Chapter 30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Reunion
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Everyone felt a slight surge of anger at that sight.
Yang Cho-gun was pissed off too.
"How dare they look down on us like that. Should we pick a fight first and get them all expelled?"
Tae-seong held Yang Cho-gun back.
"Cut it out. Before those guys get expelled, our kids might end up dead first."
Yang Cho-gun turned at Tae-seong's words, and sure enough, the Imperial Palace Martial Academy cadets were all pale and trembling under the intense pressure radiating from the Dragon Academy's chief instructor and the Demon Dragon Academy's head instructor.
Only Tae-seong and Yang Cho-gun stood unfazed.
To the Imperial Palace cadets, who were little more than ordinary folk with minimal training, the aura of peak masters felt like a natural disaster.
Whatever. Ignoring the Imperial Palace entirely, the Dragon Academy's student representative and the Demon Dragon Academy's trainee rep started hashing out an agreement.
"We'll take turns using the Blue Moon Pavilion in the order we arrived. We got here first, so we go first. No complaints, right?"
"Fine. Then we'll take it from around three p.m. And to avoid running into each other, let's set routes. We'll take this side, you take that..."
Of course, the Imperial Palace Academy had no say in their deal.
"I hope I never have to see your face again."
"Same here."
With a sharp turn, the two stormed off, looking almost childish.
Yang Cho-gun pointed at them and asked,
"Do you know who those guys are?"
"No clue."
"You challenged the Dragon Academy and don't even know them?"
Sima Ryang gasped at Yang Cho-gun's words.
"You actually challenged the Dragon Academy?"
"F-For real?"
"What, is that weird?"
"Obviously. Aren't you from an evil sect?"
Jo Gi-myeong asked, a bit startled.
"W-Wait, you're from the unorthodox paths?"
"When did I ever say I was righteous?"
"Your skills are so profound, we just assumed... Anyway, even with your level of power, you couldn't pass the Dragon Academy entrance?"
"Couldn't use internal energy, so I flunked."
"An evil sect guy taking the Dragon Academy exam? You're one weird dude."
Sima Ryang shook his head in disbelief.
"Why attempt something so reckless?"
Yang Cho-gun pointed at himself.
"For the record, I flunked too."
Sima Ryang and Jo Gi-myeong recalled Yang Cho-gun's rapier and dismissed it as obvious, not even bothering to reply.
"So you two met there, became friends, and came all the way here together?"
"Yep. Just like you guys became friends here."
"Friends? Don't say such outrageous nonsense! A disciple of the Great Blue Castle doesn't befriend evil sect trash!"
"Hmph! You're just a half-baked collateral disciple yourself— the Great Blue Castle can go freeze... Would my sect really kick me out for hanging with this guy?"
"So what's your relationship then?"
"Hostile companions?"
"Love-hate, more like."
"Isn't that marriage?"
"You're crossing the line."
"I should request a different room. Can't deal with evil sect types after all."
"By the way, what's their deal?"
"The one from the Imperial Palace side? That's the Sword Emperor's grandson."
The mention of the Sword Emperor made Sima Ryang and Jo Gi-myeong pale in shock.
"Gasp! The Sword Emperor?!"
"That guy's his grandson?"
They figured he was someone important, but not that big a deal.
At their voices, other nearby cadets started eavesdropping.
The Sword Emperor was, without question, the strongest in the righteous martial world.
"And all those guys behind him? Direct disciples from famous clans anyone would recognize. Starting from the left: Namgung family's Namgung Mo-cheon, the two women are Tang family's Tang Yeo-rim and Baek family's Baek Sa-hong, the guy in the bamboo hat is Jeomchang Sect's Cheon Gi-ryang, the Taoist is Wudang's Cho Yu-rim, and next to him, the long-haired guy is Great Sword Sect's Jin Ga-baek."
Great Sword Sect? The one Squad Leader mentioned before? The legendary senior assassin from Shadow Squad known as 'Scent of Fragrance' got wrecked by their poison arts.
As Tae-seong pondered, Yang Cho-gun chided him, thinking he wasn't listening.
"Hey, pay attention. This is important info. Those guys are a different breed from the Overlord Sect heir you took down."
The surrounding cadets jumped at that.
"What? You took down the Overlord Sect patriarch's son?"
"You beat him?"
"Who'd you beat?"
"You're that strong?"
"My god."
Shocked reactions poured in.
But Tae-seong, the center of it all, seemed utterly bored.
Beating someone at Cheon-sim-dan's level was barely a post-meal digestif for him.
Those unaware of his true power couldn't fathom his nonchalance.
Sima Ryang asked Tae-seong,
"What about that guy from the Demon Dragon Academy? Know him?"
"First time seeing him."
"Better commit it to memory—for your own sake. He's the son of the Evil Alliance Leader. And the pale-faced guy right behind him? That's the Heavenly Demon's fifth disciple."
At "Heavenly Demon's disciple," Tae-seong's eyes flashed with unconscious killing intent.
Startled by the thick malice, Sima Ryang asked meekly,
"W-Why the glare? Did I say something wrong?"
Tae-seong suppressed his boiling rage with the Blood Still Heart Technique.
Steadying himself, he said slowly,
"No. Keep going."
Sima Ryang was puzzled by Tae-seong's sudden seriousness after his prior apathy.
Yang Cho-gun, on the other hand, eyed Tae-seong's reaction with gleaming interest.
"Next to the Heavenly Demon's disciple is the current Demonic Cult leader's grandson, I believe. Then White Lotus Valley, Poison King Sect, Heavenly Response Church, and... whoa!"
Sima Ryang suddenly whipped his head around.
Tae-seong asked at the odd move,
"What's up?"
"N-Nothing."
"Doesn't look like nothing. Spill it."
"It's just... some guys from the Fox Sparrow Palace I have bad blood with showed up..."
"Fox Sparrow Palace?"
The Black Star Sect was a decent evil faction, but not on that level.
The Fox Sparrow Palace was top-five in the unorthodox world.
While Tae-seong got the rundown on the Dragon and Demon Dragon Academies' rising stars from Yang Cho-gun and Sima Ryang, the instructor called all cadets together.
"Attention!"
"Attention!"
"Free time until around three p.m. You all know this isn't just our turf. But if we let them push us out, the Imperial Palace Martial Academy's honor goes down the drain. Got it?"
"Yes, Instructor!"
"Good. I trust you understand. Absolutely no getting dragged into fights with them, understood?"
"Understood!"
"Dismissed. That's all!"
The cadets broke into groups and headed to the amusement grounds.
Tae-seong's group followed suit, entering the grounds.
"Well, we're here—might as well enjoy the sights properly."
"Indeed."
Around the massive lake were food stalls, games, performances galore.
But the Imperial Palace cadets, Tae-seong included, grew increasingly irritated.
Dragon and Demon Dragon Academy folks were everywhere, laughing it up with the female students.
Unlike the all-male Imperial Palace, those academies were co-ed.
Men and women chatting in groups unknowingly fueled their anger.
Tae-seong was no exception.
Then, a familiar voice rang in Tae-seong's ear.
Thwack!
"Watch where you're going, punk! Hey! Can't you keep your eyes open?"
"S-Sorry."
Hitting first and picking a fight? It felt oddly familiar.
Yang Cho-gun, sensing the same déjà vu, squinted and said,
"Isn't that Cheon-sim-dan? How's that guy here?"
"No way he passed the sparring test on that leg. Must've pulled family strings."
Whatever. Whether Cheon-sim-dan got into Dragon Academy or not wasn't Tae-seong's problem.
But picking on his Imperial Palace comrades? That was.
Most Imperial Palace cadets were average fighters without proper internal energy training.
They lacked the guts or skill to challenge a Dragon Academy bully.
Harassing them to boost his ego looked pathetic to Tae-seong.
He decided to remind Cheon-sim-dan of that nightmare day.
Tae-seong lowered his head and walked toward him.
Spotting the Imperial Palace uniform, Cheon-sim-dan sauntered over like a hyena eyeing prey, then shoulder-checked Tae-seong.
He flew back, crashing to the ground like he'd slammed into a wall.
"Gah!"
Splat!
Cheon-sim-dan sprawled on the dirt, dazed and confused.
Snapping out of it, he roared at Tae-seong,
"You bastard! How dare you!! You did that on purp—"
But the words died in his throat.
Tae-seong had lifted his head, staring with cold, merciless eyes.
Cheon-sim-dan convulsed like he'd seen a ghost.
"Y-You, you, you, you're?!"
Tae-seong spoke in a pitying tone,
"Still pulling this crap?"
"This punk?"
Tae-seong pointed at his left leg.
"How'd you even pass the sparring test on that leg? They check properly?"
"O-Of course! My leg's fine!"
"Yeah? Is it now?"
As Tae-seong faced off with Cheon-sim-dan, eyes turned their way.
An Imperial Palace cadet provoking a Dragon Academy trainee? Unthinkable.
Someone recognized Tae-seong.
"Hey, isn't that the guy from before?"
"Yeah! The one who sparred with Cheon-sim-dan."
"Went to the Imperial Palace of all places? Pfft!"
"Puhaha! Wahahahaha!"
"Ahahahaha!"
Laughter mocked Tae-seong.
He ignored it.
Yang Cho-gun looked uncomfortable instead.
He'd flunked the exam too, after all.