Book 4 Chapter 10

White Tigers, out of sight, out of mind

The world is full of accidents and coincidences.

Often, it evolves out of necessity.

No, it's the

It may be the most fundamental law of all.

Today, the entire cast had a half-dozen reasons to curse the heavens. If there was a God of Fate, I wanted to grab him by the cuffs and whine to him.

First of all, why do their classes and hers end at the same time? Secondly, why did their paths have to overlap in the middle of the day, even though it was good that they ended at the same time? If they went back on different paths, it would add something to the story. Then, thirdly, why did she recognize them from a long way away when they were crossing paths? Couldn't she have pretended not to see them? And lastly, why did that bastard show up at the same place where they and their big brother Bi Ryuyeon were together? To make matters worse, the bastard was not only clueless, but also had a nasty temper.

"Ho, ho, who are you, aren't you one of those guys who are all the rage these days?"

The voice was that of Dan Dafeng, an iron sword flying member of the White Tiger Clan whom they all knew very well. He had always been on very bad terms with them. After taking a glance at Bi Ryuyeon, who was surrounded by the Zhu Jia Clan, he asked.

"But who's the kid with him?"

At that moment, one of Bi Ryuyeon's sword blades twitched lightly. Zhu Zhaodan instinctively sensed something strange about her. He had a bad feeling about this, so he wasn't in the mood to answer his question right now. He only wanted to shut him up.

"I don't need to know. I'm under no obligation to tell you. Will you leave me alone?"

They were a bunch of guys who wanted to get rid of the maple that was trying to touch the powder keg as soon as possible.

Their cold response irritated Maple. He was deeply offended that the members of the Zhu Clan had treated him so coldly. The gaze of the White Tiger, who had been usurped from his position by the Zhu Zichen, was cold enough to send a chill through the air, and every time he looked at them, regardless of the type of food he had eaten that day, his mouth turned sour.

So it was no wonder that Dan Dafeng, a member of the white tiger troupe and a member of the divination school, looked at Bi Ryuyeon, who was stuck between the members of the main troupe, with disdain. It was all the will of the heavens that she could not learn without a word from him, and so she did something reckless in the end. Judging Bi Ryuyeon to be nothing more than an insignificant brat in the main cast was a mistake that could easily rank first among his many lifetime mistakes. The advice of his friend Kang Hyun-chu, a young swordsman next to him, fell on deaf ears, unable to penetrate the protective shield he had put around his ears.

"Hmph, nowadays, it seems that the only way to improve your skills is with a groveling waist, slimy palms, and a tongue that never stops spinning. It's a pity that this brat, who just joined this year, can't focus on cultivation and is instead preoccupied with flattery."

The words "first-grade brat" and "flatterer" in Dandanfeng's words, which conveyed twelve percent purity and twelve percent hostility, were strangely offensive to Bi Ryuyeon's ears. Bi Ryuyeon's judgment was twisted.

Of course, the members of the Zhu Jiajia Troupe, who knew Dan Dafeng well, were horrified when they realized that the arrow of his criticism was aimed at their master, Bi Ryuyeon. He had no intention of messing with Bi Ryuyeon, who was as formidable as their master during their training camp. At Dan Dafeng's recklessness, the members of the Zhu Jia Clan cursed nonstop.

It's okay to stir the hornet's nest, light the powder keg, and dig my own grave, but why make them spit sparks on themselves? Why not just keep it to themselves?

Ryuyeon looked closely at the hostile person who had poured out so many accusatory words against him. What caught his eye was the white tiger embroidered on the young man's right sleeve. Bi Ryuyeon had often seen a similar kind of embroidery on the sleeves of his disciples: the sleeves of his students. That must be the same kind of embroidered Zhu Jiaxu on the sleeves of his disciples.

However, Bi Ryuyeon's observant gaze toward Dandanfeng seemed to offend him. He thought she was staring at him. There wasn't a single thing about his entanglement with Zhu Jiaxuan that pleased him.

"How dare you glare at my heavenly face, you insolent bastard!"

The members of the Zhu Jia Clan's complexions turned even paler. Given the personality of the big brother, Bi Ryuyeon, who had only just met them but seemed to have split their master in two, it was unlikely that this would end quietly. They couldn't help but wonder why this bastard was so oblivious to people and would make things difficult for everyone. While the members of the troupe couldn't do anything about the situation, Noh Hak quickly stepped in to take control of the situation.

"You're going too far, and that's coming from a guy who goes after women up their asses, and I highly doubt you have the right to say that."

The sneering tone of his voice immediately aroused Dandanfeng's anger. The old man's words were like pouring oil on a burning house.

"Shut up! Don't compare Na Yerin Sojae, the Ice Queen, to any other woman, that's an insult to her."

Despite being a year and a half his junior, Dan Dafeng called Na Yerin "sir". Even if he could tolerate everything else (which was doubtful), he couldn't tolerate an insult to him. He was a member of the Bingfeng Movie Guard, and one of the eight most senior officers.

"Chet, you're claiming to be a member of the Bingbong Movie Guard, how ridiculous."

The only one of them who could say this much about Na Yerin was Sangge Linghak, for among the men of the Zhu Jia Clan, Na Yerin had a devoted following.

"What?"

He was ready to challenge her to a duel. It was a good thing he hadn't drawn his sword and called for blood.

"Wait!"

Watching them flirt from the sidelines, Bi Ryuyeon interrupted their conversation.

"What is it?"

Maple looked at him, not bothering to hide her unpleasant judgment. At first, Bi Ryuyeon was going to ignore it, but then he reconsidered. The name Na Yerin had caught his ear. Moreover, the opponent's skill level was at the Sixth Sword Dragon realm. It was the right time and the right opponent.

"What's your name?"

"I don't have an unworthy name to give you."

Dan Dafeng shot a disdainful glance at Bi Ryuyeon's face. I guess this is what they call earning your keep.

"That asshole has the unfortunate name of Dandanpung."

Dan Dafeng was puzzled by the fact that the old man would pay her such respect, but he quickly forgot about it. She pored over the list of challengers in the hundreds of dueling letters that had been sent to her.

Dan Daofeng, Iron Sword Dragon of the Point Chang Sect, a member of the Ice Peak Movie Guard. Naturally, Dan Dafeng's name was on the list of duel applicants. There wasn't a single member of the Bingfeng Movie Guard who hadn't sent him a duel request. Some of them were so enthusiastic that they had already sent him a dozen applications for dueling. Their enthusiasm and diligence should be commended, but Bi Ryuyeon's laziness quickly trampled over them and tossed them into the trash. He had ignored their requests for a duel simply because it was too much trouble.

However, the school rules forbid bimu, so she couldn't blame Bi Ryuyeon for ignoring her request for an unofficial duel. There was only one legitimate place for a bimu duel: the promotion examination center. But there was a catch, and it was the hopeless fact that she had to apply first.

Dandanfeng was decided to be the sacrifice for Bi Ryuyeon's promotion test after he made a mistake with his mouth.

"I've heard your unique perspective, and I'll get back to you on that in a moment, so stay tuned."

Bi Ryuyeon smiled her trademark dark, inscrutable smile.

First the Blue Dragon Clan, now the White Tiger Clan. Bi Ryuyeon resolved that she would not be surprised if the next time they tried to argue with her, she would not be surprised. Instead of being surprised, she was inwardly reminding herself to be more assertive.

The next day, all the students in the second dormitory, Daohonkan, could hear a man's laughter echoing through the building in the morning.

"Hahahahahaha!"

It was Dan Dafeng of the White Tiger Clan who burst into laughter when he received the document, a document that had made Dan Dafeng uncomfortable with the judging, and that had blown away the unpleasantness of yesterday's encounter with the Zhu Jia Clan. The scroll in his hand was an unmistakable application for noncombat. However, it was a legitimate application for a promotion, and the applicant was, to his surprise, a Bi Ryuyeon that could be torn to pieces and eaten.

"At last, the honor of revenge has come to me, and if I can defeat him, my command of the Protectorate will be solidified, and no one will see me as a fool, and his eyes will change a little. Hahahahahahaha!"

Unaware of the miserable future that awaited him, Dandapoong drank kimchi soup without thinking about who would give him rice cakes, and his bellowing never stopped until the noise from the next room caused him to complain.

"You're looking forward to the next one.

Bi Ryuyeon's words had come true in just one day. Dan Daofeng had accepted her unexpected request for a promotion test early in the morning. Inwardly, he sharpened his blade of revenge. Now she had a chance to restore his honor with her own hands. How many would look upon her with a mixture of envy and envy. The restoration of her honor was something everyone hoped for. But even now, months after the events, she was still not prepared for the ending.

In order for Bi Ryuyeon to participate in the Samsung Festival, she needed to be a Five Sword Dragon or higher, and in order to qualify, she had to take a promotion test. To do so, she needed an opponent. The existence of an opponent was indispensable, as the promotion examination was originally conducted through an unofficial test against someone with a higher sword dragon rank than herself.

The rules of the promotion test were simple. To move up a rank in the hierarchy, you had to fight and defeat two opponents of that rank or draw even for at least three hundred seconds, meaning that to become a Three-Sword Dragon, you had to fight and defeat two opponents of the Three-Sword Dragon or draw even for three hundred seconds.

This means that Bi Ryuyeon, who has no rank, would need a large number of opponents, more than ten in all, to advance to the Five Sword Dragon. Luckily, she was able to save herself the trouble of fighting each rank one by one. There was a rule that allowed her to skip a grade if she was good enough, which meant that she only needed to find two opponents to complete the test. Bi Ryuyeon didn't have to scramble to find a challenge opponent.

After the incident at the Yunxiang Pavilion, Bi Ryuyeon's locker was filled with dueling papers and unarmed weapons every day. All she had to do was weed out the ones she didn't like and start the promotion examination. There were plenty of opponents to choose from, so there was no problem with choosing non-martial opponents. Rather, the problem was that there were so many that I couldn't decide who to pick.

In the meantime, it was the Iron Sword Beast Dan Daifeng who had caught Bi Ryuyeon's eye. She couldn't let him get away with calling her a child. As soon as she returned to her dormitory, she sent Dan Dafeng an application for promotion. It was obviously reckless for a first grader who was only at the base level of the One Sword Dragon to suddenly skip five steps to challenge the Sixth Sword Dragon. However, Bi Ryuyeon had chosen to fight the Sixth Sword Dragon Dantian Feng without any hesitation. His second opponent was Kang Hyun-chu, a Spiritual Sword of the Mountain Sect who was with him today. In his case, he'd gotten into an unnecessary firefight with Dan Daofeng. This was a very uncharacteristic behavior for someone who hates to be bothered.

In fact, it was Bi Ryuyeon who had defeated the Seven Sword Dragon Wei Zichen in a single day. This much could be said to be natural.

When word spread that Bi Ryuyeon was preparing for a promotion examination in preparation for the Samsung Festival, the number of unarmed swords in his locker doubled. The examination hall was a favorite venue for legitimate duels, and this was a golden opportunity for the followers of Bing Bai Peak Na Yerin, who viewed Bi Ryuyeon as an enemy of Heaven and Earth or a public enemy of the Martial Arts. The sheer number of applicants made it difficult for Bi Ryuyeon, the party leader, to make a decision. There were so many applicants that it was difficult to decide who to choose.

He thought about it for a while, put his conclusion on hold, and finally came to a decision. His decision was surprisingly simple. At first, he was going to fight the strongest of the challengers. It seemed like the least hassle. This was Bi Ryuyeon, who was naturally lazy and pathologically averse to being bothered.

As I sifted through the piles of unarmored weapons, I saw no more than a Seven Sword Dragon, perhaps because they were paying attention to the situation, and the largest was a Six Sword Dragon. However, even the Sixth Sword Dragon was no slouch. Even though the Seven Sword Dragon, Wei Zichen, was far from perfect, he was still able to master the Sword River, and that alone was remarkable, which meant that those of the Sixth Sword Dragon were just as good, if not better, than Wei Zichen. But that wasn't part of Bi Ryuyeon's considerations.

To the chagrin of those who had sent in their bimu invitations, Bi Ryuyeon, who had chosen her two bimu opponents by blind draw, had arbitrarily set a date for the bimu on the same day and at the same time because it was too inconvenient, and was about to submit her documents to the panel of judges at the Sword Dragon Temple's Seungryong Inn who were in charge of the promotion examination, when a worthy opponent appeared in front of her. If it weren't for what happened after the kung fu class, the two people who were selected with their eyes closed would have been Bi Ryuyeon's opponents, but not anymore.

Their opponents, of course, were Dan Dafeng and his men from the White Tiger Clan. Now they would be sacrificed on the altar for Bi Ryuyeon's promotion. As someone once said, reality is cruel and unusual. The rain date was around noon in three days.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Hyo-Ryong asked in a worried voice, he too had grown tired of Bi Liu-Yan's recklessness.

"What, are you worried about something?"

Like it's no one else's business, said Bi Ryuyeon.

"Do you think I'm not worried about you now? Are you out of your mind, proclaiming that you're going to take on two Six-Sword Dragon masters on the same day and at the same time?"

"Of course!"

"I can't believe it, do you have any idea what kind of skill you have with your Sixth Sword Dragon?"

"Well?"

As for the relative value of Murim, he was out of the loop.

"A core cadre of a sect. That's the level of a peak adept. Do you really know this?"

Hyo-Ryong said, looking fed up.

"Me neither. I think your decision seems a bit reckless, too. Their skills are truly frightening."

Jang Hong stood beside him, his discerning eye already knowing that Bi Ryuyeon possessed unusual skill, but this seemed too reckless.

"Well, I don't know what it means to be a core cadre of that one sect, but I'm guessing it's around the level of a Seven Sword Dragon, and they can spray sword steel."

Hyo-Ryong, Jang Hong, and Yun Jun-Ho's complexions were colored with disbelief. They didn't understand Bi Ryuyeon's thought process. They could only wonder what kind of illness could cause her liver to grow so large.

"You think your kendo stick is some kind of child's play, and you're telling me that you went into your promotion exam with a straight face? Do you know what that means?"

"Don't worry, don't worry. It'll be over soon enough. Don't make a big deal out of nothing……. You guys can easily handle those guys, why are you doing this to me?"

Bi Ryuyeon's casual, nonchalant tone made Jang Hong and Hyorong feel hot inside, but they didn't let it show. Cold sweat trickled down their cheeks.

"Seriously…… can we really be that good? Haha! You're giving us too much credit. I'll be mad if anyone hears this……."

"Don't waste your time worrying about useless things, worry about something else."

"What?"

"Like a promotion banquet, for example. I'm sure you're more interested in that. I'm looking forward to this, too. You don't think I'm going to beat up a friend who just took a hard test, do you?"

She spoke with a subtle tone and was very eloquent. I didn't think I'd be able to fight her anymore.

"You really can't help yourself. I lost. Good luck with that."

"Of course I will, don't worry."

She reassured her friends, but they were not reassured. They hadn't seen the real her yet, and their worries were justified.

The Nine Orthodox Societies, including the Sword Marriage Society, which is rooted in the old schools of thought, almost exclusively use the traditional weapons of sword, sword, and spear. More than half of them are swords. It's no exaggeration to say that almost all of them use swords. Even the divination school, which claims to be all about spearmanship, uses swords. It is said that arcane spear techniques are not passed on to disciples. Everything else is done with a sword. On the other hand, the Eight Great Segas and other schools are based on a wide variety of weapons, with almost as many schools as there are members. As a result, there are many different schools and martial arts. However, there is no one right or wrong way to characterize them, as they all have some common ground.

Gu Zhenghui was not the only one who wanted Mo Yonghui. There was another organization that was just as hungry for him as the Guzheng Society, and that was the Guzheng Society's arch-enemy and biggest rival, the Gunung Palgah Society. While Kujunghoe was trying to keep Mo Yong-hwi out, Gunwoongpalgae was actively trying to recruit him. It was obvious that Mo Yonghui would be a tremendous force in the upcoming Samsung Empire.

In the beginning, I thought that since Mo Yonghui was a scion of the Mo Yong family, which is one of the most powerful families in the Eight Great Families, he would immediately join the Warrior Family Association, without a second thought. However, when I opened the lid, I realized that this was not the case.

For some reason, Mo Yonghui was reluctant to join the military academy. It wasn't easy to convince him. It was very difficult to determine whether he was expressing that he didn't want to be unnecessarily involved in the faction war, or whether he had other intentions. However, Mo Yonghui's name was already too big for him to escape by remaining neutral in the faction war. He was already inescapable.

In the central conference room of the Warriors' Palace, located within the Dao Bai Hall, the twelve leaders of the Warriors' Palace were gathered and exchanging ideas. Leading the meeting was Tian Qilong, a member of the Heavenly Mighty Dragon, also known as Ji Nang. His dignified and noble demeanor was such that the depths of his scholarship on the One God were said to be immeasurable, he was also known as the bottomless pit (bottomless, deep, endless wisdom).

"I'm sure you've all heard the rumors that have been swirling around the halls lately, and it's gotten to the point where I don't know anyone."

Dan Mok-woo, the organizer of the meeting, spoke first.

"You mean the one where Mo Yonghui of the Seven Festivals Divine Sword declared victory in the Samsung Sword Festival?"

Dang Chul-pyo of the Sichuan Dang family, who had just answered Dan Mok-woo's question, was no stranger to this fact. He was also a first cousin of Dang Chul-young of the Zhu Jiajia Dan. His father was the second-in-command of the Sachendang family, and he was Dang Cheol-young's paternal grandfather.

"Yes, of course, that's what I'm doing."

"Do you think that's possible?"

Tang Chul-pyo was not convinced. He was still only in the first grade.

"Well, just to give you my short thoughts, I don't think Mo Yonghui has the ability to do that yet, but……."

Dan Mok-woo deliberately dragged his horse.

"What is it?"

"I think the heir to the Sword Saint Mo Yongzheng has the ability to do that, so I can't rule it out."

Like Baek Moo-young of Hyungsan Diary, Dan Mok-woo is very much in favor of Mo Yong-hui's potential. It would be foolish to demean or underestimate an opponent's skills just because of their age.

"Then how does the military intend to handle this sword battle, is Mo Yonghui going to be on our side?"

"We shouldn't do that," he said, "we'd be giving the Chinese New Year's Society a good laugh if we started infighting when our combined efforts weren't enough."

This year, it would not be enough to steal the championship from Samsung. Moreover, this time, they had a plan to focus on the most vulnerable part of the game, the Sword Holy War. There was no way they could afford to disperse their forces.

"So what do you think the military is going to do about this? We can't just leave him there, can we? He's kind of up in the air right now."

"Don't worry. No matter what, he's a figure on our side. We all know that he's absolutely incompatible with Gu Zhenghua, but with his proclamation of victory, even the head of Gu Zhenghua is distraught right now. The more I think about it, the more ridiculous it is, hahaha."

It was a cool laugh, intended to change the mood of the meeting. But it didn't ease their worries. They still had some pretty serious concerns.

"But we must not forget one person. We have him on our side."

Everyone's complexion darkened at Tang Chul-pyo's words. After all, they couldn't forget about him and think about this Samsung sword battle.

"I see, he's definitely going to be in this sword battle, what's the military's take?"

"Then you must be referring to the Three-Sword Heavenly Dragon Blueprint, right?"

"Of course, who else but him!"

They all answered in unison. It was the name of a single person that raised a curtain of anxiety in their minds.

"I can't say for sure, either. I doubt he'll be able to defeat the Celestial Dragon Trident Blade Qing Shui, as I don't know his true strength yet."

Even the Heavenly Qi Dragon Dantian called Zi Nang didn't seem to be able to make a rash judgment when it came to Qing Shui. The presence of the Earth Dragon Bai Muyoung, one of the twin walls of the Nine Walls, could be blocked by him, but there wasn't a single person in the Warriors' Palace who was capable of blocking and suppressing the Blue Cloud of the Non-Celestial Dragon Trident Sword, the center of their martial power. Everyone had to admit that they were all somewhat inferior to him, and this year, someone who was capable of blocking the Trident Sword Blue Cloud had finally entered the Heavenly Martial Academy. Dan Moxue's expectations for Mo Yonghui were great, and he could not afford to neglect him.

"Honestly, defeating the great Celestial Dragon Blue Cloud with a sword is too much for someone who is only in the first grade. But that doesn't mean we can't give up, right? What can we do now that we don't have a sage?"

A vacant leadership position has always been unsettling for an organization.

"It is true that the Chief is currently absent, and I have already mentioned that I am acting Chief while he is undergoing his closure training. I look forward to your close cooperation."

I couldn't disagree with him more.

"Of course, our best bet is to get Mo Yonghui to join our faction, and even if he refuses, he's a member of the Eight Great Families anyway, so it won't be too far off. Let's ask Senior Mo Yong Tianming to help us."

The color drained from everyone's faces. "If Mo Yonghui's uncle, Mo Yongtian, comes out with the Starlight Illusion Sword, even the stone-faced Mo Yonghui won't be able to learn it without moving.

"I have one more thing to report. There's been a lot of activity from the Nine Elements Society lately, and I've gotten information that they're planning on sending a group to keep Mo Yonghui in check."

Gathering foreign intelligence was the job of Dahng Ho-chu, who had never neglected this task and was trusted by all.

"That's odd," I thought, "it wouldn't be his cup of tea to take a detour instead of a head-on collision. It's not his cup of tea to even risk being criticized by those around him."

Trickery alone could not win them honor. It was a given, and their difficulties were all the greater for it. Moreover, given Bai Muyoung's defectives, this kind of side-stabbing was not his cup of tea.

"I'm guessing this is an independent move by a lower-level organization, intended to break the ice to some degree, with a warning."

Tian Qilong's point was correct. He was indeed Baek Muyoung's biggest rival in the Hsiangshan Diary, and Zi Nangda of the Gunung Palace.

"When you say the Passing Skills Study Group, aren't you referring to the Yuan Hua Wan, the faction within the Guzheng Society where things are said to be at the top?"

Fang Zhao-young from Hebei's Fang family cried out in alarm, "If they come out, it will be no easy task indeed. The power of two or more people working together was terrifying, and their swordplay was a testament to the fact that one plus one is not two, but three.

"Chet, what's the point of a bunch of ugly guys who are too scared to fight alone and can only attack in packs?"

Qin Wushu of the Guangdong Jing Family, a famously fiery kun master, uttered a curse word. The term "cowardly incompetent who can't do anything on his own" was one of the most popular and beloved insults used by the opposing forces to bash the Passing Skills Research Society, and it had become one of the most unpleasant things to hear, so much so that the moment it was uttered, the Society would jump to its defense. If someone wants to start a big fight with the Yeonsu Hapkuk, all they have to do is say it once to their face. The rest is history.

Of course, it is incorrect to say that the individual is weak, as martial arts is a discipline that studies the power of two or more forces, not just one plus one. However, since the art of passing is not established by the individual alone, such profanity naturally arises. This is not to say that they don't fall flat when dropped as individuals. But what's needed for swearing and name-calling is not rationality, logic, or elegance, but emotion, passion, nervousness, and blatant sensitivity.

"It's not going to be easy when they get there anyway."

The second of the Southern Palace Sega spoke in a worried tone. Just as they were relieved of one worry, another washed over them.

The worried-looking man was also the older brother of Namgung Sang, who was also in the Zhu Jia Dan. His brother had now left the Gunwung Falgae and joined a group called the Silent Society. It was a small group, with only sixteen members, but he seemed to like it better there.

"But I don't think it's Mo Yonghui, the Sevenfold Divine Sword, who would stoop to that level. He wouldn't have earned the name Heir to the Sword for nothing. More than that, what we need to be careful of is that the Guzheng Clan keeps interfering with our contact with Mo Yonghui. Besides……."

"Hmph, what does it matter if he's a sabotaging duke, he's a member of the Eight Great Families anyway. It's only natural for him to join our Eight Great Families, so what more is there to say?"

The short-tempered Qin Musu didn't listen to the words of Jiannang Tian Qilong of the Gunwung Paladins before voicing his opinion. Although straightforward is good, Qin Mu Shui's shortcomings were that he was always on the move and had no patience. His temper was so fierce that he had earned the nickname Crazy Fenggon.

As a result, his form, the Jing'a Wukegong, was as wild and ferocious as a tidal wave, but less precise. Originally, Wushu was a kung fu style that emphasized subtlety over ferocity.

"The more I think about it, the more contradictory it is that the heir to the sword would be in the Daoist Order."

These were the words of the ever-cynical Huang Bo Sega, who, from birth to this moment, had never learned to see the world correctly. His view of the world had always been cynical.

"Our first priority now is to somehow get Mo Yonghui into our military fraternity, and there are some strange rumors floating around the building right now."

"You mean the rumor that Mo Yong-hui joined the Association?"

A member asked.

"Yes, that's exactly right, and I have remained silent on the matter, neither confirming nor denying."

"A Sojae? Given his personality, it's considered impossible."

This was the opinion of the information officer, Dam Hochu, and a light of determination flashed in Dan Mokwoo's eyes as he nodded.

"I don't care if the rumors are true, we can't hand over the precious talents of the Eight Great Families to a third-rate club like the Aesop Society. If the rumors are true, we'll do whatever it takes to bring them back. This time, it's time to wrestle back the glory of Samsung from the Guzheng Society. It's been a decade in the making. If we miss this year, we'll have to wait another three years, and I hope you always remind yourself of that. That concludes today's meeting."

The meeting was finally over. But no one was leaving; they were all now deep in thought. There was still time for Samsung. For now, it was time to wait and see.

It just so happened that Mo Yonghui's promotion review date coincided with Bi Ryuyeon's promotion exam. They took their promotion exams on the same day. Moreover, both were challenges for the Five Sword Dragon and Six Sword Dragon, who had skipped all the intermediate courses.

There was a lot of noise around the room when I realized that the two guys taking the exam on the same day had both skipped the midterm. Most of the voices were critical of their recklessness.

Mo Yonghui's opponent was also selected from among the countless non-martial opponents sent to Bi Ryuyeon. How could Mo Yonghui's opponent have been chosen from among all the non-combatants sent to Bi Ryuyeon? The story goes like this.

Mo Yonghui, who had declared his victory in the sword battle in front of the sword master, was about to take the first step toward promotion, but he had no one to apply to for promotion. His human relationships were very poor, as he was only able to study and practice. When Mo Yonghui was thinking about who to ask for the test, it was Bi Ryuyeon who gave him a clue. For some reason, he thought she was being nice, but she had an agenda.

Bi Ryuyeon spread out dozens of unwritten letters in front of Mo Yonghui's eyes. These were just a few of the many unwritten letters she had received, but sending them or sending curse letters full of malice was still on the polite side of the spectrum. After that day, there were many people on the road who would attack her without warning. It was maddening to be attacked by humans without warning, swinging their swords at you, but you're only as good as you are. She said.

"Okay, pick your least favorite two, and if that bothers you, you can just cast lots."

Mo Yonghui, who was still struggling to find an opponent for his promotion, did as he was told, and so they were matched up. Bi Ryuyeon had the nerve to casually pass on the dueling applications that had been sent to him. None of Mo Yonghui's chosen masters refused to accept his request for a duel, for they all secretly wanted to defeat the so-called genius and make a name for themselves.

When they skipped all the intermediate courses and took the Five Sword Dragon and Six Sword Dragon exams, the comments around them were more about "two arrogant brats" criticizing their arrogance than admiration.

It's exam day. No lectures were scheduled. Ryuyeon and Mo Yonghui weren't too worried about today's test, as they were confident in their abilities. However, as they headed to the examination center called the Sword Dragon Pavilion, two people stood in their way. Both of them were skinny, wearing yellow robes and carrying identical swords, and their aura was almost twin-like.

"Are you the Seven Deadly Divine Sword Mo Yonghui?"

Apparently, it was Mo Yonghui who had to go.

"What's the matter, you have all these customers who want to see you?"

Bi Ryuyeon spoke up. But the guests in the cove didn't seem to have good intentions.

"I am the mockery. Do you have any business with me?"

Mo Yonghui replied in a blunt but polite manner, neither of them had ever met Mo Yonghui before. They stepped out in unison, as if they were one body. Their movements didn't just happen. It was a highly cultivated, two-body unity skillful movement.

"Don't bother. You're just annoying me. If you're as great as you say you are, let's have a fight!"

The sharp-eyed man standing to my right exclaimed.

"The author is a former student of the K'un-Lun Sect, an old master of the K'un-Lun One Sword. He is the eldest of the Kunlun Twin Swords."

Jang Hong was the first to recognize his identity.

"Someone knows us."

The old man said in surprise. He hadn't expected a first-grade brat to know his identity.

"That doesn't change anything."

The lanky swordsman on the left was the younger of the Kunlun twins, Chaiha. As the name implies, they were not blood brothers, but they were closer than blood brothers, for the unusual training techniques they had mastered made them closer than twins.

"I do not cross swords lightly, and besides, I have an exam appointment right now, so I cannot accept your request."

Mo Yonghui politely declined.

"Is he scared?"

The younger brother, Chae Ha-kun, spat out the words as if they were stuck in his mouth. It was a clear provocation, and he wasn't about to let it get to him. The discipline he'd cultivated over the years wasn't that shallow.

"Private unarmed combat is clearly prohibited by school rules. I will not violate that rule by engaging in unannounced, unscheduled combat. Please return."

It's clearly written in the rules, but it's also one of the least followed in practice.

"Such a coward, grandson of the Sword Saint Mo Yongzheng, that a passing dog would laugh at you. Isn't that right, big brother!"

Chu Ha looked at the old man sarcastically. However, he quickly turned his head away. Suddenly, a stabbing sensation rose from Mo Yonghui's entire body. Tension traveled up his spine and instantly flowed into his mind.

The name of the sword surname was not something that the Kunlun Sword Sect dared to touch, and it was also the easiest trick to shake up the cool and calm Mo Yongyu.

"How dare you speak such words? If you can't even distinguish between what should be said and what shouldn't be said, what right do you have to stay here in the Academy of Heaven?"

It was a weak but powerful voice, a voice that overpowered his opponent. It was the kind of power you wouldn't expect from a first grader.

"Shut up, then show me the proof."

As if Chu Hao's words were a signal, the brothers of the Kunlun Twin Swords charged toward Mo Yonghui. The attack was a masterstroke. Judging from their aura and behavior, he had already guessed it, but now that the duel had begun, Mo Yonghui didn't dare to neglect their sword techniques. The countless changes in the sword pole swept over Mo Yonghui's entire body like a tidal wave. It was as if his body was trapped within countless blades.

"Two-handed wall sword!"

Jang Hong exclaimed in astonishment. He had finally recognized the type of swordsmanship that the Kunlun Twin Swords practiced: the Kunlun Sect's sacred and free training swordsmanship, which was said to be most powerful when practiced by two people. Moreover, theirs was a more powerful version of the Yang Merging Wall Sword, which had been refined and enhanced through research by the Passing Technique Research Institute. Cold sweat broke out on Jang Hong's hands as he watched. He was worried about Mo Yonghui's safety.

"Win, Whee. Crush that shit!"

Amidst the heavy tension filling the room, only Bi Ryuyeon was cheering for Mo Yong-hui at the top of her lungs like a child.

Indeed, their training is perfect, as is the talent of the Passing Skills Research Society, which is said to be unrivaled in the art of passing. Individually, they might not be a match for Mo Yonghui, but together, they were a force to be reckoned with, even for a genius.

"Boom!"

Like a two-man sword examination, Chu Hao's sword pole sliced through Mo Yonghui's shoulder blade while the old man's sword bound Mo Yonghui's sword, aiming for the gap. His blood spurted.

"Ouch!"

"Oops!"

Both Hyorong and Jang Hong's mouths burst out in alarm at the same time. They hadn't expected him to give up his shoulder so easily. Fortunately, the wound didn't seem to be deep.

"Why don't you just get down on your knees and admit defeat outright? You don't even have to move your sword anymore……."

Taking advantage of the momentary respite to catch their breath, his younger brother, Chu Hao, said with a frown. But there was still no sign of defeat in Mo Yonghui's eyes, his pupils as clear and calm as an abyssal lake.

Mo Yonghui held his sword at a halt and straightened it in the center of his body.

"I'm going to get real with you now, so be careful."

The warning was heeded, but it fell on deaf ears, as the two swords felt they had the upper hand. The three swords began to work together again. The atmosphere in the hall grew more and more tense as the sword light rained down.

Focused on the growing tension in the room, Hyo-Ryong didn't notice another presence approaching his back.

"That's really good swordplay."

Hyorong's gaze flickered back to the being that had come to his side. Hyorong's eyes were instantly drawn to Yi Chai.

"Woman?

There, a young girl stood with a pair of twin swords on her back. She was Iinsul.

He caught his breath and attacked again, his kunlun twin sword's cultivation being as exquisite as a cog in a wheel. Mo Yonghui didn't dare to underestimate him, either, and he was being pushed back and back, and with each passing moment, the bleeding from the wound on his left shoulder increased.

But who is Mo Yonghui? Rather than being the grandson of the Heavenly Martial Saint Mo Yongzheng, he was more famous as the heir apparent than his brothers. The star sign of the Seven Day Divine Sword that had been vibrating in the air since before he entered the academy was not something he had put on without any effort. His sword had begun to change from defensive to offensive.

"It's a perfect swordplay, isn't it?"

This was Lee Jin Seol's observation of Mo Yong Hwi's sword technique, and she is now seeking Hyo Ryong's approval of her views.

"That's right. Even though the Heavenly Martial Academy is said to have a lot of dragonflight talents, there probably aren't many who can wield a sword technique as exquisite as mine."

As she expected, Hyo-Ryong agreed.

"I don't think I could pull off a sword move like that, strong yet soft, fast yet smooth."

That was her honest sentiment. Mo Yonghui's sword was flawless in its speed, timing, change of focus, and distribution of power.

"The same could be said for myself. But Sojae's ability to recognize his swordsmanship isn't out of the ordinary. You've had a lot of practice."

"Ho-ho, thank you, it's very flattering to hear that from someone who wields the same twin swords."

"If so, I can do that one more time, would you like me to do that one more time?"

Hyo-ryong smiled. It was a charming smile that drew people in, and at his words, Lee Jin-sul simply smiled back.

Once Mo Yonghui's sword was turned into an offense, the Kunlun Twin Swords were unable to hide their defeat. It was unlikely that the tide of battle could be turned once more, said Hyorong after seeing it.

"I think it's time to call it a day."

Hyorong's prediction was correct. Mo Yonghui's eyes lit up as if he had no intention of delaying any longer, and his sword was unsheathed.

The Third Form of the Galactic Meteor Sword Technique, the Galactic Starlight!

Mo Yonghui's sword was bathed in a dazzling white light, and stars like the Milky Way burst out from within it, and it was over. The Kunlun Twin Swords took five steps backwards and could only stare in disbelief. Mo Yonghui's sword had finally broken their formation. There was no way they had the willpower to fight anymore now that their sword formation had been completely destroyed.

"Bam!"

As Mo Yonghui was catching his breath after defeating the enemy, he heard a sudden clapping sound. Judging from the thin, clear sound, it was clearly coming from the woman's cobblestone cornucopia.

"Woman? Who?

Mo Yonghui had yet to date a woman since joining the Heavenly Martial Academy. However, Mo Yonghui was the center of attention of all the women's associations in the Tianjia Clan and beyond, and he was busy rejecting letters of introduction every day. Even among his fellow Innkeepers, he could only recognize a few faces, so there was no way he knew any women.

Mo Yonghui looked at Lee Jinseol's face and realized that he remembered seeing her in the same classroom.

"It was flawless swordplay, so flawless that I can't think of anything else but admiration."

Lee Jin-sul said with a bright smile on his face. It was a bright, healthy smile, and Mo Yonghui instantly recognized the little girl in front of him as a fellow student in the music class. He couldn't remember her name.

"Thank you."

The answer was uncharacteristically blunt.

"That guy is so cold……."

Hyo-ryong, who had given Mo Yong-hwi a pinzan, asked Lee Jin-sul. He had a feeling that he shouldn't have left it to his icy friend.

"If you don't mind my asking, would you mind if Sojae knew your name?"

"Ho-ho-ho, excuse me, girls are binary."

"Alas, you must be Zhang Zhongjiajie of Zhu Yi Yi, a master of twin swordsmanship who is renowned for his twin sword jinjutsu. It is an honor to meet you."

"Ho-ho-ho, flattering, I don't think that's the first time we've ever shared a common statement."

Lee Jin-sul was quite open and cheerful for a Murim lady, and that's what makes her so enjoyable to be around.

"I see. Shaoxing is the Hyorong of the Taiyin Sword Gate, and he's not a very good swordsman."

Hyo-ryong quickly introduced himself.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, but by the looks of those fancy twin swords on your back, you're definitely not a nobody."

A bright smile spread across her face, like a thousand flowers in full bloom. Seeing her smile, Hyorong's heart was instantly cheerful.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm running late for an exam."

Mo Yonghui coldly turned away, citing the pressing need for time. He had lost too much time in his unscheduled fight with the Kunlun Twin Swords. Then, he actually turned around without delay.

"What a blunt person."

Lee Jin Seol never lost her smile in the face of Mo Yong Hwi's constant coldness, and his dismissive attitude toward her made Hyo Ryong feel a little bad.

"Don't worry, I'll scold you later."

It was Hyo-ryong, who shouted loudly because he was in front of a woman.

"Ho-ho-ho, you're a lot of fun, but don't you have to go?"

Lee Jin-sul let out a short sigh and pointed to Hyo-ryong's back, where Mo Yong-hui and Bi Ryuyeon were already far away. They were really in a hurry now. They couldn't afford to take care of the flirting Hyorong.

"I'll be sure to teach him that it's an undeserved honor to receive such praise from this young Sojae, so let's get to……."

With those last words, Hyo-Ryong also flew off and began to chase after Mo Yong-Hui and Bi Liu-Yan.

Mo Yonghui and Bi Ryuyeon barely made it in time for their exams after scrambling. If they missed today's test, they might have to give up their promotion for the time being.

His left shoulder was bleeding from the fight with the Kunlun twin swords, and the only first aid he had was a few points of pressure and a cloth wrap.

His first opponent was the swordsman Wu Wenzhong from the Hyung San Sect. When he saw Mo Yonghui's wound, he asked.

"Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"No problem."

Mo Yonghui replied firmly.

"I don't want to be told that I won by persecuting a wounded man."

He was a dignified man, a man with a high sense of pride.

"Don't worry. I mean, I'm in charge."

Still, Mo Yonghui's will was as firm as a steel pillar. It was unlikely that he would change his mind.

According to Mo Yong-hui, Oh Moon-hyung didn't have to worry. Against everyone's expectations that Mo Yonghui would be at a disadvantage due to his injury, the match ended in a surprisingly refreshing manner. The blood vessels in his left shoulder had been blocked due to blood loss, and he couldn't feel his left arm normally, so Mo Yonghui tried to play fast and loose with all his might.

Mo Yonghui, unashamedly the heir to Sword Castle, led the charge throughout the battle. His reddened left shoulder didn't seem to hinder him at all. After Mo Yonghui's sword shone brightly three times and scattered stars three times, Oh Wenhyung admitted his defeat. Instead of suffering a setback due to his injury, the dance ended with Mo Yonghui's victory. This was indeed a great divine position, worthy of the exclamation, "Seven Absolute Divine Swords.

The second opponent was Zhang Daiping from Chen Wongbo, and his fight was even easier than the first. He wielded a wave saber and lasted about thirty seconds under Mo Yonghui's sword before admitting defeat after his blade fell off like a sawtooth. He hadn't even managed to unleash a single proper attack in all that time, and he could only admit defeat to himself.

The two bouts went in Mo Yonghui's favor, and with that, he earned the title of Five Sword Dragon.

Unlike Mo Yonghui, who was able to win the match quickly, Bi Ryuyeon was wrong again. The five-eyed sword dragon and the six-eyed sword dragon were two completely different people. In the first game, Dan Dafeng was gnashing his teeth at him. However, up until this point, Dan Dafeng hadn't realized that the child who had been with the Zhu Jia Clan before was the same person as Bi Ryuyeon, the Ice Peak Guard's greatest enemy.

"You…… you!"

Seeing Bi Ryuyeon again in the Sword Dragon Pavilion, Dan Dafeng's eyes popped out of his head, for this was none other than the same man who had given him a slap on the wrist just a few days ago for hanging out with the Zhu Jia Clan.

"Why are you so surprised, it's not like we've never met before and there's nothing to be shy about?"

Bi Ryuyeon said, smiling brightly.

"Kid, how did your…… get here?"

Dan Dae-poong still didn't understand the situation and called Bi Ryuyeon a "brat".

"You're out of your mind, how can you not even recognize the face of the person who promised to meet with you today, aren't you sick?"

"This…… can't be……. You're the one……."

Dandanfeng was stunned by what he was facing.

"Should I say it's great to see you again, or should I say this is fate?"

"Cough, cough! It's a good thing you're the same guy who's going to rip me to shreds. I won't have to get my hands dirty twice. Thank you for saving me the trouble."

From the moment he realized that the two were the same person, Dan Dafeng felt his anger and murderous intent toward Bi Ryuyeon intensify tenfold.

"Koo-koo, I guess we'll get to see it today anyway."

Unperturbed by his deepening anger and thickened flesh, Bi Ryuyeon chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you really a white tiger or just a white fox?"

Dantai Feng's face flushed at Bi Ryuyeon's sour mockery. He almost admired the brazenness and steel of her face as she smirked in the face of a man who had devised thirty-six ways to kill him in the most horrific way possible. Inwardly, he cringed, and her smile seemed ominous, a moment when his untrained sixth sense was put to good use. But he didn't realize that he had touched something he shouldn't have, because he couldn't control himself in the rush of life that was now surging through him.