Chapter: 284
I find myself unintentionally shaking off my body as I listen to the words Bi Eejin spits out.
Could it be that I’ve been cursed?
If it’s a real curse, I’ll grab that bastard and burn him alive.
“Anyway, aside from that….”
Bi Eejin seems to be about to say something more.
I listened while slightly frowning.
No, I guess I should say I was pretending to listen.
“Hmm….”
“Why are you doing that?”
Bi Eejin, who was about to speak, glances somewhere and takes a small step back.
“This won’t do, if I keep going I feel like I’ll end up wielding a knife.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Let’s definitely meet again next time.”
“…”
“Since there’s no answer, I’ll take that as a yes.”
“No, why is this a yes…!”
Without even waiting for a response, Bi Eejin abruptly leaves.
The crowd, which was buzzing about, seemed to think that the matter had ended without any issues.
They had already started moving their places.
Gu Jeolyub and Gu Yeonseo had vanished without a trace.
Finally, I could slowly…
“Phew….”
I was able to recover the bet that was occupying my heart.
‘…I didn’t expect that the Emperor would intervene.’
I vaguely knew he had some interest in me, but I never imagined he would so directly step in to change the conversation.
‘It’s somewhat awkward, though.’
But he was indeed helpful just now.
I was so caught up in my emotions that I couldn’t even see the easy things.
Still, it was fortunate.
I was a bit apprehensive, wondering if he had changed even a little.
He hadn’t changed at all.
Confirming that brought me some peace of mind.
‘While I’m here…’
Now that I’m here.
Since I’m looking for someone.
‘I can probably kill him this time.’
I had more than enough justification to kill him.
Jang Seonyeon dies here.
That was also one of the reasons for coming here.
Taking in the murderous intent that is spilling all around, I suddenly turned to the direction where the statue had been earlier.
I was wondering what he was looking at and talking about.
“Huh?”
There, just as yesterday, stood Wi Seol-Ah, wearing a particularly deep-brimmed hat.
The distance was far.
Even if people were moving quickly.
That was definitely Wi Seol-Ah.
“You.”
The moment I took a step towards Wi Seol-Ah…
—Group 1 and Group 2! The entrance exam is about to begin! Please gather round!
In the brief moment I was distracted by the shouts mixed with betting, when I turned back.
“Oh no.”
Wi Seol-Ah had already vanished into the crowd.
If I searched like last time, I could find her.
There was no way I’d fail this test just for placing a little bet.
One thing crossed my mind.
‘Why was she making that face?’
For some reason this time…
The slightly visible eyes of Wi Seol-Ah felt like they were pleading me not to find her.
It was full of unease from the start.
“Haah.”
Nothing seemed to go well.
I wanted to vent my anger somewhere.
Unfortunately, Gu Jeolyub had already made himself scarce.
“Tsk.”
I clicked my tongue even if just briefly.
Ultimately, I started to walk.
There were some things I needed to do first.
Zhao Weishi, the second great disciple of Kunlun.
He is a warrior known by the title Ji-chal-geom (支嚓劍).
He’s made quite a name for himself in the Central Plains.
He’s a young talent who’s gradually growing in prominence.
Moreover, among the martial artists who have surpassed the threshold of maturity, he belongs to the outstanding class.
Excluding geniuses like Shin Hyeon, the great disciple of the Volcano sect—
That solidifies his position.
“Group 1, Group 7, passing.”
So, he was able to follow the Cheonghae Ilgeom and find Shinryonggwan.
He might even get a position as an instructor, but Zhao Weishi wasn’t too fond of this place.
‘What could the Sect Leader be thinking?’
There’s a mountain of issues happening right now in Cheonghae.
There’s no reason to hand everything over to the elders and come here.
Zhao Weishi couldn’t grasp the rationale behind it.
Being the long-winded man he is, he had no choice but to restrain his inclination for lengthy speeches.
However, the discontent rising within him still simmered.
In a place like this now…
This was definitely not the situation to be teaching these young kids.
Not to mention.
‘Sword mistress?’
Zhao Weishi thought of the only female instructor among the Group 2 instructors.
He already knew that from the Sect Leader’s words.
But he truly had no idea that the greatest swordswoman in the world would come to Shinryonggwan to become an instructor.
If we’re talking about the world’s greatest swordswoman, honestly, looking just at her reputation,
She wouldn’t be out of place as a governor rather than an instructor.
It was surprising that such a swordswoman had lowered her pride and chosen to come to Shinryonggwan, managed by a different sect than hers, to teach.
It certainly seemed like there was another reason behind it.
As the headache from pondering all of this settled in, his expression began to frown.
BANG!
With a sharp sound.
Zhao Weishi’s eyes bulged out in surprise.
As he looked in the direction of the sound, he saw countless reviewers gasping in admiration at someone.
Zhao Weishi’s reaction upon confirming this was the same.
‘Wow.’
It was no wonder.
Before a stone pillar that looked to be ten feet long,
A handsome young man was sheathing his sword.
Whoosh.
Just before the young man tucked his sword into its scabbard.
Woooosh.
The sword sang with resonant echoes.
Moreover, a long, shallow sword mark was drawn on the stone pillar.
Zhao Weishi had to drop his jaw in amazement at that sight.
‘Not a scratch, but a sword trace?’
That long pillar was precisely the challenge for this entrance exam.
To leave some kind of mark on the stone pillar using whatever means.
That was the content of this stage of the entrance exam.
Though the phrase “by whatever means” implied that everyone understood it meant using their martial arts.
While they might dismiss it as just a scratch, everyone would have to recognize the material of that pillar.
‘Mannyeonhancheol.’
Among all the metals available in the Central Plains,
Iron known to be the hardest is mixed in certain portions.
Although it is said to be a very small amount, it suffices to turn it into something nearly indestructible.
That simple black stone pillar was no different.
How exactly did they manage to bring a stone pillar mixed with mannyeonhancheol for an entrance exam?
Zhao Weishi couldn’t comprehend it at all.
Yet, whether he could understand it or not, the truth was evident.
The tasks for the entrance exam, which changed every cohort,
Was within the jurisdiction of the overseer.
If that were the case, that stone pillar was indeed the challenge issued by Cheonghae Ilgeom.
What kind of test was it?
What did they intend to convey with it?
Zhao Weishi didn’t need to know about that.
What mattered was whether the reviewers succeeded or not.
Understanding that, Zhao Weishi turned to gaze at the one responsible for that long sword mark.
He soon remembered the young man’s name.
‘Shinseong, right?’
The sole son of the current Sect Leader.
A promising young martial artist gaining recognition lately.
The previous sword mark must belong to the Sect Leader’s secret martial arts known as Ingeom.
‘Looks like the rumors about him being outstanding weren’t just idle talk.’
It seemed those rumors weren’t unfounded.
While the other reviewers struggled to even create a minuscule scratch, Shinseong managed to produce such a mark.
It was no surprise at all that other reviewers were showing such admiration.
‘The level of recent reviewers certainly seems exceptional.’
Whether it be Liu Longsanbong or Shinseong.
At the very least.
The descendants of the sword lord he had gone to look for personally long ago.
In Zhao Weishi’s eyes, each one stood out.
‘But even so, it appears the top spot for this exam… is probably already determined.’
That was Zhao Weishi’s conclusion.
With a level capable of producing such marks on that stone pillar,
He predicted that he had already surpassed the threshold.
But as for the other dragons and phoenixes, he would have to witness them as well.
Most likely, that young man would take the top spot in the entrance exam.
With such thoughts in mind, Zhao Weishi finally opened his mouth.
“Group 1, Jang Seonyeon. Pass….”
Crack-crack-crack!
Just as Zhao Weishi was about to declare Jang Seonyeon’s pass,
A loud noise erupted from afar.
“What’s that?”
“What’s going on?!”
Zhao Weishi immediately shouted to the buzzing reviewers, filled with intention.
“Don’t move! We don’t know what’s going on!”
At the same time, Zhao Weishi began to scan his surroundings with vigilance.
The direction of the noise…
‘Isn’t that where Group 2 is taking their exam?’
If so, was it an ambush?
With the members of the Kunlun faction and the Meng’s warriors stationed in the vicinity.
Unless they were of the level of the Dark King, they should find it challenging to infiltrate.
As Zhao Weishi contemplated evacuating the reviewers for safety, he suddenly heard an urgent voice whispering in his ear.
“…What?”
Hearing this, Zhao Weishi spoke out as if he had misheard.
So surprised was he, that instead of whispering back,
Zhao Weishi blurted out:
“Who just said someone broke the pillar?!”
It sounded utterly ridiculous.
After the loud noise echoed, in Group 2.
Amidst the scattered stone pieces on the ground,
A young man was repeatedly sighing while cradling his face.
Heh heh…
And the swordswoman, while trying not to laugh at the sight, was having great difficulty.
Whatever was amusing her, she continued to contain her laughter in front of the swordswoman.
A massive hole had been created in the pillar mixed with mannyeonhancheol.
Cracks surrounded it, looking as if it might collapse on a mere tap.
And…
The one responsible for so brutally damaging the pillar,
Still covering his face, murmured quietly.
“Ah…”
The creator of this situation.
Gu Yangcheon was currently experiencing regret, feeling the gazes of those around.
‘Should’ve controlled my strength.’
What had started as an attempt to vent his frustrations had resulted in this disaster.
‘With mannyeonhancheol mixed in, how could it break so easily?’
Absurdity swept over him.
When recalling the mannyeonhancheol he had seen in his previous life, what he was looking at now seemed laughable in comparison.
However, whether it should’ve shattered so easily was another matter.
The commotion that had rumbled on nearby turned silent alongside the pillar’s rupture.
Such silence surely held various meanings.
Gu Yangcheon wouldn’t find much comfort in that.
He hadn’t intended for it to lead to this.
Feeling that, Gu Yangcheon quietly uttered.
“I’ve messed up.”
It seemed he had really caused quite a stir right from the beginning of the exam.
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