After all sixteen groups had completed their interviews and the applicants left the interview room, Hwayeomdo Kwak Cheol-woo clicked his tongue and said, "What a cocky brat. What? Trying to make a fool of me with external energy?"
"......"
"Teacher Namgung, don't worry about it. He's just trying to catch the interviewers' attention by putting up a fight."
"......"
Kwak Cheol-woo had been watching the silent Namgung-su, who, despite being older and holding a higher position in the martial world, found himself in a position where he had to be cautious of Namgung-su's feelings.
Namgung-su of the Three Absolute Swords was the top instructor at Cheongryong Academy, with countless students lining up every semester just to attend his classes.
Requests for private tutoring flooded in from outside the academy, and he was even approached multiple times by other prestigious academies for job offers.
This had been the case for several years now.
'It's fortunate that Teacher Namgung has chosen to stay at our Cheongryong Academy...'
But who could truly understand the heart of a person? If Namgung-su were to leave for another prestigious academy one day, Cheongryong Academy, which was already losing its reputation, would find itself at the very bottom of the martial world.
From the perspective of the deputy head, who had to think about the future of Cheongryong Academy, Namgung-su was someone they could never afford to lose.
'Was it Baek Su-ryong? I was going to let him pass the interview since he was recommended by Bi Eung-gae, but...'
In Kwak Cheol-woo's eyes, Baek Su-ryong had made the worst possible move during the interview.
He had offended the top instructor, and even if he passed the interview and the practical exam to become a temporary instructor, dark clouds would loom over his future.
"With Teacher Namgung's reputation being so great, there are always a few wannabes who want to test their skills against him. I'll handle it, so don't worry..."
"......"
Namgung-su remained silent, lost in thought.
Anxious, Kwak Cheol-woo wet his lips and spoke up.
"Could it be that you were upset because I stopped the fight earlier? But if you had hurt him, he would surely have spread bad rumors about you outside. That's why I intervened, so don't take it the wrong way..."
"Hmm. I didn't think he seemed like that kind of young man."
Kwak Cheol-woo shot a glare at the person who had interrupted without any awareness, but there was nothing more he could do.
"Lord Gwonju..."
He wasn't bold enough to speak out against the old man, who had been recognized as one of the top martial artists in the world for decades.
Lord Nogunsang chuckled and recalled the earlier incident.
"If the deputy head hadn't intervened, he would have charged right in. Didn't you think so, Teacher Namgung?"
"...... That's right. His confidence was excessive."
Namgung-su spoke with a cold expression.
Lord Nogunsang grinned mischievously and asked, "But why did you stay quiet? Weren't you curious about his external energy skills?"
The old man's gaze seemed to pierce through to Namgung-su's innermost thoughts.
However, Namgung-su's cold expression showed no signs of wavering.
"It was because he wasn't worth my time. Also, I had provoked him first."
"True, even if it was a pressure interview, the intensity was quite high."
Namgung-su nodded.
"Yes. I believe he had every right to be angry. If I had defeated him with my external energy in that situation, it would have only inflicted a greater wound to his pride."
His attitude suggested that he was certain he would win if it came to a contest.
This was the natural confidence of a top instructor at Cheongryong Academy and a peak martial artist.
Moreover, he even showed consideration for an opponent who was bound to be humiliated.
Kwak Cheol-woo admired him once more, praising Namgung-su.
"Teacher Namgung is not only skilled but also a broad-minded person. It's impressive that you held back from humiliating him even when you had every reason to be angry... Other teachers should learn from this!"
"Not at all. Seeing how I spoke harshly to the applicant in my excitement shows that I still have much to learn."
"Isn't it all because you care too much for our Cheongryong Academy? Even I can see that young man wasn't fit to apply for the external energy instructor position."
Kwak Cheol-woo flattered Namgung-su, who maintained a calm expression of humility.
The old man, sitting between them, crossed his arms and recalled the young man who had just left.
'Was it Baek Su-ryong?'
His mannerisms and gestures, along with the sharp gaze that observed the interviewers from head to toe, left a strong impression in his memory.
...
Though his martial skills didn't seem particularly strong, Lord Nogunsang felt strangely tense in front of that young man.
"Do you think we should fail Baek Su-ryong in the interview?"
"Yes."
Kwak Cheol-woo answered immediately, while Namgung-su observed Lord Nogunsang's expression for a moment before nodding.
"I believe it would be right to fail him as well... But perhaps you have a different opinion, Lord Gwonju."
Throughout the sixteen group interviews, Lord Nogunsang had never intervened in deciding whether an applicant would pass or fail.
He generally just laughed and occasionally asked about the interviewees' personal lives.
So far, it had been Kwak Cheol-woo and Namgung-su who decided the fate of the applicants.
But this time was different.
"I will pass Ak Yeon-ho, Myung Il-o, and Baek Su-ryong."
For the first time, Lord Nogunsang was clearly stating his opinion.
No, it was more of a one-sided announcement.
"Excuse me? Why?" Kwak Cheol-woo asked, his eyes wide with surprise, but quickly realized it was disrespectful and lowered his gaze.
"I-I'm sorry, Lord Gwonju."
"That's alright."
Lord Nogunsang chuckled and continued, "I just can't understand. At my age, I can usually gauge a person's martial skills and character after just a few words, but that young man is hard to read. I can't get a grasp on him. I don't know his skill level, and I can't tell what's inside him at all."
It had been decades since he felt this way, and Lord Nogunsang muttered with childlike excitement in his eyes.
Namgung-su spoke with a somewhat stiff expression.
"I've never seen you praise someone like that, Lord Gwonju."
"It's still too early to call it praise. He could just be an oddball. But I would like to see him once more."
"Is that so..."
Namgung-su fell silent for a moment before casually asking, "Is this decision unchangeable even if I oppose it?"
"Why? Do you care?"
"......"
In that fleeting moment, the eyes of Lord Nogunsang and Namgung-su clashed.
As Kwak Cheol-woo fumbled, unsure of what to say, Namgung-su smiled and took a step back.
"I understand. Since you say so, I would also like to see him once more."
Namgung-su smiled gently, but his eyes showed no warmth.
"I hope to see a side of myself that I haven't seen before next time."
"I hope so too. For the sake of our Cheongryong Academy's development."
"......"
Namgung-su's eyebrows twitched at Lord Nogunsang's peculiar words.
Kwak Cheol-woo, who had been observing the two, quickly shouted outside, "Seventeenth group, come in!"
"Brother, wasn't that a bit too much?"
"Too much? What do you mean?"
At my indifferent reply, Ak Yeon-ho pressed close to me and whispered, "What if you provoke the top instructor of Cheongryong Academy? It's a good thing the deputy head stopped you; otherwise..."
"I knew he would intervene."
"Excuse me?"
As I chuckled, Ak Yeon-ho looked at me with a blank expression.
I added an explanation.
"Would you let the most esteemed top instructor of the academy fight with a new instructor applicant? Even if I won, it wouldn't be worth it, and if I lost, how would I bear the embarrassment?"
"So you did it on purpose?"
"At least I left a strong impression."
Of course, even if I assumed I would face Namgung-su in a contest of external energy, I was confident I would win.
After all, I had the Green Forest Eighteen Techniques left by my master.
'So I tried to go a bit strong...'
It was all within my expectations, and Kwak Cheol-woo had intervened to stop the fight.
The look of shock on Namgung-su's face had been quite telling...
He was probably making excuses now, saying he held back out of pity for his opponent or for the academy's reputation.
"You coward. If you got caught, you would have broken his hands right there."
Well, there was still plenty of time ahead.
I was focused on becoming a top instructor at Cheongryong Academy, which meant I would inevitably clash with Namgung-su.
"I'll take my time tormenting him."
As I grinned, Ak Yeon-ho looked at me in disbelief.
"You don't even think about the consequences... What if you fail the interview?"
Fail the interview? I thought for a moment before answering.
"I'll build a large estate across from Cheongryong Academy and name it Baekryong Academy. In ten years, the students I teach will beat all the Cheongryong Academy students."
Unless I had no money, of course.
But I had the inheritance and business capital left by Elder Heo.
'It wouldn't be a bad idea to expand the academy business this time.'
Time was the only issue, but I was confident I could attract students eventually.
It would take longer than starting with experience at Cheongryong Academy, though.
"If they fail me, it just shows how limited the interviewers' vision is. I won't feel regret."
"Well, at least you're confident about that."
"Right. I'll hire you as an instructor without an interview. As the founding instructor of Baekryong Academy..."
"I'll cheer for you from afar, brother."
As we exchanged trivial banter while leaving the interview room, an unfamiliar presence approached.
"Sorry to interrupt your conversation."
Turning around, I saw a short-haired man with a friendly demeanor smiling as he approached.
I recognized him.
'Was it Myung Il-o?'
He was the man who had interviewed with us, short in stature but with a solid build.
He had a friendly appearance and seemed to have a pleasant personality, which I guessed was why Kwak Cheol-woo liked him right after Ak Yeon-ho.
He seemed to have decent skills too.
Should I consider him as a candidate for Baekryong Academy's instructor?
"I am Myung Il-o from the Shandong Ming family. Ak So-hyeop, we met once before; do you remember?"
Myung Il-o said, addressing Ak Yeon-ho.
At that moment, Ak Yeon-ho showed a rare look of confusion.
"Ah, um. I'm sorry, but I don't remember well... When did we meet?"
"It was at Miss Yeonhwa's twentieth birthday."
"Ah... That time?"
"Haha. There were so many people, you probably wouldn't remember. In fact, I only saw you from a distance."
"Indeed, it has been quite a while..."
The Shandong Ak family and the Ming family were both from the Shandong region.
However, unlike the Shandong Ak family, which could be considered a major power in the region, the Ming family was a smaller faction.
Therefore, while Ak Yeon-ho could ignore him, Myung Il-o couldn't afford to do so.
"Since we met as fellow townsmen, how about having a meal together? I’ll treat you."
"Um. That’s..."
Why was he looking at me?
Ak Yeon-ho glanced at me, then asked, "What do you think, brother?"
...
Ah.
It was because of me?
"I'm fine with it."
"Then please allow us to join! Haha. I was truly moved by the composure you showed in front of the interviewers earlier!"
With a smile that could brighten anyone's mood, Myung Il-o naturally joined our group as if he had been with us from the start.
"By the way, you two."
Myung Il-o glanced around before lowering his voice.
"Do you know anything about the practical exam?"