4. Academy Entrance (2)
In the Murim world today, serving as an instructor at Cheonryong Academy is an extraordinarily honorable position.
It was only natural when one considered the academy’s origins.
It had been established by the legendary leader of the Murim Alliance who had personally guided the Orthodox Faction to victory in the Orthodox-Demonic War.
Cheonryong Academy was, in essence, the unyielding pride of the righteous faction that had protected Murim throughout history.
As a result, countless masters from the orthodox sects had applied for the post, and the quality of education had risen accordingly.
Of course, not every instructor was driven purely by passion for teaching; some harbored a calculating side, more concerned with honor and personal gain.
“Hmm, these temporary disciples this time seem genuinely enthusiastic.”
“It’s a blessing for Murim.”
At least the instructors gathered to teach them were far removed from such petty concerns.
After all, who would bother imparting knowledge to background-less temporary disciples if they truly cared only about profit?
“It’s admirable that they’re so passionate, but I worry it might be for nothing. In reality, only a handful among them will ever be able to enter the academy.”
They were all aware that even after two months of intensive training, the temporary disciples would not undergo any dramatic transformation.
These students were typically those who had never properly learned martial arts before or had only mastered rudimentary techniques.
“It can’t be helped. This is all we can offer them.”
“True. Still, if they follow our teachings faithfully, they’ll have no trouble surviving anywhere. That alone is a great fortune for them.”
Yet there were always those who would pass the exam, shed their temporary disciple badge, and become formal disciples.
And among them, masters who rose to fame in the jianghu were vanishingly rare.
For instance, Cheongungeom—deputy commander of the Azure Dragon Hall of the current Murim Alliance—was a prime example of a master who had once been a temporary disciple at Cheonryong Academy.
He had been a nameless little soldier from a third-class martial arts village in Shandong Province, yet now he held the deputy commandership of one of the Four Great Power Halls.
“Still, I suspect that kid is different.”
“Haha, according to the comparison instructor, that boy will definitely stir a new wind at Cheonryong Academy. Perhaps even in the Murim of today.”
And among this year’s temporary disciples, there were undoubtedly those who could be called ‘dragons born from a ditch.’
*Crash!*
The thunderous sound of a bell rang out.
*Clank!*
The iron chains hanging from their bodies clattered loudly.
“You’ve really changed in just a month. I don’t even recognize the old you anymore.”
His originally tall frame now bulged with dense, hardened muscle.
His body had become unrecognizable, a complete masterpiece that bore no resemblance to its former self.
“…Explosive Fist, you didn’t happen to teach that kid Sumicheonwang Shin’gong, did you?”
“W-what nonsense are you spouting, Limitless Sword? Woohyeok’s surname is Baek, not Hwangbo.”
The words of the instructor from the Tangpa sect, Limitless Sword, drew a scoff from Explosive Fist, Hwangbo San.
“Sumicheonwang Shin’gong is a secret technique only direct disciples can learn. As a collateral branch, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
No one in the gathered instructors was unaware of that fact.
Yet Limitless Sword had voiced such an absurd question for one reason alone.
“Even so, he’s grown this strong? That can’t be…”
The explosive growth of Baek Woohyeok, who had only begun serious martial arts training a month ago, was simply too shocking.
*Crash!*
Baek Woohyeok had already reached the realm where he could circulate internal energy.
In Murim, this was called the second-class realm.
“…I knew his bones were exceptional, but he’s even more talented than I thought?”
“No way. Even a natural genius would hit a wall without supreme arts. The growth he’s shown couldn’t possibly come from the White Dragon Heart Method we taught the temporary disciples.”
At this point, Limitless Sword’s suspicion that Sumicheonwang Shin’gong had been taught to him was almost reasonable.
At the very least, it was clear that he had received the Tai Mountain One Qi Gong that Hwangbo San had mastered.
“Could it be that you’re planning to take him as your disciple?”
“Hmph! Instructor, why are you trying to block someone else’s marriage path? You haven’t even gotten married yet—how can you call him your son?”
A proud smile tugged at the corner of Hwangbo San’s mouth as he waved his hand.
“I did nothing. I can only say that Baek Woohyeok-kun must have received a fortunate encounter.”
“A fortunate encounter?”
“On the way from Hangzhou to Wuhan, I found a cave and obtained a secret manual from an ancient master.”
“Ugh…”
“I burned it the moment I read it, but I still remember every single word.”
It was an unbelievable story.
Yet it was also a not-so-uncommon occurrence in their world.
After all, the Murim was filled with bizarre and wondrous events.
An orphan from a remote village stumbling upon a peerless secret manual was not entirely impossible.
“…If that’s true, it’s cause for celebration. But could it be a demonic art?”
The real concern was whether the supreme art Baek Woohyeok had accidentally obtained was tainted.
It could not be allowed, for Baek Woohyeok’s sake or for the sake of Murim.
Fortunately, it was not a demonic art. The martial artists had said it resembled a Buddhist-based orthodox technique.
“Truly fortunate. It would be a tragedy if such a talented child became a demon.”
“Hmm, yes. No matter whose disciple he is, he’s truly remarkable.”
While Hwangbo San was basking in pride,
*Boom!*
A deafening explosion echoed through the air.
Every instructor’s gaze turned toward the source of the sound.
Scattered fragments of a massive boulder.
“Shit! Got it!”
In front of them, Baek Woohyeok shouted vulgarities and cheered.
A crimson light gleamed faintly in his eyes.
“So it really wasn’t a demonic art?”
“Exactly. It’s pure orthodox martial arts…”
“An orthodox technique like that actually exists?”
“Ask the martial artists if you don’t believe it.”
“His temper has gotten even worse…”
“Ah, that’s just how he is. He’s probably from the streets of Hangzhou.”
“Ugh…”
* * *
Time had flown by since he began serious martial arts training.
In the blink of an eye, I had reached the second-class realm—the level where even a Murim person could be recognized anywhere.
Unless it was an exceptional case, it was impossible to grow this rapidly.
Martial progress required steady training and effort, after all.
‘But I belong to that exceptional case.’
Before returning to the past, I had already stepped into the Transcendental Realm.
Even though my body had weakened, the enlightenment of a Transcendent remained clear in my mind.
My bones had been exceptional from birth.
The only thing I had ever been proud of, despite my lack of background, was my innate talent.
And the part that martial artists always claimed was most important—internal energy…
‘Thanks, Danmok Jin.’
What was the point of saying it?
I had simply re-cultivated the supreme art Danmok Jin had given me before my return.
At the time, he had claimed it was a fortunate encounter he had found by chance in a hidden cave somewhere in Cheonryong Academy.
‘So this was something I learned from reading that trash novel.’
Anyway, it was the martial art I was most familiar with and sufficient to call a supreme technique.
From the beginning, I had no intention of learning anything else.
‘Besides the Heavenly Demon Divine Art or Danmok Jin’s One Origin Limitless Immortal Gong, I had no other supreme arts that tempted me.’
The Iron-Blooded Yama Divine Art was, in every way, a technique made for me.
Its overwhelming accumulation of energy had quickly resolved my greatest weakness—the lack of internal energy that came from learning martial arts late.
Moreover, it was an orthodox technique based on Buddhism, boasting tremendous stability.
When I began training, I honestly told Hwangbo San that I knew the peerless divine art called Iron-Blooded Yama Divine Art.
In retrospect, Hwangbo San had always been a trustworthy man.
Above all, there was no way for me to cultivate martial arts without drawing the attention of others in my current state.
Of course, I lied about the origin of the manual and its creator.
‘As if anyone would believe that the Iron-Blooded Yama Divine Art was hidden somewhere in Cheonryong Academy and its creator was Cheonbul, the founder of the academy.’
The instructors at Cheonryong Academy had not pressed for details.
Fortunate encounters left behind by nameless ancient masters were not uncommon in Murim.
‘They seemed incredibly curious…’
There was no obligation for me to explain.
Thus, through the Iron-Blooded Yama Divine Art, I accumulated internal energy far faster than anyone else, while training my body with the Hwangbo Clan’s unique physical conditioning methods.
I spent two months like that.
“Beginning the evaluation to determine which temporary disciples will be admitted to Cheonryong Academy.”
And finally, the day of the evaluation arrived.
In the past, I had been extremely nervous before the exam.
Excessive tension had, of course, led to mistakes, and I had barely scraped by the threshold.
“Before beginning the formal evaluation… Baek Woohyeok!”
But this time was different.
“You pass. You’re already better than most formal disciples. There’s no need for an evaluation.”
For someone who had already reached the first-class realm at such a young age, an evaluation to become a formal disciple was unnecessary.
“Understood.”
“Good. Baek Woohyeok, step aside… and now we begin the formal evaluation!”
In the end, only Baek Woohyeok passed the evaluation.
‘This never changes, whether in the past or now.’
* * *
The Cheonryong Academy entrance ceremony was one of the largest events in Wuhan, the provincial capital of Hubei Province.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet the successors who would lead Murim’s future and the mid-tier experts guiding the Murim of today.
Among those who would draw the most attention before this entrance ceremony was, without a doubt, Namgung Cheon.
The eldest son of the Namgung Clan, hailed as the heir of the Five Great Noble Clans in Anhui Province.
He was widely expected to become the next clan leader and was certain to receive the epithet Sword Dragon in the future.
Moreover, Namgung Cheon was the top temporary disciple of Cheonryong Academy.
It was only natural that all eyes turned toward him the moment he appeared in the streets.
*Step, step.*
However, Namgung Cheon paid no heed to the surrounding gazes and walked straight toward some destination.
He stopped in front of a man squatting on the roadside, eating chicken skewers.
From his uniform, it was clear he was also a new disciple who had entered this time.
“Oh…”
The man glanced up at Namgung Cheon, let out a short exclamation, and calmly stood up.
His face was youthful, yet his height and sturdy build were striking for his age.
“Long time no see?”
“Damn… you came back too.”
The reunion of Baek Woohyeok and Namgung Cheon—the two people who had returned to the past for the first time.