Chapter 132 :

Chapter 132. The Black Flame Dragon Proves Himself (2)

"What a shame. Hahaha."

At Jegal Somyeong's words, which carried not even the slightest hint of actual regret, even Hyeok Mugang could not help but frown.

Perhaps it was precisely because of this irritating side of him that the Elder Hall disliked Jegal Somyeong so much.

In any case, just as Jegal Somyeong had said, Hyeok Mugang could not hide his disappointment.

"...Even so, considering Jin Sowoon's schemes and ability, wouldn't it be better for him to come to the Alliance Leader's Hall?"

He had even lent out a shadow warrior to measure Jin Sowoon's strength, and in return had received a single opportunity to recruit him into the Alliance Leader's Hall.

Yet Jin Sowoon had rejected him to his face.

"What are you talking about? You were given only one chance to recruit him."

If this had happened before the Elder Hall, they would undoubtedly have seized upon Jegal Somyeong's usual temperament and accused him of plotting something.

But Hyeok Mugang had personally heard Jegal Somyeong make the offer sincerely from a hundred jang away, so there was no room for such suspicion.

Even so, Hyeok Mugang could not help adding regretfully,

"If you truly believe he is someone capable of leading the Martial Alliance in the future..."

"Hoho. Alliance Leader, if the Elder Hall or the other pavilion masters heard you say that, they'd have a fit. You should restrain yourself."

Had Jegal Somyeong ever cared about what those people thought?

Hyeok Mugang questioned that inwardly for a moment, then let out a small sigh.

There was still plenty of time.

And there was no guarantee that Jin Sowoon would remain with the Intelligence Department forever.

If another opportunity arose someday, he could simply bring up the matter again then.

Once he organized his thoughts that way, Hyeok Mugang felt that they could finally discuss Jin Sowoon calmly.

"What was your impression of him, Chief Strategist?"

"He is absolutely perfect for the Intelligence Department."

"Fine. I won't mention the Alliance Leader's Hall anymore, so let's discuss him calmly."

Even though he was already past sixty, Jegal Somyeong had been fretting like a child afraid someone might steal his precious toy.

Now he finally nodded calmly.

"Passing the Martial Academy official examination as the top-ranked student was no accident."

Some people claimed Jin Sowoon had merely been lucky and used a cunning mind to steal the top-ranked position.

That perception was also one of the main reasons many currently refused to acknowledge his position as academy representative.

"Perhaps it was because he possessed that much martial strength that he could freely make use of his schemes."

According to Jegal Somyeong's calculations, if Jin Sowoon had wanted to, he could have passed the Martial Academy official examination entirely on his own without anyone's help.

Yet he had brought all his junior brothers and companions through the examination together while still claiming the top-ranked position.

That was precisely the part of Jin Sowoon that Jegal Somyeong coveted most.

"Remarkable martial strength and deep schemes. He is someone who could become a pillar supporting the Martial Alliance in the future."

If they merely needed astonishing martial strength, Yong Soa already existed.

But perhaps because of her natural background and talent, Yong Soa had never felt the need to develop deep schemes.

And if they merely needed extraordinary schemes, Maeng Juwon already possessed them.

But Maeng Juwon's schemes could not be fully realized because of his weak martial strength.

The Martial Alliance had already become one enormous political battlefield.

One had to move people who possessed the tangible force known as martial arts by presenting them with all sorts of justifications.

If that could not be done properly, then the only future awaiting the Martial Alliance was fragmentation.

"Things may seem fine now because there is no enemy directly before us, but if the Demonic Cult appears, the Martial Alliance in its current state will be incapable of defending itself."

There were many people capable of devising strategies.

But even within the Martial Alliance, only a handful possessed the political power, background, schemes, and martial strength necessary to force those strategies through.

In particular, there was no other talent like Jin Sowoon who was not heavily aligned with any one faction.

"For now, I suppose his greatest weakness is his background."

From Jegal Somyeong's fragmented explanation alone, Hyeok Mugang had already seen through both what Jegal Somyeong wanted from Jin Sowoon and what Jin Sowoon lacked.

"The Intelligence Department and Alliance Leader's Hall alone wouldn't be enough, would they?"

At Hyeok Mugang's question, Jegal Somyeong nodded.

"Unless the actual strength of his sect grows, Jin Sowoon's room to maneuver will remain limited."

"Then supporting the Taeul Sect would be best."

"Direct support would only invite suspicion. Moreover, if people discover that both the Alliance Leader's Hall and Intelligence Department are supporting Jin Sowoon, they will not sit quietly."

The Alliance Leader's Hall and Intelligence Department were the direct organizations of the Alliance Leader and Chief Strategist respectively, and both possessed some of the greatest authority within the Martial Alliance.

Considering how both the Righteous Path Association and White Path Association constantly tried to expand their influence within those two organizations, if this conversation leaked, the established factions might do everything possible to eliminate Jin Sowoon.

"I'll think of a way to support the Taeul Sect through the Intelligence Department."

"And doesn't he need someone to oversee his martial arts training?"

"..."

At present, the most important problem was Jin Sowoon's martial arts.

For some reason, despite possessing a tremendous one hundred eighty years of internal energy, he had been unable to respond properly to sword aura.

"The Taeul Sect has never produced an expert capable of using sword aura. He has probably been training alone ever since recovering the Taeul Sword Emperor's secret teachings."

"...Hm."

Even if someone encountered a fortuitous opportunity, without anyone to guide and refine them, reaching the path of a true expert would take far longer.

Considering that the Martial Academy currently had only one expert capable of using sword aura, the director himself, Jin Sowoon would have to continue training alone just as he had before.

"Approximately what level would you place him at?"

Hyeok Mugang was even considering assigning one of the shadow warriors to teach Jin Sowoon.

In truth, Hyeok Mugang had little need for shadow warriors.

If the day ever came when he truly needed them, he believed the Martial Alliance would already be as good as finished.

"I suppose he's a little below Yong Soa or Ilmyeong."

"Hm..."

Jegal Somyeong was someone who focused far more on civil affairs than martial arts, while Hyeok Mugang had watched from too far away to clearly observe exactly how Jin Sowoon fought in those brief moments.

"Muyeong."

The moment Hyeok Mugang spoke, the man who had sparred with Jin Sowoon appeared between him and Jegal Somyeong.

"What do you think?"

"You've sparred with both Yong Soa and Ilmyeong, so you should have a rough idea of their respective levels."

"When I sparred with Yong Soa, I was the first to use sword energy. When I sparred with Ilmyeong, Ilmyeong was the first to use fist energy."

"Oh... Then are you saying Jin Sowoon is on Yong Soa's level?"

"I think they're somewhat different."

"Different?"

"Yes. Yong Soa possesses greater enlightenment and accomplishment, while Jin Sowoon seemed to have an exceptional instinct for actual combat."

"He freely used the objects around him, and there were even times when he disrupted my concentration with seemingly casual remarks."

Jegal Somyeong asked while listening to Muyeong.

"Then if you had to choose which of the two was more troublesome to spar against?"

"...Yong Soa, of course."

Jegal Somyeong nodded as though he understood.

But at that moment—

"However, if you asked which one I would rather not meet on a battlefield, I would choose Jin Sowoon."

"...?"

"...!"

Muyeong continued calmly.

"If Yong Soa's sword exists to prove her own strength, Jin Sowoon's sword feels as though it exists for no purpose other than killing his opponent."

"...So rather than empty formalities or honor, he pursues efficiency?"

Somehow, that felt very much like Jin Sowoon.

Hyeok Mugang asked Muyeong gently,

"Would one of you be suitable to serve as his martial arts instructor?"

"..."

Muyeong remained silent for a long time.

Then, just as he was about to answer—

his face suddenly turned deathly pale.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I'm sorry..."

Muyeong tried to move away, but suddenly—

"Ugh!"

He coughed up blood.

Startled that he had vomited blood in such an important setting, Muyeong hurriedly wiped it away in embarrassment.

Jegal Somyeong and Hyeok Mugang also stared at him in surprise.

"...Is this because of your spar with Jin Sowoon?"

After hesitating, Muyeong answered.

"...Yes. I was trying to suppress my internal injuries, but you suddenly summoned me..."

"...What a foolish man."

"..."

Muyeong was the captain of the shadow warriors belonging to the Alliance Leader's Hall.

Hyeok Mugang and Jegal Somyeong could no longer even guess who they could secretly assign as Jin Sowoon's martial arts instructor.

I had barely managed to get out of bed, but after sparring with the man from the Alliance Leader's Hall, I ended up bedridden for another two days.

I had suffered no internal injuries, but after moving so violently for the first time in a long while, my entire body was plagued by muscle pain, making movement difficult.

I had pushed myself so hard that even breathing cultivation could not easily drive away the fatigue.

Still, it had not been a complete loss.

'So I can consider myself roughly at the level of the shadow warriors from the Alliance Leader's Hall?'

According to the records in Simhyeon Pavilion, the shadow warriors of the Alliance Leader's Hall could only begin operating as shadow warriors after cultivating their secret internal energy method, the Commanding Spirit Divine Art, to at least eight-star mastery.

Moreover, considering that the man had even used sword aura, he had to be at least a peak expert.

That meant I could probably consider myself to have reached somewhere around that level as well.

"Still, I never imagined the myriad swords would actually be able to block sword aura."

The ultimate secret technique of the Taeul True Scripture was undoubtedly the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art.

The reason I had rarely used it was because my mastery had progressed painfully slowly and its efficiency was extremely poor.

The Twin Heaven Sword Art could deceive an opponent's vision with dozens of illusion swords.

The Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art, however, forced me to fight using fewer than five myriad swords.

Moreover, it consumed a tremendous amount of internal energy.

If used carelessly, there was a real danger of completely emptying my dantian.

"But if it can do this much, it's certainly worth using."

Not knowing how I was supposed to reach sword aura had been extremely frustrating.

Yong Soa and the other members of the previous Dragon-Phoenix Gathering would all eventually be capable of using sword aura.

Even among the current academy students, people capable of using sword aura would eventually emerge.

If nothing else worked, I had even considered visiting the Namgung Family or Moyong Family separately to ask for instruction.

"I didn't know it had this kind of power."

Now that I knew the myriad swords could at least partially contend with sword aura, much of my concern about sword aura had eased.

Once I had roughly organized my future plans, I looked toward one corner of the room.

A half-burned log as thick as my thigh stood there by itself.

"I wonder why he suddenly changed his mind."

I had asked the Chief Strategist for the Demon-Subduing Divine Wood as compensation for taking part in the spar.

But that was only supposed to happen if I won, or at the very least managed a draw.

It certainly had not applied if I lost completely.

"Did something good happen to him all of a sudden?"

They said Jegal Somyeong was a man who always kept his word and calculated everything perfectly, but apparently even that was not always true.

At the very least, instead of becoming a signboard for some nameless sect, the wood would now be turned into protective talismans.

That alone might save dozens of lives.

After resting for another two days, I finally resumed my academic schedule.

Namgung Seonhwa, Seong Moran, Hong Saryeon, and, for some reason, even Eun Seollan joined together to lecture me about why I had pushed myself so recklessly.

Still, it felt much better than waking up to see Jegal Somyeong.

#

The atmosphere at the academy had changed considerably.

Even when I entered lectures as usual, more people seemed to be watching me.

Before, they had either ignored me or looked at me like some cow or chicken.

Now, more people stared at me with strange, unreadable expressions.

While I sat in an empty seat and prepared for the lecture, I overheard a conversation beside me.

"I heard we're going to Sichuan for our field training."

"Sichuan? If we're going somewhere, why not Beijing or Nanjing? What's there to see in Sichuan?"

"Who knows? Apparently something happened in Sichuan during the official examination... They said we're being sent there partly to investigate it."

In my previous life, the Martial Alliance had believed the incident in Sichuan during this official examination had been caused by remnants of heretical practitioners.

So they sent Martial Academy students there as investigators under the pretext of field training.

There, they encountered the Corpse-Mountain Blood Cult, which everyone had believed had disappeared.

More than half the academy students met horrific deaths.

'So it still ends up happening.'

Even though I had changed many things from the past, there were certain major currents that refused to change much.

If encountering the Corpse-Mountain Blood Cult was unavoidable, then at the very least, I needed to move up the invitation event involving the Hengshan Sect.

While unconsciously listening to their conversation, I happened to meet their eyes.

They had never been the sort to look at me pleasantly even before, so I was about to look away out of annoyance when something strange happened.

"Are you feeling all right?"

"...?"

For a moment, I thought there might be someone behind me and actually turned around.

But their gazes were still fixed on me.

"We were quite worried about you."

"What you did was truly impressive."

Apparently embarrassed by my complete lack of response, they gave awkward nods and returned to their own conversation.

What in the world had happened?

"Everyone's opinion of you completely changed because of what happened with the Righteous Path Association."

At Seong Moran's words, I tilted my head.

"What do you mean?"

"Not only the academy students belonging to the Righteous Path Association, but even the elders refused to step forward, while you risked your life."

"When you came out looking like a ruined man, some of the academy students actually burst into tears."

"Ah..."

Apparently pushing myself so hard had produced an excellent effect.

"That doesn't mean you should ever do something like that again."

"Ahem... Yes. But doesn't the atmosphere seem a little stranger than if people simply liked me more?"

"...The people expelled over the Righteous Path Association incident weren't members of the Nine Great Sects."

"Hah!"

In the end, three academy students were expelled as the ringleaders of the incident.

But not one of them belonged to the Nine Great Sects.

There had probably been some internal deal, and they must have accepted it before taking the blame and withdrawing voluntarily.

But outsiders did not view the scene favorably.

"The fact that none of the conspirators were members of the Nine Great Sects is already such an obvious cover-up."

"That's true."

Moreover, because of the Righteous Path Association members, the Infinite Buddha Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation had reached the end of its allotted duration.

The Soul-Destroying Formation, which had remained intact for an entire month, disappeared.

As a result, those who had originally been scheduled to enter it never got the opportunity.

In any case, it seemed the turmoil within the Righteous Path Association still had not settled.

Taking advantage of the situation, the White Path Association and Twelve Peaks Fortress continued trying to recruit its members.

"Tsk, tsk. They're working so hard at things that will all be pointless anyway."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Nothing. When are the others arriving?"

When they demanded that I treat everyone to a grand meal as punishment for worrying them by entering the Infinite Buddha Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation, I readily agreed.

During the Martial Academy official examination and afterward, it felt as though our group had never really gotten a chance to spend peaceful time together.

"There they are. But..."

In the distance, Namgung Seonhwa, Hong Saryeon, Eun Seollan, the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers, and Moyong Jaehwa were all approaching.

Seong Moran slowly lowered the hand she had been waving.

"..."

A bald man was walking with them.

"It seems I've somehow become an unwelcome guest."

Ilgak spoke with a gentle smile, but no one answered him.

"I cannot express how relieved I am that Benefactor Jin safely emerged from the Soul-Destroying Formation."

At Ilgak's words, wrinkles deepened across the brows of everyone in the group.

Not wanting my good mood ruined, I cut him off.

"I don't think we're in a position to chat so warmly. Why don't you get to the point?"

Ilgak flinched.

His expression almost twisted, but he quickly restored his benevolent smile.

"The elders of the Righteous Path Association have formally invited Benefactor Jin."

"...!"

Everyone present turned toward Ilgak in surprise.