Book 4 Chapter 8

Mo Yonghui decides to take up the sword dragon position

"I've decided to take the position of the Sword Dragon."

Mo said.

"Really?"

Ryuyeon Bi replied.

"Yeah, I'm not a big fan of the external grading system, but without it, there are a lot of constraints on my learning."

"Isn't there still more to learn? Isn't it enough? What are you going to do with all that you've learned? I haven't even gotten to the point where I can use what I've learned?"

"We're not there yet. We're not there yet."

"Well, you're out of luck. Do as you please."

Mo Yonghui, who hadn't paid much attention to the promotion test at the beginning of the semester, focusing instead on studying and practicing martial arts, felt the need to take it for one reason.

It all started yesterday. As if to show off his insatiable appetite for books, Mo Yonghui, who reads at least six times as many books as anyone else, had once again visited the Library of Heavenly Books. He had read most of the books in the library and was just about to pull out a book he hadn't yet read when he approached a shelf set aside in another corner.

"Wait, no, not the book in there."

"Why?"

The librarian in charge of the Library of Heaven was someone he knew well. Of course, the librarian was not unaware of Mo Yonghui, who came to him day after day, never tiring of his work. However, he had no choice but to restrain Mo Yonghui.

The librarian apologized and explained to Mo Yonghui that he was not allowed to read the books he had reached for, as only those with the status of a Five Sword Dragon or higher were allowed to read them. The librarian apologized and explained his self-imposed restrictions, and Mo Yonghui, who was as fiercely protective of the law as he was of his own flaws, was forced to leave the Tianxue Hall with only a few tattered books.

From what he had heard from the librarian, in addition to these non-payment loans, the Heavenly Martial Academy also had restrictions on the selection of special lectures and training courses based on the rank of the Sword Dragon Weapon. Mo Yonghui's heart was broken when he was denied a non-grade loan because of the eligibility requirements. Imagine his surprise when he realized that he might not be able to take the course he wanted to take. So as soon as the next day dawned, Mo Yonghui decided to take the promotion test right away. He didn't want to be restricted in his access to the class, his choice of exercises, and his choice of lectures again, so he finally made up his mind.

However, at this point, he was only interested in competing for Samsung and had no desire to win. He had always believed that overambitiousness and overconfidence would ruin his body. But a few days later, he was forced to change his mind.

"Changgang!"

Flames sparked fiercely before his eyes. His wrists ached and his grip tingled, almost causing him to drop the sword he held, but Yun Jun didn't have the luxury of dwelling on the pain. He was too busy trying to regain control of his life to be distracted by the unrelenting surge of dao qi that was once again coursing through his body.

He wanted to cry. He shouldn't have gone to the place on the letter of introduction she'd so thoughtfully written in the first place. The person she'd introduced to him as the one who could cure his plum blossom intolerance was so high up in the sky that he couldn't look up. The timid Yun Jun-ho was stunned when he realized that the person she had introduced him to was the same person who had made his fellow alumni's tongues wiggle and his ears burn when he was at the Samunin Volcano.

It was an astonishment. He could only wonder how Bi Ryuyeon knew a peak master like Yidao, and how he knew him well enough to ask him for a favor, for he had never heard of Yidao, a short-tempered, filthy man, often referred to as the Burning Dog Chavan, graciously granting someone's request.

Yun Jun-ho was terribly afraid that he would be crushed by a fist like a pot lid when he received his inspection with a hand that trembled like an aspen tree. The sight of the mixed group of sixteen men lying on the ground before Yeom stepped forward felt like a glimpse into his ruthless personality, as he watched them fall to the ground and then rise to their feet. It was an eye-opener to see that Yeomdo, who was expected to give them a bad luck decree (they'd be lucky if he didn't punch them), had unexpectedly accepted him so readily.

And when he realized that the people who were being taught alongside him under the name of Special Reinforcement Training (or Special Hoon for short) were the famous Jujitsu group that no one in the academy was unfamiliar with these days (and that their identities were the same sixteen people who had stood up from hanging their heads in the ground when he arrived), he didn't know whether to cry or laugh. To be honest, he was too overwhelmed to rejoice. From then on, it was one day after another of hardships and trials. From that point on, Yoon Jun-ho had to return to his room in a doughy state. I admired the other members of the cast who were still able to hold on to some degree under the unforgiving Yeomdo.

And ever since that day, to this day, he's been screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Ouch!"

He'd barely managed to parry Yan'er's ignorant and inexperienced sword, but it was too much for him to breathe a sigh of relief. Whatever it was that Bi Ryuyeon had brought to the search, it was clear that Yan Dao's teachings were harsh. Yun Jun-ho couldn't help but be frightened by the fact that he was so bold as to risk his own life without any consideration for recognition. This had always been the case with Elder Yin.

Whatever he was thinking, Yi Yun wielded the dao against him. Of course, there was no way the frail Yun Junho would be able to defend against such a terrifying sword. If he hadn't been able to unleash the Whirlwind Dance Sword, which had no difficulty in doing so, he would have been coffined long ago.

"Huh!"

It was time to call it quits, but Yondo was at it again. And this time, something was wrong. A burning sensation on his face, a strange heat that hit his entire body!

Damn. Whether Elder Yin was out of his mind or not, he'd used a level of pottery that even the current plum blossom hypersensitivity sufferer, Jun Ho Yun, could not defend against, even if he were to die and wake up. No amount of basic plum blossom swordsmanship, inexperienced whirling dervish swordsmanship, or any of the other techniques he had previously learned could stop him. There was only one thing that reminded him of his plum blossom hypersensitivity and made it impossible for him to practice the plum blossom sword method again. Yun Jun's mind turned white at the threat to his life in front of him. A scream erupted from his mouth.

"Ooohhhhh!"

Yun Che's sword swung fiercely. A transparent crimson sword qi erupted, accompanied by a subtle, fragrant plum scent that swirled through the air. There was no trace of the Yeomdo dao anymore.

Yun Junho stood in a daze in the middle of the training grounds, where the crimson sword that had blossomed along with the illusion of a plum blossom had subsided and the faint scent of plum blossoms had returned. Fortunately, he was alive and not dead.

He stood there, dumbfounded, like a man who had rented his soul on a temporary installment, and his body on loan, and Yeomdo looked at him with the subtlety of surprise.

Yeomdo was honestly surprised; he hadn't expected this timid and weak Volcano Sect disciple to be able to block one of his own saber rattling techniques that he had unwittingly (and, to be honest, unintentionally) deployed. If it weren't for Bi Ryuyeon's insistence, I wouldn't have accepted such a weakling. Why should she have to carry such a troublesome burden just to see something?

With only sixteen apprentices, he was already overburdened, but they were responsive enough to make teaching fun. He didn't know where or how they'd learned, but they must have trained quite hard in the past, and were holding up quite well. Furthermore, the sense of competition with the ice sword was a strong motivator for his fighting spirit.

In comparison, this Yun Junho guy was terrible, a pretentious disciple of the Volcano Sect among the Nine Sects, and his inability to perform the Plum Blossom Sword Technique was enough to make one's nose clog up with sinus infections, and yet he still managed to reach the Sword Incense Stage, which was quite a high level. Of the few Volcano Sect guys he had defeated, only two or three had reached the Sword Incense Stage, and judging from their latest news, they were living well as elders of the Volcano Sect.

But for such a timid kid to claim to be a sword master, anyone who heard it would accuse him of lying. I'd heard of people who couldn't practice martial arts because they were intolerant to plum blossoms, but I'd never heard of someone who couldn't practice martial arts because they were intolerant to plum blossoms.

The cure (?) in Bi Ryuyeon's book was even funnier. How can the fear of death push a person beyond the limits of their body? In other words, we don't know what humans do when they're at the threshold of death, so why should we expect such ridiculous abilities? It was a ridiculous statement, but I did what Master told me to do. I pushed him to his death. That's why my fights with Yun Junho consisted of a fierce herbivory, where each blow was aimed for life. Of course, I didn't expect it to happen overnight, so I gradually increased the intensity. It was too late for Junho Yun's plum blossom sword technique, which he had learned but was unable to utilize, to escape Yidou's attack.

It's been about two months now, and I've made no progress. Today was no different than the opening day, and I wasn't expecting anything special. Once again, the Yeomdo pushed Yun to the limit, but he still had a few minutes to spare to think about something else. In a fight against a master, it would be dangerous to take one's eyes off the prize, but with such a large gap in skill, there was no danger for Yeomdo. Rather, the danger came from Yoon Jun-ho, who was distracted for a moment and unknowingly extended his sword without thinking. It was a moment that could have cost him his life. In a moment of desperation, Yun Junho felt his head go white and empty, and he had to use all his strength to perform a physical lifesaving exercise.

The vision of a plum blossom in full bloom, the faint scent of plum blossoms wafting through his nostrils, and a plum blossom sword of a type he had never seen before. In this way, Yun Junhao was able to narrowly escape from the brink of death.

Yeomdo said only one word to Yoon Joon-ho, who was staring at him in disbelief.

"Were you really the Sword Fragrance Realm?"

Yun Jun was speechless. He had just stood there, frozen, as he unleashed the Seven Falcon Sword for the first time since the Volcano Training Center that day. It wasn't until a long time later that he finally regained his senses. His mind had returned to Shinji. But his mind was still confused.

His sense of smell, the first of his five senses to return, picked up the faint plum scent of the haze. Nothing to see but red, bumpy hives all over his skin.

"Ouch!"

The itching made him let go of the sword. The sword, which was like a man's life, fell to the ground without any resistance. Seeing Yun Jun's pathetic state, the Yeomdo of the water was such that he sighed. It seemed that he needed to train once again. More harsh training……. Apparently, the shock therapy was not enough.

'Looks like the shock was too weak this time. I'll have to make the impact stronger next time.

The next time I do it, I'm going to make it even more traumatizing.

To be taught by one of the five greatest martial artists in the world, and one of the most revered, was a great fortune and an honor for a martial artist. However, Yun Jun couldn't honestly cheer and rejoice because Yin Dao was so ruthless in his hands.

It is said that learning inevitably involves pain, and the deeper and higher the learning, the more painful it is, but this seemed too much. Moreover, the teaching was so vast that I honestly felt that I could not feel the depth or breadth of it.

"I wish I could be like Jujakdan……."

"What?"

Surprised by Yoon Joon-ho's ramblings, Bi Ryuyeon looked at him with eyes filled with horror. These were the words that Yun Junho had spoken to himself after he had returned from being beaten by Yeomdo and collapsed on his bed, feeling as weak as a soaked cotton ball. No matter how hard it was for him, he was already too young to end his life, she thought.

"Huh? Don't look at me like that."

"Why, is it a burden?"

"Yes."

The unspoken demonstration of his insanity was too much for him to bear. It was too much for the frail Yoon Jun-ho.

"Why, are you trying to tell me that my dreams are too far-fetched for someone who can't even perform a single plum blossom sword technique?"

"No, I don't think so."

She shook her head vigorously from side to side, and she meant it.

"Then?"

"Because your dreams are so trivial."

Without hesitation, Bi Ryuyeon said, "Of course.

"Yes?"

But Yun Jun's eyes widened. He couldn't understand what Bi Ryuyeon had meant by her words.

"What's the point of being one of them? You'll only ever be a weak third-rate, and if you want to be one of them, you'll have to be a good-looking boy like me."

His argument was simple. She wanted to argue that the Tao and the truth are not far away, but close at hand. Yun Junhao shook his head in disbelief at her sincerity, which sounded so absurd.

"What do you think?"

Bi Ryuyeon asked in a subtle tone. Yun Junho couldn't tell if she was being serious or teasing him.

"No, I'll pass on that one."

Bi Ryuyeon looked at Yun Jun with pity in her eyes. There was a hint of regret in her eyes.

"Why, it's impossible, but isn't there something to be said for trying, and isn't this body a much more rewarding goal than a masterpiece?"

Yun Junho looked away from Bi Ryuyeon's eyes as she eagerly sought his consent. He couldn't tell if she was joking or serious, and as a normal person, he couldn't understand her.

"Proof.

Junho Yun was desperate, but he didn't hold back. There are times in life when you have to say what's on your mind, but there are also many times when you have to say what's not on your mind. He was learning that lesson the hard way by living with Bi Ryuyeon these days, and his choice was an excellent one.

I shouldn't have said anything……. He shut his mouth, exercising his right to silence. In fact, he didn't even have the energy to argue anymore, and his resistance didn't help.

"Those guys, they're so pathetic……."

Bi Ryuyeon was very worried that Yoon Joon-ho was going to copy Joo Jae-dan, who had nothing to offer.

The next day, she was reminded by someone else that her students were pathetic. It suddenly occurred to her that she shouldn't think about it anymore, but rather about tomorrow's ying gong class. Since it was one of the few classes she could actually attend, she decided to stop thinking about it and just get a good night's sleep.

"Today, we're going to get into a more full-fledged yin gong lesson."

As usual, in the soundproofed classroom dedicated to yin gong on the third floor of the Yin Yun Hall, Master Hong Lan looked around at her students. Today she was going to lecture them on the more practical aspects of studying yin gong, rather than the theoretical.

"Let me demonstrate it first, so you can see how it works."

In front of her as she prepares the coin is a potted plant with a single lily in bloom.

The Celestial Musician Hong Lan placed the gold in her lap and began to strike. She was the possessor of a gorgeous, mysterious voice that was unashamed of the title of Celestial Musician. A heavenly sound that could not possibly belong to the human world flowed from her graceful fingertips.

A beautiful fabric of tones woven into a melodious melody washed over them in a giant web of sound. It was such a sweet note that it made their eyes glaze over. The faces of the students, who had been listening to her solemnly, lit up in unison with her notes. Her musicianship was indeed remarkable.

The more brilliant, clear, and cheerful her tone was, the more brilliant the color of the trembling lily in the pot she had asked them to look at, and the more vivid the green of its leaves. Everyone listened with admiring eyes and ears to her mastery of the yin gong.

But her clear, cheerful tune took a sudden turn. A sad tone emanated from the strings that could not be attributed to the same instrument and musician that had just produced the same sound. The plaintive, wistful tone instantly penetrated the students' hearts and depressed their moods. They had already unknowingly been influenced by the sound of the Heavenly Yin Master.

As her voice grew higher and faster, there was a noticeable change in the lily in the pot. The lily, which had been so vibrant and full of life just moments before, lost its color and became more and more wilted.

Her notes, which had touched the hearts of many with their plaintive lamentations, began to grow faster and faster, and the sound grew in intensity. Again her jade fingers danced furiously over the strings.

"Ding!"

Everyone in the room cringed. Suddenly, her notes sounded terrifying. Suddenly, her forbidden words sounded terrifying. Their hearts were beating wildly for no reason, and the blood in their bodies was rushing. Their breathing started to become labored, which could be dangerous if it continued.

Suddenly, everyone realized the situation they were in and began to counteract the invading forbidden sound by secretly opening up their inner cavities. They couldn't keep it up any longer.

Only then, when a sense of alertness and vigilance arose in everyone's hearts, did the taboo vanish from thin air like a lie, and the pressure that held them captive vanished like a mirage.

"What do you think?"

Smiling wryly, Master Hong Lan asked the students what they thought. One student jumped out of his seat and said

"I was in awe. It was indeed the skill of the great Master Hong Lan, a renowned yin master in Jianghu."

He was Jin Seok-heon, a sophomore who was a disciple of the Zongnan sect. He took the class for one reason: there were far more women in the class than men.

"I can't think of anything but admiration and respect for your deafeningly good work."

This time, a female disciple stood up and praised him. Of course, even if she didn't say it out loud, Tian Yin's mastery of the golden sound and the yin gong was praiseworthy.

"Okay, now let's all calm down and look at the pots here."

Hong Lan's hand pointed to the pot of lilies in front of her. The gazes of the nature students also turned toward it.

"Huh!"

"Oh, my God!"

"Indeed!"

There were gasps of awe all around.

There was no longer a fragrant plant there, only a withered stem. The lily that had bloomed in the pot a moment ago, clearly exuding fragrance, had already lost its vibrancy, its flowers fallen off and its stem dried up. It was an unbelievable harmony to see what had happened to a single, healthy lily in such a short time.

"As you can see, the best way to practice Yin Gong is against plants. Plants are very sensitive to the emotions behind sound, and they will definitely feel and react to the malice and death in a Yin Gong caster's melody. But one thing to keep in mind is that those who cannot play life are not qualified to play death. When the caster's melody contains life, the plant is nourished by life and love, and when the melody contains death, death will come to it. Try to make a plant the target of your Yin Gong casts. It doesn't matter what kind of plant it is, just make sure everyone can clearly feel their accomplishment."

Certainly, every student in the room could see the power of Yin Gong in the withered lilies.

"In the olden days, there was a legendary yin master named Yi Hyang-ryung, who, when his notes resounded with the scent of death, caused all living things within ten zhangs in all directions to die. It is also said that even giant trees instantly turned into dead wood in the presence of his melodies. Our bodies are made up of more than water to save. Just as a small pebble thrown into a calm lake creates a ripple, so does the melody of yin gong create a ripple in our bodies, just as a pebble is thrown into a lake. Depending on what form the ripple takes, it can be soothing or distressing, mesmerizing or disturbing, or it can cause the body to agitate as the ripple becomes a wave and churns the lake. This is the five wills and profound understanding of the study of yin gong."

Hong Lan paused, glanced around the room, and then spoke.

"As you can see for yourself, there's nothing better than a flower to test your yin gong. They're not what they seem, they're very sensitive to sound, so they're perfect for practicing your yin gong. I encourage you to use a flower to practice your yin gong. It doesn't have to be a lily, it can be any kind of plant, and you'll be able to see the results and progress you've made. Next time, we'll talk about the differences in yin gong properties between different types of instruments and the full-blown attack, the gong gong sound."

Master Hong Lan ended the class with a foreshadowing of the next hour's lecture.

The weather was very favorable, with no downpours or heavy fog. The sky was cloudless and clear, and the sun was shining brightly. Here's a sneak peek into her current state of mind.

"On a day like this, it's best to study, practice, kick ass, and go play outside.

After Tian Yin's yin gong class, where they would start practicing the gong in earnest next time, Bi Ryuyeon was walking down the hallway, chatting with Hyo-ryong and Jang Hong. Mo Yonghui was there, but it was hard to talk to him, who was not very sociable and extremely careful with his words. They were on their way to the next classroom.

As she walked with the long golden lightning bolt on her back, she was too busy chatting with her companions to pay attention to the people passing by her, and even if she had, she wouldn't have moved out of the way. So when someone bumped into her golden bolt, she didn't feel sorry for them at all. Instead, the only thing that came to mind was anger at the person who had hit his precious gold. How expensive is this thing…….

"Rude!"

The man who had been struck by the tip of Bi Ryuyeon's bribe glared at Bi Ryuyeon and shouted at her. The man lost his balance and nearly fell to the ground as the tip of the bribe struck him. Although he was spared the embarrassment of falling nose-first onto the floor, his dignity was in tatters as he struggled to regain his balance. Most of all, he was very unpleasant.

All the anger that welled up in his heart shot out as sharp arrows toward the accused. But this bastard of a culprit was staring back at him, his head held high, his eyes so shameless that it was almost unbearable!

The self-proclaimed victim, the Iron Sword Dragon Hasein, was dumbfounded. He dared to forgive the blasphemous behavior of Mu Ruohan, who had shocked his priceless secret treasure, the Bone Gold Silencer, with the same generosity of spirit as Hao Hai, and to attach it to the Buddha Gate, but when he saw the other party glaring at him with malice, he felt deeply offended. As a person who believes that the responsibility for forward carelessness lies solely with the other party, she had no hesitation in doing so.

"What's going on?"

That one word from Bi Ryuyeon turned Hassain's stomach once more.

"Are you asking because you don't know that?"

The ever-smiling Bi Ryuyeon's mouth began to curve ominously. It was a smile with a reputation for unpredictability.

"Of course I don't know, I'm asking because I don't know, so I guess there are some idiots out there who take the trouble to ask?"

His tone was calm, but it was more uncomfortable and annoying for the listener.

"What, is that what I'm supposed to hear?"

Hassain's forehead was furrowed. He thought he was being harassed by a younger man. He wasn't wrong. He hadn't seen anyone so disrespectful to him, a member of the Blue Dragon Clan and a member of the Nine Dragon Seven Peaks, in recent times. He might look up to her, admire her, respect her, admire her, and love her, but never with such disrespect.

"And sure enough, I recognize your face from somewhere."

The man in front of her, who still had a smile on his face and was insisting that he was a victim, looked familiar, so she took a closer look.

"Oh, and by the way, I see you're a member of the Blue Dragon Order or whatever it is that's hanging on by a thread because they haven't won a single game, in which case should I say hello?"

I recognized him from the group of Blue Dragon Clan members who had entered the academy a little ahead of Zhu Jiaxuan the other day. The only person he didn't know was Bi Ryuyeon, and there was already no one in the Heavenly Martial Academy who didn't know him or the Blue Dragon Clan.

Bi Ryuyeon's smirking words made Hasein's boa rise once again.

"Do you want to die?"

A tremendous amount of flesh erupted from Hasein's body like an awl. But Bi Ryuyeon listened nonchalantly, as if she didn't even feel the flesh.

"Living a long, long life is one of my two great beliefs, along with rumors."

Hasein's complexion grew more and more stern. Hyo Long, Jang Hong, Mo Yonghui, and the others watching from the side became even more restless.

"Hey man, what the hell is wrong with you, do you know who that guy is?"

Jang Hong, who had been trying to talk her out of it, already knew Hassain's identity, so he was worried about her safety. However, Bi Ryuyeon defeated Jang Hong's efforts.

"Why, did I say something wrong, that can't be right, can it?"

Sometimes it's easier to say something in circles than to say it outright. This was the case with Byulyeon. She'd been feeling the stinging and burdensome gaze of others weighing in on her relationship with Joo Jak Dan lately, and her nerves had become many times more sensitive than usual, and today she'd met a person who had tugged at those taut nerves and shaken them to the core.

Hasein the Iron Sword Dragon's forehead grew red, like a lump of molten iron. His reserves of patience could not hold back his anger for more than a minute.

"You……, you disrespectful bastard! How dare you be so arrogant and insolent as to do such a thing in front of a senior! I will give you a stinging lesson today for your insolence. That is the true way to be a senior! I will not forgive you."

How infuriating it must be for Hassain, whose heart is so full of the pursuit of the Zoujikdan these days, to have his insides turned upside down by a child he has never seen before. All the grievances that have accumulated because of the Zoujikdan all at once break down the banks of his patience and flood the land of his mind.

Hasein Usui gripped his beloved sword, the Iron Flying Dragon, with all his might. His patience was at an end, and he was ready to draw it. In fact, it was a wonder he hadn't already.

Just as Hsieh Hsien, the Iron Sword Beast, was about to draw his beloved Iron Sword Beast and strike a blow of admonition to establish his authority as a senior, two of his companions around him interrupted him, calming his frenzied rage.

"Look, Sein, calm down. As much as I find his rudeness to be beyond the pale, this is not the time for it. Have you already forgotten where we're going? It's almost time for our appointment. We must hurry."

The man who calmed Hassane, who was about to go on a rampage, was a fellow member of the Blue Dragon Clan, Jumchang Wenha, wielder of the Spectral Divine Sword.

"Yes, I can't have the disrespect to be late for an appointment with the Ice Sword Pavilion Master Nosa and no one else, and his sword-like character is something you know better, don't you? Pay no attention to him and put up with him just this once, there will be other opportunities for discipline later."

The voice beside him that helped him raise the spectral sword was a woman, and she was Kang Yulan, the One-Sided Sun Sword Maiden, who had inherited the zhenqi of the Zongnan Sect of the Old Great Sect. Her beauty was said to be unrivaled in the Zhongnan Sect, and her complexion was outstanding. Of course, she was as mysterious and mysterious in her swordplay as she was in her beauty.

The reason why the three members of the Blue Dragon Corps were hurrying across the corridor was because they had an appointment with the Ice Sword Master. The Celestial Blue Dragon Sect was just a mere child in front of the Ice Sword Pavilion Master. Perhaps the Ice Sword Pavilion Elder's powerful words had worked, and Hasein was able to calm his anger.

"I'm letting you go today because I have an important appointment, but don't expect to be this lucky again next time. Consider yourself lucky."

If the appointment a little later hadn't been with the pinnacle swordsman of the Heavenly Five Swordsman, the Bing Sword Guan Xue, and if it hadn't involved a new martial art, Hsieh would have had no hesitation in disciplining the unruly junior (aside from the question of whether or not he was capable of enforcing it). Of course, he wouldn't have batted an eyelid.

At this point, Bi Ryuyeon was not afraid at all, but was actually provocative. But had she gone too far? Hasein could go, but he couldn't just leave like this.

"But maybe a little admonishment is in order."

Hussein ended up drawing his sword. His quick temper was……. The onlookers were worried that his sword, already drawn, would crawl away without sucking blood, and even they could not be sure that the flesh that had erupted from his body would subside without feeding on blood.

His Iron Rain Dragon crackled and coiled with Superior Sword Qi. His life-filled love sword struck out at Bi Ryuyeon without warning. Bi Ryuyeon didn't move, just stood in range. She had boiled and eaten tiger liver before, so she showed no sign of fear. Hasein's disciplinary slash was futile. Whether the sword was formed or not, whether its edge was sharp or not, the result would be the hollow fact that he had been caught by Bi Ryuyeon's superiority.

"Go…… blank!"

It was an almost miraculous technique of catching a flying blade with literally no hands, and it was a difficult skill that only the best masters dared to imitate. A first grader casually executing a technique that even top masters didn't dare to perform due to the high probability of failure! The three Blue Dragon Sect members were stunned.

"You…… who are you?"

Hasein asked, wide-eyed, as if he didn't want to believe that his blow had been blocked by a nameless first-year junior. But Bi Ryuyeon's answer was cheeky.

"That's none of your business. I can tell by the look in your eyes that you can't believe what's going on right now. Are you trying to tell me you're forgiving?"

The words cut straight to the heart of Hassain's trembling.

"That's just insane."

Hasein's grip on the Iron Rain Dragon tightened again. He wanted to say that he wasn't done yet. But Kang Yulan, Zhu Yi, and he had no time to waste.

"Ha Xiaoqiao, we don't have time to delay any longer, we have to go."

Kang Yuran said, almost pleadingly.

"Don't think this is the end!"

As if he wasn't already angry enough, Hasein turned and stalked away, the spectroscopist following close behind.

Kang Yuran, who was just about to follow Hasein, looked at Bi Ryuyeon and said something.

"You are so fearless."

"Fear? I'm not sure what that is because I don't carry it in my body, but if you do, can you teach me?"

Bi Ryuyeon only smiled and accepted Kang Yulan's words. To Kang Yulan, she only seemed to be being condescending.

"It's good to be ambitious at a young age, but that ambitiousness and blood in your veins can get you killed if you do something wrong, and that's my advice as a senior."

But Kang Yulan's warning only made her smile. She seemed to be practicing the lion words of the Maidong Feng and Wu Yidok Sutra. Kang Yulan spoke again in a sharp tone.

"I don't know who you work for, but I can see that being careful with your behavior will help you in the future. Next time, I will not tolerate such disrespect as a senior."

She may have been hoping to deliver a stinging rebuke to a clueless junior. But today, she picked the wrong person. She chose Bi Ryuyeon to give her advice……. It was the worst possible choice.

"I don't remember being rude today, but I'll keep that in mind for the next time I'm in a situation where I might be rude."

Kang Yulan's ami frowned slightly, but she didn't have time to waste, and she turned and followed Hasein. Once they were out of sight, Bi Ryuyeon's smiling face quietly hardened.

'You're in luck, those guys…….'

For a brief moment, he contemplated punching Hassain in the face, but he realized that as a master, he could not take away his students' meals. He had gotten caught up in the illusion that he was a good teacher who cared about his students. But as he continued to think about it, he suddenly became angry.

"No, I mean, we're just tied with those assholes, and we can't even win against those weaklings?

It didn't seem like it was going to work.

"What a bunch of idiots. I haven't seen them in months and their minds have rotted away! I'm afraid I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands to rebuild their fragile mental fortunes. I can't take this anymore. Heh heh heh……."

At the end, her monologue was so small that Hyo Ryong, Jang Hong, Mo Yonghui, and the others beside her couldn't understand it at all. The only thing they could see was the smile that grew thicker and thicker at the corners of her mouth, looking ominous.

An arrow of tender anger flew out of nowhere and struck him squarely in the heart. It's an injustice, and it's unbelievable, but there's nothing they can do about it. It was a moment of dark clouds over the fate of the troupe once again.

'That's right, you must be getting a little hot from taking all that heat. If so, I'll do you a favor and cool you off…….'

Of course, Hasein, who had already moved out of her line of sight, was in the throes of a tantrum, sweating through his clothes. It was overly intrusive for her to be concerned with Hassain's rising temperature and other discomfort levels. But she didn't want to stop.

A moment later, with a grim chuckle, Bi Ryuyeon's right index finger folded inward. The tip of the thunderbolt dangling from his fingertip was connected to Hassain's sash. His sash served a very important and heavy duty purpose, preventing his pants from slipping down and revealing an unsightly seedling. If it were to break in the middle of nowhere……. I'll leave the rest to the imagination.

It must be very cool. How could it not be cool when it was so well ventilated on all sides? It would sell some, but isn't it the cold law of the world that if you gain one, you must lose one? Then, yes, it was definitely not a Bi Ryuyeon that would leave food for the disciples, but it was not a Bi Ryuyeon that would send it back gracefully.

"Cackle!"

Just thinking about it made her laugh out loud, and she couldn't stop for a while.

"One, two, three!

She slowly counted to three in her mind. The moment the sound of 'three' ended!

"Gah!"

A familiar female scream echoed from across the hall, accompanied by violent noise.

The gazes of Mo Yonghui and the rest of the group all turned toward the direction of the scream. Hyorong and Jang Hong looked at each other in puzzlement, but they couldn't draw any conclusions. They had no idea what had happened in the unseen space beyond the corridor. To be on the safe side, it was a woman's scream in the second-ranked Heavenly Martial Academy, and if their ears were not abnormal, the woman's scream that had vibrated the atmosphere a moment ago must have belonged to Kang Yulan, a one-armed, one-sided swordswoman of the Blue Dragon Clan. However, they couldn't even guess the cause of the scream. Only Bi Ryuyeon could feel his stomach clenching and his cock throbbing.

Beside him stood Mo Yonghui, his expression still grim.

"What's all the fuss about?"

Suddenly, a commanding voice echoed through the hall.

Everyone's complexion changed as they looked at the voice's owner, an elderly man named Shen Feng, and all the Guan Daoists around them bowed their heads in the utmost respect and honor they could muster. This fresh-faced old man was extremely impressive, with a white beard that reached down to his crown and snow-white eyebrows. His entire body exuded an unapproachable majesty, and he was a sword master. He was on his way to the official residence with three attendants when he saw the disturbance. What a coincidence. The courtier's gaze swept across the hall. Under his gaze, no one dared to look up. Jang Hong pressed down on Bi Ryuyeon's stiff waist from the side.

His gaze traveled around the hall, finally stopping on Mo Yonghui next to Bi Ryuyeon. A brilliance shone in his eyes, and a bitter memory from the past that he had thought he had forgotten tugged at the corner of his heart.

'zhengtian…….'

The face he was staring at was indistinguishable from the face of Mo Yongzhengtian, who had once risen through the ranks with him. Not only that, but his cultivation also seemed to surpass that of the previous three years.

A strange emotion rose from his polite chest.

"What is your name?"

"Greetings from the Shaoxing Mo Yong Se Family, Gongzon Gongzon Gongzon Gongzon."

It was refreshing to hear the word "tax" in a polite way. But it was not a pleasant feeling. No one noticed the faint frown on Mo Yonghui's face when he introduced himself.

"You're the grandson of Zheng Tian?"

"Yes."

He was one of the few people in the current powerhouse who could dare to call Sword Saint Mo Yongzheng's name.

"What's all the fuss about?"

Polite asked sharply, as if scolding.

"Yes?"

It's an innocent idiom that had nothing to do with the uproar.

Even as he was being hailed as a master who had already entered the Sword Zen Realm, there was one dark shadow that lingered in the back of his mind. Along with Mo Yongzheng, who had once been called the Divine Sword Sect, he had been hailed as the Sword King's Talent, and had received all the glory, admiration, and respect of the world. He was the envy of all the world, but at one point, he and Mo Yongzheng were separated by a gulf between heaven and earth.

He had accomplished countless feats against the Heavenly Evil Spirit, even competing with Mo Yongzhengtian of the Divine Sword Association, but when the Heavenly Evil Spirit disappeared from the world, all that was left of him were the reproachful and insulting gazes of those around him.

He was once considered to be on par with Mo Yongzheng, but even with that level of skill, he was not only unable to rise to the rank of Heavenly Martial Saint, but had been relegated to the back of the pack. The only reason for this was that he was unable to participate in the final tournament, called the Heavenly Demon Slaying, due to injury. At a time when everyone was fighting for their lives against the Heavenly Blood God Wei Tianmu, the gazes of those around him were uneven as they looked at the man who couldn't participate due to injury. It didn't matter if his injury was true or not. The only thing that mattered was that Gong Zongquan was not there that day.

Suddenly, no one knew why he was injured. There was even talk in some circles that he had gotten scared before the tournament and excused his illness. But his injury was real. No one could have believed it when he suddenly returned one day, tattered and covered in spiderweb-like scars all over his body, and even more unbelievable was the location of his injuries, within the territory of Amishan, one of the oldest schools. But no one dared to open his mouth, which was tightly shut with white bandages around his entire body, and no one dared to speak out against his seriousness.

For reasons unknown, he was unable to fight for some time. And without waiting for him to heal, the tournament finally took place, a battle for the lives of the warriors. As he lay in bed, it was a bitter pill to swallow as he watched his teammates go down.

From his sickbed, he prayed for the safe return of his companions. His friends returned, wounded but not dead, but nothing was returned to him. The three friends, who had bravely faced down the blood god Wei Tianmu and survived, were honored with the status of the Three Heavenly Kings, but there was no honor left for Gong Zongqiu, who was confined to his bed. Somehow, there was not a single person from the old schools of thought in the triumvirate, so the blame was even more heavily placed on the former disciple of the Wudang Sect, who had been promised to be the highest ranking member of the old schools.

The majority of the blame was directed at the Old School, and the reputation he had built up over the years was destroyed in an instant. The barrage of accusations against him was almost too much for him to fend off. At that moment, his friendship with Mo Yongzheng and his two companions turned to hatred, and his respect turned to hatred, for it was Mo Yongzheng who had been the reason and the cause of his having to go to bed before the tournament. Although it was not the direct cause, it was enough for Gong Zongquan. Although he did not show it outwardly, the hatred deeply imprinted in his heart was no small thing, and the hurt he felt at that moment was great.

After the tournament against the Heavenly Demon Spirit, Gong Zongliquan returned to practicing his Zhenqi Heart Martial Arts. He couldn't afford to sit idle. To fill the gap between him and his three companions, he had no choice but to exert nearly three or four times as much effort as the others, and when he broke out of the Thousand Day Dancer's closing cultivation, he plunged into the chaotic Jianghu after the Heavenly Fear Slayer's tournament and began to pacify the Jianghu with abstract sword techniques. As far as the Heavenly Frightening Spirit Sect and the Black Sword Sect were concerned, there was nothing as terrifying as Gong Yi's sword at that time. At the time, Chen Mu Sheng was still recovering from the wounds he received in the Great Battle of the Heavenly Frightening Slaughter, so there was no one to stand in his way.

Again, his reputation soared to the heavens, and he was given the title of Swordsman. Again, his fame rose rapidly, but it did not surpass that of his three companions who had fought against the most terrifying of all, the Heavenly Blood God Wei Tianmu. When he, who had been the most terrifying of the terrors, disappeared, all the rest of them appeared to be mere feasts in his eyes. As a result, Tianmusheng never became a Fourth Saint, but remained a Third Saint. At that time, Gongsong-li's discouragement was understandable.

A hundred years was too short a time to shake off the hatred that had been engraved in his heart, and who would have the nerve to criticize him now? Gong Yongquan's complexion was not bright and he could not conceal his displeasure; it seemed that the old grudge, though much diluted, still lingered, and hence his impression of Mo Yonghui could not be favorable. He was too much like his old friend.

But Mo Yonghui, who knew nothing, only treated him with the same stiffness and politeness as he would a master's respect.

"Have you not heard the words of the old man?"

Gongsong Ilqui once again sharply questioned Mo Yonghui. Mo Yonghui was at a loss as to how to react to his sudden words.

"I…… not sure if you have any dismissals or resuscitations."

A polite, snow-white eyebrow arched.

"You mean you didn't hear me ask what all the fuss is about?"

As befits a man of his fame and status, each word of his polite speech had an abstract majesty that had the power to intimidate.

"I think I had a simple friction with a senior member of the Blue Dragon Corps for a moment."

Mo Yonghui only answered what he saw and knew.

"You mean to tell me that a child of the Blue Dragon Clan, so much junior to you, would dare to argue with you? Do you think that makes any sense?"

The politeness of the remarks turned to anger.

"No."

Mo Yonghui was inwardly resentful. As a mere bystander, he had no reason to listen to the polite rebuke. The party in question wasn't Bi Ryuyeon, who still hadn't lost her cool after seeing her senior's death. She was the one who started the argument, and it was all her fault. However, the cowardice of making excuses was a far cry from Mo Yonghui's character, so he didn't want to get out of this predicament by making a few excuses.

'I'm sure it was a simple misunderstanding…….'

As a black junior, he didn't dare to speak against him in the presence of the sword saint Mo Yongzheng, the most respected martial artist in the world, and his grandfather.

"I will forgive you just this once to see your grandfather's face. But never again will this offense occur in my presence. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Mo Yonghui, uncomfortable with his injustice, bowed his head and replied.

"It seems that Zheng Chen was good at making a name for himself, but not so good at training others."

For a moment, there was something hot in Mo Yonghui's heart that had been as cold as a glacier, surging up from the depths of his chest. It didn't matter that he was being insulted, but to have the insult drag his most beloved and respected grandfather into the fray was unbearable, even for the normally calm man.

"Please hold on a moment."

As cold as a winter gust of wind, the polite man's gaze turned to Mo Yonghui as he continued on his way.

"Do you still have something to tell Nobu?"

Meeting Mo Yonghui's gaze head-on, Gong Gongqiu looked at him with a strange gaze.

"Yes, sir. Please don't drag my grandfather into my own mistakes, he is far too strong and wise for that. I don't think it would be polite to him."

"Courtesy? How dare you bring up courtesy with Nobu now?"

An abstract curse fell from the polite man's mouth. Mo Yonghui's behavior, which could be construed as rebellion by others, was a bold move in the face of a powerful daoist.

"If you've been offended, we deeply apologize."

Mo Yonghui's eyes were clear and unwavering as he bowed and apologized. The polite woman, who had been staring into his eyes with a stony expression, opened her mouth. His expression softened slightly.

"Very well. I suppose I can expect you to put the proof in front of Nobu's eyes, then?"

Mo Yonghui unwittingly stared directly into the eyes of the polite man.

"Expectations? What do you mean, expectations?

"If you said it wasn't you, shouldn't you take responsibility for it yourself? If you win this year's Samsung Sword Tournament, I'll make sure Nobu believes you're telling the truth."

"You mean the Samsung Unlimited Sword Battle……?"

He knew what a samsung was. And if it was a sword fight, he knew it even better.

"Since this is a tournament in honor of your ancestor, it is incumbent upon you to prove your prowess in it. If you can accomplish that, I will know that what you say is true and retract my words."

"……."

For a moment, Mo Yonghui was as dumb as a honeyed mute. The polite offer was obviously too much to ask. For someone who was still only in the first grade, it was unreasonable to ask him to win a sword tournament where only the best in the field of swordsmanship, who had spent at least three years honing their skills at the Heavenly Martial Academy, would participate.

"If you're not confident, you don't have to do it. I won't mind too much. If you, the grandson of Zheng Tian, can't do it, who can ask for more?"

His last words ignited Mo Yonghui's fighting spirit. In the meantime, he felt a strange emotion that he hadn't realized was gripping his heart.

"I will."

Mo Yonghui swore. His adamant answer brought a glint to the polite man's eye. He knew how to make excuses and complain.

"Then let's hope for the best."

With those words, the polite man walked away. Only Mo Yonghui remained, surrounded by gossiping people. Mo Yonghui's declaration of victory in the Samsung Sword Tournament at the rank of first grade was a shocking announcement that would cause a stir within the Heavenly Hall for some time. It was also an event that focused everyone's attention on Mo Yonghui as an individual. It was a golden opportunity to finally see the true face of the heir to the Sword Castle that had been rumored since before he joined. It was bound to be a bumpy ride.

"That inspiration must have a lot of pity for you, why does he stumble over you?"

Even a prestigious sword master like Kang Ho would be reduced to a mere inspirer if caught by Bi Ryuyeon. Mo Yonghui's gaze fell on him.

"Why are you looking at me with those eyes, please don't make it a burden……."

Mo Yonghui's gaze was uneven as he looked at Bi Ryuyeon, causing her to scratch the back of her head.

"I'm going to go."

With those words, Mo left the room.

"You're still an iceberg."

Looking at Mo Yonghui's back as he walked away, Bi Ryuyeon complained.

"However, the hall is going to be noisy for a while now that Mo Yonghui has declared himself the winner of the Sword Battle."

"Sounds like fun, doesn't it? I'm looking forward to it. I've always wondered how sharp his sword was."

"It'll be fun, but at least you won't be playing against me."

"And didn't you promise someone you'd win Samsung Muze?"

It was Hyo-ryong who knew and asked blatantly.

"If it's so obvious, why are you asking me again? Are you afraid I've forgotten? Don't worry. I haven't forgotten. But what are these strange feelings for him that are rising up in my chest? Is this what you call sympathy? I feel even closer to him than before?"

Bi Ryuyeon chuckled softly, and then made an exaggerated face.

"That's what they call freedom to be delusional, freedom to be crazy, and that's what makes you ugly."

Hyo-Ryong said as if to give him a pint.

"Well, what do I have to lose, let's look forward to the next installment."

She was also unrivaled in her shamelessness.

"Yep. Class must have started already. It's a lecture on volcanic meteorology. As if I didn't already have bad feelings about you, if we don't get in there soon, he's going to chop our heads off in thirty-six pieces."

"Let's go."

Ryu-yeon hurried along with the rest of the group, minus Mo Yong-hui, toward the lecture hall for their next class.

On the same evening that Hasein, one of Kowloon's leading men, was humiliated in broad daylight in the hallway for all to see, Bi Ryuyeon went to see Yidao again. This time, Yidao didn't even bother waving his mourning flag. The last thing she wanted was for her left eye to turn red again. But even if he had refrained from overreaching, there was no way he would have suddenly gained the respect he had lost in the past, so his reception of Master Bi Ryuyeon was blunt.

"What's wrong?"

"Why, does a master need a reason to visit his disciple's abode?"

At the word "master," Yeomdo's firm shoulders shook. A hint of discontent slid across his shoulders. He still hadn't accepted the fact in his heart. Bi Ryuyeon Yan, who was not at all concerned with his state of mind, said. What he needed was a disciple, and if that disciple didn't listen to him, he was willing to beat him with a stick.

"Tell me what you want."

When I saw him again within a short period of time, he was in a worse mood. His mouth was sticking out like a child throwing a tantrum. Bi Ryuyeon smiled at his completely out of place appearance.

"How's the troupe doing these days, is it teachable?"

The purpose of today's visit was also to visit the Jujakdan. At the mention of the workshop, Yeomdo's expression changed, but not in a bad way.

"I've taught it, and it's pretty good, with a good foundation and a lot of potential for improvement, and I'm pretty good at keeping up with whatever rigorous training I've had before."

This was the highest praise he could give them. He had always preferred to travel alone and was extremely reluctant to be tied down, but he didn't seem to mind teaching them. It was also a great way to get rid of his accumulated grievances.

"Who wouldn't!"

Bi Ryuyeon said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Who is the priest?"

His words were unintelligible to Yeomdo, who was still unclear about the relationship between Zhu Zhaoge and Bi Ryuyeon. In the strange silence, Bi Ryuyeon's finger pointed at him. At the same time, his index finger pointed at his own chest.

"Yes? Me?"

With a faint smile, Bi Ryuyeon nodded. Yeomdo's eyes widened in astonishment. What kind of a sound is this, knocking on the door?

"I'm their teacher, so of course I'm your priest."

For a moment, Yeomdo was shaken by a brain-emptying shock.

"…… I can't believe……."

The shock was so great that he was speechless for a moment. The impact of Bi Ryuyeon's bombshell declaration was enormous. Barely recovering his composure, he looked at Bi Ryuyeon with a blank stare.

"What kind of nonsense are you using this time?"

He still didn't like the fact that he'd been caught in the ruse and turned into Bi Ryuyeon's disciple, so his words were harsh.

"Uh huh, let's cover the horse. I can't eat pork……. There's a reason for that, so there must be a reason, and it's a secret to them anyway, because they don't know about it."

I was tempted to blow it up in defiance of Bi Ryuyeon, but Bi Ryuyeon's next words forced me to fold my thoughts and shove it into the trash.

"Don't worry, if you do, I'll tell them all about you becoming my disciple. Oh…… I can see how they're so excited, now that they have such a great death penalty, don't you think?"

'Damn…….'

His face crumpled like a piece of toilet paper. Bi Ryuyeon's threat was the most terrifying thing in the world to him. He didn't have the courage to think otherwise, not even in his wildest dreams.

"Sure."

Yeomdo reluctantly replied.

"By the way, how's Junho?"

Bi Ryuyeon had once blamed not only Yeom-do but also Yoon Joon-ho, a plum hypersensitivity sufferer, for her illness. But she hadn't forgotten. .

"You mean that weird hives guy?"

Bi Ryuyeon nodded in response to Yun Che's question. There was no other human in the entire Martial Emperor Realm who could not break out in hives from the plum blossom fragrance emanating from the Sword Incense Sutra.

At the mention of Yoon Jun-ho, Yeom shook his head.

"Looks like we're still a ways off."

"For a guy who's reached the level of Sword Flavor to not be able to execute the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, I've seen some pretty crazy things in my life. But now I can execute the Whirlwind Dance Sword pretty well. I've gotten a lot better at it."

Inwardly, Yun Jun-ho was fed up with the ridiculousness of the situation, which was new to the hard-bitten Kang-ho.

"Really? Well, I see you've gotten a lot better lately, so maybe you need to be a little rougher."

"Until when?"

"Until, of course, you leave the realm of the sword and reach a higher state."

As if it were a given, she said. However, the problem with her words was that they were not simple or easy at all. Yun Che's face frowned slightly.

"Is that even possible? It seems like a harder task than turning him into a volcanologist."

Yeomdo didn't think it was possible either. Yeomdo's opinion was equally negative.

"I've got to give it a try, it's just a joke, but there's no quitting now, and you know what, like I said before, if you're faced with the prospect of death, you might be able to get over it."

"Well, it certainly works, and the last time you were about to die, you unleashed the Rising Plum Blade, but to what end?"

"Oh, and today's instructions are to have the boys in tomorrow's cast at the training grounds by early Cincy (around 5pm)."

"May I ask why?"

Yin Do was surprised by the sudden order. Up until this point, she had only left the work of the main troupe to him and not interfered.

"Ah, as a master, I should be able to see the weakening of my disciples' mental strength with heartache."

At Bi Ryuyeon's smiling words, Yun Do grumbled inwardly. What does she mean by heartache? He couldn't agree more that her heart felt like it was made of eight layers of steel. Her words were completely untrustworthy.

"Only because we couldn't win against a bunch of weaklings from the Blue Dragon Corps?"

"Of course not!"

This was something that Yeomdo could totally relate to. It couldn't and shouldn't happen that his students would lose to those taught by the Ice Sword Bastard. Miraculously, Bi Ryuyeon's and Yeomdo's minds were in agreement on this point.

"I'm thinking the same thing, I need to step up my practice."

"If that's the case, I'll do it immediately."

This was a welcome development for both of them. However, it was a death sentence for Zhu Zhaodan, who had become the target of Yidao's wrath in the guise of cultivation every single day of his life these days, and had no body left.

"Oh, and they know me as their godfather, even though they've never met me, so that's how they know me, but please keep my identity a secret."

Finally, as he left Yindo's residence, he made a promise. After hearing her dire threats, he will, of course, carry out his orders. After all, she is the one who holds his most obvious weakness.

'Is it finally a reunion…….'

His heart pounded for the first time in a long time. A pleasant excitement enveloped his entire body.

"I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

Bi Ryuyeon murmured to himself as he basked in the moonlight. Only he in the world knew that hundreds of different recipes were currently swirling around in his head, along with his delightful imagination.