#100. Hell's Entrance Exam: The Third Gate (3)
Who ruled the current Murim world?
People would think of the Murim Alliance first. For the past several hundred years, the Murim world had been reorganized around the Alliance, which formed the foundation for its revival. The Alliance's influence reached even places where the government's didn't, so people trusted it more than the imperial authorities.
Then who ruled the Murim Alliance? Broadly speaking, the Jeongdo Council—centered on the Nine Great Sects and One Clan—and the Baekdohoe, led by the Five Great Families, stood at the top. The Twelve Bongseong deserved mention too, but they were still newcomers compared to those giants, so we'd set them aside.
In terms of raw power, the Baekdohoe couldn't compare to the Jeongdo Council. That was because two colossal figures within the Jeongdo Council overshadowed everything.
The Buddhist Sorimsa.
The Daoist Mudang Sect.
These two behemoths didn't just represent the Nine Great Sects and One Clan or the Murim Alliance—they represented all of Murim. To oppose Mudang or Sorimsa was tantamount to opposing the entire martial world.
"So why would mighty Mudang go out of their way to target Jin-gongja and Tae-eul Gate, as if they'd been waiting for it?"
If we had to pinpoint a cause, it was the Mareung Plateau incident. But could I really call that my fault? Yong So-a was the one who'd fled alone into the Muryangbulgolmokhonjin, swearing he'd survive by himself. I'd tried to stop him and got sucked into the formation instead. Those who'd witnessed the horrors there and barely escaped alive—regardless of black or white paths—cursing Yong So-a as one was only natural.
In truth, if Yong So-a had just been a disciple of Jeomcheong Sect, the survivors would've swarmed there en masse, demanding the sinner be handed over in a hundred-day protest. The fact that it all blew over without much fuss—and with minimal backlash—was proof of Mudang's immense prestige.
"Yong So-a may have shone brightly, but they say the 'Hyeon' generation disciples' skills far surpass their peers. If they've got a grudge against Tae-eul Gate, maybe we should just forfeit the exam."
After seeing the Third Gate opponent list, all the Tae-eul Gate disciples except me were in a daze. Moyong Jaehwa, who'd smartly shown up early to pick his opponent, couldn't stomach this blatant bullying and stormed off to confront Mudang Sect.
"Forfeiting the Third Gate might mean failing the exam outright."
Having a gate pass meant you'd proven your skill, resources, and family backing. Snatching one from such opponents was no easy feat. Even if you managed it, you'd still have to evade other pursuers. Some even had passes that moved independently of their owners. In the end, it boiled down to "run now, or fight, steal a pass, then run." The first option was clearly easier.
"Sigh..."
That's why Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran were fretting over our exam instead of picking their own opponents.
Clunk.
The door burst open then, and Moyong Jaehwa stormed back in, fuming. We naturally paused our talk and turned to him.
"My guess was right."
"What guess?"
"Just as I thought—no real reason. They said they had questions about their missing junior brother. But the timeline doesn't match, does it?"
Looking at it objectively, it wasn't that unfair. Mudang had so many disciples that splitting them across the four gates nationwide made sense, and picking the weakest-looking opponent for the Third Gate was logical too. If that "weakest" happened to be the one who'd smeared shit on their sect's name, they had even more reason to crush them.
"Yeah, figured as much. Go pick your opponent first anyway."
Moyong Jaehwa was just an examinee like us. I appreciated him sticking up for me, but he couldn't neglect his own exam.
"Already did."
"Huh? Weren't you just at Mudang?"
"Yeah, but they wouldn't listen, so I said I'd show them what-for myself on their behalf."
"..."
● Third Gate Exam Opponents
Mudang Sect Hyeon-gun – Moyong Family Moyong Jaehwa
"Shouldn't we at least accept him as a lay disciple of Tae-eul Gate at this point?"
Geum Pyo said that, watching Moyong Jaehwa rage harder than any actual Tae-eul disciple.
"Eh, if we did, Elder Sword Breaker would either pulverize Tae-eul Gate or turn Jaehwa into mincemeat."
They wouldn't dare split the sole heir of the direct line, so Tae-eul Gate was the safer bet for destruction. Once Jegal Cheongi's mechanism array was complete, maybe it'd hold. But even in his past life, Moyong Jaehwa had been shackled by the elder's whims. The duty of the family's only male heir to carry the bloodline—wasn't that inherently tragic?
"Anyway, we'll forfeit the Third Gate."
"Huh?"
Eunho and Dongryong nodded along with Geum Pyo's out-of-left-field declaration.
"What nonsense is that?"
"Sparring's fine and all, but don't we need to make history as the first Tae-eul Gate disciples to enter Murim Academy?"
"..."
I tilted my head, not getting it. He tilted his right back.
"If we get injured in some pointless duel, we can't help hyungnim with the rest of the exam. You planning to go solo?"
"Huh?"
Geum Pyo finally thumped his chest in frustration and bellowed.
"How the hell are we supposed to beat Mudang's sword inspectors?!"
This felt like insubordination. Yelling at your lofty senior brother like that?
"Geum Pyo-ya..."
"Yes?!"
"Your voice is kinda loud."
"Hm? Nah, it's not."
Their reactions made sense. Mudang sword inspectors were terrifying. Even ignoring sword depth and efficiency, their internal energy alone was incomparable. Did they drink pure azure essence from Wudang Mountain streams and feast on millennium hao root every meal? Even their twenty-something disciples averaged over fifty years' worth of qi. And that was just the average. Anyone at the Murim Entrance Exam would exceed it.
Hyeon-su, who'd targeted me especially, had topped his cohort in his past life, even entering the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament later. Yong So-a's genius had dimmed the 'Hyeon' generation, but individually, they'd all etch their names into Murim history.
Simple math: it took all three gold-silver-bronze brothers to handle one Mudang inspector. But the Alliance wouldn't allow "we outmatched in qi, so send three!" And with the bad blood already, getting hurt and missing the later stages was a real worry.
"Of course, we don't think hyungnim can't pass without us. But wouldn't it be easier with us around?"
"Geum Pyo-ya..."
"Yes."
"I'll let it slide this once."
"Hehe... Yep!"
Geum Pyo rubbed his hands with a sleazy grin. Eunho sighed at his brother.
"You hoping we won't back down from the impossible? We can if you want. But big-picture, sticking with hyungnim helps more."
Dongryong nodded vigorously, clutching his sword.
"Why assume defeat from the start?"
"..."
"Do you know what the 'shin' in Jeonggisin means?"
The three gold-silver-bronze brothers tilted their heads in unison.
Tsk tsk. "Studying manuals isn't enough. Without insight into the world, you'll trap yourself in your limits."
"Does worldly insight overcome qi gaps?"
How dare Eunho question his mighty senior brother like that? Clearly poisoned by Dark Ghost Soul Unit's demonic qi.
"Geum Pyo."
"Yep!"
"Aaaack!"
Eunho clutched his throat after a neck choke, scowling. I continued.
"The moment you think 'how not to lose,' you've already planted 'defeat' in your head."
"Then?"
"Think 'how to win,' and you'll find the way."
"The way to win?"
"Think. The clue's right beside you."
Common sense said no Tae-eul disciple could beat a Mudang inspector. But consider sparring's nature and the goal: not kill, but seize the gate pass. Other paths emerge. Plus, their senior brother had memorized all Nine Great Sects and One Clan's counters—back when he was third-rate.
The issue? He only knew Mudang's Taiji Sword counters. Solve that, and we're golden. Recall how I'd handled Namgung San before.
"...Ah!"
Eunho finally got it after brooding.
"Figure it out?"
"Are you... into some new cult? Like, believe and it happens...?"
"..."
"To think I have to deal with this nonsense."
Hearing Sorimsa's Ilgak had snagged three first-gate passes and two second-gate ones, Hyeon-su couldn't help envying them. It paled next to his own goal of five first and two second, but still.
North honors Sorimsa, South reveres Mudang—that's how the world put it. But the scales had long tipped toward Mudang. The Alliance HQ sat in Hubei near Mudang, not Henan near Sorimsa.
The masses loved rooting for underdogs in scraps, hoping Mudang had a rival. Generous rural folk like Sorimsa fit the bill, so no harm if outsiders compared them. But even the top dog had to prove itself.
With the exam venue in Henan, Hyeon-su welcomed the chance to crush Sorimsa and reaffirm Mudang's supremacy.
"But Tae-eul Gate, of all things."
They'd grabbed one first-gate pass and were hunting another stronghold. He'd steeled himself to surpass not just Ilgak but his senior Yong So-a's records.
But his exam stalled there. HQ sent spirit pills, then rushed him and his juniors south to Namak.
"Can't be helped. The ignorant chatter doesn't sway us, but they named senior brother directly."
Tae-myeong, another victim of this exam, was right. The buzz was too loud for mighty Mudang to ignore.
"Hmph! What a baseless nickname. Black Flame Dragon, indeed."
Since senior Hyeon-cheong earned "Yong So-a" in his Entrance Exam, he'd symbolized Mudang's might and the disciples' pride. Even "Little Buddha" paled next to that sun. Yet shameless black path riffraff slapped "Black Flame Dragon" on some no-name Tae-eul disciple and compared them. Some white path folk badmouthed Yong So-a too, maybe from misunderstanding, but Hyeon-su brushed it off. If senior made that choice at Mareung, it must've been best.
"Still, if Elder Sword Breaker vouches for it, maybe the Tae-eul Sword Emperor's arts have returned."
"As if that elder's antics are new. Probably some dubious manual he calls Tae-eul Sword Emperor's on a whim."
Even Dean Dohwon of Henan said this exam was the murkiest ever. Weird rumors and incidents nonstop. Jin Sowoon, expected dragged in by Taejeong, showed up in Namak on his own.
"I hope that rumor is true, though."
"Oh, that one."
Nine first-gate and twenty second-gate passes? If real, topping Ilgak for first place at Murim Academy wasn't a pipe dream. Unreliable intel, sure.
"Hyungnim, time."
Their first match today was youngest Hyeon-gun. With only four Tae-eul opponents, they'd sought suitable foes, but Moyong Jaehwa barged in, fuming solo and challenging outright.
"Don't worry. Moyong's Heo-Earth Splitting Sword is first-rate, but Jaehwa's light-years from Mirang Iron Sword."
"I'm not."
The arena teemed with waiting examinees, those awaiting opponents, and spectators. Mudang entered en masse, soon followed by Tae-eul's disciple and crew.
"Odd bunch."
Moyong Jaehwa still seethed; Jin Sowoon and Dongryong looked normal. Geum Pyo and Eunho, though, looked wrecked from sleepless nights.
"Looks like forfeiting by default."
"Don't let your guard down till the end."
Hyeon-su said it, but inwardly sneered. That's the burden of facing Mudang.
"Begin!"
With the judge's call, Hyeon-gun and Moyong Jaehwa assumed stances. Hyeon-gun with Mudang's proud Taiji Sword; Jaehwa with Moyong's signature Heo-Earth Splitting Sword. Fengbai Sword Breaker's fame stemmed from it—no slouch. But it all depended on the wielder.
"It's over."
Moyong Jaehwa's sword tip trembled in stance. Imperceptible to most, but obvious to sword-heart unity masters.
Heo-Earth Splitting fused heavy and swift—opposites into one. Without reaching that level and self-realizing, power wouldn't manifest.
Taiji Sword, built on yin-yang fundamentals of all creation, let prolonged practice yield insight even without epiphany—practical and effective.
Clang clang clang.
Sure enough, past thirty exchanges, Jaehwa's moves tangled. Just shifting yin to yang or vice versa unraveled his own swordplay. Fury turned to panic, then near-tears.
He couldn't slice (swift) or smash (heavy) Taiji rashly, dragged by crossing blades until one kissed his throat.
"Halt! Examinee Moyong Jaehwa! Continue?"
"Huff, huff, huff, huff."
A decent opponent, and he'd have passed the Third Gate. But challenging a Mudang inspector recklessly? Unqualified for a warrior needing cool reason. That frustration turned self-loathing.
"Speak! Continue?!"
"I... lost."
Moyong Jaehwa hung his head. The crowd gasped in awe. Mudang hadn't even flexed fully—yet a glimpse inspired reverence. That's Mudang's place in the jianghu.
"Next: Mudang's Hyeon-su versus Tae-eul Gate's Jin Sowoon!"
Cheers swelled at Hyeon-su's name. He hadn't shone like Yong So-a, but his qi and skill at twenty-something were legendary. Mudang Little Dragon Hyeon-su, with a century's internal energy already.
"Senior Hyeon-su, they say the new Tae-eul sword mixes illusions and transformations."
Hyeon-su couldn't stifle his scoff.
"Changed, my ass—just hallucination and transformation? Remember: illusions can't shake Taiji."
"Got it!"
Ascending the arena, Jin Sowoon stood in all-black uniform and sword.
"You dared not flee."
"Flee? Me?"
His nonchalant self-pointing cracked Hyeon-su's daoist calm; fingers itched to snap.
"Your courage impresses. I'll yield three forms."
Jin Sowoon tilted his head. Facing a mortal foe yielding three? Baffling.
"Curious about your 'newly acquired' Tae-eul Sword Emperor arts. Ending it without a taste would disappoint everyone here."
Laughter erupted around.
"Hahahahaha!"
Jin Sowoon pondered, then asked the judge.
"This okay?"
Still pointing mockingly at himself.
"If both agree."
"Got it. For real okay?"
"Bring it, as many as you..."
Mid-sentence, Jin Sowoon's black uniform ballooned ominously. The surging aura dropped Hyeon-su's heart. Emotions screamed danger, reason hesitated—conflicting, freezing him.
Swish.
Jin Sowoon swung. Black Dragon Swords filled every direction—front, back, left, right, sky. Illusions and transformations, sure, but too many to discern the real.
Hyeon-su forgot his yield, instinctively unleashing Taiji Sword.
But.
'Which to block first?'
Too many swords.