Chapter 88: Seven

Chapter 88: Seven

“I was waiting for you,” the stranger said.

Hyonwon Kang’s hand shot to his blade, his eyes ablaze with feral intent. “What do you want?” he demanded, his voice low and threatening.

“Huh?” Namgoong Seok halted abruptly, taken aback by the sharpness in Hyonwon Kang’s tone. He swallowed hard and stepped back almost reflexively, a sheen of sweat forming on his brow. I’d heard that this guy was famously unhinged, but this is something else...

Rumors of Hyonwon Kang’s erratic behavior were widespread, and his uncle, Namgoong Su, often mentioned that he was talented but lazy. Seeing the man in person, however, shattered any preconceived notions.

Can a lazy martial artist really exude such an aura? Namgoong Seok wondered.

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“Hey, are you deaf?” Hyonwon Kang snapped, breaking Namgoong Seok’s train of thought.

Namgoong Seok stiffened. As intimidating as Hyonwon Kang was, he, a descendant of the great Namgoong Clan, would not allow himself to be cowed. “I have no business with you. The person I need is behind you,” he retorted boldly.

“What...?” Hyonwon Kang’s demeanor instantly morphed into something demonic. Gripping the hilt of his blade, he growled, “What business do you have with Gramps?”

“...Not the old man, the one next to him.”

“Wiji Cheon?” Hyonwon Kang asked, visibly easing up a bit, although he still seemed suspicious.

In the tense atmosphere, Wiji Cheon stepped forward, a puzzled look on his face. “Yes? Why were you waiting for me...?”

Despite Hyonwon Kang’s unexpected actions, Namgoong Seok was undaunted. “This year’s top entrant will be me,” he declared.

“What?”

“Don’t act so high and mighty. You might have defeated Cho Maksaeng, but I won’t go down as easily.”

Wiji Cheon blinked, genuinely confused. “When did I ever...”

“Are you just pretending or are you laying the groundwork to save face later? You must have heard the whispers,” Namgoong Seok scoffed.

Recently, he had been very irritable. Everywhere he went, the name ‘Wiji Cheon’ reached his ears. ‘The Azure Dragon Academy’s best talent of the decade,’ they praised, ‘a boy like a sleeping dragon,’ they alleged.

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Even Namgoong Jaehak of the Ten Kings, whom Namgoong Seok admired, had mentioned Wiji Cheon during lunch earlier that day.

Damn it...

He, Namgoong Seok, the scion of the illustrious Namgoong Clan who always lived up to the towering expectations and burdens of his lineage, should have been the center of attention.

“Starting from your year, the Azure Dragon Academy will change,” his uncle Namgoong Su had even assured him.

For the longest time, he had believed himself unparalleled in talent and effort among his peers, unrivaled in what was considered the worst of the Five Academies... until Wiji Cheon appeared.

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“I’ve never been arrogant or assumed that I would be the best,” Wiji Cheon said gingerly.

“Hmph,” Namgoong Seok snorted, convinced that Wiji Cheon was frightened by his challenge. “It’s good that you know your place. I find it pathetic that you’re backing down so soon, but...”

“...But I think I can beat you,” Wiji Cheon added.

“What?” Namgoong Seok’s eyes widened, shocked by the sudden reversal.

Hyonwon Kang chuckled, “Pfft, wow, just look at him go...”

“Ah, to be young...” Gongson Su mumbled.

Meeting Namgoong Seok’s gaze, Wiji Cheon calmly replied, “You started it, buddy. My teacher says that if someone throws the first punch, I must return it twofold.”

“B-Buddy?” The rude term irked Namgoong Seok more than the content of Wiji Cheon’s reply. Could it be...

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“You... don’t know my name?” Namgoong Seok asked.

Wiji Cheon smoothly sidestepped the question. “Also, there’s something I can only do as the top entrant.”

“Hey...!” Namgoong Seok shouted, his frustration mounting.

Gongson Su looked curiously at his tuition mate. “Cheon, may I ask what is it you want to do?”

“Okay?”

“What’s with those faces? Aren’t you taking the exam?” Hyonwon Kang sighed in exasperation, the intimidating air he had displayed moments before dissipating into thin air as he ushered Gongson Su and Wiji Cheon towards the academy building.

Namgoong Seok gaped blankly, bewildered. “What...”

Before he could finish his line, however, Hyonwon Kang glanced back at him and grinned slyly, saying, “Make sure you pass. We’ll be seeing a lot more of each other.”

“Hyonwon Kang!” Dokgo Jun called out immediately.

“Alright, alright.” Hyonwon Kang shrugged nonchalantly. “Excuse me then.”

As Hyonwon Kang vanished into the Azure Dragon Academy, Dokgo Jun furrowed his brows, a thought crossing his mind. Could it be... did he stir up this chaos just to defuse the situation?

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It was an unforeseen tactic, but given Hyonwon Kang’s cunning smile, it seemed plausible. With the arrival of the Student Council, the commotion had been neatly resolved.

If Hyonwon Kang orchestrated all this... then he has certainly changed. Moreover, these two boys have already surpassed the freshman level. And even though they’re not as well known, I’ve noticed a number of other promising kids among this year’s applicants.

“...This year will definitely be different,” Dokgo Jun resolved, clenching his fist as he gazed up at the grand signboard of the Azure Dragon Academy.

The crowd buzzed with anticipation.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The sparring exam will begin shortly!” Kwak Cheolwoo, the Vice Principal of Azure Dragon Academy, announced, his qi-enhanced voice resonating powerfully across the academy grounds.

The entrance exam was a celebrated event in the local murim community, akin to a grand festival. In particular, the sparring exam—a showdown between current Student Council seniors and new applicants—was especially eagerly awaited, as it offered a glimpse into the Academy’s present and future, garnering the attention of even prominent murim figures.

Around the ten duel arenas set up in the main martial hall, the applicants tried various ways to calm their nerves.

“Hoo...”

“I’m so nervous I could lose my mind...”

“I can do this. I can do this. I can do this!”

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Seeing the youthful faces filling the stands also evoked a blend of emotions among the spectators.

“Excuse me, is this your first time watching the entrance exam?” a chatty old man asked the man beside him.

“Yes, it is,” the man replied, smiling. He had a very common face, too common to be memorable.

“I thought so. I’ve been coming here for over thirty years, so I can tell.”

“Is that so?”

“I’m no martial arts master, but I have an eye for talent. I can tell who will pass, who will fail, and who might become a master in the future.”

“I see.”

“Everyone says the Azure Dragon Academy is the weakest of the Five Great Academies, but things will change from this year onward,” the old man continued enthusiastically, undeterred by the lackluster response. He just needed an audience for his musings.

“Why do you think that?”

“It’s all about the flow. The Azure Dragon has been coiling for ten years, gathering the energy to ascend to the heavens. I know a bit about geomancy too...”

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“......”

“Just watch. This year, the Azure Dragon Academy will stir up a storm across all of murim.”

“...That’s intriguing.” The man nodded, neither agreeing or disagreeing.

The old man didn’t quite comprehend his nonchalance, but it was a welcome change from those who grimaced and walked away, annoyed by his prattle. “By the way, what’s your name?” he asked.

The unassuming man grinned wryly. “I’ve forgotten my name, but my colleagues call me Seven.”

Observing the old man warming up in the arena waiting area, Seven’s smile widened.