Book 2 Chapter 14

Find a way no matter what

Nahuahai instinctively rubbed the back of his neck. It was a confirmation procedure.

The careful task of figuring out if your neck is okay.

You are still entitled to the rest of your life.

I was just checking to make sure I wasn't being deprived.

Luckily, his neck was unharmed. Once he realized it was still attached to his body, he breathed a sigh of relief. One of the six brushes in his quill case was nowhere to be seen. He craned his neck to check behind his back, only to find that a brush was embedded in the stone wall, not the bristles, but the quill. With a flick of his fingers, the brush, which he had been fiddling with playfully, had been blown away like the wind and embedded in the stone wall.

With this one move, Later Hai erased from his mind the thought of belittling Bi Ryuyeon. He also blamed himself for his carelessness and disdain. Despite the fact that it was absolutely forbidden to judge an opponent based on their appearance in a stronghold, he had made such a mistake as a member of the intelligence profession.

The next year was a mess. He was unharmed, but a chill ran down his spine, a cold sweat ran down his back like rain, and his clenched fists were covered in sweat. My legs trembled like a shaky aspen tree. There were still five more brushes left in the trough. It was as obvious as fire that if she misaimed, she would go straight to the other world, but alas, mistakes could be made by anyone, and in this world, there was definitely such a thing as a deliberate mistake. Bi Ryuyeon's hand began to fiddle with one of the remaining brushes in the brush barrel again, a smile accompanied only by a light chuckle floating on his face.

"I can't get in, so I have to wait another year?"

Bi Ryuyeon muttered to himself, and began to fiddle roughly with the brush in his hand. The clinking of the brushes echoed loudly, and the sound was enough to pierce Nie Hai's eardrums and chill his heart. As of today, his lifespan seemed to be several months shorter than Fate's measure.

"A year is too long. I can't wait and……. What do I do?"

"……."

"And yet you want me to wait a year!"

"……."

"Puck!"

This time the wind whistled past his left ear. Again, a brush flew out of the brushwell and into the stone wall. Four brushes remained. That was enough to end his life. A faint smile still lingered on her face, but this time she poured herself another cup and began to fiddle with the brushes, distracted by the fact that her gaze was elsewhere. She was about to blow it away without even looking.

This absurdity made Later Hai's liver grow smaller and smaller, and he became even more impatient because he had not yet found a solution. He had to use all his strength to calm his wildly racing heart.

"You know what? I hate waiting, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, and it never happens."

"……."

"But I waited."

"Puck! Puck!"

Two blows rang out simultaneously. Without even looking, he had sent not one, but two brushes flying. Later, when he realized that he had casually committed such a dangerous act that could cost him his life, he became obsessed with the desire to open the lid of Bi Ryuyeon's brain and see what was inside. But since he lacked the strength, ability, and talent to do so, he was forced to abandon his grandiose plans, longing to carry them out in his dreams and simulations. His hands were still twitching, and he was so old that each playful movement of his fingers seemed to shave a year off his life. There was still a lazy smile on his face that was completely out of place in the current situation.

"And I hate it when things don't work out the way I want them to, so I'm kind of a persistent person who, if I ever find myself in that situation, I'm going to try to make it happen, even if it's a little bit of a stretch."

His smiling face was quiet, but his hands were not as quiet as his words. This was very unfortunate for the later years of his life.

"Pfft!"

Again two brushes flew past him and stuck in the stone wall. Now there were no brushes left in the pot. It was sadly empty. All of the brushes had been used by Bi Ryuyeon's hand to increase his chances of success, and there was nothing left. Only when all the brushes in the barrel were gone could Nie Hai breathe a sigh of relief, like a man who has narrowly escaped a life-threatening situation. But his relief was premature.

Even when the paintbrush was empty, Bi Ryuyeon's words didn't end; he was still insistent. As he said, he was a little too persistent.

"You know, I hate it when people tell me I can't do something when I can. You're supposed to make it work. That's your job, isn't it? You can't possibly be so bad that you'd let your customers down, can you? I've come here because you're a reputable place, and I've come here because I know you're a reputable place, and aren't you ashamed of yourself for giving up so easily?"

He vowed to himself that he would hunt down the bastard who had said that to him and bring him to the ends of the earth. Frothy propaganda and hype were meant to advance his own interests and those of his organization, not to be the seeds of his own destruction.

But with that came the premise that in order to fulfill his vow, he must first preserve his own life.

"Ha… but……."

Later, he tried to come up with a lame excuse. Then,

"Boom!"

Bi Ryuyeon's hand, still smiling, slammed down on the brush barrel, and a loud bang rang out.

"Wedgie!"

"Pavak!"

Later, Hai was once again shaken to the core. The cold horror of death washed over him. His mind went blank, and all he could think of was that he must live, that he must not die.

As the brush barrel shattered, each shard was transformed into a terrifying weapon that rained down upon the entirety of the Nautilus. Each one was a terrifyingly deadly weapon, powerful enough to send Nahuahai reeling if it struck at or near the source.

He couldn't stop it, couldn't move. It had happened so quickly that he had no time to react, and could only leave his fate to the heavens. The fragments of the paintbrush barrel, which had been incinerated into sixteen rays of light, narrowly missed Nie Hai's entire body. But the marks of their passage were clearly visible on every inch of his body.

His clothes were tattered, the cord that held his head together was pathetically cut, and his hair was falling out all over the place. But there were no dramatic, life-threatening signs. By a stroke of luck, the Reaper's blade had narrowly missed the back of her neck. Nie Hai breathed a huge sigh of relief that he had survived. It was as if nothing had happened, like a midday dream.

Only the sixteen wounds left on his clothing testified to what had just happened. There was no blood in those marks. Mercifully, the shrapnel arrows had cut only through his fabric, leaving his skin untouched. But even though he was not physically harmed, the psychological impact of the incident was devastating. After breaking out in a cold sweat, he felt as if his life had been cut short by at least a decade.

But even though she had done this, she was smiling cheekily, as if to say, "What did I just do?

"Oops, it's broken, what am I going to do with it?"

"Oh well, that's okay. I'll just buy another one."

Later, Nie Hai forced a smile and opened his mouth to speak. The law is far away and the fist is near, so how dare he protest, even if the rosewood paintbrush barrel was a fine stationery item and he treasured it. It was a waste, but it was not worth his life, so he had no choice but to endure it.

"No, you shouldn't let this happen, you should go to the place where you bought the paintbrush barrel and complain. They're really lousy people to sell such a weak and inferior product as a product. Make sure you get compensated for your damages. tweet… What has happened to common decency in this country……."

Bi Ryuyeon had a pained look on her face, worried about Kang Ho's future.

"Abomination!

Honestly, if anyone deserves to be compensated, it's Bi Ryuyeon himself. The material and psychological damage that had been done to him, and the shortened life expectancy, were impossible to put into money. If life is priceless, he argued, then the amount of money he should be asking for would be impossible to even approximate with his own numerical concepts.

In this state of affairs, Ryuyeon's actions and the icy smile on his face could not have seemed more abominable. He couldn't help but feel that he was shortening the lives of others at will. Of course, even if he wasn't, anyone would feel the same way in this situation.

His plight was enough to win the sympathy and compassion of those around him, but he had to get into the Heavenly Academy by any means necessary, even if it meant burning his feet to the ground. He didn't want to suffer under Bi Ryuyeon's thumb any longer. He couldn't afford to take care of other people's needs like a soldier.

To be afflicted by Bi Ryuyeon was a nuisance, an annoyance, and a shortcut to a shorter life. As a mere mortal living in a stronghold, he didn't have much of an attachment to life, but if he could, he wanted to live and die like a normal person. To do so, he had no choice but to find a solution, even if it meant persecuting Nie Huai.

"So, there's no way around it, even if you die?"

Yoldo said, especially at the end. If it didn't work, he was willing to say so. He was willing enough to do so.

It seems that when people are at the crossroads of life and death, their latent abilities are revealed. As if to prove the mystery of the amazing human body, the later brain sifted through all the experiences, knowledge, and information it had accumulated, and finally found the clue to the situation. In an infinite sea of information, it had grasped the thread of life.

"Oh, no, there is. There is. How could there not be!"

In an urgent voice, the latter replied. If he didn't speak quickly, he would be smashed, and if he didn't speak quickly, he would be smashed, and if he didn't speak quickly, he would be smashed, and if he didn't speak quickly, he would be smashed, and if he didn't speak quickly, he would be smashed.

"Ho-ho, yeah, what is it?"

At his affirmative answer, Bi Ryuyeon's eyes sparkled and came alive. After a moment of studying her complexion, he noticed a gray tinge to his face and spoke cautiously. His question was not about her, but about the Yeomdo.

"Excuse me… but I have a question… do you, Mr. Guo, intend to join the Heavenly Martial Academy as well?"

"Of course!"

Before she could answer, Yeomdo himself answered his question. His words were really short. But maybe this is his way of communicating. Most concise and short!

"I've been meaning to ask, and I see you did. I can't believe it, but the Tianwu Academy Entrance Qualification Regulations strictly limit those entering the academy to those under the age of twenty-five. This is because if you join the academy at an older age, you will be at a disadvantage in many ways, both in terms of your qualifications and your achievements. Of course, it's also clearly stated in the rules of the Ascension Musume: "No one over the age of 25!"

"So?"

A fierce red glow flashed in his eyes. At that glare, Nie Hai felt his body stiffen once more, his throat instinctively tightening. A single glance was enough to stiffen the muscles in his entire body and send a chill down his spine. He could feel the urgency of Yi Yun's intent, which was unmistakable in the red glare of his eyes.

"Yes, that's right… So, I'm sorry to say, but I'm afraid you're definitely not eligible for entry as a Chunqiu."

"So?"

"Yes, that's why Mr. Guo is not allowed to enter the Heavenly Martial Academy, not as an official."

"So?"

Yeomdo's voice grew increasingly stern. Perhaps he was getting annoyed with the way he was rambling on, because listening to his impatient nature and his sarcastic detours was very frustrating and exasperating. As if he understood this state of mind, he continued to ramble on and on with unnecessary words, a frustrating story that was still a long way from reaching a conclusion.

"In Bulcho's humble opinion, a person with the status of Guo Daiqiao doesn't need to enter the Heavenly Martial Academy……."

"So?"

"Boom!"

He slammed his fist down on the floor, a fist the size of a cauldron. The floor caved in instantly, and Fenghai could feel his ass jolt from the shockwave. His gruff voice echoed through the three-square-meter room. He had finally had enough and exploded. A burst of fury erupted from deep within his lungs.

"So what? I must enter the Hall of Heaven and Earth. So answer me one question. Do you have a way in or not? If you do, you will live; if not, you will not be safe."

The tension in the room rose to a crescendo, as if one more word, one more flash of light, and the neck would be separated from the body forever. As far as he could tell, the human, who controlled a third of the information circulating within the South Window, was salty enough. Considering the precedent of the many Greenwood hags who had died in his path, and the many Black Dao schools that had been dismembered for offending him, it would be as simple as drinking a cup of tea after a meal. When his thoughts went that far, the next day, his body shrank into the stance of an ochetouji in fear.

"I'll find a way. No, I found it. There is. A way."

It's hard to believe how one threat can come so easily and so quickly……. But even for a short time, Nahuahua's brain, which is still on a rather extraordinary axis, spun furiously, as if to show what human potential is.

"Tell me."

"Yes, Grandmaster Guo is already over twenty-five years old, so he cannot enter the Heavenly Martial Academy in the normal way, for rules are rules. However, Grandmaster Guo is a member of the Five Great Swordsmen of Heaven, and his reputation in the martial world is high and mighty. It is unspeakable, absurd, and unthinkable that someone with such godlike martial power would enter the Heavenly Martial Academy as a mere student. When the world knows this, how can such a person set foot in the Heavenly Martial Academy as a mere servant, when his martial power is equal to or greater than that of the masters of the Heavenly Martial Academy?"

His tongue ran tirelessly and smoothly, as if it were oiled, and all sorts of platitudes and flattery came out of his mouth. He spoke as if he had a strong iron plate on his face.

"In other words, be a teacher, not a learner, and all your problems will be expunged in an instant."

"How?"

Yeomdo was a bit intrigued by the salivating rant.

"Right now, the Tianmu Academy is suffering from a severe manpower shortage, with an absolute lack of martial artists relative to the number of students. Of course, when compared to other powerful schools, the number of students is enormous, both in quality and quantity, but considering the size of the current Tianmu Academy, the current number of bushido is simply insufficient. The number of students assigned to each martial artist these days is simply too many for a school that was originally intended to train a small number of elite individuals, and for that reason, the school is now up to its neck in recruiting the highest ranks of the Ascension Sect. Even at this very moment, hundreds of messengers from the Heavenly Pavilion (referring to the Heavenly Martial Academy) are wandering around in the various parts of the heavens, searching for Qi Yin masters who are hiding in the Deep Mountain Valley."

Having thus far expounded without pause, he paused to catch his breath from his tireless flattery and rhetoric, and then resumed. Poor Nadonghai could hardly rest, for he was afraid that his temper would explode at any moment. He glanced at her, and she blinked, lost in thought as to what was on her mind. But that didn't stop her from explaining. For some reason, he had an ominous feeling that if he continued to explain, Yin Dao would not remain still. So he continued to explain, encouraging his tired tongue and facial muscles.

"Under these circumstances, if you're an extremely high-level supernumerary of the caliber of Yidou Guo Daihua, the Heavenly Pavilion will welcome you with open arms, and I can guarantee you that, in this later year, with the life of my 30 years in the information trading business."

Nadonghai confidently affirmed this by pounding his chest with his right hand. The image of Nadonghai punching himself in the chest with his right hand shattering his ribs somehow instilled faith in the viewer. Trust is an information trader's greatest weapon. It seemed to prove that his reputation as the best information trader in Nanchang was not just a bluff.

"Furthermore, if you wish to enter the Heavenly Hall as a teacher, that is, as a martial artist, you may do so on any day of the year, twelve months of the year, and on any day of the year. Furthermore, if you become a martial artist in the Heavenly Hall, you will enjoy enormous benefits compared to a student. You'll have your own private quarters in the Heavenly Pavilion, which are far superior to those of a student, and you'll have your own personal attendant. On top of that, you'll be given the privilege of being able to enter and exit any sect's territory within a hundred degrees without interference, in addition to the enormous amount of work and prestige that comes with being a member of the Heavenly Martial Academy. What do you think, my dear?"

"……."

"Hmmm, that's a very interesting suggestion, I'll have fun with that."

He remained silent, and she responded with a smirk. It was the latter who had spoken up, but the answer had come from the former. She couldn't help but wonder. Even though he had no intention of belittling her, he still mistook her for the deciding factor in his actions. Of course, this was a grave mistake, and he didn't realize that the real decision maker here was Bi Ryuyeon, not Yidao, and that Yidao was currently watching Bi Ryuyeon's every move, carefully monitoring the situation.

However, he could not blame the latter for his foolishness. Who in Kang Hao could have guessed that one of the top five thieves in the world, Yin Dao Kwak Young Hee, had been reduced to the position of being watched by a young brat. It was no one's fault.

"But how do I do that?"

Apparently, Bi Ryuyeon had made up her mind to incorporate Yidao into the Heavenly Pavilion, so she asked Nadonghai how to do it. His answer was surprisingly simple. He didn't need to take any exams, he didn't need to be tested, and he didn't even need to interview. He said that his reputation was enough for him to skip all the rigorous procedures and become a Musubu once and for all.

"Yes, if you are of the caliber of Ch'ien Tzu Kwok, you can just show up with your bare body. All you have to do is go there, barefoot and empty-handed, and say one word: 'I have come to become a samurai.' That's all you need to do. No, you don't have to go to the trouble of carrying your body there; I'm here; you two can go to your quarters and make yourself comfortable. I'll take care of everything and post a message at the Heavenly Pavilion, and perhaps someone will come running barefoot from the Heavenly Pavilion, and you can listen to their terms, and if you like the treatment they're offering, you can accept it, and that's the end of the matter: you'll become a martial artist at the Heavenly Pavilion."

In his impatience to send the two scoundrels back as soon as possible, he said that he would be in charge of everything, so he put a noose around his own neck and shackles on his own feet. There's an old saying that if you stay still, you'll get to the middle, but Nadonghai couldn't do that, so he ended up taking on a lot of work that he shouldn't have.

"Really? Then I'm so sorry that……."

'I'm not sorry at all,' she said, smiling brightly. Nahuahai cringed for a moment at this attitude, but he swallowed his frustration and continued to speak with a hospitable smile and conversation.

"Don't feel bad at all, I'm happy to do this for Kwak Daehyup."

"……."

"Okay, good luck then!"

Later, Hai kept asking her about Yeomdo, but the answer always came from her side. This time, too, she answered. They left with these simple words, "Thank you for your work," and left. No, they were going to leave, but they didn't. Why didn't they leave?

They had forgotten something, something very important. So they stopped turning around to go home and pressed back into their seats. The thing they had almost forgotten, the thing that had brought them here in the first place, the very reason and purpose of their visit, was whether or not and how they would be admitted to Bi Ryuyeon's Heavenly Martial Academy. They'd been so concerned with whether or not Yeomdo would be admitted that they'd almost forgotten the most important thing. What a ridiculous way to accompany her. "What a ridiculous companion," said Bi Ryuyeon, fluffing her cushion with the buttocks she didn't want to see again.

"Oh, but what about me? How do I get into the Heavenly Martial Academy?"

"……!"