch.”
When I looked at where Kang Chaeseok was pointing, the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers had covered their eyes with black cloth and blocked their ears with white cotton.
“No, how are they supposed to unfold a sword formation like that?”
When I asked in shock, Kang Chaeseok instead tilted his head.
“Did you not say that even if the three of them could not see, could not hear, and could not speak to each other, their coordination had to match perfectly?”
“No, that was…… I just meant they should match that well.”
“Huh……. From now on, you should watch your words. Just watch. It will be interesting.”
I looked at the three brothers with a gaze of disbelief.
“We will begin.”
Geumryong struck the ground three times with his sword sheath.
Then the three children drew their swords in three directions at the same time.
Clang—
They withdrew their swords again, each changed positions once, and this time struck their swords down powerfully.
After that, they returned to their original positions, leaped forward at the same time while unfolding the sword formation, then gathered again to protect one another’s backs.
The White Tiger Sword Form, which Jegal Cheon-gi had once created based on the Murim Alliance’s official martial art, the White Tiger Sword Art, was being unfolded by the three brothers.
“In the beginning, they did not sleep at all. They unfolded the sword formation with wooden swords, and there was not a single day when they did not get injured. Then, before even two weeks had passed, their hands and feet began matching perfectly. By the second month, they coordinated without speaking, and by the fourth month, they unfolded the sword formation even with their ears blocked. Even I have not seen them cover their eyes before.”
“…….”
“I do not know what thoughts drove them to work so hard, but with that level of obsession, they will easily do the work of ten warriors.”
I suppressed something rising warmly in my chest and said.
“……Only ten? They will easily do the work of a hundred.”
Soon after, the three brothers who finished the White Tiger Sword Formation removed their blindfolds, checked their positions, and cheered together.
“You saw that, right? Senior brother? You must keep your promise.”
“Understood. Pack your things. Please deliver my message to the sect leader.”
“Be careful. If it seems dangerous, just give up midway. The Taeul Sect now has many possibilities.”
“I will return with the admission plaque.”
I looked at my exhausted father and said.
“I will be back.”
“……Damn brat.”
It seemed Father had recently made an enemy.
#
After leaving the Taeul Sect with the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers, I immediately arrived at the Hefei branch of the Murim Alliance.
Near the branch, there was a sea of people from all sorts of backgrounds.
On one side of the Murim Alliance wall, identical notices were posted in a row, and young men carrying all kinds of weapons were looking at the notices and cursing.
“Huh! These madmen!”
“Does this make any sense!”
“Are they trying to select people or not!”
“This is why only those from the Nine Great Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Families get in every time!”
“Damn it!”
The people ahead confirmed the exam contents, spat, and left.
“…….”
The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers, who did not know the reason, tilted their heads and began slowly moving forward whenever the people ahead left.
And when our group finally confirmed the notice.
Geumpyo asked with violently trembling eyes.
“This is a joke, right?”
Eunho let out a hollow laugh.
“Haha, brother, of course it is a joke. ……Right?”
Dongryong blinked his eyes and waited only for my answer.
“…….”
I had nothing else to say.
Because the Martial Academy regular examination was not called the Hell Official Exam for nothing.
. Martial Academy Regular Examination First Gate
Public Safety
Exam - Eradicate one or more mountain strongholds.
Details - The world is in chaos due to bandits threatening the safety of the common people.
Thus, those who have stepped forward to inherit the banner of the murim world must set justice right without hesitation.
Conditions -
–Only eradicate mountain strongholds at or above the scale designated by the Murim Alliance.
The larger the mountain stronghold defeated, the more points will be assigned.
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