Chapter 79

## Chapter 79. Why is he here?

On the morning of the entrance examination.

A huge crowd had gathered around the Blue Dragon Academy from early morning.

“Buy some rice cakes! Fresh and hot rice cakes for success!”

“Charms for success! Put one in your pocket before the exam!”

“Bachelors! Have a hearty bowl of soup before the exam!”

The entire city woke up much earlier than usual. Street vendors set up their stalls targeting the applicants, and many onlookers came out to see the spectacle.

“Look over there! It’s Shaolin!”

“Idiot. Do you think every bald guy is from Shaolin?”

“Pfft. Whatever……”

“Sir Taoist! Are you from the Wu Dang Sect?”

“Ahem. I am a lay disciple……”

Children with bright eyes, eager to see the young martial artists who were older than them, chattered as they roamed the city. The whole city was bustling with a festive atmosphere.

Usually, the martial artists would frown at such impolite questions, but today they just smiled and let them pass.

After all, the questioners were children who knew little about the martial world, and raising their voices in front of the Blue Dragon Academy before an important exam would do no good.

The gates of the Blue Dragon Academy were still closed.

In front of them, the martial artists taking the exam and their families, friends, and acquaintances were exchanging greetings.

Scenes of solemnity, tears, and embarrassment were unfolding everywhere.

“Son! You must pass!”

“Father! I will pass and return with the Blue Dragon Token!”

“Yes! You must pass! Think of all the money we spent to raise you as a martial artist……. Cough! Sir, Madam!”

“You can say anything in front of your child!”

From parents sharing a passionate hug with their son.

“Big brother. What will I do if you go to the Blue Dragon Academy……”

“Yeonmae. Don’t cry. We’re not parting forever.

“I’m worried that you might fall for a girl at the Blue Dragon Academy……”

“What kind of worry is that? With the most beautiful woman in the world by my side, why would I……”

“If you ever cheat on me, I’ll tear you apart with my own hands.”

“Ah, ahem. I’m charmed by Yeonmae’s fiery spirit.”

The young lovers, promising eternal love.

“Disciple. Don’t be nervous. Show just half of your skills, and you won’t fail even if you want to.”

“Yes! I’ll do my best, Master!”

A master, patting his disciple’s shoulder, encouraging him.

The families, friends, masters, and acquaintances of the new applicants were exchanging greetings before the entrance exam began.

“Hehe. This is good.”

On the opposite side of the Blue Dragon Academy.

A young man stood on the highest floor of a famous inn, overlooking the Blue Dragon Academy.

The man sitting opposite him asked,

“What is so good?”

“The faces of young martial artists striving towards their dreams are a sight to behold. I wonder what talented children have come this year.”

Despite his old-man-like tone, the young man looked to be in his mid-twenties at most.

If there were other people in the inn, they might have found his appearance strange, but since they had rented the entire floor, no one was looking at them.

The man sitting opposite the young man said,

“Half of them will pack their bags today. Of the remaining half, another half will pack their bags tomorrow. In the end, only a handful will remain.”

“You’ve always been so unromantic. Isn’t it too early to talk about such realities?”

“……This year, the number of applicants for the Blue Dragon Academy is the highest ever. In other words, many people applied without much thought.”

“Hmm.”

“But this year will be different. I will change the Blue Dragon Academy.”

“Yes. It must be.”

The young man, who had been looking out the window, chuckled and turned to look at the man sitting opposite him.

For a moment, his eyes were so cold that they sent shivers down the spine.

“It must be.”

“……Yes.”

Namgung Su couldn’t meet the young man’s gaze and bowed his head.

At that moment, the gates of the Blue Dragon Academy finally began to open.

Creak……!

Mae Geulryeom, standing like a gatekeeper in front of the main gate, asked the applicants to remain quiet and orderly as they entered.

The young man, who had been watching the applicants enter the Blue Dragon Academy, also stood up.

“It’s about to start. If we’re late, the old man Nogunsang will nag, so let’s go.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

The young man left the inn with his hands behind his back.

Namgung Su followed him respectfully, a step behind.

“By the way, I remember you said your students are also taking the entrance exam. One of them is from the main family, right?”

“You won’t be disappointed.”

“Hehe. Yes. It must be.”

Namgung Su bowed his head, looking at the sword swaying at the young man’s waist.

The two characters ‘Changcheon’ (蒼天) were clearly engraved on the scabbard.

In the martial world, only one person could possess that sword.

* * *

“First, I would like to thank all of you for taking the entrance exam for our academy.”

Nogunsang, standing on the podium, looked around at the applicants who filled the grand martial hall.

Excitement, fear, the desire to become stronger, and dreams of the future sparkled in their eyes.

Just seeing the young faces of the martial world filled Nogunsang with satisfaction.

However, he had no intention of ignoring reality.

“People say that the Blue Dragon Academy is the weakest among the Five Great Academies. Indeed, we have not been able to escape the lowest rank in the Heavenly Martial Competition for ten years.”

[Director! What are you saying!]

The vice-director sent a mental message to stop him from lowering the morale of the applicants.

Indeed, the applicants’ expressions were not good.

However, Nogunsang continued without hesitation.

“This is our current position. Some of you may have wanted to go to the White Tiger Academy or the Vermilion Bird Academy but applied here due to practical reasons.”

Nogunsang’s keen senses did not miss the flinches of those who were caught off guard.

Record number of applicants.

It sounded good, but it also meant that the threshold for the Blue Dragon Academy had lowered.

Nogunsang’s demeanor changed.

“But this year will be different.”

Thud!

As Nogunsang stomped his foot, a powerful aura spread out from him in all directions.

The applicants felt their hair stand on end from the overwhelming presence. The nervous applicants swallowed hard.

“The Blue Dragon Academy is not a second choice for those who lack the ability to apply to the White Tiger Academy or the Vermilion Bird Academy. If you came here with such a complacent attitude, you will regret it.”

Nogunsang looked down at the students below with a sharp gaze.

Most of them avoided his eyes, but a few met his gaze boldly.

‘This year, it might be worth looking forward to.’

There were advantages to having many applicants.

Though only a handful, there were some promising gems.

Nogunsang looked up at the distant instructors.

Baisulung was also looking at him.

“This year, the Blue Dragon Academy will be different. We will achieve a different result in the Heavenly Martial Competition. I, Nogunsang of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin, promise this!”

Nogunsang’s bombshell declaration left the instructors speechless.

“Yes, yes?”

“Isn’t it a bit sudden……”

What were they supposed to do now that the director had made such a statement?

Especially with the nickname Thousand-Armed Guanyin, once a renowned Great Martial Artist!

Amidst the confusion, Baisulung smiled and gave Nogunsang a thumbs-up.

‘Well done.’

Though not a mental message, it felt like he had heard those words.

Nogunsang chuckled, meeting Baisulung’s gaze.

‘You can’t even say you’ll win. You have to be realistic, don’t you?’

He didn’t have much attachment to the nickname Thousand-Armed Guanyin.

If it could inspire the students and instructors, he didn’t mind being embarrassed later.

Nogunsang looked around at the applicants again and said,

“So, I hope you will give it your all. Those who came here thinking the entrance exam would be easy will soon have to pack their bags!”

“Yes!”

“Understood!”

“I will keep it in mind!”

Fortunately, his message seemed to have hit home.

The applicants’ expressions were now even more fired up.

Nogunsang had prepared his speech for the applicants up to this point.

However, he had one more surprise in store.

“Before we begin the entrance exam for the Blue Dragon Academy, I would like to introduce a distinguished guest who will join us as a special examiner today.”

Special examiner?

The applicants looked puzzled, having never heard of such a position.

Thud. Thud.

As Nogunsang stepped back from the podium, the young man who had been sitting at the back walked forward with his hands behind his back.

“I have heard the story of Thousand-Armed Guanyin. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone with such presence.”

That guy?

The young man looked to be in his mid-twenties at most.

It was impossible for him to speak so informally to Nogunsang, who was over seventy.

……Unless there was one possible explanation.

“Surely……?”

“That person is……”

The more perceptive ones looked at the young man and Namgung Su, who stood respectfully behind him, with shock.

He didn’t look much like Nogunsang, but his aura and demeanor were similar.

There was a sense of familiarity that came from practitioners of the same martial arts lineage.

At that moment, the young man smiled gently and spoke.

“I am known by the humble nickname Changcheon Jianwang, and my name is Namgung Jihak.”

The moment the young man revealed his nickname and name, the grand martial hall erupted into chaos.

“Changcheon Jianwang!”

“T, Ten Honors!”

“My goodness……”

Changcheon Jianwang (蒼天劍王) Namgung Jihak.

One of the Ten Honors (十尊), the ten strongest martial artists in the current martial world.

A hero who had played a significant role in the collapse of the Blood Sect fifty years ago when the Martial Alliance took action.

Changcheon Jianwang at the Blue Dragon Academy!

“Hehe. I don’t know what to do with such a warm welcome. However, I don’t want to cause a commotion as a guest, so please remain quiet for a moment.”

His low voice carried an irresistible power, and the applicants, overwhelmed by his presence, fell silent as if by magic.

“I have been invited by the Blue Dragon Academy’s director to be here today. I will serve as a special examiner for the day and join you all.”

Namgung Jihak was also a distinguished instructor at the Heavenly Martial Academy.

Students would even compete in martial arts to attend his occasional classes.

In other words, he was the best of the best among guest instructors.

Namgung Jihak smiled and concluded,

“I wish you all good fortune in your martial arts. Show me all your skills without leaving any regrets.”

The applicants’ enthusiasm soared higher than ever.

* * *

“You are incredibly popular. I should have let you handle it from the start.”

“They are still young students. The title of Ten Honors works on them.”

Nogunsang looked at Namgung Jihak with a hint of envy, and Namgung Jihak laughed heartily.

They were martial artists and friends from the same era.

In their youth, they often met to spar and drink together.

Though they didn’t see each other as frequently as before, they remained close friends.

“I invited you, but I didn’t expect you to come. Aren’t you busy with the Heavenly Martial Academy?”

“What do I have to be busy about? The young ones in the family take care of everything.”

The Namgung family, known as the First Sword Family, had always produced many instructors for the Five Great Academies.

Namgung Jihak was at the pinnacle of that lineage.

“I had been thinking of visiting the Blue Dragon Academy someday. It just so happened that I received a message from you after a long time.”

“Thank you. Thanks to you, the students’ morale has greatly improved.”

The two men looked towards the grand martial hall where the entrance exam had just begun.

“Haaa!”

“Yah!”

The applicants, divided into twelve groups, were undergoing tests of external skills, internal skills, and physical strength under the supervision of the instructors.

Nogunsang smiled contentedly at the loud shouts of effort echoing from all around.

“This year’s Blue Dragon Academy is different. You will be surprised.”

“Hmm. I hope so.”

Namgung Jihak, who was smiling leisurely, seemed to be in a good mood.

Nogunsang suggested,

“You don’t believe me. How about a bet? I bet you’ll be surprised.”

“What makes you so confident? Fine. What will we bet?”

“At my age, what else is there to bet on but alcohol?”

Namgung Jihak laughed and nodded.

Namgung Jihak’s standards, accustomed to the students of the Heavenly Martial Academy, were very high.

The skills of the Blue Dragon Academy applicants, far below his standards, would not impress him.

‘The top student here would be just an average one at the Heavenly Martial Academy.’

Though he didn’t say it to avoid hurting Nogunsang’s pride, he had already assessed the applicants’ levels.

The Blue Dragon Academy would struggle in the Heavenly Martial Competition this year as well.

Just as Namgung Jihak was looking around the grand martial hall with a relaxed mind,

“Applicant number 85 of group 12!”

“Yes! I’m here!”

A bold old man stepped forward, catching his attention.

Wearing a snow-white martial uniform and a hero’s band tied around his forehead, he stood out even among the older applicants.

Namgung Jihak felt a sense of familiarity with his face.

‘Where have I seen him before……?’

At that moment, the old man performed a graceful bow and shouted,

“I am Gongson Sura, a graduate of the first class of the White Dragon Hall. I look forward to your guidance!”

At that moment, Namgung Jihak involuntarily stood up from his seat.

“Why is he here!”

Changcheon Jianwang, who had just lost the bet, was taken aback.