No Deeds, No Honors
Canglan Hall at Canglan Academy.
The dean, Ji Yuan Zhang, and the others had taken their seats at the table inside. Yeop Hyeon and his sister bustled about, serving the food. The dishes weren't flashy, but their aroma alone was enough to make one's mouth water.
Ji An Zhi licked her chopsticks, eyeing every opportunity. Ji Yuan Zhang, Bai Ze, and Mu Yun Qi watched her with sharp, predatory glares.
They all knew that once her chopstick divine skill activated, nothing but empty white plates would remain.
Finally, all the dishes were laid out.
Twelve in total!
And yes, there was meat!
After Yeop Ryeong distributed plates to everyone, she sat beside her brother.
Ji Yuan Zhang took a sip of liquor, then spoke as the food sat before them.
"You were too hasty today."
"They looked down on us first," Yeop Hyeon replied.
"You should have endured."
"Even if we had, do you think they would have let us go?"
Yeop Hyeon shook his head and continued. "They never would have. The more we endured, the more they would have trampled us. Back in Qingcheng, I once met a vicious brute.
He was not only cruel but savage. The more servile people were toward him, the more brutally he treated them. Against such a man, you must stand and fight.
You have to teach him what pain truly is. Only then will they respect you and never dare to scorn you again."
Ji Yuan Zhang fell silent.
Mu Yun Qi said nothing as well.
Ji An Zhi just kept eating without a word.
Then Bai Ze suddenly spoke up.
"Yeop Hyeon's words make sense. When I was in Mang Mountain, I saw plenty of beasts. You never show your back to a beast. The moment you start running, it turns even more ferocious and aggressive. The only way is to face it head-on.
Beat it until its eyes bulge in terror, and it'll never attack humans again—it'll flee instead."
Bai Ze poured liquor into his rice bowl, raised it overhead, and bellowed.
"Yeop Hyeon, I think you did right!"
Yeop Hyeon raised his cup in response. Mu Yun Qi, who'd been watching their exchange, quickly lifted his own. The three men locked eyes and downed their drinks in unison.
They hadn't known each other long, but they now shared one thing.
They were all students of Canglan Academy!
Ji Yuan Zhang began eating without another word.
They devoured the food like demons possessed, polishing off every dish in moments.
After the meal, Ji Yuan Zhang took a swig of baijiu and addressed them all.
"Tonight, everyone come to the back mountain."
With that, he returned to his quarters.
Ji An Zhi set her chopsticks on the table and turned to Yeop Hyeon.
"Wanna make more rice?"
Yeop Hyeon pouted. "There's leftover in the kitchen. Go eat that."
"Thanks!!"
Ji An Zhi beamed like she'd won the lottery, snatched her chopsticks, and bolted for the kitchen.
Yeop Ryeong started clearing plates and bowls. Bai Ze and Mu Yun Qi exchanged glances, then bolted from their seats in unison.
Dishwashing wasn't a man's fate!
Watching the two burly men flee, Yeop Ryeong smiled faintly.
As Yeop Hyeon gathered bowls, he said, "Come on, we'll finish quick if we do it together."
Before Yeop Ryeong could reply, a noise came from outside the hall.
Yeop Hyeon turned to see a woman in a black skirt, seated in a wheeled chair.
"Might I have a word?"
She addressed Yeop Hyeon.
"Me?"
She nodded.
Yeop Ryeong smiled brightly. "Go on, brother. I'll handle this!"
Yeop Hyeon ruffled her hair affectionately. "Alright. Be careful."
He approached the woman.
"What is it?"
She opened her palm, revealing a glowing golden disc.
Yeop Hyeon took it, puzzled. "What's this?"
"By order of the Lord of the Kingdom, we hereby appoint you as National Scholar."
National Scholar?!
Yeop Hyeon blinked in confusion.
Moments later, he shook his head and offered the disc back. "I've done nothing, so I have no right to receive it."
"You single-handedly held off the enemy army at Yangjie City."
"Ha, just for that?"
She didn't respond.
Yeop Hyeon sat on a nearby stone step. "That happened ages ago, yet you've come now... so there must be another purpose, right?"
She remained silent.
"Ever since I enrolled at Canglan Academy, tensions with Cangmu Academy have flared. And now you've come to me...
If I'm right, the imperial family doesn't want Cangmu Academy growing any stronger. The more power they gain, the weaker the throne becomes. Seeing Canglan Academy as a potential counterforce, they want to nurture it to check Cangmu's rise...
Something like that, yeah?"
She neatly folded her hands in her lap. "You're sharper than I thought."
"Don't try to use me!"
She shook her head. "The moment you joined Canglan Academy, you became mortal enemies with Cangmu. Whether we stir the pot or not, you're fated to spill blood with them.
These generational grudges have no right or wrong—just clashing positions. As you said, the kingdom wants someone to balance Cangmu's power. But that's not why we're making you National Scholar."
Yeop Hyeon stepped closer. "Then what's the real reason?"
She looked up at him. His eyes were still closed.
"If it's for standing alone against thousands of Tang Kingdom cavalry at Yangjie City, that might suffice."
Yeop Hyeon said nothing.
Suddenly, she grasped his right hand and placed the golden disc in it.
"Canglan or Cangmu—it doesn't matter. They're both from our Jiang Kingdom. The tragedy is so many forget that.
One who holds the kingdom in their heart, devotes themselves to it, and has the strength to fight for it—that's who should be National Scholar.
And the position imposes no obligations on you. Instead, you'll receive the kingdom's aid wherever you go."
As she finished, a shadowy figure appeared behind her, pushing her wheeled chair as they slowly departed.
At the mountain's base, he stopped. A drunken old man lay sprawled before them.
She leaned forward in respect. "Dean Ji."
He didn't stir, so she spoke. "We do intend to use him, but the Lord has no malice."
"No one should know he's National Scholar yet. He attracts too much attention as is."
"Understood, Dean."
She bowed once more and vanished into the darkness.
Moments later, the dean buried his face and began snoring.
Deep into the night.
Yeop Hyeon climbed the back mountain with Bai Ze and Mu Yun Qi. A waterfall cascaded there, dozens of feet wide with ferocious currents.
Ji Yuan Zhang and Ji An Zhi were already waiting.
"Heh heh, old geezer... er, Dean. You calling us here to pass on some supreme martial art?"
Ignoring Mu Yun Qi's question, Ji Yuan Zhang whistled long and low. Moments later, a wolf with pitch-black fur emerged from the woods.
It was several zhang tall, its coat sharp as blades, its gaze enough to freeze the heart!
"Demonic Wolf!"
Bai Ze cried out warily.
"That's Soaring Realm level!"
Ji Yuan Zhang's finger pointed at Mu Yun Qi. He panicked.
"Dean! What the hell?!"
The demonic wolf lunged. Its speed was blinding—Yeop Hyeon caught only an afterimage!
"Damn it... what's wrong with this old bastard?!"
Mu Yun Qi spun and fled. His speed rivaled the wolf's, but human stamina couldn't match a beast's!
Ji Yuan Zhang turned to Bai Ze, who stood tall, unflinching. Having battled countless beasts in Mang Mountain, this wolf held no terror.
The dean stared, then gripped Bai Ze's shoulder. Bai Ze tried to shrug him off instinctively but couldn't muster any strength.
As Yeop Hyeon watched in shock, thick iron chains bound Bai Ze's ankles. Ji Yuan Zhang hurled him into the waterfall.
Another demonic wolf appeared, securing the chains to the cliff.
Bai Ze, plunged into the cascade's center, strained against the torrent. Each pounding wave drew blood, staining his body red. At first he endured, but soon screams escaped his lips.
Watching Bai Ze's agony, Yeop Hyeon felt his scalp crawl. His own body was iron-hard, but swimming upstream against that was like facing a barrage of blades.
Finally, the dean's gaze settled on Yeop Hyeon. Every hair on his body stood on end. What kind of bizarre training was this?!
After scrutinizing him, Ji Yuan Zhang shook his head. "In the Imperial City, no one has foundations as solid as yours—except perhaps the National Scholar..."
"You have a keen eye, Dean."
The dean didn't reply. Truth be told, he was stumped. Yeop Hyeon's basics were already flawless—no need to temper further. Forcing a realm breakthrough wasn't feasible either.
After a pause, he asked abruptly, "Have you awakened your battle intent?"
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"Good. Follow me!"
Yeop Hyeon trailed the dean, with Ji An Zhi joining them.
They arrived at the base of a small mountain—modest in size, but at least ten times larger than Canglan Hall.
"What's your strongest fist technique?"
"Fist Collapse! It's low-grade."
The dean's finger pointed at the mountain.
"Pummel it with Fist Collapse from now on. Until it crumbles."
Speechless, Yeop Hyeon stared. This was utterly unforeseen.
"A problem?"
Swallowing dryly, Yeop Hyeon pointed at the mountain. "You seem a bit drunk, Dean. Shall we talk tomorrow?"
The dean eyed him long and hard, then turned away.
"Leave with your sister. Now."
As he started to go, Yeop Hyeon shouted, "I'll do it!"
He began slamming the mountain with his fists.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Soon, both hands were drenched in blood.