Chapter 78: Proving Their Worth (2)

He had hoped for a reversal of fortune.

But it was a complete failure.

He tried to regain some ground by targeting the other assistants, but they were just as formidable.

They were so knowledgeable that they even knew things the instructors didn’t.

“They’re beyond the level of ordinary martial artists. They could easily work at an apothecary.”

“It’s not easy to distinguish between medicinal herbs and poisonous herbs, but they’re even mixing them to create new medicines. Incredible.”

“Are those kids really academy students?”

“They seem to know more about herbs and medicine than my regular physician.”

He then targeted the “rotten apple,” Cho Un-hwi.

He assumed that the loudmouth wouldn’t be able to back up his words with actions.

“Leave it to me.”

The herbal medicine instructor, determined to redeem himself, stepped forward.

“There’s an infallible strategy passed down among renowned medical families. A sophisticated technique that a country bumpkin like you wouldn’t even know about.”

They would take turns consuming poisonous herbs and medicinal herbs to see who could last longer.

It was a sophisticated game that tested their knowledge of herbal combinations.

The result was even more disastrous.

“The herbal medicine instructor lost?”

“How can he eat anything and be perfectly fine?”

“He’s practically a master herb gatherer…”

The herbal medicine instructor collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

His limbs were convulsing uncontrollably.

Cho Un-hwi, on the other hand, was perfectly fine, even though he had been chewing on poisonous herbs.

“Damn it, where did that guy come from?”

He had tried to intimidate them, but he had only succeeded in humiliating himself.

“Instructor Gwak, this isn’t going well.”

“We need to figure out what we’re dealing with.”

“We were too ignorant about our opponent. Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.”

Gwak Jong-geun glared at his fellow instructors.

“We can’t back down now. What will Master Jang think if we retreat after starting this?”

They gulped.

Jang Cheol-sim, the swordsmanship instructor.

He was a senior instructor with a huge ego. What would he do if he found out that they had backed down after being humiliated?

“He’ll be furious.”

“Ugh, you’re right.”

“We have to break their spirit, no matter what.”

They had to appease Jang Cheol-sim, who was a potential candidate for head instructor.

And it was a matter of pride.

“Do you have a plan?”

“We’ll make one.”

“I’ve been observing them, and they seem to be skilled in various techniques. They’re clearly not amateurs.”

Despite their setbacks, the instructors were not pushovers.

They could assess their opponents’ abilities just by observing them briefly.

“The assistants are also quite capable. You’ve all heard of the Instructor Slayer, right?”

Several instructors nodded.

“HE might not be as talented as his Younger Brother… but he’s known as the prodigy of the Jegal Clan.”

“His aura was impressive today. Maybe the rumors about him being inferior to his sister are outdated.”

“So the nickname ‘Instructor Slayer’ isn’t just for show…”

Gwak Jong-geun looked at his disheartened colleagues and said, “Do we really need to target the strongest ones?”

“You want to target the youngest ones?”

“They seem to be well-trained, but what about their martial arts skills?”

“They’re still young, so they must have limitations.”

“That’s what we’ll exploit.”

“I see.”

They seemed talented.

But that was all. Martial arts required time and experience to mature.

“I heard they’ve been training for less than a year.”

“They probably haven’t even mastered a proper sword technique, let alone a cultivation technique.”

But was it really necessary to bully children to assert their dominance?

Gwak Jong-geun, however, was unrepentant.

“It’s not a bad experience for them to learn the bitterness of defeat early on. It will help them soar higher in the future.”

“That’s a good point.”

But some instructors were still hesitant.

“But they’re from the Baek Ri Clan and the Mo Yong Clan. They’re precious children from the Ten Great Clans.”

The Ten Great Clans were not to be trifled with.

Their names carried too much weight to be dragged into a petty squabble between instructors.

But Gwak Jong-geun was confident.

“Don’t worry, we won’t have to do anything ourselves.”

“If we don’t do anything…”

“These students are all flawed. They’re unruly and won’t tolerate outsiders.”

“You’re saying we should just wait for them to fight amongst themselves.”

Unlike them, the students didn’t know the newcomers’ identities.

They were impatient and prone to impulsive actions.

“Of course, we’ll have to plant a few seeds of discord.”

A sinister glint flashed in Gwak Jong-geun’s eyes.

“And I have the perfect person in mind.”

***

“What? We’re on standby again? Damn it.”

After the herbal medicine instructor was carried away, the class was suspended.

The students, who had been left to bake in the sun on the training ground, were getting restless.

They were already annoyed at having to attend supplementary classes, and now they were being forced to wait indefinitely. Their frustration was growing, and they turned their attention to the newcomers.

“It’s all their fault.”

“They’re getting a little too cocky, don’t you think?”

“Just because they know a little about herbal medicine, they’re calling themselves assistants and experts. It’s ridiculous.”

“I don’t like how the seniors are taking the blame for the juniors’ mistakes.”

The students glared at the newcomers.

But few dared to challenge them openly.

They were afraid of the legendary figure known as the Instructor Slayer.

The thought of the mad dog who had beaten several instructors to a pulp kept their anger in check.

But their patience was wearing thin.

***

Seven students were gathered in the shadiest spot on the training ground.

The shortest but most muscular of them grumbled, his arms crossed, “They were so cocky, and now look at them.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what to say.”

The dejected Tang Clan student spat on the ground.

“Tsk, we’re not going home anytime soon. I don’t like this.”

Normally, the supplementary class would have been over by now.

He was getting impatient.

“Should we just cause a scene?”

The two identical twins beside him snickered.

“Don’t be stupid. If you lose your temper again, you’ll be facing your family’s wrath, not just extra classes.”

“That’s right, this time, it won’t be a slap on the wrist.”

“Shut up, twins.”

Eon Ho-seung gritted his teeth.

“I’m a blood relative of the Great Jinju Eon Clan, and I’m stuck here with these failing students. It’s humiliating.”

“You’re lucky you’re still here. You have a habit of losing your temper and attacking people.”

“The Jinju Eon Clan is amazing. You would have been expelled long ago if you were from our Red Rain Sword Sect.”

The Red Rain Sword Sect twins, Jeok So-il and Jeok So-i, chuckled.

Eon Ho-seung yawned.

“Ugh, my life is so miserable. Now I have to watch these Dongcheon Hall brats play assistant.”

He grumbled, and a languid voice said, “Don’t you find it amusing?”

It was a girl with long black hair that reached her waist.

She had droopy eyes that gave her a sleepy look.

“Im So-jeong.”

The Conqueror of the South Sea, a disciple of the Sword Pavilion.

She was the only other student from a major sect.

“Amusing? Not really.”

“But it’s the first time I’ve seen those arrogant instructors so flustered.”

That was true.

It was a rare sight to see those self-righteous instructors, who always boasted about the Nine Sects and the prestigious clans, looking so dejected.

“They were even outsmarted by those Dungcheon Hall nannies.”

“Hahaha, what should we call those idiots who lost to nannies?”

Im So-jeong continued, as the twins laughed, “And look at that guy, Jegal Tan. I’ve never seen him like this before.”

“Right, you said you knew the Instructor Slayer?”

“Yes, the Jegal Clan and the South Sea Island are quite close.”

Eon Ho-seung narrowed his eyes, observing the man standing in a corner of the training ground.

He looked just as stoic and unapproachable as the rumors said.

But then, he muttered dismissively, “He’s cowering before those Dongcheon Hall nannies. Rumors are unreliable.”

He was disappointed.

Im So-jeong flicked her long hair.

“He seems to have changed a lot.”

“He wasn’t like this before?”

“Not at all. He was completely different.”

Her sleepy voice was slow and deliberate. The twins chimed in.

“Now that you mention it, his aura is different from when we saw him from afar.”

“He used to be so sharp and intimidating that we didn’t even dare to approach him.”

“That goody-two-shoes?”

He couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, he’s like a different person.”

Even Im So-jeong agreed.

They might be stuck in supplementary classes, but the Red Rain Sword Sect twins were not to be underestimated.

They were geniuses who had surpassed even the legitimate heirs of their sect.

And Im So-jeong was a prodigy from the Sword Pavilion, a sect comparable to the Nine Sects.

Eon Ho-seung’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.

“Interesting.”

He picked up his gauntlets.

“…What are you doing?”

“What else do martial artists do when they meet? We fight. Let’s have a heartfelt conversation with our fists.”

He put on his gauntlets and punched his fists together. Im So-jeong said, her voice laced with concern, “It would be a close fight if Jegal Tan was still at his previous level. But I heard he’s improved recently.”

Im So-jeong was surprisingly well-informed.

She knew everything that was going on in Euncheon Hall, and she had even heard about the incident during the midterm exams.

“He might not be ranked, but he defeated an Euncheon Hall student effortlessly. I heard even the higher-ups in the Murim Alliance are keeping an eye on him.”

“Hehe, the results of a sparring match without any stakes are meaningless.”

He cracked his knuckles.

“I’ll crush him with all my might.”

The twins laughed as he smiled belligerently.

“He’s fired up.”

“We can’t stop him now.”

Eon Ho-seung stood up, and the twins and the other students followed suit.

“Im So-jeong? You’re coming too?”

Eon Ho-seung was surprised to see Im So-jeong, who usually avoided trouble, joining them.

“Yes, I’m curious too.”

A dangerous glint flashed in her droopy eyes.