Evil Yeonho was weak when it came to alcohol.
Unbelievably weak.
"Hehehe, big bro... just one more drink..."
"What the hell is wrong with this guy?"
I carried the half-drunk Evil Yeonho on my back and headed to the guest room.
Since he hadn’t booked a room in advance, I had to take him to mine.
On top of that, I even paid for the drinks we just had.
He didn’t drink much before passing out, so the bill wasn’t too high, but still...
"Ughhh..."
"Good grief."
I laid him down on the bed and couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
On the way to the room, several women had looked at me with envy, thanks to his handsome face.
But the reason I was staring at him now wasn’t because of his looks.
‘A martial artist losing consciousness after drinking with someone they just met?’
Even if he weren’t a martial artist, who in their right mind would get so drunk with a stranger that they pass out? I couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
Either he was testing me, or he was the most clueless person in the martial world.
‘Should I figure out which one it is?’
I thought about it for a moment but decided to let it go.
There was no point in making an enemy out of a rich kid.
Besides, he was starting to come to his senses.
"Ugh..."
He got drunk quickly, but he sobered up just as fast.
Being a peak expert, his metabolism worked wonders.
"Awake?"
Evil Yeonho sat up on the bed, holding his head with both hands.
"Ugh... I got too excited since it’s been a while since I drank. No wonder my father told me not to drink when I’m out in the martial world..."
I wasn’t in a position to lecture him, but he really should listen to his father.
"Why did you drink so much if you can’t handle it? You could’ve just used your internal energy to push out the alcohol."
Most peak experts could avoid getting drunk if they wanted to.
Even if they did get drunk, they could easily use their internal energy to sober up.
At my words, he smiled brightly.
It was the kind of smile that would make any woman’s heart skip a beat.
"If I were going to push it out with internal energy, why would I drink in the first place? I drink to get drunk."
"Wow. So you’re saying a martial artist should drink until they can’t control their body?"
"I didn’t think I’d get this drunk. It’s been years since I last drank."
"Bragging, huh?"
Evil Yeonho smirked and continued.
"And big bro, you’re so handsome that the alcohol tasted even better. You know, when the scenery is good, the wine tastes better too... Just kidding! Don’t leave! If you leave now, I’ll really look like a weirdo!"
As I subtly tried to sneak out, Evil Yeonho waved his hands frantically.
"Can’t even take a joke. Anyway, my father’s so strict that I’ve barely had any alcohol at home, even at this age. I thought my tolerance would’ve improved since my martial arts have gotten better, but..."
This guy.
He looked like a dashing young master who could make women cry, but he had an unexpectedly naive side to him.
Then again, considering how he had scolded that fat guy earlier, it made sense.
It might’ve looked cool, but he’d just made an enemy in the martial world for no reason.
In the martial world, grudges were never forgotten, even if favors were.
‘People like that always leave a mess behind.
It’s better to just kill them cleanly or...’
Maybe it was because I came from the Demonic Cult, but I couldn’t understand why righteous sect members showed mercy to their enemies.
If you were worried about the aftermath, you’d quietly follow them to a secluded place and finish them off, or at least cripple them so they could never use martial arts again.
That was the way of our world.
Evil Yeonho pulled out a thick pouch from his pocket and shook it.
"Big bro, want to have another drink? This time, I’ll pay for sure."
"Order some snacks along with the drinks."
Well, whether he made enemies or not wasn’t my problem, so I decided not to care.
We ordered more drinks and snacks to the room and started drinking.
"Ahh! This is the taste!"
He sipped his drink like it was a drop of dew, but his words made it sound like he was a master drinker.
"Anyway, my father is way too obsessed with me!"
"Huh? I know a father like that too."
As we talked, we found ourselves oddly in sync.
We started badmouthing our fathers and the conversation flowed naturally.
"My father fed me all kinds of rare medicines when I was young, and now I can’t even handle alcohol because of the side effects."
"My father used to follow me to the bathroom. Once, I fainted while taking a dump and almost fell in."
"Big bro, that’s a bit much to say while drinking..."
"What?"
"Anyway, when I was young, my father wouldn’t even let me make friends. He said I had to focus on mastering martial arts first."
"I almost died several times trying to secretly learn strange martial arts."
"If you did it, just say you did it. Why say ‘I almost did it’ like it’s someone else’s story?"
"Fine, I did it."
"... You’re a strange guy, big bro. Anyway, I’m pretty talented in martial arts, you know? I like it too. And I don’t really like going out, so I practiced hard and became a peak expert, but..."
At some point, I started munching on snacks while letting him talk.
Bang!
Suddenly, Evil Yeonho slammed the table and shouted with a frustrated expression.
"Seriously! Now he’s telling me to get married because I’m of age! How am I supposed to get married alone? I need a partner! And you know what he said when I told him that?"
"What did he say?"
He didn’t care about my indifferent response and continued passionately.
"He said, ‘Then go find your own partner!’ and kicked me out of the house!"
"... So that’s why you came out to the martial world? At your age, for the first time?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
How ridiculous.
That had to be the most trivial reason I’d ever heard for someone entering the martial world.
‘He really is a strange guy.’
Suddenly curious, I asked, "But someone like you should have no trouble finding a match. You’re from a good family and you’re good-looking."
At the compliment, Evil Yeonho blushed and waved his hands dismissively.
"Ah, it’s not like that. My father’s really scary, and... well, I’m a bit..."
He hesitated, scratching the back of his head and laughing awkwardly.
"I’m pretty picky. Hehe."
"Wow."
I chuckled and took a sip of my drink.
After hearing so much about Evil Yeonho’s father, I naturally started thinking about my own.
"It’s the opposite for me. My father was completely against me leaving home. I’ve been weak since I was young."
"Well, you do look like a frail scholar..."
"Is that an insult?"
"... But you’re actually a great martial artist, right? Right?"
"Think whatever you want."
A great martial artist, huh?
Since no internal energy could be sensed from me, it wasn’t unreasonable for Evil Yeonho to misunderstand.
But the truth was, I had almost no internal energy.
I had laid the foundation in my dantian after achieving the first level of the Reverse Heaven Technique, but it was almost the same as not having one at all.
I couldn’t use it even if I wanted to.
‘To use internal energy without side effects...
I’d need to reach at least the third level.’
To heal my Heavenly Yin Meridian and raise my Reverse Heaven Technique, I still needed countless rare medicines and great techniques.
In other words, I needed to make money.
Thinking about the amount, I sighed softly.
"Why are you sighing?"
"No reason. By the way, where are you headed?"
"The Azure Dragon Academy."
My expression stiffened slightly.
No way...
It would take a few days to get to Nanchang, where the Azure Dragon Academy was located.
I asked, half hoping it wasn’t the case.
"Coincidentally, I’m heading to the Azure Dragon Academy too. But you’re not going there to enroll at your age, are you?"
"Same goes for you, big bro. Huh? Wait...!"
Then we both shouted at the same time.
"Are you going to take the entrance exam?"
"Are you going to pick up girls?"
What kind of nonsense is this?
I narrowed my eyes and stared at him.
Feeling awkward, Evil Yeonho coughed and quietly said, "Ahem. I’m going to take the entrance exam too. I’m applying to be a new instructor at the Azure Dragon Academy this year."
No wonder he got so worked up about what that fat guy said earlier.
There was another reason.
"What do you mean by picking up girls?"
"Huh? Me? When did I say that?"
It was too late to play dumb.
I narrowed my eyes and stared at him.
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind, and I drew my sword, pointing it at him.
"Are you planning to...? Are you really a lunatic?"
"Cough! What are you talking about? That’s absolutely not it!"
"Shut up! I should cut off your manhood to save the young girls of the martial world!"
"I’m serious, it’s not like that!"
Evil Yeonho had to explain himself for a while longer.
Even so, I couldn’t shake off my suspicion.
"So, your father told you not to come home until you bring back a proper fiancée? That’s why you’re going to the academy to find a suitable partner?"
"Yes!"
"But why the Azure Dragon Academy?"
"I’ve always admired elegant and intellectual women."
He scratched his cheek and laughed awkwardly.
His reaction didn’t seem fake, so I put my sword away.
"Then what’s your reason for going to the academy, big bro?"
I could answer that confidently.
"I’m going to make money. My goal is to become a top instructor and rake in the cash."
"How materialistic."
"You better take care of your manhood. If I find out you’ve messed with any kids, I’ll cut it off on the spot."
"I’m serious, it’s not like that!"
The cups kept going around, and the night grew deeper.
We decided to travel together until we reached Nanchang, where the Azure Dragon Academy was located.
It was like traveling with a competitor, but...
‘There’s probably more than one or two applicants anyway.’
What mattered more was the travel expenses and the meat dishes we’d have along the way.
Traveling with this guy wouldn’t be boring, at least.
"Haha! If I travel with you, big bro, the girls will be lining up!"
...
Is this really going to be okay?
A few days later, we arrived in Nanchang.
"Uncle Baek!"
"Surong, it’s been a while."
The man who greeted me with a bright smile was Go Juyeol, a guest of the Flying Eagle Sect.
Nanchang was the largest city in Jiangxi, home to both the Jiangxi branch of the Martial Alliance and the Azure Dragon Academy.
I had come to see Go Juyeol first because I needed something from him.
"I heard you were coming through a message from Mooheun. I’ve already written the recommendation letter for you."
"Thank you."
Go Juyeol looked much more tired than he had a few months ago.
I carefully tucked away the recommendation letter he had written for me.
Go Juyeol looked at me with a pleased expression.
He had taken time out of his busy schedule to meet me.
"You look healthier. Is the young man next to you a friend?"
"Yes. A friend I made on the way."
"I’m Evil Yeonho, new to the martial world."
"Are you by any chance from the Shandong Evil Family?"
We chatted for a while.
Go Juyeol said he had a lot of work to do and needed to leave soon.
He patted my shoulder and said, "A recommendation letter is just a recommendation letter. Most applicants will have one. I’m sorry to say, but mine doesn’t carry much weight."
"I’m grateful just for you writing it. The rest is up to my abilities."
The criteria for selecting new instructors weren’t just about martial arts.
Background, experience, and interview results were all taken into account.
Go Juyeol hinted that the competition would be fierce this year.
"Alright. I believe in you. I’d like to talk more, but I’m too busy. Things have been crazy lately."
"You seem really busy."
"It’s always busy. There’s always something happening in the martial world, but there are never enough people to handle it, and the pay is peanuts... Ahem."
Realizing he was saying too much, Go Juyeol coughed.
"Anyway, that’s how it is. I’d like to treat you to something, but..."
"Don’t worry about it."
"Let’s have a celebratory drink next time when you pass. Ah, I hope you make it."
"Yes! Thank you!"
Go Juyeol stood up, and we bowed our heads.
But after taking a few steps, he turned around and came back to us.
"There’s one way to score big in the interview... Surong. Are you up for a job?"
"Huh? A job?"
"Well..."
Go Juyeol hesitated, looking deep in thought, then cautiously began.
"Recently, there was a case where a civilian was killed by a martial artist."
"...!!"
Unlike Evil Yeonho, who was startled, I wasn’t too surprised.
Civilians being killed by martial artists wasn’t uncommon in the demonic sects.
But that wasn’t all.
Go Juyeol looked around and lowered his voice.
"But the martial arts used... might be demonic cultivation."
"... What?"
Now that surprised even me.