Chapter 42: The Midterm Exam (2)

Mo Yong So-hye was right.

Their instructor was already sitting in the instructors’ tent beneath the dueling platform, his face a picture of boredom. He looked like he had been dragged there against his will.

‘He looks like he has zero motivation.’

If Yeo Mae-hong wasn’t there, tugging at his sleeve and poking him in the ribs, he would have probably fallen asleep right then and there.

The disapproving stares of the other instructors, especially the unmarried ones, were quite intimidating.

“Ugh… that damn alley cat…” Baek Ri-seol muttered, gnawing on her sleeve.

She looked ready to pounce, but then she spotted their instructor. His head popped up from the tent, and he shuffled towards them.

“You’re here already?” he said, his voice as listless as his expression.

“Seeing Instructor in his full glory… oh, I feel faint!”

Baek Ri-seol twirled and tried to hug him, but he dodged her and flicked her forehead.

“Ouch.”

Namgung Yun-ho bowed, amused by their usual antics.

“We just arrived.”

“The strategy for today is seven consecutive wins. Got it? Don’t bother winning more than that. The Head Instructor keeps bugging me to take on more students.”

He was as lazy as ever.

He didn’t seem to care that they would have to defeat an Euncheon Hall student to achieve seven consecutive wins. Perhaps his laziness stemmed from his confidence in them?

Namgung Yun-ho smiled and bowed again.

“We’ll win and return.”

“Of course you will,” Cho Un-hwi replied.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

His voice was devoid of doubt, as if he were stating an undeniable truth.

***

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The drums sounded, signaling the start of the midterm exams. The atmosphere was different this year.

“Look! It’s Chief Administrator Seon In-hyeok!”

“And Light of the Flame Ma Gil-sang!”

The students were buzzing with excitement as they saw the prominent figures who had gathered in the special viewing stands.

There were also many other famous martial artists present, including representatives from the Nine Sects and the Five Great Clans.

Namgung Yun-ho spotted a familiar face among the Namgung Clan representatives.

‘Uncle.’

He saw his uncle chatting and laughing with the other dignitaries, oblivious to his presence. It stung a little.

But…

“Well, I don’t need their approval.”

He only needed one person’s approval.

He glanced at the shabby viewing stand where the instructors were seated. He saw his instructor being manhandled by Yeo Mae-hong, looking like a lifeless puppet.

He sighed.

“Next match! Student number one hundred and twenty-eight, Namgung Yun-ho, please step onto the platform!”

He slapped himself on the cheeks, jolting himself awake.

“Student number one hundred and twenty-eight, Namgung Yun-ho, reporting for duty!”

He strode onto the platform, his robes billowing behind him.

***

“Namgung Yun-ho! Winner!”

The flag was raised, and the students erupted in cheers.

“That’s the Ghost of Dongcheon Hall?”

“He’s incredibly strong! He’s on a completely different level!”

“He’s already won five matches in a row without taking a break!”

His opponents weren’t weaklings either.

“Jin Cheol-geom from the Iron Sword Clan is one of the top students…”

“He couldn’t even withstand three stances.”

“Wow, I can’t believe it.”

The matches were ending quickly, much to the astonishment of the students.

“Namgung Yun-ho has improved tremendously.”

“It’s a shame that such a talented student was wasted in Dongcheon Hall.”

“His swordsmanship is sharp and precise. He has a bright future ahead of him.”

The Dongcheon Hall instructors turned to Cho Un-hwi, their eyes filled with admiration.

Cho Un-hwi puffed out his chest.

“It’s all thanks to my excellent teaching.”

“He wouldn’t have been able to achieve this on his own.”

“I worked tirelessly, day and night, to guide him.”

“So can I get a vacation now?”

He had a knack for turning praise into complaints.

Yeo Mae-hong scolded him.

“Show some humility. Look, Head Instructor Chung-hyeon is glaring at you.”

“He’s too far away to see me. I don’t care if he glares at me, as long as I get a vacation.”

“Ugh.”

While the Dongcheon Hall instructors were amused by Cho Un-hwi’s antics, the Murim Alliance officials in the special viewing stands were taking a more serious interest in Namgung Yun-ho.

***

Light of the Flame Ma Gil-sang was the first to notice him.

“Hmm…?”

He was known for his stoic demeanor, but his eyes lit up as he watched the match.

“What is it, Chief Instructor?” Seon In-hyeok asked.

“Look at the twelfth platform.”

There were over five thousand students in Dongcheon Hall, so multiple platforms had been set up to conduct the sparring matches simultaneously.

Ma Gil-sang had singled out one particular match.

“It’s unusual for you to take an interest in a Dongcheon Hall student.”

Seon In-hyeok chuckled and turned his head. His eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh my! He’s impressive.”

His voice was filled with admiration.

“His understanding of the Shinmu Sword Technique is remarkable! He’s incredibly talented.”

He continued to watch the matches, his interest growing with each victory.

Namgung Yun-ho’s swordsmanship wasn’t flashy. He was simply executing variations of the first three stances of the Shinmu Sword Technique.

But the masters could see something more.

“He’s not just understanding the stances, he’s interpreting them in his own way.”

“He can execute the stances perfectly even in that awkward position?”

“Oh my, I’ve never seen that variation before…”

The masters’ eyes were different.

They could see the potential and the subtle nuances in Namgung Yun-ho’s simple swordsmanship.

“Hmm, impressive.”

Seon In-hyeok sighed as the match ended quickly.

He rarely praised anyone, so his continued admiration piqued the curiosity of a nearby Taoist priest from the Mount Cheongseong Sect.

The Taoist priest was clearly impressed by Namgung Yun-ho’s swordsmanship.

“Chief Administrator, I’ve never seen anyone understand the Shinmu Sword Technique so deeply. Who is this student?”

“Let me see… student number one hundred and twenty-eight…”

Ma Gil-sang scanned the list of students.

A deep voice answered, “His name is Namgung Yun-ho.”

The dignitaries in the special viewing stands turned to the one-eyed swordsman.

“He’s being taught by Junior Instructor Cho Un-hwi.”

“Wait, Cho Un-hwi?”

The name sounded familiar.

“He’s the instructor recommended by Elder Chui Geol-gae.”

So he wasn’t a complete unknown. Seon In-hyeok regretted not paying more attention to him.

“Dokgo Yul, you’re the Chief Instructor of Dongcheon Hall. What kind of person is Instructor Cho?”

Dokgo Yul thought for a moment.

“He might seem frivolous and irresponsible on the surface, but he’s actually quite talented.”

“Is he really that good?”

Seon In-hyeok was surprised by Dokgo Yul’s assessment.

Dokgo Yul was one of the most respected martial artists in the righteous Murim, and it was rare for him to praise anyone so highly.

The dignitaries from the Nine Sects and the Five Great Clans were also intrigued.

They had never seen Dokgo Yul speak so highly of anyone before.

Dokgo Yul continued, “I didn’t realize it at first, but the more I observed him, the more I saw his strengths. He has a keen eye for talent.”

“Why haven’t we heard of him before?” an elder from the Beggars’ Sect asked.

“His teaching skills are far superior to his own martial arts skills. He’s also stubborn and difficult to manage. He wouldn’t have made it as a martial artist, but he’s a perfect fit for the academy.”

“Hmm, a talented instructor who couldn’t make it as a martial artist. He’s a valuable asset to the academy. Don’t you agree, Head Instructor Chung-hyeon?”

Chung-hyeon, who had been listening to their conversation, was puzzled.

‘Is Instructor Cho really that good?’

But he couldn’t openly contradict Dokgo Yul, especially with so many dignitaries present.

“Yes, I agree.”

Dokgo Yul continued, “We’ll see how his students perform in the future. But there’s one thing I should clarify. Instructor Cho’s strength lies in identifying talent. He selects his students based on his own unique criteria, which others might not understand. Their achievements are a testament to their own hard work and their hidden potential, which he was able to recognize. I hope there’s no misunderstanding.”

Seon In-hyeok chuckled.

“Haha, so you’re saying that Namgung Yun-ho’s achievements are the result of his own efforts. Well done, Sword of the Middle Heavens.”

Namgung Il-jun, the Sword of the Middle Heavens, frowned.

He wasn’t happy about the sudden attention being paid to Namgung Yun-ho.

‘Why is everyone so interested in Yun-ho all of a sudden?’

He was baffled.

Namgung Yun-ho was his nephew, a talentless student who had been forgotten by the clan. He had never imagined that he would become the center of attention.

But he couldn’t reveal his clan’s shame in public.

He forced a smile and said, “Haha, he’s been working hard.”

Just then…

“The next match is about to begin. It’s Jegal Tan and Baek Ri-seol. They’re also Instructor Cho’s students.”

Jegal Tan and Baek Ri-seol were also dominating their opponents, winning their matches with ease.

A Taoist priest from the Mount Cheongseong Sect gasped.

“Oh my! That’s the pinnacle of illusion swordsmanship!”

“His swordsmanship is flawless. His opponent probably didn’t even know how he lost.”

“He’s incredibly talented.”

The dignitaries turned to Jegal Yang-so, the representative from the Jegal Clan.

“He’s a brilliant student. The Jegal Clan is fortunate to have him.”

Unlike Namgung Il-jun, Jegal Yang-so was clearly impressed by Jegal Tan’s performance.

“Haha, I heard he was quite the troublemaker, but it seems he’s finally found his path.”

“The Jegal Clan will be known as a sword clan soon. He and his brother will be the two pillars that support the clan.”

“Thank you, thank you.”

Baek Ri-seol’s match began.

She moved like a dancer, her swordsmanship fluid and graceful, disarming her opponent with ease.

Elder Un Gye-sang from the Mount Hua Sect gasped.

“She’s the future Sword Queen!”

The Sword Queen.

A title bestowed upon female swordsmen who had earned the respect of the Murim world.

Baek Ri-seol’s swordsmanship was so impressive that even Elder Un Gye-sang, a master swordsman from the Mount Hua Sect, was moved to praise her.

Clang! Clang!

Her opponent was trapped in her dazzling sword dance, unable to even defend himself.

Elder Un Gye-sang, a master of the Mount Hua Sect’s Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, was so excited that he shouted, “The Baek Ri Clan is fortunate to have such a talented student!”

He seemed oblivious to the fact that Song Hee-jeong, the prodigy from the Plum Blossom Sword Clan, which was a branch family of the Mount Hua Sect, had been defeated earlier.

Baek Ri Seon-ho was speechless.

He hadn’t even wanted to attend the exams.

He had been busy dealing with the aftermath of the incident at the Muhan Branch, finding new trading partners to replace the Yongdae Merchant Guild, and searching for traces of the demonic practitioners.

He would have been buried in work if it hadn’t been for Dokgo Yul’s request.

‘What luck.’

He had come all this way, and he was being treated to such a rare spectacle.

Baek Ri Seon-ho, a master of the Baek Ri Clan’s White Dragon Sword Technique, could see Baek Ri-seol’s potential, just like Elder Un Gye-sang.

‘Elder Un is right. Seol-i’s talent surpasses even her father’s.’

Her cousin, Baek Ri Man-ho, was nothing compared to her.

Even Baek Ri Jeong-sun, the White Dragon Swordsman, paled in comparison to her.

“Haha, it’s wonderful to see her talent blossom.”

A wide smile spread across Baek Ri Seon-ho’s weary face.

He was grateful to Dokgo Yul for bringing him here.

‘The Baek Ri Clan owes the One-Eyed Sword God a great debt.’