"Ha! The reputation of the Five Great Martial Academies is a thing of the past. The Azure Dragon Academy is now too ashamed to stand alongside them. Don’t you agree?" A burly man with thick hair on his arms spoke arrogantly, leaning on a massive blade that most people would struggle to wield with both hands.
"That’s right. The Azure Dragon Academy has fallen from grace."
"Didn’t they come in last at last year’s Heavenly Martial Tournament? And the year before that, and the year before that too."
At the table, the burly man was joined by two other men.
The two across from him were slightly smaller versions of him, both plump.
In my mind, I called them:
‘Fatty One and Fatty Two.’
Though it was still early in the day, the three fat men were already quite drunk, their faces as red as dates.
The first to speak, Fatty One, stroked his blade and chuckled.
"Among the Five Great Academies, the Vermilion Bird Academy has the best facilities and instructors. Did I mention that? Twenty years ago, when I studied at the Vermilion Bird Academy..."
"Yes, yes."
"Brother, your stories never get old."
Boasting and flattery.
The three men drank noisily, their voices filling the tavern.
Other patrons frowned and glanced at them, but no one dared to say anything due to their size, the mention of the ‘Vermilion Bird Academy,’ and the nicknames of famous martial figures.
‘If they’re still at this level after twenty years, the Vermilion Bird Academy must not be much either.’
I sat at a table a little away from Fatty One, eating bland noodles and dumplings alone.
At first, the topic they were discussing seemed interesting, so I watched them for a while, but soon I looked away.
‘Fatty One is barely first-rate.
The other two aren’t even second-rate...’
They were the type who relied solely on their natural physique, with thick but untrained muscles and fat that jiggled when they laughed.
Their irregular breathing and alcohol-flushed faces.
‘They could start a business climbing any mountain right now.’
If they had encountered Master Meng in his prime, he would have beaten their heads in, saying they were ruining the reputation of the martial world.
"But what can you do? The Azure Dragon Academy wants to hire me, Guo Duyong, as an instructor!"
Fatty One pounded his chest as he spoke.
At those words, even those who had been subtly looking down on him widened their eyes in surprise.
A smug smile spread across Fatty One’s lips, and the two fat men across from him flattered him even more.
"Brother Duyong, you’re truly remarkable. You’ll surely become a new light for the declining Azure Dragon Academy!"
"This year’s Azure Dragon Academy students are lucky. I’m already looking forward to next year’s Heavenly Martial Tournament!"
"Brother, don’t forget us when you go to the Azure Dragon Academy."
"Brother!"
The two fat men’s sycophantic flattery made Fatty One laugh heartily, slapping the table with his thick hand.
"Hahaha! How could I forget my brothers? Once I become the top instructor at the Azure Dragon Academy, I’ll call for you. And about the bill for this wine..."
"You’re really something."
A soft voice that didn’t match the crude curse.
Fatty One, the two fat men, and everyone in the tavern turned their heads in the same direction.
A handsome young man with a furrowed brow was walking over.
He wasn’t particularly tall, but his small head and long limbs gave him excellent proportions.
But that wasn’t the important part.
‘He’s a master.’
The moment I saw him, I unconsciously tensed up.
The young man had two short spears slung diagonally across his back.
Out of habit, I observed his gait and the development of his muscles, trying to predict what martial arts he practiced and his level of skill.
"Are you really hiring a pig who drinks in broad daylight as an instructor? Even if the Azure Dragon Academy is lacking in talent, surely they wouldn’t stoop that low."
The young man’s blatant provocation made one of the fat men jump to his feet.
"Are you crazy! Do you know who this is...?"
"Stop, stop. Calm down, brother."
Fatty One stopped the fat man, who was rolling up his sleeves, ready to fight.
He was clearly frightened, glancing nervously at the young man.
I chuckled to myself.
‘Even if he’s drunk, someone at the first-rate level should be able to sense it.
He’s practically radiating killing intent.’
The handsome young man was glaring at Fatty One with a sharp, blade-like aura.
"Why don’t you keep running your mouth?"
"... Gulp."
If he provoked him, he’d die.
Fatty One was frozen in place, completely overwhelmed by the young man’s presence.
I slurped up another bland noodle, watching the scene with interest.
‘This is the first time I’ve seen a peak master in this life.’
The young man looked to be in his mid-twenties.
To be a peak master at that age, he must either have extraordinary talent or come from a powerful sect.
‘Usually, it’s both.’
Since it had nothing to do with me, I thought it would be interesting to watch a fight break out.
But things don’t always go as you want.
Fatty One quickly stood up and bowed respectfully.
"Haha! This Guo Duyong was drunk and made a fool of himself. Thank you for the wake-up call, young hero."
"... Huh?"
"Since we’ve met like this, let me buy you a drink. As they say, the world is one family. Why don’t we share a drink and have a heart-to-heart?"
Look at that.
That Fatty One.
He’s got some brains.
By publicly bowing like that, he avoided a fight.
Orthodox martial artists value face above all else.
Since he admitted his mistake and apologized, the young man would have to accept it gracefully.
Fatty One poured a full cup of wine and offered it to the young man.
It was hard to believe this was the same man who had been boasting just moments ago.
"My knowledge is limited, so I don’t know your esteemed name. May I ask which sect you belong to...?"
"I don’t have a name to share with a cowardly pig."
...
Is he not from the orthodox sects?
The young man’s disdainful tone made Fatty One’s face turn bright red.
Fortunately, the young man didn’t seem interested in starting a fight in the tavern.
He glanced around and said, "There are no empty seats in the tavern. My legs are tired, and I can’t walk anymore. Is there anyone who’s finished eating and can give up their seat...?"
It was a blatant demand for them to leave.
Fatty One and the two fat men stood up, their expressions twisted in humiliation.
"... We were just about to leave. Please take our seats."
And with that, the three fat men fled the tavern.
As Fatty One passed by me, he muttered, "Just you wait."
"Boo!"
Jeers followed the three fat men, who had been causing a ruckus, while applause poured in for the young hero who had driven them away.
The problem was what came next.
"You didn’t even have the guts to fight. How can someone like you be an instructor at the Azure Dragon Academy? Right?"
The young man naturally pulled out the chair across from me and sat down.
I looked at him with a bewildered expression.
"What?"
"Mind if I join you?"
"What about the big table you just took over?"
"I’m interested in you."
I felt a chill run down my spine.
‘What’s with this guy? Is he crazy?’
Then again, the martial world is full of crazy people.
I cautiously spoke to him.
"Do you have business with me?"
The young man smiled a smile that would make most women fall for him instantly.
"I just wanted to talk. It’s not every day you meet someone as handsome as me."
He’s crazy.
I subtly tightened my grip on my chopsticks.
"... Just kidding. Don’t look so serious. I’m not interested in men."
"Then what is it?"
"... Can you put those chopsticks down first?"
I slowly lowered the chopsticks.
The young man’s smile faded slightly.
He lowered his voice and said, "The moment I entered this tavern, you were the first to react. You were ready to move at any moment. Isn’t that enough to pique my curiosity?"
...
So I’m not the only one with sharp eyes.
Since he was the first peak master I’d seen since waking up in this body, I had been a bit on edge.
I didn’t think it was that obvious, though...
This guy.
He might be even more impressive than I thought.
"If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize."
"It was a natural reaction, considering the killing intent you were radiating. I’m sorry too. That’s why I wanted to sit here and have a drink with you."
"That’s unexpected."
"What is?"
"From the way you talked to Fatty One, I thought you were quite arrogant."
At my words, the young man laughed heartily.
The women at other tables squealed.
"I despise people who act tough without the skills to back it up. They give martial artists a bad name."
He’d get along well with Master Meng.
Anyway, he seemed surprisingly friendly and had a good personality.
But I didn’t want to get too involved.
"Sorry, but I’ve got a lot on my mind, so joining you is..."
"I’ll cover all the food and drinks."
"What kind of wine?"
My quick change in attitude made the young man look bewildered.
This was all because my stingy father hadn’t given me much travel money.
‘He said we’d go together, but he must have kept all the money in his own pouch...’
I should have asked for more before leaving.
Anyway, we formally introduced ourselves.
"Yue Yanhao. I’m new to the martial world, so I don’t have a nickname yet."
There are many sects and families in the martial world that specialize in spears, but three spear techniques are considered the best.
The Yue Family Spear Technique.
The Zhao Family Spear Technique.
The Yang Family Spear Technique.
Among them, the Yue Family Spear from Shandong is considered the best in the world, and Yue Fei, one of the Ten Great Masters, is the current head of the Shandong Yue Family.
‘He’s from a powerful background.’
The Shandong Yue Family was on par with the Five Great Families.
With one of the Ten Great Masters in their ranks, they had every reason to walk with pride.
‘But I’ve never heard of Yue Yanhao before.’
Since I was aiming to join the Azure Dragon Academy, I had been trying to memorize the names and characteristics of the rising stars in the martial world.
But I couldn’t recall any notable young talents from the Yue Family.
That part was a bit puzzling, but I returned the introduction.
"Bai Shulong. I’m also new to the martial world, so no nickname yet."
"Excuse me, but how old are you?"
"Twenty-seven."
For some reason, hearing my age made Yue Yanhao’s expression brighten.
"You’re two years older than me! Can I call you big brother?"
...
We’ve only just met, and he’s calling me big brother? This guy is really something.
So, to avoid any misunderstandings, I spoke as politely as possible.
"Little brother. Shall we start with some drinks?"
There’s no harm in befriending the son of a wealthy family.