Chapter 134 :

Chapter 134. The Black Flame Dragon Proves Himself (4)

Namgung Seonhwa had been spending her days so busy lately that she barely had time to breathe.

It was the period when the first evaluations since entering the academy were beginning, and the methods were completely different from the studies she had done within her family, leaving her frantic just trying to adapt.

The academy's evaluations were broadly divided into two categories: written examinations and practical examinations.

The written examinations mainly tested common fundamentals such as basic martial arts theory, energy-circulation methods, and acupoint knowledge, while the practical examinations tested whether students could actually apply what they had learned from those subjects.

The Namgung Family had produced many graduates of the academy, so its educational methods were not dramatically different from the academy's.

Even so, Namgung Seonhwa often wished she had two bodies, since she had to balance academy representative-group duties with studying for the examinations.

At least this practical examination would apparently be decided through sparring.

If they had instead tested emergency treatment or methods for releasing blocked acupoints, Namgung Seonhwa might have had to send her family a long, detailed letter explaining why her grades had turned out so disastrously.

"It would be nice if I at least had an excuse. Why does that man have to be so annoyingly flawless?"

As the examinations approached, Jin Sowoon reduced the workload of the academy representative officers and began taking most of their duties upon himself.

Even though the increased workload became two or three times heavier, he showed almost no change.

When someone asked whether he should not prepare for the written examination as well, he simply replied,

"My memory is good, you know. I've already memorized everything."

...

It was clearly a considerate and admirable gesture toward them, and he had said it in a cheerful manner.

Yet somehow, it still felt irritating.

"I'm a little disappointed."

After passing the official examination and entering the academy, she had imagined staying up all night studying together during examination season, enjoying the atmosphere of academy life, and occasionally drinking until dawn while talking about everything and nothing...

"Ugh! Get a grip, Namgung Seonhwa!"

Namgung Seonhwa shook her head vigorously, pulling herself out of her rosy fantasies.

Her circumstances had undeniably improved in many ways.

Her grandfather had finally completed the Blue Sky Cloud Prestige Sword Art, and after moving the Changgung Merchant Guild under the direct control of the family, the power of the collateral branch had gradually weakened.

The support sent from the family continued to increase, and her parents had even written that the family was now stable and she no longer needed to worry about anything.

But in contrast, Jin Sowoon's situation had worsened in some ways.

He had begun openly opposing the Righteous Path Association, and the elders did not look favorably upon him.

Many unpleasant rumors about him were circulating throughout the Martial Alliance.

In the worst case, he might not merely lose his representative position.

He could end up making numerous enemies throughout the Martial Alliance.

Even while carrying so many burdens in such a dangerous situation, together with his junior brothers and companions, he never lost his relaxed attitude or confident smile.

He truly was an impressive man.

"Ugh... I can't exactly use my academy representative-group duties as an excuse if my grades fall."

Thinking that she needed to become someone she could stand proudly beside him, Namgung Seonhwa quickly shook away her distracting thoughts and headed for the Grand Library.

The Grand Library, usually almost empty, was packed with academy students studying for the examinations.

Namgung Seonhwa moved between the shelves looking for the books Jin Sowoon had told her were likely to contain material from the expected questions.

Then she made eye contact with someone and quickly turned her head away.

She tried to pretend she had not noticed him and continued searching for books, but his voice came from behind her.

"Seonhwa."

Namgung Seonhwa's brows furrowed deeply.

"Did you come to study?"

This was a man who had looked at her group as though they were dogs or cattle when they first entered the academy.

Now that he approached her pretending to be friendly, goosebumps rose across Namgung Seonhwa's skin.

Perhaps he knew how awkward the situation was himself.

Even as he scratched the back of his head, he could not completely hide the resentful expression on his face.

'I heard the family was thrown into chaos after the Blue Sky Cloud Prestige Sword Art appeared.'

The members of the collateral branch had not been particularly alarmed even after hearing that a sword art transmitted only to the direct line had been created.

But after Namgung San used the seven-star Blue Sky Cloud Prestige Sword Art to defeat the Boundless Blue Sky Sword Art within ten techniques, they finally realized that something had gone terribly wrong.

By then, it was already too late.

The Boundless Blue Sky Sword Art would still remain the Namgung Family's primary sword art.

But the collateral branch members who practiced it now had the Blue Sky Cloud Prestige Sword Art hanging over their necks like a blade.

Namgung Seonhwa understood why Namgung Gipyo was acting this way.

But understanding the reason did not make the discomfort disappear.

"What do you want?"

"...Haha. Do we really need some particular reason just to talk?"

"I heard you've been going around saying, 'It won't be long before the collateral branch rules the direct line. Everything is already prepared.'"

Namgung Gipyo sighed, then his gaze sharpened.

"The sword art created by the family head denies the very foundation of the family."

"Stagnant water inevitably rots. No one calls continued advancement a denial of one's roots."

The Blue Sky Cloud Prestige Sword Art inherited the Boundless Blue Sky Sword Art while incorporating even sharper principles.

No one in the murim world who saw it would believe it had been created solely to destroy the Boundless Blue Sky Sword Art.

"If you're only here to trade barbs, may I leave? Every moment is precious when I need to prepare for the examinations."

Namgung Seonhwa was just about to turn away from him when—

"...Haah. If it weren't for Father... Are you planning to keep leaving that... arrogant bastard on his own?"

Namgung Seonhwa stopped at Namgung Gipyo's words.

She immediately knew who he meant by "that arrogant bastard."

"What are you talking about?"

"You seem to like him. If you're planning to bring him into the family..."

"What are you talking about?!"

Namgung Seonhwa shrieked loudly enough that everyone gathered in the Grand Library turned unpleasant looks toward her.

"Don't you know you're supposed to remain quiet in the Grand Library?"

"Who exactly is in a position to say that...?"

Ignoring Namgung Seonhwa's incredulous expression, Namgung Gipyo continued.

"I know his conflict with the Righteous Path Association is intensifying. But he cannot stand against the entire Righteous Path Association alone."

"If you make that arrogant bastard... ahem, if you get him the backing of the White Path Association, wouldn't that be better?"

"..."

It was not as though Namgung Seonhwa had never considered it.

But Jin Sowoon held resentment not only toward the Nine Great Sects, but also toward the Five Great Families and Twelve Peaks Fortress.

"This isn't something that started yesterday or today. Why are you suddenly bringing it up now?"

"Because it would be better for him."

"As far as I know, the White Path Association dislikes Young Master Jin almost as much as the Righteous Path Association does."

"To be precise, we think it would be better for us to take him in than to watch him be ruined."

"Ruined?"

Namgung Seonhwa's elegant brows drew together.

"The Righteous Path Association has begun moving in earnest."

"..."

"This is no longer merely about ostracizing him within the academy. For some reason, people inside the Alliance itself seem displeased with Jin Sowoon. They will probably begin pressuring him from every direction."

Namgung Seonhwa thought she could roughly guess what "reason" Namgung Gipyo was referring to.

"If the entire atmosphere turns hostile toward Jin Sowoon and tries to crush him, even he won't be able to endure forever. Just how many instructors in the academy are completely untouched by the Alliance's influence?"

"Rather than letting him be ruined and discarded, the White Path Association would rather take him in."

"You don't want Young Master Jin to be destroyed either, do you?"

Namgung Seonhwa said nothing.

Namgung Gipyo left first, speaking as he walked away.

"Think carefully. Once he loses his usefulness, even the people currently seeking him out will all disappear."

The written examination ended, and the results were posted on the academy notice board.

The examination results listed everyone from first place to last, making many academy students laugh or cry.

Yet no one complained about that system.

Their examination scores were the standard by which their value was assessed.

Perhaps their willingness to accept such evaluations was the result of an education that had taught them from childhood to compete and accept the results without complaint.

But—

"This is fraud!"

"How is this even possible? A perfect score?!"

"Even Yong Soa, the most outstanding student in academy history, never received a perfect score!"

"There's some kind of conspiracy!"

Jin Sowoon being ranked first on the written examination was something they could grudgingly accept.

He had entered as the top-ranked student, after all, so perhaps he really was that talented.

But almost none of the academy students could easily accept the fact that he had received a perfect score.

The instructors had deliberately included questions designed to be answered incorrectly so they could distinguish students more precisely.

Yet Jin Sowoon had answered even those correctly.

That simply seemed impossible.

"On top of that, he's serving as academy representative. Is that really a workload five people can handle?"

Jin Sowoon had not even been able to form a proper representative group, nor could he rely on help from others.

No matter how talented a person was, receiving a perfect score while constantly dividing up his time seemed nearly impossible.

Because of the results of this written examination, not only the academy students but also the instructors and the academy itself went on high alert.

Jin Sowoon had already earned the elders' displeasure.

Now that he had received a perfect score, an order came down to conduct a strict investigation into whether there had been any cheating during the examination.

"Academy student Jin Sowoon, if you tell us the truth now, we will take it into consideration and end this matter by having you step down as representative."

"I don't understand what you're talking about. Are you saying an academy student who received an excellent score should step down as representative?"

Jin Sowoon stood confidently before the instructors and the Martial Academy Director.

"Are you claiming this score was entirely the result of your own ability rather than cheating?"

"No one received a higher score than I did, so exactly how could I have cheated?"

"Or are you saying I secretly broke into wherever the examination papers were stored and stole one?"

Since this was a place filled with highly talented martial artists, it was not as though no student had ever considered stealing an examination paper.

But there was no possibility that an ordinary academy student could break through the academy's internal vault, whose security was said to rival Simhyeon Pavilion, the storage site for the Martial Alliance's first-class secrets.

Taking that into account, there was only one way to measure his actual ability again.

"Then perhaps you should take the examination again."

It was perfectly reasonable logic.

All the gathered instructors nodded.

But Jin Sowoon tilted his head.

"I don't understand. I have to take the examination again simply because I received a good score?"

"..."

At such an obviously reasonable question, the instructor who had spoken hesitated.

"...This is clearly a situation that warrants suspicion."

Jin Sowoon seemed to notice that hesitation, and a mocking smile escaped his lips.

"Isn't the real reason that I come from the Taeul Sect?"

"If I were from the Wudang Sect or Shaolin, ridiculous suspicions like this would never have arisen, would they?"

"So the Martial Academy is no different after all. It's merely another institution that grovels before the established powers."

"..."

The Martial Academy Director, who had remained silent and merely observed until now, rested his chin on his clasped hands with a cold gaze.

"...I don't think you're some immature brat who acts recklessly out of childish arrogance."

"Most of what you've done until now has been prepared according to meticulous plans."

After the Soul-Destroying Formation incident, the Martial Academy Director had completely changed the way he viewed Jin Sowoon.

He no longer saw him as merely a lucky youngster.

Too many things had happened that could not otherwise be explained.

"You deliberately provoked me and the instructors because there's something you want from me, isn't there?"

The instructors looked completely dumbfounded by the current situation.

From the academy's perspective, if there was a suspicious student, wasn't it perfectly reasonable to make them take the examination again?

Having lost their words, the instructors pressed their lips shut and stared at Jin Sowoon.

And sure enough, Jin Sowoon showed no sign of embarrassment.

Instead, he smiled and began speaking.

"I've heard that the Director's martial arts are quite unique. I want to learn them."

"..."

"Watch your mouth!"

One instructor erupted in anger while releasing fighting spirit.

His face flushed with humiliation as though he himself had been insulted.

Yet Jin Sowoon remained so calm that the instructor began wondering whether he himself had somehow misunderstood something and could no longer bring himself to move.

The atmosphere in the room instantly turned cold, as though someone had poured ice water over everyone.

The Martial Academy Director was not some wandering mercenary who sold martial arts for money.

Moreover, his martial art was uniquely special even among Daoist martial arts and was treated as one of the Martial Alliance's most precious inheritances.

"Are you saying you want to inherit the true teachings of the Three Pure Supreme Sword?"

"What are you talking about? I'm already a disciple of the Taeul Sect."

It was said that just as Buddhism had the Bodhidharma Tendon-Changing Scripture, Daoism had the Three Pure Supreme Sword.

It was a supreme martial art that pursued the essence of the Three Pure Ones.

At Jin Sowoon's declaration that he wanted to wager for the chance to learn such a martial art, the instructors swallowed nervously, convinced that something serious was about to happen.

"How about it? Will you make a wager with me?"

"If you don't want to, then I won't take any retest at all."