Book 4 Chapter 4

The Yeomdo woes begin

In the meantime, we're excited to announce that we've just launched the

The cast members, who nearly got burned on the way home from the show, were able to use the

We were gathered together to socialize.

Their friendship and bond in life and death is a testament to the

It was unrivaled, deep and hard.

Their friendship had been cemented through their training on Amishan, which was horrifying to think about, and it had been further tempered by their harrowing survival of the attack by the greenery creatures on their way home from the academy. Their friendship, crystallized as hard as diamond, was now impervious to all external influences. They were now each other's most trusted confidants here at the Heavenly Martial Academy.

The mood of the apprentices was jovial, as they had no idea that the incarnation of their master, the one they so despised and feared, was in their midst. If they were to learn that their master, and the embodiment of his existence, was breathing the same air as them, and eating the same rice from the same cooker, they would be stunned to death. The mood would instantly change one hundred and eighty degrees, from cheerful to burning.

Anyway, ignorance is bliss, and now they were euphoric. Now they were under the serious illusion that what happened on Mount Ima was just a memory. No matter how hard and painful it was, the past was just a piece of memory. Now they had changed enough to casually bring it up and make it a topic of conversation on the tea table.

"Gongsang, do you remember that time?"

As usual, it was Hyun-woon who spoke up, calling his friend Namgung-sang that way. Work meant one thing to them then.

"Of course I remember. It's a memory I'll never forget…and it's a memory I'll never forget……."

"I remember you running up to the top of the mountain because you couldn't fan a single piece of firewood."

Namgung Sang looked down at the ink ring on his wrist with a bitter smile.

"This guy couldn't have been that heavy back then……."

"I thought my shoulder was going to fall off."

Hyun-woon agreed with Namgung-sang's sentiments. Back then, the bracelet had been as heavy and cumbersome as a sinner's shackles, but now, even when he wore it like this, he didn't feel much weight.

"Is this what you call the fruits of your labor?"

Dang Chul-young, who was listening to the story from the side, waved his arm and said.

"It wasn't until I arrived at the academy and spent the night that I realized that this is what happiness looks like… After washing the scent of blood off my body in a warm bath and sleeping on a fluffy bed for the night, I woke up in the morning to the sound of a quiet bell, and realized that this is what happiness looks like."

Hyun-woon was still reminiscing about the incident.

"You're right, I'm still wondering how we got through that hell."

"I'll never do that again."

"I still have nightmares about him coming to my door unannounced."

"Hey, old man, that dream of yours must have been a terrifying nightmare. What do you think, do you think you'll still have it today?"

"Come on, buddy, don't say that, even in jest. I don't want to have that nightmare again."

The old man wrapped both hands around his shoulders and whined. Everyone laughed at his generosity, unaware that it would soon become a reality. And it was that ignorance that was making them happy right now. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

"I had a lot of help with my diet back then from a very hard-working Southern Palace Sojae."

Hyun-woon said, taking a bite out of a neatly quartered apple slice on the refreshment table. It was an unimaginable delicacy at the time. In addition, the rice and side dishes were burnt due to his clumsy workmanship at the beginning, and his stomach was rumbling.

"What did I do, you guys did the hard work."

Yes, in those days we had to forage for our own food. I scoured the mountains to gather wild herbs and hunted game all over the place with my shackled feet. All the master could provide was rice and a few spices for cooking.

"I'm here in the valley washing clothes with Tang Wen Hye, and I got caught gossiping about Master and got drowned in the valley water. Right?"

Dan Carpenter looked at Tang Wenhye and asked for her consent. Tang Wenyoung nodded.

"Who'd have thought he'd just stand there with his back to the wall and not make a sound. He just shoved it right through without even acknowledging it."

We all have three or four stories from our amino acid days.

"Is this as good as it gets?"

"Why are you crossing me again?"

Palace Master Namgungsang looked at Hyun-woon, who was speaking in an uncharacteristically foul-mouthed manner.

"You flip, I'll flip. I was merely praising your ability to capture the heart of the only one of us, little Gene Sojae. It was indeed a starry night."

It was an uncharacteristic sneer. This was indeed a man who had mastered the art of love in the Hsinchu First Dao, and everyone here knew what kind of night it was. Nan Gongsheng and Qin Ling's faces had turned as bright red as Hong Shi. They were still two very shy people, and the fun of teasing them was too much to resist.

"Humph, don't keep teasing me like that."

Namgungsang said with a straight face, and everyone burst into laughter.

"Hahahahahaha!"

The lid had not yet been lifted from the box containing the deadly poison that would kill the masterminds, and it remained on standby, waiting to be opened at any moment. It was the last supper in the calm before the storm. It was the last warmth of happiness. The laughter of the unknowing members of the cast filled the room, echoing crystal clear.

The members of the Zhu Jiajia Clan were overjoyed, unaware that the person they despised the most was right next to them. After returning to the academy, they were able to defeat the White Tiger and Shenmu Clan in one fell swoop, and even the Blue Dragon Clan, although not overwhelmingly, was tied with them, so their stock was rising day by day. Their name and reputation had also risen higher and higher, and now no one in the academy looked down on them, and they were even secretly embraced. How could they not be pleased?

What Chu Ho doesn't realize is that the dreams, pleasures, and happiness they enjoy now are fleeting, like a midsummer night's dream. They had not yet believed in the wildness of the heavens. But the heavens are even wilder and crueler than they expected.

It had already been a minute since he had opened the door and stepped inside, and he was surprised that he hadn't sensed the other man's presence. He wondered if there was a person in Gangho whose presence had eluded his senses for so long.

Yeomdo hesitantly drew his Crimson Spirit and swung it. A blazing, flaming crimson blade sliced through the room. It wasn't a full-blown strike, but it didn't do much more than damage a few items in the room. The heat swept through the living room, sending acrid smoke billowing from the innocent wooden furniture. But the sensation of flesh and bone was sadly absent.

"Sylphanga?

Yeomdo chided herself in a tiny voice that resonated only in her own mind.

'Alas, my Sword Qi seems to have lost much of its finesse and ambition. What a failure……. I wonder if I could have succeeded if I had used the Transparent Salt Jade Slash?

Yeomdo reflected on the reasons for the failure. I knew I needed to work on my discipline.

"Is this a new way of hospitality these days? I'm a little overwhelmed by your enthusiastic welcome, although it's nice to be warm……."

The enthusiastic reception was about to turn from warmth to fire. From a place far beyond the room, hidden by thick smoke, came the voice of an uninvited guest. Unfazed by the unexpected surprise, the echoing voice belonged to someone he knew all too well. The owner of the voice, the one he didn't want to hear, was Bi Ryuyeon.

"Except for uninvited guests."

Yeomdo spat out bluntly.

Apparently, Yidao's punch earlier was a special courtesy for uninvited guests, and it was so powerful that it would have stunned most uninvited guests to the bone. In fact, he'd known it was Bi Ryuyeon Yan from the moment he'd sensed her presence. There was no way he couldn't sense that she was pretending to be his master.

But it was true that she was an uninvited guest. He didn't tell her that the list of uninvited guests in his head had Bi Ryuyeon's name at the top, along with Binggum Guan Chulsu's. It was his personal judgment that it was unnecessary to reveal such a thing and cause unnecessary scrutiny.

It was also the kind of attitude that simply dismissed it as a failure and nothing to be ashamed of. Of course, he would have been more than happy if he had succeeded.

The identity of the uninvited visitor was revealed by the moonlight streaming in through the window. Yidou's face crumpled in a pleasing manner. Even though he already knew the identity of the other person was Bi Ryuyeon, who hadn't appeared in front of him for several days and had done a great deal to improve his appetite, there was still quite a difference in seeing her with his own eyes.

Bi Ryuyeon raised her hand in greeting.

"Hello, disciple."

The Yeomdo of the water made Chimi lose control of her tantrum, and she drew her mourning spell and almost wielded it. But with a great deal of patience, she managed to resist the urge. This was because she wasn't sure if her surprise swipe would cut Bi Ryuyeon in two. He gritted his teeth, wishing he'd given it a try, even if there was only a one in seven chance. He was keenly aware of his increasing patience, perseverance, tenacity, and strength, but he was not at all pleased with the increase in his emotional abilities, for it meant that he was becoming less like himself.

"You look like you're not happy to see me, and wouldn't it be a little tacky and shabby if I didn't bring some joy and excitement to the occasion?"

Bi Ryuyeon said, smiling wryly.

"How can you be happy about that?"

Lately, he'd been going back and forth between whether the person he hated the most in this world was the ice sword Kwan Cheol-soo, or the fake master Bi Ryuyeon, who was a fraud and an imposter. Three months ago, he had been able to call out Guan Xuexiu's name without hesitation, no matter who asked, but these days, he was not so sure. His animosity towards her was great.

"But wouldn't it be good for your reputation to be happy?"

It was a strange tone of voice.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Nope. I'm just saying that good is good."

Bi Ryuyeon was just smiling humanely. Yun Do was more uneasy about it.

"What's going on……?"

Yeomdo asked bluntly.

He resented the fact that he was becoming more and more comfortable with the honorifics these days, to the point where he wanted to rip his tongue out…….

"I just have a quick favor to ask."

"Please?"

He was certainly disturbed by the out-of-the-blue request. But he clearly realized that he was not in a position to refuse, and neither was Bi Ryuyeon Yan, who would simply say, "Oh, well, then I can't do it." What kind of a human being would he be to accept such an outright refusal? It's not even remotely possible.

"It's a very, very simple, straightforward, easy request."

With a suspicious smile that could never be trusted, Bi Ryuyeon said. That ominous smile made Yun Do feel uneasy inwardly, but he didn't let it show.

'Let us not be agitated. You know very well that I am not a man to be visited without cause.'

Repeating this to himself, he calmed himself. He resented the fact that he had no choice but to grant this self-proclaimed master's request.

"So, what's it about?"

"Oh, I just need you to babysit some kids."

"Children?"

Yeomdo gave her a puzzled look. No, I'm not a nanny, so what kind of children are these?

"Yeah, kids, they're just kids who haven't grown up yet."

Bi Ryuyeon smiled broadly. Judging by the meaning behind that ominous smile, his request was anything but simple.

Inside the vast, grand hall. An elderly man was seated on a throne curiously embossed with a dragon's peak, which now resembled a pylon.

The owner of an uncommon prayer that overwhelmed everyone. The man who appeared to be only in his middle forties, but had already surpassed 120 tax revenues, was none other than the Iron Fist Mazinger of the Heavenly Martial Academy, the head of the Heavenly Martial Academy, who oversaw all the affairs of the Heavenly Martial Academy, one of the Hundred and Two Great Powers.

Three things have happened this year that have delighted and surprised the martial artist. Three unexpected developments-or rather, not one of them-had occurred at once. For the Heavenly Pavilion and the Baekdao Sect, it was enough to cause a grand celebration with a lot of fanfare.

The first of these was the remarkable improvement of Zhu Jiaxuan. Their delayed return to the academy had caused much concern to the Heavenly Pavilion leadership, but their improvement in martial arts skills upon their return was enough to dispel any worries they might have had. They had literally been transformed into something remarkable.

When he first came face-to-face with the returning members of the Master's Company, he was overwhelmed with wonder at the unfamiliarity of the newcomers, and he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Iron Fist Qin Nosa for teaching them. Although the gratitude was misdirected, and Qin Nao, once known as Qin Zhao Yun, now resides in the heavens, so it is unknown if he received the proper thanks, the Heavenly Martial Artist Iron Fist Mazinger could hardly be blamed if he were not a deity.

When they reunited, they were transformed into super-powered masters who could compete with the Blue Dragon Clan, the strongest of the Reaper Clan, and Mazinger could only jump for joy at their improvement.

The second surprise was his appointment to the rank of Master of the Heavenly Martial Academy of the Sword. This came as a surprise and a shock to no one. No one could have imagined that Feng Shui, who was known to be extremely reluctant to socialize, would voluntarily offer himself for the position. His surprise was heightened by the fact that it was so out of character for a man who hated to belong to anything. Of course, Mazinger agreed to accept his appointment at once.

It's a complaint. It's a great place to start, and it's a great place to end. ……. There was no reason for him to refuse, as it was something to be welcomed with open arms and enthusiasm. He accepted all the terms and conditions and welcomed Yin as the Musabu of the Heavenly Academy.

The Academy of Heavenly Arts was a collection of techniques that were beyond the reach of most masters. With the current manpower shortage, they were in desperate need of one more peak master to take on the role of teacher. The current number of people was not enough. That's why even now, countless messengers from the Celestial Academy were scouring the deep mountain valleys of the Martial River Lake to recruit a new director.

However, it was an unexpected windfall when a supreme peak master of the caliber of Yidou, who was not expected due to his temper, announced his intention to join. At first, Guan Zhu himself had thought that Nie Hai, who had come with a message from Yidou, had lost his mind for a moment and was playing a joke on him.

And the third was the entry of a young man who had already caused a stir even before his entry, and his name was Mo Yonghui, the Sword of the Seven Festivals. At the age of just a few years old, he had already become known as the heir to Sword Saint, one of the three Heavenly Martial Kings. Naturally, his interest as the head of the Heavenly Martial Hall was extremely high. The nature of the Heavenly Martial Academy required one exceptional genius rather than dozens of mediocre ones.

But it was already a tentative decision, so it wasn't as surprising and pleasing as the first two. It was just as pleasing, albeit with less of a shocking flavor. Because of these three things, the Tianmu Academy would become even better. As he pondered the events that had transpired, Mazinger received a visitor.

Unexpectedly, the visitor was the one who had brought him one of his three joys: Yeomdo. When the visitor's identity was revealed, the complexion of the Minister of War, Binggum Guan Chulsu, who had entered the great hall to report, suddenly crumpled like a failed painter's canvas. The unexpected arrival of the person he most disliked on his routine reporting trip could not have been a good thing for his mood. He didn't like the presence of the only person who could have a negative effect on his mood swings, Yidou. But he didn't mind being in Guan Zhu's presence. Unlike her, he could control his emotions with reason, and he was proud of it. Like Myung-ho, Guan Chul was always calm and cool at all times and in all places, but in front of one person, he was as cold as ice, and his reasoning was not working properly.

"Hello, Kwak Nosa. What can I do for you?"

Guanzhou Maginot greeted him with a friendly smile. His complexion, which had been lightly curtseying in return, crumpled more than twice as harshly at the sight of Ice Sword Guan Chulsu. It was as if he hadn't expected that bastard to be there. If he had, he would never have come in.

"I'm very curious to know what winds have blown today to bring Mr. Kwok Nosa here."

As unexpected as today's visit was, I was equally curious.

"I have come to your lordship with a favor to ask."

"Really? I'm wondering what kind of favor Mr. Kwok Nosa came to see me for personally."

A puzzled look crossed Bing's face at the awkwardness of the request. Regardless of his extreme dislike (bordering on hatred) for the man, his cold rational mind knew that he was not the kind of person to ask for a favor.

"A favor? A favor from a guy who hates to lose and hates to bow his head? How big a favor is he trying to ask?

Suddenly, a curiosity rose from the depths of his mind to ask for a favor out of the blue.

"It's not particularly difficult, it's just one thing."

"Really? What do you mean?"

Mazinger was willing to do whatever I asked, no matter what. The Yeomdo was well worth it (though I'm sure I'm too lazy to recognize it).

"I'd like you to give me the lead."

"You mean the main crew?"

A mixture of surprise and astonishment flashed across Tian Guanzhu's face, which quickly turned to joy.

"Well, that's the first thing I'd ask you to do with both hands, and I don't even mean that as a favor. I mean, you're the one who should be asking."

Guanzhou Mazinger was overjoyed when Yin Dao asked him to lead the troupe. It was something he'd wanted to do since he'd seen their talent and promise, and he'd wanted to ask them to do it first. But the possibilities were so few and far between that it was unthinkable.

"How can a guy who won't take on disciples because he's a pain in the ass be in charge of the main crew, seriously?

And an unexpected emotion in Bing'er's heart, one that she hadn't even recognized, had risen up without her permission and leapt out of her mouth before she could even recognize it. The name of that emotion was called competitiveness, or competitive spirit.

"Then I'll take the Blue Dragon."

The unexpectedness of the proposal caused Yin and Mazinga to stare at him in awe. They wondered if he really meant what he said.

The will to take charge of the Jujak Dan was not his own; he would never have volunteered for such a troublesome task. It was Bi Ryuyeon's. He was not happy that his students, the Zhu Jia Clan, had lost to the Blue Dragon Clan. He didn't need the praise of others. He could not tolerate the idea that his students were equal to others, even if the result was the development of the Zhuang Clan that had shocked everyone.

He decided that Zhu Zhaodan still needed a great deal of bloody discipline, and sent him away without consulting him. It was not yet time for him to go out on his own. He also tentatively decided that Yaldo would be enough, and that he could stay behind to help if needed.

Salty had been forced into a job he didn't want to do, and he wasn't very motivated to do it. But that was just a moment ago. From the moment Binggum, who didn't know the full story, offered to lead the Blue Dragon Order against Yindo, Yindo's motivation, which was like an ember in frozen ashes, was ignited like a hot, active volcano. As long as the Ice Sword was a competitor, it would never be favorable. No matter what it took, Yeomdo was determined to help the Zhu Clan defeat the Blue Dragon Clan, and a fierce competitive spirit surged through his heart.

Meanwhile, Binggum's unexpected offer caught Mazinger off guard. He hadn't expected Binggum to volunteer for the job. But he had no reason to refuse.

"That's another surprising offer, are you serious?"

Just to be sure, Mazinger asked. He couldn't resist asking again, even though he knew better than anyone that once a word is spoken, it is kept no matter what.

"That sounds like fun!"

Startled by the sudden sound of voices behind their backs, Yidao and Iceblade turned around. They scrutinized their opponents, wary of how they had gotten so close to them.

"Welcome."

It was Bing'er who first recognized the other man and gave him a bow. His greeting was extremely polite, as befits his high rank in the Ministry.

"Why is that ice bucket so polite?

Yeomdo rushed through me, wondering what kind of person he was to be so polite when his neck was frozen to the bone.

"Hehe, be polite. This old man is always in good health, and labor and management know it. If you continue to be greeted like that every day, you'll grow old faster. Too much politeness leads to rudeness."

A fresh-faced old man smiled from ear to ear. An extraordinary aura of untouchability flowed through the old man's body like water.

A strange, soul-crushing pressure. There were very few people who could put that kind of pressure on him. Yeomdo knew who they were, and as much as he hated to admit it, it meant that his opponent was beyond his wildest imagination.

"Hehehe, time won't dare to dampen Senior Gongson's spirits."

It was Guanzhou Mazinger who laughed and said, "You're right. This suggests that an old man like Xin Xin was of such a high status that he could receive an engineering degree from the Guanzhou Magistrate.

Suddenly, even the clueless Yeomdo knew who the old man was, and he was surprised.

"No wonder he's so polite!

As a fellow swordsman on the same path, the courtesy of the ice sword was a tribute to Mu Mu, who had attained a higher dao before him.

Sword Honored. A supreme sword master who is revered as one of the four great sword gods alongside the Sword Saint Mo Yongzheng, his swordsmanship is said to have reached the peak of the Divine Sutra. He is the current head of the Heavenly Martial Academy's Senate, as well as the Academy's top counselor and advisor, and not even the main Iron Fist Mage of the Heavenly Martial Academy dared to disregard his presence. He was also the only person in the Celestial Academy who was not subject to the interference of the Guan State.

For once, Yeomdo, who was widely regarded as a stiff-necked man, was quick to say yes. Gumzon's politeness was well deserved.

"I've heard a lot of honorific pronouns. This is Yeomdo Gwakga."

The polite gaze shifted to Yaldo. His face didn't hold the same smile as it had a moment ago.

"This old man has heard of Old Man Guo's renowned sword, the Fire Spirit Flame Heavenly Demon Sword. But it was said that he despised swordsmen, and I was very sorry to hear that."

Yidou's face flushed with embarrassment. Usually, whenever he was angry, he would slander people who used swords, saying that they were weak. Hearing such words from a sword master of such a high caliber that he dared not belittle, even the most temperamental Yeomdo couldn't help but blush. However, his opponent was too good for him to let his temper get the better of him.

Politeness was no longer a part of the conversation.

"Do you mean what you say?"

Swordzone Gong Gongyi replied in a sharp tone, "No one would dare to speak falsehoods in front of him.

"Of course. If Elder Guo is in charge of the Zhu Jia Clan, I'll be in charge of the Qinglong Clan, that way we can make it work."

"Hmm, I think you're still at a disadvantage, but why don't we bring in one more?"

Kwan Chul-soo didn't bat an eyelid at the poisonous thorns, but he had an immense sense of pride that he was better than her. If it were Yin Do, he'd be furious.

"Don't you think I'm the one who should be saying that, not you? I'm not sure when you've ever beaten me."

The ice sword had touched the worst of his wounds, wounds that still hadn't healed after twenty years.

"What, are you done talking?"

Salty as he was, he couldn't afford to be disrespectful in front of such a prestigious and authoritative figure. The Iron Fist Magistrate was the ultimate master that even they had to bow down to. Not just anyone could become an official of the Heavenly Martial Academy, one of the two great powers of the Hundred Islands Martial Kingdom. It took a person of great skill, character, experience, and resourcefulness.

There was even a gumshoe politeness. I had to swallow my anger.

"I'm sure you both know what it means to be a full-time teacher."

Mazinger spoke up quickly, trying to stem the tide of bad blood. Both Yeomdo and Ice Sword nodded in affirmation. Of course, they both knew exactly what that meant. It meant that they would become their parents. They would be responsible for all of their future endeavors.

"Then I'm going to ask the two of you for a favor."

"I am a witness!"

Sword Master Gong Zhen was there to witness. It was sure to be an exciting event to watch, as two of the strongest martial artists in the world, Yeomdo and Ice Sword, pitted their carefully trained disciples against each other.

Yan Dao, Guan Quan, and Swordsman Gongzong left, leaving Mazinger alone in the great hall. Once he was sure no one was around, he spoke.

"So, are you doing what you're supposed to be doing?"

"Yes, my lord. All is well so far."

The voice came from within the insignia behind Tessa.

Who would dare to have a conversation behind the back of the Heavenly Martial Hall's Iron Fist Maginot without revealing himself. From that alone, it was easy to tell that the other party's identity was not normal.

"You're doing a great job with your surveillance."

"You're being flattering. You deserve it."

The voice from behind the curtain was polite. Even though he didn't show it, I could tell that he hadn't lost his manners.

"So, what about the kids, did you have any that you could use?"

"Yes, it is indeed true that Mo Yonghui is a military expert, and seeing him in person proves that the rumors about him are not false."

Mazinga burst out laughing at the praise.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh. I have high hopes for him."

Mo's induction was one of his favorite things to happen this year, and it's no wonder he's so excited.

"And…… another one……."

The man in the insignia trailed off. A face flashed through the man's mind, but he quickly shook his head.

"Why but, is there another dragonborn that has impressed you?"

"Oh…… no, we're not sure yet, we'll report back later."

"I see you're not one to mess with your eyes, and I'm looking forward to it."

"I'm sorry."

For a moment, I felt a sense of déjà vu because my expectations of this person were likely to end in disappointment, and a sense of regret that I hadn't spoken up.

"By the way, do you see anything suspicious in the building?"

"Yes, I'm not seeing it yet."

"Be careful. We've been getting reports of strange goings-on at the castle tower lately. Ganja's presence is a yearly occurrence. He must be out there somewhere."

Even the Heavenly Martial Academy had been infiltrating the Ganja. When two sides are locked in a tedious confrontation, such as the current situation in Murim, the most important thing is to gather information. Under such circumstances, it is impossible not to use the most effective factor infiltration. There was no way they wouldn't send it, and history had proven it. This game of hide-and-seek was an annual event, but one that could never be neglected. The role of the man behind the curtain was to be a pawn in the search for Ganja.

"Always be careful not to reveal your identity. Confidentiality must be a priority in surveillance."

I know I'm not the kind of person to forget that, but Mazinger reminded me once again.

"Fuck!"

With a final clarion call, the popular pretense behind the insignia vanished. Heavenly Martial Master Mazinga quietly buried himself in his robe and muttered to himself.

"Be careful, Hong (紅)……."

The entire Heavenly Martial Academy, as well as the members of the main troupe who were now the center of attention from the martial artists, looked at the man standing before them with eyes filled with a variety of different emotions. The man who had declared himself their dedicated master, the man who had proven his credentials with the terrifying aura emanating from his entire body, was Yeomdo.

Zhu Zhaodan recognized the man standing before him as soon as he saw him. No matter how vast the Martial Realm was, and no matter how many cultivators there were, none of them were as distinctive as the man in front of them.

Judging by the tension in their bodies, all of the members of the main cast were encouraged by the prospect of learning martial arts from Yan Dao, the most famous of the five great martial artists in the world.

"I am about to take over your special tutelage."

After a quick tour of the cast, Yongdo introduced himself. His words were full of power. His voice roared like a lion's roar.

"The disciples see the master."

Sixteen of them saluted in unison, taking a bow. Their example was extreme. Indeed, Yeomdo was unabashedly uncharacteristically prayerful.

"Boys!"

"Yes?"

"One person is too much trouble, try three."

Yan Dao said. His tone was harsh, uncharacteristic of a renowned martial artist.

"Are you serious?"

They were surprised to be asked to leave after a few quick words. But Yeomdo was sincere.

"Look at these guys, do you think I'm going to sit around and joke around with you? I need to know how good you are to determine your future!"

The members of the Zhu Clan were offended by Yin's words. Even though Yeomdo was a master thief of the Five Great Thieves, they felt that it would be too disrespectful to attack the three of them as a group.

"What the hell, I'm not going to do it."

The entire cast snorted at his words. They didn't believe that even a peak Yin Dao master could withstand the attacks of the three of them at the same time. The grueling training at Amishan was no joke.

"Are you sure you don't mind?"

Hyun-woon's words were meant for the elder's safety and health, but they sounded dismissive to Yeom-do.

"Don't make a big deal out of it."

I couldn't say no to being pushed this far.

"Then be careful!"

The first to challenge him were Namgungsang, Hyeonwoon, and Nohak. They surrounded him with their heavenly, earthly, and human defenses.

"So, shall we get started?"

"Sum!"

A terrifying aura radiated from his entire body. A normal person would have been too frightened to move a single step. A shiver ran up the three of their spines.

The members of the Zhu Clan could feel that they were not to be underestimated. Nangong Shang unfurled his family's arcane sword technique, the Hundred Thunder Sword Technique, and swept across his right flank.

"Hundred Thunderbolts!"

A pure white blade rose from the tip, pressing into the Yeomdo. Indeed, his studies at Amisan had not been in vain, for despite his smoothness, there was a strange fleshiness to the tip of the blade.

"That's good!"

But it was only just. Yeomdo playfully swung the Red Spirit in his right hand, and the White Sword Qi was nowhere to be found.

Taking advantage of the time when Yeomin's superiority was being used for other things, Hyun-woon wielded the Songmun Go Sword from the left, spraying sword Qi.

"Nine Palace Ring!"

As if nothing else would do, he unleashed the Gu Gung Ying, which is considered the strongest arcane sword art outside of the Taijiquan, at full strength. Nine streaks of blue sword qi pressed in three times in quick succession, and Old Hak, who had been waiting for the right moment to strike with the blue bamboo spear in his hand - the so-called Tagu Feng - joined in.

"Lianyungua (連手連華)!"

A change too big for a dog to catch occurred at the tip of the batting cage, engulfing Yin Do's entire body. Even the Namgung Sang, who had been stunned by the absurdity of the first blow, rejoined the fray.

"Incandescent lightning!"

In the midst of the swirling sword wind, Yeomdo's two eyes emitted an intense light.

The Crimson Seventy-Seven, the Eighth Element, the Sword Qi, the Salt Wind!

"Quack!"

As the three mighty martial arts intertwined in the middle of the room, an enormous explosion of crimson light erupted. A violent shockwave swept through the air with a cloud of dust.

The fight ended with all three men lying in the dirt, covered in body blows. It was a surprisingly refreshing ending. Ever since the battle with Bi Ryuyeon, Yeom-do had never let his guard down in front of his opponent, no matter what. This time was no different. In one fell swoop, she had defeated all three of them with all her heart.

"Not yet. I will definitely and thoroughly remodel you. So that you will never be defeated by others. Hahahaha!"

Looking at the three of them on the ground, he smiled broadly. He'd decided to take out some of the stress on Bi Ryuyeon through the members of the Zhu Jia Troupe. There was no such thing as too much of a good thing when it came to competing with the Ice Sword. He would not be deterred.

Only then did they realize that a second nightmare had come upon them. The sight of them sprawled out on the ground seemed to foreshadow their ominous future.

"Is this the right place?"

The day after the three of them were thrown aside without touching a single hair on Yeomdo's head, Yoon Jun-ho, a mild-mannered young man, went looking for Yeomdo with a letter.

Bi Ryuyeon decided to entrust the volcanic retard Yoon Joon-ho with the job. She thought that the boldness and brashness of Yeomdo would work for the timid Yun Junho. Besides, he would have a much deeper understanding of swordsmanship if he trained with the master swordsmen. It was hard to expect Yun Jun to improve by leaps and bounds as it was; it wasn't impossible for him to do it alone, but if he did, it would take a lot of perseverance to see results. That bothered Bi Ryuyeon more than anything.

So Bi Ryuyeon decided that Yoon Joon-ho needed some drastic medication. To be honest, she just dumped it on Yeom-do out of sheer annoyance.

It was obvious that he wouldn't like Yu Junho, who was trained in swordsmanship, but he wasn't the type to pay attention to that kind of thing. After all, most of the members of the main troupe were swordsmen, and only a few wielded sabers. I could see that he had a bad temper, but I simply shrugged it off.

Armed with only a roughly scribbled note from Bi Ryuyeon, Yun Jun was horrified at what he was about to encounter. It was none other than the famous Flame Incarnation or Fire Spirit Flame Heavenly Demon Sword, which is just a sweet-sounding name for a sword that is more commonly known as the Flaming Dog Chavan or the Flame Demon King.

With trembling hands, Yun Junho accepted Bi Ryuyeon's inspection and crumpled his face into a grim line. Yun Joon-ho felt like crying at the sight of her crumpled up like a hell king. He was grateful that she cared about him, but he didn't need this. It would take some time for him to calm down.

Barely controlling his rising tantrum, Yeomdo glanced at Yoon Joon-ho, who had stiffened with nervousness, and pointed with his chin to where Joo-jak was.

"Yes…… old!"

As if that wasn't enough, Yoon Jun-ho quickly scurried to the side of the group and lined them up. Whether they were overwhelmed by the power of Yeomdo or had learned a lesson from the previous day, the sixteen members of the main cast stood in orderly rows of five and ten. Their ears had been burning with the infamy of the dyeing, and having experienced it for a while, they couldn't help but feel energized.

The cast members all gave the sudden appearance of a first-grader a puzzled glance, but they didn't let it irritate Yeomdo by unleashing a barrage of questions.

"My name is Junho Yoon, and as of today, you will be training under me. That's it."

There was no further explanation. He even unceremoniously deprived Yoon Jun-ho of the opportunity to introduce himself. If he wanted to know more, he'd have to find out by running his own feet and teasing his own mouth in return for his labor. What a hassle and a laborious task.

Once all seventeen of us were seated, he began his reluctant lesson. Naturally, Yoldo's domineering behavior began.

"You're ready for this, right?"

Yeomdo spat out the words like they were being chewed to bits. Yun Junho felt nauseous for no reason.