Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Mu Gil Was Not a Fool
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As Zhuge Seolji pointed to Jeong-hyeon as her sparring opponent, murmurs began to ripple through the gathered new students in their pale blue uniforms.
"Zhuge Seolji just picked Jeong-hyeon right now? Not Eon Yong-un?"
"Yeah, she definitely said Jeong-hyeon. Is there some issue?"
"Well, during the entrance exam, Eon Yong-un, Zhuge Seolji, and Jeong-hyeon tied for the top scores, but since Eon Yong-un and Zhuge Seolji were squad leaders, doesn't that effectively make Jeong-hyeon third place?"
"You're right."
"Personally, I was hoping that the top rank decisive match, which the proctors back then awarded to Eon Yong-un and didn't hold, might happen today."
"Yeah, I've heard rumors that Zhuge Seolji was pretty bitter about losing the current top spot."
Hm.
That hits the nail on the head.
"Sounds like there's more to it."
"Well, she's the Little Martial Strategist Zhuge Seolji of the world, isn't she? Probably has something else in mind."
"Hm."
"Since the current top rank is already gone, if she wants revenge, she'll have to do it at the monthly evaluation or dorm showdown coming up. So she must want to cross swords with Jeong-hyeon, who's famed as a sword genius within the Wudang Clan, right here and now."
No, that's not it.
Zhuge Seolji had already charged in big time once before and gotten called "utterly crushed."
'Well, it was an unofficial spar, so aside from my junior clanmates and Dang Ok-gi who was there with us, no one else would know.'
Anyway.
"Jeong-hyeon of Azure Bamboo Hall. Zhuge Seolji of Yunguk Hall. Come to the center. The rest of you cadets, withdraw beyond the boundary stones marking the edge of the training ground."
And so, the stage was set for the official first spar between Zhuge Seolji and Jeong-hyeon.
Before stepping back from the training ground as Professor Chang-ryang instructed, I threw my arm around Jeong-hyeon's shoulder and spoke.
"Jeong-hyeon."
"Yes, Eon young hero."
In the original story, Jeong-hyeon never once lost to Zhuge Seolji in swordsmanship.
Even though he rolled and tumbled endlessly, rarely ever in perfect condition throughout the story.
'Compared to that, this Jeong-hyeon really puts my mind at ease.'
Hanging out with me, eating well, training hard, and resting properly—he even had this glossy sheen about him now.
'But he can't let his guard down.'
A rolling stone might not be in peak condition, but it sure doesn't grow moss.
The Jeong-hyeon beside me was less battered than his original counterpart.
Of course, Jeong-hyeon hadn't been slacking off either.
He was the one most diligently participating in Azure Bamboo Hall's group training and even handling squad leader duties.
But it was time to steel his resolve a bit.
Jeong-hyeon's considerate nature, which had become habit.
And the fact that he'd beaten her once before.
Zhuge Seolji, seething with venom.
If those three elements aligned poorly, it could lead to a tiring outcome.
'Jeong-hyeon's superiority is certified by the original story, our Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect's sect leader—my master—and me as his successor.'
But with that level of skill gap, mindset could decide the fight.
So I spoke up.
"Don't hold back."
At my words, a steely glint entered Jeong-hyeon's eyes.
"Yes. I'll etch those words you gave Woo young hero earlier into my heart as well."
"That she doesn't hate you for picking you? Well, she seems to hate me more anyway."
I wondered if my "don't hold back" had reached Zhuge Seolji's ears—my side profile was burning fiercely.
"No. The words after that. That my defeat could tarnish Azure Bamboo Hall and Eon young hero's reputation."
Hm.
Jeong-hyeon with that look on his face wouldn't get complacent.
I patted his shoulder a couple times.
Then, as Chang-ryang directed, I moved beyond the boundary stones at the training ground's edge. My master at my waist sent a mental message.
- It was heartwarming to see you reining in that blank-slate kid Jeong-hyeon to prevent complacency, and telling him not to hold back fits the basic mindset a Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect successor should have—like a self-imposed reminder. It was quite admirable. So why the long face on you?
'What's wrong with my face?'
- No mirror here, huh. Go fetch a basin of water from that well and check. You look like you're chewing shit.
'Ah. I'm just bummed I can't place a bet. If I opened a betting pool with everyone here, tons would bet on Zhuge Seolji winning, but we can't run bets during regular class time, so it's a shame I can't rake in that easy money.'
- ...Even as Jeong-hyeon steels his will, that's what you're thinking...? You little...
"Now, the rules. These apply to everyone, and I won't repeat them twice, so quit chatting and listen up. Killing blows and dirty tricks are forbidden. If I see any, I'll intervene immediately, and the cadet using them will face appropriate penalties."
Personally, I thought properly deploying killing blows and tricks was part of one's skillset.
But this was class.
The very first one.
Not about deciding winners and losers between pairs, but checking the new students' basic prowess and finding paths for growth—the first button—so the rules made perfect sense.
"Time limit is until this hourglass runs out. Before then, if you drop your weapon against your will, either knee touches the ground, you go beyond the boundary stones out of bounds, or either combatant signals defeat—you lose. Zhuge Seolji. Jeong-hyeon. Ready?"
With Chang-ryang's explanation done.
Zhuge Seolji assumed her sword stance, and Jeong-hyeon took Wudang's rider stance.
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Then, begi—!"
The instant "be" left Chang-ryang's mouth, Zhuge Seolji shot forward like lightning.
Chaeng!!
Chaeng! Chae-chaeng!!!
Thus began the official first clash with live blades—their actual second bout—between Zhuge Seolji and Jeong-hyeon.
Most new students gaped at the two swords dancing across the training ground.
"They say Jeong-hyeon's a sword genius, and he's blocking all of Zhuge Seolji's attacks?!"
"Yeah, I can't even follow with my eyes."
"But scrambling to just block like that won't cut it. Zhuge Seolji's sword really lives up to the hype of excelling in both civil and martial arts."
Zhuge Seolji's Coiling Dragon Sword lunged like a dragon baring claws, met leisurely by Jeong-hyeon's Tai Chi Sword—flashing east, then west.
But I didn't gape.
'Zhuge Seolji's side...'
- She's going to lose.
'Yes. Even faster than last time.'
It wasn't just from having seen their previous spar.
Right now, Zhuge Seolji's sword was thick with worries and distractions.
- That Zhuge kid's so fixated on quick revenge she's crammed too many thoughts into her blade.
'Exactly.'
- ...And you can already see that? Your peers look busy just tracking the forms with their eyes. Well, you're cut from different cloth than those fools. My eyes don't lie.
'......? Was that a compliment just now?'
- Hmph. Compliment? Nonsense. Any Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect disciple should see that much!
Anyway.
The bout between Zhuge Seolji and Jeong-hyeon.
Chaeng!
Ended with Jeong-hyeon, tucked like a tortoise bearing Tai Chi, thrusting once—Zhuge Seolji dropping her sword.
Victory for Jeong-hyeon, as master and I predicted.
"...Tch. Zhuge Seolji, you're defeated."
Chang-ryang spoke, clearly displeased.
Zhuge Seolji stood frozen like a stone statue, staring at her right hand that had lost the sword, unable to believe the back-to-back loss.
"...Heh."
I was about to send her a transmission with the newly learned "utterly crushed in rematch" using mental voice, but held back—afraid it'd push her into qi deviation.
But to Zhuge Seolji, that victory obsession ghost, even that stung her pride.
Her eyes reddened, she huffed, snatched up her sword, sent a transmission first.
[Just you wait.]
[No one's walked away smiling after telling me that to my face, but since you insist, I'll watch. Keep the order, though. Beat Jeong-hyeon first.]
[I really mean it, wait!]
She stormed off the training ground fuming.
Thus ended the first bout.
As my junior clanmates—who'd seen this prelude to today's spars—and all other new students except Dang Ok-gi grappled with Jeong-hyeon's win, mouths agape.
Professor Chang-ryang spoke again.
"Any other cadets want to nominate a sparring partner?"
At his voice, one in black uniform shot up his hand.
"Mu Gil of Hyangran Hall."
Seeming to recognize the cadet from his own dorm, as dorm supervisor.
"Yes, Professor."
"Who do you want to face?"
"I'd like to spar with Eon Yong-un."
I knew this Mu Gil too.
Not because he was major in the original story.
'He's the guy who barely hung on with Seo Ho-yeol, son of the Stone Family close to Woo So-rung and my father, from Yunmaek Hall?'
So this was the overall rankings dead last challenging the top rank.
Mu Gil was no fool.
When Un-hyeok told him to nominate Eon Yong-un as the first sparring opponent in Martial Arts Fundamentals.
He instantly grasped why Un-hyeok was assigning him this.
"Namgung Yun. The reason you're asking me of all people, despite that friend... You expect the overall dead last, me, to topple the top rank Eon Yong-un, right?"
"Exactly. Professors and seniors all buzz about 'current top rank' this and that. If you crush Eon Yong-un, that'll shut them up. He won't strut around boasting 'I'm the current top rank' anymore."
He got the intent.
But Un-hyeok's words overlooked the crucial point.
"Can I actually beat Eon Yong-un? I'm dead last, he's top rank."
"I thought you had a brain since you caught my drift, but you're blind to the key part. Think. Was top and bottom divided by pure skill? No! You nearly ranked higher too."
"But in the entrance exam, Eon Yong-un's squad stole beads from others. I took that as proof of their skill."
"That was a team task. My nephew Jeong-hyeon—that brat lacks respect, even cursing Wudang elders, but his swordsmanship is acknowledged clan-wide as genius material. He's Eon Yong-un's right-hand man."
"Ah! So Jeong-hyeon's been Eon Yong-un's fixer all this time? Stepping in when muscle's needed?"
"Yes. Plus, that bead fiasco got major help from thief Woo So-rung. Professors let it slide, but Eon Yong-un's just a sharp-tongued, quick-witted punk. His martial arts? At best, average newbie level."
Made sense hearing it out.
But something still nagged.
"What about him beating seniors in Dongyun Hall?"
"Tch. You call those Azure Bamboo Hall scrubs 'seniors'?"
"Sorry."
"Anyway, they're nobodies. I checked—Jeong-hyeon was there too. Probably played fixer again. Dongyun Hall's like our Geomseon Hall—no weapons allowed."
"Right, just fists... Ah! Could it be?!"
"Yes. Pearl Eon Family's famed for fist arts. Sure, he can throw a punch tolerably, but he's a wastrel. He rampages and silences mouths inside Azure Bamboo Hall, but in front of all newbies and professors, an unapproved wastrel can't use family arts."
"So he'll step up with that sword he always carries?"
"Right. Pure skill-wise, you're no bottom-tier. Reverse when Eon Yong-un got booted—he's had a sword maybe a year tops. Think a year's enough to catch your level? That's it. Not begging. Skip if you want. But it's your chance too."
After that talk with Un-hyeok.
Mu Gil pondered long.
What ended his deliberation was Zhuge Seolji vs. Jeong-hyeon just now.
'Jeong-hyeon is the real deal.'
Un-hyeok senior was right.
Hyangran and Azure Bamboo Halls were close—he'd overheard Eon Yong-un stressing to his crew to fight staking their names.
'Eon Yong-un is fake.'
His thoughts reached there.
A thick lump of saliva slid down Mu Gil's throat as dry spit.
'Dead last topples top rank!'
Eon Yong-un's seat becomes mine.
Not just peers—all academy folks will eye me, not him.
'Hyangran Hall has tradition, history, roots—not like trashy Azure Bamboo where seniors grovel before me.'
They'll carve a student council seat for me if needed.
Mu Gil's lips twisted upward, caught in ambition and greed.