TL: FoodieMonster007
The light of dawn bathed the Namgung Clan's central training ground in a soft glow, but today, instead of the usual shouts of their martial artists, it was filled with rows of new instructors from four martial arts academies.
GULP! GULP!
The new instructors swallowed hard, visibly nervous. Behind them, the Azure Sky Sword Brigade stood in formation, their presence radiating an icy aura of authority. Although many of them were renowned experts from prestigious sects and families, few could remain unfazed in the midst of the world's mightiest martial clan.
As if that weren't bad enough, the escort instructors from each academy stood in front of them, nagging relentlessly as they reminded them of proper behavior.
"Be extra careful not to show the Namgung Clan Patriarch any disrespect," the Vermillion Phoenix escort instructor warned.
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"Straighten your shoulders! Show them the dignity of a White Tiger instructor!" the White Tiger escort instructor scolded.
Namgung Su sighed, "...Baek Suryong. Stop yawning."
It was no surprise that the new instructors were brimming with excitement. After all, there was a legend that any instructor who graduated at the top of the training would one day rise to the rank of Star Instructor. While this outcome seemed perfectly logical, it was impossible for the trainees not to feel the weight of it. At the very least, their performance here would shape how they were perceived when they returned to their respective schools.
"The Patriarch is coming!" the captain of the Azure Sky Sword Brigade shouted, his voice imbued with inner qi.
The Azure Sky Sword Brigade stomped their feet in perfect unison.
BOOM!
As the ground vibrated from their synchronized stomp, the previously noisy atmosphere fell silent, and all eyes turned toward the dueling platform.
Namgung Cheon, Patriarch of the Namgung Clan, arrived with a young man and an old man trailing behind him. Among the new instructors, many found themselves more astonished by the pair accompanying him than by the Patriarch's presence.
The Blue Sky Sword King!
The Erudite Sage!
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The young man to the left of the Patriarch was the famous Blue Sky Sword King Namgung Jaehak, while the tall, thin old man with the unusually large head was the Erudite Sage, a scholar who was said to know everything about martial arts theory.
""Greetings to the Patriarch of the great Namgung Clan!""
""Greetings to the great senior of the murim, the Blue Sky Sword King!""
""Greetings to the great senior of the murim, the Erudite Sage!""
The senior instructors of the Four Academies were the first to clasp their hands in salute, and the new instructors hurriedly followed suit.
Namgung Cheon briefly surveyed them and said indifferently, "Nice to meet you. I am Namgung Cheon, and I will be in charge of this new instructor training course."
Although he was often overshadowed by his father, Namgung Cheon was a transcendent master whose strength approached that of the Ten Supremes. Even without projecting his aura, few of the new instructors could meet his gaze directly.
"There's no need for a long speech, so I'll get straight to the point. The new instructor training course here at Namgung Clan will take place over seven days. The course is largely divided into theory and practical sessions, and the two grandmasters beside me will be in charge of each one respectively."
The Blue Sky Sword King and the Erudite Sage, who had been standing a step behind the Patriarch, stepped forward together.
"Greetings, I am the Blue Sky Sword King. I've already met some of you."
"Kukuku... Greetings, youngsters. I am the Erudite Sage."
All the new instructors greeted in unison, ""Greetings, Grandmasters!""
The two old masters nodded slightly and stepped back.
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Namgung Cheon continued, "Also, senior instructors who have taught at the Five Great Academies for at least ten years and are now retired will assist the two Grandmasters as teaching assistants."
A dozen or so teaching assistants stepped forward from under the platform, each radiating a powerful aura.
"That person is...!"
"Master Drifting Cloud Swordsman!"
"The Ice Moon Fairy!"
Upon recognizing the assistants, the new instructors were shocked.
All of them are truly remarkable experts, Baek Suryong mused, slightly impressed by the caliber of the senior instructors. He had come with a lax attitude, and only now did he feel that he might actually gain something from this experience.
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"I will end my speech here so as not to waste your valuable training time. I hope that you will all gain much from this training and return to your schools armed with new insights."
Having finished his brief speech, Namgung Cheon stepped down from the platform, but just before leaving, his gaze lingered on Baek Suryong for an instant.
"......"
It was such a fleeting moment that no one noticed except for the two of them.
With the Patriarch gone, only the Blue Sky Sword King and the Erudite Sage remained on the platform.
The Blue Sky Sword King stepped back and said to the Erudite Sage, "You go first. Morning is for theory."
"Ugh..."
Tang Baekho of the White Tiger Academy was scratching his head in frustration. It seemed he was stuck from the very beginning.
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This man is hopeless.
On the other hand, Sama Yeong of the Vermilion Phoenix Academy had already read more than half of the manual in less than an hour.
Oho. That girl might be worth watching.
Just from the way she held the book, he could tell how hard she had studied and how much effort she had put into it. It was said that she was a prodigy even at the Heavenly Martial Academy, and indeed, she seemed to excel in both theory and martial arts.
Nodding, the Erudite Sage finally turned his attention to Baek Suryong of the Azure Dragon Academy...only to find Baek Suryong casually flipping through the manual while making occasional annotations with his brush.
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A surge of displeasure welled up in his heart. Why is he just skimming through it like that? How dare he...!
At that moment, Baek Suryong looked up and met the Erudite Sage's eyes. "Can I submit it if I'm done?" he asked.
"You insolent..."
"Excuse me?" Baek Suryong tilted his head in confusion. Why's he being like this just because I met his gaze?
Seeing Baek Suryong's response, the Erudite Sage barely managed to contain his anger.
Hmph, he's done? What bullshit is that? How is it even possible to find all six erroneous passages in one hour? He must have just guessed randomly...
"Yes, you can submit it to me. I'll evaluate it right here, right now," he snapped gruffly.
"Yes, sir." Baek Suryong rose to his feet and handed over the manual.
The Erudite Sage took it and immediately began grading it on the spot. "Let's see. How good are you... Hmm?"
"......"
"Oho."
"......"
"Not bad."
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"......"
"H-How...?"
"......"
"This can't be..."
"......"
"Gasp!" The Erudite Sage choked.
"What's wrong?" the Blue Sky Sword King asked, approaching him worriedly.
"How could this be...!" The Erudite Sage's jaw dropped as he stared at the manual.
Let's say he was lucky enough to get the first one or two right. However, once he went past three, four, isn't it something that can't be explained by luck? Moreover...
"HOW ON EARTH DID YOU FIND THEM ALL!?"
At those words, not only the Blue Sky Sword King and the teaching assistants, but even the new instructors looked up at Baek Suryong.
"You've already finished interpreting it?"
"How?"
"Is he a monster...?"
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Everyone stared at Baek Suryong as if they were looking at an inhuman monster. Only Sama Yeong gritted her teeth and went back to solving the problem... but when she heard Baek Suryong's next words, she dropped her brush.
"It's not six, but seven, right?" Baek Suryong asked sheepishly.
The Erudite Sage stared at him, dumbfounded. "What?"
Baek Suryong flipped to the last page of the manual. "The incorrect passages, I mean. There's one more."
"What?!"
"Oh, so it wasn't a bonus question?"
"!!!!"
Translator's Note: People who laugh "kukuku" simply cannot be trusted.