Chapter 13
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: It Was the Right Choice
"Mm..."
Savoring the tea's aroma, Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul let out a small hum.
He gazed across the table at Hocheon Corps Leader Ha Mu-baek with a troubled expression.
"Yesterday and now today. You really went all out, didn't you?"
"What are you talking about? 'Went all out'? Those guys were trash."
Ha Mu-baek replied with a look of disbelief.
"What do you mean by that?"
"One of them openly picked a fight, and the other... You didn't hear?"
At Ha Mu-baek's question, Pang Do-yul lifted his teacup to his lips again.
"Han Pyeong. That guy is just..."
Pang Do-yul trailed off, unable to continue.
He had already heard what had gone down at the North Devouring Dragon Pavilion.
"You should be grateful I wrapped it up neatly. Or would you prefer I report everything that happened today to the Hubei Yeon Clan?"
"Ugh."
Pang Do-yul had no retort to Ha Mu-baek's words.
He knew all too well that the man was capable of it.
If word of this reached the Hubei Yeon Clan?
It would spark a war between the Yeon Clan and the Dorim Sect.
No, even before that, the fact that he had hidden Yeon Ha-min in the Dragon Training Pavilion could cause major issues between the Pang Clan and the Yeon Clan.
"Fine. I get it. Just know this: for that child, the Yeon Clan was hell."
Pang Do-yul hinted that informing the Yeon Clan wouldn't be good for Yeon Ha-min either.
"Manage your instructors better. Letting trash like that linger just because they've got some skill. Tsk."
Clicking his tongue, Ha Mu-baek rose and left the pavilion lord's office.
Left alone, Pang Do-yul stared at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh.
Truly, no days of peace.
The past few days had been far more exhausting than the years since becoming the Dragon Training Pavilion Lord.
Lunchtime had ended, and afternoon training time arrived, but only five cadets from Squad Seven stood alone in the training grounds.
Instructor Han Pyeong had been carried off by another Wa Dragon Corps instructor, and Ha Mu-baek had vanished somewhere as well.
Still, overhearing the spectating instructors' murmurs gave a rough idea of how this mess had unfolded.
Dan Mok Un-roe glanced at Yeon Ha-min.
'She's incredibly beautiful...'
It was something he'd felt since first laying eyes on her. But he figured someone so stunning couldn't possibly have any connection to him, so he hadn't mustered the courage to even speak properly until now.
He already thought it miraculous they were in the same squad.
"Yeon Ha-min. The instructor's going all out for you like that. Looks like you lucked out with him."
Dang Jin-san asked in a sly tone, having pieced together the situation.
"Quiet."
Her cold reply came sharper than usual.
Even as Dang Jin-san's face fell in disappointment, Yeon Ha-min said nothing more.
She didn't have the mental space for it right now.
She was too busy replaying the humiliating events of the day.
'I need to get stronger.'
That was the only conclusion.
Yeon Ha-min sprang into action. She hefted a large shield and began shield training.
She'd spent the morning on heart method practice, so now it was time for external arts. But since Ha Mu-baek had only taught her the heart method so far, shield work was all she could do.
Seeing this, Dan Mok Un-roe started his own training.
Shield arts, as expected.
"Tsk. So diligent."
Dang Jin-san muttered at the sight.
Inspired by Yeon Ha-min and Dan Mok Un-roe, and recalling how the instructor had declared afternoon self-study at the end of morning training, Baek Ri-pyeong gripped his sword and stepped onto the grounds.
He was practicing his sect's, the Zhongnan Sect's, swordsmanship.
"Hmm."
Dang Jin-san pondered the scene.
Shield arts didn't appeal, and his family's martial arts felt meh.
His interest lay in the Three Talents Arts from the instructor who'd implanted inner energy in him just yesterday.
But he hadn't learned any forms yet.
"Eh, I'll rest for now."
He headed for the shade of a tree.
Nak Woo-jin, who had been watching the three, picked up a shield and walked to the training grounds.
Self-study meant no instructor would show. Everyone would do what they wanted or needed to.
"Dang Jin-san. Looks like you're enjoying yourself alone."
A voice came from behind the tree.
It was the instructor.
Dang Jin-san flinched but wasn't surprised.
He might have jumped yesterday, but not today. He'd already seen the man shatter a peak expert.
For such a master, slipping past his senses was natural.
"Gather up."
Ha Mu-baek headed to the center of the grounds.
"I planned self-study, but we need to speed things up."
If even the instructors dismissed them, no one would take the Hidden Dragon Corps or Wa Dragon Corps cadets seriously.
Kids learned by watching and imitating adults, after all.
Especially with Yeon Ha-min's beauty drawing all sorts of worthless advances.
If the instructors stooped so low, their cadets wouldn't be any better.
"Why the sudden change?"
Dang Jin-san, ever the bold one, asked first.
"Seeing you lot get disrespected rubs me the wrong way."
The five cadets' eyes widened at Ha Mu-baek's response.
It was unimaginable from the instructor they'd seen so far.
"Ahem. Didn't realize it myself until today."
A needless cough.
Dang Jin-san smirked subtly at the words.
"Didn't you say we'd just die in two years anyway, so go home?"
"That hasn't changed. But while you're with me here, I don't like feeling pissed off."
"Oh?"
Ha Mu-baek met Dang Jin-san's reaction with a steady gaze.
"You. Squad leader."
"Me?"
Dang Jin-san could only echo in surprise.
"Your cheeky mouth makes you perfect. We hadn't picked one yet. From now on, Dang Jin-san, you're squad leader."
At Ha Mu-baek's declaration, Dan Mok Un-roe nodded unconsciously.
He agreed Dang Jin-san suited the role best among them.
"See? Even Dan Mok Un-roe agrees."
Dang Jin-san's head whipped around.
"What about the rest?"
The other three nodded as well.
"Decided, then."
"Ah, damn. Such a hassle..."
Dang Jin-san scratched his head and grumbled but didn't refuse.
He figured he was the only fitting choice anyway.
"Alright, time to learn forms. Start with the Three Talents Fist Method, the foundation of the Three Talents Arts forms."
His gaze shifted to Baek Ri-pyeong.
"Know any fist methods?"
"No, sir."
"Learn it with them."
"But my heart method..."
"Doesn't matter for the Three Talents Fist Method. Train together. Gotta prepare for when you lose your sword."
Under Ha Mu-baek's firm tone, Baek Ri-pyeong had no choice but to comply.
"Understood."
"I have a question."
Yeon Ha-min spoke curtly then.
"What?"
Ha Mu-baek turned to her.
"The inner energy you created this morning. How do I use it?"
Ha Mu-baek stared at Yeon Ha-min silently.
What to do with this dense cadet. Was this why she'd sought him out, only to suffer that humiliation?
She'd learn in time. What was the rush?
"What I planted this morning is just a seed of inner energy. It's still too weak. Controlling it with your will is beyond you now."
"Then when..."
"Keep training, and it'll move. Since it's from the Three Talents Arts, practicing its forms—the Three Talents Fist Method—will make you feel it naturally. Then controlling it with your will gets easier."
Dan Mok Un-roe and Yeon Ha-min's eyes sparkled.
Dang Jin-san looked like it was obvious, Baek Ri-pyeong had his sect's inner arts so he didn't care much, and Nak Woo-jin seemed detached.
"And you've all seen the Three Talents Fist Method today, right?"
"Huh?"
Dang Jin-san blurted first. The others looked equally baffled.
When had he taught it?
"Didn't you see me beat the crap out of those bastards at the North Devouring Dragon Pavilion over lunch?"
They had.
He'd thrashed them brutally.
Dodging Instructor Han Pyeong's blade—unique art of the Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader, the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade—and landing punches squarely in the most painful spots.
Recalling it, Dang Jin-san shuddered, and Baek Ri-pyeong bit his lip.
The other three hadn't discerned Ha Mu-baek's movements and just stared blankly.
"Good, two of you caught it. That's the Three Talents Fist Method."
"N-No way..."
Baek Ri-pyeong muttered involuntarily, his honest shock spilling out.
Impossible.
The Three Talents Fist Method was something even lowly street thugs could learn.
Shattering the Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader's unique art with that?
Who'd believe it?
"Martial arts have levels of quality, but who wields them can make that irrelevant. You saw it today."
Ha Mu-baek grinned.
"How is that possible? With the Three Talents Fist Method, no less?"
Dang Jin-san demanded, unconvinced.
"Train hard?"
Their faces twisted further at the reply.
"Hmm. 'Cause I'm that good?"
Another explanation followed their expressions.
"Instructor, that's kinda obnoxious."
Dang Jin-san grumbled. Dan Mok Un-roe gasped at the seeming insolence, but Ha Mu-baek just smiled.
"Let's make you all that obnoxious someday."
With that, Three Talents Fist Method form practice began.
Yeon Ha-min was the most fervent.
The instructor had told her at the Devouring Dragon Pavilion.
To watch closely.
He'd even used sound transmission, but she couldn't follow.
The chaotic movements were beyond her.
She'd been too busy dodging the fierce winds from their clash.
So she punched harder now.
Vowing to burn it into her eyes next time.
At some point,
Each punch made the tiny seed in Yeon Ha-min's dantian tingle and shift slightly.
Late at night.
After a simple bath, Yeon Ha-min returned to her room and gazed out the window with a calm expression.
The world lay shrouded in darkness, the sky dotted with starlight.
She stared up with unfocused eyes.
Her mind endlessly replayed the day's events.
'How dare you insult my kid.'
The instructor's words.
They were etched deep in her heart.
A faint smile touched her lips just recalling them.
Who had ever stood up for her like that?
A sturdy, broad back shielding her from a peak expert.
It was a first.
Not even her brother—the only one in the Yeon Clan who took her side—or her youngest uncle had done so.
Maybe only her mother.
Yet here, someone she'd met just days ago had done it.
A novel experience.
Shocking, in a way.
The same instructor who'd said they'd die in two years anyway and told them to go home, refusing to teach.
'Better to die there than go home.'
That's how she'd endured, practicing even the body techniques meant to build stamina.
But today, she'd felt inner energy for the first time and met someone who protected her.
"It was the right choice..."
Yeon Ha-min murmured softly before bed.
Harboring a small hope for her time here ahead.