Chapter 96: Supplementary Lesson (4)

*Drip. Drip.*

Namgung Yun-ho opened his eyes as he felt cold drops of water on his cheeks.

He was lying on the ground, his vision blurry, and cold water was dripping onto his forehead.

‘Dew?’

He sat up and saw the other students sprawled out around him.

“You’re the first one awake again.”

Was this the instructor’s way of showing concern?

‘He’s such a kind person. He’s probably asking me to clean up.’

*Crack! Crack!*

Namgung Yun-ho stretched his stiff muscles, wincing as his joints popped, and started a fire.

*Snap! Crackle!*

He could now create sparks with ease. He gathered the firewood and built a bonfire, then skillfully set up a tent nearby.

The tent would protect them from the dew, so now he had to prepare a simple meal for when the others woke up.

*Clank! Clank!*

He placed an iron pot over the fire, added rice, water, dried vegetables, and seasonings, and stirred.

The other students started to wake up one by one.

Jegal Tan was the first.

“Oh, I’m late again.”

“Haha, you have a bird’s nest on your head.”

“Well, I’ve been lying down all night.”

Baek Ri-seol and Mo Yong So-hye woke up at the same time.

Fortunately, thanks to the instructor’s consideration, they looked much better than the others.

“Hmm, something smells delicious.”

“Brother Namgung, I’m hungryyyy.”

“Haha, I made plenty, so dig in.”

Mo Yong So-hye’s eyes widened as she took a bite of the warm porridge.

“Wow, this is really good.”

“Really?”

“You were already a good cook, but this is amazing.”

Even Baek Ri-seol, who was usually critical, praised him.

“Oh my, you’re right. It’s even better than the food at my family’s manor.”

“It’s probably thanks to the secret spices I bought at the mock training ground.”

Jegal Tan, chewing on his porridge, shook his head.

“No, it’s really… your skills are amazing, Yun-ho.”

“Well, the instructor did say that cooking was my second greatest talent after martial arts.”

“Ugh, that instructor can say anything.”

“Be proud of yourself. Coming from him, that’s a high compliment.”

Namgung Yun-ho, not offended at all, looked around.

They were all gathered around the bonfire, sharing the porridge.

The warm firelight illuminated their faces.

‘This is nice.’

He enjoyed this moment.

It was a moment of warmth and camaraderie that he had never experienced in his cold and distant family.

But it seemed that not everyone was enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

*Thud!*

Baek Ri-seol frowned as she heard a dull thud.

“Tsk, he’s awake already.”

She turned around and saw Eon Ho-seung, who had just regained consciousness, punching the ground.

“Damn it! Damn it!”

*Thump! Thump!*

The other students woke up, startled by the sound of his punches.

They all had frowns on their faces.

‘What are they so unhappy about?’

Namgung Yun-ho couldn’t understand.

***

They huddled around the bonfire, warming their chilled bodies.

“Don’t you think it’s strange?”

Eon Ho-seung said suddenly.

“Was the food bad? I tried my best.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Eon Ho-seung pounded his chest in frustration.

“Your instructor… what kind of person is he?”

“He’s quite unique.”

Eon Ho-seung asked, baffled, “Unique? He’s beyond unique.”

He didn’t understand what he was getting at.

“Um, he’s kind and reliable?”

“But he has a terrible personality.”

Baek Ri-seol and Mo Yong So-hye chimed in, but it wasn’t the answer Eon Ho-seung was looking for.

Im So-jeong said, “Jegal, you should understand.”

Her voice lowered.

“Those three have only experienced Dongcheon Hall, but you’re different. You were once a prodigy of the Jegal Clan.”

“…Well, that’s true.”

“The instructor’s strength is… illogical.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying!”

Eon Ho-seung exclaimed, his face brightening.

“There are so many suspicious things about him. His martial arts skills are bizarre.”

Martial arts skills…

He wondered what the instructor’s level was. He couldn’t help but be curious.

“I’m the eldest son of the Jinju Eon Clan. Do you think it’s normal for me to be defeated by a lowly Dongcheon Hall nanny?”

“Oh my, you have such a high opinion of yourself for someone with no skills.”

“You should learn to speak more politely.”

“Hehe, why bother? You’re just a weakling.”

Sparks flew between Baek Ri-seol, who was giggling behind her sleeve, and Eon Ho-seung.

Jegal Tan intervened.

“It’s definitely strange.”

“Strange enough to be a problem?”

“Yun-ho, have you ever heard of the instructor’s martial arts level?”

Namgung Yun-ho, tossing another log onto the fire, nodded.

“Yeah, I heard he’s first-rate.”

“Hmph, that’s ridiculous.”

“?”

Eon Ho-seung shook his head.

“First-rate? Damn it, I’m almost first-rate myself.”

The twins chimed in.

“Us too.”

“You need to be at least first-rate to even aim for a high ranking in Euncheon Hall. We’re not called prodigies for nothing!”

Im So-jeong stared at Jegal Tan.

“What do you think, Jegal?”

“He’s obviously hiding his true strength. Only a fool would reveal their full potential in the Murim.”

“That’s right. There must be instructors who are stronger than their official rankings suggest.”

Conceal thirty percent of your strength if you want to survive in the Dosan Sword Forest.

It was an old Murim saying.

“The problem is the gap.”

Could he really be that much stronger than them, even if he was concealing thirty percent, or even half, of his strength?

“He’s not just first-rate, he’s beyond that. Even the senior instructors weren’t that overwhelming.”

The Euncheon Hall instructors were all seasoned first-rate masters.

Some were even said to have reached the peak level.

But Eon Ho-seung claimed that the senior instructors were all seasoned peak-level masters.

“Maybe he’s even stronger than the senior instructors.”

Everyone thought of the same thing.

The pinnacle of human achievement in martial arts. A realm beyond the peak level.

“Transcendent Realm.”

“A transcendent-level master…”

Masters who had reached the ultimate level of sword Qi control, achieving a state of perfect balance and wielding an indomitable aura that could cut through anything.

These superhuman masters were said to have reached the Transcendent Realm, or the realm beyond the peak level.

It was a realm that could only be achieved with innate talent and a stroke of luck.

Mo Yong So-hye shrieked, “That’s ridiculous! The instructor can’t be that strong!”

She vehemently denied it, like a child who had picked up a stray puppy only to find out that it was actually a rare and dangerous wolf.

“Transcendent-level masters have an aura of power that’s different from ordinary masters.”

“And what about the overwhelming pressure that they exude?”

“He doesn’t have even a shred of that!”

They all recalled the instructor’s lazy gait and annoying personality.

‘She’s right.’

Mo Yong So-hye had convinced them.

But Eon Ho-seung was persistent.

“It’s suspicious, but there’s no other explanation for his overwhelming strength.”

“Maybe it’s because of his personality?”

“His personality?”

“Unlike the other instructors, he doesn’t hesitate to beat up someone else’s precious child?”

The other instructors were always careful when sparring with their students.

Namgung Yun-ho raised his hand.

“I agree.”

Im So-jeong shook her head.

“This isn’t a joke. It’s strange that a master like him is an instructor at Dongcheon Hall.”

“The Transcendent Realm might be a bit of a stretch, but his strength is still abnormal.”

“Maybe it’s just a difference in perspective.”

Jegal Tan said, “Eon Ho-seung, do you know the difference between first-rate and peak level?”

Of course he did.

There were clear distinctions.

“You’re considered first-rate when you can manifest sword Qi. And you reach the peak level when you can freely control your internal energy and sword Qi.”

“That’s the textbook definition. But ultimately, those levels are just classifications based on the strength of your internal energy. They don’t take into account the sophistication or ingenuity of your techniques.”

“…You’re saying that the temporary instructor is exceptionally skilled in techniques?”

“He’s from a rural sect, so he probably didn’t have access to rare elixirs. He might have the talent to become a Sword Demon, but there are plenty of rural martial artists who are skilled in techniques but lack profound internal energy.”

“…That’s a plausible explanation.”

Even in prestigious families, elixirs were rare and valuable.

That’s why they focused their resources on their most talented disciples.

“Of course, it’s still suspicious.”

Namgung Yun-ho summarized their discussion.

“The real mystery is why a master like him is teaching a dullard like me.”

“…”

“And it’s also strange that you’re questioning his strength instead of being grateful that you have a hidden master teaching you. It seems like your pride is hurt.”

Im So-jeong bit her lip.

“…You’re impossible to talk to.”

“The most important thing right now is the mock training, but you’re fixated on the instructor’s strength because your pride is hurt, aren’t you?”

“…I won’t deny it.”

“Good, admit it. You’re probably devastated that you lost to a country bumpkin instructor.”

They wanted to believe that they had been defeated by a “hidden master” rather than a nameless instructor from Dongcheon Hall.

Namgung Yun-ho said, “I remember something the instructor told me.”

It had only been a few days ago, but…

It was a lesson he would never forget.

*- If you want to survive in the Murim, you need to learn to see the good in others.*

“Let’s end this discussion here.”

Everyone fell silent.

After a long pause, Eon Ho-seung ruffled his hair and grumbled, “They’re all good with words.”

He looked at Namgung Yun-ho and said, “You can say that because you know nothing about Euncheon Hall.”

He stood up and said, “Follow me. I’ll show you reality.”

***

Eon Ho-seung led them to a magnificent three-story building.

Namgung Yun-ho was stunned by its grandeur, with red pillars and ornate carvings.

“This is incredible. What is this place…?”

“Don’t act like a country bumpkin. It’s just a cafeteria.”

This entire building was a cafeteria?

“And it’s the oldest and shabbiest one. It’s the cafeteria for the supplementary class.”

Euncheon Hall was truly on a different level from Dongcheon Hall.

Eon Ho-seung chuckled, seeing his speechless expression.

“You’re in for a surprise.”