Chapter 207
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 207
Chapter Title: And Then?
'As expected of the Dragon Training Pavilion.'
Un Mu-woong marveled at the lesson content.
He thought it was truly befitting of the Dragon Training Pavilion, where the Orthodox faction's finest young talents gathered.
He inwardly praised himself, convinced that choosing the Dragon Training Pavilion as an exceptional martial artist like himself had been a brilliant decision.
In this, he was greatly mistaken.
He was oblivious to the fact that the truly exceptional ones never even entered the Dragon Training Pavilion.
Bi Ga-yeong's lecture on poisons and antidotes was excellent.
For Un Mu-woong, who was all but a complete novice in that area, it was immensely helpful.
Not that it mattered that the content was utterly basic, meant for martial artists newly venturing into the world.
Bi Ga-yeong finished her lesson and moved to leave.
Yet the beautiful instructor who had given such a fine class was exchanging nods with the Fierce Dragon Corps riffraff before departing.
How could the Wa Dragon Corps instructor fraternize with Fierce Dragon Corps trash?
His mood soured instantly.
He had been planning to give them a warning anyway.
"Hey!"
Un Mu-woong approached the seven and called out.
All seven turned their heads in unison.
"Hup."
Seeing two among them, Un Mu-woong was so startled it felt like his breath had stopped.
They were beautiful.
No—beautiful didn't even begin to cover it; it felt almost insulting to call them that.
Their beauty was transcendent.
Even with half their faces veiled in muslin, it was like this.
He couldn't help but wonder what they looked like unveiled.
Jinju in Hebei Province.
Not a small city, but even there, such beauties were nowhere to be found.
What was a beauty like this doing in the mere Fierce Dragon Corps?
Such doubts arose in that instant.
"What's the matter? If you're calling us, say something."
One of the seven spoke to Un Mu-woong.
Only then did Un Mu-woong snap out of it, his gaze shifting to the man.
A black band wrapped around the man's waist caught his eye.
In the Dragon Training Pavilion, those who wore their bands like that around the waist were obvious.
But they had no business being in the Fierce Dragon Corps.
As members of one of the Five Great Clans, they belonged in the Hidden Dragon Corps, naturally.
"Hah. And what makes a Fierce Dragon Corps punk like you wrap a band around your waist like that? Aren't you afraid of the Tang Clan?"
Un Mu-woong bellowed.
At his words, the cadets' eyes widened round.
Dang Jin-san's face in particular showed clear bewilderment.
The sudden commotion halted those who had been leaving the classroom.
They wondered what was going on.
Among them were cadets from other squads of the Fierce Dragon Corps.
Absurdity dawned on their faces.
Judging by the Hidden Dragon Corps uniform, he seemed like a first-year who had just entered.
It was like watching a clueless fool playing thunder god.
"Are you perhaps from the Tang Clan?"
Dang Jin-san asked with a peculiar expression.
Un Mu-woong shook his head proudly.
"I'm not from the famed Five Great Clans' Tang Clan, but as a member of the renowned Jinju Un Clan, I can't just stand by and watch."
The Jinju Un Clan.
A clan based in Jinju, Hebei Province, famous for its fist techniques.
Though overshadowed by the Pang Clan in Hebei, it was a proud Orthodox faction renowned house.
"If you're not from the Tang Clan, is there any reason for you to butt in?"
Dang Jin-san tilted his head quizzically.
"As a fellow renowned house, I have every right to interfere. And you Fierce Dragon Corps lot—you're disrupting the classroom atmosphere too much. If unworthy folks like you lucked into the Dragon Training Pavilion, at least show some manners!"
Another bellow followed.
Once more, the seven's eyes widened.
The first-year Hidden Dragon Corps and Wa Dragon Corps cadets watched with keen interest.
Truth be told, they too found those Fierce Dragon Corps cadets distasteful.
Especially when the instructor Bi Ga-yeong had acted familiar with them at the end.
The eyes of cadets from other Fierce Dragon Corps squads brimmed with anticipation.
The Fierce Dragon Corps cadets knew.
Squad Seven and Squad Twenty.
Just how monstrous those people were.
And that their backgrounds were far from ordinary.
"Hmm. Doesn't seem like we're disrupting anything. What if we don't accept that?"
Dang Jin-san asked, arms crossed.
His eyes clearly signaled he would see just how far this guy would go.
"Don't make this young master lift a hand. The Un Clan's fists are fearsome."
Un Mu-woong said, pouring inner energy into both hands.
His aura rippled.
"Puhahaha!"
In that moment.
A booming laugh erupted, as if the person could hold it back no longer.
Un Mu-woong's gaze whipped toward the source.
By the back door.
A burly man stood there.
Un Mu-woong's previously twisted expression relaxed the instant he recognized him.
He was an acquaintance.
"Long time no see, Brother Hwang Bo. I was planning to pay my respects today anyway."
A third-year Hidden Dragon Corps cadet.
Hwang Bo-pae.
The Shandong Hwang Bo Clan.
Not one of the Five Great Clans, but a renowned house famous for fist techniques.
Because they both specialized in fists as their signature art, the Hwang Bo Clan and Jinju Un Clan were perennial rivals with frequent exchanges.
"Yeah, Mu-woong. Long time no see. I heard you entered the Dragon Training Pavilion, but this doesn't seem like the time to casually greet me."
"Pardon?"
A puzzled response.
"Puhahaha!"
Hwang Bo-pae burst into laughter again.
Un Mu-woong's brow furrowed slightly at the repeated guffaws.
No matter that it was Hwang Bo-pae, being laughed at like this didn't feel good.
"You're a first-year who just entered two days ago, so you might not know..."
Hwang Bo-pae stopped laughing and spoke seriously.
"Aren't you being too bold in front of last year's East Tournament champion and runner-up? And telling a direct Tang Clan scion he's not afraid of the Tang Clan?"
Hwang Bo-pae had been watching Un Mu-woong's antics from the start, having come for the next class in this room.
"Tang Clan direct lineage?"
Un Mu-woong jumped in surprise.
He whipped his head around to stare at Dang Jin-san.
Dang Jin-san was grinning broadly.
"And though it's the Fierce Dragon Corps, there's a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect and a disciple of the Wudang Sect."
Hwang Bo-pae continued explaining.
"And above all, these are second-years. Well, year doesn't matter much, does it?"
Hwang Bo-pae's voice was as large as his frame.
Everyone nearby heard him clearly.
The Fierce Dragon Corps cadets already knew, but the first-year Hidden Dragon and Wa Dragon cadets now looked at them anew.
"I was going to see how far he'd go, but interrupting like this is no fun."
Dang Jin-san said to Hwang Bo-pae.
"I tried to stay quiet, but it seemed like things would blow up too big. This guy's clueless, but he's got the skills."
When Un Mu-woong had boasted of the fearsome Un Clan fists.
Hwang Bo-pae had judged he couldn't stand by any longer and intervened with exaggerated laughter.
He knew Un Mu-woong's skills well, thanks to the clans' exchanges.
Thus, he never imagined Un Mu-woong would enter the Dragon Training Pavilion.
The third son of the Un Clan head, yet his talent was the clan's top among the younger generation.
No—the best in all Hebei.
Especially now, with the Hebei Pang Clan's playboy making a mess of things.
His only flaw was a lack of tact, born of immense clan pride.
Dang Jin-san smiled faintly at Hwang Bo-pae's response.
He had already clashed with Hwang Bo-pae once.
In the East Tournament preliminaries.
Hwang Bo-pae had been one of Dang Jin-san's opponents.
Naturally, Dang Jin-san had won.
Dang Jin-san's gaze returned to Un Mu-woong.
"So, the Un Clan's fists are fearsome. What comes next?"
Dang Jin-san's question.
But Un Mu-woong just stared at him blankly, eyes full of incomprehension.
"Why is a Tang Clan direct lineage in the Fierce Dragon Corps? Not the Hidden Dragon Corps? Is your caliber that poor? Same for the Wudang and Zhongnan disciples?"
Hwang Bo-pae facepalmed at Un Mu-woong's questions.
He had a bad feeling, and sure enough, the tactless fool.
He had even told him they were the East Tournament champ and runner-up.
"I heard the Fierce Dragon Corps is trained as auxiliaries to the Demon-Sealing Corps. They don't fit the Dragon Training Pavilion's purpose of nurturing the Orthodox faction's finest talents. Why are disciples of the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans in such a place?"
Un Mu-woong, whose pride in his renowned Orthodox house pierced the heavens, truly seemed baffled.
Dang Jin-san's earlier question no longer registered in his ears.
Conversely, flames sparked in Dang Jin-san's eyes at Un Mu-woong's words.
The other Fierce Dragon Corps cadets felt the same.
They had no choice.
They had been through the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
"Those are words I can't let slide."
Dang Jin-san said in a cold voice.
"Guess I need to sample those fearsome Un Clan fists."
"That's enough, Dang Jin-san. The kid didn't know and messed up."
Hwang Bo-pae tried to mediate.
But Dang Jin-san shook his head.
"No. Whether he knew or not doesn't matter. He clearly mocked the Fierce Dragon Corps and picked a fight. Lucky it was me—if it were those guys over there? You wouldn't have stepped in either, Hwang Bo-pae."
The nearby Fierce Dragon Corps onlookers flinched at Dang Jin-san's words.
He was right.
If this Un Mu-woong punk had picked on them?
They wouldn't have stood a chance.
It didn't matter that they were second-years and he a first-year.
What mattered was that he was stronger.
Hwang Bo-pae fell silent too. It was true.
"Hidden Dragon and Wa Dragon punks still look down on us Fierce Dragon Corps. Time to teach this rotten brat a proper lesson."
The other members of Squad Seven didn't seem inclined to stop it either.
Un Mu-woong's final words had stung them.
"You'll pay dearly for insulting the Fierce Dragon Corps."
Dang Jin-san glared sharply at Un Mu-woong.
Un Mu-woong met his eyes without flinching.
"Guess this young master will have to show you the difference between Hidden Dragon and Fierce Dragon Corps himself. Along with the Un Clan's fists. I, third son of the Un Clan, Un Mu-woong, challenge Tang Clan's direct scion Dang Jin-san to a spar!"
Un Mu-woong shouted boldly.
Since his opponent was a Tang Clan scion, he followed some formality.
Dang Jin-san flashed a chilling smile.
"Gladly accepted. You slandered the Fierce Dragon Corps. As one of its members, I can't let that stand."
"Whoa!"
A cheer erupted from the onlookers at the sudden spar agreement.
An incredible event on the very first day of entering the Dragon Training Pavilion.
"Quiet. What's going on?"
A clear, icy voice rang out then.
Instructor Bi Ga-yeong.
She had returned because there was a third-year class here next.
Her gaze went to Fierce Dragon Corps Squad Seven.
It was nearly the end of break and transit time, yet they were still in the classroom after class.
No—most cadets were still there.
With third-years arriving for the next class, the room was packed.
Meaning the crowd of spectators had grown.
"Well..."
A third-year Wa Dragon Corps cadet briefly explained what he'd witnessed.
"The two got into it and agreed to spar..."
Bi Ga-yeong muttered, frowning.
That was the gist.
Spars over squabbles between cadets happened often in the Dragon Training Pavilion.
Even between instructors sometimes.
However.
This was only the first day of the first semester.
Too early for grudges to spark a spar.
Bi Ga-yeong's gaze shifted to Dang Jin-san.
'Fierce Dragon Corps Squad Seven.'
Like instructor, like cadets, perhaps.
Last year too, there had been a spar right at the start of the semester.
Even between instructors.
Ha Mu-baek and Sado Gwang.
Bi Ga-yeong's head throbbed.
Of all times, right after her class.
And they were still at it when she returned for the next one.
"Hoo. Spar at lunchtime. I'll observe and judge. If it gets too rough, I'll step in immediately."
For cadet spars, one instructor had to observe and referee.
Bi Ga-yeong volunteered for the role.
Partly because it arose from her class.
But also fearing headaches if Ha Mu-baek got involved.
"Understood."
Dang Jin-san accepted readily.
"A-ah, understood."
Un Mu-woong, face flushing slightly under Bi Ga-yeong's direct gaze, stammered his reply.
"Then head to the next classroom."
And so the commotion settled. Or rather, was postponed to lunchtime.