Chapter 303: Who's Messing With My Kid? (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 303: Who's Messing With My Kid? (4)
The Heavenly Dragon Academy held various training sessions, but they made sure not to schedule more than four in a single day. After all, the young prodigies needed time for their own personal cultivation as well.
Because of this, the instructors didn't push too hard during their sessions.
Like I said before, most people came to the Academy to build connections and gain fame. Sure, the Academy had a decent curriculum, but these young masters and mistresses could have learned most of this back in their own clans or sects. Not that anyone would listen if I pointed that out, so I didn't bother. What would be the point of stating the obvious?
Anyway, four days had passed since the Academy began.
Some felt the time flew by, while others were surprised so many days had already gone. I was in the former camp, but those few days hadn't been entirely peaceful. A couple of incidents had occurred.
One was a rumor that a student had beaten an instructor.
Yes.
That was about me.
Rumors sure spread fast.
That particular story had gained traction quickly after my encounter with Cheol Hwanho. And by "win," I meant the bet. I hadn't actually defeated an instructor in a real fight, but the rumor heavily implied I had. People really love to exaggerate.
A real fight would have been much tougher.
Because I knew what kind of man he was, I was able to get under Cheol Hwanho's skin and maneuver him into that situation. If he had truly lost his temper and we'd ended up sparring for real, it wouldn't have been easy for me.
He would have been a difficult opponent even at my peak.
The Orthodox Blue Fist. A martial artist on the verge of the Fusion Realm, just like me. Considering he'd reached it in my past life, before I became a Demonic Human, he was likely to break through soon in this timeline as well. Even if he hadn't yet, it meant he had that level of potential. Since I couldn't predict the outcome of a fight even at my best, facing him while injured would have been far too difficult.
Ugh, it's sore…
I massaged my dantian. The area still ached, and it had gotten worse since I used the Flaming Sphere the other day. There wasn't much recoil since I'd retrieved it instead of detonating it, but it still took a toll.
But it worked out in the end.
Just as I'd planned, Cheol Hwanho took the bait and made a bet, and I emerged victorious by using the Flaming Sphere. If things had gone sideways and we'd fought, I would have had to use everything, including my Blood Qi, to beat him.
If that had happened, I'd be bedridden for at least a month.
The thought sent a chill down my spine. I was just glad it all worked out. Thanks to that, I now had my mornings free.
It should be fine. Everyone else is probably rolling around and running drills right now, right?
With my senses heightened, I wandered, searching for a deserted spot. My destination: the entrance to the secret vault, hidden somewhere in the basement.
I have about two hours.
The training session would last longer, but I needed to return within two hours to be safe. The only problem was…
I know nothing about formations.
It was highly likely that formations protected the vault's entrance. Furthermore, it was possible that even most of the Murim Alliance was unaware of what lay beneath the Academy. And my knowledge of formations was practically nonexistent.
'In my past life, I had the bad habit of just tearing through them.'
Back then, I could simply endure the recoil whenever I shattered a formation. But in this life, I couldn't afford such a brute-force approach.
Judging by the fact I can't even sense it, they've done an amazing job hiding it.
How had the Heavenly Demon even found it? Probably by coincidence, while destroying everything in its path. Formations were useless against the Demon, so it likely just stumbled upon the vault and smashed its way in.
That's probably what happened.
The important thing was that the secret vault did exist in the basement. And I only had about half a year to find it. That would be ideal for my plans.
After all, I can only start planning properly after I find that thing.
A few days had already passed, and it looked like today would be another bust. I took out a piece of paper…
Slit.
I pricked my fingertip and used the blood as ink, marking all the places I'd already checked. Even though the Heavenly Dragon Academy was huge, I'd been exploring for days and still found nothing…
Either I can't locate it with my senses, or the entrance is outside the Academy grounds.
What a hassle. I never thought it would be easy, but it was proving harder than expected.
It's problematic if it's outside the Academy.
A barrier enclosed the entire Academy. I'd heard they used precious treasures to set it up, as it would be a catastrophe if any of these prized young masters or mistresses from noble families were ambushed. Of course, that also meant I couldn't come and go as I pleased.
Tsk.
What should I do? If the entrance was truly outside, I'd have to wait until summer, when we were allowed to return home for a visit. But that would be a massive waste of time.
…I'll go back for now…
I needed to ponder this in my dorm; I was running out of time. Just as I was about to leave…
Rustle.
I felt a presence in the tall grass behind me. The hairs on my neck stood on end.
Why is someone here?
The fact that I hadn't noticed them despite my sharpened senses meant this person was also concealing their presence. That made it dangerous.
Which bastard is it?
Ignoring my injury, I gathered my qi without hesitation. Enveloping my body in heat, I turned toward the presence.
I need to see— Huh?
Pause!
Just as I was about to summon my Combat Qi, my body froze solid the moment I saw the person behind me.
"Huh…?"
They—no, she—also froze upon seeing me. The lady was on the verge of drawing her sword. A beautiful woman who looked to be in her early thirties, wearing the white outfit and blue outer robe that signified an Academy instructor. Then I noticed the plum blossom symbol beneath her outerwear.
"Why…"
The heroine of Mount Hua, who had inherited the title of Sword Queen. The Plum Blossom Sword.
Seeing me, she spoke in a confused tone. "Why are you here?"
But I was the one who really wanted to ask her that.
* * *
I'd heard they'd turned the small forest behind the main Academy building into a walking trail, but hardly anyone used it. Understandable. Who had time for a leisurely stroll when they were busy with training and lessons?
"Why are you here?"
That said, this meeting was entirely unexpected. The Sword Queen stared at the person she had run into. A student who should have been focused on his morning training. The current subject of everyone's interest was standing right in front of her.
"…Hello?" His greeting was awkward, yet familiar.
"Aren't you supposed to be training right now? Why are you…"
"…I've been excused by Instructor Cheol Hwanho…"
She wondered what he was talking about for a second…
So that was the case.
It didn't take the Sword Queen long to understand. The news of Cheol Hwanho's loss to a student had reached her ears as well. She'd also heard the Head of the Academy had given him a stern talking to afterward…
"Then, you should be back in your dormitory. Why are you here?"
"I came for a walk. I heard it was nice." That was a lie. The Sword Queen saw through it immediately.
"That's…"
"Instructor, I should be the one asking you that."
"…"
"Aren't you supposed to be training your students?"
The Sword Queen's mind began to race at Gu Yangcheon's question. "…I'm in charge of the afternoon training."
"I see. Then why are you here…?"
"…I'm… taking a walk."
"Ah, is that so?"
Their conversation was brief. An awkward silence lingered as both of them avoided each other's gaze.
Gu Yangcheon knew the Sword Queen had probably seen through his lie immediately. But he also knew she was lying to him as well.
Huh? That's odd.
Gu Yangcheon stared at the Sword Queen, a thought forming.
What is she hiding?
Judging by her reaction, it seemed she was hiding something. She must have had a goal in coming to the Academy as an instructor, and her current behavior suggested she was looking for something.
Could it be… Is she looking for the secret vault too?
It was suspicious to see the Sword Queen wandering around like this.
Does that mean she's also after the vault?
The thought flashed through Gu Yangcheon's mind.
If that's the case, how does she know about it?
After all, no one knew of its existence until the Heavenly Demon appeared. It would be strange if she knew.
If she does know, what should I do? Propose we look for it together?
But how would I explain that I know about it?
This isn't good.
It was possible it wasn't related to the vault, but I was certain the Sword Queen had her own objective. Otherwise, we wouldn't have run into each other like this.
Just as Gu Yangcheon was pondering his next move, the Sword Queen spoke up, having organized her thoughts.
"I… heard about something."
"What is it?" I immediately paid attention, thinking she would address our current situation. I was sure she'd been thinking hard about it too.
"The technique you used back in the examination grounds…"
"Yes, wait… huh? Pardon…? All of a sudden…?" I was confused by the sudden shift in topic. Why bring that up now?
Does she have a good reason?
As I was lost in thought, the Sword Queen continued. "From what I heard, it seems you didn't actually need to detonate that secret art of yours back then."
"…"
My mind went blank.
Oh… fuck.
How does she kn— …Oh.
I wondered how she found out, but then I remembered I had retrieved the Flaming Sphere during my confrontation with Cheol Hwanho. It seemed Cheol Hwanho had given a detailed report. A cold sweat trickled down my back.
…I'm fucked, aren't I?
I'd completely forgotten about it during my fight with Cheol Hwanho. I'd forgotten about the trouble I'd caused the Sword Queen when I detonated that orb against her.
Ugh, you idiot, how could you forget…
If I'd known this would happen, I would have chosen a different method.
"I thought about coming to see you…"
"Me? Why?"
"I wonder why?" It was even scarier to see her play coy.
"…Uh."
"I'll overlook it this time."
"Huh?" The Sword Queen smiled kindly as she stared at me. That smile made it even more frightening.
"We both have things we want to keep secret, so I should let you off this time."
"…"
She was being pretty straightforward. The Sword Queen was asking for my silence in exchange for letting my previous transgression slide. A win-win deal, in theory, but her gaze made me deeply uncomfortable. No matter how I looked at it, there was no way she was truly okay with this.
"Uh, Sword Queen."
"Yes."
"Are you really okay with— …Never mind." I stopped mid-sentence. It was obvious she was not okay with it. She was clearly angry, forcing a smile while holding herself back.
In situations like this, the best move is to run.
"Then I shall take my leave first. I hope you enjoy your walk."
"Alright."
Gu Yangcheon quickly fled the scene. The Sword Queen watched him leave with a strange gaze.
* * *
In the four days since the Academy started, a few incidents, both minor and major, had occurred.
One was that Gu Yangcheon had taunted an instructor and emerged victorious. With so many witnesses, an exaggerated rumor spread like wildfire. A horribly distorted story circulated, claiming the True Dragon had broken the instructor's arms and legs, stepped on his head, cursed out his parents, and terrorized the other students. This led many to speculate that the True Dragon was the strongest among the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes. It was becoming hard to still see him as just a young prodigy after he'd humiliated an instructor.
The other development was that students had begun forming cliques. It might have seemed strange for factions to coalesce in just a few days, but Cheol Jiseon was certain it was happening.
"Hahaha, so the Meteor Sword knows about it as well?"
"Of course. I believe it originated in Henan?"
"Ah, that's right. Since we're on the topic, I actually met the artisan who made—"
What a joke.
Numerous young prodigies were talking to each other in polite tones. They were all discussing their backgrounds and achievements, but it was obvious they were just bragging. At the center of one such group was the Meteor Sword, Jang Seonyeon. He was in a different group from Cheol Jiseon. Though not one of the Six Dragons or Three Phoenixes, he was famous for his incredible talent as the son of the current Alliance Leader, the Harmonic Sword Jang Cheon.
Jang Seonyeon was someone Cheol Jiseon had planned to get closer to, but it wasn't easy with so many people surrounding him.
"Hey, aren't you going to respond?" Not that he was in a position to even approach.
Pow—!
"Ugh!" Cheol Jiseon fell straight to the ground when someone struck the back of his head.
"You aren't responding even though I called you repeatedly." When Cheol Jiseon turned around, rubbing the back of his head, he saw a young prodigy sitting behind him. 'Called' him? That was a lie. The bastard hadn't called out to him at all.
"…What's up?" Despite knowing this, Cheol Jiseon held himself back.
"I called you for fun. Why? Do you feel offended?" As the bastard started to giggle, others around him joined in.
Sigh…
Cheol Jiseon sighed inwardly. Once they noticed he was struggling to keep up with the training, they had started teasing him. Even though he had come to the prestigious Heavenly Dragon Academy, he felt ashamed that he couldn't even retort.
I didn't come here for this.
He clenched the fist resting on his knee.
I really didn't come here for this.
I knew it would be hard, but for this to happen from the very start…
"Your eyes look a little strange, you know? I think he's offended. Guys, Master Cheol Jiseon is offended."
"He's offended? Oh no, he must have been offended when he struggled back there too."
"…" The instructor had called on Cheol Jiseon earlier to answer a question about the lesson, and he had stuttered nervously. The others were now mocking him for it.
"If you don't like it, then let's settle it with a spar." The bastard stared down at Cheol Jiseon while flexing his muscles. Being above the level of a First-Rate martial artist, he was someone Cheol Jiseon couldn't hope to stand against. In the end, Cheol Jiseon had no choice but to stay silent.
"You've become silent all of a sudden. What a wimp. I wonder if you even have anything down there."
"Who knows? Maybe he doesn't. Or maybe it's tiny."
"But he can probably live off his handsome face, right? He could be a male prostitute, for example."
Crack.
Cheol Jiseon clenched his fist tighter.
"Hey, but don't you have an older sister?"
Pause.
Hearing someone mention his sister, Cheol Jiseon stopped trembling.
"Does your sister look like you? It'd be nice if she does. I want a lot of wives, you see. So, how about you introduce her to me?"
—Jiseon, you must not use that power.
His sister's voice tickled his ears, but his hand moved instinctively. It would be fine if he used it just once, right?
"I'm someone who can change your life. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you know?" Cheol Jiseon could tolerate insults aimed at himself, but when it came to his sister…
Just as Cheol Jiseon was about to stand up and make his move…
"Why is this bastard not responding aga—"
Slam—!
The bastard, who had been speaking in a gruff tone, was suddenly sent flying across the room with an explosive sound, tumbling across the floor.
Cheol Jiseon's eyes widened. The bastard slammed against the wall, his body beginning to tremble.
Splat—!
Blood spurted from his mouth, drenching the floor.
"Wha… What…?" When the bastard raised his head, someone he hadn't seen before was standing there. At the very least, he wasn't part of their group.
"W-Who are you?" he shouted angrily.
In response, the person who had appeared out of nowhere threw a chair at him.
Crash!
"Agh!"
"What do you mean, who am I? I'm a friend who happened to be passing by." After being hit by the chair, the bastard screamed again. The person who threw it stood calmly. His fierce eyes narrowed as he spoke. His smile only made him look scarier. Even Cheol Jiseon was shocked. It wasn't someone he expected to see.
"Ugh, I came here to eat with a friend, but there's a retard here as well." The person scratched his head nonchalantly. His fierce face and disrespectful manner of speaking… Cheol Jiseon recognized him. How could he not? After all, he was half-for—…No, he had been forced to become his 'friend.' Because they were put in different groups, Cheol Jiseon had thought he wouldn't see him again and had been relieved. He'd assumed the bullying was over.
This only made Cheol Jiseon more confused. The person who had come to save him from this predicament…
…True Dragon?
…was none other than Gu Yangcheon.