Chapter 26

## Chapter 26: About the Practical Exam

After the interviews for all 16 groups were over and the applicants had left the interview room, Hwaeomdo Gwak Chul-woo clicked his tongue and said,

"What a conceited guy. What? He wants to use his external martial arts to crush me?"

"......"

"Teacher Namgung, don't worry about it. He's just trying to catch the interviewers' attention by acting out."

"......"

Gwak Chul-woo had been observing Namgung Su, who had been silent the whole time.

Although he was older and held a higher position in the martial world than Namgung Su, he couldn't help but be cautious around him.

Namgung Su, the Three Supreme Swords (三絶劍).

He was the most popular one-hit lecturer at the Blue Dragon Academy, with long lines of students waiting to attend his classes every semester.

Not only did he receive numerous requests for private tutoring from outside the academy, but other top five academies had also made multiple offers for him to transfer, which he had known for several years.

'Fortunately, Teacher Namgung has stayed with us out of affection for the Blue Dragon Academy...'

But who can really know a person's heart?

If Namgung Su were to transfer to another top academy one day, the Blue Dragon Academy, whose reputation was already declining, would not even be able to rank among the top five martial academies.

From the perspective of the vice-principal, who had to consider the future of the Blue Dragon Academy, Namgung Su was someone who absolutely could not be lost.

'Baek Su-ryong, was it? I wanted to pass him because he was recommended by the Venerable Guest, but...'

In Gwak Chul-woo's view, Baek Su-ryong had made the worst possible move in the interview.

By offending a one-hit lecturer, even if he passed the interview and the practical exam to become a temporary lecturer, his future would be clouded with difficulties.

"Since Teacher Namgung's reputation is so renowned, there are bound to be many who want to test their skills against him. I'll handle it, so don't worry about it..."

"......"

Namgung Su remained silent, still lost in thought. Gwak Chul-woo, growing anxious, moistened his lips and said,

"Did you get upset because I stopped the fight earlier? But if you had injured him, he would have surely spread bad rumors about you outside. So don't be upset..."

"Hmm. I don't think he was the type to do that."

Gwak Chul-woo glared at the person who had rudely interrupted, but he couldn't do anything more.

"Vice-Principal..."

He wasn't bold enough to speak out against the head of the Blue Dragon Academy, an old man who had been one of the top hundred martial artists for decades.

Old Jun Sang chuckled and reminded him of what had just happened.

"If the vice-principal hadn't stopped it, he would have attacked immediately. Didn't you think so, Teacher Namgung?"

"......Yes. He seemed overly confident."

Namgung Su spoke with a cold expression. Old Jun Sang smiled mischievously and asked,

"Then why did you stay silent? Weren't you curious about his external martial arts skills?"

The old man's eyes seemed to pierce through his thoughts.

However, Namgung Su's cold expression remained unchanged.

"Because he wasn't worth it. Also, I provoked him first."

"True, even for a pressure interview, it was quite intense."

Namgung Su nodded.

"Yes. From his perspective, it was understandable for him to be angry. If I had defeated him with my external martial arts in that situation, it would have only hurt his pride more."

The attitude that he would naturally win if they had a match.

As a one-hit lecturer at the Blue Dragon Academy and a peak martial artist, it was a natural confidence.

Moreover, the consideration for a clearly inferior opponent who would be humiliated.

Gwak Chul-woo praised Namgung Su once again.

"Teacher Namgung, you not only have great skills but also a broad and generous heart. To refrain from humiliating someone in a situation where you could easily get angry... Other teachers should learn from this!"

"No, I still lack cultivation, as evidenced by my harsh words to the applicant when I was angry."

"It's just that your concern for the Blue Dragon Academy is too strong! I don't think that guy was suitable to be an external martial arts lecturer here."

Gwak Chul-woo praised Namgung Su, who humbly accepted the compliment with a calm expression.

Old Jun Sang, sitting between them, crossed his arms and recalled the young man who had just left.

'Baek Su-ryong, was it?'

His tone, gestures, and the sharp gaze with which he observed the interviewers from head to toe left a strong impression.

...Although his martial arts skills didn't seem particularly strong, Old Jun Sang felt strangely tense in front of the young man.

"Do you think Baek Su-ryong should be rejected from the interview?"

"Yes."

Gwak Chul-woo answered immediately, and Namgung Su, after a moment of observing Old Jun Sang's expression, nodded.

"I also think it would be right to reject him... But do you have a different opinion, Headmaster?"

During the interviews for the 16 groups, Old Jun Sang had never interfered in the decision-making process.

He usually chuckled and occasionally asked about the interviewees' backgrounds.

So far, Gwak Chul-woo and Namgung Su had been the ones to decide the pass or fail of the interviewees.

But this time was different.

"I will pass Aek Yeon-ho, Myeong Il-oh, and Baek Su-ryong from the 16th group."

For the first time, Old Jun Sang clearly stated his opinion.

No, it wasn't an opinion but a unilateral announcement.

"Really? Why?"

Surprised, Gwak Chul-woo's eyes widened, then he lowered them, realizing it was impolite.

"Sorry, Headmaster."

"It's fine."

Old Jun Sang chuckled and continued,

"I can't figure him out. At this age, I can usually gauge a person's martial arts and character after a brief conversation, but I can't with him. I can't measure his martial arts level or what's inside him."

Old Jun Sang, like a child, lit up his eyes and muttered that this was the first time in decades.

Namgung Su, with a slightly stiff expression, said,

"......I've never seen you praise someone like that, Headmaster."

"It's not really praise yet. He might just be an eccentric. I just want to see him once more."

"Is that so......"

Namgung Su was silent for a moment, then said casually,

"Will your decision remain unchanged even if I oppose it?"

"Why? Are you concerned?"

"......"

For a moment, Old Jun Sang's and Namgung Su's eyes met.

When Gwak Chul-woo, unsure of what to do, was about to say something, Namgung Su smiled and stepped back.

"I understand. Since you've said so, I also want to see him once more."

Namgung Su smiled softly, but his eyes showed no warmth.

"......I hope to see something I haven't seen before next time."

"That would be good. For the development of our Blue Dragon Academy."

"......"

Old Jun Sang's cryptic words made Namgung Su's eyebrows twitch.

Gwak Chul-woo, sensing the tension between them, quickly called out to the outside,

"Next, Group 17, come in!"

* * *

"Brother, wasn't that a bit too harsh?"

"What's too harsh about it?"

To my indifferent answer, Aek Yeon-ho leaned close to me and whispered,

"What if you provoke a one-hit lecturer at the Blue Dragon Academy? It's lucky the vice-principal stopped it, or else..."

"I knew he would stop it."

"Really?"

I chuckled, and Aek Yeon-ho looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Would you make the most precious one-hit lecturer at the academy fight a new lecturer applicant? Even if he wins, he won't gain anything, and if he loses, how embarrassing would that be?"

"So you did it on purpose?"

"At least I left a strong impression."

Of course, I was confident I could win even if I had to use 'external martial arts' against Namgung Su.

I had the Green Forest Eighteen Techniques left by Master Meng.

'So I decided to be a bit more aggressive...'

It was exactly as I expected, and Gwak Chul-woo intervened to stop the fight.

The look of shock and hesitation in Namgung Su's eyes afterward...

He's probably making excuses now, like he held back out of pity or to maintain the academy's dignity.

"Coward. If he had grabbed me, I would have broken his wrist right away."

Well, there's still plenty of time.

I plan to become a one-hit lecturer at the Blue Dragon Academy, and if so, I will inevitably clash with Namgung Su.

"I'll torment him slowly."

I smiled, and Aek Yeon-ho looked at me with disbelief.

"You're not even thinking about getting a recommendation... What if you fail the interview?"

If I fail the interview?

I thought for a moment and answered,

"I'll build a large mansion opposite the Blue Dragon Academy and name it the White Dragon Academy. In ten years, my students will beat up all the Blue Dragon Academy students."

If I didn't have