"Come to the Heavenly Martial Festival. Let's settle it there."

"Damn you."

Heon Won-gang glared at the letter Peng Sahyuk had left for him.

He looked at the letter pinned to the wall every morning as soon as he woke up, whenever he wanted to give up because training was too hard, and even right before he fell asleep exhausted.

"So, you won and ran off to the Heavenly Martial Academy?"

If looks could pierce through objects, the letter on the wall would have been in tatters long ago.

"Fine. See you at the Heavenly Martial Festival. I'll make sure to humiliate you in front of everyone."

Grinding his teeth, Heon Won-gang roughly tore the letter from the wall and stuffed it into his pocket.

With that letter, he packed the few belongings he had.

Without any regrets, Heon Won-gang left the dormitory where he had stayed for three years.

In front of the dormitory entrance, Baek Su-ryong and Mae Geuk-ryeom were waiting for him, chatting.

Baek Su-ryong asked when he saw Heon Won-gang.

"Is that all your luggage?"

"…Yes."

Heon Won-gang nodded, still awkward with formal speech.

Since deciding to learn swordsmanship from Baek Su-ryong, he had resolved to abandon his pride and focus on training.

It was only natural to speak formally to Baek Su-ryong, who had agreed to teach him swordsmanship, and he had even cut his hair short, which he used to leave messy out of laziness.

Scratching his still unfamiliar short hair, Heon Won-gang said, "I've packed everything I need."

"We've finished all the procedures on this side too. Grandfather, may I take him with me?"

"Come here for a moment."

Mae Geuk-ryeom, who was both the student supervisor and dormitory warden, called Heon Won-gang.

His gaze was as sharp as ever.

"Are you sincere about dedicating yourself solely to martial arts from now on?"

Heon Won-gang met the gaze he had always avoided and answered directly.

"Yes. From today, I will stay at Teacher Baek's house and focus solely on martial arts."

Unless there was a special reason, students staying at the academy during vacation had to stay in the dormitory.

Except for one day a week when they could use a leave pass, staying out overnight was prohibited.

'I don't know how he managed to persuade this strict student supervisor, but...'

In just three days, Baek Su-ryong had arranged for Heon Won-gang to move out of the dormitory, under the pretext of teaching him martial arts while lodging at his house.

"Your eyes have certainly improved."

Mae Geuk-ryeom nodded.

He had watched countless students while guarding the Blue Dragon Academy for decades.

Among them were those who were even more of a troublemaker than Heon Won-gang, and problem students whose future after graduation was unimaginable.

For example, the thief who stole his daughter...

"That bastard Baek Mu-heun..."

"Grandfather? Please take deep breaths. Deep breaths!"

"Hoo... Don't make a fuss."

Finally calming down, Mae Geuk-ryeom looked at Heon Won-gang again.

Anyway, a student with eyes like that wouldn't give up easily.

Mae Geuk-ryeom placed a hand on Heon Won-gang's shoulder and said, "I trust you. Although there's not much vacation left, learn a lot from Teacher Baek."

"I'm sorry for disappointing you until now. I'll show you a changed self from now on."

Heon Won-gang bowed his head.

Seeing his clearly changed attitude, a satisfied smile appeared on Mae Geuk-ryeom's lips.

Mae Geuk-ryeom gave a few last words of advice.

"Quit drinking."

"…I won't touch it again."

"Stay away from women too."

"Yes."

"I'll emphasize it once more. If I hear that you've been visiting brothels after leaving the dormitory..."

The sharp killing intent made Heon Won-gang's body hair stand on end.

Mae Geuk-ryeom continued in a chilling voice.

"I'll cut off both yours and your teacher's..."

"Grandfather? Why me?"

Baek Su-ryong looked at Mae Geuk-ryeom with a shocked expression, but there was no mercy in Mae Geuk-ryeom's face.

"A student's mistake is the teacher's responsibility. So remember, and remember well."

"Yes..."

The two pale men nodded earnestly.

After all the conversations were over, Heon Won-gang followed Baek Su-ryong out of the Blue Dragon Academy.

"Once you start training in earnest, it will be quite tough."

"I'm fully prepared."

Heon Won-gang answered with a determined expression to Baek Su-ryong's words.

Three years.

The wandering had been too long.

He regretted the wasted time so much that it was killing him.

From now on, he planned to run with only one goal in mind.

The Heavenly Martial Festival.

There, he would meet Peng Sahyuk again and avenge his past defeat.

And he would finish the conversation they couldn't have last time.

Seeing Heon Won-gang full of tension, Baek Su-ryong chuckled.

"Relax your shoulders. Someone might think you're going to collect debts."

"…Yes."

Their destination wasn't far.

The two quickly arrived at a large manor after leaving the Blue Dragon Academy.

"You'll be lodging here and learning martial arts from now on."

"…Here?"

Heon Won-gang's eyes widened as he looked back at Baek Su-ryong, surprised by the manor's size, which was much larger than he had imagined.

"Teacher, are you rich?"

Baek Su-ryong replied with a satisfied smile.

"It's not my house, but my friend's. His name is Heo Cheon, and he's a big businessman in the area."

He looked proud as if he were boasting about himself while talking about his friend.

Heon Won-gang thought Baek Su-ryong must be really close friends with this Heo Cheon person.

"He's like a brother to me, so feel free to use the place. I've already talked to him!"

Soon after, the two opened the large front gate, big enough for a carriage to pass through, and entered.

The manor was so large and spacious that it even had a training ground.

However, there was hardly any sign of people.

"It's a manor he bought recently, so there aren't many people yet. Originally, he planned to build the White Dragon Academy here if he didn't make it to the finals..."

"Pardon?"

"Well, you don't need to know that much."

Baek Su-ryong shrugged his shoulders and smiled as he sensed someone inside.

"Oh, and you're not the only one training in martial arts here."

"…Who else is there?"

"My secret weapon for winning the Heavenly Martial Festival."

"Pardon?"

"And someone who will soon be your junior."

As Baek Su-ryong grinned, a young boy who looked about fourteen or fifteen came out from inside the manor.

"Su-ryong hyung!"

"I told you to call me teacher."

The boy shouted with a delighted face when he saw the two of them.

He was a bit small for his age.

With an innocent face and a pure smile, he looked like a country boy, except for his fair skin.

"Cheon-ah, have you been well?"

"Yes!"

Baek Su-ryong roughly tousled the hair of the boy who ran over like a puppy finding its owner.

"Why did you come after so long? My grandfather and I have been waiting so much."

"I was a bit busy for a while. But from now on, we'll see each other every day. I'll be commuting here from tomorrow."

"Really?"

The boy smiled brightly, genuinely happy.

Having lived as a notorious troublemaker at the academy for years, Heon Won-gang felt somewhat uncomfortable with that innocent smile.

Perhaps sensing that gaze, the boy turned to Heon Won-gang and asked, "Um, who is this person next to you?"

Only then did Baek Su-ryong introduce the two to each other.

"This is Heon Won-gang. He'll be lodging here from today. He's a third-year at the Blue Dragon Academy."

"…I'm Heon Won-gang. I'll be in your care from today."

Unlike Heon Won-gang, who only gave a slight nod, the boy politely bowed deeply.

"I'm Wi Ji-cheon! I'm fifteen this year! Please feel free to speak comfortably, senior!"

"…Senior?"

When Heon Won-gang looked at Baek Su-ryong with a puzzled expression, Baek Su-ryong explained his question.

"This kid will be taking the entrance exam this year. So he'll soon be your junior."

"Do they just accept anyone for the entrance exam... Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to belittle you..."

Heon Won-gang belatedly looked at Wi Ji-cheon with an apologetic expression, but Wi Ji-cheon laughed brightly as if it was nothing.

"Hehe. It's okay. I'm preparing hard because I heard the Blue Dragon Academy entrance exam is difficult!"

"…Yeah. Do your best."

Heon Won-gang nodded with a rather reluctant expression.

Baek Su-ryong looked at the two, who seemed as incompatible as water and oil.

'It's like a cat and a dog meeting for the first time.'

If Heon Won-gang had a finicky cat-like personality, Wi Ji-cheon had a dog-like personality, approaching with a wagging tail whenever he saw people.

Anyway, seeing the two standing side by side was reassuring.

"You two will be training together from now on. You'll also be sparring often."

"Please take care of me, senior!"

"…Uh, yeah."

Heon Won-gang answered reluctantly.

Honestly, he felt a bit deflated.

He was a third-year and two years older than Wi Ji-cheon.

Yet, he had to train and spar with someone who looked obviously weak.

'It'll be boring.'

That wasn't all.

Heon Won-gang was worried that Wi Ji-cheon might cling to him, asking to teach him various things when he was already busy learning new martial arts.

'I hope he doesn't bother me...

Maybe I should intimidate him a bit in the first spar.'

That thought changed after Baek Su-ryong had them spar.

"Let's have a light spar to warm up. But don't use internal energy."

Thinking it was a chance that came sooner than expected, Heon Won-gang confidently picked up a wooden sword.

"Ugh!"

Heon Won-gang bent over like a shrimp after getting hit in the stomach with a wooden sword.

As Heon Won-gang struggled to breathe properly, Wi Ji-cheon approached with a worried expression.

"Senior, are you okay?"

"I'm fine... Ugh!"

Having already vomited several times, only white gastric juice came out now.

Heon Won-gang wiped his mouth roughly with the back of his hand and stood up.

"Let's go again."

"Again?"

Wi Ji-cheon looked at me with a pleading expression and said, "Can't we stop now?"

But before I could say anything, Heon Won-gang used the wooden sword as a cane to stand up.

"One more time."

His eyes were filled with determination.

The look of underestimating Wi Ji-cheon was gone, and Heon Won-gang pointed the wooden sword at Wi Ji-cheon as if facing a life-and-death opponent.

"We've already done it nine times, haven't we? Senior, shouldn't we really stop now..."

"One more time."

Stubborn Heon Won-gang and Wi Ji-cheon, who looked like he was about to cry.

I mediated between the two.

"This will be the last time."

"…Yes."

"Yes…"

Heon Won-gang, who had steeled himself, and Wi Ji-cheon, who sighed, each picked up a wooden sword and a wooden saber.

Once again, their swords and sabers clashed.

I watched their spar with my arms crossed.

'As expected, Wi Ji-cheon is stronger.'

Although he lost most of his internal energy while treating his qi deviation, the skills he honed while mastering the fake Infinite Sword Technique on his own hadn't disappeared.

Under the condition of not using internal energy, Wi Ji-cheon had the skill to overwhelm Heon Won-gang, who was two years older than him.

Thwack!

"Ugh!"

In the end, Heon Won-gang, who got hit in the stomach again, lay sprawled on the ground.

"Um, senior..."

"…Don't talk to me."

"…Okay."

Having gone from a notorious troublemaker to a neighborhood punching bag, Heon Won-gang looked up at the stars in the night sky with a complicated expression and muttered.

"Should I just drown myself in a saucer of water..."

What a pitiful sight.

Clicking my tongue lightly, I spoke to Wi Ji-cheon.

"Cheon-ah, take him to wash up and show him to his room."

"Oh, yes!"

Supported by Wi Ji-cheon, Heon Won-gang limped towards the room.

Even then, he was stubborn.

"Let go. I can walk on my own..."

"You'll fall if I let go..."

"I won't say it twice. Let go."

"Are you sure you want me to let go?"

"I said let go..."

"I-I'll let go, then."

As soon as Wi Ji-cheon let go of his supporting hand, Heon Won-gang's knees gave out, and he fell to the ground.

To make matters worse, he fell forward and hit his face on a stone on the ground.

Thud!

"You told me to let go, so I did... Are you okay?"

After a while, Heon Won-gang lifted his head and forced a smile, trying to look okay.

"Heh. This is nothing."

Blood was streaming down from his nose.