Formation! Cheonmu Squad 3 (2)
The instructors' goal at Cheonmu Academy wasn't to subdue us cadets—it was to steal the azure banner. The poison itself wasn't severe. In fact, what we detected in the food was just a faint toxin that induced drowsiness and haze.
But messing with an expensive feast we'd splurged on? I unleashed my fury on the disguised patrons in the inn.
Fighting Cock Wind Wave
Their acting was pretty convincing, but the giveaway was the excessive stares when we were about to eat. Sharp-eyed me caught on immediately.
BOOM! In an instant, the inn turned into a battlefield.
As squad leader, I stepped up, announced the poison in the food, and launched a preemptive strike on the enemies. Peng Jincheon and Meng Yuon followed right behind.
Dry Heaven Breaking Blade
In that brief moment, we exchanged glances and divided our zones. Peng Jincheon, unleashing his bold saber qi, took the right.
Fighting Dragon Wild Dance
Meng Yuon, with his dazzling swift swordplay, handled the left. Naturally, the center was mine.
Cold Seal Palm
WHOOSH! With one peak-level expert and two high-level ones, no one could stand against us. They wanted just one moment when my eyes turned away to snatch the azure banner—but I never let it out of my sight.
"Those monsters," came a voice from the back of the inn, along with a figure. I knew who it was right away.
"Instructor Huang Yi-cheon of the Flying Dragon Squadron!"
It was none other than Huang Yi-cheon, the man behind the banner theft. He gripped a spear far larger than himself, lamenting so earnestly I nearly burst out laughing.
"I was up for promotion soon, and now I've stepped in real shit at the end."
Huang Yi-cheon had poured his all into this trap, only to see no results and waste resources—he was genuinely heartbroken.
"Sorry about that."
"Training's training, right?"
The moment we spotted Huang Yi-cheon, Peng Jincheon and Meng Yuon grinned and chimed in. But it didn't last.
"Still, we gotta see it through to the end."
Despite his light tone, Huang Yi-cheon was a truly fearsome man. He chuckled self-deprecatingly, then—
FLASH! His eyes sharpened as he swung his signature Flying Dragon Spear.
What made Huang Yi-cheon renowned as a peak expert was the Harmony Hidden Shadow Spear Method.
Ten Flying Hidden Shadows
A exquisite technique that strikes ten directions in one thrust—in the blink of an eye, it targeted us, or more precisely, my vital points.
This is the peak of spear arts! I couldn't help but be shocked by his ferocious assault.
There's a common saying in the martial world: a hundred days for the spear, a thousand for the saber, ten thousand for the sword. It praises the sword as the king of weapons, claiming spears are mastered quickest.
But that's nonsense, of course. What matters is the warrior wielding the weapon, not the tool itself. And spears are far from weak.
SWISH! Witness Huang Yi-cheon's Flying Dragon Squadron Spear strikes from afar in an instant. Especially for me, a close-range kicking expert who needs to close distances, he was the trickiest foe.
"Cheon Myeong!"
"Watch the banner!"
Meng Yuon and Peng Jincheon yelped in surprise at the sharp assault. Astonishingly, Instructor Huang Yi-cheon wasn't aiming for my throat.
His target was... the azure banner itself!
I realized it then. He'd judged taking me down too hard, so he switched to breaking the banner outright. Our mission was to deliver it intact, so damaging it was failure too.
Huang Yi-cheon was banking on that.
WHOOSH! Feigning a vital point strike, his attack curved wide toward the banner's fluttering edge. He meant to shred it.
But who am I? The old me might've been caught flat-footed, but not now.
Illusion Body Flight
I wasn't the old me with lame evasion and no footwork. WHOOSH! I evaded perfectly with Illusion Body Flight.
Huang Yi-cheon's Flying Dragon Spear sliced empty air. My friends, stunned by the evasion, recovered quickly.
"Push him back now."
"Hit him!"
If Instructor Huang Yi-cheon regrouped his thugs for another ambush, we'd be in trouble. We resolved to drive him off with everything we had.
Moon Palace Finger
Even from afar, I fired repeated finger winds with Moon Palace Finger, probing Huang Yi-cheon's openings.
"Ugh, damn it!"
Missing his sure kill, Huang Yi-cheon groaned in regret, switching back to his light tone. The finger winds at his temples sent him reeling back in panic.
"Is this cadet level?!"
He blamed his bad luck, but I knew he deeply respected superiors like Dan Ri-cheong and Baek Ho Jun.
He probably volunteered for this himself. Spouting that was just to lower our guard. Flying Dragon Squadron Huang Yi-cheon was no pushover.
"Squad leader, fall back for a bit."
"We'll push him."
And he wasn't the only one to watch. Meng Yuon, the Little Affectionate Swordsman, barraged with insane swift swords from afar—barely high-level, but his unique style backed me up fiercely.
And get a load of this: "Hah!" Peng Jincheon, the Little Dragon Blade, unleashing serious saber arts. If he cornered me, even I'd struggle. Post-graduation from Cheonmu Academy, he'd secluded in Hebei's Peng Clan to inherit their secrets—his real growth started now.
CLANG! CLANG CLANG CLANG!
Safely guarding the banner, I kept the foes at bay from range, cheering my friends. Meanwhile, Peng Jincheon and Meng Yuon synergized perfectly, putting even Cheonmu's top instructor Huang Yi-cheon on the ropes.
"Aigoo, take it easy."
Whining nonstop, he casually blocked their joint assault. He eyed me at the rear warily—both because of the banner and knowing I'd be the final boss even if he beat them.
"Tch, no point dragging it out."
Sensing his elaborate inn trap had failed spectacularly, Flying Dragon Squadron Huang Yi-cheon raised his spear. A signal: no more fighting, time to withdraw.
The sudden halt startled Meng Yuon and Peng Jincheon into looking up.
"No point if it won't work. That's it for today."
Huang Yi-cheon sheathed his weapon with a "you win today" grin and turned away.
"Pissed about the ruined fancy food, huh? Especially you, Cheon Myeong."
I flinched guiltily.
"Sorry. This inn's rented by the academy—order whatever you want. On me."
True to form, Flying Dragon Squadron Huang Yi-cheon was a true hero and top instructor. He knew the value of good eats. He summoned the real inn staff—not the fakes he'd hired.
"I lost today. Damn, eat your fill."
He kept his word, so we could relax.
WHOOSH! Once Huang Yi-cheon vanished, we three cheered, locking eyes.
YEAH!
Thinking back, beating a group together like this was a first. It thrilled me.
That's why they do these trainings.
With that, we feasted on Huang Yi-cheon's treat and crashed in luxurious rooms at the fine inn.
* * *
After that, we traveled smoothly into Henan Province. Plenty of time left, short distance remaining.
"This is breezy."
"Smooth sailing."
With the end in sight, Peng Jincheon and Meng Yuon nodded approvingly.
Even after the inn ambush, Flying Dragon Squadron Huang Yi-cheon kept ambushing at every chance. He even disguised as the Henan governor upon arrival—but my instincts foiled it.
When he asked how I knew, I answered honestly.
"Your face doesn't scream official. Anyone can see you're a playful warrior type—bad disguise."
Of course, that was a joke. Truth was,
Studying disguise arts lately paid off big! I'd invested heavily in Illusion Disguise Technique. Not only did my own disguises improve, but I could see through others' too. Double win.
"One day left!"
I scanned around and told my comrades. One more day, and the azure banner delivery mission complete—via shortest route.
Our spot now? Deep in stacked wild mountains, no towns or villages.
"Guess we camp tonight."
We'd had decent lodgings till now, but one night outdoors was unavoidable. Part of the jianghu life.
So we set watches and prepared thoroughly.
Because tonight was do-or-die.
Huang Yi-cheon wouldn't quit a day early. He'd go all-out at dawn, plain as day.
"Just one more day."
I patted my exhausted friends.
Survive it, and schedule done—top rank, shattering Cheonmu's final training record.
"Got it."
"One day!"
With so little left, it fired them up.
One more day, and Cheonmu Squad 3 sets a new record.
We passed the night calmly on watch rotation. We waited till dawn for Huang Yi-cheon, but... nothing.
"Weird."
"Yeah."
"Not his style to just let us go."
Something felt off—we'd barely slept. Uneasy, we scouted before full light.
Then—
BOOM! CLANG!
A distant rumble and clashing weapons? My gut screamed.
Something's gone down!